Ohio Country Journal: August 2023

Who We Are

The past few years, the area where I live, Crawford County, Ohio, has seen a wonderful explosion of younger families who are embracing the joys and challenges of living off the land. Because of them, amazing things are happening which have been embraced by our community. Farmer’s markets have been created and on-farm stores have opened. Families dedicated to growing organic produce and naturally raised meats are meeting the public’s needs for locally raised foods. And at the heart of this movement are the women.

Ohio Country Journal is my attempt to share the essence of farm life, focusing on, but not limited to, women. My goal is to bring you into our circle of friendship by inviting you to share your stories and experiences with us. You don’t have to be a full time country woman to benefit from joining us; you just have to be you.

The full-time country women featured in Ohio Country Journal are an inspiration to anyone who dares to follow her dreams, whether it is to live in the country or to bring the country life-style to their urban neighborhoods.

Friday, August 18, 2023

Harvest Begins

Unlike the past few years, this season most of our fruit trees are very full, giving us a fantastic harvest to share at God's Little Acre Farmers Market in Galion. The market is sponsored by the Presbyterian church and held on the property of First United Church of Christ, 248 Harding Way West. This is a really nice market, complete with a banjo picker for our enjoyment and usually a food truck.

Today kept me busy preparing for the market and testing out a couple of recipes. Here is what I'll have for the August 19, 2023 set up.

Red Pears

We're not exactly sure what variety these red pears are because they were a part of the orchard when we bought the property. Judging by the shape, it is some sort of Bartlett. Every red Bartlett description that I have found states that they are a good keeper. These are not. They must be used just before fully ripe or within a couple of days of ripening. When they turn bright red and feel a bit soft, I don't think that you'll find a juicier pear anywhere. I have successfully canned them. Today I used some of the firmer ones and made a pear crisp using this apple crisp recipe from Sugar, Sunshine and Flowers.

This is the "pie plate" size listed in the recipe. It is the perfect size for just a few people. The recipe also can make a 9 x 13" pan.

Wealthy Apples

The Wealthy variaty is the first red apple of our season. It is a crisp apple with a tart flavor. This year ours are pretty small in size because we didn't have much rain when they were growing. I've decided to call them "snack sized" :) They are also good cooked or in baked goods. Today I made an apple salad with them because, well...I didn't have to peel them.

I used this recipe from Taste of Home. It is a good basic recipe, but I think adding grapes, pineapple, or cranberries would be even better. And I'll definitely use Miracle Whip for the dressing from not on. I didn't have a jar of it today and used mayo instead, which is Ok, but, in my opinion, not as tasty.

Stanley Plums

This purple plum is so yummy, I can't even begin to explain. This variety is often called "prune plum" because, when dried, they make delicious prunes (duh!) Not only are they a tasty snack, they are perfect for making Plum Kuchen. This recipe from Taste of Home is a good one, but I like to add more plums than called for.

We are so lucky to live in an area where fresh food is abundant and we have local produce stands and farmer's markets. I hope that you are able to shop and enjoy this year's harvest at your favorite markets.

Marcheta *Plum happy