Thursday, September 18, 2008

The fall planting experiment is turning out better than expected. Jen and I are getting a few radishes every day and the Beets are growing well now that the nights are getting cooler. Although Jen is thinning, it still remains an issue. She proposed a different planting method rather than just spreading the seeds. Also to plant the seeds a little deeper than just surface sowing. Some of the radishes are starting bolt and I am considering letting them so I can save some seeds for next year.

I am patiently waiting for the 3 varieties of garlic I requested from the SSE yearbook. They should show up in the next two weeks and based on the cool nights (60-65), I will have to get them in the ground ASAP. I will put some in where the existing Cukes are and I still have to figure out where to put the rest. I am considering the front bed once I remove the ornamental grasses that are crowding everything else out.


Thinking ahead to next spring, I am considering planting many more fruit bearing shrubs and trees. The four heirloom apples have all come back from the deer feast and should be stable enough to move out of the holding bed to their permanent spots by April. By then, these will be 1 year old grafted trees and will take about 2-3 more years to bear fruit. Because of planting space limitations and my want for many other plantings, I am considering giving 1 or 2 to neighbors so they can still pollinate one another.

With Jen working later than normal this week, I spent some time with the Seed Saver's Yearbook and found a member who offers figs (I cannot believe that there are over 300 varieties listed!!). I will probably get 3-4 fig trees and I finally found an online nursery where I can get 5-6 thorn-less blackberries. Jen and I have also been toying with the idea of building a rather large pergola and if we move in that direction, I would like to plant Reliance Grapes to climb and offer natural shade during the summer. One concern with the grapes are the bees and dropping fruit. As a back-up plan, I am trying to figure out if I could build a grape trellis across the back of my yard but I think I may be getting carried away; I have limited space and I am planning as if I have an acre to work with.

Easy Carrot Cake
  • 2 Cups shredded carrots
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix together all the wet ingredients. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients. Put into a pre-greased 10x10 or 9x13 pan. Cook for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. While it cooks, make the icing.

  • 8oz Cream Cheese - room temperature
  • 1/2 stick melted butter
  • 1 box confectioners sugar
  • Vanilla to taste (I use 1/2 tsp)
Cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar little by little until all incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla until taste is right.

Food Harvested:
Tomatoes (mostly Cherries, Italian Market Wonders and Mortgage Lifters

Things Planted:
Peach and Nectarine Pits (Squirrels are loving it)

Seeds Saved:
Black Krim Tomato
Wilson's Sweet Watermelon (again)
Sultan's Golden Crescent Pea

Preserved/Cooked:
Homemade Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli (Locally made cheese)

Things to Remember:
1. Jen mentioned different seed planting for the radishes - like seed tape to space better
2. Begin bottom bed border (4x6s) and build new arbor and gate - need to cut back lilac and level the entry way
3. Moving any established bushes need cooler weather but before the first frost.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Apples Abound

With apple season starting, Jack and I went to a local pick-your-own farm on Sunday. One of the first apples to pick happened to be my favorite, Honeycrisp. Jack was so excited he could barely contain himself. He needed to sample every piece of fruit he grabbed which left about half the apples we brought home with teethmarks
(which is why applesauce was invented, I suppose). I always assumed that pick-your-own would be cheaper than buying in a store and I guess it is when buying small quantities but excitement overtook us and when Jack and I finished 15 minutes of picking, we filled a bushel. 1 bushel=20lbs x $2.50/lb = $50. In addition to this, we walked over the nectarines and picked 15lbs of some of the largest most delicious nectarines I have ever tasted. All done, we had over 35 lbs of fruit at the low price of $74.

Fearing the apples rotting before we could eat all of them, I decided to make and can apple sauce. Not really knowing what I was doing, I pulled a recipe from my canning book and Charlotte and I started . Next time I think I wont peel and core them as the food mill will take care of removing the skin and pits.

Apple Sauce


Apples - peeled, cored and chopped (about 8-10 lbs)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp Cinnamon

With a minimal amount of water, we cooked the apples for 20-30 minutes and then ran them through a food mill. Once we had apple sauce, we added 1/4 cup sugar and 4 tsp Cinnamon and brought back to a boil. After canning and processing, we had about 5 pints and 3 half pints of apple sauce.


Determining the ripeness of watermelons is more magic than science as I am finding out. First melon was underripe due to my over zealousness. Now that I am too cautious, two small melons went ripe and rotted on the vine. In checking the pigtails opposite the melons, they were still green and alive so out goes that trick in determining ripeness. In fear of losing the last large melon, I inspected it with a critical eye and noticed pitting on the rind. The pigtail just started to turn brown but was still mostly green. Although I wasn't sure, I picked to to prevent the pitting from getting worse. As a dessert to the lamb dinner, Jen and I cut the melon and it was ripe!!! Although it was not deep red as expected, it was extremely sweet, so much so that I ate 1/4 of the melon. This leaves me 1 more softball size melon on the vine.

As for garden itself as the fall starts, I finally did manage to build the retaining wall for the upper bed. 6 - 8 foot 4x6's and 16-12"galvanized spikes later with two helpers, the wall was in and the walkway was leveled. Jack and Charlotte took turns with my hammer and drove the spikes in. Jack gave me pointers on how to shovel the dirt and Charlotte ate all the ripe tomatoes she could find. Now, with the top bed done, I need 3 more 4x6s to build the edge of the bottom bed which will have to wait until the tomatoes are done. In addition to this, the old fence and gate broke yesterday so I will need to rebuild that as well.

With a few days of very cool nights and wet days, the tomatoes went into ripening overdrive and the cherry tomatoes started splitting. 3 plants have given up all of their fruit and what fruit is left is still small. The only exception is the cherry tomatoes. They seem to still be as loaded with fruit as they were in the spring. Radishes are beng picked almost daily and the beets are growing well. The golden beets however are still strugglingwth maybe 10% germination.

Slow Braised Lamb Shanks

2 lamb shanks - cut to bone at base of shank
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion
4 celery stalks , rough chopped
4 carrots - unpeeled, rough chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste ( i used one peeled, seeded garden tomato)
3-4 sprigs rosemary
1 head garlic, top cut off
3-4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup red wine or sweet wine ( I used sherry)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In either a roasting pan or dutch oven, heat oil until hot. Mix flout, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and dredge shanks to coat well. Braise shanks in pot/pan on all sides for 3-4 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Add onions, celery and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring to ensure they don't brown or burn. Add back the shanks settling them in one layer ( if possible). Add chicken stock, wine, garlic, rosemary and tomato paste to cover 3/4 of the lamb. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and place in the oven for 4 hours. Every hour, turn the lamb and ensure there is enough liquid, if needed, add more stock.

Once done, remove lamb to plate and cover with foil to keep hot. strain liquid to remove all veggies, and heat liquid thickening to coat spoon for the gravy. Thickening can be done by blending some veggies or using flour whisking briskly as the liquid is returned to a boil.

I also pick through the veggies to pull out the carrots to serve as the vegetable. They are "stewed" and full of flavor. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes (garlic reserved from the pot).

Food Harvested:
Wilson's Sweet Watermelon
Radishes (red globe and white icicle)
Tomatoes (all types)

Things Planted:
None

Seeds Saved:
Wilson's Sweet Watermelon

Preserved/Cooked:
Canned Apple Sauce
Braised Lamb Shanks (from local farmers market)

Things to Remember:
1. Build new fence and gate into garden area
2. Ready cucmber area for SSE garlic planting
3. Devise way to walk in upper bed
4. Find organic solution to powdery mildew

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Fairy Houses at the Beach

With all of us being on vacation for most of the past week, not much happened in the garden itself. I keep looking and seeing different ideas to rearrange and rebuild the garden but at this point, they will only be ideas. As for the beach, Jen went with the kids a day earlier so I could get a full 24 hours of work on the house done. I managed to paint the living room, build a lattice barrier so the dogs don't cool off in mud and dirt and I re-caulked the bathroom. Now that I write this it does not sound like much but the hours flew by. This was my first night away from the kids since Jen gave birth and one would think that a quiet peaceful night would be welcomed. In actuality, I had a hard time sleeping and come morning I missed the usual AM banter for chocolate milk and "lets play".

There were 11 of us at the beach this year including Jack and Charlotte's cousins; Luke and Noah. Each and every year, the family goes to Lavalette NJ to mark the end of the summer and that was no different. What was different as well as being evident was the ways in which Jen and I have gravitated in terms of lifestyle, choices and children. These differences in Jen and I is what motivates us to go to the farmer's market to buy locally, plant an organic garden, look to conserve and reuse rather than replace. Simple things like composting and recycling on one end to Consensual Living, Co-Sleeping and Attachment Parenting on the other end.

All in all, the kids played every day loving the beach and the water. Charlotte was fascinated with picking up EVERY shell she came across while Jackson just played; digging, running, making sand castles.....If I were asked to sum up the vacation in a sentence or two, I would be Jen helping both kids build fairy houses. This consumed much of an afternoon and that night as well as the next day conversation was around the likely hood o the fairy houses will still be standing and not washed away by the tides. When we packed up on Friday afternoon, the kids were shot and Charlotte slept for the hour ride home. Jackson zoned on nothing and played with new stickers from Maga (Grandma Laura). Come bed time, they were fast asleep within minutes.

Coming back to an unattended garden is fun, exciting and overwhelming all wrapped together. Even though I was only gone for three days, it looked like I never weeded, picked a thing all summer and let the dogs play in middle of the plants. I quickly noted all of the chores I have neglected and immediately remembered all of the projects I wanted to accomplish with my vacation. On the other hand, I picked about 10lbs of ripe tomatoes, Sultan's Peas, and a large stalk of Basil. The cucumber all have died on the vine but the fall planting are doing wonderful. I got my first fist full of radishes and the Chioga Beets are doing well. There are a few very small sprouts for the carrots but the golden beets are non-existent.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

4-6 Red Bell Peppers
1 large White Onion sliced
4 cloves of Garlic - chopped
1 Tbsp Marjoram
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup day old Italian bread, processes to almost bread crumb consistency
Salt and Pepper to taste


Turn oven to 500 degrees and place peppers (whole) on a cookie sheet onto a high rack. Turn peppers frequently. The peppers should become black and burned on all sides. Take out and place onto foil sealed into a pouch or in a container closed loosely for 10-15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, skin, cut, core and clean peppers retaining any juices that are produced.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place Onions, garlic and enough olive oil to coast onto a sheet pan. Add Salt, Pepper Paprika and Marjoram and toss to coat. Place in middle of oven for 20-30 minutes, toss often and cook until golden.

In a food processor, place all the peppers and onion mixture with any retained juices (can be done directly in the soup pot if you have a emulsion blender). Pure to a smooth consistency (add a little Chicken Stock if needed). Add 2 cups chicken stock and re-puree, then the next 2 cups. Once all is processed, place in a large soup pot and gently simmer on the stove. Add slat and pepper to taste. Served hot or cold (gazpacho like).

Food Harvested:
Tomatoes - first Yellow Ponderosa's
Radishes, both varieties
Sultan Crescent Peas
Things Planted:
None

Seeds Saved:
None

Preserved/Cooked:
Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Things to Remember:
1. Plant Brussel Sprouts 3 months prior ot the first frost - 24" apart
2. Move tomatoes to higher in the garden - 5 rows of 3 plants per row
3. Plant Garlic in front raised bed
4. Plant Hungarian Pepper as decoration throughout front



    Tuesday, September 2, 2008

    The Origami of Baseball

    On an off topic for this blog, I took Jackson to his first baseball game. With the Somerset Patriots minor league stadium only 20 minutes from the house, seats 10 rows behind the 1st base dugout and it being a cool summer night, Jack and I headed out. We usually have to talk things up with him to build the excitement but this was different. We left early, went to dinner and when we drove up to the stadium with complete and total anticipation to watch a "hitter".


    The excitement and joy of eating stadium food, buying his first baseball hat from a game and eating popcorn was too much. He enjoyed it too. Once the game started, I realized that he was holding his breath for every pitch and with every hit. In between pitches, he talked about "bad" pitches and "good" hits. He was amazed at the foul balls that left the stadium and wondered why the "hitters" didn't run to first base. At the top of the third inning, an hour past his bed time, he asked if we could go because he was really tired.

    Although I did not get a picture, Jack wanted to go to sleep with his hat on. It took him all of three minutes to fall asleep and when we checked on him, his hat was right next to his head. The next morning, he came down in his underwear, shirt (as always) and wearing his new cap. A week later, we are still hearing little references to the game.

    Quiting smoking has its definite drawbacks, the constant urges, moods and most of all, the lack of things to do to keep your mind off the fact that you are not smoking - even when you have more projects half started than you know what to do with. Each and every time I quit, my patience seems to disappear for a week or so, I become angry, short and a real ass. The worst part of the this process is the kids who witness my anger and do not understand....and I quit every other week or so which makes it hard on everyone including myself.

    To keep my time occupied for this quitting time, I picked up some Origami paper and decided to give it a shot; nothing else to do and it keeps me from pissing off the house. I have always had an interest in it but more like a distant interest such as rebuilding a car engine or becoming a vet...sounds great, looks like fun... Although it may sound a little obscure to others, I am really enjoying it and I want to learn more. In doing some research on the Internet on different patterns, I came across an article on an Origami Master and his website. Looking at his work is inspiring.

    Roasted Beet Sandwich

    For the beets:

    • 1 bunch beets - sliced about 1/4 inch thick
    • 1 Shallot - chopped
    • 2 Clove garlic - minced
    • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1/2 Tbsp Rosemary

    For the Cheese and Greens:

    • 1 bunch Chard - Stemmed
    • 1 bunch Beet Greens - Stemmed
    • 1 Shallot - chopped
    • 2 Clove garlic - minced
    • 1/2 Tbsp butter
    • Olive Oil
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • 1 Load day old Italian Bread

    First, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the beets, Olive Oil, Rosemary, Garlic and Shallots in a bowl and let sit for 1 hour. Arrange in 1 layer on a baking pan and roast in the oven until soft and tender (about 20 minutes). Rotate and flip as required to ensure all beets are roasting evenly. Once done, pull out and cut beets into strips

    While beets are roasting, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet for about 1 minute. Add all greens and let sit for 2 minutes. Turn all greens as they begin to wilt and allow to cook under medium flame for about 4-5 minutes. Beet greens and chard are generally bitter and the more you cook, he less bitter they become. Once done, remove to a bowl and splash with Balsamic Vinegar turn to coat.

    Take goat cheese (room temperature is better) and mix the dill into the cheese. Cut the bread into slices and brush with left over oil from the beets. Place in oven for 1 minute until toasted. To build the sandwiches, spread generously the herb goat cheese, place greens on and place a generous amount of beet pieces. This can be served warm or cold, I prefer warm.

    Food Harvested:
    Tomatoes
    Lemon Cukes

    Things Planted:
    None

    Seeds Saved:
    Lemon Cukes
    Purple Cherokee Tomato
    Black Krim Tomato

    Preserved/Cooked:
    Canned:
    - Yellow Peach Halves
    Made:
    - Roasted Beet Sandwich with sauteed chard and herb goat cheese
    - Flounder baked with shallots and garlic
    - Carrot Cake

    Things to Remember:
    Nothing I can think of today