Dusters, tillers and jam

It was a fruitful day.

Dusters

I made a trip to Menard's and bought a couple of dusters for the bedroom.  I got a feather duster and a lambswool duster.  Mrs ERJ and I will see which we like best.

Jam

I picked our Kerr apple-crab tree.  Apple-crabs are fruit that are larger than "crab apples" but smaller than "dessert" apples.  Kerr is a cross of Dolgo (Russian for "long" although I was told the translator goofed, dolgo is long duration rather than long shape) and Harlason.  The fruit is tart, tannic and intensely pigmented.  The tree is productive, incredibly cold hardy and disease resistant.

On the tree

In hand to show size.  I spread a tarp and shook them down.

In a stock water tank.  Removing ten gallons did not put a dent in what I picked.

In the pot.

Clean-up.  The tannin in the juice combines with the iron in our well water to form the same ink used by the monks in the middle ages.

Tillers

I ran out of sugar and made a run into town.  For those who like measurements, it looks like we will get about 30 pints and I used 15 pounds of sugar. for a total, out-of-pocket cost of $5.40 or about $0.20 per pint of jam.

I stopped at a yard sale on the way back from town.  They did not have much stuff but they did have this

Electric start.  Tecumseh engine.  Carb leaks gas.  Runs.

It is a Troybuilt tiller.  I have not been able to find the model or serial number.  They wanted $60 and I happened to have $60 in my wallet.  I did not think I could get hurt too badly on this item.  It is built like a truck transmission.

Point of clarification

The dusters are for the venetian blinds in our bedroom.  They need dusting.