Month-by-Month: Fall

Today is another beautiful sunny day here in the Oakland Hills. It is 64 degrees this morning, with a possible high of 69 degrees in late afternoon. The days are still warm, and the evenings are cool and sometimes foggy. We're tapering off from our summer heat (which typically occurs in September and October), and hoping for winter rains to start soon (I've heard mixed predictions, for both rain and more drought). The plants need rain after months with only fog for moisture or short bursts of light rain that barely settle the dust. Even the native plants are looking parched.

Raised-bed pumpkin, ready to harvest

Today I'm checking the University of California Master Gardeners of Alameda County website, to see what the Month-by-Month page recommends for October, November, and December. All this year we've been monitoring this site to get a feel for what we should be doing in the garden. By now, most of the summer harvest is complete, so activities turn to preparing the garden for spring and summer. 

In October and November, continue to care for cool-season vegetables and flowers that were planted in September. Plant vegetables, such as lettuce, green onions, potatoes, peas, for harvest in the spring, and garlic and shallots for harvest in the summer. Plant spring bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinth, and grape hyacinth (some bulbs may need to be chilled before planting to simulate nature). 

Fall is the best time to plant perennials and California Natives, since any winter rains help the plants establish strong root systems. Throughout the garden, clean up debris that might harbor pests, and add weeds, leaves, and spent flowers to the compost pile. Stop fertilizing and turn off irrigation. It's time for homesteaders to wrap up their work in the garden, and time for nature to go dormant and do it's magic!

Fall Arrangement: Pampas Grass

Time to make my annual fall arrangement, using the invasive pampas grass that grows nearby our property on city land. It's a tough plant that is native to southern South Africa, and seeded itself in a crack in the pavement. Its location impedes the view of anyone trying to make a left turn onto a busy street, and taming it requires thick leather gloves, a sharp pair of Felcos, and strong hands.

Fall arrangement with invasive pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)

Despite all that, the long graceful plumes of flower clusters provide a dramatic element to a fall arrangement, and catch the golden fall light.

The plume-like flowers catch the fall light

 

The seeds are dispersed by the wind, so careful disposal of the arrangement and pruned stalks is imperative. I should find a way to eradicate the plant (I'm guessing it would take quite a few seasons to do so). In the meantime, I enjoy the periodic fall arrangement (carefully).

Homesteading: Fluffy Dinner Rolls

 Autumn has arrived here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and this is the perfect time of year for bread making, which ties in with our "homesteading in the city" theme. All this year we have been making and doing for ourselves, with all the comforts of modern life. This time we’re making fluffy dinner rolls, using a stand mixer that is equipped with a bread hook. I haven’t done much bread making, so this is a chance to develop a new homesteading skill, and prepare for the holidays ahead.

Fluffy dinner rolls brushed with melted butter

My inspiration is my Aunt Char who is a master of the fluffy dinner roll. When she has hosted Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, she typically has a huge Tupperware bowl filled with living, breathing bread dough. She effortlessly pulls off chunks of dough, rolls them into balls, lets them rise in her warm kitchen, and then pops them into the oven. They are served piping hot, with butter and jam. The jam is often procured by my mom from the bakeries and gourmet kitchen shops that she has visited, as she and my dad travel up and down the west coast. Together, the rolls and jam are absolutely delicious!

I decided to use the “Best Homemade Dinner Rolls Ever!” recipe by Rachel Farnsworth, from the “Stay at Home Chef” blog. I recommend watching Rachel's video several times before starting, and reading her recommendations. She has developed this recipe over a five-year period, so draws upon a lot of experience!

Ready for butter and jam

Mix and Rise Phase

1. Combine ingredients. 
2. Incorporate flour. 
3. Let rise.

Combine ingredients with a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook

Form, Rise, and Bake Phase

1. Form rolls, and let rise. 
2. Bake rolls. 
3. Remove from oven. 

Form dough

Let dough rise, and then bake

Serve and Enjoy

Finally, it’s time to enjoy these fluffy dinner rolls! I’m serving them with butter and delicious raspberry preserves from Los Rios Ranch.

Fluffy dinner rolls and artisan jam

Freeze for the Future

I tried freezing six of the rolls in a plastic container for later. About an hour before dinner, I took several of them out of the freezer, and then wrapped them in a moistened dish towel and warmed them in the microwave right before we sat down to eat. The rolls were delicious and a real treat for a midweek meal. I haven’t tried freezing the dough for later use, so that will be a future experiment.

Freeze some rolls to pull out for midweek dinners

In closing, this a wonderful recipe and very successful, even for a newbie. My only complaint with making dinner rolls is that they take planning and time, and need to be coordinated to have them available to eat with the meal. With experience, this would become easier to do, and well worth the time to learn the skill. Bring on the holidays!