Robins Fresh and Fruity

Not OLO but definitely Fresh and Fruity and available now Watermellon  Recently I was given a Watermellon purchased from "Saves A Lot" in Lock Haven, PA.  Now I prefer homegrown but must admit it was so sweet and delicious I just had to tell you all about it.  Watermelon can be and is grown all around PA.  It is such a fresh fruit, especially on a hot, humid day.  What can you do with Watermellon?  How about Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa ,  Or perhaps something cool to drink  Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade . Or a  Watermelon Cooler Slushy   Maybe something more of a meal  Watermelon Summer Salad These are all delicious-looking recipes, and there are many more if you search for them.   Stay Fresh and Stay Fruity 

Raspberries are being picked. Don't they look yummy?  My Brother In Law, Chirs Pyle picked these yesterday 6/25 in the rain. While there is not a sufficient crop to sell, it is nice to know that they are some this extraordinary year.  Here is a video that shows how easy it is to grow your own, You can actually start your own and by next year not have to go somewhere else to enjoy them.  I think that is pretty cool. You can make a great meal with Rasberrys like  Easy Raspberry Chicken .   Add a refreshing beverage like a  Rasmopolitan .  Now how above a great dessert-like  Raspberry Chia Seed Pudding It all looks good to me and the fact that they are growing this year gives me hope the future will be better.  Enjoy 

Is there more at OLO then meets the eye, YES THERE IS !!!! Orchards are historically a piece of land planted with apple trees.  Our Little Orchard has apple trees, but there is a lot more. Along with the apples, we have peach trees, cherry trees, plum trees, pear trees, berry bushes, but also other items. One thing needed to cultivate plants and flowers is bees. The bee is used in most orchards and many farms to help pollinate the plants.  In the case of OLO, they have their own hives for which now the one pictured above is full. As I think all of us are aware, the honey bee is a species that is struggling to survive in our world. Check out  honey bees problems  to read some interesting information.  OLO has had one issue, in particular, a bear twice in the past 7 years.  After all, honey bees make honey and bears love, honey. Currently, the bees are hanging in, which is excellent for OLO and all of us who love the products they provide. ...

So what's up for OLO and Fresh and Fruity NOW We've all had to face the fact that the cold weather we had in the earlier part of 2020 has put the kibosh on the peach season.  So what is happening at Our Little Orchard?   Of course, we are all still hoping that that lush golden sweet fruit will surprise us with arising from the ashes, but the chances are slim.  So I decided to do a little investigation on my own as to what happens when your cash crop fails.  😢                            I am on the case...... Let me say after a personal tour of Our Little Orchard today, 6/18/2020, the peaches do not look great.  too small, too few However, there are some small ones on the trees that give hope. And if the crows do not infest,    we may also see a few sour cherries.  Also, the raspberries are starting to ripen, redden , and get luscious. ...

Some Interesting Information from Pinterest that my Great Niece Ema posted 6 years ago. The information provided is simple but interesting and very easy to understand.  I hope you find it helpful.  I know I do.   Several of these are normally available at OLO or at other local orchards and farms.  We have not covered them all in our last post but we will in the future.  After all, right now they are fresh and we are fruity 

What to do while waiting for Apple Season. There is a little bit of time before apples, and since the peaches are not going to be happy campers this year, 2020, what should we in  PA do for our treats.  I'd love to hear some comments or suggestions of what you as readers might be interested in hearing about?   Please share this site with family and friends. My immediate family prefers pies in general. This means we either use past years canned, frozen, or store-bought. I use the pie crust sold at the stores along with store-bought pie filling.  They actually do make great pies; however, I have only ever tried it once.   As you can see by the following, it is not hard, however,  mine overran my pans.  Thank goodness for cookie sheets.  There are many types of canned pie fillings, and you can use fruits is cakes. a In watching this video, I believe you could switch out the fruits if you prefer some other types, and make diff...

CAN BUTTER BE BETTER Yet another way to use your fruit.  I love butter, much to my doctor's dismay.  But I have heard that you can use certain fruits to make butter.  Example Apple Butter. You can make apple butter with or without sugar, you can do it on the stove or in the crockpot.  For this post, we are going to look at the crockpot method. Mary's Crock Pot Southern Apple Butter A high point about using your crockpot is that the wonderful smells fill your home as it cooks. Another good site actually has  13 recipes that include blueberry butter, apricot lavender butter, plum butter, and others.  Kiwanna's Kitchen has a great video covering how to make several different types of butter.                            I believe you could supplement cream cheese for the butter; however, I still do not feel my doctor would be happy with me enjoying ...

Apples are great for all types of thing, even a song or two: I thought that was great fun!!! Not the same old Jelly Sandwich There are multiple types of jelly.  It seems if you can think of it, it can be jellied.  The above includes a pepper jelly, which is one I've never tried, have you ?  Here's a site with over  30 homemade jellies This site has some great tips on canning and freezing on top of recipes for Blackberry Pomegranate, Dandelion, along with many others. AND How about Strawberry and Champaign Jam   and Spiked Peach Jam with  Ginger  So, all in all, I say jelly can be an excellent and way fun way to stay Fresh and Fruity. 

We have seen peach jelly and jam .  Now let's take a look at how to make homemade apple jelly.  As a child, I was not a fan and, in fact, had simply not even tried apple jelly until my granddaughter, Saige, asked for it.  Since then, I have been hooked and prefer it to any other type. This is a fun and informational video showing an uncle and nephew making apple jelly. How about something more than just a sandwich  Old Fashioned Apple Jelly Cake