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Peach Pie

We just got 10 pounds of local peaches. This recipe turned out great. It is a keeper! Peach Pie Double piecrust (store-bought or homemade - this is the one I use ) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 5 cups sliced peaches (peeled) 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice 1 egg (whisked) (to be used for brushing the crust before baking) Prepare pie crusts. Preheat oven to 400. Combine the two sugars in a bowl. Add the peaches and toss. Cover and let stand for about 1 hour. Drain the peaches and reserve the juice. In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Over low heat, slowly add the reserved peach juice and stir constantly, about 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and add the butter and lemon juice. Stir until the butter has melted. Pour into the crust and top with the second crust. Brush the top with egg wash and make small slits with a sharp ...
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Buttonbush


The Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is an unusual shrub with curious white pincushion flowers. It is found in the wild all over the United States, usually in swamps and moist areas.  Growing up in rural Alabama, I remember seeing it in the woods behind our house. It doesn't garner much attention until the blooms make their appearance. 



Sources vary on the size of the plant. In the wild, it can get to 20 feet but in gardens, most likely under 12 ft. In my garden, it is about 4 feet tall after five years in the ground. It is located along the back fence in an area that doesn't get much supplemental water although I am working on the area and watering more often this year.

The flowers have a slight honey-like fragrance. Bees love this plant!





Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonAugust 8, 2022 at 12:33 PM

    Anything that the bees like is a winner in my book, although if it likes moist soil it won't find a home in my garden.

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  2. Hoover BooAugust 8, 2022 at 3:28 PM

    Interesting. It does have a quiet elegance to it.

    In California the common name is Buttonwillow and there's an unincorporated town along I-5 in the central valley so named--the buttonwillows all gone from the area, which is intensively farmed--cotton and other such crops.

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  3. AnonymousJune 17, 2023 at 7:09 AM

    I’ve planted mine in an area that regularly floods. Doesn’t seem to mind at all. This area is quite shady, and that may be why the plant is tree-forming itself, although it’s only about 3 ft tall. I actually like the bare legs, and I’ve seen mature buttonbush “trees” online that are very striking in winter. Mine is underplanted with juncus rush and a couple small sabal minor palms.

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