Green Beans

This year was my first year growing green beans.  I grew bush beans (which don't need support) and climbing beans (which do need support and, therefore, are not usually commercially grown).  Green beans are great to grow.  They grow easily, add nitrogen to the soil and have a small footprint.  Every time I grow something new in the garden, I make a discovery.  What I discovered about green beans was very important:  I'm the only one in my family who likes green beans!  I don't know how this is possible.  They are not an offensive vegetable, but there you have it.  Beautiful beans, and I'm the only eater.  It's one thing if a veggie is easy to grow, but if it's easy to grow and no one eats it, then what's the point?  Lucky for me, I am resourceful when it comes to veggies.

Sauteed Green Beans
by Gretchen Gingerich

Green Beans

Chop green beans.  Saute in your favorite fat with salt.  Viola!



Frozen Green Beans
by Gretchen Gingerich

Green Beans

Chop green beans.  Dump into boiling water for 30 seconds (blanch).  Freeze in a double layer plastic self-sealing bag.



Dilly Beans
by Gretchen Gingerich
makes 4 pints

Everyone's favorite bean pickle!

2 lbs Green Beans
5 Cups white vinegar
1/2 Cup pickling salt
2 tsp red pepper flakes
8 tsp dill seed (not the green part)
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Chop green beans and pack into clean, warm canning jars with red pepper, dill seed, and garlic cloves. Leave 1/2 inch head-space.

Bring vinegar and salt to a boil.

Pour hot brine over beans leaving 1/2 inch head-space.

Process in a hot-water bath for 5 minutes according to conventional USDA canning recommendations.  Let the pickles rest and cure for at least 2 weeks before opening.

Candy: It's not just for kids; bees like it too

Bee Candy/Fondant
During the flowering months of the year (approximately March - July in Oregon), bees can get their food - flower nectar - from flowers.  During the non-flowering times of the year, the bees need to eat their honey stores to survive.  Luckily, the reduced light and increased cold makes them slow down, huddle together, move less, and eat less.  Unluckily, if their honey stores are too far away from their huddled colony, they can't get to it and they may still starve.

The mildness of Oregon's winters make it especially difficult for bees to survive because it's not quite cold enough, long enough for them to completely shut-down hive activity.  Warm, sunny winter days can be great opportunities for important hive maintenance.  Mild, rainy, Oregon-winter days can be that balance of not-cold, not-warm that confuses the hive as to what it should be doing and can cause unnecessary energy expenditure. Because of this additional mild-winter obstacle, Oregon bees can really benefit from having extra food-stores on hand.  Bee candy can be perfect for those emergency food supplies.

Bee candy is basically solidified white sugar syrup.  It can be placed in the hive in the Fall and diminish the need for the stress of mid-winter check-ups or feeding by syrups which can contribute extra moisture to the winter colony (a real problem in mild-winter climates).  I made my candy and then slathered it onto deep-frames to be added directly to the colony's over-wintering deep boxes.  Many recipes also recommend the addition of essential oils such as lemongrass (to encourage eating) and mint (to encourage healthy winter-guts).  Many recipes can be found, but here is the one I used successfully.

Bee Fondant (Bee Candy)
by Gretchen Gingerich
covers 2 deep frames

4 lb granulated sugar
2 Cups water
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
essential oils such as lemongrass or mint

Measure the liquids into a deep pot and bring to a slow simmer. Pour in the sugar, stirring until it dissolves completely. Once all sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium high and use a candy thermometer to bring the mixture to a boil at 234 degrees F.  Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to 200 degrees F.  Add any essential oils (5-8 drops). Use a spatula to knead the fondant onto the deep-frames.  Continue kneading until it (quickly) takes on a white-color.  Then allow to cool completely.  Frames may be stored by the bees in the hive or by the beekeeper wrapped in the freezer. 

Beets

 

October was a beet - harvesting month for me.  Beets grow continuously through the year, but tend to be happiest in the cooler months.  Beets are one of those veggies that can get a bit "earthy" tasting (aka "tastes like dirt") and so folks either love'em or hate'em.  I do tend to love'em and here's how I love to eat'em:  Beets and Bacon, Boiled Beets, Simple Pickled Beets, (Beet Relish to come)


Beets and Bacon
by Gretchen Gingerich

Beets, peeled and chopped
Onion, chopped
salt
Garlic, minced
Beet greens, chopped (optional)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled.

Saute the beets and onion with a dash of salt (I prefer to use bacon fat to saute).  After the beets soften, add the garlic and cook until garlic browns.  Add the beet greens and cook until they wilt.  Finish with crumbled bacon. 



Boiled Beets
by Gretchen Gingerich

This is a classic way to enjoy beets.  Can be served plain or with butter.

Beets

Remove the top and bottom of the beets.  Boil in water until soft (about 20 minutes).  Remove from hot water, place into cold water, and peel.




Simple Pickled Beets
adapted from Pickled Pantry- Andrea Chesman- 2012
by Gretchen Gingerich
makes 8 pints

This is simply a beet-pickle.  A simple pickle for a simple vegetable.

18-20 Beets
4 Cups cider vinegar
1 Cup water
2/3 Cup sugar
2 Tbsp sea salt


Remove the top and bottom of the beets.  Boil in water until skin becomes soft (about 15 minutes).  Remove from hot water, place into cold water, and peel.  Leave the beets whole, cut into wedges, or chunk.  Pack the beets into canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch head-space.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once the sugar dissolves, pour the mixture over the canned beets, leaving 1/2 inch head-space.

Process in a hot-water bath for 30 minutes according to conventional USDA canning recommendations.

Let rest for 6 weeks before eating (for full flavor to develop).



There is also Beet Relish which is a sweet, aromatic, type relish.  I'm still developing my recipe for this one.  Haven't quite gotten it to where I like it yet.

CRANBERRY!

Mid-October is about the time that cranberries appear in the grocery stores.  Mid-October is about the time to make your cranberry sauce, so that it has plenty of time to cure/gel/marinate/season- whatever it does- before Thanksgiving.  So, apologies to all that it is now Mid-November when I am finally posting this.  Print it out and mark your calendar for Mid-October 2016.  You'll be ahead of the game. Or, if you're happy with the taste- serve straight from the pot on Thanksgiving Day 2015!

There are three types of cranberry sauce that I have come to appreciate:  Sweet Cranberry Relish, Savory Cranberry Relish, and Citrus Cranberry Relish (honorable mention to that "cranberry gel" that comes out of a can.  That stuff is pretty good too).  Here are the recipes for you to try.

Not ready for Winter

What happened to Fall?  It was here for about a month now it's cold and drizzly.  The squash that were hanging on have given up.  My table-tomatoes never really ripened but my cherry tomatoes are doing their best to stay on.  My husband is raking up leaves and asking where to put them.  Where?  Back on the trees!  I need another solid-week to clean-up the summer garden before I'm ready to plan the Winter garden.  And Fall is a lost cause.  At least I got my bees their Winter candy before now.  I'll have to peek at them the next sunny day. 

Frog in a Parsley, Shoo Fly Shoo...

Well, the blessed rains have returned!  My soul rejoiced to wake after a stormy night and see a bright-cloudy sky and breath the freshly washed air!  Hallelujah

The rains have also re-awakened the tree frogs.  Here's a Pacific Tree frog reclining on my parsley.  It's the fourth one I've seen in two days.  The kids are thrilled (and so am I).  They are such dear friends to find amongst the veg. 

Strangely, however, my grape hyacinths think it's time for them to return as well.  They are a couple-days into sprouting.  It will be interesting to see if they manage to bloom. 

Fall is in the Air - Applesauce

Nothing says, "Fall" quite like the smell of applesauce slowly simmering away in the house.  And, for us Pacific North-westerners, That wonderfully, fresh smell to the air when the rains finally return.  The Summer's dust has finally been washed away and we can breath again.

This year I made my applesauce in a crock-pot.  All the steps are the same:  peel, core, slice, reduce, season...  it just is a bit of a slower pace so that I can make it an all-day project and do it in chunks of time as they become available (those with little ones will understand this strategy).

Last year, I had an extra hand and was able to do my batches more efficiently.

This year, my son and I picked about 10 gallons of apples.  It took me two days to get them all put-up but it ended up being just over 6 quarts in the end.

One addition this year is an attempt to make Apple Cider Vinegar from the scraps.  I will let you know how that goes. 

These are the Hands 2

Now that's more like it! 
Back in January I was feeling remiss that my hands were getting soft and plump - the effects of indoor-rest season.  Now I rejoice at the dirt-caked fingernails, dark skin, cracks, calluses, hardened finger-tips...  the joy of a body well-used.  Now when I reflect on my manicure again in January, I will not feel ashamed.  I will be able to feel satisfied in a well-deserved rest for weary hands. 

Pickle Time!

It's pickle time again.  I really like my dill chip recipe from last year.  They were super-yum and pretty simple.  I used the large-batch measurements which made enough brine for 10 pints.  The first 5 pints I cut by hand to about 1/4 inch.  The second 5 pints I cut with a mandolin so they would be thinner, about 1/8 inch.  I'm curious to see how it affects the taste.  The thinner pickles were easier to stuff in the jars, but I'm not sure I got more stuffed over-all.  To find out, I'll have to first wait six weeks for the pickles to season. 

Seeds

There is talk of rain tomorrow.  And, especially THIS season, that's a big deal.  We haven't had rain since......  Well, we've had sprinkles, but no real rain that I can remember since April-ish.  And now it's August.  So I've been allowed to procrastinate on harvesting seeds.

Harvesting seeds is not my favorite thing.  It's a bit tedious, a bit messy, and the benefits are delayed.  However, it is very satisfying to look at a jar of pickles and know not only are the cucumbers, onions, and garlic from my garden, but also the coriander, dill, celery seed, and mustard seed! 

Step one - Grow the plant

Mustard seed comes from mustard plants, dill seed comes from dill plants, celery seed comes from a year 2 celery plant, and coriander comes from a cilantro plant.

Step two - dry the plant

Dill, celery, and coriander dry sufficiently well on the plant in-ground as long as you're not getting crazy rain or over-watering.  Mustard must be pulled and dried to a crisp.  If not sufficiently dried, the harvested seeds can easily mold.  Which happened to the seed I harvested last week!  Boo, so disappointing.  At least it molded quickly and before I tried to use it. 

Step three- seed collection

Dill, celery, and coriander can be collected straight from the plant into a bucket or bowl and then transferred into a storage container.  I really like to use sanitized glass jars and keep the lid off but handy.  This allows good ventillation, I can write on the side, and there's no organic matter in the container itself to mold (such as would be in a paper-based container).

Mustard seeds are in seed pods that pop open when crushed or even sometimes touched.  The trick is to remove the seeds from the pods without seeds going every which way and without too many pods getting into your seeds.  I've finally settled on crushing the pods over a giant bowl and then skimming the pods off the top before transferring to a glass jar.  Another trick- if I blow at the seeds while I pour, some of the smaller chaff blows away.  It's a labor of love because it makes a big mess and is a huge project both in space-occupied, and time it spends lying around drying out.  But my goal is to one day have enough mustard seed to both add to pickles AND make home-made mustard!  Plus, the bees LOVE the flowers and it grows easily. 

Bees, Wasps and Hornets

Craziest thing,

we were going to eat outside on the deck when all of a sudden, this gal... 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Baldie.jpg/220px-Baldie.jpg
 
 ...the bald-faced hornet, zips out of nowhere and tackles this poor innocent lady...  


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Wasp_May_2008-11.jpg/220px-Wasp_May_2008-11.jpg





...the paper wasp, wrestles her to the ground, stinging her repeatedly.  They fall through the deck cracks.  The hornet comes back to buzz around the corn on the cob.  The wasp is never seen again.  

We then eat inside.  

Bee Season

I thought my bees were going to town this summer and I'd have heaps of honey, despite the drought.  Alas, DEARTH is here and honey-season is over.  Dearth is the period where most blossoms have ended and the bees have no pollen or nectar sources.  It can be a tricky transition time for a hive.  Usually it happens about the same time blackberries turn from blossoms to fruit.  A hive will kick out it's drones, scale down, and get set for winter.  In the Pacific Northwest where winters are mild, this turns into bee-feeding season.  Pollen and sugar-water will help keep the hive healthy through fall and give enough stores to last into winter.

I went into my hive today expecting at least one frame of honey and found... these bees need to be fed, pronto!  They are almost out of honey themselves.  No honey for me.

Side Note:  Check out this cool site:
http://www.nativebeeconservancy.org
They have great info and pictures on all the native bees.  (which I've been seeing more variety of this summer).

Zucchini Recipe: Green Nachos

No, my kids were not fooled into thinking these were really nachos.  But I was.  They tasted great - crunch, cheese, how could you go wrong?

Green (Zucchini) Nachos

Zucchini
Cheese

Thinly slice the zucchini into "cookie" shapes.  Sprinkle with grated cheese (I used Tillamook garlic cheddar- yum).  Microwave until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.


Other Zucchini Recipes:
Zucchini Medallions
Zucchini Pickles (recipe to come)

What's Growing: August

It's been sooo DRY for sooo LONG!  It's a wonder anything is growing outside.  I've been watering since March and the spots where I've been slacking are noticeable.  I don't know if I can blame it on the weather, but my enthusiasm's been about as dry and crusty as the lawn.  There are things growing "out there" but it's not as lush as previous years and I have more blank-spots than usual.

Here's a peek at what's growing (see also, Take time to see the beauty for a visual guide):

Take time to see the beauty

The world really is a beautiful place- despite it's ugly side.  It's hard to remember sometimes.  Even looking out my own window, at my own life, in my own garden, I have trouble seeing the beauty.  But somehow, looking at the world through the lens of a camera changes my perspective just enough that I can start to catch glimpses of the beauty once more.  Here is a bit of what I saw today. 

Local Peach Comparison

My friend, Sarah, canned 70 quarts of peaches last year - local, summer goodness for her 3 growing children.  This year, she's thinking 80.  They looked so gorgeous and tempting - golden orbs floating there in a sea of syrup.  "I'll give it a try," I thought.  "Peaches can't be that bad." 

The local hubbub about peaches is TK Orchards in Aurora, Oregon.  They have awesome quality, awesome prices, awesome variety.  People plan their picking around the ripening of the Dixie Gems.  I "u-picked" the Dixie Gems last year.  They were yummy, they were easy to pick.  They were wonderfully priced.  But, I was jealous of their neatly arranged, non-bruised "we-pick" boxes as I checked out.  So this year, I thought, "pay a little more, get the pre-picked peaches."  I ended up with 10lbs of star-fire peaches for $15.  Great price, right!

Now, the Facebook hubbub has been about Milk Creek Produce in Mulino, Oregon.  They get their peaches from Gunkel Orchards in Maryhill, WA.  And they were selling theirs for 20lbs for $14.  Even better price!  Now theirs were not as beautiful, nor as local, and the Facebook gossip was that they were not free-stone (gasp)!  I nabbed myself some of these as well... just to see if I could see a difference.

Results...

TK orchards peaches looked better and de-stoned better and were more-consistently ripe.

Milk Creek's peaches were more economical and de-stoned easily when ripe, but the box was of varying ripeness (might be an advantage when consuming over time).  These peaches were also not as beautiful.  Probably 1/10 was moldy inside where the stone is and 1/11 contained earwigs!  I'm not bug-shy, but it did make de-stoning them a bit of an adrenaline rush.  I was less-than-relaxed anticipating bugs bursting forth and scurrying across the counter every time I opened one up.  The kids, however, loved the added excitement.

Bottom line- if you're feeling economical and don't mind extra excitement, you can't beat Milk Creek's price.  If you want streamlined peach-processing and consistent quality, go for TK.


And, how did my canning go?!?  Easy enough, but extremely sticky.  I don't know how Sarah does 80 quarts.  Props to her! 

The plan seems to be working

Back in April I had a plan.  I mounded, I weeded, I planted, I watered, I discovered a few things. 

1. Squash transplant ok, but they do MUCH better if directly seeded.

2. I can save old gourds and even if they get mushy and moldy, the seeds are still good inside.  I had a few gourds that I just didn't get around to cutting open.  So I just put them on the mound and broke them open and they sprouted just fine.

3. Zucchini are awesome!  I know they can get out of control easily, but they are one of the first edible squash to produce, which is exciting, they are prolific, which is exciting, and you can easily coerce young children to check them daily (but not to eat them- that is another story).  Plus, zucchini pickles are awesome... recipe to come. 

4. This dry Spring in Oregon was NOT conducive to cucumbers sprouting.  I don't know what my deal was but I planted cucumbers 3 times before they finally took!  Now I have about 8 plants, so I'm content.

5. I LOVE squash.  It is absolutely AMAZING how quickly they grow- literally before your eyes.  One plant will have visibly grown inches over the course of a day.  Absolutely AMAZING!

6. I also planted corn and sunflowers on each mound.  The sunflowers didn't do anything, but the corn seems happy.  We shall see.  

And that is it.  I left many of the weeds (after digging, mowing, and weeding for 6-or-so weeks) but I don't' really mind them.  What do you see in the garden?  The weeds or the veggies???

What's Growing: July

   

seasons

In the winter, my skin is pale and soft
My body is comfortable and resting
My time is spent indoors eating and planning and cultivating family
The world is resting, retreating, renewing, empty with the readiness for spring

In the summer, my skin is rough, ever darker, and stings from Sun and scratches of unknown origin
My body is alive with each muscle telling me of its presence
Dirt is permanently pressed and etched and embossed into my fingernails and calluses
Time is an urgent race to plant and harvest and preserve
The world bursts forth into three dimensions growing and changing before my very eyes
The energy is palpable, the garden challenges me to keep up with its vigor. Knowing full well that I never will

What's Growing: April Planting

This is my plan...

Last year I (and my husband's tractor) started a new bed out along the roadway.  I filled it with squash of every kind.  Too much squash?  Maybe, there is such a thing and it can happen quickly.  But, I was really happy with the results.  This year, the task of weeding before planting was daunting so I developed a strategy.  Create mounds - 5 x 8 - on a grid and plant 1-3 squash, corn, and sunflowers on each.  Squash actually like growing on mounds- the soil warms up quickly and drains well, helping them to become established and dominate the space.  Squash need to be about 5 feet apart from each other leaving too much room for weeds.  But if they are mounded, their location can be quickly identified, weeded, and watered.  They squash will dominate the weedy in-between space after they have established and expanded.  You can see in the photo, I still have my work cut out for me digging 40 mounds but I think it's doable.

Yesterday I took advantage of the sunny day in anticipation of a nice drizzly week and got some squash started in egg-carton trays.

I planted:
Watermelon
Cucumber
Butternut
Acorn
Spaghetti
Jack O Lantern
and Gourds
(I didn't have any Zucchini saved... none of mine grew last year)
I started Cantaloupe, but that won't go in the front bed.

all from saved seeds

I also planted:
Corn 
Dill
Basil
Cosmos
Nasturtium
Hollyhock
and Heirloom Tomatoes

all from saved seeds

I thought it might be too early for tomatoes, but the tomatoes are sprouting in the compost, so I took that as a good sign that it was ok to plant some. 

What I'd like to do is get all my mounds dug and heaped, add a bit of mulch and compost, and give that a chance to breakdown a bit.  Then once my starts are about 2 inches tall, pick the best ones and out-plant.  I'm thinking I will do 1-3 per mound hoping that I will get 1-2 good plants each mound.  That means though that 40 mounds will quickly turn into 80 squash plants.  8 varieties, 10 plants each... I think I'm going to have another busy summer!

What's Growing: April

Here's a look at what's growing in my garden in April.

Blueberry - check out the baby blueberries!
Potato - overwintered and Spring-planted are both up and happy
Grape - huge buds
Nasturtium - self-seeded last year
Garlic - overwintered and going strong
Oregano - overwintered and going strong
Spinach - overwintered and survived the slugs!
Celery - planted from kitchen scraps in the early Spring
Kale - overwintered, but full of aphids
Strawberry - overwintered and blossoming
Pea - planted a few weeks ago
Thyme - overwintered
Raspberry - this year's canes are coming up

Other updates

Plum - baby plums appearing
Asparagus - starting to fade out
Onion- overwintered and bolting, so I need to pull them.  They just get too confused overwintering in Oregon
Arugula - overwintered and bolting.  I plan on saving seeds
Rutabaga - a few overwintered and bolted.  I plan on saving seeds
Rosemary - overwintered and flowering

Salamander ID

I love finding wildlife in my garden.  It makes me feel like I'm doing something right.  Lawn is not a healthy ecosystem.  You're not likely to find awesome spiders and salamanders in amongst your grass.  This is my third summer working in my garden and this is the spring of the salamander.  They are out in abundance and I take it as a big complement. 

Why do I care?  Why does it matter to me?  Why does it matter to the garden? 

Counterquestion

Does it make more sense to fight and strong-arm a world-wide system or work within the system using it's pathways to attain your goals?

My garden has pests just like every other garden. But I don't have the time or skill to manage them as well as a fleet of hungry predators.  Salamanders, especially, tend to be a bit on the delicate/sensitive side.  So, when I find them rooting around, I'm especially honored.

But I'm relatively new to the west coast and it's flora and fauna so this guy is hard to ID.  If anyone has some insights, I'd love to hear them.

Compost... something to be jealous of

 

I don't have too many things in my life that I can point to and say, "That is something to be jealous of!" but my compost rocks!  I have to give props to my wonderful husband who built these recycled-pallet compost 3-bins.  They work great, hold a lot, and don't require much maintenance.

Good compost is exciting!  It just makes sense.  It cuts down on your trash, keeps the landfills more clear, and results in an awesome product that every garden needs.

So how do you make good compost? 

What goes in:  Anything from plants... kitchen scraps, paper, cardboard, yard debris, paper napkins... 

MUST have a good amount of browns.  GREENS get slimy (think grass clippings or lettuce).  BROWNS add the structure... paper, cardboard, I put in oatmeal containers, paper napkins, twigs, and sticks...

AIR... if it's stinky, it needs more air.  Now, how do you give it air?  Well... grab a shovel, Baby, or a pitchfork.  BUT, if you have enough structure in there, i.e. BROWNS, then you won't need to deal with that.  I am aggressive with my BROWNS so I rarely have to deal with stink or turning.  However, the more you turn and get that air in there, the faster your compost will break down.

MOISTURE... if it dries out, it's going to stop breaking down.  So, if you're watering your plants, water your compost too.  BUT, in Oregon, sloppy-wet compost is more often the problem.  Yuck.

HEAT... put it in a sunny spot.  The sun will warm it.  As it warms, the microbiota will explode and get the decomposition happening.

And that's about it. 

I flip mine in Spring and again in Fall.  As I flip, I throw chunks back into the system and put the fine particles into the wheelbarrow for garden use.

Here's how the compost looked in January.

And that, is how you get something, truly, to be jealous of.  You can buy it, but it's MUCH more satisfying to have it made in your own backyard.

This is Why I Love My Cat

No dinosaurs were harmed in the making of this photo.  That mouse she's got, however, was definitely eaten.

  

I am not a "cat person."  My cat doesn't come inside, she doesn't really play with toys, she has no interest in cat nip, and yet, she is an important part of our family.

I decided to take on the cost and complication - hello vet and vacation sitter - of owning "cats" after our second summer in this house.  Not only were voles eating ALL my red cherry tomatoes - ya, they were voles, I caught one but that's another story - but, they were also starting to gnaw and chew and dig around my house.  And I was NOT interested in having a house-mouse issue.  So we "picked - up" two cats.  "Picked-up" because here in rural Oregon, practically every farm and farmer has "barn cats" that widely breed and roam.  So, we caught one from a farm, and had a farmer catch an additional one for us (Smokey).  Well...  farm kitty #1 was not the brightest (though she was super-cute).  After having them both fixed and vaccinated, Buttercup was hit by a car.  Smokey was alone for winter #1.

The next Spring, I said, "ok, we can try for another cat, a companion for Smokey."  And so, we got Pickle.  Pickle was a champ.  Friendly with the kids, even following them into the kiddie pool (or was it a kitty pool?  ha!).  But a bit too brave.  Before he was even old-enough to be fixed, he disappeared in the night.  He had taken to escaping from the safety of the outbuilding and I'm afraid he was eaten.  Possibly by an owl or hawk.  More likely by a coyote.  Smokey was again alone.

But not for long.  A neighbor wanted to pass-on an older cat, Ginger, to give her space to roam as well as make space in their suburban home for two new puppies.  I said, "sure," giving fair warning about the demise of two previous kittens.  I hoped that this cat would be wary enough to survive as well as big enough to stand up to tough Smokey.

Here it is, about to be summer again and Smokey and Ginger are still around.  I wouldn't say they are the "dynamic duo." But they are learning to abide together.  They each staked out their prospective corners of the property but have learned to co-habitate enough to report for morning roll-call.  Every morning they wait patiently at the glass door for their breakfast treat and tolerate a quick pat on the head.  

So, that is why I love my cat.  She has survived the dangers of being a "barn cat."  She reports, dutifully, every morning so I can keep tabs on her.  And, she is the most-awesome rodent-control!  I feel WAY better about having a murderous cat patrol my house than leaving piles of rodent poison out everywhere for rodents and slugs to crawl through and ingest (yes, slugs- you squish them and green rodent poison comes out, it's super-gross!).  And, even though she is very "cat" about it - everything is on her terms - she is a part of our family. 

Make your Own Yogurt

My friend, Emily, turned me on to this a year ago.  You use a purchased yogurt culture and milk to create your own yogurt at home.  Because we can go through a lot of yogurt at my house and because the stuff my wallet likes isn't the best stuff for my body, I gave it a try. 

You have to start this project on a day when you will be home because there is lots of waiting.  But, it's simple, easy, and delicious. 

I recommend reading a few "recipes" first to get an idea of how it works and some tips and tricks.  Then give it a shot. 

You will need a slow-cooker, a large-thick towel, a whisk, and a milk thermometer. 

You will also need cheese cloth and strainers if you want Greek yogurt.  But I skip this part because straining yogurt is a MESS!

Here are a few sites to check out:
http://livesimply.me/2013/05/06/homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot-recipe/

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/10/foolproof-crockpot-greek-yogurt-and-i-mean-foolproof.html

Last Pumpkins

My stored squash have been mostly eaten.  The last butternut and spaghetti had their soft spots removed and their insides roasted sometime in January. The last acorn went well before that.  But the plethora of pumpkins was not was easily overcome.  Shelves lined with pumpkins large and small waited for use.  Occasionally a few would succumb to mold and mildew. A few were eaten by slugs... my bane.  And my husband reports that some were visited by mice.  (Seriously Ginger Cat, you sleep 5 feet away!)
And now we come to March and the last remaining 4 pumpkins.
I brought them inside, washed them off, oiled them up and baked them at 350° for 45 minutes. I then cut their tops off and allowed them to cool.  I scooped their seeds out.  I scooped their flesh out. And I sent the rinds to the compost.

Here were my last 3 tributes to garden pumpkins.

Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds
Oil
Salt n pepper

Rinse seeds until free of most slime.  Put in a bowl with oil and salt n pepper. Toss to coat. Place evenly on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350°.  Turn once on the cookie sheet and bake until golden brown.


Pumpkin Soup

Roasted pumpkin
Roasted apples
Roasted onion
Roasted garlic
Broth
Salt n pepper
Thyme

This recipe is really nice if you can roast all your veggies until brown (about 30 minutes) before hand but is just as nice with sauteed veggies or raw veggies.

Add all ingredients and begin to warm.  Use an immersion blender to blend away all chunks.  Season to taste.

Nice toppers are:  yogurt, sour cream, paprika, fresh thyme, or roasted pumpkin seeds.


Carmel Pumpkin Pie

Pie crust shell
1 Cup roasted pumpkin
4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup cornstarch
1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup brown sugar

If you want a creature texture, puree the pumpkin prior to use.

Beat the eggs add spices then pumpkin, sugar and cornstarch.  Mix thoroughly then add to pastry shell, leaving at least 1/4 inch room for caramel.

Heat butter on stovetop over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Drizzle over pumpkin pie.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.

Weeds!

Weeds!
Just like this blog.
Time flies when you don't give them the attention they need.
Oh, I've been thinking about both.  The weeds.  The blog.  The things I should be doing but can't seem to find the time.
Where did February go?  And now March is almost over as well.
But, you have to make the time for what's important.
Tiny chips at the big wall.
I weeded for two hours this morning.  In the cold, blowy, March rain.
I did 4 rows.  That makes 7 rows total weeded this year.  7 out of what has become 11, somehow, out of 10 that ended the season.
I wanted to do more.  I thought about doing more.
But just as it is now, past 10 pm with a big day looming tomorrow, the time has gotten away from me.
So, I chip, chip, chip.
I plan.
I think.
Someday I will have the time to weed.
Someday I will have the time to put down all the thoughts that scamper like mice through my brain.
But for now, I must put the day away.
Goodnight Day.
Make room for tomorrow. 

Blossoms, Bees, and Joy

Blossoms are beginning to appear.  Spring is sneaking in.  Last year at this time, I was way ahead of myself in my garden work.  I was anxious for Spring to arrive and for the garden to begin needing me again.  This year, I am wary to fall into that trap.  Not that I didn't enjoy my toils last Winter/Spring, but they yielded nothing except work for work's sake and maybe a bit of exercise.  This year, content with my household putterings inside, I want to do what work is needed; but I do not feel the need to squander excess time and energy.  And yet, a part of me worries that I am already falling behind.  My bees were completely neglected for December and January.  I gave them the occasional close-eye.  But I did not do a thorough inspection nor any supplemental feedings.  I was more than a little nervous when I took advantage of this sunny week to do a hive inspection.  Much to my joy and amazement, the bees were in terrific shape!  My queen was laying nice patterns and they had about 5 frames of honey.  Now, that is joy.  Welcome Spring, welcome blossoms, but don't rush; come at your own pace.

Asparagus!

Spring must be here, because the asparagus are peeking.  To celebrate, I bought a lovely bunch at the grocery store and roasted them up tonight.  Asparagus are a perennial crop so plant them once and enjoy for years to come. Minimal space and care needed - just a dedicated spot.

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus
Salt and Pepper (I like fresh-ground)
Oil
Vinegar (I like Balsamic)

Lay asparagus on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.  Broil for about 10 minutes.

Pasta Puttanesca

I made the most deliciously satisfying Pasta Puttanesca tonight.  What a great way to use up those roasted tomatoes I had in the freezer.  Now if only I had frozen some fresh parsley.  Luckily, the oregano is still growing strong outside. 

Pasta Puttanesca

Long pasta such as spaghetti
Olive oil
2+ cloves garlic, minced
Parsley, chopped
Capers
Anchovy paste or fish sauce
Oregano
Red Pepper flakes
Tomatoes (defrosted or canned)
Parmesan, grated

Bring water to boil and cook pasta to 'al dente' directions. 

While the pasta cooks, saute the garlic until fragrant.  Add herbs, capers, and anchovy paste and saute for two more minutes.  Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.  Combine with drained pasta and top with grated cheese.

Hazelnut Pollen Season Has Begun

Last night the hazelnut trees behind my house gifted us with their first large pollen-fall of the season.  Can you see the yellow dusting of pollen on my car's hood? 

That's the pollen that remained after the morning dew had dried off on the way to the grocery store and back.  And that orchard in the background, those are the culprits.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Tomatoes (frozen, canned, or chopped)
Onion, minced
Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili pepper
salt and pepper

Beans (garbanzo, black, pinto, etc.)
Veggies (finely chopped carrot, squash, or cauliflower)

Butternut squash, cooked with rind removed
Cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 350.  Create enchilada sauce on the stove top using tomatoes, onions, and spices.  Dip tortillas in enchilada sauce and then fill with beans and veggies.  Roll tortillas and place in casserole dish, seam-side down.  Mix remaining sauce with butternut squash.  Top enchildas with the sauce mixture and cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Spaghetti Squash with Artichoke and Kale

Spaghetti Squash with Artichoke and Kale

Spaghetti squash (baked and rind removed)
Artichoke, chopped
Kale, chopped
Parmesan (or other hard cheese), grated
1 cup mayo

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients and place in casserole dish.  Bake 45 minutes or until top is browned

Citrus Sunshine on a Gray Day

The fog is hanging low and heavy in Oregon.  Spirits are feeling just as blah.  How about an end-of-January Pick-me-up thanks to seasonal citrus.  Citrus is in season and simmering it on the stove-top fills the house with an uplifting aroma.  By straining the peels and adding sugar, a sophisticated, bitter-citrus syrup is made.  This can then be added to tea, soda, or alcohol for an uplifting beverage. 

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

Spaghetti Squash Gratin


Butter
Onion, minced
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk

Spaghetti squash (cooked, and removed from rind)
1 cup breadcrumbs (optional coating in butter)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease casserole dish.  Saute onion in butter until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and warm until fragrant.  Add flour and mix.  Add milk slowly while stirring.  Mix with squash until incorporated.  Place in casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs.  Bake for 20 - 30 minutes.

Using Frozen Squash

Remember those squash you baked and froze in the Fall?  Well, guess what.  If you don't have a chest freezer, those squash are starting to look a little frost-bitten by now and need to be used up.

But, what do you do with them?  Here are some recipes I've blogged about:

Squash-topped Shepard's Pie

Acorn squash Fondue (sans shell) 

Spaghetti Squash Gratin 

Spaghetti Squash with Artichoke and Kale

Butternut Squash Enchiladas 

Carmel Pumpkin Pie

You can also use any kind of squash to make a lovely squash soup or chili.  (Which I have yet to blog about)

But mainly what I have been doing is baked goods with squash.  And easy place to start is by doing a search for pumpkin.  I have a GREAT pumpkin loaf recipe.  Butternut and acorn (probably the ones you froze) substitute very well for pumpkin.

You can also be brave and use the squash mush as a substitute in your baking for butter, shortening, or oil (similarly to how you can use applesauce).  The consistency is the same, you save calories, and it does not come off tasting "squashy."  Although I have yet to try cookies in this manner, I have tried it in several loafs, bars, and baked oatmeal. 

Kitchen Scrap Stock

 

Save your carrot ends, your onion ends, your celery leaves, and your cauliflower leaves! Anything that is clean and free of mold should go into a freezer bag.  When the bag is full, throw it into a stock pot and simmer. 

After your veggies have gotten soft to mushy, dump the pot contents into a metal colander with a metal bowl underneath (to catch the liquid).  Allow it to sit and drain, but don't stir.

This is what my stock looked like after straining.  I used chicken bones with my veggie scraps, so there is some fat component to my stock.  Depending on how the bones look and how healthy my compost pile is, I might compost all the remaining scraps.  If, however, the bones retain fat or meat, or if the compost is stinky or overly wet or dry, I would trash the remains.

I'm not into pushing products or having a gizmo-filled kitchen.  But, go to the canning section of your store, and buy one of these funnels!  You will use it all the time and it will make your life easier.  It will fill wide-mouth or regular-mouth jars and keep the lid clean!

After you fill your jars, you may now keep your stock in the refrigerator for a few weeks (toss if it seems slimy or tastes extra pungent).  Or in the freezer for a few months.  Be sure to leave extra space at the top of the jar if you plan on freezing them.  Also, if I am thinking of freezing, I like to cover my jars with foil instead of a lid because foil is easier to remove once frozen and microwave defrosting becomes an option.

These Are The Hands...

These are the hands.  These are the hands of a gardener.  These are the hands of a gardener, who hasn't been out in her garden! Aaahh, I'm almost too mortified to post this.  Look at those nails- clean, long, no dirt, no knicks... it's shameful.

Most Januarys I'm chomping at the bit.  Doing little projects to get my fresh air and dirt - fix.  This January I'm hibernating, and for the most part, I'm content!  What is happening to me?  I can't blame the weather.  It has been extra cold at times, but also extra warm.  The rain has not been oppressive.  Yet, the mud has been a deterrent.  Cleaning up globs of mud stuck to boots, pants, rugs, steps.  blah!  I'm just not into it this year.

I also blame my "householding life."  The canning and food preservation really took on new scope this year and I have derived pleasure from using my stores. Garlic, squashes, and potatoes cured; and tomatoes, cucumbers, and kale frozen and canned... delightful.

So, perhaps that is what it is.  I won't feel shame from my lack of mud-crusted boots.  I have been deriving new satisfaction from utilizing the fruits of my labor. 

What's Growing: January

Garden update for January.

After three or four hard frosts, the garden has slowed to a crawl but is still growing.
One thing that hasn't slowed are the slugs.  They seem to thrive in this cold, wetness.  If I would do a better job controlling them, then my garden greens would look more lush.

Still growing are: spinach, thyme, oregano, kale, arugula, onions, and garlic.
The peas and celery did not survive the multiple rounds of frost.

End of January... Mold Is In The Air

It's the end of January and the love-filled month of February is right around the corner.  Yet, it's not love that is saturating our life around this mini-farm; it's mold. Though properly cured and stored, the winter squash have already been through several freeze-thaw cycles (thanks to Oregon's classic mild- with- spikes- of- freeze winters).  So, I am on the lookout for squash that have succumbed to the fungus. 

We have black spots, white spots, pinkish spots, and brownish spots.  If the rind is still firm, I try to bring them inside and cook them up.  If the rind is mushy (especially around the stem), then it's off the compost bin to provide nutrients for future crops.

Do your neighborhood cats think your beds are great... for potty purposes?

In 2014, I had cats pooping, coyotes pooping, and deer standing in and grazing in my raised beds. I had some problems!  Fortunately, two of the three critters were easy to dissuade.

Now coyotes, are a secretive bunch.  I'm not sure what discouraged them, but shortly after the cats started pooping everywhere, the coyote poop disappeared. Maybe one discourages the other.  If you don't have cats then... get a dog.

The deer were effectively discouraged by pinwheels.  The erratic spinning spooked them.  They also hate putting their heads down into things.  So if you have a favorite plant you're looking to protect, try a tight fence of some kind or strings that surround the plant about 2 feet high off the ground.

I have cats for rodent-control purposes (I had mice eating my tomatoes in 2013!).  And the neighbors have cats.  And since cats love to dig in loose soil to poop, I have cat problems! Not only is the poop gross, but they dig up my plants and bulbs with their cat hole digging and burying! aaarrrggg!

I read a lot of solutions for discouraging cats.  Some were great, some were worthless.

- Citrus- oil, spray, and peels.  Nope, didn't work at all and looked terrible

- Coffee Grounds- Also a "no"

- Human Hair-  Discourages feral cats, but not your own

- Yelling like a maniac and waving your arms- nope; they just get more sneaky

- Physical Barrier- YES!  Cats hate digging around or through certain things.  The best: fencing or chicken wire prostrate on the ground.  Thorns clipped from blackberry or rose bushes.  Woody clippings from rosemary or lavender.   Poky sticks too heavy to be easily moved.

- Pepper - YES!  Cats like to do a little gentle digging before they squat.  They do NOT like to get that scent of pepper.  Black pepper, chili pepper, and red pepper work!

- Water spraying - YES!  This works well with your own cats.  When you're out watering your beds.  Just squirt at them anytime they lay a paw on the raised bed and they will quickly get the picture.

If all else fails....    Human Urine


I'm just throwing it out there.  No one likes to talk about it, but it's free, it's easily accessible, it speaks to the animals on their level, and it almost always works.  The problem is; you gotta keep it fresh daily.  And... how do you get it outside... ?   I'll let you figure that one out.