Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Well ok, our open fire was in the gas oven :)

This week Winter officially begins, although we will be enjoying high temperatures near 50°F.  The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, will come and go, marking the beginning of increasing daylight hours!

Also, Christmas is upon us again!  And as The Christmas Song starts out, this week I'll share a recipe for roasting chestnuts.  Enjoy this classic Nat King Cole version as you read more.

American Chestnuts are being back-crossed with Chinese Chestnuts to be resistant to the chestnut blight.  The American Chestnut Foundation has dedicated decades of work to this task.  But as I posted on Facebook this week, researchers may have found a wild resistant line of American Chestnut trees in Maine!

Chestnuts are a highly prized nut tree in many permaculture, silvopasture and agroforestry systems, along with hazelnut, oak, butternut and walnut.

Ours were collected in October at the Brenton Arboretum, West of the Des Moines metro between Dallas Center and Adel.  (I planted some trees there way back when!)

Thanks girls and Ms. Lee

1. Preheat your oven to 400° while you cut the shells
2. Lay the nut on a cutting board, flat(-ish) side for stability
3. Using extreme caution cut an "X" across the top.  Get all the way through the shell and skin avoiding the flesh.  A bigger knife than the little cheap one in the picture would work better.  My thumb was pretty sore from pressing down to cut through the tough shell. Also the wider X's seemed to peel easier.
4. Place them X-side up in a cookie sheet, baking pan or dish and roast for ~15-20 minutes. 
5. After ~10 minutes rotate/shake the pan a bit to help them cook evenly and continue roasting. Also, check to make sure the inner skin is not drying out or it will be hard to peel off. 
6. Check every ~5 minutes and remove when the shells start to peel back and the flesh turns golden, or if any skin looks to be sticking.
7. As soon as they have cooled enough to handle start peeling the shell back.  If they cool completely you warm them back up to make it easier to peel, saving your thumbs a bit.

Photo Courtesy NYC2 & Outdoorlicious

You might also want to try soaking them for thirty minutes to an hour in salt water. 

Supposedly the street vendors in New York city boil them and only roast them a bit for looks. 

I have not done it but either way is supposed to make them moist and easier to peel.



They are a unique treat, kind of a lot of work, but very nostalgic!  They are pretty starchy with a somewhat sweet taste with a hint of mapley-butter flavor.  Maybe I can experiment a little on the recipe too. 

May your Yuletide be gay! And...

Have a Merry Christmas!

Conserving Soil, Water and Nutrients with prairie strips

STRIPS stands for Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips.

Made up of a multidisciplinary group, comprising scientists, educators, farmers, and extension
specialists, the STRIPS team conducts research on the prairie strips conservation practice.

These strips of prairie, should consist of a diverse mix of native perennials, and be placed at the base of a slope with another (or more depending on the field) higher up on the slope.

Together making up 10% of the field, these practices will reduce soil erosion by 90% and nitrogen loss by surface runoff up to 84%.

Prairie strips can also provide potential habitat for biodiversity, including wildlife, pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Follow this link for more great information and resources to assist commercial growers help the land and waters of Iowa.
http://www.prairiestrips.org

Reviewed by the STRIPS science team at Iowa State University for science/economic content related to prairie strips on August, 15, 2018.

Prairie STRIPS presentation

A couple weeks ago through my affiliation with the Central Iowa Permaculture Guild, I had the pleasure to invite Tim Youngquist, Iowa State University Agronomy Specialist, to present on the STRIPS program through Iowa State University.

STRIPS stands for Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips.
Made up of a multidisciplinary group, comprising scientists, educators, farmers, and extension
specialists, the STRIPS team conducts research on the prairie strips conservation practice.

Enjoy this presentation on the STRIPS program given at the November 2015 Central Iowa Permaculture Guild meeting.

Spreading Prairie STRIPS to Iowa Farms for Improved Water Quality,

Soil Conservation, and Biodiversity

Have a great week!

Last Minute Bulbs

Its a quick post this week because I want you to get a great deal with perfect timing!

This weekend's forecast is perfect for some end of the year tasks in the yard with highs near 50°F
http://www.wunderground.com/US/IA/Des_Moines.html

The ground hasn't frozen yet either, so we still have an opportunity to plant!  Last minute deals on trees are an option and this late in the year, if you can even finds them, trees and shrubs will be on DEEP discounts. 

It would also be perfect for transplanting deciduous trees.  The cold weather early has most of these trees in a dormant state so they transplant with less stress.

Speaking of deep discounts, I encourage you to head over to the Habitat ReStore and pick up a great deal on flowering bulbs.

Early Spring flowers are great companion plants as they grow early, grabbing nutrients.  These nutrients might otherwise wash off site during Spring rains. As the season progresses they die back releasing these nutrients back into the soil, which are then used by your summer plants.

So get out there, get dirty, get healthy and prepare your beds for an easy, and cheap, burst of color this Spring. 

 

Then later you can Cheer on the Hawkeyes!

Remember if you want a great landscape, that includes edibles and/or plants for pollinators, with a design that optimizes your property for sustainability contact Abundant Design.

Have a great week!

Gifts from the Heart

Thanksgiving Holiday

I hope you've all had a grateful Thanksgiving weekend!

We can help make these feelings of gratitude carry through all year. Try keeping a "Thanksgiving" journal where you can record the blessings of each day. Or take the time to tell someone "thank you." It might make their day, and yours! Feelings of gratitude help experience positive emotions that support happiness, increased resiliency, trust, social connections and creativity.

The Holidays have Begun

While the girls had fun shopping, the boys and I took some time on Friday to build rabbit fences, pot up some plants and empty the rain barrel.

Maybe you survived Black Friday, or enjoyed Buy Nothing Day, or took time to support local businesses on Small Business Saturday. Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday are up next!

Some great deals can be had at this time of year, no doubt! And it is better to give then receive.

Gift giving plays a big part of the Holiday Season, but often times it becomes the focus building up frustration to the breaking point. Long lines, busy parking lots, traffic jams shipping hassles all contribute to Holiday Stress. And then if the kids aren't appreciative...

"You kids are going to have a great Christmas, or else!"

Just this morning my son was talking about wanting a stuffed animal of a character in an older movie we have. As we were telling him they don't have those anymore, I thought "here is a learning moment!" I started to tell him how the toys weren't made any more and they are making new movies and getting kids to want new toys to go with those movies. Instead of seeing the valuable lesson here, he was getting starry eyed at the possibility of even more toys that he would "need." I guess my timing or delivery needs a little work. Ha!

Simplify the Holidays

I encourage you to simplify your holidays this year. It is a recurring theme, I know, as we talk every year of more simpler times, homemade and "experience" gifts ...and then can get carried away.

This week I found a great site from the Story of Stuff Project, called So Kind. It is an online gift registry of sorts that helps focus on unique and memorable gifts. These include gifts of time, skill, experience and charity.

Experiential gifts are more environmentally friendly and don't wear out. Memories last a lifetime and can be with friends and family for great quality time. How about day passes or a membership to the Botanical Center, Reimann Gardens or Living History Farms?

Gift Certificates and Coupons are another good option. You could skip buying anything and give a coupon for a few hours of yard or housework, garden weeding or harvesting, or even lawn mowing. Gift cards to local restaurants can be nice to have for a special date night.

Homemade gifts are heartfelt, customizable and low-cost. The value is multiplied many fold over the cost of materials so are a great way to extend your gift giving budget. Freezer meals great ideas that make supper easier on busy nights. Try some easy birdhouses or for a bigger gift try some compost bins.

What about a gift by Abundant Design? Who wouldn't want a total backyard makeover, an edible oasis or even a pollinator garden as a gift!

Have a great week and beginning of December!!!