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"#ourlocalharvest: Friday December 27"

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Ripe Fruit

Much happens in a garden that is decades old.  The work that goes into planting perennials pays off  for years to come.  This is a major theme this fall and winter.  Even past the winter solstice we have an abundance of produce to enjoy and share.  This is also the time when the 'Wonderful' pomegranates get sweet.  They have had great colour for months, but in our mild climate they need to hang on the tree as long as possible.

While the past few months have not seen lots of planting of annual vegetables, we are still harvesting the last of summer crops like tomatoes and salad greens.  The pantry is stocked with chayote, and the fridge full of apples and persimmons.  Dried fruit and shitake mushrooms and freezing things like pesto and cactus fruit (inspired by learning it cured a friends arthritis) will have us enjoying an extended harvest.  This year also included making vinegar from fresh apple juice.  What a great way to turn perishable fruit into something useful, medicinal and delicious that will last for years.  We love to highlight our homegrown and home made foods in food we prepare and share with others, so fruit vinegars will be a fun addition to recipes.

All fruits are favourites of mine, whatever happens to be current wins the prize at that time.  Two lovely fruits that do extremely well in the Bay Area are the Bearrs Lime and Pineapple guava.  We are hauling them in our nap-sacks improvised from our shirts when those treasures abound on the ground.  Growing food gives the advantage of picking things at the peak of ripeness.  Thats why people are amazed when they get to enjoy something fresh picked.  Even Farmers Markets won't bring the ripest fruits.  I remember Riverdog Farms at the Berkeley Farmers market giving away to other vendors (when I was working for Vital Vitals Bakery) some of the most flavourful strawberries ever.  They were concerned that they would not last in customers fridges because they were so ripe!   Something special about the Pineapple Guava  and Bearrs Lime are that they fall when ripe.  The guavas usually need more time to ripen even when the tree releases them, and the limes also keep for a long time after gathered from beneath the mother tree.  They are extra juicy and have fantastic flavour to enhance any dish, and amazing simply squeezed in a glass of water.  I remember first trying the Pineapple guava at the Chadwick Garden on UC Santa Cruz Campus and it is days like these with 4 bearing varieties that I am so glad I tried them years ago.   Its is also a pleasure to introduce others to a  new and unusual fruit.  A guava that is evergreen, withstands some frost and provides a late harvest when the pickings may otherwise be more slim.  And don't forget the flower petals are superb in flavour and texture.  I have to mention the Pomelo here because it is also happening now and also should fall before eating. Books say that they won't do well in our climate, but it is definitely worth growing.   Cape Gooseberry is another that drops sweet ripe fruit that Bay Area gardeners can grow easily.  Gathering fallen fruit that has dropped because it is ready for us to eat feels right.  Most ready fruits will pop off the vine easily or almost fall in the hand when prodded.  With so many varieties to choose from there is no reason to rush a harvest, something is always ready to eat.

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"Nepalese style, fermented mustard greens, drying on roof. Nepalese wilt leftover mustard greens harvest & crushed greens are out in jars & left to ferment under sunlight, from anywhere from 3 days to two weeks or more. (Tangy) greens are then taken out on to drying racks to be stored for upcoming winter, snow filled months, when greens are scarce. They can be rehydrated and added to soups or as snacks."

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"#ourlocalharvest today: lemons, Fuji apples, "Coffee cake" astringent-cultivar persimmons "

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"Slice of winter pink lemon sky"

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"#ourlocalharvest: our leftover Halloween candy: persimmons (Fuyu), apples (Fuji), lemon (Eureka), tomato, almonds."

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"#GillTract #urbanfarmer: harvesting #medicinal #tulsi amongst #native #California #goldenpoppies, #kale, #summersquash, #polebeans, #amaranth...beautiful autumn morning"
(taken at Gill Tract)

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"#ourlocalharvest Saturday October 26th: Rosemary, culinary sage, Hawthorne, Almonds, Cape Gooseberries, 'Sungold' Cherry tomatoes, Bartlett pears & dried cilantro "

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"October 22, 2013: #ourlocalharvest -Eureka Lemons, Hawthorne, Bartlett Pear, Fuyu Persimmons, Almonds, Cape Gooseberries -Thai red chili-peppers (Birds eye), Salad Burnet (herb), Rosemary, Dried Cilantro (jarred), Oregano, Culinary Sage -Lemon verbena + -Mexican Salvias =flowers "

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"Local Harvest : October 21, 2013: Eureka Lemons, Fuyu Persimmons, Hawthorne, Almonds, Culinary sage, Rosemary, dried spice jar of Cilantro, Thai chili-peppers (Birds eye), cape gooseberries, Bartlett pear, LemonVerbena + & Mexican Salvias as Flowers"

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"Local Harvest of October 10th: Fresh Basil, dried/jarred spices: oregano & cilantro, Almonds, Pomelo, Thai chili peppers, Fuji apples, Mexican Limes, Lavender +, Meyer Lemons, Tromboncino Squash; Flowers: Dried Cardoon"

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"Local Harvest, October 3, 2013"

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"Local Harvest: October 2, 2013"

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"Local Harvest: October 1"

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"#ourlocalharvest 9-27-13"

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"#ourlocalharvest from 9-26-13"

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"#ourlocalharvest from yesterday & today"

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"Sunday Local Harvest"

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"On our way to #SolanoStroll. Visit our #occupythefarm table! Key route and Solano"

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"#ourlocalharvest Saturday August 31: Concord grapes, Asian pears, Fuji Apple, Golden Delicious Apple*, Almonds, Mexican limes, Water Cress, Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Coriander, Culinary Sage, Lemon verbena+, Lavender+"

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"8-30-13: #ourlocalharvest"

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"Our little bart hitchhiker"

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"#ourlocalharvest"

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"#ourlocalharvest"

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"#ourlocalharvest 8-20-13: Asian pears, Meyer lemons, Green Almonds, Cape Gooseberries, Serrano pepper, chili-pepper, Purslane, Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, culinary Sage, Spearmint+, Lavender+, Lemon verbena+, Tulsi+.... + : perfect for tea"

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"8-19-13: #ourlocalharvest -- -Asian pears, Concord grapes*, Mexican Limes, fresh/green almonds, Cape gooseberries -Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, lemonverbena+, tulsi/holy-basil+, spearmint+, lavender+ -purslane, Serrano pepper, Chili-pepper, collards & kale * : just coming into season + : perfect for tea"

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"Sunday's local harvest: -zucchini, purslane, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, spearmint, lavender, lemon verbena, cape gooseberries, Asian pears, pluot, sungold cherry tomatoes, nasturtium."

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"#ourlocalharvest today: -Pluots, Mexican Limes, Asian pears, Cape Gooseberry, Green Almonds, Serrano Pepper, Chili Pepper, Rhubarb, Squash Blossom, Zucchini, Kale, Purslane, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme "

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"Our Local Harvest (8-14-13): -Fruits: Pluots, Asian Pears, Mexican Limes, Cape Gooseberries -Veggies: Zucchini, Green Onions, Serrano Pepper, Chili Pepper -Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Mint, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary -Flowers: Cardoon, Sunflower, Sweet Peas, Pincushion, Lavender"

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"Our local harvest (8-13-13): -Purslane, Serrano Pepper, Green (sweet) Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Salad greens, Zucchini, Asian pears, Meyer lemon, Rhubarb, Fresh/Green Almonds, Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme."

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Introduction

Gifts of the Commons - About us:

Hello. We are aspiring hillside homesteaders.

Tayberry

Collards & Kale

Pomegranates

Our interests lie in polyculture, low-impact living, inspired by various cultures around the world, and the joy of the daily gift of observing the cycles of nature. 

Our intention is to share our experiences of cultivating and connecting to this land. 

Harvesting and sharing fresh food and herbs is a favorite way of being with others.

~

Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar

Chrysalis

Constantly amazed by the way bodies thrive with plants we intend to explore and deepen this understanding.  We aspire to redefine our lives drawing from traditional ways and inspiration from the natural world.  Observing the short comings of the modern world and the push for expanding our dollar, rather we desire to align with nature's glorious green spaces.  Observing a caterpillar becoming a chrysalis in the dill, humbled and grateful, we see how our actions can bring forth life.  We are creating harmony within our living spaces, learning how to grow a world for humans and bees and occasionally gophers and cats, chickens, and turkey.

Food Forest: Sour Cherry, Apples, Nasturtium, Pomegranates, Irises

In 1991 this neighborhood experienced the scourge of the Berkeley Oakland Hills Fire. Everything was burnt to ground, aside from some Oak and Redwood trees.  John and his family returned to the site and rebuilt their home.  Before long the instinct to bring back the life that once thrived here and the opportunity of a barren garden presented itself.  What started as a desire to recreate the childhood surroundings of greenery and fruit trees has become a life long journey.  In the early 1970s neighbors joined to purchase and preserve 2 1/2 acres between homes.  What was planned to become approximately 20 new houses and a road is now a commons preserve open to the public.  About 12 years ago a portion of the commons was agreed to be garden.  We are honored to work on land that exemplifies an alternative to private property and are always seeking to erase boundaries and borders that divide people.

The climate by the San Francisco Bay allows year round gardening and an amazing variety of species that grow here.  We can now pick ripe fruit every day of the year.  This garden is a living example of alternative agriculture and a place for the cultivation of rare and common edibles, as well as other useful plants.  An inspiration for all to see that nature is ready for us to get involved.

~

In this blog will be shared updates on Currant Events, a section that will highlight the harvest in each season and the activities in homesteading.   We will carry on the tradition of sharing the abundance of fruits, vegetables and herbs.  Find pictures of the progress and the daily offerings present in front of the home on the sidewalk. Stop over; connect into local food culture and begin incorporating neighborhood cultivated ingredients with increased nutritional vibrancy.

~ The Hillside Homesteaders, John McClung & Allison Shiozaki