Garden Fuss

I was reading an article in the local paper about how many people are planning their garden for the first time in our area and around the country. I think that people garden for so many reasons and it's not always about being strapped for cash and needing food to eat. For me gardening has been a way for me to become more mobile, bridge the generation gaps between me and older adults in my family, and a way to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life. I hope this small blurb about my interest in gardening will make you think deeply about why you garden and how important it is to pass on this valuable knowledge to future gardeners big and small. When we moved into our home 3 years ago I knew I would be digging into the unknown soil and cultivating something edible if only a cucumber or tomato. Now I'm cultivating relationships with all the neighbors on my block as well as beautiful and tasty heirloom flowers & vegetables. Our first growing season our family ha

The Rhubarb is already poking it's pretty pink heads through the ground. I can't wait to harvest it since last year was pretty much for show since it was a new transplant to our garden. This year we get to harvest 1/2 or it and next year all of it. I'm thinking about adding more to our garden in the back, or a huge pile in the front. It's great to eat in a crumble with strawberries and rasberries which we also grow in our garden. I love spring!!!!

I couldn't resist another picture of this fabulous meal. It started with the left over turkey the hubby fried for New Years that we froze bones and all. I then made a stock with the bones and residual meat. I added garlic onions a new herb mix I'm trying out, and the glorious plump purple hull peas straight from Mississippi my in-laws brought back. Combine everything after removing the turkey bones and make your best home-made cornbread. Follow that up with a nice Zinfandel or other white wine to knock off the Minnesota chill. What did Julia say? BON APETIT!

Happy Friday it is so cold today after a long beautiful week in the 50's and above. It's time for a little comfort food while I contemplate what seeds to start next.

So I made a trip to mother earth garden center to get the grow pellets for the tomatoes and they already had tomato plants thriving on their in-door display shelf/nursery. I was going to wait until next week to start but became so encouraged by what I witnessed I had to start right away. We will be starting some tomatoes in the pellets and some in the organic potting mix tonight. As with the other plants we grow we will keep you well informed of our status. The types we are starting today are: Black Krim (heirloom) Old German (heirloom) Speckled Roma (heirloom paste) Beefsteak (heirloom sandwich tomato) Chocolate Cherry Large Red Cherry Ground Cherry (physallis or husk tomato for jams and jellies)

Today I have started the task of killing.... I mean thinning all the viable seedlings that have just overcrowded their small pots. I enlisted the help of the hubby and I think it was harder on him than it was for me. Many gardeners beginning or otherwise feel a little like they're choosing one child over the other (which you are kind of ) and it's a little disturbing at first. However, I tried to put it in perspective for the hubby by citing what happens in nature and that it's called "survival of the fittest". As you can see from the photo we have two purple cauliflower in one container. One of these has to be cut down with scissors at soil level to just one plant or transplanted to it's own pot to become the fittest.  One strong plant in it's own pot can develop fruit or flowers later on and won't have to compete for nutrients with several other plants. Also, plants that are crowded in pots don't get enough air circulating around them or water an

It's so gloomy today that I needed something comforting that would fill me up knock off the chill and remind me of the great green things to come. Since I'm trying to watch my waistline too this recipe hit the spot.