Betsy's Backyard Blog

Dad's latest venture on his Maryland farm is growing elderberries. This is not a pick-your-own crop like his strawberries and raspberries. Uncooked elderberries are astringent and inedible. They are used in pies, jellies, jams, and wine. Dad sells his berries to another grower who processes them.

Harvest is mid August through early September, and the entire cluster of berries is removed from the plant. The berries contain high levels of phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin C.

Some people like elderberries for landscape planting because they are generally free of pests. 

For more information on growing elderberries, go here: http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/elderberries.html

I wonder what Dad will grow next?

Lewis and Clark were here. But I bet they weren't driving a Polaris Ranger XP 900 utility vehicle. Poor sods. 

I was lucky enough to attend a Polaris media event last week at the Bull Run guest ranch in Cascade, Montana, a 12,000-acre property full of trails. I drove three different vehicles up and down mountains and across pastures. What fun! I also rode with a guide who took me on even more remote trails where we spotted a huge bear standing on a hilltop, long-horned sheep, and a mule deer buck.

My favorite vehicle was the smooth-riding Ranger XP 900, above. The engine in this new model is now under the rear cargo box, making it a quiet ride. The cab seats three, so there is lots of room. With 60 horsepower, it is a workhorse with get up and go, which would have come in handy had that big bear charged after us instead of going over the back side of the hill. This is a great machine for a farm or acreage.

Here I am driving another fun little model, the RZR. This 570 side-by-side is for recreational use and loved by trail enthusiasts. It is very agile and easy to drive. I am not experienced and it didn't take long to get used to this. 

Here is our lineup of machines for one of the morning runs. Beautiful country! 

Some of the wildlife I saw (sorry, didn't get a photo of the bear in time. I think I was in shock):

I walked the Iowa State fairgrounds last night with magazine editors from New York City (Ladies Home Journal, More, Family Circle, Parents, and Fitness.) They loved it. We enjoyed bacon on a stick, a ride in Ye Old Mill (100 years old and totally lame, but that is the point), pork chop on a stick, gazing at the Big Boar, a demonstration of lamb fitting (it's wool, not fur), a relaxing sky ride, and tour of the cake entries.

My daughter, Caroline, and her friends are working at the lamb producers' stand tonight if you go to the fair. Good luck to all the exhibitors!

Lone Oak Farm of Indiana won the Big Boar Contest with Reggie, who weighed 1,335 pounds -- a record that topped the 2008 champ: 1,246-pounder Freight Train.

Here is the best cake at the Iowa State Fair. Yes, that is a cake.

Warren was grilling brats the other night and heard a loud clickity clack coming from behind the barn. He went to investigate and saw this -- a perfect example of the difference between sheep and goats. The lure of tree leaves is too much for goats to resist, and their dexterity allows them to climb slippery surfaces. It took them an hour of climbing, sliding, jumping, climbing, sliding, jumping and climbing again before they mastered it, but by the next day half of the leaves on that scrub tree were eaten. The lambs just stand around and watch them. I wonder what they are thinking?