Mr. Harrow Finds a Home

BOC Pear Orchard-Bird Back 40

Mr. Harrow is home at last. And I find this to be just DEEE-lightful. Who is Mr. Harrow, you ask? Well -- let me explain. Mr. Harrow isn't really a "who." Mr. Harrow is more of a "what" than anything else. So, what is Mr. Harrow, you ask? Well -- I'm glad you stopped by to ask!

 

Mr. Harrow is pictured above right. That, children, represents the latest planting endeavor in the Bird Back 40. For you are casting your eyes on the Bird Back 40 Pear Orchard -- planted via Backyard Orchard Culture (BOC) techniques. Didn't think you could cram three fruit trees into a small spot? Think again, because you can, and quite successfully I might add.

 

BOC Apple Orchard-Bird Back 40

This is our third BOC planting effort. The nectarine trees we stuck in the ground some four years ago delivered a whopper of a harvest last year. And the BOC apple planting effort? Well, you may have heard my praise about the Honeycrisp Apple variety somewhat. It's only the best darn apple on the planet, bar none.

 

But our latest effort is something very special. Because this effort involves a one Mr. Harrow -- aka -- Mr. Harrow Delight. Mr. Harrow isn't a person, but rather a fruit tree. Not just any fruit tree mind you. The Harrow Delight Pear Tree is simply the best darn pear I've ever tasted. Yes -- it beats the Bartlett Pear in taste and consistency. This includes a home-grown, tree-ripened Bartlett, which for years has been the best in the business.

 

Harrow Delight Pear-DWN Fruit Tasting-2010

However, you know what they say about mousetraps, right? Someone is always trying to build a better one. And in the world of pears, someone hit the jackpot with the Harrow Delight pear tree. I'm not sure why this variety isn't propagated commercially, because it's been around for long enough. There might be some drawbacks from commercial production that I'm unaware of. But I can tell you that Harrow Delight is simply the best backyard pear tree ever.

 

Isn't that enough?

 

I've been hooked on the Harrow Delight since I first attended a fruit tasting event held at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center some years back. If you want to know what grows, and grows well in the Sacramento area, I would suggest a visit to the horticulture center soon. The best time to visit? That would be the annual Harvest Season celebration, because that's usually when the fine folks from Dave Wilson Nursery show up with all sorts of good things to sample.

 

DWN Fruit Tasting-Fair Oaks-2010

It was there where I got my first extraordinary taste of the Harrow Delight pear. You must keep in mind that I had a plateful of pluots, bowls of blackberries and platters of peaches to munch on to my heart's delight. A Dave Wilson Nursery fruit tasting extravaganza is a fruit lover's ultimate dream. Yet, the one piece of tree-ripened fruit that beat everything to the punch on that particular day was the Harrow Delight pear.

 

Surely -- I must have received that special piece of pear that was better than the rest, right? That pear couldn't be THAT good, could it? But, as I returned to fill up that fruit pail again and again, each bite of that Harrow Delight got better and better. It was then when the wife that is Venus and I realized that THIS was the pear tree for our backyard.

 

Lonely Bartlett Pear Tree

But like most weekend warrior projects, the BOC pear planting effort would have to wait. There were some years when the Harrow Delight simply wasn't in stock, or I would wait too long only to find out that most of the trees had been snapped up by fruit lovers who were quicker on the trigger than I was. I would acquire the first part of the BOC pear project, the  Bartlett pear, last year. It would sit in a pot and wait for the addition of the Harrow Delight and one other variety this year.

 

That other variety -- by the way -- is the Blake's Pride. Why this particular variety? There are a couple of reasons. First -- one builds a BOC pear orchard to experience a pear harvest that lasts six to eight weeks rather than just three. The Harrow Delight, Blake's Pride and Bartlett all ripen at different periods during the summer. Secondly? These varieties all pollinate one another. More pollinators mean more fruit on the branch come harvest -- which is never a bad thing.

 

Return of the V for Venus Planter Bed

And so -- the Bird Pear Orchard is now installed and complete. One variety will ripen up two weeks before the Bartlett. Still another will ripen up two weeks AFTER the Bartlett. That's a solid month of pears, people. Try as you might, this is not a bad thing.

 

But the best part about the Harrow Delight pear tree was yet to be discovered. As I gazed at the tag attached to the tree to drink in the details of what will be Bill and Venus Bird's favorite pear tree -- two words jumped out at us. What were those two very special words? HEAVY BEARER.

 

That means lots of pears, baby. Isn't that just a crime?

Harvest Season IS NOT a Celebration!

Heirloom Tomato Harvest: Bird Back 40

Let me get this straight: Harvest Season is WORK! Celebrate all you want -- but when you come home after a week in Santa Cruz and Seattle to find 50-60 lbs. of ripe heirloom tomatoes hanging off the vine -- you don't crack open a 12-pack and crank up the IPOD.

Nope -- you get to WORK son. Because the clock is TICKING! Mother Nature isn't about to wait around until you're good and ready to save that bountiful summer produce. Nope! What's on the kitchen counter right now turns to slop in 24-48 hours -- so you BEST GET WORKING.

With all due respect to my fine gardening friends at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center who hosted the annual Harvest Celebration this past weekend (a fun event that I was sorry to miss) -- celebration my left foot!

Blessed with Heirloom Production

The wonderful wife that is Venus and I took our first tender steps at canning summer produce two seasons ago when we were confronted with a boatload of production from our heirloom tomato plantings. Little did we know that we would progress from those baby steps to perfecting a number of canning-safe recipes that have resulted in numerous quarts of whole heirloom tomatoes, tomato sauce infused with fresh basil and peppers, dill pickles infused with dill (surprise!), creamed garlic, thai basil and other spices and the always famous -- always in demand -- Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa.

The first step in any canning process is to first gather up the produce. We knew -- before we left for eight days of wedding duties and other family gatherings -- that the garden was giving that tell-tale sign of over-production. So, we weren't all that surprised to discover a multitude of vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes and aircraft carrier sized squash upon our return.

I know that a number of growers in the Sacramento area are not having the best of years when it comes to tomato production. I don't know why we have been so blessed. It might be micro-climates. It might be the fertilizer cocktails that I've been feeding the garden with through the summer. It just might be dumb luck (probably). Yes, we've been cursed with quite a bit of Blossom End Rot (BER). But it hasn't slowed us down much.

Whole Tomatoes, Skins Removed, Ready for Canning

The multitude of pepper plants that we have planted nearby in the Bird Back 40 are just as loaded as the tomato offerings -- but unlike the tomatoes -- the peppers are still another week or two away from that "ready to harvest" stage that's required for our salsa concoction. So, the tomatoes pictured above were dropped in vats of boiling water to remove skins and saved for whole tomato canning purposes.

The end result? About 18-quarts of whole tomatoes. That's not bad -- but still not quite enough to last through an entire winter (plus -- they make great gifts at Christmas).

The ripe heirloom tomatoes weren't the only item begging to be picked this past Sunday. The cucumber plantings -- while late -- had finally taken off. The wife that is Venus LOVES cucumbers. She can't get enough of them -- in salads or in other dishes. So she manages to plant several pickling and slicing varieties -- which include my favorite: the Armenian Giant.

Pickling and Armenian Giant Cucumbers

Not only does the Armenian Giant go well in salads and other creations -- it also happens to be one of the tougher cucumber customers. And that toughness makes it a perfect candidate for pickling. Not all pickling cucumbers can stand up to the home-canning process. They tend to get soft. Trust me when I tell you that there's nothing worse that a soft pickle. Pickles are destined to be crunchy. And crunchy pickles are what we specialize in at the Bird Home for All Things Canning.

So -- this past Sunday -- while the cucumbers were soaking in a giant vat of ice water -- Venus and I were preparing multitudes of heirloom tomatoes for the whole tomato canning process. We also put a new weapon to work in the kitchen: a pressure canner.

Cucumbers Soaking in an Ice Water Bath

There are plenty of ladies in this world who would prefer shoes, clothing or fine jewelry for Christmas. The wife that is Venus instead requests things like ironing boards, vaccum cleaners and pressure canners. I grew up in a Modesto family where I would have been lined up against a wall and shot repeatedly for the crime of buying my mother or any sister an ironing board for Christmas. It was a lesson that I learned well.

Venus has had to do quite a bit of de-programming. While she enjoys and receives some of the finer things in life -- she also requests items where Bill Bird dare not tread as a child. It wasn't all that long ago -- if you recall -- when Feminism was the rage. If there was a newspaper story about a husband run down by an angry wife for the crime of purchasing her an ironing board for Christmas, the usual response from my mother and sisters was something along the line of: "well, he probably deserved it."

So, when Venus requested a pressure canner for Christmas last year? I was just a tad nervous.

Whole Tomatoes in a Pressure Canner

But, not to worry. If there's one thing I've learned about Venus -- it's that she is the Master of the Garden. Everything she touches, grows. It's not a chore for her. It's not a chore for me either. She loves putting the "V for Venus" gardening boxes through a workout. I love it too. That "love" for everything gardening has transcended into saving the produce that she creates. She watched her grandmother perform this chore. She watched her mother do the same. Although she holds a degree from Berkeley, it doesn't stop her from getting down and dirty.

The pressure canner is indeed a vast improvement over the water-bath canner that we have used for the past two seasons. Not only is it a time-saver in terms of getting the job done quickly -- but it also results in far less mess in the kitchen. Short and sweet? I should have invested in a pressure canner years ago.

Sealing Pickle Quart Jars

Canning in the Bird Household is always a team effort. Although one person can easily perform this task -- it's a lot more fun when four hands are involved. The process of canning summer produce isn't that hard -- it's the prep work leading up to the process that takes the vast amount of time.

You can't just pick and toss tomatoes into canning jars and be done with it. The same rule applies to cucumbers and other goodies from the backyard garden. With a pressure canner at the ready, a gardener can put just about anything into a prepared mason jar and save it for winter use.

There is truly nothing better than sharing a jar or five of Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa with family and friends. There's nothing quite like cracking open a jar of heirloom tomatoes in the dead of winter and breathing in that deep and satisfying scent of summertime produce. A can of tomatoes purchased at a store simply cannot compare to the taste of home-canned heirloom tomatoes. Once you've had that taste there is no going back.

Quarts of Whole Tomatoes and Dill Pickles

But I'm not going to fool you kids -- not for a second. Remember this important fact: Harvest Season isn't for celebrating. Harvest Season is work.

And our work is just beginning. That sweet summer payoff is now underway.

A Lip Smackin' HARVEST FESTIVAL!!!

Alright -- I'm not too proud to admit it. I do have this rather strange habit of drooling in front of any sort of vine-ripened fruit. I'm sorry -- but it's just one of those annoying little habits that developed over a period of decades. I can't help myself. Really, I can't! I mean -- just look at those LUSCIOUS -- not-quite-ripe -- blackberries to your right!

How can anyone not drool at a sight like that?

However -- I do have a eerie feeling that is why the good Master Gardeners at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center haven't extended an invitation to me yet to attend the upcoming Harvest Festival. I can't blame them really. The whole idea is to *excite* people into growing fresh fruit. Looking at some weirdo who can't keep his mouth shut in front of a blackberry vine? Not what the good people at the Horticulture Center ordered.

Alas -- I can't blame them.

But photos such as this -- and a whole lot more -- is what you'll find at the upcoming Harvest Festival -- which takes place on the first Saturday in August -- August 7th -- at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center on Fair Oaks Blvd. in the wonderful community of Fair Oaks no less (11549 Fair Oaks Boulevard to be exact).

Venus and I visited just under two months ago -- during a free open house -- where we were looking for and obtained table grape starter plants. And not just any table grapes mind you -- but the table grapes that tend to peform exceptionally well in our Northern California climate. While Venus got advice from one of the Master Gardeners to your left -- greedy Bill Bird was putting his fat paws on every table grape variety he could find (no -- I didn't take them all people -- there's lots and lots left).

But -- I really appreciated this visit. First -- it was a chance to talk to not one -- but several Master Gardeners who were there to answer every question you had -- no matter how weird. Trust me -- I had lots of weird questions. Secondly? These people really know what they're talking about when it comes to any kind of fruit or vegetable. You want advice? You need help? In need of a pep talk? A dry napkin? You'll find it at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.

Well -- maybe not the napkin...

At any rate -- I can tell you -- without a doubt -- that these people know what they're talking about and then some. I have the proof. The six table grape vines that Venus and I purchased on that day are growing like weeds in the Bird Back 40. Some have already reached the top of our five-foot-tall trellis -- and we're in the process of encouraging lateral shoot growth now in hopes of enjoying a somewhat small harvest next season.

But -- I'll tell you what... I couldn't have done it without them....

But if you want to taste some tasty fruit -- or take a big, juicy bite out of a vine-ripened heirloom tomato -- or perhaps sample a berry or two? Harvest Festival at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is the place to be. That's where Venus and I also discovered -- and filled up on I might add -- these Sharp Blue Blueberries that were READY FOR HARVEST.

That's right. The gardeners picked them. We ate them.

Only too happy to oblige...

Seriously though -- if you like "growing your own," or you're looking for some tips as to what fruit trees should be planted in the back or front yard? I highly suggest you skedaddle your way to Fair Oaks a week from this Saturday.

Not only will you find fruits and vegetables in abundance -- but you just might meet up with some rather famous garden types as well. No -- not us -- but perhaps Farmer Fred Hoffman? Yes -- the star of the "KFBK Garden Show" on NewsTalk 1530 KFBK  and "Get Growing" on Talk 650 KSTE will be there from 8:30-9:15 AM to speak on the subject of "Weeding Out Garden Myths."

Trust me -- after reading this blog for a couple of years? Fred has plenty of "myths" to tell you about -- like our rather *unfortunate* attempt to grow blueberry bushes under our stonefruit trees (didn't work out so well people -- two out of four have kicked the bucket this summer).

And if you're looking for me? Just look for the guy climbing up the peach tree and the unfortunate wife that is Venus attempting to pull me off.

It's fresh fruit season people. Bill Bird can't resist. It's my kind of party.

THE 411:

HARVEST DAY 2010

Saturday, August 7th

8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Fair Oaks Horticulture Center

11549 Fair Oaks Boulevard

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Harvest Day 2010 highlights

Speakers:

8:30-9:15

Weeding Out Garden Myths

Farmer Fred Hoffman, Radio Garden Show Host, Lifetime Master Gardener

9:30-10:15

Arboretum All Stars: Why These Plants are Real Champions

Missy Borel, Program Manager, California Center for Urban Horticulture

10:30-11:1 5

Retrofitting For Dummies:

Cool Technology To Easily Upgrade A Water Wasting System

Don Smith, Water Conservation Coordinator, City of Folsom Utilities Department

11:30-12:15

Graze In Your Garden Year Round: Setting Aside Time and Space to Keep Your Harvest Basket Full

Alison Harris, Peas and Harmony LLC, Organic Food Gardens for Homes and Schools

12:30-1:15

Growing Succulents and Other Drought Tolerant Plants in Containers and in the Ground

Ernesto Sandoval, Curator, UC Davis Botanical Conservatory

Other Opportunities:

•Composting display - learn how to get started, see worm composting in action

•Fruit, tomato & grape tasting - sample a variety of fruits, see what you like before you plant

•Irrigation display area - see what’s new with irrigation

•Food vendor - cool off with an iced beverage or enjoy a snack in the shade of the oaks

•Silent auction - get your bid in early on some great gardening items

•Plant Clinic - have a sick plant diagnosed or have that pesky insect identified

•Community Garden and Food Closet - tour flower and vegetable gardens and chat with a gardener

•Support Sacramento County UC Master Gardeners - buy your 2011 Master Gardener Gardening Guide and Calendar