Home Grown

Last Wednesday I visited my mom and her garden. Here are a few pictures from my visit.

 Typically almonds are not consumed until the hulls are remove then place in the sun to harden - at least that's the way we have always done it. That process is to long for my husband. I guess it is common practice in Palestine to eat the almond while they are still "Green". He actually picked one of these right off the tree and took a bite, then decided it was still to soon . Honestly, I wouldn't know to me it is all to soon.

Growing up I hated yard work. I couldn't, for the life of me figure out why someone would want to grow food when it was readily available at the market. I'm not sure what happened to me, ( maybe it was growing a baby that changed my mind) but I totally enjoy plucking onions out of the dirt. These onions are sweet and awesome in a summer salad or sandwiches.

 Boysenberry picking is always a pleasure. I had to go home with a basket of berries, even if the heat was getting a bit uncomfortable. The weather has a major role in how long the berry season lasts at my mom's house. It gets so hot the berries just shrivel up on the tree. I hope I can get another basket this next week. I love summer, but I am not looking forward to the extreme heat of the valley. 

The story of the boysenberry begins with Rudolph Boysen. He was a farmer who experimented and came up with this new strain of berry, but the plants kept dying. Walter Knott was able to save the berry and make it famous. For more about the boysenberry, Walter Knott, his famous farm, and Theme Park check out Knott's Berry Farm . I love this story, it gives you a real nice slice of American pie!

After my visit and tour of the yard I had to get moving on down the road. My little boy had enough of just about everything and needed to take a nap. We packed up in a hurry and started the trip home, but not before my mom gave me a nice cool drink for the road. This was a new one for me. I didn't know two of my favorite things had been combined, Green Tea and Ginger Ale!