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in article , George Shirley at
wrote on 1/12/05 10:31:

> Dieter Zakas wrote:
<snip>

>> George,
>>
>> I like your advice, as I don't like wasting food; to me, it's basically
>> throwing money away.
>>
>> While I'm not a senior citizen, my mother is, and she and my late father
>> were born during the Depression. I'm a 36 y/0 bachelor living in a
>> one-bedroom apartment, and I figured I'd like to grow personally. Mom never
>> really did gobs of canning, though she would make a plum jam when I was
>> younger. Later, she'd can the sour cherries harvested from the tree we'd
>> planted in the backyard, and we'd use that as a spread. (Why my father opted
>> for the sour cherry tree over one producing sweet cherries is beyond me.)
>>
>> As to canning figs, I, too, like fresh figs, and I'd like to get a small fig
>> tree from Gurney's that I can put in a tub and move indoors. Then, I can
>> snack on fresh figs and even make a spread out of them (homemade Fig
>> Newtons, anyone?). The same goes for other fruits, too.
>>
>> Now, as for friends and family opening something I'd made...they'd be great
>> gifts, not to mention a way of breaking the ice with someone new. Such
>> personalized gifts NEVER go out of style, and are appreciated much more,
>> because they're that much more special.
>>
>> Dieter Zakas
>>
>> P.S. Please keep the ideas and tips coming!
>>
> I don't know where you live so can't make tree recommendations. Down
> here the Brown Turkey is an old favorite. Mine is a scion from a
> neighbors tree and has been frozen back to the ground at least twice. In
> addition I have two kumquats, a plum, a pluot, a loquat, and a peach
> tree on half of our city lot. It's surprising what can be grown, even in
> pots. Look up Stark Brothers nursery on the web, they have lots of
> "patio" plants available and I've always had good luck with their trees,
> many of which are for colder climates.
>
> We're senior citizens on a limited income and we give home grown herbs
> and home made preserves as gifts all the time. The following year folks
> ask if we're giving those gifts again and tell us how much they enjoyed
> them. Plus our grandkids and greatgrandkids are always asking for sweet
> stuff. Makes it all worthwhile.
>
> George

I live in Warren County, New Jersey.

Today is a foggy day, which means several possibilities: baking bread
(provided I had all the ingredients), canning (zilch there), or even
photography (the fog has wonderful potential for effects).

Dieter Zakas