I mentioned in a previous post about my reading books about gardening and related subjects. In my side bar, I've listed those that I have read. The list will grow, as I am reading about three right now, in different parts of the house. (I mentioned books could be an issue, didn't I?)
Right now, I'm reading "Gardening when it counts" by Steve Solomon. A very good and thorough book. If you want a lot of semi-technical knowledge, this will be a good read.
Chapter 7 is all about Compost. I never knew there was so much to be concerned aobut. I thought you just take the "brown" and "green" layer them with some dirt and manure and water and BAM! you have compost.
That's what I've done.
But he goes on to talk about what nutrients will be brought to your soil with the compost you make. If you just use what you have available, it's okay, but to make better compost, you have to put more thought into what you put into your compost pile. Which does make sense.
If you only have marginal vegetation to add, you will be putting marginal nutrients into your pile. Kind of like the saying, "Garbage in, garbage out."
Never thought of that in regards to a compost pile.
I am not a scientific person, by any stretch. So some of the things he talks about, I really don't understand, but what I do understand is that perhaps I need to add some things to my compost pile so that I, or rather, my soil, get the most out of the making of the pile.
Do you have any thoughts to share about this?
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
I am a Vegetableatarian
Isn't that a cool word?
It's made up by Steve Solomon, from his book "Gardening when it counts".
He says that as he speaks to people, they ask him if he is a vegetarian and he tells them, "no, I am a vegetableatarian."
I'd like to think of myself as a vegetableatarian. I am learning how to eat more of a varied diet for my health and to do that I need to try more vegetables and so, I have to learn how to GROW more vegetables.
I know they say when you start your garden to grow the things you love to eat, which, I did last year. But this year I am going to grow some things I've never grown before and have never eaten before. That excites me.
(again, let me apologize for the pictures. I am trying.)
It's made up by Steve Solomon, from his book "Gardening when it counts".
He says that as he speaks to people, they ask him if he is a vegetarian and he tells them, "no, I am a vegetableatarian."
I'd like to think of myself as a vegetableatarian. I am learning how to eat more of a varied diet for my health and to do that I need to try more vegetables and so, I have to learn how to GROW more vegetables.
I know they say when you start your garden to grow the things you love to eat, which, I did last year. But this year I am going to grow some things I've never grown before and have never eaten before. That excites me.
(again, let me apologize for the pictures. I am trying.)
Mache - Corn Salad - This one I want to try because I've heard so many good things about and that it is also a good one to grow during the winter months.
Nasturtium - I knew that you could eat flowers, but I didn't know about these and that you could eat the leaves as well.
Radish - French Breakfast - Now, we've both eaten radishes before. You know, those small red and white ones that come in a bag in the grocery store, that are usually HOT. Neither of us liked them as a kid and besides the stray one in a salad in a restaurant, I don't think we've eaten them on purpose. But I heard that these French Breakfast radishes are not as HOT and that they grow well in the spring and fall.
Golden Purslane - Yes, it's a weed. I wanted to grow this one for a friend who told me about them, but then when I got the package, it says it contains healthy Omega-3 fats and it's rich in antioxidants.
Herb Dandelion - Yes, another weed! You use the young leaves in salads, and the older leaves as boiled greens. The roots can be roasted and used like coffee. This one I will need to be careful with. It is a perennial.
Carrots - Amarillo - Yes, we've eaten carrots before, but never yellow carrots. They are supposed to be very sweet.
Now, can you see why I am excited to be a Vegetableatarian?
Monday, February 24, 2014
My Apology
I have just been made aware that some of you may not have been able to comment to my blog over the past two weeks or so.
I am sorry. Apparently blogger and IE are having issues and for some reason comments are not allowed to be made.
From what I gather, they are working on the issue and it may mean that I will have to change to a different browser and being that I am not very computer savvy, that may take some time.
I hope that you will continue to read my blog and continue to try to post and that blogger will be able to get this resolved.
Thank you.
I am sorry. Apparently blogger and IE are having issues and for some reason comments are not allowed to be made.
From what I gather, they are working on the issue and it may mean that I will have to change to a different browser and being that I am not very computer savvy, that may take some time.
I hope that you will continue to read my blog and continue to try to post and that blogger will be able to get this resolved.
Thank you.
I never thought about this
I'm currently reading, "Gardening when it counts - growing food in hard times" by Steve Solomon.
I read this from the book and thought I would share it, as I had never thought about this before, even before my gardening journey began.
He was talking about how if you live in a place where the ground does not freeze solid to 18 inches or more for a few months, that it may not be possible to grow a garden successfully after the first few years. That you could still grow a garden there. He wasn't saying that a garden wouldn't actually grow. He meant that without crop rotation and the addition of compost that the productivity of the garden would go down.
This is something that I had never thought about.
I know that in the winter it is good to have snow, as it melts slowly into the earth soil it adds needed moisture and nitrogen (I believe, I'll have to look that one up.)
I also know, that in winter, when it's cold, usually germs are killed off by the cold. At least that is what we've always been lead to believe.
So this thought about the freezing ground makes sense to me. It helps to "kill off" the "bad" microorganisms and it gives the "good" ones a starting chance to make the soil good.
It's strange, isn't it? I don't know about you, but now, as I drive around doing my errands or helping someone with theirs, I look at all the yards. All the yards around where I live that are so manicured and well taken care of. Not that there is anything wrong with that. For the people who live there. But I've begun to look at all those homes and say within my head, "wouldn't some apple trees look lovely there?" or "That yard gets so much southern exposure, a vegetable garden would get fabulous light there." And even, "What a nice level yard. I wish I had that one for my garden."
But, as the title of my blog says, "growing where I am planted", the yard I have is the yard I have and I need to make the best of it, sloping ground and all.
So, I continue to read. I continue to learn and listen to what other gardeners thoughts are about growing things, especially soil, as ours was neglected for so long.
It is a journey I am on now and I'd love to have you share it with me. I always love to hear your comments and I hope that you enjoy some tidbit that I care to share.
I read this from the book and thought I would share it, as I had never thought about this before, even before my gardening journey began.
Winter's freezing halts the soil's biological process. When the thaw comes, the soil ecology starts up again, but from near zero. From this cold start, useful soil microorganisms and small soil animals have as good a chance to dominate as do the unwanted ones. The good guys can be helped out with crop rotation and a bit of compost.
He was talking about how if you live in a place where the ground does not freeze solid to 18 inches or more for a few months, that it may not be possible to grow a garden successfully after the first few years. That you could still grow a garden there. He wasn't saying that a garden wouldn't actually grow. He meant that without crop rotation and the addition of compost that the productivity of the garden would go down.
This is something that I had never thought about.
I know that in the winter it is good to have snow, as it melts slowly into the earth soil it adds needed moisture and nitrogen (I believe, I'll have to look that one up.)
I also know, that in winter, when it's cold, usually germs are killed off by the cold. At least that is what we've always been lead to believe.
So this thought about the freezing ground makes sense to me. It helps to "kill off" the "bad" microorganisms and it gives the "good" ones a starting chance to make the soil good.
It's strange, isn't it? I don't know about you, but now, as I drive around doing my errands or helping someone with theirs, I look at all the yards. All the yards around where I live that are so manicured and well taken care of. Not that there is anything wrong with that. For the people who live there. But I've begun to look at all those homes and say within my head, "wouldn't some apple trees look lovely there?" or "That yard gets so much southern exposure, a vegetable garden would get fabulous light there." And even, "What a nice level yard. I wish I had that one for my garden."
But, as the title of my blog says, "growing where I am planted", the yard I have is the yard I have and I need to make the best of it, sloping ground and all.
So, I continue to read. I continue to learn and listen to what other gardeners thoughts are about growing things, especially soil, as ours was neglected for so long.
It is a journey I am on now and I'd love to have you share it with me. I always love to hear your comments and I hope that you enjoy some tidbit that I care to share.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Dad's garden
My dad was raised on a farm. While his family did not farm for a living, they raised chickens and my grandfather sold feed, I think I get my soil bug from my father and my grandmother.
Every year, my dad, now nearly 90, has a garden of some sort in his yard. Every spring he waits until the garden soil is just right and rototills. It's what knew knows. It's what he's always done. His garden always looks beautiful, in the spring.
Then, summer comes, and the hot and humid weather, and as much as he won't admit it, his health gets in the way now and the garden usually goes to "weed", but is still very productive.
I wish I lived closer so that I could go daily to help him with keeping it nicer, but I can't. So, he does his best and I don't say anything but thank you for what ever he shares. He always plants more than enough, too much, I think, but it's what he does to keep busy and active at 90.
Anyway, this year I am going to ask him if he will let me grow and three foot section to one side to grow storage onions, leeks, and butternut squash, and then in the fall I'd like to put garlic in.
Do you share garden space with anyone? And how does it work out for you?
Every year, my dad, now nearly 90, has a garden of some sort in his yard. Every spring he waits until the garden soil is just right and rototills. It's what knew knows. It's what he's always done. His garden always looks beautiful, in the spring.
I wish I lived closer so that I could go daily to help him with keeping it nicer, but I can't. So, he does his best and I don't say anything but thank you for what ever he shares. He always plants more than enough, too much, I think, but it's what he does to keep busy and active at 90.
Anyway, this year I am going to ask him if he will let me grow and three foot section to one side to grow storage onions, leeks, and butternut squash, and then in the fall I'd like to put garlic in.
Do you share garden space with anyone? And how does it work out for you?
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Banana Cake
Well, every week, when I get Dear Darlings lunches prepared, I always try to have bananas for him.
Last week, he had five bananas and he wrapped them in his sweatshirt and LEFT THEM IN THE CAR! Which, thank goodness it was cold and not hot! But, to say the least, he forgot them until he came home, and it was only three days because of the snow, but they were frozen solid. So, he felt bad about not eating any and having them freeze, so of course when he brought them in, he thought they shouldn't go to waste, surely they could be made into CAKE!
His grandmother always had baked goods at her house when he was growing up. My mother always had baked goods at her house when she was alive. I, on the other hand, DO NOT keep baked goods in the house all week, every week because WE EAT THEM!
Remember, there are a lot of things going on here. We are trying to eat real food. We are trying to eat healthy food. Plus, we are trying to cut the fat and cholesterol out of our diets, or at least down a bit.
So, while I don't have his grandmother's recipe for banana cake, I do have a "Fanny Farmer's Baking Book"by Marion Cunningham, that my brother got for me in 1987 for Christmas. There are lots of good recipes in there that we've enjoyed, so, off the shelf it came.
It is called a neighborhood cake, which is neither time-consuming nor expensive to bake. They aren't fancy.
Banana Cake
Baked in a 9 x 13 cake pan
Use only bananas that are soft and sweet. This is a moist cake that keeps well for at least four days.
1/2 c vegetable shortening (1/4 c unsweetened applesauce)
1 1/2 c sugar
3 egg, separated (2 egg whites)
1 c mashed bananas-about 3
1/2 c buttermilk
2 c all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 c chopped walnuts (1/2 c chopped walnuts)
(my changes to the recipe are in italics)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cake pan.
Cream shortening (applesauce) with sugar and mix until smooth. Beat in egg yolks. (I just put the egg whites in now), then the mashed banana and buttermilk, and mix well.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, add to banana mixture and mix til smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff but moist. Plop the beaten whites on top of the batter and begin folding them in. When the whites are almost incorporated, sprinkle on the nuts, continue folding until blended. (I did not do this part as I only used egg whites and put them in as the eggs. I like simple and the less bowls the better!)
Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool and frost.
Do I dare tell you that we ate this 9 x 13 cake by Friday evening? I made it on Thursday. And then, I made another one on Saturday, and ONLY four of those pieces got packed for lunch.
Now do you see why I don't keep baked goods in the house all week!
Last week, he had five bananas and he wrapped them in his sweatshirt and LEFT THEM IN THE CAR! Which, thank goodness it was cold and not hot! But, to say the least, he forgot them until he came home, and it was only three days because of the snow, but they were frozen solid. So, he felt bad about not eating any and having them freeze, so of course when he brought them in, he thought they shouldn't go to waste, surely they could be made into CAKE!
His grandmother always had baked goods at her house when he was growing up. My mother always had baked goods at her house when she was alive. I, on the other hand, DO NOT keep baked goods in the house all week, every week because WE EAT THEM!
Remember, there are a lot of things going on here. We are trying to eat real food. We are trying to eat healthy food. Plus, we are trying to cut the fat and cholesterol out of our diets, or at least down a bit.
So, while I don't have his grandmother's recipe for banana cake, I do have a "Fanny Farmer's Baking Book"by Marion Cunningham, that my brother got for me in 1987 for Christmas. There are lots of good recipes in there that we've enjoyed, so, off the shelf it came.
Banana Cake
Baked in a 9 x 13 cake pan
Use only bananas that are soft and sweet. This is a moist cake that keeps well for at least four days.
1/2 c vegetable shortening (1/4 c unsweetened applesauce)
1 1/2 c sugar
3 egg, separated (2 egg whites)
1 c mashed bananas-about 3
1/2 c buttermilk
2 c all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 c chopped walnuts (1/2 c chopped walnuts)
(my changes to the recipe are in italics)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cake pan.
Cream shortening (applesauce) with sugar and mix until smooth. Beat in egg yolks. (I just put the egg whites in now), then the mashed banana and buttermilk, and mix well.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, add to banana mixture and mix til smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff but moist. Plop the beaten whites on top of the batter and begin folding them in. When the whites are almost incorporated, sprinkle on the nuts, continue folding until blended. (I did not do this part as I only used egg whites and put them in as the eggs. I like simple and the less bowls the better!)
Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool and frost.
 |
| Frosted with homemade White Icing |
Now do you see why I don't keep baked goods in the house all week!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
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