NC figs make a very special jam

As an avid gardener, I often blog about the fabulous gardening possibilities in the triangle.  About four years ago, my husband who is not a gardener, accompanied me to the garden center.  He decided he wanted to plant a fig tree.  Fresh figs are something that we never saw in the northeast and I can’t say either of us had ever tasted one. Figs do not grow in cold climates, you know.  He nurtured the tree and in just a couple years, we got figs.  Last year, we got quite a few figs. It took us a while to realize, you have to beat the ants and pick the figs right before or as soon as they split open.  We tried preparing them a couple different ways and finally my husband announced, “I don’t like these”.

This year we got a nice bunch of figs and one can only eat so many fresh figs.  Yes, they are one of the seven wonder foods, packed with vitamins, nutrition and antioxidants and they are delicious.  Yesterday I had a couple pounds of fresh figs and decided to make fig jam.  First of all, I have never done any canning before and I never even tasted fig jam before.  I am now wondering, why isn’t fig jam the most popular jam on Earth.  Honestly, it is the best jam I ever tasted!  It has a very fresh, clean taste, a little remeniscent of rhubarb and strawberry, but better. 

I did a little experimenting, read a few recipes online, read the instructions on the pectin (which did not include a recipe for figs) and with a little have at it attitude, I ended up with 3 jars of jam.  It took me about a half hour total.  I would normally say this is not worth it except that this jam is so special and you can not buy it in the store.  I used 2 pounds of figs, 2 cups of sugar, the juice of one large lemon and half a package of liquid pectin.  I peeled the figs which is optional and I pushed it through a ricer.  You can also mash it or pulse it the food processor but the ricer worked nicely and it was very quick.  I then followed the instructions included with the pectin.  I had jelly mason jars and rings from the farmer’s market (where I usually buy jelly), and so I only had to buy new lids.  I did inversion method so I did not do a water bath and all the jars sealed.  The next time I make this, which will be as soon as the next batch of figs ripen, I will use a low sugar pectin.  The jam was not as set or firm as I would have liked.  I just felt 2 cups of sugar was plenty and it is certainly sweet enough.

Growing the figs is extremely easy.  A yearly top dressing with good quality compost for mulch and watering in extreme dry conditions.  That’s it.  Completely organic, chemical free produce. Our tree has been pest free except for the ants when the fruit is ripe.  This was just another surprise about living in NC.  It seems that every day there is some little thing to enjoy; a new simple pleasure or a cheap thrill.

Honey I shrunk the house

For the first time in decades, the average size of a new construction home in 2008 was smaller than the year prior.  This comes as no surprise to me.  I have noticed a trend over the past couple years that more and more buyers are opting for quality over quantity in their home purchase.   I have blogged about this very subject on various occasions.

A  recent article in CNNMoney attributes certain  market conditions to the phenomena.  The most obvious reason is the recession; people just can’t afford as much home as in prior years.  Another factor is a popluation of aging baby boomers who are downsizing their empty nest.  Tightening on lending and jumbo mortgages is making it more difficult for buyers to get a loan to buy a mcmansion.  Rising energy costs are also making large homes less affordable.

When house hunting, it is important to be mindful of the way your live in your home.  If your family watches a lot of TV and movies, a nice media room is a must have.  If you hate to cook and aren’t going to cook, get a bargain on a home that has a small kitchen that no one wants.  A smaller home can always look larger by hiring a licensed contractor to open up some walls and create an open living area.  Outdoor spaces can be an extension of your living area.  A large patio, covered porch, gazebo, outdoor kitchen, outdoor  fireplace or firepit, a pool, a lanai or courtyard are a few examples of how you can live large in a modest to small home.  Consider enclosing a porch or screening a porch as a way to expand without expanding. 

To read the article in entirety go to  http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/07/real_estate/shrinking_home/index.htm?postversion=2009081112

I have been advocating for a green renovation in lieu of new construction purchases.  A renovation is always greener than new, even if it is energy star in a certified green community.  I hope this new trend will give buyers one more reason to consider purchasing existing housing.  Before you purchase the next McMansion, consider that it may become  the next 4 bedroom, 1 bath or what is called in realestateze,  ”an obsolete floor plan, aka unsellable” home of the future.

Vote for your favorite farmer’s market

One of the great things about living in the triangle is the amazing farmer’s markets.  For two summers, I managed the Fearrington farmer’s market and was so lucky to get to know the local farmers who work so tirelessly to bring the freshest produce you will find anywhere.  Getting to know the farmers broke all my pre-concieved ideas of the farmer type.  There is no question, farming is hard work and this is a group of people who are dedicated to long hours and physical labor.  But, I was surprised to learn how many of them are college educated, with even doctoral degrees.

The farmers are asking for your votes to help them win a modest prize for their market.  Please go to this link and vote:   http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/5510.

Paper is the enemy

I admit it, I had an oversized mailbox.  That’s right, I once had our mail carrier ask me if I could get a bigger mailbox because he was coming to the door frequently when the mail didn’t fit in the mailbox.  Anytime you have two people living in the same home with office related work, you have paper!  At one point our family motto was “paper is the enemy”.  I have been able to mend my ways with a little effort.

I’d like to share some of the things I have done to reduce the paper in my home:

Read the news online
Get off the mailing lists for catalogs you don’t use or even all catalogs and shop online instead (this will take a phone call)
Go paperless with credit card statements and payments
Go paperless with bank statements; I did it five years ago and have not ever had to request a paper statement or cancelled check
Pay your utilities online and request paperless billing
Place essential email records on a flash drive…think before you print
Be a trendsetter at work…ask your company to send things electronically
Always have a dish towel handy and use as few paper towels as possible
Take only one paper napkin when you are at restaurants…you only have one mouth to wipe, right?
Don’t use papertowels to clean windows and glass; a washable, reusable cloth will do a better job
Boycott products with superfluous packaging, (if we ban together they will change) but we will have to make them
Use reusable grocery bags, or at least reuse the bags you take home

You can also register at the “do not call list” for junk mail.  Here is the link, this could be the most efficient means:
https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action
You can also check out the Green 15 Resolution at this site.

There is an inevitable amount of paper that just will find a way into your life and it is not difficult to be responsible with it.  Please recycle office paper.  It ends up as toilet paper so if you miss it, it will be back someday.  I think this last sentence says it all for me, so wrong on so many levels.

Solar power; an advocate’s must, an investor’s bust

A typical solar installation of photovoltaic panels costs between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on the size of the home.   That sounds like a hefty price and it is. There is no doubt that the up front cost is the main barrier to making this a household staple. Even the current tax incentives making it possible to get the solar for about half price doesn’t seem to be enough to convince homeowners that this is the way to go.

 

Solar energy is much more common in other countries. The US ranks eighth in per capita usage of solar panels. Japan leads the pack with Switzerland and Germany right behind. One interesting subgroup of US solar advocates is the Amish community. Solar energy fits with their religious beliefs and their desire for independence. But overall, the US is struggling to find a place for solar technology in its economy. 

 

I believe that from a position of practicality, the US will always struggle with the technology. We are a mobile, transient society. Solar panels have a typical life expectancy of approximately twenty years. Most of us do not plan to live in our homes for twenty years and so herein lies the problem. I hate to say it, but we are a society that accepts wasteful lifestyles as normal and when it comes to electricity, wasting is our norm. Most Americans would rather spend their money on a bigger, nicer home, than to invest in a future of energy savings and lower electric bills that they will inevitably pass on to another homeowner. 

 

It will take a change in our way of living, way of thinking. My husband recently found a letter from his German immigrant relatives. They said that they missed life in their German village and that they don’t see each other much because everyone is always working here. The industrial revolution was effective in changing the way people lived and accepted as normal.   Until we have this kind of widespread change in the way we use energy, I don’t see widespread use of solar technology becoming the norm.

 

Fueling this problem is that appraisers are not educated on solar technology and often assign no additional value to the property for it. If appraisers would adjust the home for a solar install like they do for an extra bathroom or garage, it would be a little easier to justify the investment. As an EcoBroker, I have to be honest with my clients about solar. It is a great product for the right people. People who are committed to sustainable living, reducing their carbon footprint, saving the planet, doing all they can; it is a no brainer. But from an investment standpoint, there are more economical ways save energy. For those who see it from an overall value perspective, it has immeasurable benefits. For someone who can not put appreciate the non-monetary value of cleaner energy; not so much.
 

I recommend starting with a small project. Install a solar hot water heater. You can even go for a passive solar unit. Take a class at your local community college and you could probably do the installation yourself. The cost of a passive solar heater is actually cheaper than a gas or electric water heater. A word of caution though, most building codes require that you still have a water heater that is hooked up to power as a backup. The devices range from a simple box of channels mounted on the roof to high tech photovoltaic units. 

 

Geothermal technologies are a great alternative to solar. The systems are less expensive and have double the life expectancy. Because they are buried in the ground, they are less likely to be damaged and they are not as unsightly. We all hope for the day that solar panels become a home designer fashion statement. As of now though, they are more of a status symbol or badge of honor, but definitely not pretty.

 

The typical homeowner has a huge untapped opportunity to save energy in their everyday life. Replacing every incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent and promising to never buy another is a small step that can make a huge difference in our country’s electricity demand. Replacing old appliances and HVAC systems with energy star products is also a smart investment. Appliances can use up to 25% of a homes total energy. Short showers, laundry washed with cold water, upgrading to optimal insulation, sealing air leaks around windows and doors, programmable thermostats, turning the air conditioning up a degree or the heat down a degree…just being conscious of the energy you are using will bring a reduction. 

 

Most people can not afford a solar installation and even those who have the means, may find they can not justify the cost.   I fantasize of a day when  I pull into my garage and plug my car into the outlet powered by my photovoltaic panels. I hope that will be in the future for many of us. But, if it is not in your future, I hope you will make saving energy a priority in your life in whatever way you find possible.