Comments on: Independence Days Week 29: Peaches for Free, Peaches for Me http://www.mendolo.com/2010/07/23/independence-days-week-29-peaches-for-free-peaches-for-me/ Where food, sustainability, family, and the real world collide Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:11:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pasadena Adjacent http://www.mendolo.com/2010/07/23/independence-days-week-29-peaches-for-free-peaches-for-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1314 Pasadena Adjacent Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:15:06 +0000 http://www.mendolo.com/?p=1168#comment-1314 I'm so impressed. I've yet to enjoy a peach off my tree. The squirrels beat me every time despite the fact that I went to STATS and purchased four mirrored disco balls and stuck them on it. My critters mock me...domestic and wild I’m so impressed. I’ve yet to enjoy a peach off my tree. The squirrels beat me every time despite the fact that I went to STATS and purchased four mirrored disco balls and stuck them on it. My critters mock me…domestic and wild

]]> By: Karen http://www.mendolo.com/2010/07/23/independence-days-week-29-peaches-for-free-peaches-for-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1307 Karen Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:19:32 +0000 http://www.mendolo.com/?p=1168#comment-1307 My parents' peach tree is ready but no one is there as they are on a long trip. I am going this weekend to check out the damage. My dad loses >50% of the load to squirrels and birds every year. Some years, he stands out there with a broom and every time one comes and takes a bite, throws it down, snatches another one to take a bite, etc. my Dad starts hollering, "eat the whole damn thing you damn animal" while waving the broom and trying to smack the squirrel. It's a good thing we didn't have the peach tree when I was a kid. :) My parents’ peach tree is ready but no one is there as they are on a long trip. I am going this weekend to check out the damage. My dad loses >50% of the load to squirrels and birds every year. Some years, he stands out there with a broom and every time one comes and takes a bite, throws it down, snatches another one to take a bite, etc. my Dad starts hollering, “eat the whole damn thing you damn animal” while waving the broom and trying to smack the squirrel. It’s a good thing we didn’t have the peach tree when I was a kid. :)

]]> By: Gina http://www.mendolo.com/2010/07/23/independence-days-week-29-peaches-for-free-peaches-for-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1293 Gina Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:47:24 +0000 http://www.mendolo.com/?p=1168#comment-1293 @Gregg, I forgot to add birds to the list! Yes, birds are surely responsible for some of the damage too. @Djuna, I have never heard of the eggshell trick, I will have to experiment with that as well. @Petrea, I love our peach tree. It started out as a stick two years ago and is now looking quite large. It is also absolutely beautiful when flowering. The variety is "August Pride". We also did something unique with blackberries, See: http://gallery.mendolo.com/garden/IMG_7073.JPG.php We created a wall of blackberries with trellising which provides us with shade and a "fence" from one part of our backyard to another. @Diane, Completely doable. I use a number of recipes, some of them long with lots of kneading and some very quick. The quickest is based on the NY Times no-knead bread recipe. It seriously take less than 10 minutes hads on time. I often mix it up after the kids are asleep (takes about 3 minutes) and then bake it the next day after I have a minute to put it in the pan. Easy. My version is: Ingredients: *450 grams flour *345 grams water *1 1/4 t salt *1/4 t yeast Directions: 1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 2) Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone mat and let sit for 12 - 24 hours at room temperature. 3) After 12 - 24 hours (whenever you have a few minutes), place a large covered baking dish/casserole dish (a Dutch oven works perfectly) in the oven and preheat the oven and dish to 425 degrees F. 4) After oven is preheated, sprinkle dough liberally with flour and form into a loose ball with your hands (no kneading necessary). 5) Open the oven and the dish and dump your dough ball into the dish and cover. 6) Bake for 30 minutes, covered. 7) After 30 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 5 - 8 minutes until bread is golden brown. 8) Remove from oven and attempt to wait until bread cools to slice it. @Gregg, I forgot to add birds to the list! Yes, birds are surely responsible for some of the damage too.

@Djuna, I have never heard of the eggshell trick, I will have to experiment with that as well.

@Petrea, I love our peach tree. It started out as a stick two years ago and is now looking quite large. It is also absolutely beautiful when flowering. The variety is “August Pride”. We also did something unique with blackberries,
See: http://gallery.mendolo.com/garden/IMG_7073.JPG.php
We created a wall of blackberries with trellising which provides us with shade and a “fence” from one part of our backyard to another.

@Diane, Completely doable. I use a number of recipes, some of them long with lots of kneading and some very quick. The quickest is based on the NY Times no-knead bread recipe. It seriously take less than 10 minutes hads on time. I often mix it up after the kids are asleep (takes about 3 minutes) and then bake it the next day after I have a minute to put it in the pan. Easy. My version is:

Ingredients:
*450 grams flour
*345 grams water
*1 1/4 t salt
*1/4 t yeast

Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2) Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone mat and let sit for 12 – 24 hours at room temperature.
3) After 12 – 24 hours (whenever you have a few minutes), place a large covered baking dish/casserole dish (a Dutch oven works perfectly) in the oven and preheat the oven and dish to 425 degrees F.
4) After oven is preheated, sprinkle dough liberally with flour and form into a loose ball with your hands (no kneading necessary).
5) Open the oven and the dish and dump your dough ball into the dish and cover.
6) Bake for 30 minutes, covered.
7) After 30 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 5 – 8 minutes until bread is golden brown.
8) Remove from oven and attempt to wait until bread cools to slice it.

]]> By: Tessie Makepeace at Blueberry Bushes http://www.mendolo.com/2010/07/23/independence-days-week-29-peaches-for-free-peaches-for-me/comment-page-1/#comment-1283 Tessie Makepeace at Blueberry Bushes Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:56:59 +0000 http://www.mendolo.com/?p=1168#comment-1283 Just discovered your blog on google and read a few of your other posts - do you freelance or guest write for other blogs? I just added you to my news reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future. Just discovered your blog on google and read a few of your other posts – do you freelance or guest write for other blogs? I just added you to my news reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

]]>