Chicken in the Mist

By May, the patterns of  the garden are established for the year. Everything is in the ground, or has been started on the potting bench, and we are just watching for growth—of crops, of weeds, of grass.

May Work List

·       Start winter crops and leave on the potting bench.

·       Replace winter-killed annuals and perennials in pots.

·       Late in the month, when all of the snow is off of Mary’s Peak, plant beans directly in the ground.

·       String up the trellis for beans and climbing flowers.

·       Move the peepsters in and out every morning and evening.

·       Mow and trim.

·       Harvest asparagus.

·       Make signs for new crops.

·       Preserve rhubarb; rhubarb red currant jam is excellent.

·       Clean out some of the dead greens from early season bulbs.

·       Turn off the heat and clean out the filter for the last time.

·       Take long walks watching for wildflowers; they are glorious this year!

·       Move the coop onto the last garden bed and fence the chickens out of the main yard.

·       Work on the compost pile.

·       Clean out the van for summer camping trips. Get a tune-up and oil change.

·       Admire.

Rhubarb and Red Currant Jam

7.5 cups of rhubarb, chopped

zest of two oranges

2/3 cup of orange juice

3 cups of sugar

Put all of this in a non-reactive pot, stir and wait until the juices release. Boil gently for 15 minutes.

Add 

2 cups of red currants (I always have a bag from last summer in the freezer.)

1 t of nutmeg

cook until gel stage. Place in clean jars and process in steam canner for ten minutes to seal.