all we managed to do here in Michigan is a fruitfull garden of tomato's, peppers, zuccs, and melons.

canning was successful tho 

 What uses do you find for hops (other than brewing)? We have a large quantity ready to harvest in a week or so and each year I am at a loss for interesting projects to do with it. We just don't have the setup for brewing. 

 I mostly use them in cider but I also add them to my herbal smoke blends. 

You probably have everything you need to make cider laying around already. 
http://www.habitat21.co.uk/cidermaking.html 

 Thanks, I’ve made cider before and we do have some apples to use for that, but I’ve never considered adding hops. We have loooots of hops though. Someone mentioned hop honey which I may do a small amount of. I have a friend who’s into brewing (actually the head brewer at a local brewery) but he’s always too caught up and busy to help me use up all these beautiful hops. https://image.nostr.build/c846490b23d49bd9d22a6f995c2a1f2166cc14466507ea765d799344ff52a5af.jpg https://image.nostr.build/b048781184a44c2a33895f4c82dccca8a84bfc8c5b9b224731431006bfd36331.jpg  

 I keep wanting to grow some hops but haven’t figured out what kind of trellis to use. Yours look great 

 Super easy to grow, hops are incredibly hardy. I just tie a hemp jute twine up to the top of the barn each spring, the vines will climb it on their own. At the end of the season when they’re ready to harvest, cut the string down and pick off the cones. 

 It doesn't need anything fancy unless you are really going for commercial production I just grow them up the support for the power line that runs through my garden. Helps mask it with something green. https://image.nostr.build/b01d30b4a1e88e0de7c8c4f8b547b0b595832a7c6a28ab062628a0cfc21d8c01.jpg

 

 People hang them in their houses for decoration here so if you have lots perhaps it's possible to sell them as a decorative vine. It also makes you sleepy from the humulene so you can put it in pillows and stuff like that  

 Gorgeous autumn olives. What do you make with those? I can't grow enough to do more than just eat them fresh off the bush. 

 Right now, we just eat them fresh. I've dehydrated some and those go well in oatmeal. This particular autumn olive is exceptional, prolific fruit set with very large sweet berries, not astringent or sour. I plan to propagate it this winter. 

 I’ve made fruit leather out autumn olive before, it’s good 

Your chestnuts haven’t fallen yet? 

 I haven't started looking for them yet. Probably in the next few weeks I'll be looking for them  

 Noticed this magnificent butternut tree while hanging out at a party
https://i.nostr.build/faRny38JIFrrI9av.jpg
I couldn't resist picking up some butternuts from this tree after spending some time admiring it at a baby shower I was attending. The people that lived there had no idea that the nuts were edible. 
https://i.nostr.build/lDiWJScVcIXBfTy3.jpg
I plan to plant half and try out dehydrating and roasting some in the shell. In the past, I've just cracked the fresh shell with a vice but hopefully after roasting or dehydrating the shells get a little easier to crack in a less labor intensive way. 

#permaculture #permies #homesteading #meshtadel #foraging #butternut 
nostr:nevent1qqs92dafc49y7k4kq30sxgn8x35xm464c5693a3ld42mkyym4m65ddgpz9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejj7q3qf5pre6wl6ad87vr4hr5wppqq30sh58m4p33mthnjreh03qadcajsxpqqqqqqzpek9f4 

 **Fall Harvest: Elderberry**
https://i.nostr.build/Aa6llXjHl2QKfoPb.jpg
https://i.nostr.build/3ZUhCjhI4PMai3b3.jpg
With everything going on at the homestead, I was prepared to let the elderberries go to the birds. I still have plenty in the freezer from last season, but the berries were looking so good I couldn't resist spending a couple hours, harvesting, processing and cooking the berries down into concentrate. Ended up with over a quart of elderberry syrup.

#permaculture #permies #homesteading #meshtadel #harvest #perennial #elderberry 
nostr:nevent1qqs92dafc49y7k4kq30sxgn8x35xm464c5693a3ld42mkyym4m65ddgpz9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejj7q3qf5pre6wl6ad87vr4hr5wppqq30sh58m4p33mthnjreh03qadcajsxpqqqqqqzpek9f4