Extending the Season

For several years we have been tolling with the idea of getting a greenhouse.  We scoured Kijiji and other adds and even looked at purchasing new.  Last summer we finally found one up near Woodstock.  It had to be dismantled and shipped down to here and then reassembled.  Clarke was in charge of that operation.  It was a huge job.  Clarke and Roger made 8 beds 4 feet by 16 feet.  That should grow a couple of tomatoes.   We didn't get the plastic on until fall but we planted inside anyway.

We had the most wonderful crop of tomatoes.  They were indeterminate and were over 8 feet tall.  You can see the spools of cord for each tomato to climb.  Each plant was full of tomatoes.  And it rained and rained....remember there is no plastic.  Then one day all the plants and tomatoes went black from blight.  We had to pull all those plants and we never got one tomato.  We did get some peppers though.

In the fall we finally got the plastic on.  double layer of plastic and we blow air in between the layers for added insulation.  If we are spending this much money on something it better pay its way at least with food for us.

Fiddlehead time on the Miramichi....

Every spring Miramichiers wait patiently for the first sign of fiddleheads.   As the new spring ferns raise their sleepy heads from their winter nap only to be picked by a waiting fiddlehead picker. The only consistent thing about  fiddlehead season is that is happens in the spring, but frost, heat and rain can delay and interrupt a good patch of fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads are the uncurled frond of the Ostrich Fern.

This year's fiddlehead season saw a abundance of fiddleheads and the fresh fiddlehead market quickly shut down because of the over availability of them.  So what to do with the extra fiddleheads....preserve them of course.  Nothing is quite as satisfying as having a "feed" of fiddleheads in the middle of winter. 

We "rig" up for trying to get the most fiddleheads ready for the freezer in the shortest period of time.  It usually takes 2 of us.

Clarke is generally the blancher.  We have a propane cooker with a large pot of water boiling outside.  When blanching fiddleheads you have to keep them submerged or they turn black.  So we got two deep frying baskets, you put the fiddleheads in one and put the other on top and then into the boiling water.  The basket on top keeps the fiddleheads from floating to the top.  Once 3 minutes is up those fiddleheads have to stop cooking immediately so into another large pot that has a continual stream of cold water to stop the cooking process.  Now I get in on the act.

 

Those blanched fiddleheads now need to be dried after their bath.  I lay them out on towels and gently towel dry them.  Looking them over and picking out the ones that may not  quite up to par. 

I then put them in bags and weigh them.  1 pound is the right size for a meal and 3 pounds are to make pickled fiddleheads for later.

They get vacuum sealed to lock in the freshness. And it really does help. Since we got this food sealer the vegetables we freeze last so much longer because all the air gets sucked out. I always hated the straw method.

Here is a new batch of pickled fiddleheads, beginning their 3 week fermentation journey before they can grace a cracker or a piece of cheese.

  You will note that the colour of the fiddleheads have changed from a bright green colour to a wonderful olive green colour.  That is one of the ways that you know that your fiddlehead is safe to eat.  Fiddleheads raw have a natural toxin that can make you sick but cooked they are perfectly safe. 

Caution:  eating too many fiddleheads can have a laxative effect.  Affectionately referred to as the Miramichi Cleanse.