But everyone has asked about the fruit.  The blueberries are in pink stage and should blossom this week and up to 14 days, (different varieties bloom at different times).  So far most tree fruit seems to have survived.  There will be less of a harvest all around– I feel enough for markets and the restaurants. The grape vines have seen the most damage so far.  There will be some……will not know for a while though. Annually we often experience a frost and damage on some part of the farm. The consumer usually does not even notice as it is minor.  But this year I do know that even once harvested the fruit remaining might have some visible damage.

Had a great time actually showing a friend about the science of hot air rising and cold air sinking.  In a low apple orchard (not on the main farm)  he could see where the cold air sank down the hill and backed up onto the golden delicious.  You can see the brown flowers on the lowest part and nice white bloomers further up the hill.  Why did the cold air back up.  This farm has been separated by the adjoining farm by pine trees.  The trees are upwards to 30 feet tall and go all the way to the ground touching each other.  The cold air could not travel past these enormous blocks.  Even though half of that orchard is a complete loss there still lies the marvels of nature even though subtle:

1. (esp. of a change or distinction) So delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe.
2. (of a mixture or effect) Delicately complex and understated.

This was a great definition and fits what I see daily.

Happy Eating!

~Christina….who loves to photograph food!

So far Berrien County has missed those but tomorrow, Good Friday, the predictions are not favorable.  All of the apricots, plums, and most of the peaches have already bloomed.  Sweet and tart cherries and pears are almost done.  Our favorite apple, Swiss Gourmet, is in full bloom with other varieties trailing.  Just caught the glimpse of a few “king” blooms in the early strawberries.  Grapes, berries and blueberries are filling out leaves but the shoots are still tender with fruiting buds just a few cells underneath.

The numerous forecasts out range from 28° to 30°.  I hope you have had a chance to look up the MSU site on fruit damage I posted in Facebook a few weeks ago. It has all of our fruits, color pictures, and temperatures/damage.   For most fruit in blossom and even fruit set 30° would cause 10-25% fruit loss.  Lower temps would cause 75-90% damage.  BUT it does not end there.  All of the fruiting and leaf buds are in this years branch for NEXT year.    ( I guess all of my grey hair will appear next year!  as it is just waiting for damage this year just under the skin.)

Our topography will help many in our area.  Heat rises and cold air sinks.  A quite a bit of our farm is on a hill.  But a hard heavy frost, one that goes on for hours, will most definitely take a toll.

We are in an excellent country.  Numerous soils, climates, topography all help to bring numerous and bountiful harvests to the table.  And every year somewhere in our country farmers lose out to weather—-hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, floods, frosts, hail.  But farmers throughout every year still farm, still are drawn to the land, get tired, but still farm.  We do have a different life and we do love it no matter what.

• smog pots- these were banned but were somewhat efficient.   Smog pots were metal containers which contained oil.  They were lit sometime in the evening of the predicted frost.  They had to be maintained all night.  I cannot remember how many pots per grouping of trees, but in the morning the entire region was covered in smoke.  The idea was that the heat generated would keep surrounding material warm- heat would rise type theory.  My Dad along with others would come in about 7am covered like a coal miner.  These are no longer used.

• irrigation- applying water all night long to cover the plant material.   This has been used successfully in strawberries.  What this does is create ice over the plant.  Water freezes at 32° and forms a layer over the blooms.  Water must be kept on until the frost layer melts.  In our community farmers would take “watch” and notify others when the temp would get to the starting point and then you would hear the irrigation pumps start up all around.  In the morning they might still be on or you would see water standing in the patches.

On Monday and Tuesday morning I arose to NO FROST.  I was extremely worried Monday night.  The conditions were all there for the frost to occur.  Temps low, no cloud cover and no wind.  I was actually out in the cherry orchard  at 9:30 pm just watching the sliver of a moon, no clouds and not even a blade of weed grass moving.  Oh yes I prayed for all of us farmers.  Sometime after 10:30 the clouds rolled in.  I still did not know if that blanket would hold in whatever heat was left.  I went to bed.   When I awoke I looked at our own weather lows and I consulted the MSU Environ-weather stations ( I use three very local) and the lowest hourly temps recorded were down to 34.5°.  Well above freezing.  Driving around the upper county I did notice a few other techniques.

• irrigation
• low covers of plastic sheets pulled down row
• disc-ing up orchard floors (can gain a degree or two) if done at the right time. A disc is a series of round metal blades that when pulled with a tractor cuts through sod turning it over to bare ground.  The radiant heat in the soil thus moves upward to heat the surrounding area.  If this is done too soon in the day the heat is lost.  I do NOT subscribe to this method as I value the soil and keep it covered.
• Straw around strawberries.  DO NOT DO THIS, we do not.  The practice of “tucking in” berries with straw to keep them warm actually pulls the frost downward.  The studies show that this can decrease the temperature enough to cause damage.  When to use straw is before picking so berries rest upon the mat.  It helps them to keep clean.

For now all looks well.  Thank you for all of your concerns and finger crossing.  There is an entire month of this-maybe into May.

The apricots are in full bloom!  In fact it is early for the bee hives to be delivered.  So besides worrying about too warm of a seasonal start.  I worry about all the pollination of these first flowers.  BUT guess what—-due to all of the natural practices over many years LOOK at all of the natural bees.  They are all over the apricot orchard.  Busy as bees, hard at work, cross pollination of apricots for your summer enjoyment.  We are still extremely concerned about the onset of hot weather.  It is too early and a frost is eminent.  The entire farming community is on high alert.

We like to celebrate with Strawberries! What can I say?

They are AWESOME!!!

~Christina…strawberries are my favorite!

~Christina…

This recipe appeared the The Times in an article by Olwen Woodier; it was adapted from Mallards Restaurant at Arrowhead in Rye Brook, N.Y.

1 1/4 pounds Rhubarb, finely diced

1 cup sliced Strawberries

1 cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Kirsch

1 Tablespoon unflavored Gelatin

2 cups Heavy Cream

Step One: Combine the Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Sugar in a heavy 2-quart saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes, until soft.

Step Two: Pour 2/3 of the fruit mixture into a blender with the Kirsch; puree and set aside.

Step Three: Pour 4 Tablespoons cold water into a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow to soften for 10 minutes. Heat gently until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Stir into the Rhubarb puree.

Step Four: Combine the puree with the remaining cooked Rhubarb mixture.

Step Five: Whip the Heavy Cream until stiff and fold into the Rhubarb mixture. Chill for several hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Now for Christina’s adaptation:

I made this last night after getting the recipe from mom because I wanted something to share with you for the last week of Rhubarb. I enjoyed making it and it tasted awesome. But at the same time I made it work for me.

First, I used a food processor to chop the fruit very fine…allowing it to be cooked extremely fast. I also did not use the liquor…because, well…I don’t drink and I don’t cook with alcohol either.

Like I said, this was a late night after a hard week adventure so I did not necessarily have all of the ingredients. I used Cool Whip instead of heavy whipping cream. It worked just fine.

I also topped it off with a dollop of Cool Whip and some chopped Strawberries. The display that made was beautiful. This recipe would be great for making on Saturday with your super fresh fruit, chill overnight and then have for Father’s Day lunch.

~Christina…who is far from a gourmet chef but loved the taste of this dessert

~Christina….who is the marketing girl not necessarily the chemist