Garden Friday

 Welcome to the first Garden Friday of 2019.
Here's an update on what's been happening (or not)
in the garden.

 Basically, things are one, big, soggy mess.
We do have a few stalwart plants making it through our winter.
Our rain average of 46 inches per year
has been passed by almost 20 additional inches as of the last day of 2018.

 If it were a different time of year,
all that rain would do us a lot of good.
But with cold temperatures,
we're not getting much growth in the veggie garden.
The broccoli is barely hanging on
and the plants may be just too old to produce.
They will be resown in early spring.

The carrots look healthy,
with lots of top growth,
but have produced little in the way of food.

 One thing I have enjoyed is eating the sugar snap leaves.
Winter came upon us so quickly that the crops hadn't yet flowered,
but there are plenty of tender and sweet leaves to forage.

 The tat soil is another crop that I will replant in spring.
This precious little thing tastes good,
but there's not much of it.
I will be sure to make space for this Asian green.

 The garlic and shallots never let me down.
They don't seem to mind the 
wickedest 
of 
weather.

Next year I will be sure to plant a lot more,
as these are two foods that get used a lot.

Shallots are so fun to dig up.
They are like an underground gift.
One thing I forgot to plant this year was leek.
I'm hoping that I will be able to get some in 
around the end of February and still be able to harvest.
I've only grown them in winter,
so I have no idea if this will work.

 The cover crops have enjoyed the consistent rain.
This is our first time growing these in raised rows.
We chose to add these to the veggie garden
so that we could improve our success with spring crops.
The cover crops are aimed at adding nutrients
and fixing nitrogen in the soil
so that food crops end up healthier.

 This is a blend I got from Sow True Seed.
So far, it's been a fairly hands-off  project
after the initial sowing.
Time will tell if it is worth repeating next year.

 One thing is for sure.
Herbs are my new best friends.
Look at this parsley that was planted for the butterflies.
It has weathered the winter so far, unscathed.
I never knew that parsley could be so hardy!

 Although the lavender isn't its usual stunning self,
the fragrance is still potent.

 And rosemary?
Fah-get-about-it!
It is untouched by freeze, frost or snow.
I'm considering creating a rosemary hedge around the veggie garden.
The scent alone would be captivating!



Another surprise is this butterfly bush.
Even though it's no longer blooming,
it is still green!

Whodathunkit?

We still have lots of leaves to rake up.
Just as things start to dry up a bit,
we get hit with more dreary, damp weather. 
I'm still pondering what type of pathway to create
here on the back of the house.
I'm partial to pea gravel or river rock.
Most importantly, we need good drainage,
as this part of the property slopes.

 

We did finally manage to mount a couple of birdhouses.
These are supposed to house bluebirds,
so we'll see what happens in the spring.

Did I say spring?
Right now it seems a long way off!
It looks like we'll have plenty more dreary days
in which to daydream about garden plans.

A Good Morning's Work

Our days at Farm School are winding down,

and we are cherishing every moment we get to learn from 

The Master.

This past weekend,

we worked on a couple of projects that needed doing.

The first one involved one of my favorite herbs.

We have a thriving rosemary plant out by our mailbox.

It loves the spot and requires very little care.

The bonus is the scent greets our mail carrier

with every delivery.

Win-win!

At Lynn's request, 

I had taken some cuttings from the Mother plant

and stripped the bottom third of the stem of leaves.

(These discarded leaves can be used for cooking or potpourri.)

I brought the cuttings with me to Faye & Lynn's,

so they could be transplanted for market.

Faye filled a large tub with pots,

then shoveled the magic soil mix into the vessels

and leveled them off with a straight edge (butter knife).

 Here we are all set up with filled pots and rooting hormone.

We worked near the garage,

as the day was too blustery to have much success 

with this endeavor out in the garden.

We simply took the cuttings, dipped them in water,

then coated the entire bare stem with hormone

and placed them in the center of the pots.

A dibber was used to create the perfect-sized holes.

They were watered in well and placed in a shady spot.

They will be watched and when they seem to be taking off,

they may be placed in a more sunny location.

You can read more about this fragrant herb 

in our Seed to Table Series here.

 The other job that Faye & I did together

was to pick pigeon peas.

These yummy morsels are akin to black-eyed peas,

in that they are nitrogen-fixers for the soil

and have a similar waxy taste.

We picked the greenest ones we could find.

They'll be shucked and sold at market this coming weekend.

Faye reminded me to use the sun 

to determine if they were ready.

The shadow of the peas in the pods helps to see their size.

The pods are not eaten in this case,

as they are quite tough.

You can read more about pigeon peas here.

It will be hard to say goodbye to this place.

The memories of all I have learned here

will be treasured in my heart.

My time here has made me a better person.

How do you repay that?

Seed to Table Series-Rosemary

Welcome to our Summer Series,

Seed to Table.

Every Friday, we'll explore a different crop

that you can grow in your own garden.

Whether you're in mid-harvest, already looking ahead to your fall garden,

 or just thinking about growing your own,

we hope this series inspires you.

We'll begin with planting from seed or seedling,

and end up with a scratch recipe. 

************

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs.

It's great used in cooking, sure, 
but did you know it has other uses?

We use it in closets, drawers and cabinets

to keep that stale smell at bay.

We also strip the leaves, throw them on the carpet 

and then vacuum them up.

Instant room deodorizer!
It's been known to be used medicinally as well.

Rosemary reminds me of my late momma.

She used it in all kinds of dishes.

Whenever I get a whiff, I think of Mimi.

If grown from seed, germination can be expected
within 2-4 weeks.
 Seed Savers Exchange carries non-GMO seed,
if you can't find it locally.
Seeds can be started indoors under lights,
or outside after frost dates in early spring.



For less than $3, you'll never need to buy seed again,

 because cuttings are easily rooted in soil.
Transplants do well when provided with ample water and sun.

Rosemary is not too particular.

As long as it is in a spot that's well-drained, it's happy.
It is fairly drought-tolerant,

which makes it an excellent option for those facing dry times throughout the country.

This aromatic beauty adores being grown in full sun,

but will tolerate some shade.

It can be grown as a low hedge,
as it gets to be 3-4 feet tall.
I wish I had thought to use it as a border
in our backyard when we first moved here.
What a wonderfully fragrant privacy hedge!

This pollinator attractor is enjoyed by bees, 
butterflies, wasps,
as well as hummingbirds.
The deep, blue blossoms arrive in spring
and stay all season long.
It's best to wait until the flowers fade
to do any desired pruning.

New cuttings can be used to flavor everything from bean soup to poultry dishes.
Keeping them intact makes them easier to remove
when it's time to serve your savory dish.
The fresh sprigs can even be used as skewers when grilling.
Just remove the lower portion of leaves on the stem
and pierce the veggies onto the stem to infuse them with flavor.

The dried version is often used to spice up meats, veggies, 
and can even be used in desserts, like these Rosemary Butter Cookies.
 Drying this versatile herb couldn't be easier.
Simply cut stems, tie bundles together with twine
or a rubberband, and hang upside-down in a room
that doesn't get too much light.
Check it after a couple of weeks
and then store the leaves in a glass jar.

Here's a wonderful recipe for relishing
your fresh or dried rosemary!

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

(Ina Garten)

1 1/2 pounds small red or white-skinned potatoes 

(or a mixture)
1/8 cup good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
(We sometimes add a bit of steak seasoning to our taters.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary.

Toss until the potatoes are well coated. 

Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out into 1 layer.  

Roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, 

or until browned and crisp. 

Turn twice during cooking to ensure even browning.

Enjoy!

Seed to Table Series
Sweet Potatoes
Basil
Okra
Black-eyed Peas
Peanuts