make another garden

we are renters, but we tend to act like we own the place. give us a yard, and we will make gardens! here are some shots of the latest:

we've enjoyed a great fall harvest from these bush beans, started in mid july. we've even had enough for pickling, and they are still coming.

the chard was transplanted from our old place, along with many perennial herbs and flowers. herbs are something i hate to purchase at the store. those little overpriced packets of aging leaves can't compare to taking a few steps out the door to snip a few sprigs from my own plant. i am happy to finally have successfully transplanted all of mine.

we've enjoyed fresh lettuce and arugula for a good month and a half now, the carrots are almost ready. they always taste sweetest after a frost.

i have done everything in my power to have a lush spinach bed in the spring. i got this one started in late august, it is now firmly established, and when the frost comes, i'll cover the bed with a heavy layer of straw. at the first glimmer of spring, i'll pull the straw off, and have early spring spinach. spinach is probably my favorite of the leafy greens. i have never grown an adequate amount to satisfy my craving. hopefully, this is the year!

next we'll plant the garlic, and start on terracing the rest of the side yard to build beds for next year.

no excuses

oh, i had hoped to at least post once per month, but alas! two months have passed, with nothing.

moving.

that is all i have to say: we moved.

shortly before we moved, i worked on a draft of a garden update:

June 19, 2011
in just a couple of weeks we we will no longer live in the midst of the best garden in the world. i'm excited about our new place, and exploring a different neighborhood, but leaving this garden is a challenging adjustment for me. i have planted a mostly full garden here, even though i knew we'd be moving in the middle of the season. our landlord says we can still come by to tend and harvest our crops. i hope he means that.

it has been a great year for brassicas so far.

this cabbage is an early jersey wakefield, and has a conical rather than spherical shape. okra barely germinated, even after two plantings. couldn't get a basil seed to germinate to save my life. i have no idea why. sweet corn looks fabulous.

pea harvest has been spectacular, and some cucumbers are ready and waiting to take their place on the fence/trellis. carrots and beets look lovely, as do the onions.

bush beans and edamame everywhere, plus a lot more flowers than i usually plant. since the landlords plan to put the place on the market, i figure the prettier it looks out there, the more likely the garden will be left alone. we've been eating fresh lettuce since late february and still have some coming on. we enjoyed a few radishes before they bolted in the heat, and the garlic has been "scaped."

this year i made a garlic scape pesto, but found it to be a tiny bit too garlicy, even though i sauteed them first.

the tomatoes and ground cherries are off to an optimistic start, in spite of being super tiny when i put them into the ground. i ended up buying two larger plants from the farmer's market, just to be on the safe side. the exciting new thing i am trying this year is sweet potatoes! they are beautiful plants, and i'm curious to see how they do.

of course i have leeks again, and have tried some eggplant, currently under cover, to prevent flea beetle attack. the soil in the lasagna bed i started a year and a half ago is gorgeous--all dark and crumbly, and (unfortunately) full of tomato seed and violets.

in the new place i hope to do a bit of terracing, plant a small fall garden, get some garlic in, and prepare beds for the spring (using the lasagna method). the new neighborhood has plenty of experienced gardeners to consult and commiserate with. i will work on letting go, and moving on.

* * *

by now we have been in our new place for a full month. we've had to say good bye to excellent soil, wonderful neighbors and the croquet court.

but the new place has nice neighbors, too, plus it came with a cheese hanging hook (over the sink!), and nice colors on the walls.

i struggle to keep a couple of small seed beds moist enough to germinate the fall crops i planted. i have been harvesting from our old place, and attempting to keep up with weeds. we're experiencing a bit of a drought, and record high temperatures for days on end. surprisingly, the old garden is doing well with very little attention.

i've harvested tons of green beans, cabbages, beets, carrots, onions, kale, cucumbers, ground cherries, tomatoes, herbs...even flowers! last weekend we had the first of the sweet corn!

it is wonderful. the edamame is nearly ready, and the sweet potatoes are out of control! i am very curious to see what's under all that gorgeous foliage.

we love our new place, and have had a nice summer, in spite of the brutal relocation. cosmo has been busy with soccer camp, swim classes and montessori art camp.

we all rode our bikes in the july 4th parade, with our dear friends ann and alan. it was just what we needed after days of schlepping, and one of the reasons i so love bloomington. 5 people can hop on their bikes and become an official entry in the independence day parade! cosmo loved getting to ride around, in all directions, in the middle of the street downtown.

we are off to colorado to visit carl's parents, and cosmo will start kindergarten (at montessori) by the middle of the month! the summer has flown by, as usual. thanks to they might be giants (here comes science), cosmo's current passion revolves around the periodic table of the elements. our friend diane gave him a poster of it, which he has been studying carefully, and even chose it as a bed time story a few nights ago! he is also into optical illusions, and successfully pulled off his first magic trick (making a coin disappear).

carl and i have been busy canning, and preserving, and teaching others how to as well. through my job at mother hubbard's cupboard, carl has assisted me in 3 canning demonstrations at the farmer's market.

i discovered the best pickled carrots recipe--ever! i was looking for something that would closely mimic the spicy condiment i used to find in taquerias in houston. found it. these are probably the best thing i have ever pickled, and i can't stop eating them. they taste great with tortilla chips.

here's the recipe (it comes from the TexasBBQRub forum):

pickled carrots taqueria-style.

It sounds like a large recipe, and it is. trust me, though, you'll be glad you made the whole thing.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
• 1/2 head of garlic peeled and smashed
• 1/2 large, sweet or yellow onion, roughly 1-inch dice
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 10 bay leaves, whole
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns (can vary to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6-8 oz. fresh jalapenos, sliced (and seeded to taste)

Preparation:
Add garlic and peppercorns to oil in a large saucepan, heat to medium heat, and saute until fragrant (just a couple or few minutes or so, depending on your stove). Add in carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. Carefully add in vinegar, peppercorns, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and then add water and jalapenos and bring to a simmer again for another 10 minutes.

Transfer everything two quart-sized mason jars or other covered container(s) and refrigerate overnight. If you find you need more liquid to cover, boil more water and vinegar (equal amounts of each) to top off.

Keep refrigerated. Store the carrots in the liquid and use a fork or slotted spoon to serve them. You may leave the bay leaves in the liquid to add to the flavor, but do not eat them. Always remove the bay leaves before you eat the carrots. You can soften the carrots more with longer cooking times, but you want to keep them firm and with a bit of crunch, or it's just not right.

spring first

happy first day of spring! was the first thing out of cosmo's mouth this morning. then he dashed over to his calendar to check the date. he's been waiting for this day. we've been telling him that when spring arrives, we can go out in the yard and look for ants for the ant farm we picked up this winter at a swap. today was the day! luckily, the weather cooperated, and it really felt like a spring day. and (bonus!) there were ants!

he and carl set out some bait (honey) on a piece of paper, and after the ants gathered around it, they quickly, and carefully dumped them into the top of the farm. after that it was just a matter of feeding them some cracker crumbs, dropping water in, and watching them go. ants are endlessly entertaining to watch.

for carl and i, it's the new TV. cosmo is fascinated with them too, but then again, he's fascinated with a nearly deflated old balloon, so his gazing at the ant farm window comes and goes. but he's been interested in the habits of ant colonies for a couple of summers now, so i foresee much educational fun in the months ahead.

of course, spring means gardening. the cold frame managed to keep a number of lettuce and spinach plants alive all winter, plus one hearty chard.

they are nearly full sized now, and we enjoyed our first garden salad last weekend when carl's parents visited, along with the last of the fall carrots. i've transplanted some lettuce, spinach and brassica seedlings from the basement grow-light area to the cold frame, and scattered a few plants around the garden as well.

it is perhaps a bit early to expect much growth, but most of them are hanging on. arugula is up, and already making my mouth water! peas are in the ground, but not yet popping up. the garlic is looking good, as are the chives, and perennials and spring bulbs are coming into their own

on this vernal equinox, i turned the compost (the most back breaking chore of the organic garden), started weeding some perennial beds-- with the enthusiastic helping hands of a certain five year old, who triumphantly shouts oh yeah...johnson grass! when he successfully rips up a long trail of that pesky weed. it takes a little one to remind me that weeding can be extremely satisfying.

dinner was enjoyed on the porch (including fresh baked bread, and homemade butter), and we capped off the day with a symbolic torching of last year's christmas tree plus various other woody garden debris from the previous season.



at our little rented urban homestead, spring has officially been ushered in!

bugs bummin' me out

the grey cabbage aphid is destroying all my brassicas! the kale was hit the hardest, but now they are going after the beloved brussel sprouts, the young cauliflower, and i even saw a few on the arugula! it makes no sense. i had never seen them until this fall, and they came on strong. my russian kale was lush just a month ago. they attack the young, tender, new leaves, which basically stunts the growth of the plant, and eventually kills it.



since i garden organically, i am used to hand-picking pests off of my plants. it is one of the benefits of having a small, back yard garden--a person can usually notice and keep up with pest problems. i started by removing these vile creatures with my bare hands, sort of sweeping the leaves with my thumb. but now i just blast them with a strong stream of water from the hose.



it gets them off the plants, but i have to keep doing it, every day. i finally gave up on the kale, and pulled it today. i hope to save the brussels sprouts and califlower, but i don't have a whole lot of hope.

in other bug related news, fruit flies have found my worm composting bins--both at home, and at work. again, this is a new phenomenon for me, and started in the fall. at home, they migrated to the kitchen, too. we have tried everything, including removing any possible food sources cleaning meticulously (and drying everything), plus trapping them with vinegar. we have reduced their population immensely. lately, we "vacuum" them up with the back of a hair dryer. it is strange, but effective (and secretly satisfying).

so far though, i'm not really finding any answers about the worm bin problem. experts say to bury the food scraps in the bedding, or to wrap them in newspaper to avoid attracting fruit flies. i always do one or both of those things, and have never had a problem. now, i still do those things, and i have a fruit fly infestation, and it is not going away. it is especially problematic at work, as i am trying to get the vermiculture system established, and this is a huge set back.

your suggestions and/or commiserations welcome.

for the love of brussel

this is what i was dreaming about on february 12, 2010.



that's when i planted the brussel sprout seeds, under a grow light in the basement.



we finally had some for dinner, two nights ago--almost 9 months later!
how they made it into those little tiny, tightly-packed cabbage balls, considering all the pests and drought the season thew at them, is a mystery to me.



i have a few wasps to thank, for keeping the cabbage caterpillar population under control (plant dill & fennel to attract them to your garden).



they are so yummy when they're fresh, and i've heard that the ones that come from california aren't as sweet, because they never go through a frost. ours have, and you can definitely tell.

geez...

well, apparently i cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. ever since i got this full time job, can't seem to manage to keep up with things like blogging, and cleaning the house. i know that many of you moms out there have been doing it ALL, all along. i admire you, and feel truly privileged to have had this time away from the work-a-day world, to focus on cosmo, our home and family, and to pursue the things i love.

the good news is that i still get to follow my passions in my new job. i'm working for a non-profit, and i get to do things like set up a roof-top kitchen garden, build rain barrels, raise worms for compost, design edible landscaping, and do space (and even menu) planning for a small take-out cafe.



i am not complaining, and am thrilled to have work. there is an adjustment period though, for all of us. cosmo is handling it all pretty well, and carl is uber-competent in his stay-at home-dad role. mostly it is difficult for me to accept that i cannot do every. single. thing. that i did before. i still try to, and am reminded about how much more efficient i become, the busier i am. but i have been forced to prioritize, to let go, and to say no. i'm sure it's good for me.

we have had our share of fun times lately, and i think i'll just go photo-essay-style to catch up.



cosmo started montessori in late august. he loves it, we love it. it seems to suit what kind of kid he is, and he took to it readily. this week is children's evening (open house) and i can't wait to see what he chooses to show us in his classroom. at home, he is into games: board games, card games, computer games, and ones he makes up, with, say, over 500 wooden poker chips i found for him at the free swap. he reads almost anything now, and has lots of interesting questions, like why do spirals go round and round, and never end? or, how do you think about nothing? makes me wonder if maybe his is a bodhisattva, after all. he has crossed over into a delightful stage, of being almost helpful, often cheery, chatty, and thirsty for knowledge. he started doing a little reading to himself, in the car (mostly he reads with us, to us--does not yet curl up on the couch with a good novel), and the books he chooses for this are not usually stories, but non-fiction books about subjects like geography or outer space.



here he is with carl's 12 year-old nephew, clem. he like to say "i'm a lot like clem," and by that he means, reading to himself. luckily, he still loves being read to, and is currently absorbed in the magic tree house series.



he got to ride a horse for the first time, at a birthday party, and is crazy for miniature golf. here he is pictured, putting, in the beauty and serenity of the jellystone campground and RV park, just south of town.



we visited the chili woman's farm, where cosmo fed a llama, and complained about wanting to go home. we participated in the annual hub ride fundraiser, for mother hubbard's cupboard. even though we took the shortest (4 mile) route, it was a bit rainy, and there were some hills.



so, we did a lot of walking of the bikes, and coaxing cosmo to find the strength within himself to finish. i was nervous about being out on roads, where cars are, with such a new rider (truthfully, i thought i might have a heart attack).



by the end though, i think we were all glad we persevered, and didn't have to call the SAG wagon. plus, cosmo got to meet a parrot, who also went on the ride!



cosmo accompanied me for some tabling at a sustainability event on campus. i got to strap a rain barrel to my bike rack, and cosmo got to dye a silk scarf with indigo leaves. cosmo also demonstrated, at that event, that he is beginning to overcome his shyness. he made friends with a group of young men, all on his own, and cried when they left without him. he also kicked a ball around with a kid and his parents.



i entered the salsa contest again this year, hoping to hold steady with another third place ribbon. but this year was carl's turn to shine. he made a hoosier harissa, from our own dried chili's, and it was to-die-for. i can't believe he didn't get first in the specialty category (he won third).



the following weekend, i convinced him to make more, and serve it with some other middle eastern/north african specialties, plus homemade pita bread, baked on the grill! they cook so fast, and puff up beautifully, without fail. so simple, even a child can do it.

dear friend, alan, shows off a perfectly puffed pita

Pita Bread

Makes 8 pitas

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 packet yeast (or, if from bulk, 2 teaspoons yeast)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, roughly at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening

Mix the yeast in with the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water and stir together with a wooden spoon. All of the ingredients should form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all of the ingredients form a ball, place the ball on a work surface, such as a cutting board, and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes (or until your hands get tired). If you are using an electric mixer, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes.

When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it'll be easier to shape.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes (illustrations and more info here).

Or, put a baking stone on the grill, and cook them outside. as long as there's enough heat, it should work fine, since they cook so quickly. we closed the lid, and checked on them every few minutes. we have an inexpensive charcoal grill, nothing fancy.

the garden has done well, despite the drought. did you know that okra can reach heights of 13 feet? we have pickled it, fried it, made bindi masala, and many other yummy dishes with ours. you can get rid of the sliminess, trust me, and it is delicious.

note: the okra pictured here are pretty, but way too large to eat. you have to pick them when they are under 2 or 3 inches long. they grow quickly, it's difficult to keep up.

some seeds refused to germinate in mid-summer, which made for a weak fall garden, and some crops (like red-russian kale, for instance) flourished, only to be recently attacked by strange, gray aphids like i have never seen. the plants are strong enough to recover from it, and my brussel sprouts have been defended from cabbage worms, by the predator wasps that buzz around the garden. i learned in the grow organic educator series (GOES) class that i am taking this fall, that those wasps are attracted to umbel flower sets, like dill, fennel, and queen ann's lace. i'm taking the course at a discount, since i volunteered to take care of the refreshments for the class each week (basically, coffee and tea). it pushes me to bake something every wednesday, not because it is expected, but because i enjoy it. truth be told, i don't need much prodding to bake.

i made a lattice-top apple pie last weekend, and a lovely pumpkin persimmon pie today (the pies are for us, not the class). sometimes i bring cookies (pictured: currant jelly thumb prints), or a sweet bread that carl has made. the class is fantastic, and can lead to a master gardener certification. more importantly, i am learning a tremendous amount. it's the perfect time to take such a course. after three years of hands-on in the garden, now i am ready to hear from some experts about specific techniques and approaches, and to find out what makes a compost heap do its thang. it's fascinating stuff, and i find my self buzzed and energized after each class, though it makes for such a long day.

we're in full-on fall mode here, saving seeds, drying peppers, gathering persimmons, and apple picking. cosmo's doing his part, putting dry leaves in the compost bin.

i'm trying to put the garden to bed, but it keeps producing. after at least 100 lbs of tomatoes harvested, there are still more coming. we have a nice crop of lettuce, arugula, and carrots for fall, and i'll be planting the garlic any day now.

there's more to tell, but i must stop here, to make sure this gets posted. i hope to write about our road/train trip to NYC, next time. oh, and i want to post about this awesome outdoor pizza oven that our friends built...so, stay tuned!