Harvest!

The Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival & Regatta is in two weeks. We visited the pumpkin patch at Pinkham's Plantation to see how the fruit is doing. That one I'm inspecting is probably 600-700 pounds (43-50 stone or 0.3- 0.4 short tons or 275-318 kilograms). It may become a boat for the regatta. The weigh-off is next Sunday, with $10,000 in prizes (or £6300 or 7400 euros or 68,000 Swedish Kroner) Pumpkin growing is serious business here in New England, but then it always has been.

This verse is from "New England's Annoyances" a song written about 1635

'Stead of pottage and porridge and puddings and pies
Pumpkins and parsnips are the usual supplies.
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon.
If it were not for pumpkins we would soon be undone!

Derry down....

The size does vary quite a bit. there are TWO pumpkins in this photo.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...


I picked some of our seedless Concord grapes this afternoon. Some years we haven't gotten any before the birds, chipmunks, and deer got them all.
These grapes make an incredible grape fool - just don't give any to your dog!

Here's a fool recipe (not a damn fool recipe)

Ingredients

Directions

- 1 pint ripe seedless concord grapes, stems removed - 1/2 cup sugar - 2 tablespoons water - 1 cup whipping cream - 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Serving Description: 1 cup (US) or 1.04 cup(CDN) or 1.67 gill (UK) Servings: 4 Container: sauce pan, blender Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

In a small saucepan, mix sugar, water and grapes. Mash some of the grapes to release juice and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until grapes are soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cooled, mash with a fork or, for a smoother texture, puree in a blender or food processor. (You could, instead, put the grapes through a food mill to remove the skins. If you do that you could use regular Concord grapes) When ready to serve, or up to an hour ahead, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. Lightly fold in the grape mixture, leaving visible streaks of grape and cream. Divide into serving dishes and serve cold. TIP: Cream whips best when cream, bowl and whisk or beaters are well chilled.

YUM!