Nanking Cherry

Prunus tomentosa, nanking cherry is a large shrub maturing about 10' x 10'. It grows pretty fast. I planted a 3 gallon plant 3 years ago and moved it to the Funny Farm last spring. It is about 4 1/2 tall now and produced a lot of good growth last season despite being recently transplanted. It is very drought tolerant. I watered it 2 times last summer, even though it wasn't showing any signs of stress but I had the hose out because the persimmons growing nearby were wilting a little).
It is cold hardy to zone 2 so ya'll who live up in the cold north lands can grow this.
The fruit is smaller that a "regular" cherry. It has a mild flavor. It produces abundantly. I have read on some websites that they require another variety for cross-pollination but mine produce well without any other varieties nearby that bloom at the same time. Hoochman says the seeds germinate readily so i saved some in the refridgerator and planted them in flats a month or so ago. I expect they will come up when the soil warms up.
Mine is growing in partial shade and produces well. This plant would be a good choice for a forest garden by planting it at the edge of the forest. It is a desirable nesting site for a number of birds. Many critters like to eat the fruits. Including me. I'm looking forward to a large enough crop this year to make a gallon or so of hooch.
I told ya it would bloom this week.

Hooch0ff 2008

Yesterday our friend Robert "Hoochman" Hamilton came out to the Funny Farm to teach a group of us how to make hooch. Robert has been sharing his outrageously delicious and potent hooch with us at gatherings throughout the past year or so. His work is comparable to the finest wines or port in the world (at least according to our uneducated, inexperienced palates). We have sampled hooch made from pineapple guave, jasmine tea, buttermilk and many things in between. Some are sweet and full-bodied, some are dry and fruity, some are simple in flavor some are quite complex.
We felt it was time to learn a new skill. Seven of us chopped, mashed, and/or juiced 6 different ingredients or combinations of ingredients from which to make our first batch of hooch. We did Carrot/orange/star anise, Cantaloupe, Mango/Lime, Strawberry/lime/chocolate mint, Red Tea, Black/blue/raspberry, Pineapple, Banana/strawberry. Robert's method is very simple. Mash the fruit. Add enough water to be able to pour it into a bottle (boil the water to get rid of the chlorine so it won't kill the yeast). Add 2 pounds of sugar per gallon of fruit and water. If you are not using any acidic ingredients like citrus you add some Acid Blend (available at your favorite wine making supply store) 1 tablespoon per gallon. Pour the mixture into the bottles leaving a little space at the top for some yeast. If needed add a tablespoon of When the temperature of the mix is between 90º and 75º add in distillers yeast , 1 teaspoon/gal. mixed in a little water. Turn the bottle over a couple of times to mix in the yeast. Cover the top of the bottle with a folded over paper towel and secure with a rubber band.
Robert says that in about 2-3 weeks the major activity of the yeast will be complete. Here is the point to taste the young wine to see if it needs more sugar to bring out the fruit flavors or (if you like it dry) to allow it to finish fermenting as is. At that time we will plug the bottles with an air lock and allow to finish fermenting for about 2-3 months. When to bubbles stop flowing through the airlock we will remove it and cork or otherwise seal the bottles for further aging (or guzzle them down immediately which is what many of us will probably do).
At our annual Winter Solstice Party we will be breaking out our hooch for sharing and comparing. Someone will be crowned Hooch-maker Numero Uno and will win a prize (to be determined at a later date)
If the shit hits the fan and we have to hunker down here at the Funny Farm we figure we'll be able to use our hooch as trading stock to get things we need. Everybody needs hooch!