Updates on the Hedge Apple Experiment and the Outcome of the Tuscany Pickle Recipe
Filed Under: Do It Yourself, Organic Gardening, Susatainable Living on August 30, 2009
I wanted to update you on how the hedge apple experiment has gone and how those Tuscany pickles turned out. Both were experiments that I wasn’t sure about, having never done them before.
The hedge apples (also called horse apples, which I always equated with horse poop, but whatever) seem to have worked well. The one I cut up into quarters and put in the corners of the basement went rotten within about two weeks and when it began to grow mold, I threw it onto the compost pile. It did a relatively impressive job, but wasn’t nearly as long-lasting as I’d hoped.
The other one was kept in our bedroom, in the corner on a night stand. We left it intact and it worked extremely well. We rarely saw a spider, much to my wife’s joy. Our problem here is that the puppy, Burrus, was fascinated with the thing. While he wouldn’t bit into it, he did keep stealing it so he could carry it around. Probably, he just liked the texture. He was always careful to keep his tongue off of it, funny enough, which made for some goofy faces.
So keep this one out of reach of furry children. The other two dogs and cats had no interest in the hedge apple at all. Here’s the original article on hedge apples as an insect/spider repellent.
Aaron’s Tuscany Pickle Recipe (see the original pickling cucumbers recipe here) came out awesome. They’re extremely tasty and have been a big hit with us and the neighbors. One of the jars I made turned into about 5 pounds of zucchini when the neighbor tried one and had to have the rest of the jar. Good trade, kimosabe.
I have more cucumbers that I was going to pickle with a regular dill recipe, but now I’ll use the Tuscany recipe for all of them.
So that wraps up those two experiments. Both successes!
Well I am officially going to try those hedge apple things then.
lol Awesome. Let me know how it works out, Dale.
Thanks Aaron! Pickled foods are one of nature’s most healthy way to preserve foods without refrigeration. I have yet to try a pickled fruit but it’s only a matter of time!