Harvesting Sunflowers - Tip or Trick

Once upon a time you took pleasure in watching those beautiful big flowers turn their heads toward the afternoon sun, but now it's time to harvest the seeds.

The Big Sunflower above is from our Big's collection of photos

There is no real trick to getting the sunflowers out of the ground and they have a very large root ball attached. So you want to harvest the seeds after you have watched these grow over time. You might not be the only one who wants to harvest, as squirles, birds, and field mice might have beat you to the seed harvest, as these flowers are a favourite of theirs also..

Know when to havest your sunflower seeds

To harvest your sunflowers can be an easy job but knowing when the best time to harvest can be questioning. If you pick too early you might have plenty of seed husks but the seed meat will be too small. If you wait too long your seeds maybe to dry, and waiting too long also gives your other garden friends time to do a little harvesting of their own leaving you with little or nothing.

It is best to harvest sunflowers when the flower petals are dry and weepy and the flower head will be turning from a lush green to a yellow and then brown. You will notice the seeds take on another shape, they almost swell inside and the shell of the seed will be black or black and white. Tip: if the birds and other garden friends start to harvest you can cover your flower head with a net or a paper bag when the petals fall.

Harvest sunflowers when their petals become dry and begin to fall. The green base of the head will turn yellow and eventually brown. Seeds will look plump and the seed coats will be fully black or black and white stripes depending on the variety. If animals or birds are a problem, you can cover the heads with fine netting or paper bags as soon as the petals begin to wilt.

How to harvest your sunflower seeds

If you are like me you try and get ahead of your gardening chores. This harvest is worth waiting for as sunflower seeds can be dried and roasted and enjoyed all Winter long. There is two ways you can harvest your sunflower seeds. First, let the seeds fully ripen while still on the stem and cut the stem about 4 inches below the stem and rub back and forth loosening the seeds from the head. Tip: let the seeds dry completely before storing them. Or the second way is to get the flower when 3/4 of the seeds are fully mature and the cut the stem leaving about a foot, wrap the heads of the flowers in a paper bag and hang the plants in a warm place for 2 to 3 weeks. Trick: make sure the spot you hang them in is dry and well ventalated or your seeds will turn moldy.

 

The sunflower below is half harvested by my helpful backyard birds.

Notice the flower head is yellow and the seeds are white and that depends on the variety of sunflower.

I find rubbing the yellow fluff almost as hard to resist as bubble wrap.

Time to Roast your fresh harvested sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are a great snack and a favourite to harvest for grandchildren while with grandma on those afternoons. Shell all your seeds and put into a pot with about 1/4 cup of salt and cover with water. Bring them to a boil and just simmer them for one hour. Lay them on paper towel and dry. Or you can roast your sunflower seeds in a 325F oven for 30 minutes then remove from the oven and stir in 1 Tablespoon of butter and your favourite seasoning, my girls almost always pick cinnamon and sugar mix that they can sprinkle on.

Enjoy,

Cindy

 

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Autumn & Fall Changes

This is the time of year I get back at it.  Yes, tourist season is over, the guests have gone home our B&B and Tea Room is quiet and now it is time for change.  This is when I move furniture around the house, then move it back.  I pull over-sized plants from the garden and have my French Gardener put them back in another location.  And I get busy building stock, web sites, and just making the changes that need to be done for next year, oh and I get back to blogging, something I've missed so much.  

Change #1

I down-sized the gift shop area excluding a lot of scrapbooking items so I changed my etsy account from ScrapandWrap to Seaglassing - and started listing items in my shop.

You know what happens when you change the carpet?  Yup the curtains don't match so you have to buy new ones.

Change #2

So I'm also giving up scrapbooking-in-PEI.ca and built a new site at seaglassing.ca

I like the simple clean organized look of this site

I used the KISS rule, here.

Change #3 

Hasn't happened yet but I'm working on it.

I plan to go for a drive soon and take driveway pictures so I'm positive to have a few Autumn and pumpkin pictures to share with you.  Here on the Island folks like to decorate the end of the driveway with all kinds of items making a reason to stop and take a picture. 

I'm sticking to the, "less is more rule" for now, 

so I'm glad you stopped by and I'll do my best to have some eye candy next time.

Bye for now,

Cindy

Homemade & Handmade

I'll not say, "I'm back to blogging," just in case it is weeks before you hear from me again. However I sure have missed blogging and all of you.

 

These past weeks I've had the opportunity to discover the true meaning of "Handmade"

Everything at Grandma's Tea Room is Homemade however not always made by hand. My Kitchen Aid left me in a lurch and so therefore I've had to experience handmade.

 

It should be back together soon with a new gear and a spare on order.

This means my homemade scones for two weeks have been also handmade, as well everything I baked for the Queen Street Farmers Market the cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, rolls, bread and pretzels have all been made by hand. You don't miss something until its gone, funny I should say that when my French Gardener is out of town this week leaving me high and dry as my kitchen aid did. I miss them both, not equally but both.

back to the bowl and roller

 

 

I almost had forgotten what dough felt like.

 

A special request for these pickled eggs for the farmer's market this sunday is finished

 

I was able to get around to a few blogs to find out Sandi from Rose Chinz Cottage hosted our little tea room on her lovely blog Tea Time Tuesday, thank you Sandi. I had a nice visit and next visit I'll have you for my famous scones, I promise.

 

So I'm trying to keep the KISS method and perhaps I'll be back more often If I just "Keep It Simple Sweetie" so I'll say good-bye for now.

Cindy

 

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Lunch Special PEI Toonie Tuesdays

Thank you for stopping by Grandma's

Today we posted a sign on the Confederation Trail and our Trail Lunch is Chili & Chips all day special for $2.00. Come by Grandmas and taste what Island cooking is all about - Meatless Chili and Chips for TOONIE TUESDAY

 

See you soon

Yummy borrowed photo

cindy

 

 

 

~00~ Grandma (aka Cindy) or Crafting - http://scrapandwrap.ca

 

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Lunch Special PEI Toonie Tuesdays

Thank you for stopping by Grandma's

Today we posted a sign on the Confederation Trail and our Trail Lunch is Chili & Chips all day special for $2.00.  Come by Grandmas and taste what Island cooking is all about - Meatless Chili and Chips for TOONIE TUESDAY

See you soon

~00~ Grandma (aka Cindy) or Crafting - http://scrapandwrap.ca

After the Rain

Hi my friends! I know I haven't been great at getting around to ya'll lately but I think of you each and every day. In between those hours I have been roasting coffee, pulling weeds, printing menus and watching my rhubarb grow. Yes, I'm all out of rhubarb chutney and rhubarb juice I'll have to share those recipes, you'll love them.

 

Ok, so the coffee -- The French Gardener and I received this larger than life box at the post office and got home to open it up and found there were 30 pounds of 6 varieties of coffee from Rwanda of various different washing stations - growing altitudes - soils and average temperatures. These are Fair Trade beans, rare & ethically-sourced coffee and as I sit the beans are still de-gassing and popping in front of me.

 

This morning I made a fresh ground coffee and headed out to walk about my garden. Amazed at how fast things are growing and popping out of the ground. I stood by the pond and noticed something rather unusual - last night we had a spraying of rain and although the walkway was just damp the air was magnificient. It forced me to deep breath and just caught me in one of those Aha moments where you don't hear a thing around you - the air smelled like fresh cut watermellon and new rubber boots and I couldn't get enough of it. I refilled my coffee and headed back out to take a few pictures to show you some of the aha moment.

The clematis is coming along nicely

The magnolia is almost done dropping her pettals but that big ole propane tank still haunts me, lol

Perfect fence for a paint brush while the solomon seal looks on

II've been working at getting green between the rocks and looks like this year it worked

Only a couple of the fairy gardens are out but so are the checkered tulips behind

 

Excuse the barn door it just seems to always be open. I made a garden planter for my purple wave petunias and the French gardener drilled larger holes for the wave and smaller ones and I put new strawberry plants in those

 

The pond got her spring cleaning - we won't go there it is a messy smelly job

Asparagus is weeded and growing up nicely. I have 5 coming to Grandma's Tea Room today for Afternoon Tea and they requested a Vegetarian Tea, so fresh asparagus rolled around garden herb cream cheese is on the menu

 

Speaking of the menu - got that done and also the placemats , this year they are peach and I've added 8 new recipies to the placemat and printed some nice recipe cards to sit on the table. Our tea sniffing bar has three new tea varieties

Sticky buns were also part of my week as Victoria needed to take a treat to the girls at the doctor's office.

 

Well I should get a move on. After my tea, I might have a couple of hours to play in my mini fairy gardens.

Bye for now,

Cindy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Real Key Lime Pie

I miss the times I visited Key West. On just about every street corner was a bakery, cafe, or Key Lime Pie specialty dessert and coffee shop. I have been trying to get the real key lime pie flavoured pie ever since I visited back in 2003. I guess it is time to revisit or just settle for my key lime pie.

Graham Wafer Crust

 

Graham Cracker Crust

I use the whole crackers so you will need to crush 16 of them

1/2 cup of butter

3 Tbs of brown sugar

I heat the butter and brown sugar in a pot on the stove then add the crumbs and spread into a pie plate.

 

 

The Key Lime

4 egg yolks

14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup fresh squeezed Key Limes

2 tsp green zest from the lime

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

If you use limes call it a lime pie, however if you use the itty bitty limes those wee little bitties are key limes and really you can't call your pie a key lime pie unless you use them, otherwise you'd just have a lime pie.

Juicing key limes can be challenging - that is when a husband who is always handy the computer comes into your rescue. He strolls into the kitchen and say's, "Looks like that is an almost impossible job!" Me, "you're not kidding." husband, "look why don't you try using your garlic press it might work." Me, "the key limes are to big for that." husband, "I'll cut them into four and you try it." IT WORKS!

 

 

 

Putting it all together

1. With mixer beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they are thick (don't over mix)

2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until incorporated, add 1/2 of the lime juice and zest until all blended, then add the rest of the juice and continue to mix until blended.

3. Pour the pudding into your cooled pie shell (that was pre-baked for 12 minutes at 350)

4. Bake 350 for 12 more minutes until the egg yolks set and thicken.

5. Remove from oven, cool then refrigerate for about 2 hours until set.

I don't like to waste, so those 4 egg whites got whipped up and I added 3/4 c of sugar gradully and then 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar and made a meringue for the top. You could use whipped cream or leave just the key lime pie as is to enjoy as it is traditionally served. I guess I could have made some meringue cookies, but was feeling topless so added it to the pie instead.

I sprinkle white sugar on top and it crystalizes just nice

Here is the pie just out of the oven, the house smells of key limes

 

 

There you have it, Grandma's Key Lime Pie Recipe.

I like to make little tarts and add the key lime pudding into the centre and put these itty bitties in the tea room on a three tiered tray because they look so inviting and looks like I've been working for hours to juice these little bitty key limes and the compliments wow!

 

Enjoy,

Cindy

 

 

 

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