Sugarberry Slope

Picking redbuds for jelly is a whole lot easier than picking blackberries - it just takes a lot longer to get a full “mess.”

We put up about 14 pints.

I’m making another batch of cleaner. I put the peels of oranges I’ve eaten in a glass jar, cover the peels with white vinegar and let it sit for a week. Then I strain this into a sprayer or jug, plus a quarter cup of lemon juice, then add more vinegar to fill the container, and it’s all set. Smells citrusy but not over powering and cleans great.

Kid safe, pet safe, everything safe.

What I learned in bee class yesterday.

Foyager bees see Sevin Dust (and other powder type pesticides) as pollen. If the bee finds your garden with Sevin dust, they will take it back to the hive and tell the other bees about the pollen source, and the other bees will go get some. Soon the entire hive is dead.

These pictures are from the website of the maker of Sevin. As you can see, they don’t list bees, ladybugs, or butterflies. If it did, it might make people think twice. But make no mistake, this product kills bees, ladybugs and butterflies as one of the 150 insects they don’t specifically list.

So, if you absolutely MUST use pesticides (and I wish you wouldn’t), please use liquid instead of powder. The liquid will still kill the unfortunate bees that find your garden, but they can’t take it back to the hive mistaken for pollen.

On Being a Person in a Meat Suit... It is so hard to be a person, isn't it? So very hard. I'm not talking just about being a decent human being, which is nearly impossible some days. But, the daily chore of waking up day and dragging the ourselves out of bed every day can be terrifying. We walk around in the meat suits assigned to us,

Happy Almost Spring. It was 80 degrees in Oklahoma today, 85 with the wind.

Every spring I hear people talk about "No Mow May." The point of No Mow May is to give the pollinators time to emerge from their winter resting places and the chance for the flowers to start blooming. The problem in Oklahoma is that our spring comes earlier than May. It is mid-March and already things are waking up. No Mow May is pointless without No Mow March and No Mow April because the things you intended to preserve in May have already been mowed down. Also, if you live in an HOA and don't mow until May, Kranky Karen and Power Hungry Pam are going to call an emergency meeting and vote in new covenants requiring you to mow as soon as the snow dries up every year Even if you don't live in an HOA, if you are in the City limits and let your lawn grow until May, you will face the wrath of Code Enforcer Carl.

The best approach is to put off mowing as long as you can - try for a No Mow March and see if you can slip in a No Mow April. By May all the pollinators and over wintering insects are out and about doing their thing among the new wildflowers. Heck, there were plenty of them out today.

I'm not an advocate for mowing, but sometimes you have to live within the rules. Just put it off as long as possible.

It’s beautiful outside in Oklahoma today so I decided to take the tops off my winter sown jugs. Spices and onions and carrots and cucs and broccoli and tomatoes!!!!

They’ll get a good watering today and some sunshine before I put their lids back on tonight.

The first $10 made from the sale of fresh eggs from the Sugarberry hens. Thanks to neighbors Denise and Rob. We also worked out a barter of a jar of Charles’ Jalapeño relish for a jar of Rob’s homemade BBQ sauce.

Visions of retirement are dancing in my head.

Our good pal and craftsman, Jerry, made us this wonderful metal sign. It is very big (4x4) and Charles is going to have to figure out the how, while I figure out the where.

If you have a need for a piece like this for yourself, send us a message and we will introduce you to Jerry.

Most days I walk around trying to do the best I know to do - not knowing whether I achieved it. But serving this as a lunch accompaniment… this HAS to go in the good column, right?

Charles’ homemade sweet jalapeño relish with cream “cheese” and Triscuits.

On Labels and Trying to be Good... Why is every attempt to do good met with so much resistance from those who think they are doing better? It is so hard to be a "good person" these days, isn't it? S**t, I said "these days." One of my mottos ("good people" have many mottos) is "do no harm." I work so hard at doing no harm, espe

The crocuses and daffodils are up. Clover patches are appearing. Tulips are peeking up from the earth. Fruit trees are starting to bud. They all think spring is on its way.

Do you know what else thinks spring is here? Ticks! Yesterday we cut down a couple of red cedars to make room for the new greenhouse. I drug the cedars to the wood pile. It was a lovely day for outdoor manual labor.

Last night I found a tick behind my ear. “Hello,” I said to it. “It is February. I’m supposed to be safe until at least March!!”

The problem is … I was in the red cedars. Red cedar is a host to ticks.

A while back, I mentioned we would be culling some (not all) of the hundreds of red cedars on Sugarberry. I got lots of responses from people about that. The messages ranged from “They are a fire hazard. It should be illegal to have them” to “Please get rid of them ALL - I’m so allergic,” to “They are a fire hazard, burn every GD one of them to the ground!” (Do you hear yourself, sir? And no we won’t be doing that). But there were also messages of concern “cedar trees take carbon from the air in the winter while the other trees are dormant,” or “they are crucial habitat for the animals,” or “they provide food for the birds that winter in Oklahoma.”

I get both the dangers and benefits of cedar trees. Like people, nothing is 100% bad or 100% good (except maybe Sidekick Rudy sitting here beside me). But the cedar trees attract and host ticks (and carry Lyme disease which is no joke) and can spread disease to fruit trees (especially apple). But they do attract those lovely cardinals and colorful finches in the winter and provide green color when all else is brown. They also provide a wind break and erosion control.

So, the red cedars in places where they cause harm will be removed and replaced with other trees. Those that aren’t hurting anyone, will stay.

That’s the way we try to live harmoniously with our environment.

The peach is the most optimistic of trees - sometimes to her detriment. If we had Peach Tree Day in February instead of Ground Hog Day, the peach would say early spring every year. I hope she is right.

Imagine a greenhouse, right here.

We had some early risers on the Slope today.

Learning opportunity, y’all.

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I introduced myself, so I'd like to take a moment to do that. My name is Emily Ruzycki, and I'm the owner of Ruzycki Farms. For the past 16 years, I've been farming and working hard to perfect various methods of preserving food, such as canning, freezing, and drying. I love being able to enjoy the fruits of our labor throughout the year and sharing them with our family, friends, and customers. I'm excited to share my passion for preserving food on the farm and have therefore created a food preservation class that I'll be teaching right here on our farm.

The class is called Food Preservation 101: A Beginner's Guide to Canning, Freezing, and Drying with Emily Ruzycki and will begin on March 16th, 2024. The class will run for ten weeks, every Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm. Each week, we'll focus on a different type of food preservation, and you'll get to take home what you make. The cost of the class is $250, which includes all the materials and supplies you'll need. At the end of the class, you'll receive a certificate of completion and a special gift from me. Edit: I've had several requests to break my class up so students can purchase different days due to lack of interest in a subject or being unable to attend all 10 weeks. Anyone who purchases a class automatically gets a free invite to Week 10: May 18th, 2024, 10 am- 12 pm Graduation and Potluck Party! If you would like to bring a guest to the Graduation Party, they must purchase a ticket.

If you're interested in joining my class, please sign up soon as there are only a limited number of spots available. You can register online on our website www.RuzyckiFarmStore.com. I can't wait to share my passion for food preservation with you and have some fun in the kitchen together. See you soon! 😊

Food Preservation 101: A Beginner's Guide to Canning, Freezing, and Drying with Emily Ruzycki

March 16th, 2024, 10 am -12 pm
Week 1: Introduction to Food Preservation: Learn the history, benefits, and principles of food preservation, as well as the safety guidelines and equipment you need to get started.

March 23rd, 2024, 10 am -12 pm
Week 2: Canning Basics: Learn how to can fruits, vegetables, and sauces using the water bath and pressure canning methods. You’ll make and take home your jars of apple sauce, tomato sauce, and green beans.

March 30th, 2024, 10 am -12 pm
Week 3: Canning Jams and Jellies: Learn how to make delicious jams and jellies from fresh or frozen fruits. You’ll make and take home your jars of strawberry jam, grape jelly, and peach preserves.

April 6th, 2024, 10 am-12 pm
Week 4: Canning Pickles and Relishes: Learn how to make and can crunchy pickles and tangy relishes from cucumbers, peppers, onions, and other vegetables. You’ll make and take home your jars of dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, and corn relish.

April 13th, 2024, 10 am-12 pm
Week 5: Freezing Basics: Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared foods to preserve their quality and flavor. You’ll learn how to blanch, package, label, and store your frozen foods. You’ll make and take home your bags of frozen corn, peas, chicken, and lasagna.

April 20th, 2024, 10 am -12 pm
Week 6: Freezing Berries and Herbs: Learn how to freeze berries and herbs to enjoy them all year round. You’ll learn how to wash, dry, and freeze your berries and herbs in different ways. You’ll make and take home your bags of frozen blueberries, raspberries, mint, and basil.

April 27th, 2024, 10 am -12 pm
Week 7: Drying Basics: Learn how to dry fruits, vegetables, and herbs using an oven, a dehydrator, or the sun. You’ll learn how to prepare, dry, and store your dried foods. You’ll make and take home your bags of dried apples, bananas, carrots, and oregano.

May 4th, 2024, 10 am - 12 pm
Week 8: Drying Flowers and Crafts: Learn how to dry flowers and make crafts with them. You’ll learn how to choose, harvest, and dry your flowers, and how to make wreaths, bouquets, and potpourri. You’ll make and take home your own dried flower arrangements and crafts.

May 11th, 2024, 10 am - 12 pm
Week 9: Review and Q&A: Review what you have learned in the previous weeks and ask any questions you may have. You’ll also get to sample some of the foods you have preserved and share your experiences with the class.

May 18th, 2024, 10 am-12 pm
Week 10: Graduation and Party: Celebrate your completion of the class and receive your certificate and special gift from Emily. You’ll also get to enjoy a potluck party with your classmates and bring some of your preserved foods to share.

On the Permanence of ... Everything...? My new garden sleeves arrived in the mail this week. I started wearing garden sleeves a couple of years and now I will not be without them. I treated myself to a new pair for this season. As pleased as I am with them, I was even more delighted with the packaging. It bears a friendly greeting. "Hello

Goodnight from Sugarberry Slope.

Sour dough bread. I started making it a few years ago. The first couple loaves were great. After that, they weren’t so great. I tried different flours, different recipes, adding flavors and they were just OK. I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t consistent.

Then I realized it was I who wasn’t consistent. I tried to run before I could walk. Sour dough taught me that you can fudge on cooking, but you cannot fudge on baking. I can substitute ingredients in my lasagna, but in baking you really need to follow the instructions. I got lazy, skipped the autolyse, used a metal bowl, tried to go with cups instead of grams.

I went back to basics, following the path that many generations of bakers have laid down for me, and what do you know? Perfect sour dough.

The broccoli has made its appearance!

One of the residents.

The new girls, Judy Garland and Ava Gardner, are laying these lovely green eggs.

Is Your Yard Undergrown? - Humane Gardener For too long, industry and media have normalized meaningless, divisive terms like "overgrown." Let's take the language back.

We will be sneaking these beauties into the hen house tonight after the sun goes down. When the other hens wake up in the morning, they’ll hopefully just assume these four have always been there. Chickens aren’t the sharpest birds. The new girls are: (front) Lucille Ball, (back from left) Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardener, and Judy Garland.

The hardest thing about being vegan? - no contest, it is cheese. Pizza specifically. Pizza without cheese is like a date without a goodnight kiss. Why bother, right? And most vegan cheeses are like a blind date WITH a goodnight kiss, but turns out he’s your brother. You just feel cheated.

Enter this cheese. For vegans or the lactose intolerant this cheese is the date, he paid for everything and he’s a great kisser.

Homemade veggie pizza on sourdough pizza crust with vegan cheese that actually looks feels and tastes like cheese. I’m in love.

Please excuse the cheesy post.

I knew he’d get these perfected by the time the bees arrived. Turns out, he didn’t need that long.

I went on an explore today. I like going into the undeveloped part of the property while the trees are bare. It is easier to get through. Meanwhile, I discovered a helicopter crashed here at some point.

Spring is on my mind. Last spring was disastrous here at the Slope. We had so much rain and, water being water, much of the top of the Slope came rushing down to the bottom. All the clover seed I had planted in the fall to prevent this ended up in the valley below. Everything had to be reseeded, but it was a futile effort until the rains stopped. This spring we should be in much better shape for the rains as the native grasses have filled in the bulldozer damage.

We are due rain this weekend, and the temperature is near 60 so I took a walk around the place. The east end of my frontage is sand stone and shale rock. The only things that grow there successfully are irises and daffodils (shallow tubers and bulbs) and native grasses. So, I’m letting them naturalize that area. It’s a good choice because they aren’t near a water source. The irises and grasses are drought tolerant and the daffodils are done before the summer heat starts.

It always makes me anxious when the spring flowers start to come up too early like this daffodil, but maybe she knows something I don’t. Maybe we are done with winter. I doubt it, but the weather gets weirder and more abnormal with each passing year.

I didn’t catch what the groundhog decided yesterday - I find the quaint tradition of consulting a rodent about the weather rather stu —- silly, and as reliable as consulting an actual meteorologist.

Also, I’m not prepared for spring yet. The heart surgery last fall put me out of commission for awhile and the prepping I would have done in September and October did not get done. So, I am very much behind.

This daffodil is the only early bird I saw today, so I’m glad about that. Maybe she’s ready for spring. Why wouldn’t she be? All she has to do is put on a nice new outfit and look pretty.