Caper Harvests

Rather than create weekly posts about my caper harvests I've decided to try and keep the information in one post going forward and update it for each harvest. It's much easier for me to get the overall view of the crop this way and I'm less likely to forget to record the details. So look for the link on my sidebar Caper Obsession Page if you're interested in following along. I will continue to write occasional new posts about growing capers, next up will be one about how I grow plants from seed.

So, here's the 2009 stats from the beginning:

1. May 20:
--1 ounce buds
--brined 1 day at room temperature, 6 days refrigerator
--sun dried in the brine
--removed from the crystalized salt and stored at room temperature in a glass jar

2. May 27:
--1 1/4 ounce buds
--brined 2 weeks in the refrigerator
--sun dried 1 day, air dried inside 6 days
--removed from the crystalized salt and stored at room temperature in a glass jar

3. June 3:
--1 1/4 ounces buds
--brined 1 week at 55F
--packed in coarse sea salt 6/10 and stored at 55F

4. June 10:
--2 1/2 ounces buds, 1/2 ounce of which were left on the stems
--brined 2 weeks at 55F, brine changed 6/17
--packed in coarse sea salt 6/24 and stored at 55F
--long-stemmed buds packed in a 50/50 mixture of wine vinegar and water and refrigerated

5. June 17:
--2 1/2 ounces, 3/4 ounce of which were left on the stems
--brined at 55F, brine changed 6/24, 7/1
--drained, dried in oven, no heat just light & fan 7/8

6. June 24:
--2 1/4 ounces, 3/4 ounce of which were left on the stems
--brined at 55F, brine changed 7/1, 7/8
--drained, dried outside in shade

7. July 1:
--2 ounces buds
--brined at 55F, brine changed 7/8, 7/15
--drained, packed in coarse sea salt 7/30, stored at 55F

8. July 8:
--1 1/2 ounces buds
--brined at 55F, brine changed 7/15

9. July 15
--2 1/4 ounces buds
--brined at 55F

10. July 22
--2 1/4 ounces buds
--brined at 55F

11. July 30
--1 1/4 ounces buds
--brined at 55F

12. August 5
--1 ounce buds, stems not removed
--brined in refrigerator

Harvest total for 2009: 1 pound 4 3/4 ounces

The brine solution I've been using is 1 1/4 ounces kosher salt to 8 ounces water. I use at least two times the weight of the capers in brine for each batch.

The 2010 harvest:

Each picking is cured in the brine solution shown above and kept at 55F for 4 weeks. I change the brine weekly.

1. Monday, May 10 - .75 ounces, packed in sea salt June 9

2. Monday, May 17 - 1 ounce, packed in sea salt June 14

3. Tuesday, May 25 - 1.25 ounces, packed in sea salt June 21

4. Monday, May 31 - 1.25 ounces, packed in sea salt June 28

5. Friday, June 4 - 1.5 ounces, packed in sea salt July 2

6. Monday, June 7 - 3.25 ounces, largest buds dried in dehydrator, smaller buds packed in sea salt July 6

7. Wednesday, June 9 - 2 ounces, packed in sea salt July 9

8. Friday, June 11 - 1.5 ounces, packed in sea salt July 9

9. Monday, June 14 - 2.5 ounces, small buds packed in sea salt, large buds dried in dehydrator July 19

10. Wednesday, June 16 - 2 ounces, small buds packed in sea salt, large buds dried in dehydrator July 19

11. Friday, June 18 - 4 ounces, small buds packed in sea salt, large buds dried in dehydrator July 19

12. Monday, June 21 - 1 ounce

13. Friday, June 25 - 3 ounces

14. Monday, June 28 - 2.75 ounces

15. Friday, July 2 - 3.25 ounces

16. Tuesday, July 6 - 3 ounces

17. Friday, July 9 - 2.75 ounces

18. Monday, July 12 - 2 ounces

19. Thursday, July 15 - 2.25 ounces

20. Monday, July 20 - 4.5 ounces

21. Friday, July 23 - 2.75 ounces

22. Monday, July 26 - 2.75 ounces

23. Friday, July 30 - 2 ounces

24. Monday, August 2 - 1.75 ounces

25. Friday, August 6 - 1.5 ounces

26. Tuesday, August 10 - 2 ounces

This harvest I weighed the harvest from the pot bound plants separately from the earthbound plants and the earthbound plants came out the clear winners. Three earthbound plants produced 3 ounces versus 7 potbound plants produced 1 ounce. That's why I'm striving to get more plants established in the ground.

2010 harvest total to date - 3 lb, 10.25 oz