Seed to Table Series-Pigeon Peas

Patriot Day 2015
"This nation will remain the land of the free
only so long as it is the home of the brave." 
Elmer Davis

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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, 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. 

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These pigeon peas were gifted to me by someone coming to pick up plants
at one of our giveaways.

Although new to me, 
Sister, having been born in Trinidad,
was quite familiar with them.
They are a staple of the Caribbean diet.

The seeds were planted here in one of our newly established veggie beds in April.
We used direct sowing in our application, 
but this crop also does well in containers. 
We sowed them about an inch deep in our custom soil mix.
It took about a week for the first seedling to emerge. 

It hasn't stopped growing yet.
This West Indian treasure can be grown in zones 9-15
and can soar to 10 feet tall and live for five years.
It thrives in partial or full sun and can tolerate some frost.
In colder climates, it may be grown as an annual. One of the benefits of including this crop in the garden
is that it fixes nitrogen, as do black-eyed peas.

Here's what it looks like this week.
It's been a no-care plant,
making do with minimal watering and thus far, no fertilizing.
This beauty is a great attractor for pollinators
and can be used as a living trellis for other crops.

Last weekend, I noticed these flowers popping up.
That must mean that peas are on their way.
We'll be checking on them daily,
so that we can note the evolution of the plant's cycle.

source

Pigeon peas can be eaten fresh while still green off the crop,
much as snap or English peas.
Once dried, they must be cooked before eating.
Like any legume, it's best to soak them overnight,
or for at least 6 hours, to make them more digestible.
After soaking, drain the water and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours
with plenty of fresh water and a couple of bay leaves.
These can be used right away, or kept in the freezer for future menu ideas.
These versatile legumes can be used to make dal, 
sprouted for extra nutrition, or ground into a meal. 



Rice with Pigeon Peas

2 C cooked peas
2 1/2 C basmati rice
3 cloves garlic
1 C red or yellow bell pepper
1/2 onion
4 C water
2 T parsley
2 t seasoned salt

Saute garlic, peppers, onion and parsley until tender.
Add peas and seasoned salt to mixture, then add rice.
Add only enough water to cover rice.
Cook over medium heat until water is evaporated.
Enjoy!

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

Lemongrass
Leek 
Parsley
Avocado



 


 

Allergy-Free Fudge Pops

Trust me when I say that fall can't come fast enough.

Before summer bows out,

we thought we'd try a fabulous easy recipe,

to help us get through the last days weeks of 

a sweltering summer.

With just a few simple ingredients,

we followed the directions on the almond milk box,

and were on our way to a fudgi-licious delight!

 The best part?

This recipe is allergy-friendly.

We dumped the fixins into a pot,

turned on the heat and stirred.

In just a few mintues,

the concoction was smooth and thickened.

It'll thicken even more once frozen.

The aroma was heavenly!

We had enough to fill up all four of our molds

and a bit left over.

We filled the lids of some of our glass bread pans

and made granita.

No leftovers here!

 Just adding a bit of warm water to the outside of the mold,

helps them come out quite easily.

The granita is simply scraped out with a spoon.

Creamy Fudge Pops 

(gf, df, sf, ef)

(Silk)

2 C unsweetened almond milk

3 T unsweetened cocoa (we use Special Dark)

2 T cornstarch

1/4-1/2 C honey (or sugar)

1 t vanilla

pinch o' salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir constantly, until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool 10-20 minutes.

Pour into molds and freeze at least 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Wanna make your own almond milk?
Read this.

The Maple Hill Hop 97

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

Last week I told you about my superb seed score.
These packs were slashed to 5 cents apiece.
I picked up a few in anticipation of fall planting.
Timing is everything...

This bed is about 8 by 5 and although it isn't a raised bed,
I'm using the square-foot method to plant my fall crops.
This bed had been filled in the spring with a soil mixture
that my farmer friend Lynn uses on all of his container plants.
I divided up the areas according to what I want to grow.
There will be space for 17 crops to grow here.

Here's the plan that I created and printed out for free on Gardener's Supply. 
I love that I can choose where to put my crops
and use my creativity to make a custom garden design.
It's so easy to use even I can figure it out!

Here's how it looks so far.
There is still some tweaking to do.
A couple of basil plants leftover from summer
will be harvested for pesto, and then be removed.
 Cabbage will go in where the "w" for walkway is.
I didn't have any cabbage seeds, so I'll add that in soon.
Cut-up hose and some leftover pieces from a trellis
were used to designate the squares.
Once the crops start popping up, they'll come out
and just let the design show through. 
I like having the center walkway so that I can easily reach the interior plants,
and the outer perimeter allows me access to the rest.
There are peanuts growing toward the back of the plot,
so I didn't want to disturb them before they're ready for harvest.
Baling twine had to be added around the perimeter,
to keep the sandhill cranes from walking all over it.

I have plans for 3 more beds
which will include Asian greens, beets, eggplant, leek, 
several types of lettuce, snap peas and turtle beans. 
Thankfully, we've had abundant rain in the past week,
so these newly planted seeds should be popping up soon.
Isn't it wonderful when Mother Nature 
lends the gardener a hand?


What's happening outside where you are?
Let's HOP!

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Seed to Table Series-Avocado

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. 

Avocados are one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

This fruit, (actually a berry), 

is loaded with potassium and other minerals,

and high in fiber.

It is considered one of the most beneficial food sources 

to maintain a healthy heart.

To grow this nutritional powerhouse,

remove the pit from an avocado and place in a jar.

The water should be in contact with the bottom of the pit,

to encourage root development.

We suspended ours using straws,

but you could use toothpicks, nails or whatever you have on hand.

Place the container outdoors or in a sunny windowsill.

The rooting process takes anywhere from 10 to 21 days.

Once the roots are filling up the jar,

the pit can be potted up into a container.

This tree is about a year and a half old.

In the spring, it can be transplanted into the ground.
This sun-lover will thrive during the warmer seasons
if planted in full sun.
While this plant is usually found in the southernmost regions of our nation,
newer varieties are being developed to grow throughout the country in zones 8-10. 
Fertilizing can be done with a 6-6-6 solution
several times a year.

Avocados don't enjoy freezes.
This is a tree that was damaged a few years ago
when we had a big freeze.
It did recover.

This is one of the trees we started by seed almost 5 years ago.
They can get upwards of 30 feet tall,
depending on the variety.
There are dwarf varieties that get only 10 feet tall
and can be kept in large containers year-round.

Avocados are a favorite in salads and as a sandwich filler

and can be used to make the most delicious guacamole.

The texture is creamy and it will absorb whatever flavors added to it.

It's a versatile and nutritious addition to any diet.

I bet you wouldn't think to use it for dessert!

Check out this easy and luscious recipe!

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

3 avocados (or 1 large)

4-6 T dark cocoa powder

1/4 C honey

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

Add all ingredients to food processor.

Mix until smooth.

Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

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

Lemongrass
Leek 

Parsley

Mostly Homemade Mondays

The Maple Hill Hop 96

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

With the threat of Erika just a faint memory,
we are refocused on starting our fall plants.
I am woefully behind in my weeding and bed prep
due to health issues I'm trying to figure out.
That, paired with air thick enough to slice through,
has kept me inside more than I'd like.
This week I will work on planning the layout for fall crops.
September 1st is a great time for us to begin sowing in earnest,
as there won't be too much more heat in the near future
and the abundant rains aid in germination.



On a recent field trip to our Habitat for Humanity ReStore,
there was a wonderful surprise awaiting me,
just in time for planting season.

While Lil' Guy was checking out with his treasure,
I spied a large basket of seeds for sale.
Knowing I had only a few dollars in my pocket,
I chose carefully what I could grow right now.
At 50 cents a pack, it was a great deal.
I picked out a few items.

Then the cashier pointed out to me that the price per pack
wasn't 50 cents, but 5 cents apiece.
That's what I get for not wearing my reading glasses.
I scooped up a few more packets
and left feeling rich.
Whenever I do get around to starting these seeds,
I'll more than recoup my investment.
Such a deal!

Yesterday I felt a bit stronger, 
so I hope I'm on my way to feeling more myself.
Maybe finding these bargain seeds is a sign 
of good things on their way.
That's my take on it, 
and I'm 
stickin' 
to 
it.

What's happening outside where you are?
HOP to it!
   

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