Brandywine Tomatoes |
So, my garden looks
like a garden. Like a real one and everything! I've got respectable
peas and beans. My first bean sprouted up in just 4 days! I ate my
first homegrown beet yesterday. It was smaller than a golf ball, but
it was so sweet! I've never had that taste with raw beets before.
Okra and cukes went in Sunday. Tomatoes went in today as well as supports for the peas. Peppers may be
in next week. Again, with the hardening! PS: Those newspaper starter
cups are doing great.
Peas earlier this week |
One thing I have
noticed is that the heirloom varieties, purchased from a small farm
off of, you guessed it!, localharvest.org, have a higher growth rate
than the store bought varieties. That is, the peas and beans, which
were put directly into the ground. The transplants were not
successful, but I think that was due to my inexperience. I'm
impressed though. I literally mean 100% are shooting up, whereas
about 60% of the store-bought are alive and kicking. I'm interested
to see how the end results differ.
I have been reading
Square Foot Gardening. I really wish I had done so 6 months ago.
There are lots of great ideas, and I definitely would like to try
this method next year along with a traditional plot. I think it's a
great option for kids. Getting mine interested has been a struggle.
It's too hot. I don't want to get dirty. There's a bug on me. I'm
hungry. I'm bored. It takes a maximum of 3 minutes to hear one of
these...and it doesn't stop until we're inside. God forbid my kids
survive without my watchful eye for an hour. Of course, we'll have a
complete 180 in 10 years with me begging to hang with them 24/7. I
digress. If they had their own little plot with quick growing produce
and a flower or two, I think that would grab their attention. Another
great thing about the book is options for gardeners unable to stoop
because of back problems or those using a wheelchair. I also think
the size restrictions are a good idea for starters, such as myself. I
went big. Too big. If I had something small then progressed
reasonably, then a full scale plot would not be so daunting. But, you
know, eyes bigger than the stomach...or hands? You get what I'm
saying. Anyways, McKay, a local used bookstore, had it for $1.50.
Well worth it.
If you are in the
Nashville area, check out McKay's new location. It is HUGE! It looks
like a gymnasium in there. But for nerds. They have a great selection
and usually good prices.
Mmm Good |
I did want to share
a recipe this time around. German Apple Pancake. This is really
great, one of my family's favorites. It's elegant, rustic, and simple. Perfect
for holidays or—don't forget this Sunday!--Mother's Day. Serve with
a pot of coffee or tea, thick bacon or country ham. The apples kind
of peep out at you, while the caramel just oozes seductively.
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Melt 1 Tbsp butter in an oven proof skillet (cast iron works great) over medium heat.
- Add 2 medium Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced or chunked if you prefer, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp cinnamon. Cook until tender. Here you can add anything extra jazzy, like a splash of liqueur, a dash of your favorite spice, or chopped nuts. Mmm, dried cranberries would be good.
- In a bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp melted butter, and ½ tsp salt.
- Whisk in 1 cup AP flour.
- Once the apples are cooked down, remove from heat and pour batter on top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until nice and golden.
Serve plain or
topped with syrup, whipped cream, powdered sugar, etc.
Bacon! |
Alright, guys. I'm
a little silly from lack of sleep, so I'm off. Oh, yeah! First CSA pickup tomorrow from Delta Sun Farm! I'll let you guys know how it goes. They have baby
pigs. I can't wait to squee at their adorableness.
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