Garden Friday

 

 

Welcome back to Garden Friday,

where we share what's growing in our Piedmont garden.

The chooks are trying to keep cool this summer

by staying in the shade of the cattle panel cover.

They are also getting daily treats of ice cubes in their water

as well as frozen veggies.

 

The garlic, which had been harvested a few weeks ago

and left to cure in the garage for two weeks,

is now ready to use.

A good measure was given to sister,

who uses it religiously.

No fear of vampires in her house!

 

The onions are now taking up residence in our "spa" room.

They are resting on a pallet to cure for two weeks,

and then will be ready to use in all kinds of dishes.

Some may be chopped and frozen for future use.

One of the projects I've slowly been working on

is clearing out part of our "Kelsey's Woods",

(Any Andy Griffith fans out there?),

to make room for future woodland plants.

I'd love to fill up this space with hydrangea, hosta and other shade lovers.

 The framed section you see in the middle of the photo

is our blueberry patch, complete with drip irrigation.

It's been so nice to happen upon a few ripe berries to munch on while I'm out there.

 

I'm having a hard time locating any more of these twisted wire stakes.

I have no idea where I first got them,

but they work wonderfully for climbing beans.

The search goes on...

 

The beans are slowly showing up on the vines,

and it's so exciting to see them all form in their own way.

I'm not sure what type of bean this is,

but I would guess it's some sort of drying bean,

from the shape of the pod.

 

This is definitely a green bean, or string bean,

and most likely the "slenderette" variety,

the tastiest green bean I've ever grown.

 

And lastly, in this bed, the rattlesnake bean,

which is a great drying bean.

The variegated pods are so colorful!

This is the first time we've grown these,

so I look forward to sharing my experience with them.

Having dried beans in the pantry is vital for me,

as I eat no animal protein and enjoy soups, stews and burgers

made with these flavorful nuggets.

With more summer-like temperatures this past week,

the loofah is finally taking off.

It will cover the gazebo frame in the chicken run,

and give the chooks more shade to enjoy through the heat and humidity.

 I may even give them some of the fruit to see if they like it.

It can be eaten when it is smaller, around 4-6 inches,

just as you would zucchini.

We do plan to leave some on the vine to harvest for using as sponges.

 

 

Another cattle panel arch was added between two of the 4 X 4 beds

to accommodate our growing squash vine.

Adding vertical growing space not only saves room in the beds and surrounding walkways,

but it keeps the foliage off of the ground,

which can lead to fungal and pest pressure.

 

There are at least two different varieties of squash growing in this bed,

and so far, (knock wood), I haven't found any squash bugs or eggs on the leaves.

I make it a point to do a nightly check on the foliage,

to try to stay on top of it.

The garden is in a new location this year,

so maybe that is helping with pest control.

 

 

I see squash soup in my future!

One of the partial cattle panel frames that was being used over the winter

with row covers,

is being repurposed to help support our sweet potato vines.

They are just getting started,

but with the onset of more heat, they no doubt will be hard to stop.

 

The final crop was sown this week.

Two types of pumpkin seeds were planted 

in the bed where we harvested our onions.

I have thus far not had much luck in growing pumpkins,

but that doesn't mean I've given up trying!

Most likely, I will add a cattle panel trellis to the bed,

so that the plants can grow vertically and stay off the ground.

It would be great to be able to harvest the seeds

after using the pumpkins to make all sorts of goodies.

They can be eaten after roasting in the oven,

or saved to replant next year.

 

This little fuzzy fellow stays hunkered down next to our air conditioner.

Whenever I'm out there, I see him scurrying around.

I'm not sure if it's a wooly bear caterpillar,

but I read about this critter's legend:

"According to folklore, the amount of black on the woolly bear in autumn varies proportionately with the severity of the coming winter. The longer the woolly bear's black bands, the longer, colder, snowier, and more severe the winter will be. While the wider the middle brown band is, means it will be a milder upcoming winter."

Find out more about this here. 

What do you think?

Do you know anything about this fuzzy wuzzy?

Do tell!

No Sugar Pumpkin Muffins (cf,df,ef,gf,sf)

 

 

Over the past few weeks,

our son C, who has multiple food sensitivities,

has taken himself off of sugar

in an effort to support his gut health.

While I admire his determination to foster good health,

it's been a bit of a challenge finding goodies for him to enjoy.

He also gave up his beloved pumpkin bread  

(which contains sugar) for breakfast,

which he's been making himself for the last few years.

He's been eating apple slices or watermelon as his sweets,

but I wanted to provide more of a treat for breakfast and snacks.

 These muffins are just the ticket.

They are corn, dairy, egg, gluten and sugar free,

which supports his goals.

(He's not allergic to eggs, but this recipe is vegan.)

I found the recipe in the allergy-friendly cookbook

Babycakes.

I remember reading this book of recipes many years ago,

when C was just starting his gluten-free journey.

Momma had to learn a new way to bake

and this book helped me along that path.

It was good to revisit the pages and figure out

which things he might like best.

I swapped out maple syrup for the agave,

as I've read some not-so-nice things about it.

I also omitted a couple of ingredients that I didn't have on hand.

They turned out great!

Another resource for maple syrup recipes that I plan to peruse is  

Souly Rested, 

where Michelle shares an array

of maple syrup sweetened concoctions.

 

 

 

For now, this recipe will do just as it is.

I can imagine tweaking it to add fruit, nuts or seeds.

There are limitless possibilities with this basic recipe.

These muffins (or cupcakes), are delightfully moist and flavorful.

The recipe made much more than 12 regular-sized muffins.

In fact, I was able to make over a dozen standard muffins,

as well as 12 mini-muffins.

Here's my version,

although you can find the original recipe here.

Give 'em a go and let me know how you like them.

Babycakes Pumpkin Muffins

2 C gf flour
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 C light olive oil
2/3 C maple syrup
2/3 C unsweetened almond milk
2 T vanilla extract
1 1/2 C pumpkin puree
1/2 C hot water

In a large mixing bowl,

combine dry ingredients and whisk to aerate.

Add oil, milk, syrup and vanilla to bowl,

and mix thoroughly.

 Fold in hot water and pumpkin puree.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place paper liners in muffin tins.

Place 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin tin and bake 20 minutes,

remembering to turn pan around at the halfway point.

Let cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Garden Friday

 

 

 

Welcome to the first Garden Friday of summer!

The garden is bursting with color

and the anticipation of tasty goodies!

 

 

There is lettuce ready for the picking

growing in the raised bed with carrots and nasturtiums.

Several varieties of lettuce include buttercrunch, green oakleaf, and rouge.

The nasturtiums are dispersed throughout every bed

as a pest deterrent,

but did you know that both the leaves and flowers are edible?

 

More lettuce shares space in another bed with beets, green beans

and room to reseed two types of peppers.

 

The leek are going to seed and it will be the first time

I will save seed for next year for this crop.

The seed head is absolutely gorgeous.

 

We have a volunteer squash growing in the chicken run.

It looks like it might be a butternut variety,

although they were not planted there last year.

Chalk it up to the bird or squirrel relocation squad.

 

One of the purposely planted squash

is starting to outgrow the bed.

I'm trying to figure out what type of trellis I want to use here.

I will be diligent in checking for squash bugs and eggs.

 

The sweet potatoes surely seemed to appreciate 

the bit of rain we got this week.

They love the combination of rainfall and the heat of summer.

 

What a thrill to be able to pick the first blueberries!

I wasn't even sure the plants would ripen this year.

My soil test showed that the soil is not acidic enough,

which is their preferred condition.

The berries were juicy and sweet,

with just a hint of tartness. 

We have several varieties planted,

which we acquired from our local Extension office.

blanket flower

The flowers are also enjoying the warmer temperatures

and modest rainfall.

 

These balloon flowers are doing so much better this year.

I'd say they have gained at least 6 inches on last year's plants.

These beauties come back every spring.

 

The moonflowers are starting their climb on the front porch posts.

These fragrant white blooms open at night,

which is perfect for us front porch sitters.

The pollinator bed near the old garden site has filled in nicely.

Residing here, we have blanket flower, daisies, nasturtiums, pinks, rudebekia

and one very happy gnome.

 It looks like we're in a good position to receive more rain this week.

No complaints from me,

as the garden responds to it like nothing else.

Enjoy some time outside this weekend

and see what Mother Nature has to offer.

Garden Buzzzzz!

 

 

 One of the intentions of our homestead

is to provide a safe haven for bees and other pollinators.

Along with supplying a water source and a place for raising young,

we aid these vital visitors by offering up an array of nectar sources.

Nectar furnishes pollinators with energy, 

so that they can continue with their valuable work.

 

Here are 8 easy-to-care for perennial plants that will support pollinators in your yard.

 

 

Black-eyed Susan- 

This common perennial can be planted in fall 

or early spring and is easily divided.

A show stopping display of blooms

will surely attract all sorts of pollinators to your yard.

The flowers grow on long stems,

which make them ideal for use as cutting flowers.

It prefers full sun and room to stretch out.

 

 

butterfly bush-

As the name implies,

this beauty is a favorite for many species of butterflies.

It can get quite large, unless pruned regularly,

and it will fill a space with plentiful blossoms.

It comes back brilliantly each spring after a good pruning.

 

Shasta daisies

daisies-

Daisies are a bit of cheer in the garden,

not only for the gardener, but for the pollinators as well.

They are a favorite of all types of butterflies

and the flat petals make a great landing spot while out foraging.

Daisies return each spring and last up until autumn.

They are one of the best flowers to grow

for cutting and bringing indoors.  

 

echinacea-

I don't know anyone who doesn't adore coneflowers.

They are a summer staple, popping back up

around the beginning of spring.

With numerous blooms on each plant,

there is ample opportunity for critters to feast.

These come in a wide variety of colors

and are very easy to grow.

 

Joe Pye weed-

This is one of the best pollinator attractors.

Bees and several types of butterflies enjoy

visiting its blooms.

It can grow to be up to 8 feet tall,

but the one we have in our flower bed

is a dwarf variety, which never exceeds 3 feet high.

The purple flowers show up in late summer,

but last for a few months to enjoy. 

 

 

milkweed-

The only host plant for the Monarch butterfly,

this essential plant is a must for every garden.

Each year, we save seeds from the plants we have growing.

We are always looking for full sun areas where

we can plant more so that we can help support 

these fascinating creatures.

 

 

salvia (also known as sage)-

This vibrant perennial is one of the most loved plants

by all types of pollinators.

The blooms are prolific, and are constantly covered in bees.

This drought tolerant plant requires very little attention

as long as it gets full sun and room to grow.

 

 

yarrow-

With a variety of colors to choose from,

there is sure to be a yarrow you can't live without.

The butterflies and bees swarm this beauty constantly.

Given a spot in full sun,

it will continue to bloom all through the summer.

So, there you have it.

These garden staples are easy to find at nurseries

or quick to grow from seed.

They all require full sun, but very little else.

They are drought tolerant once established

and provide so many critters with food, shelter and protection.

I hope you'll consider adding them to your homestead.