Summer's Bounty: Apricots

Eli's hand reaching for the gold...

After months of seeing the beautiful apricot flowers turn into little green balls which then transform into golden, redish-orange balls of delicious wonder, our apricots are finally ready to be picked. 

While historians are not completely sure where apricots originated, most of modern American production of apricots is from California with some in Washington and Utah.  In the world, apricots are grown in continental climates and Mediterranean climates like Turkey, Persia, and Australia (not excluding many other areas where they are grown). 

Apricot trees depend on a cold winter to allow for proper dormancy and a drier spring to allow their early blooms to come into their mature fruit stage.  Areas with late frosts have difficult times growing apricots (as we had this year - snow in April!).

Aren't they pretty : )

• The mineral content in apricots is high, which makes them helpful in overcoming disorders like anemia, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, etc.
• The high copper and iron content in apricots increases the hemoglobin in the blood.
• The vitamin A content in apricots is high and helps in reducing skin disorders like pimples and zits. Vitamin A also aids in improving eye-sight.
• A certain substance called lycopene is present in apricots, which helps in the prevention of cancer and also protects the body from high cholesterol, thereby preventing heart disease.
• Eating apricots helps in removing gallstones and also destroys intestinal worms. It also aids in digestion, since it reacts as an alkaline, breaking down food particles.
• The fruit is considered to be a laxative and consuming it regularly will help you get rid of constipation. It is very helpful in getting rid of the waste in the body, due to its high fiber content.  (Source)

Now that we know a little bit about apricots, it's time to pick some!  That person in there is my husband, Eli, diving in (he's not afraid of the spiders like I am!).

We ended up with a huge basket full of them (apricots! - not spiders!).

Here they are all washed up and ready to be dried. Organic and NOT treated with chemical preservatives.  Perfect just the way God made them!

This batch is going to go to my friend in Minnesota - Brandis and her family :)

There are plenty more on the tree for us here in California!

What do you think about apricots?  And were you even aware of how good these sweet-somethings are for you!?

(Disclaimer: Eating too many in one sitting can cause flatulence and loose bowels so either eat a ton when you are with a trusty mate or when you are hangin' low for the day : )

What's In Season: Summer

I love the old days.  The days when the family would be out on the farm taking from the land what they sowed into it.  During the summer, the whole family would be out at the garden picking fresh grapes from the vine, stopping from time to time to pop into their mouths a few bulging fresh grapes, after all, it's warm outside and there is nothing like a refreshing crisp grape in the mouth of the laborer!  How about down by the cherry trees and the peach trees.  The tops of the branches always had the best.  Poppa would take a long stick and shake the branch  while momma and the little ones would collect the fallen fruits.  Usually everything enjoyed by the family would be the seasons best.  Nowadays, we can take a walk, or shall I say drive, to the nearest grocery store and pick from a slew of colorful fruits and vegetables that are in season elsewhere in the world besides here in your own home region.  In order to achieve the bright colors of the out of season delicacies in your produce isle, grocers and huge industries have to spray wax and chemicals to preserve the "freshness" because the items have traveled for many days over sea and land to make it to your grocer in the appearance of "fresh".

How do we get around this?  Enjoy what is in season!  To me, prolonging self gratification tastes so much sweeter in the right season!  From sweet potatoes in the winter to juicy peaches in the summer, and an overall happier immune system to thank me for my patience : )  I believe that God intended for us to enjoy a vitamin packed orange in the peak of the cold winter days in order to help us fight off those "cold bugs" and "flu bugs" that are at our throats when the weather is damp and chilly.  Or how about the antioxidant rich slew of berries ready in the summer to fight off the sun's damage to our skin.  It's worth a thought!

At last, I hear you asking, no, screaming, "WHAT'S IN SEASON NOW?!"  I am glad you asked!  I looked it up for you and found a great website called Fruits & Veggies More Matters to lead us to the well anticipated answer to our question.  Here is a list compiled from the site:

• Apricots
• Asian Pears
• Beets
• Blackcurrants
• Bell Peppers
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Boysenberries
• Breadfruit
• Butter Lettuce
• Cantaloupe
• Casaba Melon
• Champagne Grapes
• Chayote Squash
• Cherries
• Cherries, Sour
• Corn
• Crenshaw Melon
• Crookneck Squash
• Cucumbers
• Durian
• Eggplant
• Elderberries
• Endive
• Figs
• Garlic
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Green Beans
• Honeydew Melons
• Jack Fruit
• Jalepeno Peppers
• Key Limes
• Lima Beans
• Limes
• Loganberries
• Longan
• Lychee
• Manoa Lettuce
• Mulberries
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Passion Fruit
• Peaches
• Peas
• Persian Melon
• Plums
• Radishes
• Raspberries
• Sapodillas
• Sapote
• Shallots
• Strawberries
• Sugar Apple
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Summer Squash
• Tomatillo
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Winged Beans
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Zucchini

And you thought eating in season would be boring ; )  Only more interesting!  See, "For maximum nutrition, we're better off eating closer to the source and relying on Mother Nature for seasonal produce to keep us in balance" ( Terry Walters, Clean Food).  While I believe God is in charge of keeping balance, I agree that balance is key and that eating in season means fresher, more nutrient dense foods, and more sustainable local economies. 

What do you think?!