Harvesting the City

The figs are done, the blackberries sour with rain and cool weather. But the prune plums are ripe, purple skins dusted with yeast and insides a delightful, juicy yellow. I’ve been running our dehydrator for a week drying down my first harvest, one batch after another. The early saucing apples are near their end, the denser fall apples starting to sweeten. I’ve seen pears beginning to drop on my rides through the city and grapes darkening with color. This is the most bountiful time of year for a gleaner. In city parks, alleys, the edges of parking lots and along parking strips, in private gardens, there’s fruit ripening. Everywhere, fruit. Don’t be afraid to knock on your neighbors' doors and ask to scramble up their trees. The worst that will happen is baffled rejection. The best, a winter larder stocked with sunshine.

This week’s snack cake is made with our Gravensteins and an earthy mix of buckwheat and rye. The oat scones are contrasting tender, sweet pastry with tart, juicy plums. There’s an apple rye bread coming up in the Fall Bread Subscription and I’ve been wondering about grape pastries. Soon it will be time for gingerbread cake. I’ve put up ten gallons of apple sauce so far in preparation.

And now it's time to make toast and perhaps one last cup of coffee, pack up my panniers, and ride home from the farm before Chuckanut gets too busy. I'll see you at market in a few hours!

Sophie
Owner | Baker

Rye & Buckwheat Apple Snack Cake