The constant rains of this last summer have ruined this years pecan crop here in South Baldwin county. I know we don't have any this year and I have not seen any local signs going up advertizing nuts for sale. Underwoods in Foley has a sign out but I don't know what they have to offer or if the nuts are local or from out of state. Be sure to check any unshelled pecans being sold from roadside stands to be sure you're getting good quality nuts.
Our first early cold spell of this week will put an end to any remaining summer vegetables like okra and tomatoes, but it will mean more of the cool weather crops will be in the local farmer's markets. Turnip greens, Kale, Pumpkins, Beets, and Spinach will all be coming into season. The last of the locally grown tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, and peppers, can still be found if you shop now.
While there may be a shortage of pecans this year, the local citrus crops of satsumas, lemons, grapefruits, and kumquats is sure to be abundant because of last years relatively mild winter. I just picked a bushel of satsumas off our one bush and have some lemons on another plant. When you have an overabundance of citrus, one thing you can do with the fruits is to squeeze the juice and either freeze or can it. I froze all my lemon juice last year and still have a gallon in the freezer. I also juiced and canned satsuma juice so it would last throughout the year. Why buy processed orange juice when you can have sweet satsuma juice every morning?It is a good idea to buy an electric citrus juicer when faced with large amounts of fruits to juice. I have one and it is a real time and wrist saver. After juicing the fruits, I strain the juice to remove any seeds and pulp. Put it into a large pot and heat it just until it starts to steam good. You don't want it to boil. I taste it and then add some sugar, usually around a cup to a gallon because the canning process can take away some of the natural sweetness. You also want to use satsumas that are at the peak of their ripeness and not too green or over ripe. If over ripe they will lose their tang and be flat. Adding some lemon juice can help remedy that problem.
Pour the juice into clean canning jars, wipe the rims clean, seal with canning lids and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes. The juice will keep for up to 3 years.
I found that freezing my lemon juice in ice cube trays (2 tablespoons per cube) is a good way to preserve it and have it handy for grabbing just the amount needed in recipes later. I just empty the ice trays into plastic bags and store the lemon cubes that way in the freezer. You can also freeze it in plastic containers in larger amounts.
Hope everyone enjoys the season and helps to keep our local growers in business.
