Outdoor

Persimmon

Published

10 years ago

December 31, 2014

NTFR

By Lisa Bellows
The offer of an unripened persimmon to a novice can conjure up a good laugh. The alum-like tannins in the unripe fruit cause the mouth to pucker, draw and ultimately spitting will begin followed by some unkind words from the victim of the joke. It is one of my favorite instructional tactics for unsuspecting students. It is especially delightful when the tree hosts both ripe and unripe fruits so that I can eat one of the ripe persimmons and then offer a student one that is not ripe. I know full-well that the student wants to kick me in the shin, but considering that I award their final grade, they refrain.
You may have been told that a frost on the persimmon is necessary to ripen the fruit, but that is untrue. A shriveled appearance of the skin indicates ripeness. If the persimmon is taut and firm, it is best used for a prank but not a tasty treat. When the fruit is ripe, it is extremely sweet and loaded with fruit sugar. The wild varieties in North Texas can be eaten fresh, mashed and used to make fruit breads like pumpkin, pudding, a variety of sweet spreads and even beer and wine. One word of caution in addition to the mouth pucker from the unripe persimmon is that the skin is difficult to digest, so if you have a fondness for the sweet pulp, avoid eating the skins and merely squeeze the fruit out of the skin and enjoy.
To read more pick up the January 2015 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.

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Parting Shot

Published

2 months ago

October 31, 2024

NTFR

By: Jelly Cocanougher

Delicate microbes buried just beneath the surface. We walk by them, unbeknownst to us. Spores, spawn, and sclerotia, each with distinct characteristics. It is said that these fungi are all connected, speaking to one another as they populate the earth. The interconnectedness of all living things and the decaying world, such beauty lies within these otherworldly alien organisms.

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Varietal Honey

Published

2 months ago

October 28, 2024

NTFR

By: Landon Moore

Landon Moore is the Wise County 4-H President and a member of the Wise County 4-H County Council. He is involved in beekeeping, as well as raising rabbits and poultry.

This essay was one that he wrote, and it was named the champion for both the Texas and National chapters of the Foundation For The Preservation of Honey Bees.

Varietal honey is honey that comes from a single source.

This honey has a flavor derived from the source flower and can even have a similar scent. In general, lighter colored honeys have a more subtle taste and dark honeys are more intense. Varietal honey has been compared to wine, in that honeys produced in different years can be distinguished, even if they come from the same flower and location.

This phenomenon is called terroir and is responsible for the individual taste of each honey harvest.

To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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The Garden Guy: America’s Sweetheart

Published

2 months ago

October 27, 2024

NTFR

By: Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

Early in the summer, I was sent a press release that caused one of those holy wow moments. The headline said it all, “Proven Winners ColorChoice Expands Catalog with the Addition of Hollywood Hibiscus.”

I had already become familiar with the Hollywood Hibiscus series and was thrilled that the Proven Winners was adding this to their lineup.

This flower is nothing short of beautiful and exhibits prolific flower production. The flowers show three distinct colors, deep red in the very center, then the majority which is a rich rose pink with lighter pink to white along the margins.

To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.