One Small Victory Garden

Holy Moly Melons!

2011-07-20T11:11:00.002-04:00

We have melons. Lots of them! I was expecting two, maybe three to form from this one little plant. As it has grown, I've observed many male flowers and an occasional female. I had my eye on one blossom that had a swollen fruit but it never grew. I was beginning to think I may never get a melon this year.

Last evening I went out to tie up the tomatoes and water the plants. This heat wave we're experiencing in the Midwest has kept me inside until late in the evening. I couldn't believe my eyes when I glanced over and there was a HUGE melon growing along the fencing. Upon further inspection, I counted ten melons, some already lemon sized, some still little. I need to figure out some sort of support for them. I've heard of using pantyhose as slings. Good thing pantyhose are cheap. I need a lot :)

Garden Surprises

2011-07-03T00:04:00.003-04:00

Found lots of great things in the garden this last walkthrough. A volunteer cucumber plant, jalapeno pepper, and two roma tomatoes. Chopped up the pepper and had it in our eggs this morning. Moderately hot and yummy!

Growing Good

2011-06-24T20:06:00.005-04:00

What weather we are having here in central Indiana. The springs are more unusual by the year. It is raining at least three times per week and the temperature fluctuates from 90s one day to high 60s the next. Most people I know are sick of the rain, and I was too until I was able to plant the garden. Now, I say bring it on!

The Cherokee Purple is out of control. In fact, I did some heavy handed pruning today. It is the only one with a tomato growing. No, the Early Girl has one, too, but it's still in its infancy. I am excited to see the Black Krim doing well. Two years ago I tried a Black Krim and something ate it down to the soil line and it never recovered. The Roma is bushy with flower buds and the Pink Brandywine has two large buds. The poor German Queen was growing sideways and when I tried to stand her up, I heard a crack in the stalk. Forunately, it had another, smaller, stem growing out of the soil so perhaps that will take off.

Cherokee Purple
Pink Brandywine
German Queen

The peppers all look great for the most part. It looks as though birds are trying to eat the leaves. There are long tear marks in some of them. There are flowers on most and a few fruits starting to grow on the green bell. The melon has several flowers, most of which appear to be male at the point. Rosemary, thyme, and parsley are holding their own. Cilantro bolted immediately and my son finished it off when he ripped it out of the soil. *sigh* Three year olds. At least he didn't pick my tomato.

Melon

Adventures in Strawberry Jam

2011-06-17T00:00:00.003-04:00

I finally did it! My very first jam. I'm a little teary-eyed thinking about it.

The whole shebang couldn't have gone any better. I picked up fresh strawberries at Waterman's Farm. $14 for 4 quarts. Once home, I hulled, washed, and sliced them into a bowl. I mashed them with a potato masher to help them release their juice and reduce cooking time. I combined the mash with sugar and a little lemon zest. Once cooked, I added liquid pectin and followed the instructions from there. Easy Peasy! And tastes delicious, I might add.

Progress in the Garden

2011-06-12T09:59:00.006-04:00

In years past, we had a tilled area for the garden(roughly 15'x15'). I made makeshift rows or planted in patches. Weeds inevitably took control of the garden and the crowded plants were a jungle. This led to a jaded temperament on my behalf and failure in the garden. This year, we changed it up. We sectioned the garden off into four quadrants and boxed them in as raised beds measuring 6'x6', leaving a 2' walkway in between. Compost will be added regularly in order to build up the soil level. Once the soil reaches the tops of the board, I envision adding another board to really make some raised beds (and save my back)! Eventually, I'll add mulch or hay to the walking paths and perhaps a little picket fence around the garden.

Everything was bought from the store this year. I had too many time constraints with the pregnancy and delivering to focus on starting them all from seed. I am finding the 6x6 to be a bit large, having a slightly difficult time maneuvering around. That is why you see big empty spaces in the middle, which I am not happy about. I did have a zucchini planted with the melon, but something ate it. I want to give the melon plenty if room, so maybe I'll save that space for planting garlic in the fall. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Below are pictures of what I have planted for this year. Like I've said before, we are focusing on a "salsa" garden. Although, the cilantro bolted the day after I planted it. I lost the ID card for the melon, but it promised a bumper crop.

Where For Art Thou Daily Bread?

2011-05-24T17:12:00.005-04:00

Still searching for that perfect daily sandwich bread. Something great to grill up a cheese sandwich, slather PB&J all over, or butter up in the morning with breakfast. Apparently that's too much to ask.

I've had a break for baking for awhile now. My second son, born early April, and the elder have demanded much of my time and attention these past weeks. Taking an hour to mix and knead bread wasn't happening, until today. My husband, who we will call Mr. AntiAgricorporatarian, has recently expressed an explicit desire to purchase as much food locally (meaning, within our county) as possible. We have been using Green B.e.a.n. delivery through the winter and spring months, thinking we would be eating more locally grown organic produce. It's not as local as I had anticipated, but it is organic and they try to keep it regional if not from the state (although I'm pretty sure those tomatoes they gave us four weeks ago weren't from this region). I decided I needed to start baking our daily bread if we wanted to achieve this goal.

A co-worker had given me this recipe prior to my maternity leave. The original recipe only calls for bread flour, however my co-worker along with many of the reviews state they substitute whole wheat regularly. I never had much luck with whole wheat. It's difficult to knead and has little rise to it. It also tends to be rather dense, at least when I make it.

It mixed together easily, but I did add 1 c. extra flour for proper consistency. The first rise took a little over an hour. The second rise wasn't impressive and there was little oven spring. I'm undecided. It's delicious without a doubt but its density is what I'm up in the air about. It's a moist dough and certainly the closest to good sandwich loaf bread to come out of my oven. It just feels heavy and underdone. To be fair, I subbed 2 c. whole wheat flour and 1/2 c. flax seed meal, and reduced water by 1/2 cup. My first judgement came early, as I sliced into it without a cool down.

The texture improved somewhat with time, but it still remains heavy. Slathering butter on a toasted piece helps, though.

Speaking of butter, can we discuss butter crocks for a moment? I recently purchased one because I was sick and tired of 1) using margarine, and 2) impossibly spreading cold butter. Crocks have been used for centuries and are on the vast majority of French counter tops. So why do Americans insist instead on ingesting an inferior product? I blame the post-war, mid-mod revolution: convenience.

It's a simple thing to use. Pack a stick of softened butter in the bell, fill the crock with a little water and leave it on your counter. The water creates a seal thus preventing rancid butter. Now, anytime you need it, soft spreadable butter! Do something great for yourself and your family. Buy the crock!

I've done it again...

2010-12-16T00:04:00.002-05:00

Where am I? What is happening with the garden? Why am I not posting?

Well, kids..

It all happened one fateful day in August when I found out this mother of one will become a mother of two. My rapidly expanding uterus combined with gross-out hormones raging through my body forced me inside rather than out, preventing any productivity in the garden. My husband took over some of the harvesting but it was too little, too late. The plants suffered greatly, the garden was overrun by weeds. In October, I even tried to go out and pull up the remains with limited success. There are now withered tomato plants buried under inches of snow. I hate to think of all the volunteer tomato plants I'll be pulling up next year.

Speaking of next year..

The newcomer is sure to arrive by the first of April. Planting a full-scale garden and taking care of a newborn does not seem to go hand-in-hand. My husband I both decided to plant what we are calling a Salsa Garden. A few tomato plants, pepper plants, onions, and basil. If we're feeling adventurous, maybe a block of corn, a pumpkin or melon. But seriously, that's it. No more cramming 14 tomatoes in two rows and planting bush beans when you only get to harvest enough for maybe one canned jar.

2011 will be a practical year.

Harvests

2010-07-11T20:55:00.009-04:00

The garden has seen exponential growth during the month of June. Good rains and warm sunshine boosted the warm-loving plants and bolted the rest. The paths are overrun with weeds: the mulch has mysteriously disappeared and my neglect for various reasons have not helped. The eggplant and potatoes are being devestated by flea beetles and I'm starting to notice aphids on the tomato plants. Ladybugs, where are you??

I've had a few nice harvests along the way. The only one I didn't capture on film are the Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes: the first, second, and third ripe ones were eaten in the garden.

May 5: Cilantro

May 15: Purple Plum Radishes

June 3: Five Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard

June 7: Strawberries from Waterman's Market (hand-picked)

July 3: Royal Purple and Contender Bush Beans

July 10: Costata Romanesca Zucchini, Delikatesse Cucumbers, Bush Beans, Odessa Market Peppers

Chard

2010-06-03T21:04:00.005-04:00

Five Color Silverbeet in the garden

and ready to eat for dinner!

To prep chard, fold in half and cut the leaf away from the stalk. I like to chop the stalks up like celery and throw them in the pan to soften before the greens. LOTS of good vitamins: A, C, E, and K as well as B complexes including folate. Chard is usually cooked like other dark leafy "greens", sauteed with onions and garlic. I've also used it in place of lettuce on sandwiches; it's just a touch chewier. If you aren't growing it, it should be available in the markets from June to August.

Barefoot Bloggers - Spring Green Risotto

2010-05-21T21:51:00.005-04:00

The Barefoot Bloggers have some kind of nerve. Last month, just as my husband and I vowed abstinence from carbs, two cookie recipes were posted! Normally, I would have made them (and devoured them), but I made a promise to my husband and myself - NO MORE CARBS!!!

Then, just like that, May recipes are posted...Risotto. Damn.

Instead of making it the main dish, it became a side dish for our boneless, skinless, boring chicken breast. The arborio rice was also out. I searched the grocery store for a short grain brown rice to no avail. I settled for the brown version of sushi rice, a medium grain. Besides, it's a two-fer. Now experimentation with brown rice sushi can begin!

The problem with brown rice is that darn bran, the healthy part. White rice is stripped of the bran, therefore more readily gives up all those delicious starches. And starch makes for a creamy risotto. So I stirred and stirred. For an hour I stirred that rice into submission. I even have the blister to prove it.

A few minor substitutions were necessary, besides the rice. I replaced the wine with chicken broth. Cream cheese was substituted for mascarpone. White asparagus was the only variety available at the store. And I cheated - cooking the asparagus and peas WITH the rice instead of blanching separately.

The first picture shows the risotto process first starting. The rice has not absorbed the chicken stock nor released any starch. The second, the rice is plump and there is a thicker consistency to the stock.

I want to love risotto. This version was better than my previous attempt by a mile. The problem is that I always except far more creaminess than actually exists, and when there is still a bite to the rice, I'm put off. It's a texture thang. Plus, the peas weren't fully cooked and soft (cheats never work), so that added another texture issue. My tot loved it. I liked it. My husband would be fine never eating it again. The recipe is a good one, regardless of aforementioned indiscretions.

C'mon Big Red!

2010-05-18T22:50:00.005-04:00

I'm so proud I was able to accomplish everything on my list over the weekend. Well, truth be told I didn't go fishing. None of us did for fear of the brutal thunderstorms looming on the radar. The only fishing I did that night was fertilize the tomatoes with fish emulsion. As expected with Indiana weather, the rest of the night turned out to be beautiful with nary a raindrop fall.

I only transplanted six of the tomatoes: Matt's Wild Cherry, Green Doctors, Depp's Pink Firefly, Indian Stripe, Kellogg's Breakfast, and Big Beef. They survived a week's worth of hardening off, along with all six of the Odessa Market bell peppers. The problem lies with the others. Not only their leaves but the stems were damaged during hardening off. I left them outside overnight and perhaps watered too infrequently while I was away from home. One is an Indiana Red that I've been anxiously waiting to grow out and taste. Here are a few pictures of the damage.

There are a few developing suckers (one which you can see well in the last photo) that I will grow out to help it develop foliage and better roots. Maybe it's salvageable?

The tomatoes weren't the only plants affected. While the bell peppers have tolerated my negligence with grace, the hot peppers have been a bit nasty. The white habaneros dropped all but four of their leaves and the black pearl has been turning, well, almost purplish-black. They are now back under the lights following a good dose of fish emulsion. Not a one has died and all are sprouting new leaves.

Before The Rain

2010-05-15T14:42:00.011-04:00

Top Row: 3 year-old Weigela, Newly planted Dahlia, Newly transplanted Matt's Wild Cherry tomato
Middle: Pea, Boxed in garden, Purple Plum radish harvest
Bottom: Newly transplanted Odessa Market bell pepper, New birdhouse, Rocky Top lettuce mix.

Very successful day in the garden! I accomplished all the tasks mentioned in the post below with the help of my husband. All before a big nasty rainstorm approached central Indiana.

The time is right to plant, in my opinion. It will be cloudy and overcast the next 3-4 days, nighttime temperatures will remain in the mid-50s, and rainshowers are expected! I didn't want them to burn up under the hot sun. Only time will tell if I did the right thing. I still have half of the tomatoes left under my lights - they aren't fairing too well. I may pot up those and give them another week or so, along with the hot peppers and eggplant.

The Plan

2010-05-15T00:32:00.002-04:00

1. Box in the garden.
2. Plant half the tomatoes & bell peppers.
3. Sow beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and basil.
4. Harvest radishes.
5. Sow more carrots.
6. Plant flowers in the planters & bed in the front.
7. Go fishing!

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T15:06:00.003-04:00

What a wonderful day it has been. I was woken by my husband and son after a peaceful night's sleep. They came bearing gifts that, while unnecessary, were thoughtful and generous. The three of us have since spent the day together eating a delightful breakfast, shopping, and playing in the park under partly cloudy skies. I do believe I'm just about the luckiest woman alive.

If the weather was warmer, I would spend the afternoon in the garden enjoying its tranquility. Temperatures just above freezing tonight keep me from putting the tomatoes in the ground. My only task right now is weeding, but that too can be oddly therapeutic.

Happy Mother's Day to every mother out there. Keep up the good work of teaching our children many things, but most importantly honesty, respect, and patience.

Hairy Legs & Fireflies

2010-04-18T12:00:00.004-04:00

Close-up of the Indiana Red. She's a hairy one! The others have fuzz, but not like this. Wonder if it means anything?

One tomato plant is not like the others. The Depp's Pink Firefly has a very different leaf formation. I'm guessing it's a potato-leaf variety.

Transplant

2010-04-17T20:33:00.006-04:00

Last weekend, I spent an hour transplanting the rest of my seedlings. I had already repotted my bell peppers, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, and thyme. They have been doing great! In fact, they spend several hours outside, taking advantage of these warm and sunny days. The tomatoes and hot peppers had started to look affected by their compact quarters. I think they've appreciated the upgrade.

I went the cheap route and used plastic 16oz party cups. I filled with an unmeasured mixture of potting soil and peat. And, I even remembered to poke holes in the bottom! After separating the roots, I used Craig's method of pushing them down into the soil. It was quick and easy. Then I watered and left them in filtered sunlight for the rest of the afternoon. They are all now looking healthy, have good growth with more leaves. I have lost one tomato, Costoluto Genovese. I have two cups that apparently skipped the marking process...so we'll see what becomes of those!

Speaking of the bell peppers, there are six Odessa Markets that are looking healthy and happy! I noticed three of them have started a flower bud. Thinking I should pinch it off, giving more energy to root growth and foliage. They aren't going in the ground for at least another two weeks, so it would be a waste of an unpollinated flower.

What's Happening

2010-04-13T23:09:00.002-04:00

Things have been moving right along here in the victory garden. The onions have been moved into their permanent home, alongside sowings of Swiss chard, radish, and spinach. All tomatoes have been upgraded to roomier accommodations under the lights along with the hot peppers. I even threw down some grass seed and soil, hoping to reduce the blinding bareness of the backyard.

As a side note, I've been reviewing the self-made videos of Craig LeHoullier. The man lives and breathes tomatoes. He was responsible for bringing Cherokee Purple to Seed Savers Exchange, a tomato which is now extremely popular at Farmer's Markets around the country. He demonstrates a dense seed sowing method and how to transplant young seedlings. Although I will never (at least not now!) require as many tomatoes as Craig is planting, I did enjoy using his thumb method for my transplants this weekend. Please support his blog @ nctomatoman.

Homemade Yogurt

2010-04-07T23:03:00.009-04:00

Making yogurt at home is incredibly easy and requires minimal supplies. Today, I tasted my first batch and it was delicious. Helping me along was Dr. Fankhauser. I varied the procedure a bit.

SUPPLIES
8 Half-Pint Jars
2 Stockpots
Measuring Cup
Kitchen Thermometer

INGREDIENTS
1/2-gallon Milk
Plain Yogurt

Seriously, this is easy. I cut the original recipe in half and used smaller jars.

First, sterilize your canning jars. I do not have a dishwasher, so I use the old-fashioned method of boiling the crap out of them. I do this in a very LARGE (worried it will break the ceramic stovetop one day) pressure canner.

Next, pour milk into stockpot and slowly bring it to 190 degrees. Immediately place it into a sink of cold water. Cool to 130 degrees.

Place a half cup of the cooled milk in a measuring cup. Add enough yogurt to make one cup. Stir to completely blend.

Add this mixture slowly to the cooled milk and stir to blend well.

Pour evenly amongst sterilized half-pint jars. Add lid and ring. I left very little headspace in mine. Place jars back back into the pot you sterilized your jars in. I wrapped a towel around them to help insulate. Place the whole pot in the oven with the light on. The light provides enough warmth for the GOOD bacteria to grow, we cooked the milk to kill the BAD bacteria.

Allow this to sit for about 12 hours and you will have delicious yogurt!

2 Day Spring Break

2010-03-31T16:28:00.007-04:00

Adult spring breaks come in short little bursts of beautiful weather. These are our only chances to get out of the office and back under the warm sun. The past two days have been just that. Gorgeous clear, sunny skies that make all the tree buds pop open and flowers awaken, forcing even the most antisocial-ites outside to enjoy the weather.

Projects are in the works for landscaping the backyard. Most are small projects. I want to create two flower boxes and one raised area to plant blueberries. Then we'll dig up two woody bushes in the front yard and replace the area with hostas and indigenous wildflowers. I told my husband to leave the backyard to me...it's my domain. There's also completely reseeding the dog area. The ex-dog (we had to divorce her, it was a bad relationship) destroyed it with all her pacing. It'll be a project, that's for sure.

Speaking of the hubs...I would have had pictures of everything to share with you, but he took off on a scooter ride and took the camera. I'm sure it'll be worth it. His videos and pictures are always great!

In The Garden

2010-03-20T21:18:00.000-04:00

Oh how wonderful it felt to be out in the garden, even if it was only to complete a few tasks. The weather was warm, still the wind was a sharp reminder of March. I'm convinced that spring is here, in her infancy.

When I set out to the garden, my goals were to turn the soil and plant peas, radish, and spinach. I also took the onions out to acclimate them to their new environment. Once I stepped foot into the garden, I realized the soil conditions had changed. It went from a nice loamy texture to hard, wet clay. It rained for a few days prior and the dog had been running around, leaving mud-molded paw prints behind.

With a little effort, I was able to turn a row. By the fence, I noticed that the soil remained that loamy soil from before the rain. The sun always hits this side first, helping it to dry out faster. Easily, I turned this soil and prepared it for the peas. I spaced them about 4" apart in a long row. I decided not to sow the other seeds, dut to unfavorable soil conditions. We're expecting another rain now, so the next dry spell I'll go out and start again.

The onions did well outside for two days. It will be a few more before they return; I have to work. I bought potting soil and perlite at the store, ready to pot-up the peppers and herbs as they are setting their third set of leaves. I have lots of pepper plants. I hate to cull them. If I have room, I will pot-up and either give them away or sell them. But that's for another day, during nap-time.

I've also been busy changing the look of the website, adding new products to My Happy Kitchen and also adding a My Happy Kitchen facebook fan page. So many things to do and simply no time with a little tot running around. Then again, I wouldn't trade that for the world.

1st Tomato Sprout

2010-03-13T21:56:00.005-05:00

Kellogg's Breakfast, 4 days

Barefoot Bloggers - Individual Meat Loaves

2010-03-11T20:23:00.008-05:00

It feels good to be back with the Barefoot Bloggers. It allows me a(nother) good reason to make really great dishes from one of my faves: Ina Garten. Like I've said before, she writes recipes that are simple yet exquisite, often infusing French cuisine a la Julia Child. Today was anything but French. No wine, no butter, no herbes de Provence. Only good All-American food. Here's my tale of the mini meatloaf.

Recipe: Individual Meat Loaves

The first thing I thought about changing with this recipe was the meat. Friends at work have been raving about a turkey meatloaf which I've been meaning to try. However, after two straight nights of chicken, I was ready for something heartier. Ground sirloin certainly made it a leaner meatloaf, much better than the chuck I've used in the past. I cut back to two pounds for a total of four mini loaves.

Ina explicitly instructs the cook to soften the onions without any browning. I disagree. A bit of carmelization I feel is necessary to bring out the natural sugars and add a touch of sweetness to the meat, which the ketchup on top mimics. I also didn't have any fresh thyme to add, it's still in the seedling stage under grow lights. Instead, I utilized the pesto I made in the fall with ALL that basil. The rest went together as written and cooked in 40 minutes flat.

I made a side of redskin buttermilk mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts with shallot and balsamic vinegar. The meatloaf had a nice texture and held together well. There was little fat, yet remained moist even around the edges. My husband has expressed his pleasure with the meal, repeatedly. It's definitely one of the better meat loaves I've made.

There were these light green roses at the entrance to the grocery store today. I couldn't resist. They lift my mood everytime I walk by. Spring is in the air around here.

First Bloom

2010-03-09T15:15:00.006-05:00

How delightful this early March weather has been! Mild, sunny, and just warm enough for my bulbs to send up their leaves. Today, while I was out playing with the tot, I noticed three bright yellow crocuses were awake, bowing their delicate heads towards us as if to say 'hello'.

I once read that when the first bloom appears in Spring, peas should be planted in the ground. The garden is not quite ready and rain will be hitting the area hard all week. My goal is by St. Patrick's Day. Along with the peas, I will sow chard, lettuce, beets, radishes, and bok choy along with setting out the already started onions.

Here's todays list of started seeds!

Tomatoes

Matt's Wild Cherry(OP)

Green Doctors(OP)

Depp's Pink Firefly(OP)

Indian Stripe(OP)

Indiana Red(OP)

Granny Cantrell(OP)

Kellogg's Breakfast(OP)

Costoluto Genovese(OP)

Big Beef Beefsteak(F1)

Eggplant, Rosa Bianca

Peppers

Jalapeno

Hungarian Paprika

Mapped Out

2010-03-03T00:16:00.004-05:00

It's funny how the old-school shit just works better.

I've been using online garden planning software over and over again to figure out what exactly is going where this spring. Tonight, after many frustrated attempts, I purchased plain ol' graph paper. In a matter of a few hours, the entire thing was drawn. I've made more room for tomatoes (12, if not 14), created succession/companion plantings, and confirmed that bush beans DO have a spot in the 2010 victory garden! Potatoes will be placed in bins along the south side of the house and herbs, except basil, will be kept in containers on the deck.

I've yet to figure out where to place the peas this spring. Maybe in the middle of the garden where the tomatoes will go...? A fall garden needs to be planned, too. I'd like to include cauliflower and broccoli. Again, maybe start seed between tomatoes to provide protection during the hot weather and as they grow, the tomatoes will be dying off. Or not. Timing is everything.

Seedling Setup

2010-02-23T21:21:00.004-05:00

One of my biggest failures last year revolved around seedling maintenance. Although I improved the situation over the prior year's South-facing window with a florescent shop light above the refrigerator, there simply wasn't enough room to grow everything out and maintain a close light-to-seed proximity. This year, I decided to buy a shelving unit and place a shop light on each shelf, allowing more lighting height flexibility and definitely more room. Following my husband's advice, I placed it in the laundry room. Not only does it fit beautifully, it always stays warmer than the rest of the house, and it is tucked away from the prying hands of a toddler. I have one more light to add for now, then more will be added as needed.

I started pepper and herb seeds a few weeks ago, February 13th to be exact. Dates next to variety are the date they germinated.

Odessa Market (Bell), 2/23
Dragon's Claw (Hot), 2/21
White Habanero (Hot), 2/21
Black Pearl (Hot), 2/21
Thyme, 2/18
Rosemary, 2/22
Cilantro, 2/22
Parsley, 2/23

The onions seem to be doing well. I was concerned for a bit because the tips were browning and curling up. I thought perhaps I kept them too close to the light or over fertilized them, although I only used a very dilute fish emulsion solution. They have all put forth another leaf (if that's what you call them) and appear vigorous. I have not fertilized them again. I've read to keep them snipped to 3-4 inches to promote better root growth. They'll be due for a haircut soon.

This is what I do on a cold snow day...

2010-02-12T14:22:00.027-05:00

...make bread. For a long time, this Farmhouse White (as it's called by Susan of A Year in Bread), was my go-to, daily bread. It's a hefty dough, using almost eleven cups of flour. I'm always worried the Kitchen Aid won't be able to withstand the stress, as it whines and moans with each turn of the dough hook. The reward is great - three wonderful loaves of sliceable bread. Somewhere along the way I strayed, finding myself in search of greener pastures. And while those adventures were wonderful, here I am again, yearning for an old staple. Here is my interpration of a classic.

Recipe

All-Purpose Flour, 566 grams, or about 4 cups
Yeast, 2 TBSP
Sugar, 2 TBSP
Olive Oil, 2 TBSP
Milk, 4 cups
Bread Flour, 825 grams, or about 6 cups
Salt, 1 1/2 TBSP

Oh, did I mention we're going old school today? By hand, folks!! Mix the first three ingredients in a large bowl. Add olive oil and warmed milk, creating a very wet mixture.

Slowly add in the bread flour, about one cup at a time. I used about 4 1/2 cups, since I tend to add a lot when kneading. The result should be slightly sticky. Turn out onto well-floured surface and begin to knead, adding extra flour to prevent sticking.

Once the dough becomes smooth, place bowl back over dough to rest and autolyse. After twenty minutes, remove the bowl. It should be springy and hold an indentation. Pat the dough out and begin incorporating the salt by sprinking it on throughout a second knead.

Once dough is once again soft and supple, place into your well-floured dough bowl and sprinkle with flour. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. Wait until doubled. I place mine on the stovetop and set the oven to "warm", which keeps my dough at about 75 degrees Farenheight.

Once doubled, cut into three even portions and shape into loaves. I only have two loaf pans, so I saved the extra for another time. Place in a preheated oven at 375F for about 35 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Then wait. Wait for about an hour to slice, if you can stand it. It'll be worth every minute!

**Submitted to YeastSpotting.

My Happy Kitchen

2010-02-10T20:59:00.005-05:00

Please check out my online store if you haven't done so already. I've made a few items available for purchase, such as these very soft, very organic dishcloths.

Aprons, potholders, and kitchen curtains to be added soon!

Onions in Winter

2010-02-06T22:40:00.004-05:00

Snow fell again yesterday. Big, thick, wet flakes accumulated on the ground, about four inches or so. Not nearly as much as my good friends in the D.C. area, 27 inches of snow!! I'm completely satisfied with my four. There was plenty of wind, too. It drifted snow up against our cars and carved out snow in beautiful shapes around other areas. I finished knitting a pair of mittens for my little one so we could get our play on!

Unaware of freezing temperatures outside, the onion seeds I started February 2nd sprouted up from within their little cells. I don't have the shelving and light setup for my seedlings. I'm using the old setup on top of the fridge for now. Finally a start to the gardening season.

A Knit Fix

2010-02-02T22:30:00.002-05:00

The scarf is finished!!

I've been working on a new lovely green scarf. It's very cozy and just the right length. Just in time for the usual (you think spring is here with the 40 degree temps but it's not, really...) February we're about to have.

But this is a gardening blog, you say? True, but it's one about sustainability. Knitting, sewing, cooking, gardening: creating a homesteading experience would be nearly impossible without these practical, everyday skills. I'm curious as to the point in time when these things slipped beneath us, seen as something less than an office full of pencil pushers.

Yarn: Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton in Pistachio (3 skeins)
Needles: US 15
Pattern: Palindrome

Decisions submissions

2010-01-20T13:25:00.005-05:00

It's about that time. Yup, time to order my seeds for the new year. I've been scouting, circling, pondering. How many tomatoes? Where to put the mesculn mix? Potatoes: yes or no?

I have made a few finite decisions. The layout of the garden will be in quadrants with the fence remaining on the east side of the garden. And, I will improve my seed starting setup with more shelves, better lighting, and better starting mix. That's where it ends, allowing indecision to take hold.

Tomatoes

No more than 8-10 plants. Last year I had at least 12 and it was crowded. They will be planted on the north side of the garden to prevent shading. The garden is
15'x15'. I'll plant two staggered rows. Along with the tomatoes, I'll plant the peppers, basil, and possibly carrots.

Now what varieties? I will keep my hybrid: Big Beef Beefsteak. It was prolific an decent tasting. I might go back to the Super Sweet 100s as my cherry. I grew Black Cherry last year and although they tasted really good, it wasn't a heavy producer and split a lot. I have seeds for Indian Stripe and Granny Cantrell. I think I'll buy Costoluto Genovese and Depp's Pink Firefly.

Peppers

I want to grow four sweet pepper, a few jalepeno peppers, and one or two hot peppers. I need to decide soon. Varieties include: King of the North and Odessa Market (sweet peppers). For the hot ones, probably the Black Pearl and White Habanero I tried to grow last year, plus a jalepeno variety. These should be started indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. That means I need to be ready by February 23rd, 10 weeks before my last frost date of May 4.

Carrots

I want to use a different kind this year. Last year's Royal Chantenay were nice, but had a big inner core which tasted very earthy/woody the longer it stayed in the ground. St. Valery from Baker's Creek looks good to me.

Peas

I'm sure I'll be able to get a good spring start on the garden this year, weather always permitting. I'll try out the Lincoln Garden pea.

Greens

I really want to expand this area of the garden. I'll continue with the Rainbow Chard and Jericho Romaine. I want to add a Mesculn Mix and Spinach.

Those are the big decisions I need to make. Throw in there cukes, beans and maybe a squash plant. Add a dash of potatoes and eggplant plus a hint of herbs and I may have a complete garden.

Who's a good boy?

2010-01-19T15:57:00.004-05:00

My three-year-old black lab, Blue Bear, that's who! For that he deserves something special: homemade dog treats. I've wanted to make them for some time now. They've always seemed fairly easy, no more work than cookies. Plus, the fact that I control the ingredients, improving the overall healthfulness and avoid the fillers that plague cheap, store-bought treats makes it a win-win.

An online search yields several recipes with varied ingredients for different flavors or to provide a health benefit. Regardless, they were all basically the same - a stiff dough made with whole wheat. Roll out into desired shapes and bake. Leave in oven overnight to further dry them out for extra crunch. For the bear's treats, I used a mixture of whole wheat, flax seed, peanut butter, garlic, and molasses.

"Hey, mom. Are they done yet??"

Admitedly, these smell great. Somewhere between a cookie and a pot roast. Hahaha. I didn't have a dog bone shaped cookie cutter, but no worries! I DO have a scared Halloween kitty cutout. Is that wrong?

Now if I can just keep my dog food-eating 18 month old away from the treats...

Proof: 2009 veggies DO exist!

2010-01-16T14:00:00.006-05:00

Yes, I realize I failed to keep this blog updated this past gardening season...I promise to be better about it this year. Sometimes a girl needs a little attitude adjustment. Pictures were being taken all the while, so there is proof I did more than plant seeds. I had a few harvests of tomatoes, lots of cucumbers and a big bunch of basil, not to mention the beautiful sunflowers all summer long. Enjoy!

Plan A Garden

2010-01-07T10:17:00.007-05:00

A fellow IDigger recommended an online garden planning tool, plangarden.com. It allows you to create your garden and plant vegetables within minutes. It also calculates estimated last frosts and when you should expect to start seeds indoors or directly plant. A built in daily journal of weeding, weather, and pests will allow you to evaluate efficacy and trends within your garden.

I used similar software last year with less features. I enjoyed the fact it gave me a sense of spacing. I realize now it made me too structured, unable to deviate from the plan even if my real-time spacing wasn't adding up. I'm sure that was my own newbie-ness shining through and not the fault of the gardening tool. May experience allow online planning to be a helpful tool in 2010. Cheers!

The homepage features tools for vegetable caculation and vegetable planning. They also created an online community of users utilizing forum and blogging formats. A nifty feature allows you to view other gardens by location. Who knows, maybe we'll find each other one day...although it must be before the 45 day free trial ends!

2010 - New Year, Fresh Start

2010-01-03T21:33:00.003-05:00

2009 was a disappointing year for the garden. Too much rain, not enough heat, and plants that suffered not only the inclement weather, but my neglect.

The Good

Basil: I grew two plants among my row of tomatoes and peppers. Both did very well. I harvested leaves several times throughout the summer and it always grew more. I never know if I'm supposed to let it flower or not. It did, and I never noticed a big difference in flavor or texture. At the end of the season, I made a big batch of pesto and froze it in ice cube trays.

Cucumbers: I had cukes coming out my ears! I grew a pickling and a slicer. The rain, however, made them GINORMOUS (is that a word?) very quickly. I would harvest them for fear of them rotting on the vine only to have them rot in my kitchen before I could do anything with them. I made a batch of dill pickles (mushy) and a batch of sweet relish (delish!).

Lettuce: The romaine, to be specific. I started seeds indoors, perhaps too early, and set them out in spring. They took awhile to get a foothold, but once they did it was well worth the wait. The romaine was sweet and crunchy. It acted like a cut and come again variety, with almost another full head growing after the initial harvest.

The Bad

Tomatoes: Too much rain. Too much fungus/blight/whatever. Poor support system. Poor spacing between plants. I tried to cram way too much in the space I had allotted. Don't get me wrong, there were a few triumps. The Big Beef Beefsteak was a winner. Both plants grew big and tall and provided with plenty of slicers. I was able to harvest a few Pink Berkley Tie-Dye and Black Cherry tomatoes. Both were delicious. The supposed return of the Black Krim was no return at all, just another Big Beef. The plants I set out later in the season did very poorly. By the time they set fruit, temperatures were dropping and the fungal/blight/terrible-ness had set in. I ended up pulling my Dwarf Red Hearts, Granny Cantrells, and Opalka without tasting.

Brussels Sprouts: What a waste of space! I realize that my timing was WAY off on these suckers as I had planted them in the ground in April. They grew sprouts, but they were tiny and by the time fall came around the bugs had devoured the plants. A wasp had taken up residence inside of one.

Peppers: The bell peppers took forever to set fruit. I think I harvested three small, boxy peppers. The hot peppers didn't even survive transplanting.

Beets: Tiny, small, woody.

The Mediocre: Fair harvest/Okay taste

Pole Beans
Swiss Chard
Carrots
Radishes
Potatoes
Broccoli

So what's new for 2010? I'm not sure yet. The catalogs are piling up on the kitchen table. Hopefully a better arrangment, support, and rotation of crops.

Baby roots

2009-06-25T22:45:00.002-04:00

The radishes are spicy! I yanked a carrot to see how they've grown. Curiosity got the best of me.

Potato Blossoms

2009-06-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

I was terrified to see blossoms on the potatoes! I thought they had gone to seed and I lost the chance to harvest any potatoes this season. Some frantic Google research reassured me that blossoms mean little tubers are starting to form (hopefully deep under all that soil). Today, the blossoms seemed more benign and innocent. I wonder if they are edible.

Bonus Pic: Carrots

New sprouts

2009-06-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

The seeds I planted on Memorial Day are finally coming up. The radishes and beets are up, although reduced in number by somebody's uncensored weeding. The beans and cucumbers are up and putting on their first set of true leaves. I'm pretty sure I have spinach and chard, but it's difficult for me to tell them apart from the weeds, so I'm waiting til they grow up a big. Was that an admission of guilt?

Radishes

Beets

Bean

Pickling Cucumber

Don't call it a comeback!

2009-06-08T22:04:00.012-04:00

I've been depressed. Yesterday, I was unsure of my tomato future. Dreams of fat, juicy heirloom sliced tomatoes accompanying my BBQ burger and plans for a multitude of canning in August were vanishing. The three plants (Berkley Tie-Dye, Black Cherry, and Big Beefsteak) were having difficulty transitioning into the real world. Their growth, stunted. Their leaves, attacked by flea beetles. And if that wasn't enough, the plants I put out around Memorial Day had been murdered by the kitty cats. Eaten right down to the core, even my beloved Black Krim. I only had one and there I was, staring at a one inch stem sticking out of the ground. All but one pepper survived, but that one was being eaten by flea beetles. The basil shared the same fate.

I've even been avoiding the garden. There is an overrun of weeds growing in my tiny little aisles. Silly me for throwing the remnants of hand weeding in the aisles, thinking they would mulch down. So I went out there today, needing to hill up my blossoming potatoes, and saw the Big Beefsteak looking vibrant and bushy(er). I had to run over and check it out.

There I found not only the Beefsteak so happy, but also the Berkley. The Black Cherry has new green leaves, saying a big F-U to those stupid flea beetles. Ha! The peppers are back and so is the basil. Then, I saw the greatest thing ever. My Black Krim - ALIVE. Growing. And creating a volunteer plant???? Could a second Black Krim be emerging before my very eyes? (crossing my fingers and hoping hoping hoping!!) Tell me what you think.

Bonus picture of the Black Cherry

What a great day :)

A micro harvest

2009-05-31T00:48:00.003-04:00

2009-05-25T18:45:00.003-04:00

You know everything will be alright when Memorial Day arrives. It's warm and the threat of frost has passed. Hopefully. A lot was accomplished this long, holiday weekend. And while spending those hours in the garden, I often paused and reflected on how far this little garden has come and how much I've learned along the way. Now,with the weekend winding down, I'm able to sit down and share my garden with you.

Those brassicas are really growing now. The trunks are thickening and the leaves are bigger than my hand. The broccoli has yet to form a floret, so I'm hoping it will happen soon, before the summer heat. I'm afraid I started my brussels too early and they will be bitter before they are ready to harvest. Next year, I will start broccoli earlier to be planted in March. I'll wait until mid-summer to plant the brussels, so they will be ready to harvest after the first snow when they're tender and sweet.

We've eaten only two heads of lettuce thus far. Totally delish. I have two of butterhead that are actually forming soft heads. I want to harvest them before they become bitter from the heat. I cut the two Romaine stalks off just above the stem. Now I'm being rewarded with "cut and come again" style lettuce!
The potatoes are growing up quickly. I've mounded on soil twice, a little bit at a time. If everything is working correctly, I should have a decent crop.

I spent a good amount of time this weekend weeding and thinning the carrots. It looks like I should have about six dozen of them.

The three tomato plants that I put out before the rains (and then the heat) have required some nurturing. I added more soil, and mounted it up around the stem, then created a well around the base to collect water. There is new leaf growth, albeit small. I gave them friends, too. I added six more tomatoes, four bell peppers, and two basil plants, using the same method on all.

I planted radishes and beets between the potatoes and carrots. In the bottom row, I planted cucumbers and beans in a long hill I created by making a trench with my hoe, to hopefully collect some water and prevent all my new soil from washing away. In front of them, I sparsely planted Swiss chard and spinach.

Barefoot Bloggers: Tuna Salad

2009-05-14T22:14:00.008-04:00

A week ago, I was convinced I couldn't complete this dish. Not because I had anything against it, quite to the contrary. This recipe has been on my radar for some time. The problem was the availability of fresh, quality Ahi tuna in a landlocked, Midwestern town. I considered just using avocado, because, well, I really really love avocado. I'll never understand those people who are unable to ingest anything *eeek* GREEN.

But, it is TUNA salad, after all. Luckily, I found two 6-ounce portions of frozen Ahi tuna in the freezer section for $5.99. Since I didn't know the quality of the tuna, I seared more towards medium well.

Everything came together easily and quickly. I only made half of the recipe which could have easily fed at three if not four lunch portions. I cut whole wheat flour tortillas in half and served as a wrap.

Results: What a treat! The sharp wasabi and tart lime was so invigorating against the creaminess of the avocado. My husband gave me the "oh my god!" look as he took his first bite. This is a keeper. Thank you so much Kate (of Warm Olives and Cool Cocktails) for the excellent recipe. I would have never forgiven myself if I took a pass on this one!

Final Grade: A+

First harvest of 2009

2009-05-13T23:10:00.004-04:00

I spent the day inside cooking. I experiemented with this week's Barefoot Blogger recipe. I prepared a double batch of White Chili so Jeremy doesn't have to cook when I'm at work. I made another loaf of bread and I made dinner: Swiss steak over noodles. I set it out to serve and realized I didn't make anything as a side.

The lettuce on the side of the house has been BEGGING to be eaten. After the rain today, the Jericho Romaine looked particularly delicious. It became a simple salad with croutons, parmesan, and Caesar dressing. Ohh, it was SO good!

Roughing the storm

2009-05-13T21:25:00.008-04:00

The garden has been coming along very nicely. On Mother's Day, we (my husband, really) constructed the tomato support (cedar studs and pvc pipe) and a hog fence trellis for the cucumbers and beans. We then ran the soaker hose from the rain barrel along the beds. We were about 4' short, but short where the soil stays fairly wet and has more shade.

The Brussels sprouts and broccoli are noticeably larger. The broccoli still hasn't put on any big leaves or a bud. I'm concerned the summer heat will set in before they have a chance to produce. There are also about 15 clusters of potato leaves. I kinda-sorta half-assed hilled some soil around the stems. It's not nearly enough as I only started about 4" deep. I need to go buy soil and completely cover the plants. Hopefully this weekend.

Carrots have been springing up in their crooked little rows over the past few days. I went out there to thin them. What a job! I made it through about half a row before I gave up. There are too many. Sounds like my Saturday morning is filling up.

I had a dilemma Monday: Should I plant a few tomatoes or wait until after the days of rain headed our way. I took a chance and planted three of the tallest: Big Beef Beefsteak (hybrid), Berkley Tie-Dye (heirloom), and Black Cherry (heirloom). Today, big storms moved through the area, whipping the wind and pounding the ground with rain. I sure hope those little guys make it.

The Great Sunflower Project

2009-04-25T23:55:00.005-04:00

It finally arrived in the mail!!!

Visit HERE to learn more.

Progress

2009-04-25T22:51:00.007-04:00

Last time I mentioned the garden I was a little disgruntled. My spirit has been lifted the past few days. The weather has been warm, although extremely windy. It's a strange combination. It's as if a storm will break out any moment, then it stops suddenly and you begin to feel the sun bear down on your skin. This nice break in weather has given me an opportunity to be out in the garden. I've removed dead leaves, I've watered, I've loosened soil, I've reseeded, and I've planted.

Out of the original 16 tomato plants I seeded, only half remain. My lack of careful watering during those crucial sunny days a week ago cost me dearly. All of the Opalka and Husky Gold tomatoes withered and died. I've reseeded roughly 10 new plants, including two new varieties: Pork Chop and Granny Cantrell. Here are pictures of some of the survivors:

All of my hot peppers bit the dust as well. I reseeded some of the Hot Pepper Mix as well as some very hot peppers from a friend of ours: Black Pear, Yellow Mushroom, and White Habanero. I don't have anymore jalepeno seeds. Hopefully I'll get some out of the Hot Pepper Mix. I couldn't differentiate between the seeds in the packet.

Out in the garden today, I stripped the plants of withered and dead leaves. Almost all of the original leaves I set the plants out with have died, mostly by breaking (we've had some pretty strong winds lately). Fortunately, almost all of them had serious new growth. Even the dill has put on it's true leaves and I've found new parsley. I dug out a 5' by 3' section of a bed to plant potatoes. I dug down as far as I could, planted the seed potatoes "chits" up, and covered with about 3" of soil. On the other side of the bed, I made roughly four 48" rows and planted carrots, loosely covering them with soil. After I cover the potatoes again, I'll most likely plant some radishes or beets in the center section of the bed. I also directly sowed lettuce in the planters.

Sweet Matina Butterhead

Jericho Romaine Lettuce

Diablo Brussels Sprouts

Red Seed Potatoes

Tomorrow my husband I put together the watering system.

Barefoot Bloggers: Croque Monsieur or Madame?

2009-04-22T23:16:00.007-04:00

Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

I have been waiting for this day to come and now that it has, I feel I have lived a fuller life for it.

I distinctly remember watching Ina make this recipe on her show, slightly drooling and zoning out at the thought of all that cheese! When she said you could make it with a fried egg in honor of a woman, I was sold. I love eggs. So thank you, Kathy of All Food Considered. You hold a special place in my heart (and tummy).

You can find Ina's recipe here.

Results: I looooooovvve the ooziness of the sunny side up egg, mingling with the sauce and toasted bread. The perfect brunch recipe. Easy to make. Gruyere is a bit expensive at $7.99/8 oz. What would be a cheaper substitute? Fontina? Emmentaler? I used Italian bread sliced on the diagonal and smoked deli ham. I halved the recipe and one was quite filling. I can even imagine small open-face baguette rounds as an appetizer, if you fuss with the presentation a little bit.

Final Grade: A+

Too much of a good thing

2009-04-17T20:40:00.004-04:00

The weather was perfect yesterday and again today. High 60s, blue skies, and lots of sunshine. I set out all the seedlings yesterday to let them soak it all up and harden off a bit. When I brought them in last night, the tomatoes (which have been radiant and green) were leaning with a slight wilt to the leaves. This morning they looked good and ready for more bright sunshine. By the time I was ready to transplant them into bigger containers, they looked pathetic: leaves turning yellow, wilted and leggy. I went ahead and transplanted them all, except two Opalka seedlings. Hopefully a night in the house with some fresh soil will amend their problems. I also noticed some (for lack of a better word) fuzziness on the bottom of the peat pellets. Maybe I overwatered them, overfertilized? I've been using fish emulsion, very dilute. I've noticed the same fuzziness on the inside of the cap before. I don't really know. I hope they survive. Otherwise I'll have a very late start to the season.

I made two beds in the garden today. They are roughly three feet wide. I planted the Brussels sprouts and broccoli in one. I wanted to put the potatoes in the ground, but I ran out of energy and time.

The lettuce I planted on the side of the house is looking rough, too. I'm becoming very discouraged.

Easter Surprises

2009-04-12T00:30:00.005-04:00

The Easter bunny visits Jacob and Karleigh

I feel like this is the right time to transplant a few of my indoor starters. The weather is warming, with nightly lows f0rcasted in the 40s over the next 10 days (after Easter). Dandelions are blooming. And, I see other local gardeners preparing their gardens. I've been worried, though. It is difficult to decipher information about setting out lettuce and the brassicas. Most information regarding broccoli is aimed towards a fall harvest. Lettuce is supposed to be planted in early spring, but some sites say it grows the best at 60-70F. What? We're no where near that here. I happened upon my old timeline for planting. Sure enough, setting out broccoli and lettuce were on the list for 4/12. Go figure. Hopefully I can get the lettuce out tomorrow before Easter dinner.

I was barbecuing chicken for dinner when I spotted two little sprouts in my deck planter. The dill! It survived the kitty cats using it for a bed a few weeks ago.

I made potato salad as a side. I think I've nailed down the recipe for my tastes. I've tried so many, and I keep messing with the ingredients, but I'm finding the basics really make it a proper potato salad. I'm happy to share my recipe, but know that I have not done exact measurements. Like anything, parts can be adjusted for personal taste.

Kim's Potato Salad

2# baby yellow gold potatoes, diced
1 small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup bread & butter pickles, chopped
2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
1- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 c sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed

Boil potatoes until in water well salted until fork tender. Drain and dry.

In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed until well combine. Adjust to taste. Add onion, celery, and pickles. Gently toss in eggs and potatoes until well dressed. Allow to sit for 1 hour before serving, if possible.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chinese Chicken Salad

2009-04-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

It has been declared salad week in my household. I made the decision last week for various reasons: hoping to help the weekly grocery budget and my reclaimed weight gain after the breastfeeding ceased. Naturally, I was very excited that McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen chose the first recipe this April: Chinese chicken salad.

I did make a few changes:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Green pepper instead of red
Omitted sesame oil

The recipe was ridiculously easy to follow. I baked off the chicken earlier in the day and allowed it to cool before assembling the rest. The green bell pepper didn't deter from the flavor, but rather made the whole dish less appealing to the eye. Too much green. I tried toasting the sesame seeds but they seemed to clump together rather than toast. I left out the sesame oil due to budget constraints - $8.99/bottle! I did add just a teaspoon of a new bottle of 18 year old balsamic vinegar. I did feel 1/2 cup of vegetable oil was a bit much. I would have been satisfied with 1/4 cup. I served this up with a hunk of freshly baked bread.

Results: My husband and I loved it! The only thing that was missing was some good crunch. Perhaps some fried wontons, chopped peanuts, or even broken up ramen noodles would suffice. I think the dressing alone was good had I reduced the amount of oil. A jalapeno would have added nice spice. I can see this fitting easily into our weeknight rotation for an easy fix. We have most of these ingredients on hand all the time.

Final Grade: A-

(now if the Croque Monsieur will be so figure friendly....)

Look at this chit!

2009-04-01T21:40:00.002-04:00

First Transplants

2009-03-27T11:05:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I transplanted my Brussels sprouts, broccoli, romaine, and butterhead. I put them in 3" pots. They definitely needed it. They were all flopping onto each other and were running out of space. When I picked up the little guys, there were lots of healthy roots growing through the netting. I tried hard not to damage any, but a few were sacrificed. I took them outside on the deck, in the sun. I thought it might be good for them to harden off a little. I've been brushing my hand over the leaves to simulate wind while they've been inside. By the end of the transplanting session, they were all rather limp and unimpressive looking. I got them back inside, gave them some water and rest. Today, they are looking strong and happy.

A few of of my pepper plants are putting on their first set of leaves. They seem to be doing very well.

Barefoot Blogger: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

2009-03-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

Today's recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry. Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts. Seriously. How could this be bad?

Recipe can be found here.

A quick read-through of the ingredients had me cringing. I've never, ever used puff pastry. I've always wanted to, but never had the gumption to give it a try. Ina makes it look so easy. But then again, she makes everything look simple.

I assembled all my ingredients at the store yesterday. I picked up pre-shredded parmesan (I know!) and pre-crumbled goat cheese while also skipping the basil for cost savings. I thought of using sun-dried tomatoes as tomato season is still a few months away, but I went ahead and bought a grocery store-style cardboard tomato to stay true to the recipe.

The onions cooked down perfectly.

(I'm writing this while they are baking in the oven. The smell drove me to check on them - oohh my! Lovely little golden brown tarts. I can hardly stand the seven minute wait!)

The puff pastry took a little patience to work with. I attempted rolling it out to the 11" square Ina insisted on, but it was sticking and I didn't want to ruin it as it already had holes from the folds. I made the circles using a small bowl as my template. The rest of the assembly went without a hitch.

Results: YUM! The flavors are perfect. I only used one large onion and felt there were more than enough onions on each tart. The pastry was flaky and the goat cheese slightly melted into the onions. I want these flavors on an entire pizza pie! I do think substituting sun-dried tomatoes until my heirloom tomatoes are ready to be picked out of my garden would be an acceptable substitution and wouldn't affect the flavor at all, perhaps even enhance it. I found the sliced tomato to be a little too wet for the crispy pastry. Maybe I'll roast the summer tomatoes before placing them on top. Now, what to do with all that leftover puff pastry?

Final Grade: A

Black Gold

2009-03-21T18:51:00.007-04:00

What a day!

As I mentioned before, Jeremy picked up the compost. I took over from there using our newest garden tool, the wheelbarrow, to unload it and put it in the garden. Before doing that, though, I had to rake over the soil the I had tilled last week. It was wet and difficult to move. I had planned on grading it out today and doing another till - but it's a no go. We'll see how it is tomorrow

I caught sight of a cardinal in our tree. Then I noticed how big all the buds are. Plus, I found a little surprise in the compost! (and yes, I squealed like a little five year old girl, but only because my husband still acts like an eight year old boy.)

Hmph. My body feels like I did much more than that today. On paper, it's not nearly as impressive.

What you think, shall become

2009-03-21T12:43:00.004-04:00

Just yesterday, I was talking to my husband about farmer's markets. I wished that I had enough space to not only feed our family, but have enough to sell to others that wanted to buy local produce. Today, that wish is now a possibility.

A few weeks ago I was making the rounds, calling all the local nurseries for the pricing of a cubic yard of compost. It was abundantly clear that I would not be able to afford as much as I wanted, being roughly $29-35/cu. yd. - I needed about eight for a raised bed. At the suggestion of a forum member, I emailed local horse stables for free or cheap horse manure. By that night, Steven of BriarCroft Stables and Tack returned my email stating that he had two year old composting manure and it was free. Hallelujah!

This morning, Jeremy went to the stables to pick up the compost. Unfortunately I had to stay home with the kids (no room in the truck). I really would have liked to meet Steven and speak with him. When Jeremy returned home, he told me about the meeting. There was the suggestion that if this garden goes according to plan, he would allow us to use his property for a large-scale garden so long we keep his family in fresh produce. The rest can go to the farmer's market, CSA, whatever we choose (insert BIG, HAPPY, blow my mind grin here). Hopefully we can build a good relationship over this year's growing season and discuss how to proceed.

Of course, this opens a whole new can of worms. Will my backyard garden be successful enough to give me the confidence to try it on a large scale? I need to learn how to save seeds in order to plant such a large garden. How will I find the time to care for my family, work a full-time job, and take care of two gardens? That's just the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid.

I have to keep in mind what Jeremy always tells me:

Stop putting up roadblocks. If you think it, it can be done.

Look how they've grown

2009-03-15T23:00:00.003-04:00

The brussels and broccoli seedlings are growing up fast. They look strong and healthy. The lettuce is looking good, as well. I had to move the cauliflower, peppers, and herbs to a more humid area. They hadn't sprouted yet and we're drying out fast due from the unprotected warmth of a grow light. I rearranged them in my second jiffy greenhouse, placed the lid on and moved to the laundry room. When I woke the next morrning, humidity! Today, I moved the cauliflower and thyme seedlings as they had germinated, although the cauliflower is leggy. I waited too long.

We worked all day today. I cleaned up the yard then tilled up the 15x15 designated garden area. Jeremy put up our new shed and finished off the garden gate. He seemed surprised that I could till the soil so well. I guess he doesn't understand my passion. I'll admit, I am sore. Blisters to boot. We finished off our hard work with our favorite summer fair: barbecue chicken.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chicken Piccata

2009-03-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings chose Chicken Piccata for the recipe this week. I've always wanted to try it - so here was my big chance!

The recipe from Food Network, courtesy of Ina Garten, of course.

The chicken was easily pounded to 1/4-1/2". I find the breading process tedious and time consuming, however that has much more to do with my kitchen setup and lack of appropriate breading trays than the actual process. The chicken breasts cooked quickly in the pan and then moved to the oven for a final heat through while I made the sauce.

Oh, the sauce. I reduced the amount of lemon from the start knowing my husband is not fond of lemon, but holy cow! That was one tart sauce. I added in capers and a small garlic clove. After tasting several times, I smoothed it out with a touch more butter. I tossed capellini quickly in the sauce and served the baked chicken on top with a touch of the remaining sauce.

Results: My husband wasn't fond of the sauce on the pasta, but loved it on the chicken. I thought the sauce tasted much better on the food than alone - it reduced the tartness. The chicken, though, was superb! The breading was perfect. The chicken moist and delicious. I can't wait to use it for chicken parmigiana. I'm not sure I'll make the "piccata" part again.

Final Grade: B

Introducing Barefoot Bloggers

2009-03-09T15:22:00.003-04:00

Ina Garten is my kind of cook. She keeps it simple yet elegant. Her recipes are classics - from chicken salad to Coq a vin. She uses quality ingredients, too. Often, she takes a walk from her Hampton home into her own backyard garden to snip fresh herbs for the dishes.

Four years ago, I made my first Barefoot recipe: "outrageous brownies" Yumm! I've watched episode after episode, read most of her recipes, and now, I have a community to cook with.

The Barefoot Bloggers (see link to the left) is a site dedicated to food and all things Ina. Each month, two recipes are chosen by the current participants. Each member of the blog is responsible for making the recipe, photography, and blogging about the results. Then, we are able to read other blogger's experiences with the recipe. I'm way down on the list. I'm not sure I'll have anything to pick when the choice comes my way. Another reason I like the idea of this group is that it forces you to cook outside your comfort zone. I'm not sure I would have ever made a tomato/goat cheese tart - yet it's due later this month - so I will. It certainly sounds delicious, just a little fancier than my husband and I require for dinner.

Tonight I will make Chicken Piccata. Check back for my review.

Little Greens

2009-03-09T11:26:00.005-04:00

I placed the tray of peat pellets in the laundry room a few days ago to provide more adequate heat. I checked on them this morning and much to my surprise, I had little sprouts! I didn't expect anything so soon. It's only been four days and my brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and lettuces are up. I propped open the lid, since there are still ungerminated seed, and placed them as close to the grow lights as I could.

Seeds Sown

2009-03-08T21:28:00.003-04:00

3.6.2009

Brussels Sprouts, Diablo
Broccoli, Beaumont
Cauliflower, Early Dawn
Lettuces, Jericho and Matina Sweet Butterhead

3.7.2009

Rosemary
Parsley, Gigante d'Italia
Thyme, English
Jalepenos, Jalisco
Bell Pepper, Quadrato d'Asti
Hot Pepper Mix, Hungarian Wax, Anaheim. Large Cherry and Long Red Cayenne plus Jalapeno

I kinda jumped the gun with the peppers. Most sites say 3/14 for my climate, but I know they had a pretty rough start last year and had extremely stunted growth. My jalepenos were still prolific. The bell pepper only gave up one. Hopefully I'll be able to baby and nourish them better this year. Frankly, I had no idea when to start the herbs. I took a stab in the dark. I didn't sow nearly as many seeds this time. Last year I placed about 10 of each type of seed into a peat pellet. No wonder they died.

Project: Backyard

2009-03-08T13:26:00.005-04:00

My husband and I were busy bees these past few days. I needed to clean up the garden area and my husband got to work building a fence to separate the dogs from the rest of the yard. The yard will basically be divided into four sections: the garden, play area (with grass), dog run, and the deck.

1) The garden still needs to be tilled. The ground is soft and workable, but more rain came and my husband was tired from building the fence. We have one little strip worked. More importantly, though, we definitely determined that the garden will be 15'x15'. It's smaller than I anticipated, which will reduce our yield a little, but I think it will be more manageable, for now. I'll find more creative ways of growing food later. It does leave us plenty of room to maneuver around, allow for a storage shed, and hopefully a compost bin in the corner. We are buying a rain barrel (hopefully soon!) and attaching soaker hoses, which will be run down the length of each big row. We haven't yet figured out how to avoid soil erosion and promote good drainage, since the garden will be on a slight downhill slope leading to boggy, flooding land. Still working the brains on that one.

2) Dog Run: My stronger half was hard at work building a fence for the dogs these past few days. He set the posts in the ground and then yesterday nailed in the hog wire fencing. The fencing is not particularly strong so we'll see how it goes. Our little Daisy (a beagle) is the one we have to worry about. If anybody makes it through the fence, it's her. Unfortunately, since we aren't professionals, the posts didn't square up well - so we'll be building our own custom gate, too! We plan on putting some sort of small tree in the dog area to provide shade and using mulch. If we try grass, they will just trample it down.

3) Play area: This is the area from the newly built dog fence to the garden. We will be seeding it with our Eco Lawn seed this spring. We want a nice bit of area for little Jacob to play around in . The dogs will be able to use it too when we decide to let them out of the run. On this side of the fence, I'm going to grow morning glories, clematis, or black eyed susan - something to grow up the fence and look pretty. Along the wood fence, I'm planting sunflowers.

4) Deck: The deck is an already existing structure. We have a few chairs, a charcoal grill and a firepit. We'd like to add a canopy/tent, a side table, and possibly a hammock. The canopy will be great - our deck faces the west. It's impossible to spend a nice afternoon/evening out there because the sun is in your eyes.

Seeds of Life

2009-03-02T00:00:00.005-05:00

The order from Kitchen Garden Seeds arrived a little over a week ago. I've supplemented that with a few packets from Lowe's - including a great buy on seed potatoes. Next week I sow the broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and lettuces indoors. I could probably do it now, but I don't want to run the risk of any one of them becoming "leggy" due to a late cold snap.

Calendar of Events

2009-02-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

Subject to change

Date of LAST FROST: May 9, 2009

3/7: Sow Broccoli, Brussels, Cauliflower, and Lettuce indoors
3/14: Sow Peppers indoors
3/21: Sow Tomatoes indoors
4/11: Sow Radishes DIRECTLY in containers. Set out Lettuce.
4/18: Sow Cucumbers indoors. Set Brussels outdoors
4/20: Plant Potatoes DIRECTLY
4/25: Sow Carrots DIRECTLY. Sow Beets DIRECTLY in containers. Set Broccoli and Cauliflower outdoors.
5/16: Set out Tomatoes and Cucumbers
5/23: Sow Beans DIRECTLY. Set out Peppers.

I'll most likely have two other containers to experiment with. I definitely want to try radishes and beets. Other possibilities include Swiss Chard, Spinach, or Eggplant.

This list also doesn't include herbs. I'll update this list as I figure it all out.

The Incubator

2009-02-22T21:12:00.004-05:00

One day soon, the seeds will be set and my little babies will emerge, ever-reaching for sunlight and thirsty for water. My husband and I set up our future darlings temporary housing - on top the fridge.

We only have one south-facing window, which I utilized last year, but this year my son occupies the space. I have read the warmth generated by the refrigerator will help germination. We hung a two foot shop light from the ceiling and replaced the bulbs with grow lights. I have room for two 72-count Jiffy starter kits. Although I'm not entirely fond of the peat pellets, it will have to do for this year. Maybe by the end of the year, I'll figure out how to build a cold frame.

The first date to plant is March 7th (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, lettuce). I can hardly wait!

Waiting

2009-02-15T13:39:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately the rains came and we were unable to get a head start on our soil last week. We will have to do the best we can this spring and hope for another warm breeze to make its way through the midwest.

I placed my online order for seeds last week as well. I ordered from John Scheepers. I ordered from them last year and was impressed with their prompt delivery and packaging. The seeds seemed to be in good order and a large number of them germinated, given my inexperience. I do need to do more research about their policies regarding Monsanto. I know they offer both hybrid and open-pollinated seeds. I purchased a few hybrids to ensure a little consistency to my first backyard garden. In particular, I purchased the Big Beef Beefsteak Tomatoes to round out other heirloom and open pollinated varieties I will be planting.

What else did I purchase, you ask?

Blue Lake Pole Beans
Sweet Slice Cucumbers
Alibi Pickling Cucumbers
Jericho Romaine Lettuce
Matina Sweet Butterhead Lettuce
Beaumont Broccoli
Early Dawn Cauliflower
Diablo Brussels Sprouts
Royal Chantenay Carrots

Now I will (im)patiently wait for Tony the Mailman to deliver my babies!

My Green Valentine

2009-02-14T14:01:00.002-05:00

It's an understood fact that we don't "celebrate" Valentine's Day in our household. There are no cards, no flowers, no big night out. We are lovable and thoughtful in our own ways.

I'm a firm believer that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach - so I did what I do best - made cupcakes. A chocolate version by Ina Garten topped with pink icing. They are totally decadent.

My husband surprised me with a stop by our favorite sushi restaurant, Ichiban. Sammy makes the BEST sushi I've ever had (and I've had a lot of sushi). We tried out a new roll, the Green Roll, made with salmon and avocado, rolled inside out with a soy wrapper with tiny green roe on top and a creamy sauce on the side. It was fresh and delicious.

When we returned home, he again surprised me with a new book. I love this man, but who's he calling an idiot!?

Hope

2009-02-08T12:11:00.005-05:00

The weather has been so refreshing - and promising. There will be a spring! I do realize that we're still a few months away, and snow showers will continue. However, the past few days are a reminder that we need to start preparing. Just look at this forcast:

The ground where our future garden will be is still water logged. Twelve inches of melting snow will do that to soil. If the temps stay high and the sun stays out, it should dry up tomorrow. Our plan is to take a tiller to the ground and start working the soil a bit on Tuesday. I'd like to do a pH test as well.

We bought supplies the other day for starting our seeds. A 2' shop light with grow bulbs and Jiffy seeds starters 72ct (2). I know the Jiffy starters are not the best way of starting seeds, but I don't have the capital to invest in a materials just yet. I am saving any container I can to transplant into: formula canisters, sour cream containers, etc. Use and reuse. Jeremy plants to set up our seed station today, on top of the fridge.

I've been working on my garden plan as well. Revising and revising. I've removed peas and onions from my planning, since I don't believe we'll have the garden prepared in time for early planting. We'll try again next year.

Broccoli: Space 18-24" apart. Approx 10 plants.
Cauliflower: Space 18-24" apart. Approx 10 plants.
Brussels Sprouts: Space 24-36" apart. Approx 3-4 plants.
Carrots: Thin to approx 1 per 1-2". Three rows yield approx 150 carrots.
Potatoes: Space 10-12" apart, rows 24" apart. Approx 16 seed potatoes.
Tomatoes & Peppers: Space 24" apart. Approx 16 plants (12 tomato, 4 peppers)
Lettuce: Space 6-8" apart. Approx 25 plants per row. 1-2 rows.
Beans: Space 4-6" apart. Approx 20 plants.
Cucumbers: Space 12" apart. Approx 8 plants. (4 slicing, 4 pickling).

Gardeners helping gardeners

2009-01-25T20:34:00.004-05:00

It's good to have friends. It's at least good to have fellow established gardeners help out a novice by sending samples of their prized tomato seed collections.

I joined a new gardening forum last week. The people there are not only fantastic gardeners from all over the country (world?), but they are funny, political, and most importantly - generous.

After asking what kind of tomato they would plant if they only had ONE choice - for taste and high yield - I received many differing opinions. One choice that did stand out was Black Krim. Another was Big Beef for main crop consistency. Two members sent me seeds they had on hand. I think the majority of people there collect their own seeds, something that is very daunting and intimidating to me. I was ecstatic when I received two packages in the mail yesterday. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I've narrowed my tomato choices down to the following:

1. Big Beef Beefsteak (order from Kitchen Garden Seeds)(4)
2. Black Krim (1)
3. Husky Gold (1)
4. Black Cherry (1)
5. Opalka (4)
6. Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye or Indian Stripe (1)

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I've also put together a list of seeds of buying from Kitchen Garden Seeds for my other plants.

1. Blue Lake Pole Beans 55-65 days
2. Beaumont Broccoli 75-80 days
3. Royal Chantenay Carrots 60-70 days
4. Early Dawn Cauliflower 50-60 days
5. Sweet Slice Burpless Cucumbers 40-50 days
6. Alibi Pickling Cucumbers 45-55 days
7. Jericho Romaine Lettuce 55-65 days
8. Matina Sweet Butterhead Lettuce 50-70 days
9. Yellow Granex Sweet Onions 150 days
10. Dakota Shelling Peas 55-60 days

So much planning to do. I need to figure out how I want to start the seeds (I want to limit transplanting to bigger pots). My husband has agreed to install a big grow light above the refrigerator that will be on chains so we can adjust the height as necessary. I also want to start some herbs in small clay pots in my kitchen window.

So many tomatoes, so little space

2009-01-17T20:30:00.000-05:00

What is a gardener to do? I know I only have room for roughly 10-12 tomato plants. I have some seeds from last year, but I know I would like to purchase a few new varieties.

What will yield the most yet taste the best? I've heard the coveted Brandywine tomato will set only one or two fruits in a season. If I had more space, I would give up one of my precious spots. I don't see that happening this year. So what else? Celebrity? Beefsteak? What about plum tomatoes for tomato sauce?

1 cherry tomato
2-3 heirloom
3-4 main crop
3-4 plum/paste

What I have on hand:

Husky Gold
Super Sweet 100s
Sweet Cluster

What would I like to buy:

From John Scheepers

#4285 San Marzano 2 Plum Tomatoes: 80-90 days
Originating in the volcanic fields near Mount Vesuvius, this acclaimed variety comes to us from the foremost Italian seed house. Known as the best cooking tomato in the world, we can not sing its praises loudly enough. San Marsano 2 is disease-resistant and grows in bunches of five to six, large fruits on indeterminate vines, ripening to a brilliant red with lustrous green shoulders. Producing over a long period of time, the crack-resistant fruit holds well on the vine. San Marzano 2 has a wonderful, delicate taste and a solid, meaty texture and is easy to use in the kitchen. It has an elongated, plum-shape, only two, small seed pockets that are easily scooped out and an easy-to-peel skin. San Marzano 2’s high sugar content helps create its big tomato taste and rich consistency. You had better plant loads since you will want to make vats of herbed tomato sauce for coveted use throughout the year. It is the only plum tomato that great Italian chefs use in their prized recipes. It will soon be your exclusive choice too. (VF) (OP.)

From The Cook's Garden

Tomato Matina (pictured above, from Cook's Garden)
Our Best Selling Tomato
Medium size German heirloom with great flavor

Heirloom. This tried-and-true heirloom from Germany is one of the few early fruiting kinds that has the kind of flavor normally associated with beefsteak tomatoes. Huge plants, with abundant potato-leaf foliage that is resistant to diseases like Early Blight and protects the fruits from sunscald. The globular red, quarter pound fruits are borne in large clusters and free from the green shoulders often seen on others of this type, such as the Czech heirloom Stupice. Indeterminate.

I have yet to receive Johnny's seed catalog, so I'm sure my final decisions will be modified.

Snow Garden

2009-01-16T21:18:00.005-05:00

This is the current state of our garden. A frozen tundra buried under snow and, yes, dog poo. We plan on building a fence at the edge of the deck thereby sectioning off the dogs from the garden. That is the only way we will be able to grow anything. The dogs are famous for destroying plants in a matter of seconds. I know you shouldn't use animal waste on your garden as fertilizer, but I'm hoping it will be well rotted by the time we begin tilling the ground. I am concerned about the shadows the fencing will cast on the garden. I'm trying to figure out placement of plants.

This is a design I created using a free trial at GrowVeg. Very useful in figuring out where to put plants and how many you can fit.

N <-------

Fences run along the right and bottom sides

Each row is 4' x 17' with a 1' walkway in between and 3' along each border

Row 1: Tomatoes & Peppers
Row 2: Carrots, Pole Beans, and Lettuce
Row 3: Onions, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Row 4: Cucumbers, Peas, Potatoes

The Beginning

2009-01-15T18:26:00.006-05:00

Hello. My name is Kim, and this is my new gardening blog.

I'm not completely new to gardening. When I was younger, I insisted on planting vegetable plants in the flowerbed along the west side of the house. Not exactly the greatest soil - more like a rock garden, really. Nonetheless, somehow I managed to produce one very small green pepper and a small eggplant. Prized treasures!

Last year, I started several vegetables from seed. Most of them sprouted, but I was very late transplanting them to the large bins I had placed along the south side of the house. I ended up with three Sweet 100 cherry tomato plants, a Sweet Cluster tomato plant, two basil plants, three jalepenos, and one bell pepper. I had a bountiful harvest, in my opinion. I ended up making a jar of the best salsa ever, tomato sauce, and lots of cherry tomatoes that were eaten straight off the vine.

After the end of the season, my husband and I had a serious discussion about what our gardening plans were for the upcoming year. We expressed much interest in growing a large amount of vegetables that could not only be utilized during the year, but also canned or frozen for future use. We had come to the conclusion that our lives will become more healthful if we reduce our dependency on large grocery store produce and renew our appreciation of slow foods. It was decided that we would section off half of our back yard and create a large vegetable garden.

As it stands right now, it is unamended soil covered in snow. In the following posts, I will describe and photograph our progress towards creating our very own victory garden.