Gravenstein Apples

 

In my last post Jan H. was curious about my mention of Gravenstein apples. She did a little research and found they are an endangered apple. Many people don't know about this beautiful apple.

"Gravs, as fans call them, are delicious and versatile. Depending on the degree of ripeness, they can be perfect for munching or making into apple sauce, apple pies, and other baked goodies. People have long believed that the Gravenstein was brought to Sonoma County (California) sometime around 1812 by Russian fur trappers at Fort Ross."  I always thought they came from Scandanavia, but maybe it was Russia. Some are stripey like the picture above and some have a soft yellow green skin.

The main reason you don't see them in the market is because they don't transport well, they bruise easily. That is probably why they are diminishing.

You might ask how I know so much about this lovely apple. I will tell you. My grandpa was an apple grower in Colorado in the early 1900's. Then because my grandma wanted to move to California, he took up growing in the Sonoma County area about the 1930's. He fell in love with the Gravenstein apple and started growing them. Two of my aunts/uncles then had orchards on each side of my grandpa about the time I was born in the 1940's. The grandchildren came along, there ended up being 27 of us. I was the second grandchild and oldest girl. We all, at times, worked in one way or the other with the apples. It might have been picking them from the ground, sorting them in the packing house, or making boxes.

My sister still lives on 2 acres of what was our grandpa's orchard. There are still Gravenstein apple trees on her property. She makes gallons and gallons of apple juice each year, which she shares with her four sons and their families.  

My uncles orchard is now mostly in grapes. Yes, Sonoma County later became wildly popular for growing wine grapes. My uncle would be so sad to see all the grapes on his property. The new owners did leave the apple trees to border the vineyard, just to honor the history of the Gravenstein.

My aunts each thought they made the best Gravenstein pies. It was a fun family tradition. To this day several of the girl cousins still think they make the best Gravenstein pie. Of course, I think mine is the best. Each August I make sure to get enough Gravenstein's to have 2-4 pie fillings in my freezer. They are indeed getting harder to find and a very short season when I do find some. There are just a few growers here in Oregon that grow them, but they just aren't the Gravenstein's I find in Sonoma County, California. The tradition does carry on.

And thus, the people that shared my pie at the Harvest Festival last Saturday didn't know this story of my apple pie, but they enjoyed it just the same.

One more time with the picture of the Gravenstein apple pie. When I started making these pies I would put a butterfly on the top, that has become my mark for the pies I bake.

Hope you enjoyed the story of the Gravenstein apples. My post is early, as I am leaving town in a couple hours for a little R&R and a bunch of tea at the Northwest (Seattle) Tea Festival. See you here later next week.

Sending love,

Marilyn

The Year of the Wreath

 

 

In my home this seems to be the year of the wreath. What's not to love in a wreath at Christmas?

This first wreath was made on Monday for the gardenhouse from the rim of an old placemat and then I wired on some fresh greens and a bow. It just makes the gardenhouse festive for the season.

Last Friday I ventured to a friend's home in the country to make wreaths. I love that this is a new annual event and a new friend. We are never to old to add a new event and/or friend.

 There were four of us making wreaths in her plastic covered living room.

Here is my finished product hanging over my little village on the mantle.

And then there were three! On Saturday the realtor that sold us our home 20 years ago hosted an event at a local tree farm for all her past and present clients. She usually gives a tree, but since we didn't need a tree, we were given a wreath. Her event every year is so festive with something hot to drink, soup, popcorn, cookies and more treats. Plus this year she had a photographer there taking pictures. OK, I might include the picture taken.

This picture strip is on my refrigerator door now. It just makes me smile.

It is me, Jill (daughter), Jim (live-in gardener), and D (grandson).

And now that wreath hangs on the front of my home. Humm? Maybe it needs a bow?

Then the final wreath is fake, but I love it just the same. It is the centerpiece for my dining table. Thankfully it won't dry out and leave needles everywhere. I do love a wreath on the table.

Sending wreath joy to you this Christmas season.

Have a most terrific, fun filled weekend, dear friends!

 

Sending Love,

Marilyn

A Gift for You - Luther Burbank's Place

Have you heard of Luther Burbank? When I hear his name, because of the Luther, I sometimes think people more often have heard of Martin Luther King. Luther Burbank also made an impact on our world by developing over 600 varieties of fruit trees, flowers, and vegetables. The Shasta Daisy is among his creations. He lived in Santa Rosa, California and if you visit there you will find his home and gardens to walk through. However, he also had several acres in Sebastopol, California, where I lived, and now his little orchard house and 2 acres have been preserved for people to visit. So on my adventure in California I walked in his garden and orchard.

 

I knew my uncle, an apple grower in Sebastopol, had a connection; so wrote to my cousin to get the story. The following is what he responded:

"My dad had an orchard on Bloomfield road with what I think were the first Golden Delicious apples planted in Sebastopol. We called it the Burbank Place. Dad rented the orchard first and then ended up buying it. I remember going with my dad to Santa Rosa to deliver the rent check to Mrs. Burbank. I must have been about 5-6 years old. I think this orchard was planted after he passed away, but I could be wrong about that. Stark Brothers purchased the rights to growing Golden Delicious in 1914. Luther Burbank was somehow involved with them. He died in 1917. His wife was very young. It was his second wife. They had no children. She died in 1977. "

 

I remember riding in my uncles jeep through "the Burbank Place" on several occasions; so for me it was fascinating to get this information from my cousin.

The volunteer I talked to didn't think that anyone ever lived in the house, but it was used more as an office and studio. It was mostly just one room.

 

There were several varieties of quince ripening on the trees.

"She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last."
-  Willa Cather

Lilies were blooming. I remember having lilies like this in my childhood garden.

He developed varieties of cactus thinking they would be good for feeding cattle.

Not sure if cattle eat this fruit or not.

There were hibiscus in bloom.

Many varieties of daisies and cosmos also were in bloom.

This was an unplanned stop, but so glad we did it.

Earlier we had stopped at the old cemetery next to this farm to lay flowers on my grandfather and my mother's graves. I think my grandfather chose to be buried there because of the orchards and gardens that surround it.

 

For me it was like poetry to walk in these gardens and remember my childhood in the surrounding countryside. As Willa Cather stated, I loved standing in the orchard and touching what was growing there.

 

Have a great week, dear friends!

 

A Moment to Breathe

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. Share this Quote Oprah Winfrey
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/breathe-quotes

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. Share this Quote Oprah Winfrey
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/breathe-quotes

"Just the fact that you get to live and breathe and interact with the world – that's pretty marvelous."  ~Junot Diaz

Just take a breath and enjoy my visit to Swan Island Dahlia Farm in Canby, Oregon.

 "Unexpected change is like a breath of fresh air, a little brisk at first, but magic for the body and soul."   ~ Susan Wiggs, 'Just Breathe', 2013.

 "I love being in the woods when I can just walk barefoot in the grass and just sit down and breathe. I love that so much." ~ Jessie Reyez.

 "There is one way of breathing that is shameful and constricted. Then, there’s another way: a breath of love that takes you all the way to infinity." ~ Rumi.

  Cafe au Lait is one I have wanted in the garden for awhile. Next year it will be there.

Dear Friends,

Have an amazing weekend. Go out for a walk and breathe.

Love to you all, Marilyn