The Winter That Wasn't

Though it might not be over yet, I think the end of winter is nigh.  Yay!  Spring is my favorite season. Only a few daffodils are open, but I'll take them.  Today I am planting more seeds in peat pots, though I haven't had good results with that.  They either have a damping off or aren't warm enough or something.  Going to try again anyway.  I found these teeny tomato seeds about the size of pearls that I had a few years ago. They are a bite bursting with flavor.  I hope some of them grow.  

I bought two raised beds for the city house.  They are waist high and I put them on either side of the house to see which one gets more sun.  Vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun per day.  There isn't anywhere else here for vegetables, so I'm giving it a shot.

This weekend I bought the weenies a pup stroller and we used it this morning.  They were too nervous to enjoy it, but hopefully will as we do it more often.  At least it got me out for a walk.  I've spent the winter being a slug and I hope to change that.  

Hope this week finds you out in the garden with lots of sunshine.

Mellow Yellow

Well, I started out this post and was going to title it bitch, bitch, bitch.  With all the hard work on the gardens this spring and summer, we'll be lucky to get much.  The rare spring and early summer torrential rains did a number on the vegetables and fruits and now an outbreak of tomato hornworms has killed/denuded most of my tomatoes, my favorite fruits in the home garden.

But, the weeds have no problems growing.  I've had poison ivy already this summer and the ticks are in plentiful numbers.

I did see a baby Buddha's hand last night on my citron tree.  After nearly losing everything in my greenhouse this winter due to the propane heater running out of fuel, I have a few different citrus trees putting on some fruits.

May be able to make some more limoncello this year.  I could drink that whole bottle right now (but it would kill me).  But, then, I think, in spite of the 100 degree temperatures we are having and will have through August, it really isn't that bad.  I can take it.  I'll just stay in the house for the rest of the summer, or as they say about when life gives you lemons...

I'm going to the city today to see my kids and grandkids.  That is what I need.  Oliver chilling way back several summers ago.  He just turned 6.  How did that happen?

Isobel is excited to play in the sprinkler and she'll be 8 in September.  Will wonders never cease?

And my baby bumblebee, Penny Lane, is about to turn 6 months old.  What more can a person ask for?  

Asparagus Is Up

The asparagus patch is up and growing once again. Supposedly, eating the first asparagus of spring brings good luck and I always pop the first spear into my mouth.  I have decided I only like it fresh, not canned or frozen.  It is easy to grow and comes back faithfully year after year. 

FYI: Medicinally, second century physician, Galen, describes asparagus as "cleansing and healing".  High in vitamins and necessary chemical compounds, it is used in Ayurvedic medicines.  Asparagus was eaten 20,000 years ago in Egypt.  Greek and Romans ate it fresh and dried it for winter use.  France's Louis XIV had special greenhouses built for growing it.  The points d'amour, or love tips, were served as a delicacy to Madame Pompadour.  It became available in the United States in 1850. 

Dandelion Greens

While most gardeners are already wringing their hands about how to banish those loathsome weeds from their lawns and gardens, I ordered some dandelion seed from Pinetree Gardens and Seeds.  You see, dandelion greens and roots make the most delicious salads, tinctures, tea and jellies, liqueurs and cordials too.  Not only tasty, but very healthy for you.  Smoke that in your pipe; oh no, I don't know if that is legal or not.  By the way, I am already gnashing my teeth about crabgrass.

Blackeyed Peas and Hoppin' John

Re-posted from 2009

One of the few things left in my vegetable garden are black eyed peas. Notice the deer also enjoy them and have snapped the pea vines off. I posted this recipe around the new year and it is called Hoppin' John. I can't remember why it is called that; guess John was so happy the deer didn't eat all of his peas that he hopped around and did a jig. This recipe is a variation and could be eaten as a meal instead of a side dish. Very southern!

Hoppin' John

Boil Lundberg's brown rice. This brown rice is to die for. It is the brown rice that P.F. Chang's uses. Next add a ham hock or some bacon (no I don't eat mammals) to a saucepan with the peas and boil until peas are tender. In yet another pan, (I'm sorry but this dish is worth it) fry okra breaded in cornmeal and flour then drain on a paper towel. Now, cut a tomato into a small dice. Also a few green scallions, or as many as you like. Experiment. Don't forget to salt and pepper according to taste. Assemble dish - rice, peas on top with a spoonful of juice and some pork, tomatoes next then scallions topped with the fried okra. Splash with Louisiana hot sauce. Enjoy!

Summertime

Early each summer, the onions are ready to harvest.  These early onions are the sweetest ones, you won't have to make sure everybody is eating them, you know, like garlic. 

 Allium cepa, or onions, have been traced back to 5000BC, the remnants found alongside dates and figs.  The Egyptians cultivated them 2000 years later and fed them, along with radishes, to the workers building the pyramids.  They have been an important food source and potent medicinal plant since then.  Quercertin, found in onions, is being touted today as an anti-inflammatory and cancer fighter.  Christopher Columbus brought them aboard the Hispanola to the New World, but found they were already being eaten in wild form by the Native Americans.

 They are easy to grow and when the tops dry, pluck them from the earth and let them cure for a couple of days.  Bunch and hang them in a shady spot.  It would be perfect to store them in a root cellar but mine hang  by old baskets in my garage.  They will still be edible by Thanksgiving if I have any left.

Most importantly, if you cry while slicing an onion, if your eyes nearly burn out of their sockets, hold them under running water or submerged in a basin of water while slicing.  Also, chill beforehand.

SPRING GARDENING

It's that time again! There is an old belief that eating the first asparagus of spring will bring good luck. Yesterday, I did gather a handful of spears and fixed them for supper. I didn't Julia Child it, nor use my silver asparagus tongs. I simply tossed the spears with olive oil, 2 cloves of sliced garlic and a sprinkling of salt. Then, I grated a Spanish Parmesan cheese on top (this cheese is less salty and a little softer than parmesano reggiano). Here's the good part. I did all this on a paper plate and covered it with another one and cooked it in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Atop a pile of sticky sprouted brown rice, it was so good, and easy. I'll have to see if the luck legend pans out. I need all I can get right now. However, on the other hand, I guess if I'm still kicking, then perhaps that is luck enough... Anyway, asparagus grows so fast that I'm going to be freezing lots of it in the coming days. Anybody have a good recipe out there?

HOW YOU GONNA KEEP EM DOWN ON THE FARM

All's quiet on the home front this weekend. Hubby's gone and had the place to myself. Thought I'd show you my garden. It is just about kaput for the season. Corn has produced with a few rows of vegetables left to gather.

The watermelon has taken over and is climbing over everything. Supposedly, you need lots of heat and dry weather to produce a sweet melon. We'll just see.

Here is one of the little gobbits. (I made that word up for those of you inclined to look it up.)

This is corn I grew from some seed my daughter bought from the Cherokee Nation. It is the progeny from corn brought by the Cherokee Indians on the Trail of Tears. I have had to cover some of the corn cobs with netting to keep out the varmints though not the #^*@ corn worms. I do hate to spray insecticides on anything we eat. I did try a nibble and it wasn't like the sweet corn I grow for us to eat. It wasn't sweet and was very starchy and the kernels were tough. I guess it would probably be good for drying and making masa or corn meal for cakes and/or bread etc.

Good Grief! I am growing the Great Pumpkin this year. I bought some Dill's Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds. They say pumpkins take a lot from the soil; they are heavy feeders and need lots of nutrients. So, I planted mine in the compost pile. We'll just see who grows a big one this year. I've seen growers that carve out the huge behemoths and sail in them in a regatta they have each year. Somewhere in the northeast. I don't know why they are able to grow them so big up there. Just like Martha Stewart's puffball fungi that gets the size of soccer balls. In a week or so, I'll carve my granddaughter's name on it. It will scab over and as it grows, so too will the name.


PS ~ On the right side of my blog is the followers widget. It has somehow gone blank and my sweet tens of followers have gone missing. Does anyone out there know how to get my followers back?

AND THE RAINS CAME

Around here, the garden this year has not been plentiful. Must have been the cool, wet spring. Or maybe, my soil needs something. Next year, I'm having the extension test it. Can you imagine how our ancestors depended on their crops coming in good enough to feed their families throughout the rest of the year? What they must have gone through. Great Grandma Merriott remembered her father carrying buckets of water from the creek to water his vegetable garden and feed his eight kids. She said when he would come in each evening, he would be shaking all over from the strenuous exercise. Sounds impossible, yet he lived to be 97. No AC, no water hoses, or tillers...

I have gotten a small crop of pinto beans this summer. Most people would leave these to dry, then store them in jars. I have a secret for all of you green bean lovers. The pinto bean makes the best green beans. Period. They are meaty and just have no rivals. You do have to string them and if you wait too long to pick them or let them get too large, they will be tough. Cook them till tender and I didn't say this, since I don't eat mammals, but with some bacon and a little of the grease, you'll be in green bean heaven. Oh, by the way, after too much rain this spring and rain as rare as hen's teeth this summer, we got a good drenching this morning. The peas, gourds, pumpkins and melons will be happy.

CANNING 101

Well, it's that time again; all your hard work has paid off and it's time to gather up all the season's produce for next winter. I have posted about my canning before so you can type in pickles and get the recipe for my dills. Yes, these are the same dills that were chosen to appear in Smith and Hawken's Community Gardener's Cookbook. Okay, so big deal. But, may I say these are the best dill pickles you will ever eat. Guaranteed!

Found one I missed this evening. It is very easy to do. I always overplant which makes them harder to find. This one was about 5 inches long which is a perfect size for pickling.

I filled my basket up with pickling cucumbers last evening (and a couple of fairy eggplants). Don't use salad type cucumbers as they won't turn out the same.

The alum makes them extra crunchy, but a fresh grape leaf will do the trick too. Always use fresh - garlic, dill and the cukes. It looks so much prettier in the jar. It is okay to use dried peppers.

Here is the finished product. It'll be ready in about a month - it takes that long for the flavors to meld. Crunchy, sour and salty with a tiny bite from the pepper. These are stored in the refrigerator and will be just as good a year from now as they will be in a month. None better!

These dill pickles are easy to make. I have sold them at shows, flea markets, and just by word of mouth. I have had many past customers call and ask for them and finally have quite a following. I would like to start a business selling these and other pickles as well as jellies and jams. I have had many say they would love to market them for me, but I fear taking on too much debt. I researched one guy who sold pickles through supermarkets. He didn't even have to grow the pickles, nor can them. A factory did that for him. So I guess all he did was to market them to grocers. I would like to do that too. Farmer's Markets are good, but to really sell the product you would have to be in many markets. I just don't know where to start. I don't have a business head, and I'm not sure I want one.

Rain, rain go away!

Its been raining cats and dogs. I planted my vegetable garden last week and I'll bet I'm going to have to replant. Oh woe is me... Notice my husband is putting up fencing around the garden this year to keep out the deer.

This little end plot is all cool season crops; I got them in before the rains came. Onion, spinach, leeks, Swiss chard and turnip greens are doing well, as is asparagus.

Oh my poor corn....

Well, the rain did bring out this little guy. He's about 2 1/2 - 3" long and is swimming around in a puddle in my driveway. Very cute! The pictures are reversed but you get the idea.