This Christmas I am focusing on gifting things that teach people how to fish. I will shop from Heifer International and give thoughtfully chosen things based on interest.
Perhaps someone is interested in beer – a book about home brewing might be exciting enough to start them off on that path.
Who doesn’t love warm homemade bread right out of the oven? How about a book on artisanal baking and some new bread pans?
And just because someone isn’t an avid gardener doesn’t mean they wouldn’t appreciate the gift of a blueberry bush that bears year after year with little effort on the part of the recipient. If they live in an apartment consider a potted low bush variety.
Any baked goods or jams should come with the recipe, home preserves should also have suggestions for uses (i.e. lavender jelly is a unique gift and makes a great icing for cupcakes or roast poultry.)
How about a collection of essential oils along with a book about aromatherapy and making your own lotions?
A copy of The Art of Simple Food for someone trying to learn how to cook seasonally?
A copy of Nourishing Traditions for someone trying to learn how to eat more healthily?
Or copy of In the Sweet Kitchen for someone with a sweet tooth.
A copy of Four Season Harvest or Fresh Food from Small Spaces for someone interested in growing a large portion of their own food, no matter how cold or how small their living accommodations.
With the planning and doing of Thanksgiving behind me I finally cracked my open my fall One Green World catalog. It may be too late in the year for them to ship bare root but you can frequently order them now and they ship in the spring when it’s appropriate to plant.
Here is what’s on my list:
3 Seaberries (one male, one sweet and one sour)
1 European Elderberry
2 Red Currants
1 Black Currant
1 Rosa Rugosa
1 Mulberry tree
2 Olive trees (for wind pollination)
2 Almond trees (for wind pollination)
1 Grape for the planned trellis spanning across the driveway
1 Red Dragon tree
1 Mason Bee house. I really want honey bees but my husband has not warmed up to this idea yet so I’ll start small.
The almond trees will hopefully end our desire to purchase peanut butter from warmer climates. The olive trees will hopefully supply us enough olives for eating and oil. The seaberries, rosehips and currants will hopefully curb my family’s cravings for orange juice. The elderberry will make lovely syrup to boost the immune system and help reduce the duration and strength of any flu viruses we encounter. The mulberry tree will hopefully provide a lot of low maintenance and tasty berries to snack on summer through fall. The grapes are for eating and juice, and the Red Dragon will provide a good lemon substitute for juice and cooking.
These selections will likely be the last large plant buy I make since I am just about strapped for space. I think any of these bushes would also make fine gift selections for anyone with a yard that strives to eat more self sufficiently, especially in a small urban garden.
11 responses so far ↓
1 kitsapFG // Nov 28, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Those are great gift ideas and your wish list is quite fun. I am going to be giving away some of the saved seeds from my garden this year to the few folks on my list that actually are gardeners and are interested. I like your approach to the gift giving process.
2 admin // Nov 28, 2009 at 11:52 pm
What a great idea! Chiot’s Run had some great ideas too!
3 Sarah Jio // Nov 29, 2009 at 12:15 am
Love these gift ideas!!! xo
4 Diane@Peaceful Acres // Nov 29, 2009 at 11:08 am
Great selections! We have all the volunteer Mulberry trees we don’t want! I’d love to have some currants also….I’ll have to add to my “next years” list.
5 Joyce Greenberg // Nov 29, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I’m curious what varieties of olive and almond trees do well in this climate?
6 admin // Nov 29, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Hi Joyce! The olives are Arbequina and Leccino and the catalog says 1/2 to full day sun (I’m thinking parking strip) in well drained soil, hardy to 12F. The almonds could be Prima, Bounty, Oracle or Nikita’s Pride since they are all late bloomers and early to ripen. The catalog says same sun & soil as the olives, hardy to minus 20F and disease resistant.
They are all bare root so the most I’d be out for any one tree if they don’t work out would be $24.95. Keeping my fingers crossed…They sound like they have exactly the same requirements as hazelnut trees which I know do well here but my little guy is either allergic or sensitive to them still. He just had nutella at a friend’s house last week and was complaining his throat felt funny. Almonds I know he is somehow ok with.
7 admin // Nov 29, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Sarah – I bet you’ve got a great list as well! xox2
Diane – I wish you could ship me a volunteer mulberry tree but how nice to have space that you can allow volunteers!
Diane has some great things in her etsy shop as well!
8 julia // Dec 1, 2009 at 8:24 pm
I’ve been daydreaming about next year’s plants already, too. Nice to know others are as well. And presents? Well, everybody is getting jelly this year and I’m pretty proud of that!
9 admin // Dec 2, 2009 at 1:31 am
Hi Julia,
What kind of jelly did you make? Homemade jelly rocks! It’s such a great gift.
10 julia // Dec 2, 2009 at 11:58 am
I’m obsessed with jelly these days. Mostly, I’m making apple jellies with different spices and such added, but the other day I made a quince jelly that I’m pretty proud of. I notice you have a quince tree–how cool! I want to plant one next year. How long did yours take to bear fruit?
11 admin // Dec 7, 2009 at 2:39 am
Hi Julia,
I just put it in bare root this spring so I’m not sure. The catalog says 2-3 years after planting. I planted a “smyrna”. What type of herb jellies have turned out to be your favorites? I wanted to make mint jelly but it’s been freezing so I may have missed the mint window…I swear next year I’ll be done before Thanksgiving!
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