tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79903938637876875982024-03-13T07:43:22.218-04:00Emerald AcreKitchen, garden, and life outside the office.Karen Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-5589884471206267232010-11-06T22:04:00.000-04:002010-11-06T22:04:52.793-04:00Where Art Thou, Tubers?My back deck is a shady place. This makes it a lot more user-friendly than one in the sun, given Maryland's hot and muggy summers. Spring and fall, the maple shading it has sparse leaves, making it usable for even more time. <br />
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Despite the shade, I need to have flowers. I have tried all kinds of things, usually settling for a combination of houseplants being happy outside, flowers that struggle to bloom in the shade, some vines to hang down. Usually I sue a combination of perennials that I can later place in the garden - coral bells or ferns or lady's mantle - and annuals, such as impatiens, fuchsia, or begonias.<br />
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This year was the year of the begonias - not the bedding ones I've used in the past, but nice tuberous begonias. I had company at the start of the season in April, so I bought a couple of large hanging baskets in full bloom. They were gorgeous until last week when the first frost hit. Actually, one was. The other was a little ragged, but a trooper after I, um, missed the hook in trying to rehang it. A two story fall took a bit of its lushness away, but it did its best to recover. <br />
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I have 5 railings planters that I put up to hold flowers that will attract hummingbirds to the flowers and the feeder. I decided to use tuberous begonias - despite the outrageous cost. I ordered than early to start inside, but they did not ship them when I ordered them, so it took foooooreeeeveeeeer for them to grow and flower. The blooms were really beautiful, but they did not fill the planters as I hoped. Late into the season, I added some foliage begonias - beautiful leaves. I thought the flowers would be nothing, but although small, they were lovely. The nursery said I could bring them in as houseplants in the fall, so it was worth the investment.<br />
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So today was the day to transplant the foliage begonia into pots. I'm concerned that the pots don't have the kind of drainage I want, but at this point, getting them into the pots was the priority. They bring a great texture to the living room, and I am hoping they will like the diffuse light. I struggle with having enough light anywhere inside to grow plants, so I just try to keep them alive until they can go outside once again. <br />
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The there's the Cape Primrose plants. I have had them for a number of years- started with a lot, and they grew to a dividable size. I painted a bunch of pots purple, and gave about half of the plants away to friends. They are supposed to bloom like crazy, but in my dark house, blooming was not on their agenda. My guys hate them; the leaves are not much to look at, so without blooms, they have not added much to the inside decor. I planted them outside again, and now, when the first came, they are blooming like mad. And their blooms are spectacular. Nearly as flamboyant as orchids. So despite telling the guys they would not come in again, I transplanted them to pots. So tomorrow I am off to Home Depot for a light fixture to add some light to a corner of my office, where I hope they will do OK until the spring!<br />
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So, with the begonias and the primrose out, I started searching the soil for the tubers. Each planter had one - but I could only find two our of five. Where did the others go? The plants started to die back well before the weather changed. But I thought the tubers would still be fine.<br />
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With just 2 tubers, I may not have much next year. But I am going to try.<br />
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The plants in the hanging basket should have tubers as well. An on-line guide said to take the tubers out of the soil, remove any remaining dirt, and then let them dry out of several days, Once dry, place them in separate paper bags (to isolate any disease from the other tubers ) and then place in a box in a cool place. I have store tubers in sawdust before, but not used this method. I'm giving it a try - and hope that next year I will have beautiful blooms early in the season, if not quite as many!<br />
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This year Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-4595222383404796902010-11-03T20:49:00.000-04:002010-11-03T20:49:09.915-04:00GeraniumsMy grandmother on my father's side loved pink, baking, and annual geraniums. Her patio at the rear (but street side) of the cottage at Bay View, a Victorian summer community in northern Michigan, had pink geraniums. To me, they are happy flowers - old fashioned and bright. My gardening has also focused on vegetables and perennials. Few annuals make it into my plantings. But I have always had geraniums somewhere - annual as well as perennial.<br />
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Before I was married, I had an apartment with a front deck that I lined with a series of window boxes filled with pink geraniums, dusty miller, and trailing blue lobelia. I added trees in pots, and enjoyed the deck a lot. <br />
After buying our present home nearly 18 years ago, we immediately tilled a large vegetable gardens - and soon after I added three planters, the only ones amid the raised beds, and planted red geraniums. <br />
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One reason I don't use annuals much is that I have limited funds, so I rather have plants that will come back year after year. So the perfect annuals for me are geraniums, because you can just pull them up at the end of the season, brush the dirt off the roots, and put them in a dry box or paper bag and <em>leave them there all winter! </em>This is seems absolutely <em>impossible</em>.<br />
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I took up my large pot of red geraniums to avoid the frost earlier this week. They were big and vigorous, and still blooming. I felt like a killer. It didn't feel right. But I did it because I knew it was this or death by cold. I placed them in a box - albeit one too small, so it has to be replaced - and out them in the garage. This is the third or fourth year for these 3 plants (every few years I forget to take them up and therefore lose them, which is why they are not 17 years old), so I know they will be alright.<br />
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Next spring, I will clip them back and plant them - and they will bloom again. I'm sure my Gram would be pleased. <br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-36483760270317086782010-10-24T21:02:00.000-04:002010-10-24T21:02:02.681-04:00Chow ChowOne of the things I purchased last weekend at the Bethesda Farmer's Market were some local meats made into terrific sausages of various types. On top was homemade Chow Chow Relish. Yummy. My sister said that she loves chow chow relish. So.. she will be getting some for her birthday! Oh, forgot she reads the blog....hmm.<br />
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We were supposed to get a frost Saturday morning, so I did a big garden harvest. Lots of herbs: basil, lemon verbena, and sage. Tons of poblano peppers, some jalepeno, some yellow and green bells. Tons of squash, mainly butternut and one last Delicata. The last of the leeks. Some nice young turnips. <br />
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And a bunch of green tomatoes. A prime ingredients in Chow Chow Relish. Today I made a batch using about 2 pounds of the tomatoes, adding onions, cabbage, and red bell peppers that were unfortunately not from my garden. My son said it smelled great, but there was just enough to fit into 5 pint jars, so there wasn't any to try out this evening. Also made Pear Honey, a recipe from Paula Deen, using pears and pineapple. Thought it would be more pear buttery, but it is more like a cross between pear jam and pear sauce. Made a basil infusion that may become a jelly if I can stay up that long.<br />
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Now to check airline regulations to see if Chow Chow Relish is allowed on the plane to Grand Rapids!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-31095253923935751442010-10-17T22:22:00.000-04:002010-10-17T22:22:27.620-04:00Visiting the Bethesda Farmer's MarketI had a delightful visit to the Bethesda Farmer's Market today. I was in town working at the Bethesda Row Arts Festival with my sister, and since the Farmer's Market was just a block away, I got to stop by there as well. Wonderful market - just wish I had a cooler with me! My very favorite thing was pure decadence - a duck breast prosciutto that I could not resist. I am not sure how I will use it yet, but I know it will be with something fresh and uncomplicated so I can highlight the duck. I also purchased some truffle salami, cured European style, a green curry sauce, a wine vinegar and some mustards, and some unbelievably great cheeses to eat with pears and apples.<br />
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At the art show, the level of craft was very high. I feel in love with a painting, but could only afford a print - but did not get it. Fiscal restraint. But I know after many years of art fairs that there isn't a "next time" with art you love. I have never, ever regreted a decision to buy art or fine craft. It simply brings joy. The creativity at the Arts Festival was only exceeded by the level of execution - and the Farmer's Market was the same, but with food.<br />
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Combine good food, great art, a light breeze, lots of sunshine and a high in the low 70's, time with my sister -- certainly this was one of the all time great days. A lucky life indeed.<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-20390380667520440782010-10-11T18:34:00.001-04:002010-10-11T18:35:03.426-04:00Summer's Over - Time to Blog Again!I cannot believe I have not blogged since July. What a summer! The garden did pretty good - no major pest out breaks. The flower gardens were much more neglected! This fall, I started selling a modest amount of produce at the Farmer's Market, along with some baked goods. After a frantically busy summer, adding the Farmers Markets has really put me over the top in busy-ness, but it such a nice place to be. I've made a couple of types of killer granola that I am quite proud of, and the market patrons seems to like it a lot as well. In just a few weeks, I have a following!<br />
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Meanwhile, I was quite late planting a fall crop. My lettuce and spinach are up but just barely. My cole crops are being attacked, so it is hard to tell whether the plants or the pests will win. The chard is happy and healthy, but we love it so much I am afraid I will take too much and it will quit for the year. I'm still getting lots of peppers - especially poblanos - and tomatoes.<br />
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We had friends over for dinner yesterday, and the food was particularly colorful. I oven-roasted a huge load of tomatoes - yellow, black, and red - with olive oil, onions, kosher salt, my strong soft necked garlic, fresh basil - in a hot 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. That mixture then went into a skillet, to which I added fresh spinach bought at the Farmer's Market, and it became our pasta sauce. I made homemade ravioli for the first time (a pasta roller being my newest toy) using pasture raised beef, heritage breed pork, and freshly harvested chard. It took me to a while to get the hang of the dough, but it was quite forgiving. Never was able to pop out the raviolis by tapping the mold on the counter -- hah!! Took each one out one by one by one by one.... sigh. Also roasted bell peppers from the garden - green, red, and yellow - for another colorful dish, with fresh mozzarella cheese. The broccoli rabe came from a store - shocking!<br />
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So a lot of activity in the kitchen and the garden... and now on the blog!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-25042331132335732682010-07-13T20:08:00.000-04:002010-07-13T20:08:46.359-04:00Zucchini OverloadIt happens every year. From not one to overload in a day: zucchini overload. I take it as a personal challenge to face the zucchini each year composing as few fruits as possible. It is a fun hunt, looking for fruits among the vines - the same green, they often disappear until they are bat sized an tough, so it takes some careful looking to get at the small tender ones we love. My skin reacts to the little pricklies, so I carefully move the big leaves and look at the plant base. One escaped Jonathan's picking earlier in the week - it was wrapped to form a perfect "J" - tucked in so perfectly it was hard to get out!<br />
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Last night it was zucchini quiche for dinner. I don't make this vegetarian classic much - but it is always terrific. Many years ago, my friends Beth and Dan asked me to contribute zucchini quiche for their wedding celebration. I made a bunch - and developed an aversion to the smell for many years! But after decades, I can appreciate it again. Tonight was zucchini again - this time the strangest pizza I've ever made. No, not zucchini on top - it was a zucchini and cheese crust (with a few eggs and a tiny bit of biscuit mix) with ground beef and tomato sauce on top. Remarkably good.<br />
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On the sideboard are jars of zucchini relish - looking pretty and hopefully tasting great. I bought some at the farmers market last year, and it was pretty, tart, and adaptable - a great accompaniment to any meat. I followed the recipe in "Putting Foods By", and captured it in small, wide mouth half pint jars. I hope it will make nice gifts.<br />
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And there is always baking. A chocolate zucchini cake is cooling in the kitchen - with a teenage boy in the house, it is unlikely much will make it into the freezer! I will probably bring zucchini bread to a meeting later this week - hopefully no one is on a carb free diet; it should count as a vegetable! <br />
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It won't last forever - as soon as the last of the big stuffed boats are gone, the vines will wilt and the bounty will be over for the next year. Time to find even more uses...<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-8942470635367662622010-07-07T12:19:00.000-04:002010-07-07T12:19:26.968-04:00Hydrangeas In Trouble!The unrelenting 100-degree-plus heat is really taking a toll on my gardens. We've been focused on the vegetable garden, but needed to pay more attention to the borders. It is the poor hydrangeas that have suffered the most. I think I have completely lost the little Blue Lacecap that I planted this spring. It didn't get firmly established before the heat and shriveled before e noticed. Poor thing. Same with the brand new variegated leaved shrub that was going to brighten a dark corner and hide an ugly wire support. But even the very well established shrubs are wilting and may not make it through. Even Molly. I thought Molly was the happiest plant in our yard. She survived at our former front walk, where she had little water or sun or space. hse finally grew so big that I had to move her - and then she seemed very happy in the new spot. Until the heat. Stay cool, Molly - fall will come eventually!<br />
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Copyright 2010,EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-65860581315944613892010-07-04T16:18:00.000-04:002010-07-04T16:18:37.152-04:00Wilted Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TDDrhgaDXEI/AAAAAAAAADU/oUPRQB9ToDE/s1600/June+2010+138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TDDrhgaDXEI/AAAAAAAAADU/oUPRQB9ToDE/s320/June+2010+138.JPG" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Veggie Garden is wilting. So are all the borders - and we are losing some shrubs. Even the local hydrangeas are gasping in this 90 degree plus weather - hit 100 a couple of days so far and may again this week. With no rain. I did some hand watering this morning, but the water was hot from mere moments in the sun. Even the shade offers little relief. I can't imagine how August will be!</div>Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-47391768908223690262010-07-04T14:17:00.000-04:002010-07-04T14:17:27.964-04:00Garlic and Shallot Harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TDDHjkcf8SI/AAAAAAAAADM/Ku-lMyS0APs/s1600/June+2010+131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TDDHjkcf8SI/AAAAAAAAADM/Ku-lMyS0APs/s320/June+2010+131.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My new garlic drying screen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At long last, I harvested the rest of my garlic and all of my french red shallots. I planted both soft and hard neck garlic last fall - and promptly forgot which bed got which type! I always regret not labeling, but often it is late when I finish planting and I decide I will make a label later.... and then don't. It became clear which was which this June as the hard neck garlic shot up scapes, which are not found on soft neck garlic varieties. My soft neck were ready for harvest 2 weeks ago, so I pulled them up and stored them in a wire basket to dry, since we hadn't yet made the drying screen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The shallots were ready for harvest this week, and they look great. The hardnecks weren't quite there, but I pulled them anyway (hence too much green in the photo) because I wanted to do it all at once, and was hoping to use some of the bed space for a final sowing of beans. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jonathan made me this terrific box with screen to hang in the shed to help dry out and harden the garlic and onions after harvest. It gets good circulation, although I worry about the excessive Maryland humidity. I am hoping to hang the herbs for drying next to them - we are reorganizing the shed to give me room (anyone want to take bets on how long before it is strictly a potting shed?). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, I used the garlic scapes in a wonderful finger food at a political fundraiser last weekend. I made little Parmesan rounds - very tasty cracker - and topped them with garlic scape pesto, goat cheese from Firefly Farms, and then because I thought they looked dull, a petal from a red monarda flower (Jacob's Kline). They were great! I also made little meringue cookies, which I "glued" together at the bottoms with whipped cream in which were added crushed raspberries from the garden (I used red, yellow, and black but all red would have been the most attractive), and a marinated chicken cubes wrapped with a sage leaf from the garden and prosciutto and grilled, served with a red pepper garlic aoli made with the first soft neck I harvested. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will save some heads for planting again this fall - I can keep this up for years!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-50330914370447508722010-06-21T21:34:00.000-04:002010-06-21T21:34:33.151-04:00Leggy Gaga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TCAS6rZb33I/AAAAAAAAAC8/6v4_4yGtRao/s1600/leggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TCAS6rZb33I/AAAAAAAAAC8/6v4_4yGtRao/s320/leggy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leggy Gaga, the fawn abandoned at our next door neighbor's doorstep! </div>Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-80056563085730360212010-06-20T12:13:00.001-04:002010-06-20T12:14:24.089-04:00Thanks, Oprah....Oprah Winfrey is the most unlikely source for organic gardening advice - or so I thought - but to my surprise, she had the follow<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ing</span> basic insecticidal soap recipe on her <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">enewsletter</span>:<br />
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Start by mixing a concentrate solution to keep on hand by combining 1 cup/.24 L of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon/14.8 ml of liquid dish soap. To dilute this mixture to use in your garden, combine 2 teaspoons/9.86 ml of the concentrate with 1 cup/.24L of water. Put the mixture in a hand sprayer and spray it on infested plants. Be sure to wet both tops and undersides of leaves.<br />
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I have used a similar compound for years - although I admit I just rather give it to the bugs than treat all the time - I have plenty to share! <br />
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Copyright 2010, <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">EmeraldAcre</span>.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">blogspot</span>.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-38947444345813069262010-06-20T11:37:00.001-04:002010-06-20T11:40:14.803-04:00The Sour Cherries Arrive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TB4xWD6xRxI/AAAAAAAAACQ/iAxirO4YRqk/s1600/cherry+pitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TB4xWD6xRxI/AAAAAAAAACQ/iAxirO4YRqk/s320/cherry+pitter.jpg" /></a></div>Being a Michigander by birth, I love sour cherries. There is no better marker of a summer well lived then a sour cherry pie. <br />
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Normally sour cherry pies arrive just in time for Independence Day parties, but this year the cherries are early. Maryland doesn't have much of a cherry crop, and many years it fails. Bauhger's pick-your-own orchards has a one-week sour cherry season, and it started two days ago. I'd like to report that I was out there on ladders picking away, but I went the lazy route. I stopped at the famer's market for pasture raised meat, then headed to the farm market for 2 five-gallon buckets of cherries. Pre-picked.<br />
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I was hardly alone. Baugher's was buzzing. The line at the cherry pitting machine (see photo) was long, and I noticed a couple of things - my purchase was light in comparison to others, and there were a lot of women in head scarves. I couldn't contain my curiosity, so I asked a couple of gentlemen in line ahead of me what they were planning to do with their rather massive amount of cherries.<br />
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Turns out that sour cherries are a regular part of Persian cuisine, and one of the men was going to freeze them for use the rest of the year. A drink was one possibility, but his favorite dish was a Persian rice with sour cherries. He said that one could always make the rice in a rice cooker, but he liked the "old-fashioned" way of soaking, then boiling, then steaming the rice. The other man in the conversation did a quick search on his iPhone for recipe, and it was easy to find. It sounds scrumptious, and we will have it with our Father's Day celebration today. Here's the recipe I am using:<br />
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Abaloo Podow – Persian Sour Cherry Rice<br />
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About 40 small sour cherries<br />
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2 cups rice - basmati is preferred<br />
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Big pinch of saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm water<br />
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3/4 stick butter melted<br />
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Rinse rice till water runs clear. Soak rice for an hour. Boil rice 8 minutes in plenty of salted water. Strain rice. Add half the butter to large enameled dutch oven or other pot. Add half rice and stir a bit. <br />
Add half cherries and half saffron/saffron water evenly in layers.<br />
Layer on the other half of everything starting with the rice.<br />
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Put a kitchen towel over the top of the pot, then add the cover. This helps keep the steam in.<br />
High about 8 min, low about 20.<br />
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Some of the recipes call for it to be layered in the steaming pan in a pyramid shape; it is supposed to develop a crust. I will try it that way and see what happens.<br />
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It was so nice talking top this Persian man - it really made my day that he would share this dish with me, and I hope he and his wife eat their cherries in good health all year.<br />
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The other man in line with me told me that he will freeze the cherries in small bags with some Splenda and eat them as a frozen treat all year. He grew up coming to Baugher's with his dad and finding the sound of the cherry pitter machine to be a comforting sound of childhood, and makes him miss his dad. Awwww. A sweet memory - that's why I took the picture of the machine! <br />
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I don't know either man's name, but thanks to both of them for sharing!<br />
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Last night I spent many hours re-packing the cherries so the huge bag would not explode in the refrigerator where we stashed it while going to hear my husband at a cello recital. Now they are packed in bags, measured out for a mega-harvest-preserving session. From 2 5-gallon buckets of cherries, I am making:<br />
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1. Four or five pies. I use the classic Joy Of Cooking version - impossible to be better. Having homemade pies in the freezer means I am always ready for a potluck or have something special for company. I'm using Karen Mahan's pie crusts this year - but still having some crusts in the freezer so they will be ready for when the blueberries ripen in a few weeks. <br />
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2. Two batches of sour cherry jam. Not low-sugar - it is a treat and will be treasured as one! I also don't like the freezer variety except for the time involved because the texture is not as firm and thus doesn't spread as well. I don't like the hot steam of a hot water bath canner, but I like the results. I may need to get a pressure canner if I keep this up all summer, though.<br />
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3. A traditional Hungarian sour cherry soup. In eastern Europe, this is a first course; here, often a dessert. It sounds yummy either way.<br />
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4. The Persian rice - and I am so sure that we will love it that I am counting out the amount for several more batches and freezing them.<br />
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5. Two batches of tart cherry liqueur. I made homemade limocello last year, and it was yummy, especially in champagne. I'll try this - takes at least two months - and perhaps give it as gifts at Christmas. <br />
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6. A cherry crumble. While my mom could make a really good pie, what I remember most about dessert in my childhood was the crumbles, slumps, and cobblers. Our favorite was "cherry goo", and I think the crumble is getting close to the "goo" of my memory.<br />
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All these cherries make my Michigan heart sing!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-25001289588345611202010-06-14T21:58:00.000-04:002010-06-14T21:58:40.562-04:00Pea SoupOne of my favorite new books this year, "The Seasons of Henry's Farm" has a recipe adapted from Deborah Madison 's recipe called "Waste Not, Want Not" Pea Soup. What intrigued me was that the stock used the pea pods. This always bother me - the pods go from the garden right to the compost pile!<br />
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Never again. This recipe was magical. It was worth the fuss and bother to make the homemade stock with scallions, parsley, carrot, lettuce leaves (thank goodness since I had a huge lettuce harvest, too) and the empty pea pods. I didn't use the optional beef soup bone, and didn't miss it a bit. Once the stock is done, then it is scallions, peas, salt, pepper, and sugar - and the result was the freshest, cleanest tasting pea soup I have had in a long, long time. Perfection.<br />
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I am sure it was both the stock and the rest of the recipe that made it so good, but the next harvest of peas, I am making another batch of the stock to freeze even if I don't make the pea soup!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-51937354362657846452010-06-14T19:59:00.001-04:002010-06-14T20:00:21.455-04:00Karen's CSAMy friends have suggested that I start selling CSA shares. I've become a vegetable. Who wants spinach? Any takers for peas? Can anyone help me out with the lettuce?<br />
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This weekend I harvested romaine lettuce, and once again I have more than we can possibly eat. So far, I have delivered packages of washed leaves, rolled in paper towel, in an open bag, to 2 families, and two more will be dropped off this evening. Normally, I can and freeze and preserve, but lettuce needs to go to the food bank or friends.<br />
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At times like this, I need more friends!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-67898263866048673002010-06-14T19:54:00.000-04:002010-06-14T19:54:07.940-04:00Poison!I am grateful. It waited two months this year. My first case of poison ivy usually comes in late April - and I didn't get it this year until June. I think it says more about what I'm doing than the plant itself. I've concentrated pretty hard on the vegetable garden this year, and the shade border and woods have been pretty neglected. But somewhere, someone, I always find some poison ivy.<br />
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I used to get the most incredible, long lasting cases that would leave permanent scars. Huge welts. The more I treated them, the worst it got.....duh! It turned out I was allergic to the over the counter topical medicine sold to treat poison ivy! Now that I know I am allergic to caine mix, I am in need of some relief from other sources.<br />
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For the first time this year, I tried using plantain leaves. Since we don't use any herbicides in our yard, and completely ignore the grass to spend time in the gardens, we have plenty throughout our yard! The research I did said to use them in the bathtub, and them take cooked leaves and blot them on the wounds. My bathtubs are not the nice soaking tub variety, so I passed on the tub (but if I had a view I would have tried it). Instead, I made a paste of the leaves and rubbed them on affected areas of my legs and arms. It made a royal mess- and I can't say I saw any difference in my skin. <br />
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Next I tried apple cider vinegar. A slight sting. Walked around a whole day smelling like a salad that you really didn't want to eat. And it didn'[t help a bit.<br />
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Finally I admitted defeat and went to the doctor 2 days ago, and started on steroids. My skin calmed down a lot. I thought I was reaching he end of this episode....<br />
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Tonight, I am itching and stinging. A lot. All over my legs. <br />
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Here we go again!!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-26164771950662368432010-06-09T21:50:00.000-04:002010-06-09T21:50:58.259-04:00Would I Do Something Illegal?I met a wonderful person today who had done a lot of things I would like to do - built a deck and chicken coop with his teenager, installed a graywater system, and is about to install solar panels. In a small house, much like ours.<br />
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He said the graywater system was totally illegal. That's where I cringe. I believe that graywater systems are responsible, and that we absolutely have to find ways to make them legal and standard. Water is far too precious to waste in any way. We nee dot use it sparingly and well. I want a graywaer system to water my non-vegetable garden. But am I willing to install one now, thumbing my nose at local codes? Probably not. I'm far from perfect, but I am pretty much a goodie-two-shoes who follows the rules.<br />
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Graywater is not radical environmentalism, it is common sense. What we all need more of - especially the government, who makes these dumb rules. Petition time?<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-42509657845565866172010-06-06T14:22:00.001-04:002010-06-09T21:38:10.876-04:00Nesting InstinctsToday's garden chores included work on our most-neglected part of our yard (or perhaps more accurately, one of them): the north side corner. Wild, weedy, and shaded, it is enclosed by Norway spruce, inside which are crabapples and dogwoods - looks of competition for roots. Last year we planted some lovely azaleas there. They were not like all the others at the nursery; these were balled, and had a much more open shrub structure, with delicate flowers, not in-your-face pink like most. They are quite happy, so we are as well, and we've decided to add some hydrangeas to their neighborhood. I had been waiting for the perfect place for a smaller version, a blue lacecap, so we added her in one corner. To hide an ugly metal support to a telephone pole, we looked for a spot for a variegated leaf hydrangea, bigger than the lacecap. So I was happily weeding the area, when I saw it.<br />
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On the ground was the most perfect little nest. What strikes me most is the shape of the cup: it is not round, like most nests, but oval. It is small - no dove or jay or robin could fit into it. So I brought it inside to look for a nest identification guide. Not finding it, I googled nest identification, and still came up empty. So I googled Cornell, hoping that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology would be able to help.<br />
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What I found at Cornell was "Nestwatch", yet another citizen-science effort this wonderful lab is conducting. They are looking for "regular people" like you and me to record nests. The amount if data they collect with their citizen participants is truly awesome.<br />
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So I registered. Not for the next on the ground, but for the lovely Gray Catbird nest that is right by the gate to my vegetable garden. I had noticed her hanging around every time I was in the garden, but it was Jonathan who first found the nest. It is inside a climbing hydrangea that covers both sides of the fence by the gate - very well hidden, but unfortunately in a place I disturb on a regular basis. Mama bird was not happy when I looked to verify the number of eggs to register the nest. Four beautiful, perfect little eggs in an incredible, rich shade of blue. Like a Caribbean sea, much darker than a robin's egg and richer than an Arcana chicken's (and much smaller). I quickly left so she could resume brooding the eggs, which Cornell says she will do for 12-15 days. What surprised me was how short the fledgling period is - just 10 - 15 days. Amazing.<br />
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We have other nests, too, but I don't know what is happening in them because they aren't accessible. In the lilac in the back, we have a cardinal nest for the first time. They don;t seem to be there at the moment, so I'm thinking that the first brood has fledged already. We had bluebirds in the veggie garden box, but they. too, are gone now. We don't know if the bluebirds nesting in the house outside our bedroom window are the same pair with a second brood or a different pair, but when one landed near the shade border just as a ruby throated hummingbird was feeding on blooms, it was pure magic. And house wrens are in residence in the house made by one of my favorite potters, Ken Hankins, and in an old birdhouse that had fallen down and was temporarily stuck in the crook of one of the apples in the orchard. We thinks bluejays, mourning doves, and at least one woodpecker are nesting, too, but we can't find the nests.<br />
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I love knowing that our property isn't just our home, but is home for many other creatures. I wish it wasn't home for a groundhog, but I welcome each and every nest. May it be safe and warm.<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-12622672458182616822010-05-31T11:39:00.000-04:002010-05-31T11:39:19.501-04:00SlugsI hate slugs. I generally like many insects, birds, frogs, salamanders, snakes - all kinds of creatures except slugs and eels. <br />
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Yesterday, I washed off countless slugs from lettuce and spinach I brought in from the garden. Little one, big ones - clearly it has been a slugfest in the greens bed. So I called my husband and had him pick up slug beer. I still use cat food cans from my dearly departed cats - gone over a decade but living on in slug hunting. Beer in cans throughout the garden is still the most effective and easiest way I know to rid me of having to look at a slug competing with me for lettuce leaves.<br />
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I was relieved that my husband was out doing errands and thus the getting-the-beer task fell to him. It is soooo embarrassing when I do it.<br />
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I generally ask the merchant what the cheapest beer they have is - no reason to overspend on the nasty slimers - and I inevitably over explain. Do they care why I want the cheapest beer made? No. But I always feel compelled to defend my honor and tell them the beer is not for my consumption, but for the slug cans. Do I look like a Pabst Blue Ribbon affectionado? Probably not. Especially when I buy singles. But I always tell them, apologetically, "It's not for me, it is for slugs in the garden". They shrug, clearly signalling "whatever, lady".<br />
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Perhaps the thing to do is give the slugs decent beer, and take a swig or two while I bait the murderous traps. Bring out the evil in me. No explaining. Eastwood style. With a glint in my eye. <br />
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Of course, if I am tipsy there is the danger I'd go the other way: "oh, look at these poor misunderstood creatures....."<br />
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Cheap beer it is. <br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-61908032412009639322010-05-30T14:56:00.001-04:002010-05-30T15:01:08.596-04:00Radishes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TAK13vg_HBI/AAAAAAAAACI/snxSG2xNNk8/s1600/Freshly+Harvested+Radishes+May+30,+2010+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/TAK13vg_HBI/AAAAAAAAACI/snxSG2xNNk8/s320/Freshly+Harvested+Radishes+May+30,+2010+001.JPG" /></a></div>Spring vegetable gardens are a lot of work, with just the promise of reward. Dig, dig, dig. Plant, plant, plant. Add all the perennial borders: trim, trim, trim, weed, weed, weed, mulch, mulch, mulch.<br />
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One of the first rewards is pulling up perfect round radish orbs. I have planted just about every type of radish, but the little Cherry Belle types are still my favorite. Plant some seeds earlyish, and before you know it, you have peppery little sweeties for your salads. I am on my third planting before Memorial Day.<br />
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Of course, they are so darn quick and easy that their virtue can be your vice. I always forget them a little too long and end up wasting some, letting them get woody or cracked. Today, however, I pulled up a bunch of them because they were <em>perfect</em>, and I didn't want any to be wasted! Plus, they have so few calories I can eat them with abandon. Not they way the French do - with fresh butter - although I'd love to. Woodbury Kitchen serves them with tarragon butter that is my idea of heaven. One of the best things I ever did with a radish was to mince them up, and to butter, and spread thickly on pumpernickel bread for an appetizer. But I need to stick to the less buttery, and caloric, choices. I have too many for just adding to green salads (though I have so much lettuce every friend may be eating such salads this week, too). The Produce Bible has a recipe for a salad with cucumber, celery, shallot, avocado, radishes, and cilantro - with a vinaigrette. I think I will be substituting garlic scrapes from the Farmer's Market yesterday, and perhaps Italian parsley since I have a lot in the garden. But I am keeping the avocado, cucumber, and radish combination.<br />
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If any readers have radish recipes to share, please do!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-66986932639264440002010-05-18T12:10:00.002-04:002010-05-18T12:17:12.305-04:00Fresh PickedOne of the benefits of growing your own vegetables is that you know what "fresh picked" looks and tastes like. So when you buy something that the seller claims is "just picked", and you notice deflated pods, stringyness, loss of crispness, fading color, soft spots - you know the claims are not true. You know that "fresh picked" still has the warmth of the sunshine on it, the bite of all its flavor, the aroma of its essence and perhaps a bit of dirt. My "favorite thing" in the vegetable garden is always what I am harvesting at the moment, just as my favorite thing in the flower gardens is what is blooming. The best of the best? Whatever is picked in the garden and eaten on the spot! <br />
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So the peas we purchased at a farm stand were not just picked, but they look great nonetheless. Since mine are still blooming and not yet podded, I was excited to find these so I could start shelling. It takes a lot of shelling to get 3 cups for fresh pea soup, but the extra work seems approriate for a dish that gives so many rewards. I also pulled up a huge amount of mint from my going-to-be melon and squash bed, so it looks like Fresh Pea Soup with Mint is on its way!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-21163964481122947842010-05-16T20:50:00.000-04:002010-05-16T20:50:19.753-04:00Planting DayEvery spring, there is at least one weekend of sunup-to-sundown planting in the vegetable garden. Today was one of those days, so I am writing this while stiff and sore! My vegetables went in late - first we went away for our anniversary, then my dad came to visit, and yesterday was devoted to a family get together that folks had been planning since winter. <em>Finally</em> today I could get all my seedlings out of the basement and into the garden! <br />
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It hasn't been such a great seedling year. I think my light bulbs needed to be full specturm, although these same bulbs have worked in years past. But my sprouts were spindly and weak, and didn't have many "real" leaves when planted. But now they are snuged into a garden bed, amended by composted manure, surrounded by cutworm collars, and in pretty warm soil. So now it is up to them to show me what they've got. Grow, baby, grow!<br />
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When we went to Longwood Gardens for our anniversary, Jonathan admired a trellis system in the vegetable garden, so he volunteered to make me one this spring. Bless his heart - a great gift! We needed to trim (or take out) some of the apple trees, so he found six (mostly) straight branches to cut down for the supports, and added a few bamboo posts. Covered it with a wide plastic mesh, perfect for large vines. Though a simple project, it took quite a while to execute, and he will be sore as well this evening. I'll post a picture if I have a rain-free day soon. I planted the few remaining winter squash seeds left from last year - an unusual variety that was incredible, so hopefully the seeds are still viable. On the other side, I planted a mini cantaloupe that I also grew last year. Underneath at the sides I planted a winter squash meant for container growing - a Bush Delicata. It doesn't seem possible to grown winter squash in a container, so I am excited to see how the plant develops. I still have some room on the trellis, but am out of seeds. Another seed order in my future?<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-47645763829028784602010-05-14T10:05:00.000-04:002010-05-14T10:05:03.987-04:00Cutworm CollarsJust in case any beginning organic veggie gardeners are reading this blog: don't forget your cutworm collars!<br />
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If you have been nuturing little seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, and other tenders since February as I have, you are about to put them outside to grow like crazy. But in a flash, all your seedlings can be lost overnight. Cutworms. I have never actually seen one at work - but I have had my heart broken by their damage. Precious little seedlings gone.<br />
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The solution is to make small cardboard rings for your seedlings. I make mine out of posterboard or cardstock - nothing too heavy. I save cardboard that comes with shirts or with the package of laser printer labels, but I am not above just buying a sheet of poster board. I cut a strip perhaps 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall, and as wide as needed to make a circle that fits right around the plant with some wiggle room. Staple together. Makes a great project to do while watching TV.<br />
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As you plant your seedlings, put a cardboard ring around each plant, pushing it into the ground just a bit, because if it comes up, the cutworm can just crawl under and cut the stem. Cutworms can't handle older stems, just the young and tender, so the rings don't have to last all season. Rain won't destroy them, but eventually you will want to remove the remains once the stems are nice and strong.<br />
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I have done this for more years than I can count, and it makes a big differnce. A few years back I thought I would save time by eliminating this step... of course, you know the end of this story...<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-55225614651628061582010-05-14T09:48:00.000-04:002010-05-14T09:48:39.556-04:00Second Harvest: RhubarbMy father's girlfriend, Karen, is what he calls "an old fashioned cook". What I love is her enthusiasm. She loves cooking, and passing on what she knows. She not a gardener - but she knows a rhubarb plant from a distance, and shows <em>no mercy</em> in harvesting it!<br />
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My dad and Karen came for a visit just in time for Karen to spy my rhubarb ready for harvest. So we ravished the plant, and I made a strawberry-rhubarb pie using a recipe from my newest favorite cookbook, <em>Dishing Up Maryland</em> by Lucie Snodgrass, just published this year. Added fresh whipped cream from South Mountain Creamery and WOW, what a treat. It was great!<br />
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The one caveat: I didn't make the pie crust from scratch. I've gotten lazy in recent years, nearly always using Pillsubry's pre-made refrigerated crusts. They are so easy!! But homemade is not that hard, either.<br />
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Karen had the solution. Her mother used to come to her house for a visit, and would ask her what she could do to help. Karen often asked for pie crusts. So now she's passing it on another generation - she shared her pie crust recipe, and we made enough for 6 crusts, freezing them as disks. Having multiple homemade crusts on hand in the freezer is a wonderful convenience- and rolling them takes very little time, so it is almost as easy as the store-bought variety. Thanks, Karen!!<br />
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She also makes a rhubarb pie, but without strawberries. She was polite about my pie, but she claims hers is wonderful. So I am waiting for a few more stalks to appear so I can reap another harvest to put her pie to the test: is it better? I have a feeling it just may be...<br />
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My friend Ellen suggests Rhubarb Relish, which she made a few years ago. I have a ton of rhubarb relish recipes, so this weekend I am going to try one or two, or more likely, invent my own. I love the idea of the relish with a rich meat like beef or buffalo, or with pork. It also makes weeknight cooking so much easier if I can just throw meat on the grill knowing that the flavor boost is going to come from a relish or homemade roasted tomato catsup. Easy without being boring. <br />
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Rhubarb is a great garden addition because it's huge (poisonous) leaves are so dramatic. I like adding more perennials to the veggie garden, so I may need to add a few more rhubarb. It is truly carefree - pests do not seem to bother it, and it doesn't mind a bit of drought. And the stalks are sooo tasty - good thing I have lots of pie crusts ready!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-35813566527347484892010-04-25T12:35:00.000-04:002010-04-25T12:35:03.314-04:00Wood Poppy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/S9RuN1dN_aI/AAAAAAAAACA/RrAPYK9xs-U/s1600/Wood+Poppy+early+April.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/S9RuN1dN_aI/AAAAAAAAACA/RrAPYK9xs-U/s320/Wood+Poppy+early+April.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><br />
I'm not positive I have it's name right, but here is what I think is a Wood Poppy in the woods in my back yard. It was a new addition last year, and it seems to be a happy plant under the pines and spruces. It is no delicate little wildflower - it has a substance to it. Cold doesn't seem to faze it. Our collie can walk over it and it springs back. What a great plant. I hope ie reseeds all over the place!<br />
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Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7990393863787687598.post-32566232655037188992010-04-25T12:29:00.003-04:002010-05-14T09:51:08.487-04:00Merrybells in the Shade Border, early April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/S9RtxEVgZ9I/AAAAAAAAAB4/vtFwoJr7MAw/s1600/Marybells+early+April.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zpCNU3_QwxY/S9RtxEVgZ9I/AAAAAAAAAB4/vtFwoJr7MAw/s320/Marybells+early+April.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div>Copyright 2010, EmeraldAcre.blogspot.comKaren Blandfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330618662599933402noreply@blogger.com0