Tyro Gardener

Snow Day

2010-02-06T20:35:00.002-05:00

2010-02-05T22:29:00.000-05:00

Ready for a Hot Chocolate Party? We are expecting snow until noon tomorrow. We already have about 8 inches.

Just little lumps of snow

2010-02-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

My poor Thuja!! You can see a couple just barely peaking out above the 20 inches of snow we got in the last 24 hours. I just hope they are not crushed under it all.

Sunshine in a Bottle

2010-01-20T13:55:00.003-05:00

Lovely.

Gold Medal Plant

2010-01-19T13:33:00.021-05:00

Remember when I planted my Thuja? They were chosen as a Gold Medal Plant by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 1998. My plants are all doing well in their first winter. Only lost that one due to a mystery fungus? If you are planning to put in some landscaping plants, you may wish to consult the PHS site to see what is native or would do well in Pennsylvania. They even tell you where you can buy the plant and see them. Good information.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1827. PHS provides great events, activities and publications for novice gardeners, experienced horticulturists, and flower lovers of all ages.

Our Mission: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society motivates people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.

Gold Medal Plant

Common Name:	Arborvitae, Green Giant
Botanical Name:	Thuja
Cultivar Name:	‘Green Giant’
Plant Type:	Evergreen Tree
Description:	Thuja ‘Green Giant’ (Green Giant Arborvitae) has a wonderful habit for use as an evergreen screen or specimen plant. Reaching an ultimate height of 75’ with a spread of 12’-20’, this tree has a graceful texture and no pest or disease problems. It’s a vigorous grower in any soil condition. Hardy in zones 5 to 7.
Hardiness Zones:	5 to 7
Sun/Shade Preference:	Sun
Soil Condition Preference:	Moist
Special Attributes:	Disease Resistant Pest Resistant Deer Resistant North American Native
Plant Height:	50+ feet
Bloom Time:	Spring
Flower Color:	Other
Foliage Color:	Green
Fall Color:	Green
Plant Uses:	Specimen Urban Park Screen / Hedge Border
Year Won:	1998

Tempeh

2010-01-18T12:07:00.002-05:00

I met the people who have Spring Time Maple Syrup at our farmer's market a couple years ago. It is great to see that our grocery store carries their products now. I made Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh by cook, Jude Blereau. I served it over Quinoi, which I forgot to take a picture of, so you only get the leftovers shot. Good ole Worker Bee is being quite tolerant, (almost enthusiastic) about my vegetarianism. I had to laugh today when I read the New York Times article about therapists reporting a rise in Green disputes between partners. Ours are minor...mostly because I get my way. You may wish to go to this site to learn about Tempeh. Good stuff.

Birdhouse Gourds

2010-01-16T15:24:00.001-05:00

Peeling, peeling away.

Lemon Show

2010-01-15T14:27:00.003-05:00

Hmmm...I wonder if they are worthy?

Homemade Spaghetti

2010-01-14T14:31:00.004-05:00

Making homemade spaghetti has been something I have wanted to try for a while. I remember my grandmother making dough for chicken noodles. She would mix the flour and eggs, roll the dough into a log, then slice the log onto noodles. The noodles were cooked in a creamy chicken sauce. I was fascinated by the process...mainly because of being able to get messy in the dough.

The recipe I used was two farm fresh eggs (a gift from the McDonald family - very nice!) with about 1 1/4 cups flour. That's it. Start a pan of water to boil right away, as this is so easy and fast, the strands will be done before the water boils.

Don't the eggs look grand? They are!

Mix the eggs into a gooey mess.

Mix the flour in slowly about 1/3 cup at at time, until it is just this side of sticky.

Roll out on a floured surface much thinner than what I did. Who knew the noodles would expand?!?

Now roll up the dough into a log shape using a pastry scraper, which I do not have, but will soon. It helps get the sticky dough off the surface.

Slice into thin spiral rolls, and immediately straighten out. You may hang them or just collect them on the cutting board if you are using them right away.

I used a coat hanger hung from my kitchen lamp to hang them. Boy were they fat and uneven!

Some I left on the cutting board as the water had just started to boil.

Boil for three to five minutes, depending how thin you were able to make your strands. My fat noodles took five. I didn't realize they would get so much bigger while being cooked! They were more like my grandmother's noodles and less like spaghetti strands.

The secret to loads of flavor is to mix 1 t of garlic powder and 1/2 t of onion powder with 1/4 cup melted butter and add to the cooked spaghetti. Toss gently. If you like more flavoring, just add more.

Add your sauce and a bit of Parmesan cheese and you are set. Fresh basil would have been nice as well. Worker Bee went nuts! It was good.

Meyer Lemon Preserved in Salt

2010-01-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

After slicing the lemons into quarters, you place them into the jar, adding Kosher salt to each layer. Cover them with lemon juice and shake a couple times a day for two weeks. Be sure to not refrigerate during this time. Then place in the refrigerator and use for the next six months. You may rinse the lemons before use if the recipe does not call for salt. Good with many Mediterranean recipes, fish and desserts. Hope this works! You can see the juice just after I shook the jars.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

2010-01-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

Finding a wonderful list from the LA Times titled 100 Things to do with a Meyer Lemon was fun. I decided making Meyer Lemon Marmalade would be great for consumption on these horribly frigid days. I found a recipe from the now defunct Gourmet Magazine. You may find it here.

Meyer Lemons

2010-01-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

One of the dilemmas I have with buying local is that some things are just not grown in our zone 5 area. I don't have a Meyer Lemon tree...yet, so I decided that instead of buying a couple lemons each week at the grocery store, I would buy a box from a small organic farmer. I found the the Birch-Hill Organics farm in Atascadero, California. Richard Burchiel, aka the "organic farmer" wrote the nicest note. They will accommodate special requests with regard to size and ripeness if they can. They were quite prompt with shipping and communication. You can just imagine the smell when I opened up this box of sunshine!

Click on the picture to read the letter from Richard, organic farmer.

I used a recipe for preserved lemons from The Mediterranean Pantry recipe book. I then had a lot of the rinds leftover. I candied them using a simple syrup and organic sugar.

They may last up to 3 weeks...yeah, right! I am also going to make a Lemon Marmalade.

From the Farm to the Table

2010-01-05T15:52:00.000-05:00

The book I am reading now is called From the Farm to the Table, by Gary Holthaus. The perspective is from all kinds of farmers. I recommend it. I haven't figured out how to post a picture of the book cover. I will keep trying.

Birdhouse Gourd Drying

2009-12-29T13:50:00.004-05:00

The birdhouse gourds have been out in the weather since coming off the vines in August. I am not sure what they are supposed to look like as they dry out over the winter, so I guess they are "cooking" just fine. Interesting that the skunk and squirrels leave them completely alone.

Free Stuff

2009-12-28T19:57:00.000-05:00

Gotta love FreeCycle!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-26T10:26:00.002-05:00

Although it has been pointed out to me that our American Thanksgiving might not have the most altruistic beginnings, I believe most of us do celebrate this holiday with open and grateful hearts. With bounty available to most and family love even though far apart, I know I am most grateful for the blessings I have. My thoughts are also with my nephew in Iraq and with Iraqi friends. Peace. Not just a dream, but a mission for us all.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg

2009-11-21T21:45:00.000-05:00

I love bookstores.

Broad Street Farmers' Market

2009-11-20T21:27:00.002-05:00

The only vegetarian vendor, Nude Food is going out of business tomorrow. Sad.

The Broad Street Market in Harrisburg has some very beautiful benches outside. Beautiful art work of corn! Found this quote there:

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on earth as much as evolution to a vegetarian diet.
-Albert Einstein

Blueberry Bush Fall Foliage

2009-11-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

Seed Saving

2009-11-13T08:29:00.000-05:00

I put some of the mystery plant and pumpkin seeds into envelopes. I don't want to do too many as that will only waste paper and ink. If you want any of the Cinderella or Rouge Vif D'Etampes pumpkin seed, let me know.

Canning Applesauce Again

2009-11-12T22:13:00.002-05:00

Remember that big bag of apples I got at Hollabaugh's farm? I finally made most of it into applesauce today. What beautiful and delicious apples they are!

I used my new bargain find of an apple peeler and corer, which worked really well. Just could not get the hang of peeling apples like my Grandma Rice. She could peel an apple fast, with the skin very thin and all in one piece...even better than my new gadget. Fortunately, this peeler/corer works well for me.

Pictured is one of the small canning jars I used from Grandma Rice. I had to find the rubber rings that help to seal the glass bale wire canning jars. I believe it worked well, but cannot press on the lid to check if it seals. Anyone know how to do that? NOTE: My sister told me to just give a firm tug on the ring and if there is no give, then it is sealed. Or she said to turn it over to check for leaks. Thanks, Deb!

Garlic Sprouts

2009-11-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

We have been having such incredibly warm weather that my garlic is beginning to sprout. I have to tell you, it does my heart good to see something green growing as the rest of Mother Nature begins to go to sleep. I just hope the bed of oak leaves keep all the baby garlic warm this year. Puts me in a very PINK mood. :))

Red Pepper Flakes

2009-11-08T21:09:00.001-05:00

I am crushing the red pepper into flakes today using my mortar and pestle. My window looks so naked without all of them hanging over the sink.

FreeCycle

2009-11-07T20:07:00.007-05:00

Today my eighty-five plus year old neighbor, Mr. Bob Hench took me in his old pick-up truck to the neighboring community of Dillsburg to pick up some furniture for daughter number 3. (I have to tell you about the farm field he mentioned where they picked up the airmail when he was in his twenty's!) I heard about the giveaway from the online forum, FreeCycle. You probably have one in your online community and if not, START ONE! Basically, the concept is to Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. Here is what they say to describe the concept:

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,852 groups with 6,691,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.

You are not supposed to sell what you get, and you must give your junk away in equal or more amounts than what you get. Pretty amazing. You have to have a yahoo email address, which is easy and join a yahoo freecycle group. It is easy to sign-up online, then just wait for the emails for free stuff, and clean out your basement and attic by offering junk that people come by your house to pick up. Kind of fun, to tell you the truth.

A fellow FreeCycler, Bob P. was generous enough to give us two end tables, three lamps, and a queen size bed headboard and footboard which are in great shape. Plus the added bonus was they are "retro", which the mimers (aka daughter number 3) loves. She is very supportive of the whole *Reduce*Reuse*Recycle* concept, which is fantastic for a nineteen year old and bodes well for our future generations.

I have given some stuff away...and am looking forward to cleaning out some more. Sure makes sense, rather than just bagging it for the trash man. Thanks to both Bobs!!

Road Trip into Apple Country

2009-11-06T20:01:00.003-05:00

The 'Sisters in Spirit' went for a nice sojourn to apple country today. What a beautiful ride and day! We had lunch at Pomona's in Biglerville, went to the country store and stopped off at Hollabaugh's for apples on the way home. Perfect day...except I forgot the camera. Here is the only picture to document the day...a bag of a wide variety of apples in the fridge to soon be made into applesauce. I really have to go back to take pictures of the proprietress of the country store in downtown Biglerville. What a hoot!

Mystery Tree

2009-11-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

I really like this tree in my neighbors back yard as it reminds me of one of my favorite trees in Carlisle. My friend Laura has a tree next to their front door, and reminds me of this one. It has a very rough trunk. We don't know what it is. Anyone want to take a guess? I wonder if I can start a few seedlings from these pods...I will post what happens when I do.

Get Well Cookies

2009-11-03T20:21:00.000-05:00

I made some macaroon cookies dipped in chocolate from a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. They are going to Cincinnati to my brother who is not feeling well. Their richness should provide some healing powers, I hope.

Pumpkin Seed Saving

2009-11-01T20:13:00.002-05:00

When I spread out the Rouge Vif D'Etampes seeds to dry them, I noticed some had already begun to sprout while still inside the pumpkin. Kind of cool.

Canning Pumpkin

2009-10-31T16:22:00.002-04:00

I had to wait until worker bee came home last night, to help me carve the top off our pumpkin. it was one tough pumpkin shell! I had to wait to start the canning process until today. After all, it is Halloween!!

I am going to save all these wonderful seeds for a future exchange or to give away.

Now, tell me...does this not look like an outy belly button? Wonder why I am thinking of that!?

Loads of compost!

This was a wonderful, creamy soup.

First Annual Seed Exchange

2009-10-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

Dickinson College hosted the seed exchange today with about 30 area farmers, students and community members attending. This will most certainly grow and be a wonderful source of information exchange along with the seeds. It was nice hearing what resources are available in the area. Plus I got three kinds of peppers seeds, surprise popcorn, calla lilies, cilantro, dill and Jerusalem artichokes.

Harvest Moon

2009-10-27T22:21:00.005-04:00

Pumpkin Eaters

2009-10-26T06:11:00.005-04:00

This is a wonderful article from the New York Times. Click on the following title to go right to the NYT page. Here it is as well:

Pumpkin Eaters

New York Times 10/25/2009

By PETER MAYLE

Aix-en-Provence, France — THERE is a tendency among the French to welcome certain aspects of American life with immediate and uncritical enthusiasm: hamburgers, Jerry Lewis, baseball caps, elderly television series (“Starsky & Hutch” is still running on French TV), Westerns, Marlboro Lights, button-down shirts — these and much more besides have crossed the Atlantic to become firmly embedded in le lifestyle français.

The Celtic-by-way-of-America celebration of Halloween is one more example that has always stuck in my mind because it arrived in France about the same time that I did, 20 years ago.

I remember the moment well. I was passing the window of a shop that specialized in avant-garde underwear when my eye was caught by a small pumpkin, half-concealed behind the lacy thickets of a black brassiere. A hand-lettered sign tucked into the bra read, “N’oubliez pas l’alowine!” — as if one could ever forget Halloween when reminded of it in such an exotic fashion.

But there was a problem. In those unenlightened days, hardly anyone in France had the faintest idea of what alowine was. An informal survey among friends produced nothing at first but shrugs and incomprehension. I gave my respondents a clue in the form of a pumpkin. Ah, they said, soup. I tried again, this time with the date, Oct. 31, the eve of All Saints’ Day. Of course, they said, Toussaint, but this is not a day of pumpkins. Toussaint is marked here in France by the chrysanthemum. But how would you know that, being English? I retired hurt.

The years passed, and alowine scored one or two minor victories. I noticed a modest selection of cards, a sprinkling of pumpkins and the odd witch’s hat. But there was nothing to indicate that Halloween was having much of an impact locally until I happened to bump into M. Farigoule in the village cafe. (Here I should explain that M. Farigoule is my mentor — self-appointed — on all matters that have to do with correct behavior for a foreigner living in France, from table manners to income tax. He is an unrepentant chauvinist, a fund of misinformation and a prodigious consumer of rosé. I’m rather fond of him.)

It was the first morning of November, and M. Farigoule was seething with indignation. The previous evening, just as he was settling down in front of the television to disagree with the evening news, he had been disturbed by a thunderous clattering on his front door. On his doorstep, he found a gang of sooty-faced infants. One of them, holding up a hollowed-out pumpkin with a guttering candle inside, demanded bonbons. Why should I give you bonbons? asked M. Farigoule. Because it is alowine, was the reply.

M. Farigoule looked at me and shrugged, his expression a question mark. It was clear that he was not familiar with Halloween and its customs. At last it was my chance to teach him something. He listened while I described the cast of characters — the witches and hobgoblins, the skeletons and spirits of the dead, the Grim Reaper and his attendant vultures — and he seemed to understand the basic principles of trick-or-treating. It was when I was trying to explain the historical significance and traditional use of the pumpkin that I saw, from his elevated eyebrows and pursed lips, that I had touched a nerve.

“Do you mean to tell me,” he said, “that pumpkins all over America are massacred, with all that good honest flesh tossed away, simply to provide a primitive decoration?” He took a deep swig of rosé and shook his head. “Do our American friends know what treasures they’re missing? Pumpkin fritters! Pumpkin and apple sauce — so delightful with sausages! Then, bien sûr, there is Toulouse-Lautrec’s sublime gratin of pumpkin.

“And it must be said that Mme. Farigoule” — he raised his glass to the ceiling in a silent salute — “makes, during the season, a most exquisite pumpkin risotto.” He shook his head again. “No — to sacrifice a pumpkin for such a frivolous purpose as alowine is a waste, a terrible waste. Whatever next?” He allowed me to refill his glass while he recovered his composure, and our conversation moved on to the less sensitive topic of village politics.

Another, more official blow to Halloween’s standing in France was the reaction of a local authority, the school attended by my friend’s young children. One year, for reasons that continue to elude me, it was decreed that the pupils should celebrate Halloween by coming to school dressed in appropriately spine-chilling outfits: witches, of course, but also bloodstained ghouls, vampires, a variety of evil spirits and even a small, very hot human pumpkin swathed from head to toe in layers of orange toweling.

The following year saw a change in the school’s management. Alas for Halloween, the new principal was someone with more traditional views, and she was not sympathetic to the idea of fancy dress in the classroom, particularly when inspired by some ridiculous foreign novelty. When asked to explain why she had canceled Halloween, her reply was brief and to the point.

“It has nothing to do with us,” she said. “We’re French.”

The Pumpkin Risotto of Mme. Farigoule

The secret is in the preparation of the pumpkin. After removing seeds and fiber, cut the flesh into chunks, leaving the skin still attached. With your hands, mix the chunks in a bowl with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the best olive oil, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of fresh marjoram and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Lay the chunks on a baking tray, skin side down, and put them in the oven, which you have preheated to 425°F. When the chunks of pumpkin are soft and the edges are tinged with brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool, scrape the flesh from the skin and shred with a fork. Prepare your risotto in the usual way and once the rice is ready, stir in the pumpkin, along with freshly grated Parmesan and butter. (Mme. Farigoule’s tip is to be extra-generous with both cheese and butter.) Add a sage leaf for decoration, and a sprinkling of Parmesan, et voilà.

Peter Mayle is the author of “A Year in Provence” and the forthcoming novel “The Vintage Caper.”

Chewing on the Pumpkin

2009-10-25T19:17:00.001-04:00

I am not sure who is chewing on my 31 pound 'Cinderella' pumpkin, but they better stop! I may just cut it up, do my canning and seed saving before Halloween due to the varmints. You can just imagine this pumpkin turning into a coach for the ball, can't you? I am sure my Fairy G-d Mother would end up using the birdhouse gourd coach and that is what I would have to arrive at the ball in though. At least I would be there! :)

Seed Exchange Potluck

2009-10-24T06:06:00.003-04:00

I am very excited about this announcement which just came to my attention:

Date/Time:	Friday, Oct 30, 2009 - 6:00 PM
Event:	First Annual Seed Exchange Potluck Working toward creating a regional seed bank.
Event Type:	Lecture/Discussion
Location:	The Depot
Fee:	Free
Description:	The College Farm and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture invite seed savers, food lovers, and those who want to learn more to the First Annual Seed Exchange Potluck. Bring a dish or beverage to share plus any seeds collected from this season that you are interested in sharing or exchanging. Please RSVP.
	For more information: Call 717-713-0275 Email halpinj@dickinson.edu Go to http://www.dickinson.edu/storg/sisa

Maybe I will see you there?

Squirrel Deterrent?

2009-10-23T06:15:00.000-04:00

I covered the garlic bed with some plastic fencing we had left over from last year. I am hoping this is enough of a deterrent for the squirrels and their constant digging. If the squirrels frenzied digging and hiding of acorns is any indication of our winter to come, it will be a very hard one.

Planting Garlic

2009-10-22T18:25:00.002-04:00

I planted my garlic today! I bought five soft neck bulbs from the Seed Savers Exchange. I really wanted to support this organization, but it was not cheap and they were shipped from pretty far away. I planted one Elephant Garlic (4 cloves), one Pskem River Garlic bulbs (8 cloves), one Bogatyr (8 cloves), and two Samarkind (16 cloves).

Mr. Hench saved some of his oak leaves for me to use as mulch to keep the little cloves warm and happy over the winter.
I still had four 12-inch squares I want to fill with garlic, so I am planting the cloves from the two organic garlic bulbs (14 cloves) I got from Dickinson College's Farm. I am not sure how they will do, but they were only seventy-five cents each, which is quite inexpensive compared to the Seed Savers prices. Plus they are as local as you can get. Time will tell if they grow well.

DC Garlic and Produce

2009-10-21T17:24:00.006-04:00

This is some of the produce I bought today at the Dickinson College stand at the farmer's market. Look at the radishes! They are HUGE!!

Horseradish

2009-10-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

Mr. Hench's brother, Bill gave him some Horseradish Root for me to plant. I put it in next to the wall where the pumpkin was this year. It was unbelievably strong when I was cutting it up. Mr. Hench said, "This will clean out your sinuses pretty quick." He was right! He even gave me the green and red basket which will come in handy for harvesting next year.

Peppers Party

2009-10-20T14:01:00.002-04:00

This one is rather odd, but still cute. Why do I keep seeing little babies in everything?

Such a perfect little thing!

I may try a pepper roasting recipe. Aren't they great?

Poof Mushrooms

2009-10-19T13:57:00.001-04:00

In the back enclosure of the yard, we don't get much sun. These mushrooms were under some foliage we cleared out and when worker bee tried to pick them up, they would explode and give off a cloud of spores. Of course when I wanted to take a picture of the explosion, we could not get one to do it.

Fall Fashion

2009-10-18T11:20:00.000-04:00

Mother Nature is putting on all her fall colors, and so is the mim...even her hair color! :)

Grandma Rice's Homemade Applesauce

2009-10-17T10:16:00.000-04:00

Making Grandma's Chunky Applesauce was a bit of work, but well worth it. I used just a bit of Organic Cane Juice Sugar and Cinnamon. The Red Delicious apples from the local farmer were very sweet to begin with, so no need for much sugar.

Pretty Rose

2009-10-16T14:22:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary, Worker Bee!! 32!!

Basil

2009-10-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

I made pesto today with my basil, walnuts and olive oil. I will add Parmesan just before I use it. I froze the pesto in ice cube trays so I can just take out what I need at a time. My house smells great right now!

More Pepper Jam

2009-10-15T11:10:00.001-04:00

I am amazed at the amount of peppers my little plants keep producing. I just had to make some more Pepper Jam. This batch is hotter than the last!

Canning Jars

2009-10-14T11:08:00.001-04:00

Mr. Hench gave me some canning jars! They will come in handy when I make the applesauce this week.

Herbs and Coffee

2009-10-14T09:07:00.001-04:00

I love the way the coffee is steaming and the sun rays are bursting around the mug. It is pretty chilly in the house this morning.

The herbs had to come in due to the frost warnings last night. My sage, rosemary, oregano, winter savory, and marjoram all look healthy for now, although I am sure they will not like the long, dark, cold Pennsylvania winters. We will see if they survive my "attention" this winter.

Ladybug

2009-10-13T10:50:00.000-04:00

I have been very fortunate to have many ladybugs in my garden all season. I suppose this is one of the last ones until next year.

Kale Kwestion??

2009-10-12T10:47:00.001-04:00

What am I to do with all this kale?!? Ali...you better get back from China soon!

Zinnias

2009-10-11T19:25:00.000-04:00

Zinnias from a friend...what a nice surprise since most of all my flowers are done for the season.

Mystery Solved?

2009-10-10T10:15:00.003-04:00

Foxtails? Still not sure...

Fall Colors

2009-10-09T10:45:00.000-04:00

The sedum blossoms have turned a beautiful deep red. The bees seem to have gone into hibernation with the cold nights.

31 Pound Pumpkin!

2009-10-08T10:35:00.002-04:00

The only pumpkin I successfully grew amongst all those vines was this thirty-one pounder. I planted the French heirloom seeds called Rouge Vif D'Etampes. It is believed that the author/illustrator Charles Perrault (1628 - 1703) used this variety as a model for the pumpkin Cinderella's godmother transformed into a coach.

Bird House Gourds

2009-10-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

I harvested the bird house gourds today. I believe four of them will made decent birdhouses if they survive the drying process. I am leaving them out in a bed on an old shutter. I have not had the squirrels taking bites out of them yet.

Turban Squash Seeds

2009-10-06T16:10:00.004-04:00

Saving seeds is simple in theory, but my Master Gardener friend has cautioned me that cross pollination occurring tends to be high. I might end up with a cross between a cucumber or pumpkin with this little guy. Turban Cuke? Sometimes the anticipation of the growing season is half the fun.

Spring Stew

2009-10-05T12:33:00.001-04:00

Today, I made enough Spring Stew to try out the bath water canner my neighbor gave me. I was concerned when the lids were not sealing properly, but as soon as I turned off the heat and the water stopped boiling, I heard each can pop as they sealed! What fun!! See the quinoa in the stew? It looks like little squiggles. (I was going to say worms, but that would not sound very appetizing!!)

Labels

2009-10-04T12:25:00.002-04:00

Daughter #2 gave me a label maker. I thought, "What am I going to do with that?" I finally opened it today. I may need some type of label maker intervention. I have not labeled the salt and pepper yet, but this thing is FUN!!

Wintry Rain

2009-10-03T14:14:00.001-04:00

It is cold and dreary outside and the beds still need more work on them to be ready for winter. Maybe next week. I want to get the rain barrel cleaned up and inside for the winter with a longer downspout on the gutter. It seems winter is just around the bend, but I am still hoping for a few days of Indian Summer.

Reading Time

2009-10-02T12:31:00.000-04:00

I love books!!

Garlic

2009-10-01T12:19:00.001-04:00

My garlic shipment from Seed Savers Exchange has arrived! I have one of my 4 x 4 beds ready for the bulbs, but have been advised by my Master Gardener friend to wait until just before the ground freezes. That will help keep my pesky squirrels away...maybe.

Marion's Birthday Rose

2009-09-30T16:12:00.001-04:00

My friend and Sister In Spirit had a birthday party, and we all got a beautiful rose from George's Flowers. The roses come from Ecuador. Beautiful!! Thank you, Marion.

White Globs of ?

2009-09-27T12:04:00.000-04:00

While weeding around my Thujas, I found these white sacs completely surrounding one of them. I pulled them out and thought they might be mushroom sacs. The insides were quite moist and smelly...not really like a mushroom. Any guesses?

Drying Peppers

2009-09-26T12:01:00.000-04:00

I never realized that the different color pepper flakes you find in the jars actually can come from the same pepper. As you can see, some parts of the drying peppers have turned dark red and other parts light yellow. Almost time to crush them!

Turban Squash

2009-09-25T11:24:00.005-04:00

Isn't this Turban Squash exotic looking? I am definitely saving seeds from this little guy! Maybe I will make a rice dish with it. For now, I will just keep it to enjoy its character.

Bulk Shipment Arrived

2009-09-24T11:01:00.000-04:00

My order from Bulk Foods arrived today. I will be sharing some with friends. I am especially interested in using the Nutritional Yeast flakes. I think I will serve it as a stew topping instead of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian Soup

2009-09-23T11:08:00.002-04:00

I used the last of my tomatoes from the garden in this Italian Soup. Also from the garden, I threw in fennel and other herbs, carrots, onions, and loads of green peppers. Also added an acorn squash, zucchini and mushrooms to the mix. I will freeze some of the soup in smaller containers so we will have a reminder of the garden when the weather turns cooler. I am going to save the squash seeds for next year to share and plant.

Bouquet Garni

2009-09-22T10:42:00.001-04:00

I picked up a bargain cookbook today called, All In One and made the recipe called "Spring Stew". It called for a bouquet garni, so I made one with my very own herbs. Only the bay leaf was bought fresh from the store. The rest of the bouquet was rosemary, oregano, savory, thyme and sage. I wrapped it in cheesecloth and string. The stew was wonderful.

Recipe:

2 tbsp olive oil
4-8 baby onions, halved
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 in /5-mm slices
8 oz/225 g baby carrots, scrubbed and halved if large
10 1/2 oz /300 g new potatoes, scrubbed and halved or quartered if large
4-5 cups vegetable stock
3 cups canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 fresh bouquet garni
2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 oz/ 85 g baby corn
1 cup frozen or shelled fresh fava beans
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 head of Savoy or spring cabbage about 8 oz of 225 g
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
2-3 oz/55-85 g Parmesan or sharp Cheddar cheese, grated to serve

Directions:

Heat the oil in large, heavy-bottom pan with tight-fitting lid, and cook the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes, stirring frequently for 5 minutes until softened. Add stock, drained beans, bouquet garni, and soy sauce, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 12 minutes.
Add the baby corn and fava beans and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the leaves of the cabbage, add to the pan and simmer for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Blend the cornstarch with water, stir in pan and cook for 4-6 minutes until is has thickened. Remove bouquet garni.
Serve with grated cheese in separate dish for sprinkling at the last minute over soup.
Serves 4

Saving Seeds

2009-09-21T13:38:00.001-04:00

I want to try to save some seeds for next year's garden. It was pretty easy with this spaghetti squash. I enjoyed making these labels for future sharing. Maybe someone else has a better way of labeling? I wish I could just print on the envelopes I got, but this worked out pretty well.

Pepper Jam

2009-09-19T14:02:00.001-04:00

OK...great.

Spaghetti Squash

2009-09-18T14:42:00.001-04:00

I made a Spaghetti Squash dish for Rosh Hashanah. I forgot to take a picture of the dish before it was served and only got the tail end after the mim ate all the topping. It was good! I saved the seeds to plant and share next spring.

The End of the Tomatoes

2009-09-15T14:34:00.000-04:00

These are so ugly...and the tomatoes are rotten inside. Can you see the blight spots even in the stems of the plants and in the reds of the tomatoes?

Pepper Jam

2009-09-14T20:59:00.003-04:00

My neighbor, Mr. Hench gave me canning supplies. I loved making Pepper Jam using the supplies and my Chili Peppers. This jam is HOT!! I figure it will be good in Vegetarian Chili, on toasted bagels and cream cheese, my homemade salsas and on Western Omelets. I am not kidding when I tell you this is HOT!

:(

2009-09-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

OK...I have learned my lesson. When you have the very beginning of blight? Pull out the entire plant and carefully bag it. The tomato plants were just too close to the bird house vines and now I think they too have blight. Let's all just acknowledge that to pull seemingly healthy plants is very hard to do. Maybe I need to avoid any plant from the Solanaceae family in my garden for a couple years. Since this includes potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, eggplants and petunias, it will be a challenge. I still wonder if I am correct that the bird house gourd vines have blight?

Very Green Tomatoes

2009-09-10T14:58:00.002-04:00

Rather pathetic, I know. They will probably rot, so I may pick them off the vine tomorrow. I was hoping at least a few would be vine ripened successfully before the blight took them.

Pollination Continues

2009-09-09T14:51:00.001-04:00

The pumpkin blossoms are still being pollinated by the bees...see him waaaay in there before he climbs back out? Actually there are THREE bees in there making it look black at the base.

Peppers, peppers, peppers

2009-09-08T00:44:00.001-04:00

I have to figure out how to preserve the green chilies. I may freeze some to add to recipes later.

More Bee Pictures on Sedum

2009-09-07T14:32:00.000-04:00

Cute little bee butts!!

Haute Couture Naturelle

2009-09-07T14:21:00.004-04:00

Look at that tiny color coordinated bug on the leaf...mother nature's delicate fashion statement at its best.

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-09-07T11:45:00.006-04:00

All the lovely ingredients from our garden went into spaghetti sauce, making four batches. I froze some and we feasted on some. Happy Labor Day!

??

2009-09-06T13:08:00.001-04:00

I still have not had time to identify this flower. Anyone? I got three tine plants from the Master Gardener's plant sale and now they are huge!! They are about four feet tall and filled with wonderful blossoms.

Nate's Sunflower Seed Offer

2009-09-05T13:00:00.002-04:00

I saved quite a few seeds from the largest sunflower produced from Nate Kirkland's memorial sunflower seeds. Not many people took them in the office, so I have these left. If you knew Nate or are a member of the Dickinson College community, I will be happy to give you some. I think I will offer them again next spring when it is time for planting. The response will probably be better.

Bee Party

2009-09-04T12:41:00.002-04:00

The sedum are the last plants blooming in my gardens and the bees are taking full advantage. There are quite a few different kind of bees on each blossom. Since the sedum were falling to the ground, I almost cut them all back last week. For the bees sake, I am glad I waited.

Peppers

2009-09-03T11:57:00.000-04:00

It is amazing how prolific the peppers are! I wonder if the chilies will get late blight?

Beet Harvest

2009-09-02T12:53:00.000-04:00

What a satisfying beet harvest we had! I forgot to take pictures of the cooked beet greens we had and the beautiful site of the roasted beets. It was interesting how the largest beets had white rings in them, and did not have as much flavor as the smaller ones. I think next year, I will harvest them when they are smaller. Also, I did not thin them as well as they needed. When there were two plants growing together, they both were stunted to the extent of not even being worth eating except for their greens. Moral of the planting? Give each plant their own space!

Bird House Gourds

2009-09-01T12:12:00.001-04:00

Is this late blight on my bird house gourd vine? What a shame it will be if I lose all the vines and gourds to blight. I guess I should have pulled all of my tomatoes earlier. Live and learn.

Going to Seed

2009-08-31T12:03:00.002-04:00

Both the fennel and the basil are going to seed...I don't think this is good for the taste of either, but I am going to try to save seed from both. I figure it is time for some spaghetti sauce from the tomato harvest. Also I want to make Ina Garten's Potato-Fennel Gratin with organic potatoes.

Blight

2009-08-30T12:30:00.003-04:00

And they were doing so well!!! Sad...

I pulled up all but three of my tomato plants today due to blight. I harvested loads of green tomatoes and some ripe ones. I am not sure the green ones will ripen before they rot. I started these plants from heirloom seed back in March and April. It was sad to see them stuffed into two garbage bags. I wonder if I should not grow tomatoes for a couple years to rid my gardens of blight?

Earthworms

2009-08-30T12:27:00.001-04:00

While pulling up the tomatoes, I kept uprooting the most beautiful, big, fat worms! Yeah organic gardening!

Is it ripe yet?

2009-08-29T21:11:00.001-04:00

I cannot wait to weigh this guy, but I am not sure when it will be considered ripe. And somebody better quit gnawing on my pumpkin!!

Drying Herbs

2009-08-28T17:09:00.000-04:00

Fennel, stevia and sage.

Cherry Tomato Plant

2009-08-27T17:21:00.001-04:00

The cherry tomato seeds from the Master Gardener class which produced one plant has grown to six feet tall and produced about a dozen tomatoes thus far. They are delicious, but with tough skins. I have enjoyed my container plants.

Hostas at Night

2009-08-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

The hostas open up their blossoms at night and smell heavenly!

Spooky

2009-08-26T17:07:00.001-04:00

Hosta night creatures...

Spider

2009-08-25T17:01:00.000-04:00

This beautiful spider created her HUGE web right above Harry Lauder's Walking Stick. It is a perfect place for her to entice gourmet delights each night.

Pretty Tomatoes

2009-08-24T16:30:00.001-04:00

Peppers Drying

2009-08-23T16:48:00.000-04:00

I have more peppers drying over the sink now. I anticipated them giving off fumes which would challenge our senses, but so far that is not the case.

Homemade Vanilla

2009-08-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

The vanilla I have been brewing is almost finished. It smells grand. The recipe? Vodka and Vanilla Beans and Time!

Edamame

2009-08-20T16:35:00.001-04:00

Good ole soybeans! Yum. What an incredible harvest from 16 beans.

Twins!!

2009-08-16T21:16:00.000-04:00

Drying Chiles

2009-08-16T20:18:00.000-04:00