Entries by Ruth

A Medal for the Medlar

December 12, 2024 Our Medlar tree exploded with plump fruit this year, enough to share and also cook up a delectable paste. Squish out the seeds (roll them around in your mouth for a tasty bonus) and cook the fruit with a little water and a tiny bit of brown sugar. The fruit is about […]

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The Essence of Senescence

November 6, 2024 To say “deciduous plant” implies seasonal leaf senescence (leaf shedding), a process that helps the plant optimize photosynthesis and nutrient efficiency. Senescence is a good survival strategy for plants in that the abundant nutrients within the leaves are not lost, they are transferred to shoots and roots, readying the plant to spring […]

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Gotta Have a Spy to Make a Good Pie

October 21, 2024 The 2024 14th annual Cider Fest was the most successful to date. On Saturday, October 19, 180 visitors sipped hot fresh-pressed cider. A record for attendance! We fretted all last week about the rainy, windy forecast. Knowing that the winds would be out of the south, we set up the Fairy Furniture […]