"Prepper"

I know it shouldn't bother me, but because I put up food for other seasons I come across A LOT of "prepper" blogs, videos and websites. I'm not that kind of prepper. Clearly we have something in common, though. I like to think of my interest as food independence, but not because of fear of war, global disaster or governmental conspiracy ideas. I just like good food and I equate that with fresh/ local and home grown.

There are several veg that I either don't grow, can't grow well or don't have the dedicated space for. Some of these veg include: asparagus, cabbage and broccoli. The nearest truck farm in town grows all of these well and inexpensively. So, yesterday I paid about $17 for all of this (sorry for the poor photo quality)

3 bundles of asparagus, 2 heads cabbage and 3 huge bunches of broc.

I wanted to process them quickly to preserve nutrients. So, here's what I did:

Broccoli: I quartered each large bunch and blanched in boiling water for 4 minutes, rinsed, dried and packed 3/4 in freezer bags. I love broc this way, because it is super easy to cook with from the freezer. The last 1/4 I chopped and put in the dehydrator. It didn't take long- one evening. I decided to dehydrate it because we are planning a camping trip at the end of the summer and I don't want to bring a cooler or lots of bulk and we will need some veg for our meals. I also chopped and dehydrated 1 box of button mushrooms. They took the same amount of time in the dehydrator. I bagged them and stuck them in the freezer. Now we can add these to rice, quinoa, noodles, pasta, etc

I know it shouldn't amaze me, but 1 huge head of broc and 1 box

of mushrooms really condenses upon dehydration as seen here.

Asparagus: Ok, I think this is where I may not be as satisfied with my preparation technique for this particular veg. I chopped, blanched for 2-3 min (maybe too long), rinsed, dried and froze. I have a feeling these will be kind of mushy, so I see this technique as being good for a dish where I might puree the veg- like soup, quiche (yes, I puree all my ingredients for quiche occasionally) or maybe a risotto- basically anywhere where the mush factor won't matter.

Cabbage: Probably my favorite way to preserve cabbage is by kraut. I had just read a blog where someone said something about glass not being ideal to use as it could break and I thought that was weird and then....I broke a quart jar smashing the kraut. I salvaged the kraut (we might die from cut throats-you read it here).
Thinly slice, added 1 Tbs of canning salt (because I didn't have my usual sea salt) to each head, shove some into a canning jar, smash with the end of of wooden spoon, add more, smash, etc until full and juices have risen to top. In one jar I added caraway seed, one has dried celery powder and the small one has whole coriander seed. This is 2 head's worth.

Scapes: Up until a couple of years ago I had no idea what scapes were or that anyone ate them. Last year I made pesto of them, put in ice cube trays, froze and tossed into a canning jar in the freezer. This was very good. You can use it in soups, sauces, pizza topping, quiche, etc. This year I decided to try the dilly bean pickling method. I read many people say they don't pickle the flowers, or curly tops, but never said why, so I chose to ignore them and include the flower buds. Perhaps I will learn why when the pickles are ready.
Chop scapes. Prepare a brine of 2 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups white vinegar and 1/4 cup of canning salt. Into each pint jar- 1 tsp dill seed, 1 chili pepper, 1/4 tsp black pepper. Process in hot water bath for 10 min.

 This much pickles from this much scapes. 

Critters

Hubs and kiddo are off to a bee festival in Kentucky, so I'm enjoying the relative peace and solitude this weekend. My only added responsibility is babysitting the Queen Bee herself. Really. I'm babysitting bees.

Hubs ordered a Queen and they sent him 2. This is how they come packaged. I wonder if the mail people would freak if they knew what was in this envelope?

The queen and several workers come in this tiny wooden box, with 1 sugar cube. I've been instructed to give them 3 drops of water each day. This is just wild. I feel sorry for them in this tiny container. I know they will be free soon. 

Elvis may be the King of Rock and Roll, 

but I am the Queen.

-Little Richard

I like that.

First Frost- November 1

We had a very nice, long fall. We had a good week of rain, mellow temps without much swing and spectacular fall colors. I never felt rushed to get all of the last minute winterizing done in one fell swoop. We finally had our first frost on November 1 and then a little more the following evening. We've gone frost free until this week. The Polar Vortex that hit Alaska with hurricane-force winds is reaching us today. The next 4 days has highs in the mid-30's and lows between 19-25F. Come winter. 

Final Harvests:

 1/2 bucket of Kennebec potatoes

 Criolla De Cocina peppers

Probably my favorite.

Very productive. Love the colors & texture.

 Criollas, Tomatillos, Corbachi peppers

Awesome year for Sweet Potatoes

Large, no cracks, no pest damage, prolific

 The record sweet of the year

Winter Prep: Chilies

 Winter chili pepper prep

Shishitos & Peach Habs

The Chosen 8- chilies prepped for the basement

Includes: Mustard & Peach Habs, Lemon Drop & Shishitos

Winter prep: Ginger

 Looks like I have a nice Ginger rhizome here.

I plan to overwinter again (winter #2) and if it makes it

maybe I will transplant. It clearly needs more room.

A broad & shallow pot looks needed. 

Winter Prep: Houseplants Back In

 East: Living Room

 East: Kitchen

South: Kitchen (below)

Winter Prep: Outdoors

 Walking Stick Kale and Broccoli under wrap

Collards(back) & new broccoli (front)- not yet covered

 New raised beds- just concrete blocks

and simple covers from old 1x2's & reused plastic

housing- various greens & turnips

 Protecting young perennial seedlings

Coneflowers, Lobelia, Angelica

 6 young Broccoli (above)

Collards (below)

 Taller plants are less frost tolerant. 

Will these make it?

Parsnips from spring planting & collected seed- hope to eat this winter

Fall Critters

 Appears to be a lighter version of a common

spider we have around here. I saw a couple this color

in recent weeks. This one was on the Kaffir Lime.

It appears I will have even more slugs in the Geodome soon.

I caught these two mating. The white protruding objects are their genitalia. Read this interesting fact:

"Apophallation is a commonly seen practice among many slugs. In apophallating species, the penis curls like a corkscrew and during mating, it often becomes entangled in the mate's genitalia. Apophallation allows the slugs to separate themselves by one or both of the slugs chewing off the other's penis. Once its penis has been removed, the slug is still able to mate using only the female parts of its reproductive system" -Wikipedia

I found this while cleaning the garden. I wasn't sure what was going on here so

I placed the whole mess in a jar to watch.

About a week later I got my answer: Parasitic Wasps

(below)

Odds & Ends

 The Jewel Orchid cuttings are taking root in water.

The final bouquet

 1 Narcissus pulled from the fridge

 Drying chilies from Holly

Some of the overwintering plants in the basement under shop lights

Winter greens in the basement? 

Maybe. Planted 11-9-14

Fall Food:

The "Amazing" Quiche that I've already forgotten how to make.

Good thing kiddo made me write down the recipe. 

I put all of the ingredients in the blender & poured into a 

pre-made crust. It was very good. Even the former egg-hater liked it.

Reminders of A Garden Gone

Tomatoes

I still prefer my ripening tomatoes over the 

taste of store tomatoes. Even in November.

I like to see how long these will last me.

Winter. Soon Come. 

Interplanting

We've crossed over the Labor Day bridge and entered the doors of Sooncomefall. It's that weird time when part of the week is in the 90's and the other is in the 70's. You may see the first Sycamore leaves on the ground and Buckeyes and Pin Oak acorns start to drop. The garden is still bursting at the seams, but you've got winter on your mind. Must prep. 

If you haven't saturated all of your garden space, now is the time for Interplanting. 

This summer I planted cilantro & celery seed in this pot. I hardly even noticed a celery plant in here

until the cilantro threw in the towel. Now this celery is doing fabulously 

and will probably overwinter in a cold frame or hoophouse.

I interplanted below this Bell Pepper plant. 

I'll probably replant these seedlings when they are big enough.

It's hard to tell but there are little kale seedlings here. 

I dug up a new bed in hope of making this 1 of several cold frames

along the south side of the garage. 

Aside from seeding here- kale, pak choi, spinach & carrots, I stuck these

4 cauliflower plants from Dintelmann's. 

Interplanted broccoli between the tomatoes, habaneros and bell peppers. 

Another new cleaned up space for a future

cold frame. Planted by row: cilantro, turnip, mixed carrots,

dwarf siberian kale, parsley root, rutabaga, collard and purple carrots.

south side of garage

What's in Bloom

 Rigid Goldenrod & Brown Eyed Susans

 Short's Aster

Gray Goldenrod with Bumble

Putting Up or Putting By

Roasted tomato, garlic, onion, pepper & jalapeno salsa

into the freezer

It's THAT time again. I'm always mentally ready for the next season.

Let's see if I can get the garden ready. 

I can't post as fast as plants grow.

Every day there is something new and I feel like if I don't post each day I will miss something! So, not a lot for words today, just a lot of going-ons.

Before & on Memorial Day: Events

 
Before and After 
I get so repulsively excited when Stinkhorns pop up in the yard! Immediately upon opening the back door I KNEW it was there. Just follow your nose. The flies found it and removed the spores in no time flat. See the brown mass on the first photo and then gone on the second?The next day the fungus was gone, like it never happened. Fleeting natural events. Since I'm in charge of celebrations today I celebrate the Stinkhorn.

I bought a successive broccoli seed mix from Territorial Seed this year. Several of the varieties bolted quickly. Instead of wasting the food plant I collected the leaves, stems and flowers and made a stir-fry with them. It was completely satisfying. If this happens to your plants- just eat it!

  When life hands you bolted broccoli
                                                                               just eat it. 

Our lovely bolted broccoli stir fry, fresh strawberries and salad from the garden. 

What do you do when you have leftover cucumber & melon seedlings, but no place to put them?

You make a new bed!         

 Below: outline the bed with a shovel & sticks        

 Put a thick layer of newspaper & straw down

 Make depressions in the straw, add compost, plant seedlings.
Wa-la = new bed with more plants. Who needs grass, anyway?

Food in Jars

                   

The folks brought over some surplus berries = freezer jam.


1 head of local cabbage + 2 shredded carrots + salt + caraway = future sauerkraut.

I easily forget that NOW is the perfect time to harvest, dry and store some herbs, like chives & oregano. Done.








Garden at the Back Porch

 Relocated water fountain

 Pot of Browalia & Rosemary

 New wall plant hanger- from Freuhlingsfest with  

Goblin-fingered jade

 This year I did fewer porch pots and am trying annuals and herb combos.

Here I have Curry plant, Lavender, Berggarten Sage and petunias.

New- Verbena- Glandularia bipinnatifida

(say that twice)

The "Old" Garden

 Doing fine. Looking Good.

The Broccoli & Carrot bed.

Das Biergarten

 Salvia "Caradonna" Catmint & Perennial Cornflowers in bloom.

Centaurea dealtbata- Perennial Cornflower

Grown from seed- Thompson & Morgan (source)

Skyward Caradonna

 Memorial Day visitors: this Lovely Black Rat Snake and

a smaller, possibly Water Snake, near the garden. 

Third snake of the season. Three different species!

Happy Snake Day! 

First Harvest:

 These petite snow peas were accidentally purchased from Baker's Creek. They grew fast, short and were productive, but I don't LOVE snow peas. I would have rather grown snaps. Oh well. They aren't being wasted. 

First Serviceberries are coming in- the robins told me so. I wish they would just eat the ones I can't reach and save the "low hanging fruit" for me. 

 

The rose: Is it Cecile Brunner? I can't remember. She is lovely and oh so aromatic. She lost the support of the old dead peach tree this year, but doesn't appear to have suffered.

 She flushes in bloom

See her behind the prairie? She's huge!

In other bloom news:

 The torch lily by the veg garden.

 The Coreopsis I started from seed last year- first bloom.

Above & below.

 Missouri Primrose

 Clematis- violacea

 I can't get enough of the diversity in these

old fashioned petunias that appear each day.

A friend sent me this tshirt idea. 

I love a good play on words. 

This is my BIO...TCH face.

The "Old" Garden behind me. 

This garden needs to slow down a bit.