September 22, 1988 - Autumn BountyFocus on Nature
Autumn Bounty
In Jars of Jam
By Paul Stoutenburgh
It's the time of year you can see forever.
Fall brings the northwest wind that travels
over the land from the north and therefore
is dry and cool. It will eventually turn into
our winter wind that won't be quite as easy
on us but rather will be responsible for the
cold of winter. In the meantime, we'll be
having perfect days of fall with intermittent
flashbacks of summer and its southwest
wind that will bring some of the dampness
and humidity back to remind us of these
past few months. It's all part of the chang-
ing seasons. To many this is the best part of
the year. We've been given back our East
End from the summer folks and the
weather is perfect.
Fall, of course, is harvest time. It's a time
when nature has brought forth its bounty of
fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, etc. that
will fatten the birds and animals so they can
make it through the less bountiful days of
winter. Already the grey squirrels are
gathering nuts and storing them away in
the ground. The migrating birds are gorg-
ing themselves with berries of all sorts, fat-
tening themselves for the long and often
danger -laden migration south. Even our
eels, that live in the nearby waters, are
building up reserves of fat for their long
winter's sleep in the cold mud of our creeks.
In our garden the raspberries, peaches,
pears and apples are coming to fulfillment.
It's time for jam and jelly making. Every
other day Barbara and I pick raspberries.
We were able to hold them by watering
through the drought and, with the last rain
that came just in time, we've got a bountiful
crop.
Barbara, with a basket hung low around
her neck, takes the outside where no
stickers can catch her, while I walk wear-
ing heavy pants through the center.
Raspberries do hinder you with their
stickers but nothing like blackberries that
seem to almost jump out and grab you with
the most efficient thorns of all. I know
there's a variety of blackberries without
thorns but, in my opinion, when you gain
something like a thornless blackberry you
lose something in taste. So we stay with the
old- fashioned ones uttering occasional
phrases when one grabs us as we're pick-
ing.
Blackberry Jam our Favorite
The blackberries came in first and so
were converted into jam, my favorite. Now,
as I said, the raspberries are producing.
We'll have them for another month. Of
course, not as plentiful or as big as the first
berries but enough for cereal in the morn-
(Continued on Page B7)
HAMPTON PRESS / SEPTEMBER 22, 1988
Fruits of Fall in Jams
(Continued from Page 131)
ing or a dish for dessert.
Our peaches, I'm afraid, were not taken
care of as well as they should have been and
a fungus has invaded the fruit. Each day I
carefully go over the trees and pick off the
ones that have started to go. It's the damag-
ed ones that we bring in and cut out the bad
and process for jam along with some
raspberries. What a wonderful combination
these two fruits make when combined into
jam. Of course, we also make just
raspberry or peach but the combination
seems to take the best out of both to give us
a superb taste.
This jam- making is a combined effort
usually and one that is not too time -
consuming when both of us work at it. We
even got into the old jelly jars with the rub-
ber gaskets and heavy wire snap tops.
Luckily, when we planted our orchard, a
wonderful old man advised us as to what
peaches to put in and so we have early, mid -
season and late peaches. In that way we're
not overburdened all at one time with fruit.
I'm sure those who grow fruit can vouch
for the wonder of picking dead -ripe fruit
and tasting it right on the spot. Raspber-
ries, for instance, if picked when dead -ripe
almost fall off into your hand. As a matter
of fact, you have to be careful when picking
that you don't bump the over ripe fruit for it
will drop off before you can get it in your
basket. The same is true with peaches. If
left on the tree to become dead ripe, they
almost fall at your touch and, of course, like
all fruit, if left alone will fall to the ground
as it matures. It's then that the juices and
flesh of the fruit are the sweetest and it's
then that I like to pick and eat one of those
spheres of delight. There's nothing quite
like it.
Grape Arbor Next Year
Our grapes are also fulfilling their mis-
sion. This year I built an old- fashioned ar-
bor over them and starting next year they'll
be trained up and over it. It'll be a retreat
where on hot but breezy days we can go and
relax. Anyway I've always wanted one and
now it's up and hopefully in the future will
serve its purpose well. Here again I've tried
to use different varieties around the arbor
so that they will not all fruit at one time.
And with the wide variety of table grapes
that are now becoming available, it'll be a
great addition to our fruiting garden.
In the wild I see black cherries dropping
all over our driveway and, to and behold,
the car that parks under them is soon splat-
tered. These little quarter to three - eighths
diameter berries are mostly pit but never-
theless can be made into jams and jellies
with a little extra effort. Few people use
them, though, particularly when there are
so many other domestic fruits coming in at
the same time.
Later, as the fruit dries and weathers on
the ground, the pits will be cleansed and
ready for use by the mice in the area. Often
I've cleaned out my birdhouses and found
their stores of cherry pits there. This is
their winter supply and, if the cleaning out
is done in the spring, I find the pits opened,
telling of their rewards during the winter.
I haven't spoken of beach plums that our
south side is particularly blessed with but
that will be taken up at another time. The
dunes from Montauk to Fire Island are the
best places to find beach plums but do be
watchful and careful of ticks when gather-
ing them. There are a few places on the
north shore but nothing like the dunes of the
south side.
Once again I urge you to get out and reap
the bounty that is now being produced on
our island. Whether it be your own
backyard, a stop at a local roadside stand
or a trip to the nearest "You Pick 'em"
spot, get out, collect, prepare and preserve
some of the fruits of our land.
FLASH-
Barrier Islands Saved
Texas From Gilbert'.
What Is Going To
Save Remsenburg
From Cuomo ?
Please support the
Army Corp. of Engineers
Fortification Project.
It's the only project that provides
true Hurricane Protection.
Please write /call or wire:
Gov. Cuomo,
State Capitol, Albany, N.Y. 12224
518- 474 -8390
This News Flash was brought to you by
The Registered Voters of West Beach Association, Inc.
Westhampton Beach, New York
THE SOUTHAMPTON PRESS / SEPTEMBER 22, 1988