Strawberry sunset

Ah, summer’s almost here and the strawberries are getting ready to send out their runners for the next generation of plants. That means we’re almost to the end of strawberries for this year.

Next year’s You Pick patch will be much larger. We had a really neat event this year – a Birthday Pickin’ Party! So if your birthday falls during strawberry season, let us know next year. You can make reservations, and have your row of strawberries set aside for your Pickin’ Party too. Feliz cumpleaños!

Now, that’s a mouth-watering birthday celebration.

See you next week – and at the Martin, TN Farmers Market too! Just look for the Dixie Chile Ranch blackboard with me, Diego, on it and the list of produce available that day.

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It’s the berries!

Blueberries are beginning to be well-established, shaping up nicely – should have them available too as a you-pick next year, barring any unforeseen hard winter or whatever.

And, wow, the blackberries are going to be ready in about two weeks. No thorns! You can pick without getting stabbed. Mr. Tim makes the best blackberry syrup you ever put on your waffle or pancakes.

So – hasta luego! Enjoy a ‘berry’ nice day –

Diego

Speaking of pumpkins

Those seeds I mentioned last week are going to result in some terrific pumpkins! Mr. Tim plans on lots of stackers  in lots of colors – and a new one that’s kind of wedge/triangle shaped called ‘Triamble’ that’s unique and very cool. Colors? How about ‘Long Island Cheese’ that’s the color of – you got it! Queso, si!

The very popular Porcelain Dolls, Jarahdale and Fairy Tales will be back too.  So there’ll be white pumpkins and pink pumpkins and greyish-blue and  … wow! Even a bright yellow one this year!

Mark your calendar so you can run by the Dixie Chile Ranch in time to have first choice of the pumpkins you want to decorate your front porch and yard – arriba!

Diego

Trabajo mucho

Mr. Tim got hundreds of strawberry plants (for next year’s berries) put in their new beds this week.

And now he’s ordering hundreds … of pumpkin seeds, to get sprouted, and planted, and growing to harvest this fall.

Hmmm. Looks to me like a farmer’s work, like that of a woman or a trucker, is never done.

Trabajo mucho, si!

Amigo Diego

Almost posole

Here’s a really great-tasting recipe if the usual posole as served in restaurants (or homes!) is too hot for your tastebuds. It’s based on the Junior League of Albuquerque’s series of cook books (now out of print).

Ingredients:

1 large can or two smaller cans of hominy (yellow is best)

1 cup sour cream

at least 1/2 cup grated cheese

1 medium-sized roasted Poblano or Anaheim chile pepper, skin and seeds removed

1/4 cup melted butter

pimientos

Drain can(s) of hominy well and put in casserole dish with fitted top. Chop chile pepper very fine and stir into sour cream. Pour melted butter over hominy in dish, add chile and sour cream, stir. Top with grated cheese and pimientos.

Cover, bake at 350 degrees for not more than 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Serves 4 to 6.

Salud! (I’m getting hungry just thinking about this …)

Your amigo, Diego