Janisse, I know Jenks through his website (s) and through purchasing a very special crinum lily from him earlier this year. I really appreciate his honesty and openness in his writing, both stories and blogs. People who love Mother Nature the way you and Jenks do are my friends. I wish we had been living in Oxford when you were Writer in Residence at Ole Miss. Still, it was special meeting you when you came for the Conference of the Book a few years ago. I look forward to making another road trip through south Georgia and South Carolina this coming year or next.
Finally catching up on reading! First, I hope it has warmed up and as much as possible made it through the cold. I loved learning more about peppers! Your farm is amazing. And of I can’t wait for the podcast!! I don’t know if the things I’ve experienced in nature are amazing enough to be counted, but there sure are a lot of things that have amazed me.
The seeds in your Seminole Pumpkins are identical to those in a "real" pumpkin. I scoop them out, rinse off all the flesh, pour a little olive oil and garlic powder on them, and bake them until they're just turning brown, then eat them whole. Thinking about your recipe though, I suppose you only want the nut, like TJ's pepitos and I think it would not be worth the effort to try and shell these, just as it wouldn't be for most strains of pumpkin. But the Seminole seeds make great snacks and are also healthy (full of fiber). Happy Holidays, g2
Our citrus are almost to the point that we will need to do something like you did, a huge tarp. We covered ours (also caged because deer) and put some lights under them. I’m just super thankful the grid held this time around. Deer are a beautiful nuisance. I’ve given up on growing certain plants unless fenced. Hibiscus and their relatives seem to be their favorite. I also contend with beaver like the commuter above. We moved in and removed cages from trees along the pond not realizing why only to find gnawed trees a few months later. We now cage small to medium sized trees. Merry Christmas and I look forward to your podcast episodes!
Yesterday I saw that one of my small new camellias out in front of the house has been eaten by deer. I guess I'll have to drag out the wire cages. I just don't like the way they look, alas. But it's the reality of Life on the Savanna.
Happy holidays to you and your family. Reading about the conflict between you and the deer caused us to remember our city dweller move to the New Hampshire mountains and our conflict with beavers. Warning, if you decide to live next to a mountain pond with flowing streams going in and out, be prepared to coexist with the beavers. Do not be surprised when you buy and plant numerous lilac bushes around your house and out buildings during a summer vacation week and then drive back to the city feeling self-satisfied with your efforts and design taste.
Because if the pond you have chosen to live next to is the home of a colony of nature’s amazing industrial engineers, when you return the following weekend, those lilac bushes will be gone and what will remain will be sharp pointed sticks poking up from where your lilac bushes had been planted. You’ll be angry and push the canoe into the pond to go and investigate. You’ll find many pieces of those lilac bushes now decorating the beaver hut in the cove at the back of the pond.
We had wondered why the house that we bought had no small trees or bushes anyplace around it. When we asked about this at the general store, the local NH woodchucks laughed and told their new flatlander neighbors that is what they make wire fencing for up here. We put fencing around anything we don’t want the beavers or the deer to eat. “They were here first, and if you leave anything unfenced, you’ll telling those critters they’re welcome to it whenever you’re not around.”
So, we bought a lot of 8’ wire fencing - 4’ or 6’ fencing wasn’t high enough when the snow came because the beavers just walked on top of the frozen stuff and ate the tops off the bushes - and we wrapped every bush or tree that we cared to preserve. One new NH neighbor stopped by as we were putting up the fencing. Shaking his head, he said, “You flatlanders. That’s what they make rifles with scopes for. You shoot those beavers and they float to the shore and you can skin ‘em.” I told the guy that I’d read a book about beavers and they mate for life. I could never shoot a beaver and leave it’s mate and their kits without one of their parents. Our neighbor just shook his head and drove away. We always needed to remember as we became country dwellers that the animals got there first.
Merry Christmas to you. I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow and that your citrus trees survive. We had two rows each of cabbage and broccoli, but they are no more. They have laid down. But, I'm ready to start planning for the early spring garden and will have plenty of room for it.
Thanks for the photo, especially of the plate of beautiful food and the story of the rare pepper. I enjoy your stories and always reflect back on my year in Hazlehurst when I read anything by you or Jenks Farmer. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for this sweet little Christmas gift, Janisse! Excited about the podcast, and I'm going to make those Christmas bells tonight. Happy Holidays to you & yours.
Are you in Oxford now? What a special place that is.
Janisse, I know Jenks through his website (s) and through purchasing a very special crinum lily from him earlier this year. I really appreciate his honesty and openness in his writing, both stories and blogs. People who love Mother Nature the way you and Jenks do are my friends. I wish we had been living in Oxford when you were Writer in Residence at Ole Miss. Still, it was special meeting you when you came for the Conference of the Book a few years ago. I look forward to making another road trip through south Georgia and South Carolina this coming year or next.
So many seeds, so little time...
Finally catching up on reading! First, I hope it has warmed up and as much as possible made it through the cold. I loved learning more about peppers! Your farm is amazing. And of I can’t wait for the podcast!! I don’t know if the things I’ve experienced in nature are amazing enough to be counted, but there sure are a lot of things that have amazed me.
Hey, yes, let's do a podcast! I've got a few projects ahead of that, but I'll be in touch. THANK YOU for offering. I'd love to do it.
Ohhhh and good luck with the deer! Persistent creatures!
The seeds in your Seminole Pumpkins are identical to those in a "real" pumpkin. I scoop them out, rinse off all the flesh, pour a little olive oil and garlic powder on them, and bake them until they're just turning brown, then eat them whole. Thinking about your recipe though, I suppose you only want the nut, like TJ's pepitos and I think it would not be worth the effort to try and shell these, just as it wouldn't be for most strains of pumpkin. But the Seminole seeds make great snacks and are also healthy (full of fiber). Happy Holidays, g2
LOL, Gary. We save the seeds to SELL, so we never have any to eat!!!
So many seeds, so little time...
Hilarious
Lovely
Thank you, Marple.
Our citrus are almost to the point that we will need to do something like you did, a huge tarp. We covered ours (also caged because deer) and put some lights under them. I’m just super thankful the grid held this time around. Deer are a beautiful nuisance. I’ve given up on growing certain plants unless fenced. Hibiscus and their relatives seem to be their favorite. I also contend with beaver like the commuter above. We moved in and removed cages from trees along the pond not realizing why only to find gnawed trees a few months later. We now cage small to medium sized trees. Merry Christmas and I look forward to your podcast episodes!
Yesterday I saw that one of my small new camellias out in front of the house has been eaten by deer. I guess I'll have to drag out the wire cages. I just don't like the way they look, alas. But it's the reality of Life on the Savanna.
Happy holidays to you and your family. Reading about the conflict between you and the deer caused us to remember our city dweller move to the New Hampshire mountains and our conflict with beavers. Warning, if you decide to live next to a mountain pond with flowing streams going in and out, be prepared to coexist with the beavers. Do not be surprised when you buy and plant numerous lilac bushes around your house and out buildings during a summer vacation week and then drive back to the city feeling self-satisfied with your efforts and design taste.
Because if the pond you have chosen to live next to is the home of a colony of nature’s amazing industrial engineers, when you return the following weekend, those lilac bushes will be gone and what will remain will be sharp pointed sticks poking up from where your lilac bushes had been planted. You’ll be angry and push the canoe into the pond to go and investigate. You’ll find many pieces of those lilac bushes now decorating the beaver hut in the cove at the back of the pond.
We had wondered why the house that we bought had no small trees or bushes anyplace around it. When we asked about this at the general store, the local NH woodchucks laughed and told their new flatlander neighbors that is what they make wire fencing for up here. We put fencing around anything we don’t want the beavers or the deer to eat. “They were here first, and if you leave anything unfenced, you’ll telling those critters they’re welcome to it whenever you’re not around.”
So, we bought a lot of 8’ wire fencing - 4’ or 6’ fencing wasn’t high enough when the snow came because the beavers just walked on top of the frozen stuff and ate the tops off the bushes - and we wrapped every bush or tree that we cared to preserve. One new NH neighbor stopped by as we were putting up the fencing. Shaking his head, he said, “You flatlanders. That’s what they make rifles with scopes for. You shoot those beavers and they float to the shore and you can skin ‘em.” I told the guy that I’d read a book about beavers and they mate for life. I could never shoot a beaver and leave it’s mate and their kits without one of their parents. Our neighbor just shook his head and drove away. We always needed to remember as we became country dwellers that the animals got there first.
Thank you for this, Jeff. I would NEVER shoot a beaver. The things people do are simply appalling to me. Yes, the beavers were here first.
I love cookery writing/writers! 🎄
I love food, LOL.
What’s not to love?!
Merry Christmas to you. I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow and that your citrus trees survive. We had two rows each of cabbage and broccoli, but they are no more. They have laid down. But, I'm ready to start planning for the early spring garden and will have plenty of room for it.
Carol, I realized this morning that it's time to order seeds. That's one of the more-fun jobs that we gardeners get to do!
Yes it is. I'll have lots of room to start early crops since the cold cleared out several of my beds.
Merry Christmas and good wishes for a happy, productive 2023.
Thank you, Diane. I wish the same for you & your family.
Thanks for the photo, especially of the plate of beautiful food and the story of the rare pepper. I enjoy your stories and always reflect back on my year in Hazlehurst when I read anything by you or Jenks Farmer. Happy Holidays!
B. C. Crawford
I didn't know that you knew Jenks. He's a new friend & a special guy. Thank you, B.C.
Thank you for all your gifts. :)
I'm glad you think of them as gifts. :)
Thank you for this sweet little Christmas gift, Janisse! Excited about the podcast, and I'm going to make those Christmas bells tonight. Happy Holidays to you & yours.
Really, are you pulling my leg? Did you really make poppers? Did you already have the peppers for doing it?