Lughnasa \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 New (Harvest) Moon<\/p>\n
While snipping wild grapes off the vines that have overwhelmed a front rank of amur maples along 153rd, I was in pure paleolithic mode. \u00a0Hunter\/gatherer. \u00a0No hunter, though the squirrels may drive me to it, but gatherer. \u00a0Yes. \u00a0These vines grow here. \u00a0They grew here before we came and produced well for several years along the six foot section of chain link; though now that has receded, for reasons I cannot discern.<\/p>\n
The climbers on the amur maples had a bountiful yield this year. \u00a0It made me think our property would have been a stop on a seasonal swing looking out for grapes, blueberries, maybe raspberries, too. \u00a0We have wild raspberries, \u00a0but they’re less inviting to harvest and our cultivated ones are bigger and sweeter. \u00a0But these grapes are here because they like the location, have found it congenial. \u00a0Their plan for continuing the species includes many, many fruiting bodies in certain locations and this year our front was one of them<\/p>\n
With a harvesting basket and small pair of grape shears I worked my way across about 15 feet of width and up to about 6 feet, snipping many clusters hanging within inches of the ground. \u00a0The September sun, no longer fierce at 9:30 am, beat down enough to warm me, a breeze whisked away the sweat. \u00a0Going paleo all the way, cave man.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lughnasa \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 New (Harvest) Moon While snipping wild grapes off the vines that have overwhelmed a front rank of amur maples … Continue reading Going Paleo<\/span>