We are organizing a neighborhood party - or series of parties - to make fruit preserves from our extensive trees, and pickle sauerkraut and possibly lemons.
This district is blessed with so much fruit that goes unharvested. In summer there are too many plums - the fruit falls off and goes sticky on the ground. I often think it would be good for the environment and my purse to turn some of the windfall into preserves we can eat or share.
I posted about it on the neighborhood email list and got replies from twenty people who like the idea. Some of us don't know how to make jam or marmalade, others of us would prefer company in the kitchen. So we are organizing dates for beginning of March, April and then late June.
Post a comment if you would like to join us.
UPDATE: I was browsing Robert Van Der Walle's blog (Sustainability, out of North Oakland). He just hosted a sauerkraut party not long ago! I know I read about it then but I forgot. Chemo brain. (For those of you who don't know, I was in chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer from November '07 to September '08, still recovering, have mental blanks sometimes).
Clearly I got the idea for the food preservation parties from permaculture blogger and activist Bob Van Der Walle. Thank you, Bob!
Can a neighbor from Mandana join in? What a fabulous idea. I tried canning the plums once and they came out kind of yucky. I could use a little guidance and support.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for dropping by over at the Alameda Fruit Exchange. We are gearing up for our first cooking/exchanging/swapping do, and I'm a little freaked about it, but excited too.
ReplyDeleteThe Forage Oakland swap was a hoot. I can't wait for tomorrow's toast.