‘Tis the Season for The Olive Harvest, Persimmons and Winter Warmth Without Fossil Fuel

The Olive Harvest

On this mid-December day, many of you are probably in the thick of holiday arrangements. In our garden here in Sonoma County, California, the holiday season also marks a festive occasion outdoors: the time to harvest the olives.

In the early years of the garden, we had planted figs up on the hill. But then the gophers came and our cherished Fig Thicket became the Fig Sticket. Thus, as we mourned the skeletal fig tree remains, we replaced them with tiny little one-gallon size olive trees and renamed it The Olive Grove.

That was nearly twenty years ago. They’ve done well and we started harvesting them in recent years. By the way, if you didn’t know, even if you only have one fruiting tree, you can harvest and take it to a Community Milling Day, offered by some olive mills, like this one. You will receive the amount of oil in proportion to the weight of the olives you brought in. If you haven’t already, learn about preventing olive fly damage or your crop may be refused. You can also schedule a custom milling of your own olives. The place we take ours has a 50 pound minimum.

This year, our date was later than we’d harvested previously, and happily, the oil was better. The last time we harvested, the oil was … well … not delicious. 😉 We’re still learning about olive trees and harvesting, but that’s part of the fun of gardening. You keep learning and trying and getting better.

So far, we just pick by hand into a harvest bag that fits over the neck and shoulder. The pouch gets gently emptied into plastic tubs where we sort out any twigs and bad fruits. This year we also used a simple hand-held olive rake for harvesting the trees. It all has to move rather quickly as most places suggest no more than 24 hours from harvesting to milling. See these helpful harvest tips from IL Fiorello Olive Oil Company and Olives Unlimited. Olives have a tendency to fruit heavily on alternate years. This is an “ON” year.

Other edible ornaments–apples, feijoas, persimmons

It was a late year for many fruits in our garden. There are still a handful of Fuji’s on the espaliered apple trees, and I just harvested the last of the apples from an old tree that was here when we acquired the place. My spouse bakes a lot with our fruits, but I usually just juice the apples with some kale, fresh ginger, lime and maybe parsley. For those not used to kale or “green” juices, it’s way better than it sounds. The apples sweeten it. Just be sure to get your fiber elsewhere if you juice. I tried the same combo in a high powered blender and did. not. like. it.

There are also a few feijoas (pineapple guavas) still out there. They were a little skinny this year, but we enjoyed the height of the harvest as much as we always do. I find them delicious treats and never get past the cut and spoon out method of eating them.

But the real fruit performer right now is the persimmons. My favorite are the Hachiyas (the soft kind) but we also have some Fuyus. The trees themselves are lovely too: the leaves, the shape of the tree, the fall color, and the finale of the orange ornamental fruits on bare branches. I like leaving some on the tree for the flickers and other birds which devour them hungrily. Harvest just before fully ripe and put on a sunny windowsill for them to finish ripening. Eat when a soft press of the finger feels like it’s pudding inside but before it gets wrinkly. Do not eat when they are still hard or your mouth will revolt and you’ll need to eat a brownie to get the weird taste out.

Admiring the golds and oranges of fall-winter

On my winter tree-planting list is another Parrotia Persica, common name Persian Ironwood. We have one, and of a winter day, strolling around the garden and happening upon this tree in full fall glory is a thing of startling beauty. It is said to be slow-growing but I would call it moderate growing. We haven’t had any issues with it so far. It does hold some of its dried leaves late into winter which may not be aesthetically pleasing to all. Being closely related to witch-hazel, it dons sweet little red flowers in the spring.

I don’t have much to show from the veg garden, as I forgot to get the brassicas ready in time for fall planting! I’ve been busy….

Aiming for net-zero carbon–or at least 2.3

As I mentioned back in August, I’m making a determined effort to reduce my carbon footprint to the 2030 Paris agreement climate goal of 2.3 tons of CO2 per year, per person. It’s a tough goal for us Americans, since our average use is somewhere near 19.6 tons per person, compared to about 5.1 global average (Earth Hero app).

I don’t think it’s effective to see this as some sort of diet, it’s more like a worthy challenge, like a game. If this was an Olympic sport, we’d be all over it. And it’s too bad that the powers that be have politicized it for their own gain, as I think there is a lot of potential all around.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030, just seven years away. But, we are drastically off track from this target.

… Immediate measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic consequences and secure a sustainable future for generations to come…

There are many things that each of us can do as individuals. To find out what you can do, go to [Act Now].

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change/

So, though this is a gardening blog, I like to break what is called climate silence, even though I’m just a simple gardener. I love to get inspired by what you are doing–other Americans and those of you from around the world. And I like to share what progress I’m trying to make as well. It seems a good time to honor this goal since the Conference of Parties (COP28) has just closed for the year.

Doing something, anything, positive helps me feel better, even if it feels really small in the scope of things.

I take inspiration from a number of places, including the UN Act Now info, the app Earth Hero (which I find fun to use and learn from) and a great many documentaries, books and articles. About the latter, I have to be careful how much info I take in from scientific documentaries and books as it can be deeply upsetting and hurl me into a debilitating state of grief for the animals, the oceans, the vast plant life, and the future of our own species. There is even a term for that now: climate anxiety.

So, I limit intake to an amount whereby I can stay in an inspired place from which I can act. And, I give myself permission to take a time out from all that information, and find simple joy in the garden and the moment. A place of nourishment from which to evoke peace.

In my own carbon footprint, I was doing OK in several ways, but the home energy use sector was keeping me from the 2030 goal, due to old methane/natural gas appliances. It was time to take a big step towards an all-electric, non-fossil fuel household.

Preparing for an all-electric household

The first step was switching our grid energy power source to local Sonoma Clean Power’s Evergreen content which is 100% renewable. For those not local to Sonoma County, you can check to see if there is a similar option in your area. (*Below is a list of providers in the California Bay Area.) Sonoma Clean Power works seamlessly through the existing local utility (PG&E) bill–with PG&E charging for their physical power lines and equipment, and Sonoma Clean Power providing the actual electricity. Now, the electricity we use is from renewable, non-fossil fuel sources and that is the reason for the movement to go all electric in our homes.

And before switching to an all-electric household, U.S. residents should review the ample rebates and tax incentives currently available through the The Inflation Reduction Act.

Also, have an electrician check your electric breaker to make sure it can handle a greater capacity. Like us, you may need an upgrade and a new outlet or two. (As an aside, if you are planning a career or changing careers, you might consider getting trained as an electrician! As an electrician replied to me recently when I asked him if he was busy, he said, “If you’re not busy these days, something is wrong!”)

Induction cook stove

The first step we took was switching from a methane/natural gas cook stove to induction. According to the DOE, “Induction appliances are up to three times more efficient than gas stoves, and up to 10% more efficient than conventional smooth top electric ranges.” And they are better for our health. I absolutely love the induction stove! So much safer, with precise cooking and easy cleaning. I used a frig magnet to test the bottoms of my pans and most of them turned out to be magnetic. If you are buying new pots, look for the induction icon.

Heat Pump for heating and cooling the house

The biggest change we made was upgrading the old methane/natural gas heater, which hasn’t worked for many years. I’d been making due with wood fires and space heaters. This isn’t efficient. Plus, firewood, though technically renewable, does emit methane and CO2. I’d always reasoned that I plant so many trees and they eventually die and then release the carbon back into the atmosphere, so burning a downed tree as firewood is sustainable, right? Given our precarious position in terms of a climate tipping point, some say letting any fallen trees slowly degrade and release CO2 in place is better than releasing fast now with burning. (See this Guardian article.)

All my research and knowledgeable friends pointed towards an air-source heat pump as the most efficient technology. Plus, a heat pump has a big added bonus of cooling in summer. We’ve never had air conditioning, but that can be difficult during ever more frequent record-setting highs, like we did last year during a heatwave hitting 114° Fahrenheit (about 45° Celsius). It was recommended to me to get more than one bid for such a big job, and I agree.

So, utilizing whatever rebates and tax incentives applied to us, we took the plunge and had a mini-split heat pump installed. This also removes the need for all that huge ducting under the house, since a mini-split just uses small conduits. It’s a bit of a to-do and not cheap, but I love it so far. It’s quiet and I’m warm and cozy this winter at last!

What about power outages?

If the power is out during cold winter days, I still plan to use my wood stove for heating. For minimal electrical back-up, I’m going to try out portable power station batteries instead of a gas generator. We often get power outages during wildfire season to prevent sparks, and using a gas generator just doesn’t seem safe. I need just enough to handle an LED light or two, cell phone and ipad charging, heating a meal in the microwave, and who knows, maybe even the frig for an hour or two–just to keep things from spoiling. I like that they could also be quickly packed in the car in the event of a wildfire evacuation and could provide cell charging for others as well during an emergency.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to. Sorry for the long post! I always love hearing what all of you are doing in your gardens, and if you want to share inspiration regarding the above. Comments you gave on the post about bidets were priceless!

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I leave you with a lovely vision we saw in the garden one morning–silky strands like Christmas tinsel, strewn magically all across the rosemary and trees. Or, perhaps like tiny garland bridges connecting a miniature garden city. Beautifully done little web makers!

Visit more of the garden at The-Compulsive-Gardener.com

*100% Renewable Electricity Providers in the California Bay Area:

• San Francisco — Clean Power SF
• Sonoma and Mendocino Counties — Sonoma Clean Power
• Marin and Napa Counties — MCE
• San Mateo County — Peninsula Clean Energy
• San Jose — San Jose Clean Energy
• Santa Clara County — Silicon Valley Clean Energy