the life I picked

a bushel of gumption, an ounce of grace

July stacks up

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…like this

less collines raspberry, gooseberry and sour cherry jellies and preservesBottoms up, sour cherry preserve-black raspberry preserve-gooseberry jelly.

We have been wildly wild, busybusybusy as all three fruit are happening at once this year, where there is usually a bit of staggering. Cannot pick and cook fast enough.

The flavor of black raspberries is matched only by their staining capacity!les collines summer fruit: black raspberries

The sour cherry crop seems to be having a pretty banner year, making up for last.les collines summer fruit sour cherry and raspberries

But those gooseberry thorns!!! Seeming extra extra sharp, ai yi yi and I have the scars to prove it!! Of course, the tart beauty of the jelly is more than worth it…les collines summer fruit gooseberriesFor a little Christmas in July, and because really, who needs sleep?– we pulled a batch of Sevilles from the freezer one very humid day to get a batch of marmalade going and they were fabulously frosty. And unbelievably fragrant even though frozen solid. Incredible.  les collines summer fruit seville orangesLazy days of summer, uh uh.

gratitude & independence

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Last week, a few days before July 4 les collines received a vote of confidence and a hand up from the good folk at the CEDC and the HVADC of Columbia County. We are so grateful. The timing was pretty perfect.

And as a result…we are in business!! Making our sweet version of slow food on this little hill in this beautiful corner of the County. Inspired by everything, everything around us.gratitude for the beauty of Columbia County, NY les collines gratitude for sour cherries IMG_1601 IMG_1633

On the agenda this week, pitting sour cherries, picking black raspberries,  gooseberries. Pulling Sevilles from the freezer for a Christmas in July marmalade, simmering New Zealand Meyers and fresh-from-the-garden rosemary, post downpours, for a summertime Meyer lemon rosemary jelly. les collines gratitude for seville oranges

Summer harvests and les collines, to savor, with gratitude xo

buck moon and sour cherries

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Strawberries hung in there despite the copious rains of June…hard to believe back end of May it was approaching a dust bowl round here. The berry season thus far seems all too much like last year, where they started so very fine and then the rains came and with them, dank mold. Hard pickings. But got us a good crop; the strawberry preserve with Lapsang Suochong will tell you all you need to know.

Sour cherries are just in this week, and they are looking pretty damn good. Already picked and cooked and the first batches of preserve are out. Going for more fruit tomorrow.ingredients for les collines jams, jellies and preserves - sour cherries

July’s full moon is the buck, and it was a beauty when it made it over the cloud bank last evening. Waiting for it to do the same tonight. Too cloudy to catch the Venus-Jupiter pairing. Next time…xo

 

rhubarb is IN

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A scant bushel of gigantic rhubarb from Jersey was first up this year– hey, no snickering, it is the Garden State for a reason, and though I still consider it all mostly a mystery, I did live there for 10 years. …

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