Dear Folks,
A report recently released on more of the potential dangers of Monsant's Roundup, brings up more questions about what Monsanto knew, who else knew and when did they know it.
Here is a Huffington Post link to read.
I want to draw your attention to a couple of, what I consider, important points.
Let's take for example a new drug out that has had years of R&D and the FDA approves the drug. The companies are required to (and hopefully be really honest about) detail any potential contraindications, allergic reactions and anything that could cause a potentially life-threatening event.
In other words they are required to give doctors and patients all the information they need to make an informed decision on whether this drug is safe enough to use, or in the alternative has limited enough risks to out weigh the potential health issues over using it to treat "the" health problem.
So why is a chemical substance, applied to soil and food not treated the same way.
Do you remember all the 'exposes' on what the cigarette companies knew when they were telling people the butts were perfectly safe? People were outraged and lawsuits followed - the companies are still in business, albeit with stronger and stronger health warnings required. At least most smokers can't now say they don't know the risks.
I moved to the Valley in 1976 and experienced the massive floods of 1978 when the salt river destroyed the main bridge connecting the two sides of the east valley (for safety's sake I got stuck on the opposite side of the river from my home). The planners had to make a decision about rebuilding the bridge based, in part, on costs and whether the bridge could survive a 50, 100 or 500 years flood. Experts reported that given the nature of the flooding in '78 we had all three events! So I remember reading with opened mouth alarm when the powers-that-be released reports on why they were rebuilding for a 50 year flood, because of the considerable cost to build one for a 100 or 500 year flood. By the way the much Older Mill Avenue bridge withstood all of them!
Anyway, here is what I remember one of the reports indicated: Because of the cost of the 100/500 year options, part of the factor was the number of acceptable deaths going with the 50 year version. Did you get that? It may be that they never intended that little piece of information to be released to the public, but it was - wish I could find the reference - it may be out there on the internet in archives.
The point of that little story is: What health issues, deaths and environmental impact did Monsanto's own chemical engineers and others know and what did they decide to keep from the public?
Evey choice we make as consumers is or should be an informed decision.
You may not choose to decide if the jacket you are buying will last 1 year or 10 years - it would not be a bad idea. But the point is when it comes to foods, chemicals and environmental impact on our lives and families we have a right to access all information on which we would reliably make an informed decision. By withholding any part of "material" facts which alters what decision we would make if we knew them, a company or regulator is making the decision for you - without your knowledge.
Whether you believe an acceptable risk is 'acceptable' to you, each of us should support the right to know by the public at large.
It offers no comfort to me that people can sue a company which misleads the public, after the fact, after someone is dying or dead, because of that 'material' information which was not allowed to be accessible.
And, no, I do not support peoples right to sue when they are behaving so foolishly they bring the danger on themselves. You can only give people information or make it available - you can't make them pay attention.
I want to know if my food contains GMO products. I want to know what Monsanto knew and knows. I want the USDA and FDA to require as much 'material' information as they require on drugs. And I want all of it.
Monsanto defends its roundup and related products on the basis of preventing mass-starvation. That is a really good motive. However, if you knew that farming and eating those products would shorten your life, cause birth defects in your children, deplete the world's pollinators, and eventually 'cut' production of food crops - what decisions might be made instead?
Food for thought!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Friday, July 01, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Homegrown Sustainability - Some Ideas That Make Cents!
Dear Folks,
I am always on the lookout for ways to get more out of my efforts, garden, cooking, and life in general. I like to recycle, not just in the current meaning, like turning in cans to metal recyclers (I do that), but in real - use-as-much-of-it-as-you-can ways, or maybe a better way to say it would be to waste as little as possible. I compost kitchen scrapes, feed stale bread to the birds (along with the birdseed we dole out), share extra food with neighbors, calculate my driving route to make as many stops with as few miles as possible, recycle using community bins, give things I can't use anymore to Goodwill, and share my ideas, experience, and knowledge with you.
And I worry, about everything - drives Deane nuts - but it is also what gets me looking into "how" to do things better or easier.
What if, I say to myself, everyone who could garden, did so, and then shared some with the folks next door? What if you made a decision to waste as little as possible? What if you got as involved in concepts like sustainability, local-focused purchasing, or really making every cent you spent worth more than the value you purchased - you know the old expression - "got my money's worth" - I look for "more than my money's worth" in many of my purchases. But I'm not cheap - I don't try to get a good value for a poor price and put a neighbor out of business. The built-in obsolence so prevalent today really makes me sad. What if you got creative to achieve those goals?
Don't have a 'yard' to garden in? A florescent light fixture, windows, plastic 2 liter soda or water bottles, some organic fertilizer and you have a "window garden" producing edibles -- some people have even made them with wine bottles.
Hydroponics and Aquaponics and really neat ways to grow food with as little waste as possible.
Check our "WindowFarms" for a really creative way to garden in your home. A couple of points about these ideas - the 'elaborate' farms are truly inspirational, but also require more investment in pumps and tubing, etc. I am going to try to get around to setting up a simple version by just positioning bottles in a vertical pattern, where one drains into the next lower one and the bottom bottle catches the nutrient dense liquid and then I can take and pour it back through the top once a day.
SIDE TIP: If you have an aquarium, you quick start your seed sprouting for sowing in the garden, by tying up the seeds (best with larger seeds) in a bit of cheese cloth and placing them in the tank or filter compartment. The constantly circulating water speeds up germination time and rate (the amount of seeds which actually sprout).
Some very impressive systems have been set up to circulate water through fish tanks raising fish like tilapia for food and growing edible plants hydroponically.
Check out this Mesa family's big project to turn their pool into producing most of their food. Besides their website they have also written a book about it called "Year of Plenty."
On a smaller but highly motivated scale - one cook who shares tips and recipes on Allrecipes.com started a blog on their decision to home-grow at least some of their food weekly. Begged, Borrowed and Homegrown "When I became unemployed last winter, I had to rethink how I cook, and what I eat, so that I could fit it in my budget. "
Ideas, these kinds of experiences give me lots of ideas.
One I looked into several years ago, but have not yet implemented is growing rice and crayfish in a kiddie pool. Before you send me a note that it is illegal in Az to raise crayfish (they are an invasive species), I checked in with some officials at the UofA about it and "contained' and not accessible to rivers and streams etc. is permissible. The idea is based on the Louisiana practice of farming rice and crayfish together, which began in the 18th century. "The concurrent culture of rice and crayfish makes use of land, resources, equipment, and infrastructure already being used for rice production." I have not tried the concept yet because I am still trying to get my mind around actually eating the crayfish, that I raised (had a "pet" crayfish when I was a child). But I like the idea of raising them on vegetation as opposed to the wild alternative.
Chickens - there is just something about raising a few hens for eggs and having them help you - in a supervised way - with the garden: they fertilize it, eat the bugs, turn the soil and generally rotate any plants you want them working. And if you need something spread around in the garden (like mulch), put it in a pile in the garden and let the chickens have at it - they can spread it faster and wider than you can!
And of course, there is the just plain simple idea of gardening in the soil or large containers here in the desert which is easy, economical, rewarding, peaceful, and you get to eat the results!
Hope these impressive ideas give you ideas!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
I am always on the lookout for ways to get more out of my efforts, garden, cooking, and life in general. I like to recycle, not just in the current meaning, like turning in cans to metal recyclers (I do that), but in real - use-as-much-of-it-as-you-can ways, or maybe a better way to say it would be to waste as little as possible. I compost kitchen scrapes, feed stale bread to the birds (along with the birdseed we dole out), share extra food with neighbors, calculate my driving route to make as many stops with as few miles as possible, recycle using community bins, give things I can't use anymore to Goodwill, and share my ideas, experience, and knowledge with you.
And I worry, about everything - drives Deane nuts - but it is also what gets me looking into "how" to do things better or easier.
What if, I say to myself, everyone who could garden, did so, and then shared some with the folks next door? What if you made a decision to waste as little as possible? What if you got as involved in concepts like sustainability, local-focused purchasing, or really making every cent you spent worth more than the value you purchased - you know the old expression - "got my money's worth" - I look for "more than my money's worth" in many of my purchases. But I'm not cheap - I don't try to get a good value for a poor price and put a neighbor out of business. The built-in obsolence so prevalent today really makes me sad. What if you got creative to achieve those goals?
Don't have a 'yard' to garden in? A florescent light fixture, windows, plastic 2 liter soda or water bottles, some organic fertilizer and you have a "window garden" producing edibles -- some people have even made them with wine bottles.
Hydroponics and Aquaponics and really neat ways to grow food with as little waste as possible.
Check our "WindowFarms" for a really creative way to garden in your home. A couple of points about these ideas - the 'elaborate' farms are truly inspirational, but also require more investment in pumps and tubing, etc. I am going to try to get around to setting up a simple version by just positioning bottles in a vertical pattern, where one drains into the next lower one and the bottom bottle catches the nutrient dense liquid and then I can take and pour it back through the top once a day.
SIDE TIP: If you have an aquarium, you quick start your seed sprouting for sowing in the garden, by tying up the seeds (best with larger seeds) in a bit of cheese cloth and placing them in the tank or filter compartment. The constantly circulating water speeds up germination time and rate (the amount of seeds which actually sprout).
Some very impressive systems have been set up to circulate water through fish tanks raising fish like tilapia for food and growing edible plants hydroponically.
Check out this Mesa family's big project to turn their pool into producing most of their food. Besides their website they have also written a book about it called "Year of Plenty."
On a smaller but highly motivated scale - one cook who shares tips and recipes on Allrecipes.com started a blog on their decision to home-grow at least some of their food weekly. Begged, Borrowed and Homegrown "When I became unemployed last winter, I had to rethink how I cook, and what I eat, so that I could fit it in my budget. "
Ideas, these kinds of experiences give me lots of ideas.
One I looked into several years ago, but have not yet implemented is growing rice and crayfish in a kiddie pool. Before you send me a note that it is illegal in Az to raise crayfish (they are an invasive species), I checked in with some officials at the UofA about it and "contained' and not accessible to rivers and streams etc. is permissible. The idea is based on the Louisiana practice of farming rice and crayfish together, which began in the 18th century. "The concurrent culture of rice and crayfish makes use of land, resources, equipment, and infrastructure already being used for rice production." I have not tried the concept yet because I am still trying to get my mind around actually eating the crayfish, that I raised (had a "pet" crayfish when I was a child). But I like the idea of raising them on vegetation as opposed to the wild alternative.
Chickens - there is just something about raising a few hens for eggs and having them help you - in a supervised way - with the garden: they fertilize it, eat the bugs, turn the soil and generally rotate any plants you want them working. And if you need something spread around in the garden (like mulch), put it in a pile in the garden and let the chickens have at it - they can spread it faster and wider than you can!
And of course, there is the just plain simple idea of gardening in the soil or large containers here in the desert which is easy, economical, rewarding, peaceful, and you get to eat the results!
Hope these impressive ideas give you ideas!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Garden Like Your Quality Of Life Depended On It - Blast From The Past.
Dear Folks,
You have seen the references before - during World War II 40% of fresh foods were grown in backyards.
Here is a cool poster from 1917, with Uncle Sam urging home gardeners to save money. Not mentioned is how wonderful home grown food tastes. Our tomatoes are supplying us with yellow, striped and deep flavored options. The last of our peaches are ripening and I'm still enjoying our summer apples, plus all the herbs for flavoring things. My horseradish is getting close to harvesting time and I am awaiting a special order of sweet potato slips to plant for fall production.
Back to the poster - it is part of an exhibit at the National Archives on "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?"
The exhibit explores some of the history of the government in the American dinner table, from farm to gardening, to shopping and menu planning, even the school lunch program.
What's For Lunch?
One of the posters is for something called "Ham Shortcake" one of the very first menu items in the school lunch program in 1946. The poster for the recipe feeds 100. For a similar recipe to try at home, check out the one on cooks.com These kind of recipes arose out of farm life to make the most of what you had available. In expensive and nutritious, this would make a hearty lunch for children or adults. Fresh fruit or a salad on the side would make this a pretty complete meal. By the way, when I say salad, I do not mean just lettuce and tomatoes. To qualify as a good-for-you salad I personally like to have about 5 different ingredients - not including the croutons! Greens (add fresh herbs to the mix of greens), tomatoes, celery, carrots, peppers, Jicama, maybe a small amount of shredded cabbage or kale, olives, apple if you want something sweet, dressing on the side so each person can add their own. That also makes storing left over salad easier, it is not swimming in excess dressing and stays fresher, longer. If you make up a large batch and store in the frig, it is easy to grab some for meals because all you need is the dressing.
If you are having trouble getting started gardening or don't think you have enough space for what you want to grow, check out community gardens in your area.
In the East Valley, Mesa Community College has opened up a community garden to the public with folks able to rent a 10 x 20 plot for $80 / year. Considering they provide the water and access to help that is a smoking deal. http://www.mesacc.edu/community/garden/
Because I am such a cookbook and food research nut, I am constantly reminded of how different foods we eat and meals are today (on average) from 40+ years ago.
In those years we were far more like our European neighbors. Foods served were more seasonal and fresher. Leftover fresh were canned. "Leftovers" were "made over" into nutritious meals with little waste.
Digressing here a bit...
Did you happen to see the info-mercial on the vacuum food-storage ad? (I was at the gym - don't laugh - and working on the treadmill and watching the cooking channel - I said I was a nut.) Anyway back to the ad, they wanted to show how a family wastes food by simply storing in the freezer, store packaged meats. They tossed and tallied everything "freezer-burned" after 2 weeks!!!!! I don't get it. I think the vacuum storage option is great for some folks, but tossing the freezer-burned foods without assessing whether you can make a stew or soup is mind-boggling. Once you understand the safe food handling options wasting food is just not right. I grew up in one of those families where we told repeatedly that people were starving in (fill in the blanks -- now a days it could be your neighbor who is out of work) and I was supposed to appreciate the food I had on my plate. Well it did make me eat the food, no matter how much I did not want to (flash forward to Bill Crosby's famous ad of children eating without swallowing LOL), and we did not have a lot of food choices - my mom bought what she could afford).
The point is careful consideration to what is seasonal and fresh, making it easier on yourself to prepare meals (for example: making a large batch of grains and freezing in portions for one meal (times how many are in your household), in addition to the easy salad reference above, and maybe sharing an abundance with neighbors is a better 'modern' way to approach food - by going backwards to what worked before.
If I get into one of my cooking modes and prepare more than we can feasibly eat in a couple of meals I share with my elderly neighbor, or my working mom neighbor.
Food can be about community and maybe should be. What is growing locally, what are you growing and cooking and who can you share it with. Food binds us whether we are family, extended family or a community - we have choices.
Have a wonderful day,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
You have seen the references before - during World War II 40% of fresh foods were grown in backyards.
Here is a cool poster from 1917, with Uncle Sam urging home gardeners to save money. Not mentioned is how wonderful home grown food tastes. Our tomatoes are supplying us with yellow, striped and deep flavored options. The last of our peaches are ripening and I'm still enjoying our summer apples, plus all the herbs for flavoring things. My horseradish is getting close to harvesting time and I am awaiting a special order of sweet potato slips to plant for fall production.
Back to the poster - it is part of an exhibit at the National Archives on "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?"
The exhibit explores some of the history of the government in the American dinner table, from farm to gardening, to shopping and menu planning, even the school lunch program.
What's For Lunch?
One of the posters is for something called "Ham Shortcake" one of the very first menu items in the school lunch program in 1946. The poster for the recipe feeds 100. For a similar recipe to try at home, check out the one on cooks.com These kind of recipes arose out of farm life to make the most of what you had available. In expensive and nutritious, this would make a hearty lunch for children or adults. Fresh fruit or a salad on the side would make this a pretty complete meal. By the way, when I say salad, I do not mean just lettuce and tomatoes. To qualify as a good-for-you salad I personally like to have about 5 different ingredients - not including the croutons! Greens (add fresh herbs to the mix of greens), tomatoes, celery, carrots, peppers, Jicama, maybe a small amount of shredded cabbage or kale, olives, apple if you want something sweet, dressing on the side so each person can add their own. That also makes storing left over salad easier, it is not swimming in excess dressing and stays fresher, longer. If you make up a large batch and store in the frig, it is easy to grab some for meals because all you need is the dressing.
If you are having trouble getting started gardening or don't think you have enough space for what you want to grow, check out community gardens in your area.
In the East Valley, Mesa Community College has opened up a community garden to the public with folks able to rent a 10 x 20 plot for $80 / year. Considering they provide the water and access to help that is a smoking deal. http://www.mesacc.edu/community/garden/
Because I am such a cookbook and food research nut, I am constantly reminded of how different foods we eat and meals are today (on average) from 40+ years ago.
In those years we were far more like our European neighbors. Foods served were more seasonal and fresher. Leftover fresh were canned. "Leftovers" were "made over" into nutritious meals with little waste.
Digressing here a bit...
Did you happen to see the info-mercial on the vacuum food-storage ad? (I was at the gym - don't laugh - and working on the treadmill and watching the cooking channel - I said I was a nut.) Anyway back to the ad, they wanted to show how a family wastes food by simply storing in the freezer, store packaged meats. They tossed and tallied everything "freezer-burned" after 2 weeks!!!!! I don't get it. I think the vacuum storage option is great for some folks, but tossing the freezer-burned foods without assessing whether you can make a stew or soup is mind-boggling. Once you understand the safe food handling options wasting food is just not right. I grew up in one of those families where we told repeatedly that people were starving in (fill in the blanks -- now a days it could be your neighbor who is out of work) and I was supposed to appreciate the food I had on my plate. Well it did make me eat the food, no matter how much I did not want to (flash forward to Bill Crosby's famous ad of children eating without swallowing LOL), and we did not have a lot of food choices - my mom bought what she could afford).
The point is careful consideration to what is seasonal and fresh, making it easier on yourself to prepare meals (for example: making a large batch of grains and freezing in portions for one meal (times how many are in your household), in addition to the easy salad reference above, and maybe sharing an abundance with neighbors is a better 'modern' way to approach food - by going backwards to what worked before.
If I get into one of my cooking modes and prepare more than we can feasibly eat in a couple of meals I share with my elderly neighbor, or my working mom neighbor.
Food can be about community and maybe should be. What is growing locally, what are you growing and cooking and who can you share it with. Food binds us whether we are family, extended family or a community - we have choices.
Have a wonderful day,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Hot Times In The Garden: I Want You To Do What?
Dear Folks,
It is that time of the year when even us desert lizards change habits and concentrate our outdoor activities to early morning, twilight or later. And I want you to think about gardening!
But first, my ginger is popping up and I'm pleased to find additional locations where it wants to grow more happily. For all you folks who ask about things to grow in the shade, or some shade, ginger could be one of them. I have some ginger growing in a south exposure - in front of the asparagus bed, and the asparagus is now in full 'feather and about 4 feet + tall.
When I harvested the ginger last time (last October 1st) - I re-planted some of the root in a shady spot - north of one of our peaches (deciduous - keep that in mind) and beside the variegated society garlic. I just noticed the new growth yesterday, 3 times the size of the sunny spot location ginger, so I think my usual experimenting process of trying different locations is providing once again information to pass on to you. Ginger is one of those foods which is so good tasting and so good for you, it is a shame to NOT grow it.
Harvest ginger when the top dies back or flowers - it can take anywhere from 7-10 months. The sunny spot ginger has been in the ground now about 2 and half years and dutifully comes up, but I'm hoping for more production out of the shady spot ginger.
Read my post of 2 years ago on ginger and my early attempts to grow it. The picture above is from that post.
Onto gardening in July.
When we are looking at temperatures of 108 - 114 I sure I'm getting the 'eye roll' when I discuss doing soil preparation and seed planting in the middle of all of that, but if you want a fall garden, you have to consider the fundamentals. If you want pumpkins you have to count backwards 120 days from the holidays. If you want root vegetables, lettuces, and cool weather herbs like dill and cilantro as soon as the weather is really more comfortable you have to keep in mind when and how those plants germinate -- in the cooling soil.
For easier seeding in, you need either an existing garden bed or one that you can prepare by fluffing up with compost or well-rotted manure. Did you miss the planting time for tomatoes this spring? You can sow seeds in an established bed NOW, or you can also start them inside and transplant, in an established bed in mid to late July -- the key to success with that is to sow or plant in amongst summer flowering plants, so they have some canopy from the growing plants and that allows them to get going, while reaching for the sun. You will get tomatoes producing as soon as the night time temperatures go below the 80s in September and harvest into November.
Most of the heavy fall sowing time begins August 1st - but pumpkins should be sown in starting July 15th.
The list of seeds to be sown then is impressive. And while not normally listed, you can start basil seeds along with the tomato seeds so you have more basil growing when the tomatoes start producing later on.
Anise; Beans, Snap (bush and pole); Bok Choy; Broccoli; Brussels Sprouts; Cabbage; Caraway; Carrots; Cauliflower; Chervil; Cilantro; Corn; Cucumbers; Dill; Fennel; Greens, all; Kale; Kohlrabi; Lettuce; Marigolds; Mustard; Nasturtium; Onions, Green; Parsley; Portulaca (Moss Rose); Pumpkin; Purslane; Squash, Winter; Stock; Sweet Alyssum.
With those types of herbs and lettuces that you may use the most, you can plant successively every 2-4 weeks through November/December.
Choose leaf varieties over "head" type on lettuces and kales - you will have faster and more production.
If you have portulaca (moss rose) growing - you can break off stems and just stick them right back in the ground next to new plants or seeds - they root very easily because they love our sun. As invasive as that sounds (and their wild cousin can be really invasive) they do you the supreme favor of dying back as soon as the temps cool in the fall. (The purslane family is edible.)
Give some serious thought to handling the aphids in early to late fall as they really want your dill and cabbage family. Aside from the safe soil/soap spray referenced here on the blog site, consider the easy method of making up a quart of water with a finger tip of dawn. Pour a 1/4 cup of this solution right down the center of growing cabbage and dill plants at the first site of aphids and you can do this once a week without harm to plants or soil -- this works because the aphids start out in the leaf axis and are not always easy to spot to until they mass. You can even do it preventatively when the temperatures are hovering in the high 80s/low 90s in September after the plants are 6 inches tall or so.
As the heat gets more intense and you ramp up the watering (make sure you use your meter to measure soil moisture) you may see yellowing of leaves particularly on trees and shrubs. This is usually due to the amount of water (necessary) applied which in turns causes the iron in the soil to bind with the calcium and make it unavailable to the plants (Chlorosis - yellowing of the leaves with the green veins standing out). Easily treated with green sand (natural) or if you can't find it ironite (issues with source of this treatment). Apply before next watering and the trees should green up in about 2-3 weeks.
. . .
Recipes, I love recipes and cookbooks and of course I'm always experimenting - right now I'm reading Mark Grant's "Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens" - one of the real original "Mediterranean Diets" :-)
But I am fascinated by a book I have not bought but will purchase shortly. My kind of cook and writer.
It is that time of the year when even us desert lizards change habits and concentrate our outdoor activities to early morning, twilight or later. And I want you to think about gardening!
When I harvested the ginger last time (last October 1st) - I re-planted some of the root in a shady spot - north of one of our peaches (deciduous - keep that in mind) and beside the variegated society garlic. I just noticed the new growth yesterday, 3 times the size of the sunny spot location ginger, so I think my usual experimenting process of trying different locations is providing once again information to pass on to you. Ginger is one of those foods which is so good tasting and so good for you, it is a shame to NOT grow it.
Harvest ginger when the top dies back or flowers - it can take anywhere from 7-10 months. The sunny spot ginger has been in the ground now about 2 and half years and dutifully comes up, but I'm hoping for more production out of the shady spot ginger.
Read my post of 2 years ago on ginger and my early attempts to grow it. The picture above is from that post.
Onto gardening in July.
When we are looking at temperatures of 108 - 114 I sure I'm getting the 'eye roll' when I discuss doing soil preparation and seed planting in the middle of all of that, but if you want a fall garden, you have to consider the fundamentals. If you want pumpkins you have to count backwards 120 days from the holidays. If you want root vegetables, lettuces, and cool weather herbs like dill and cilantro as soon as the weather is really more comfortable you have to keep in mind when and how those plants germinate -- in the cooling soil.
For easier seeding in, you need either an existing garden bed or one that you can prepare by fluffing up with compost or well-rotted manure. Did you miss the planting time for tomatoes this spring? You can sow seeds in an established bed NOW, or you can also start them inside and transplant, in an established bed in mid to late July -- the key to success with that is to sow or plant in amongst summer flowering plants, so they have some canopy from the growing plants and that allows them to get going, while reaching for the sun. You will get tomatoes producing as soon as the night time temperatures go below the 80s in September and harvest into November.
Most of the heavy fall sowing time begins August 1st - but pumpkins should be sown in starting July 15th.
The list of seeds to be sown then is impressive. And while not normally listed, you can start basil seeds along with the tomato seeds so you have more basil growing when the tomatoes start producing later on.
Anise; Beans, Snap (bush and pole); Bok Choy; Broccoli; Brussels Sprouts; Cabbage; Caraway; Carrots; Cauliflower; Chervil; Cilantro; Corn; Cucumbers; Dill; Fennel; Greens, all; Kale; Kohlrabi; Lettuce; Marigolds; Mustard; Nasturtium; Onions, Green; Parsley; Portulaca (Moss Rose); Pumpkin; Purslane; Squash, Winter; Stock; Sweet Alyssum.
With those types of herbs and lettuces that you may use the most, you can plant successively every 2-4 weeks through November/December.
Choose leaf varieties over "head" type on lettuces and kales - you will have faster and more production.
If you have portulaca (moss rose) growing - you can break off stems and just stick them right back in the ground next to new plants or seeds - they root very easily because they love our sun. As invasive as that sounds (and their wild cousin can be really invasive) they do you the supreme favor of dying back as soon as the temps cool in the fall. (The purslane family is edible.)
Give some serious thought to handling the aphids in early to late fall as they really want your dill and cabbage family. Aside from the safe soil/soap spray referenced here on the blog site, consider the easy method of making up a quart of water with a finger tip of dawn. Pour a 1/4 cup of this solution right down the center of growing cabbage and dill plants at the first site of aphids and you can do this once a week without harm to plants or soil -- this works because the aphids start out in the leaf axis and are not always easy to spot to until they mass. You can even do it preventatively when the temperatures are hovering in the high 80s/low 90s in September after the plants are 6 inches tall or so.
As the heat gets more intense and you ramp up the watering (make sure you use your meter to measure soil moisture) you may see yellowing of leaves particularly on trees and shrubs. This is usually due to the amount of water (necessary) applied which in turns causes the iron in the soil to bind with the calcium and make it unavailable to the plants (Chlorosis - yellowing of the leaves with the green veins standing out). Easily treated with green sand (natural) or if you can't find it ironite (issues with source of this treatment). Apply before next watering and the trees should green up in about 2-3 weeks.
. . .
Recipes, I love recipes and cookbooks and of course I'm always experimenting - right now I'm reading Mark Grant's "Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens" - one of the real original "Mediterranean Diets" :-)
But I am fascinated by a book I have not bought but will purchase shortly. My kind of cook and writer.
"Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes" by Andrea Reusing. This Southern gal treats your garden as one of the sources of seasonal produce. I think this is going to be one of the great cookbooks "of the moment."
And if you need help with when to plant here in the desert don't forget my beginners guide "Edible Landscaping in The Desert Southwest: Wheelbarrow to Plate" Also available as an ebook or a special pdf for ereaders like Kindle.
Have a great week!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Greening -- Weighing In On "Choose My Plate" - Don't "Negotiate" The System
Dear Folks,
Try to put politics aside while you consider my thoughts on the new food recommendations from the USDA.
First, anytime, anyone tries to help you make better food decisions, that is a good thing, as long as they do not require you to join, commit, or be penalized if you don't do "x" etc. That means you do not have agree with everything the USDA and First Lady suggest for better health -- to take advantage of the free information on the new visual help-tool called "Choose My Plate". (CMP) And I personally have a lot of problems with some decisions by the USDA and FDA, but this post is about a good tool.
I decided to weigh in on the subject because the CMP reflects my regular mantra of putting a rainbow on your dinner plate (growing your own veggies and fruits when you can, of course), and also because Jillian Michaels of "Biggest Loser" fame weighed in on her thoughts that the new visual presumed the American people were stupid. I disagree because of our human need to 'tweak' 'game' or 'negotiate' something we think is a good idea, but we want to do it our way -- and miraculously achieve the same results!
Let me be the first to admit that I am overweight and out of shape. I blame some of it on my back injury last summer, but the truth is I do not get enough exercise*, and my comfort food of choice is cheese and bread. It does not matter that I can make my own cheese and bread sometimes and control the ingredients. It matters that I do not follow the rainbow principle "most of the time" in its intended form.
So, I tweak the system, by saying to myself - I will have more salad with dinner than normal or I will make sure that I have cut up fruit and vegetables for easy access, so I have the instant ability to do the rainbow thing. But I do not personally adhere, right now, to the rainbow principle at each meal.
So when the Choose My Plate visual came out - I said now that is something I can see people being able to use, easily, and not game it -- and, also give me personally a visual aid - I'm going to put it on my place-mate!
You know the first thing that had to be clarified on what the plate symbol was? The size of the plate - oh my - the whole portion distortion topic of the last decade took on new meaning because the CMP plate is 9 inches - not 10, 11, 12 or the super-sized oval "platters" used as plates at many restaurants.
What is it with us that if we dine out we have to get our monies worth by getting a serving of food that is at least 50% more than a 'normal' meal or greater!
A salad / dessert plate is 6 to 7.5 inches. Many nutritionists recommend a person trying to lose weight move down to a salad/dessert plate to help adjust portions. Visually you do not feel like you are depriving yourself. Conversely putting a normal portion on a huge plate makes it look like you are depriving yourself. It is all in the mind.
Many paper plates come in 9 inch sizes, including some of the divided type. If you want to try experimenting get some of the divided plates and instead of putting the protein in the big compartment, put it in one the small ones and you will have an idea of what the real protein portion is. These kind of divided plates rarely have more than 3 compartments. Put vegetables in most of the largest compartment with some fruit to fill in, and your grains in the other small compartment. There you can visually see what a serving looks like in the CMP plate suggestion.
The Bigger Picture
I cannot express enough about the inclusion of lots of vegetables and fruits in your meal planning. Choose seasonal when you can - not out of season - if you want something that is not in season, then choose frozen (1st choice) or canned (2nd choice). Why? Because the frozen and canned veggies etc. are picked when ripe and processed immediately. Fresh out of season produce is simply not as nutrient dense.
If you and your family take a lot of supplements to get your vitamins and minerals, instead of eating the vegetables, fruits and grains which contain them in a more useable form - are you not making a poor health choice? Think about it.
Here is the real issue - IF YOU want to make better choices you have to stop 'gaming yourself' and try to focus on what you want to achieve.
"I don't like vegetables..I don't eat grains I only like potatoes...I need more protein than it looks like I will get." Try to get over something that has not tasted good by preparing it a different way. Roasted or grilled vegetables have wonderful taste because the high heat brings out the sugars. If mushy rice has turned you off of grains, try barley or quinoa which are nutty and have lots of texture (also learn how to cook rice properly!)
Grains in combination with other protein provide more protein total than the individual components. Non-meat exceptions are favorite bean and rice combinations - or similar. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich on good wheat bread is a complete protein. It may be high caloried but it is a good source of protein and fiber.
As a child I did not like most vegetables because they were canned and tasted like baby food, nor did I like onions, mushrooms, avocado or sea food other than tuna. Most of that had to do with our limited economics and some of it had to do with a child's food experiences. A single avocado came into our house about every two years for my dad as a treat and he once gave me a taste - since it was not sweet I instantly disliked it. I could eat a half a head of lettuce or cabbage because it was raw, but all other vegetables were not of interest to me at all -- the exception was seasonal corn on the cob - oh boy. Fast forward to my willingness as a young adult and then on through the years to give something I did not like before another try, or two (sometimes it took a different cooked version of something to get me to like something). Once I decided I liked something I tried different was of preparing it. I still prefer most of my vegetables raw, but I have discovered wonderful ways to prepare many so they do not taste like baby food. (Deane's preference for cooked-too-death -- my term -- vegetables presents some challenges and always surprises me since he grew up in farming country -- but it was what he grew up loving. We have a running joke about "well done" when it comes to cookies too -- he makes a great chocolate chip oatmeal cookie - he has to take mine out 15-20 minutes before his because his preferred done level are hockey-pucks!)
And there are still things I don't like but I have increased my food options thousands of a percent because I was willing to try something I did not like before. And, I completely understand the 'ick' factor for some people with some foods -- I have them too either because of associated stories or where the food might come from.
Give good-for-you vegetables, grains and fruits another try if you have not liked them in the past - your body will reward you with more energy and over-all health.
And, finally, yes I know, some meals are served in bowls. But, you know what, a typical soup/cereal bowl holds exactly 2 cups and 2 cups fills a 9 inch plate. A bowl of chili, beans and rice, thick stew or soup would be 2 cups and equivalent to a plate of food. Half a bowl of salad with a protein topper would be equivalent to a plate of food.
By the way, the serving size of most cereals is 1 cup or there abouts, but check the protein and fiber content. Using my nutrient density formula (protein and fiber grams added and divided into serving calorie) corn flakes come in at a very low nutrient density (higher the number the lower the nutrient density) before milk is added.
Corn Flakes factor Protein 2 Fiber 1 = 3 Calories 100 = Factor 34
Kashi Golean Crunch Cereal Protein 9 Fiber 8 = Calories 190 = Factor 11
Look at the amount of protein and fiber for each of those - before milk is added.
Some ads will point you to the calorie content, or the total number of vitamins and minerals in the cereal - do not let yourself be mis-directed from the point of having cereal and milk for breakfast: 1) it is supposed to give your a good nutrient basis for the day, and 2) cereals have become "THE" breakfast food as opposed to PART of breakfast, so it is even more important that you choose nutrient dense options.
Total Cereal likes to point out all the vitamins and minerals they added back in to the cereal after starting with less than whole grains to begin with, so it winds up being a vitamin / mineral pill only with little or no protein or fiber. It is not only not economical but like eating a donut for breakfast without the taste satisfaction! (Meaning with a donut however NOT good for you as a breakfast food you get a mouth-feel satisfaction.)
If you missed my post on using the nutrient density formula go to my November 2008 post:
Hope this is helpful to you in meal planning that makes healthy sense.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
*This week, I just joined a gym nearby and have high hopes of both strengthening my back and loosing the weight.
Try to put politics aside while you consider my thoughts on the new food recommendations from the USDA.
First, anytime, anyone tries to help you make better food decisions, that is a good thing, as long as they do not require you to join, commit, or be penalized if you don't do "x" etc. That means you do not have agree with everything the USDA and First Lady suggest for better health -- to take advantage of the free information on the new visual help-tool called "Choose My Plate". (CMP) And I personally have a lot of problems with some decisions by the USDA and FDA, but this post is about a good tool.
I decided to weigh in on the subject because the CMP reflects my regular mantra of putting a rainbow on your dinner plate (growing your own veggies and fruits when you can, of course), and also because Jillian Michaels of "Biggest Loser" fame weighed in on her thoughts that the new visual presumed the American people were stupid. I disagree because of our human need to 'tweak' 'game' or 'negotiate' something we think is a good idea, but we want to do it our way -- and miraculously achieve the same results!
So, I tweak the system, by saying to myself - I will have more salad with dinner than normal or I will make sure that I have cut up fruit and vegetables for easy access, so I have the instant ability to do the rainbow thing. But I do not personally adhere, right now, to the rainbow principle at each meal.
So when the Choose My Plate visual came out - I said now that is something I can see people being able to use, easily, and not game it -- and, also give me personally a visual aid - I'm going to put it on my place-mate!
You know the first thing that had to be clarified on what the plate symbol was? The size of the plate - oh my - the whole portion distortion topic of the last decade took on new meaning because the CMP plate is 9 inches - not 10, 11, 12 or the super-sized oval "platters" used as plates at many restaurants.
What is it with us that if we dine out we have to get our monies worth by getting a serving of food that is at least 50% more than a 'normal' meal or greater!
A salad / dessert plate is 6 to 7.5 inches. Many nutritionists recommend a person trying to lose weight move down to a salad/dessert plate to help adjust portions. Visually you do not feel like you are depriving yourself. Conversely putting a normal portion on a huge plate makes it look like you are depriving yourself. It is all in the mind.
Many paper plates come in 9 inch sizes, including some of the divided type. If you want to try experimenting get some of the divided plates and instead of putting the protein in the big compartment, put it in one the small ones and you will have an idea of what the real protein portion is. These kind of divided plates rarely have more than 3 compartments. Put vegetables in most of the largest compartment with some fruit to fill in, and your grains in the other small compartment. There you can visually see what a serving looks like in the CMP plate suggestion.
The Bigger Picture
I cannot express enough about the inclusion of lots of vegetables and fruits in your meal planning. Choose seasonal when you can - not out of season - if you want something that is not in season, then choose frozen (1st choice) or canned (2nd choice). Why? Because the frozen and canned veggies etc. are picked when ripe and processed immediately. Fresh out of season produce is simply not as nutrient dense.
If you and your family take a lot of supplements to get your vitamins and minerals, instead of eating the vegetables, fruits and grains which contain them in a more useable form - are you not making a poor health choice? Think about it.
Here is the real issue - IF YOU want to make better choices you have to stop 'gaming yourself' and try to focus on what you want to achieve.
"I don't like vegetables..I don't eat grains I only like potatoes...I need more protein than it looks like I will get." Try to get over something that has not tasted good by preparing it a different way. Roasted or grilled vegetables have wonderful taste because the high heat brings out the sugars. If mushy rice has turned you off of grains, try barley or quinoa which are nutty and have lots of texture (also learn how to cook rice properly!)
Grains in combination with other protein provide more protein total than the individual components. Non-meat exceptions are favorite bean and rice combinations - or similar. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich on good wheat bread is a complete protein. It may be high caloried but it is a good source of protein and fiber.
As a child I did not like most vegetables because they were canned and tasted like baby food, nor did I like onions, mushrooms, avocado or sea food other than tuna. Most of that had to do with our limited economics and some of it had to do with a child's food experiences. A single avocado came into our house about every two years for my dad as a treat and he once gave me a taste - since it was not sweet I instantly disliked it. I could eat a half a head of lettuce or cabbage because it was raw, but all other vegetables were not of interest to me at all -- the exception was seasonal corn on the cob - oh boy. Fast forward to my willingness as a young adult and then on through the years to give something I did not like before another try, or two (sometimes it took a different cooked version of something to get me to like something). Once I decided I liked something I tried different was of preparing it. I still prefer most of my vegetables raw, but I have discovered wonderful ways to prepare many so they do not taste like baby food. (Deane's preference for cooked-too-death -- my term -- vegetables presents some challenges and always surprises me since he grew up in farming country -- but it was what he grew up loving. We have a running joke about "well done" when it comes to cookies too -- he makes a great chocolate chip oatmeal cookie - he has to take mine out 15-20 minutes before his because his preferred done level are hockey-pucks!)
And there are still things I don't like but I have increased my food options thousands of a percent because I was willing to try something I did not like before. And, I completely understand the 'ick' factor for some people with some foods -- I have them too either because of associated stories or where the food might come from.
Give good-for-you vegetables, grains and fruits another try if you have not liked them in the past - your body will reward you with more energy and over-all health.
And, finally, yes I know, some meals are served in bowls. But, you know what, a typical soup/cereal bowl holds exactly 2 cups and 2 cups fills a 9 inch plate. A bowl of chili, beans and rice, thick stew or soup would be 2 cups and equivalent to a plate of food. Half a bowl of salad with a protein topper would be equivalent to a plate of food.
By the way, the serving size of most cereals is 1 cup or there abouts, but check the protein and fiber content. Using my nutrient density formula (protein and fiber grams added and divided into serving calorie) corn flakes come in at a very low nutrient density (higher the number the lower the nutrient density) before milk is added.
Corn Flakes factor Protein 2 Fiber 1 = 3 Calories 100 = Factor 34
Kashi Golean Crunch Cereal Protein 9 Fiber 8 = Calories 190 = Factor 11
Look at the amount of protein and fiber for each of those - before milk is added.
Some ads will point you to the calorie content, or the total number of vitamins and minerals in the cereal - do not let yourself be mis-directed from the point of having cereal and milk for breakfast: 1) it is supposed to give your a good nutrient basis for the day, and 2) cereals have become "THE" breakfast food as opposed to PART of breakfast, so it is even more important that you choose nutrient dense options.
Total Cereal likes to point out all the vitamins and minerals they added back in to the cereal after starting with less than whole grains to begin with, so it winds up being a vitamin / mineral pill only with little or no protein or fiber. It is not only not economical but like eating a donut for breakfast without the taste satisfaction! (Meaning with a donut however NOT good for you as a breakfast food you get a mouth-feel satisfaction.)
If you missed my post on using the nutrient density formula go to my November 2008 post:
Hope this is helpful to you in meal planning that makes healthy sense.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
*This week, I just joined a gym nearby and have high hopes of both strengthening my back and loosing the weight.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Horseradish! And, A New Survey
Dear Folks,
First - a new survey, folks. Help me help you by letting me know what you want more of. See the upper sidebar here on the blog.
. . .
The horseradish is looking good. While having breakfast in the garden the other day, Deane spotted a great photo op.
Framed by a peach tree on the left and a grapefruit tree on the right, the plant in the background is Lemon Verbena, one of the most fragrant of the herbs.
We grow horseradish here the opposite of the four-season areas. Planted in the fall and harvested in early summer. The older the plant the bigger the root. I have not gotten the massive 3 inch size roots yet (the main plants are about 3 years old), but I get enough to make my condiment up. I save some of the roots when harvesting and replant in the fall (I store them in the crisper). The ones I leave in the ground die back in the summer only to regenerate in the fall/winter.
One of those wonderful spices that add so much to taste, it adds, not surprisingly, a good deal of beneficial nutrients too. Potassium, magnesium., calcium and phosphorus along with a good amount of vitamin C, and because it is a member of the mustard family, antibacterial activity too.
Good to grow, good to eat and good for you too :-)
Have a great weekend!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
First - a new survey, folks. Help me help you by letting me know what you want more of. See the upper sidebar here on the blog.
. . .
The horseradish is looking good. While having breakfast in the garden the other day, Deane spotted a great photo op.
Framed by a peach tree on the left and a grapefruit tree on the right, the plant in the background is Lemon Verbena, one of the most fragrant of the herbs.
We grow horseradish here the opposite of the four-season areas. Planted in the fall and harvested in early summer. The older the plant the bigger the root. I have not gotten the massive 3 inch size roots yet (the main plants are about 3 years old), but I get enough to make my condiment up. I save some of the roots when harvesting and replant in the fall (I store them in the crisper). The ones I leave in the ground die back in the summer only to regenerate in the fall/winter.
One of those wonderful spices that add so much to taste, it adds, not surprisingly, a good deal of beneficial nutrients too. Potassium, magnesium., calcium and phosphorus along with a good amount of vitamin C, and because it is a member of the mustard family, antibacterial activity too.
Good to grow, good to eat and good for you too :-)
Have a great weekend!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Sunday, June 05, 2011
More on Drying Herbs, Some "Neighbors", & Seasonal Tips
Dear Folks,
I have been drying more herbs in the sun and have more information for you, but first some Seasonal Tips and "neighbors" for and in the garden.
Seasonal Tips in The Garden
Established fruit trees should be fed 3 times a year. Memorial, Labor, and Valentine's days are traditionally used as markers here in the desert. Young fruit trees should not be fertilized the first year.
Harvest seed for sowing later. Plants like arugula, cilantro, and the radishes and carrots are going or will be going to flower and seed if they have not already. Catch the seeds for sowing later on in the fall -- recycling at its best! Store in paper envelopes in a cool dry place and they will be viable for a couple of years. Mark the date you harvest on the envelopes.
Speaking of seeds -- did you know the nasturtium seed is edible? The fresh green seed after the flowers die off are a great bite of horseradish. Just don't eat too many at once. 3-5 crushed and added to a dressing is good. They can be pickled like capers. They contain oxalic acid, which binds with minerals like calcium and make it unavailable to your body when eaten in large quantities. Many of the foods good for you, like spinach and other dark green leafy veggies have the same caution. Too much of a good thing, can be a problem.
I let many of the nasturtium seeds drop where they may, harvesting some seeds so I can fill in later next fall/winter where I need more color. This year's freezes killed the first 2 crops of "nastys" but there were many more seeds in the ground that just needed the opportunity to pop up, so our fruit tree wells had lovely hems of brilliant colors and the textures of the exotic leaf shapes.
There is still time to plant sunflowers, soybeans and summer squash, cantaloupe and Armenian cucumber. One of my recommended variations on the "three sisters" companion planting. For more color, plant moss rose flowers (portulaca) - they love the heat.
Neighbors
We encourage the birds by putting out seed for them, but not all of them need the seed. The Lesser Goldfinch is one of the acrobats of our feathered neighbors and a hoot to watch on our sunflowers.
Look closely at the photo on your visual right and you will see the male hanging upside down. I always thought they were only after the seed, but a reading several years ago said they are after the tiny bugs which frequent sunflowers, as well as nibbling on other parts of the sunflowers.
I found out about the bugs one year when something I could not see bit me, and I tried to find out about what the heck it was. One of the types of bugs found on sunflowers are thrips an annoying insect which has a nasty bit for such a small thing. Healthy plants do not need our help to maintain vigor with these pests and having finches helps keep the bug population under some control.
One of our shy neighbors is the Cardinal. I caught this handsome guy just before he flew away - I am usually not good with the camera, but this did not turn out too bad. Deane is the photography expert who's pictures I use for this blog, but he was snoozing early the other morning and I only had about a minute to try and snap a picture.
It is also rare for us to see them on the ground. They usually prefer to be "up."
We have been blessed this year to have the Gamble Quail come regularly to the feeders. For the last few years, they have not been around as much -- too much development going on we think. Some years ago, Deane moved a large piece of lumber stored in the back drive and discovered a quail nest. He gently eased the wood back in place. Later, we were treated to mom and dad taking the "eggs - with - legs" hatchlings back and forth through the yard for a week or two.
Drying Herbs
I have posted a couple of notes about sun drying some herbs while I was drying our apricots and apples. As a general rule I prefer drying my herbs in the refrigerator, on a tray, paper towel or plate. Why? Because the modern refrigerator mimics the commercial freeze-drying process by constantly removing the moisture from the air (outside of the crisper). This results in a greater color and essential oil retention.
But it is easier and faster to take advantage of our hot weather to dry them quickly, and in larger amounts. I'm drying my garlic chives right now as I write this post and they will be done today, it has been so hot and dry.
You will notice from prior posts and also from the picture here that I dry them whole. Using the picture I want to point out some tips about drying herbs for you. The picture shows fresh then dried - it took about 3 days.
First, what you are looking at is one combination of Herbes de Provence. From your visual left to right I have: French Tarragon, Conehead Thyme, English Lavender, and Greek Oregano. Next batch I'm going to add Rosemary to more closely align with the dried HDP blend recipe I developed some years ago*.
If you have dried herbs before, have you tried making your own blends? You should try it.
Second, I leave them whole after giving them a good rinse. Here is why: have you noticed your ground spices and herbs don't keep their aroma and flavor as long as those that are whole? Crushing or grinding the herbs and spices releases and "dissipates" all the essential oils. That is a good thing when you are adding them to your food, but a bad thing if they are only going to sit in a jar or can after crushing. All the wonderful essence goes away. So I leave them whole -- and on the stem.
COVER -- you must provide some kind of screen to keep insects and birds off of your drying herbs. I like the picnic mesh food covers, but netting from a fabric store will work too.
Once dried, store in a dry, cool. dark place. You can freeze them if you prefer, but they will store well in glass, if you can, or a ziplock bag in your dark pantry. They can be stored in the refrigerator if you like. The enemy of herbs, spices, coffee, tea, nuts, seeds and flours are: air, light and humidity. Cool - dry - dark. Remember that.
Once you are ready to use these dried blends, or even single herb bunches, you merely have to tap or press to release a shower of dried leaves. Our Italian heritage families grew up keeping a big bunch of oregano handy and just showering some oregano from the bunch over the sauce pot when they wanted to flavor.
The stems - use them for flavoring stews, soups and sauces. Tied with cotton string or just placed in the pot while cooking imparts all that wonderful flavor and then you remove them before serving in the same way you remove a bay leaf. (One of Deane's funnier observations of my string-tied herb bunches in sauces several years ago was my "herbs on a leash" -- kind of makes sense, took them for a 'walk' in the stew then pulled them back.)
About making blends of herbs. Start with thyme. If you have ever looked at the ingredients of many of the most loved herb/spice blends, many of them have thyme in them. It is considered an "anchor" herb for blends.
Back to my Herbes de Provence blend above. Traditionally HDP is made with Marjoram and not Oregano. The flavor of Marjoram is more subtle because it lacks the carvacol essential oil which gives some of the hardiness flavor to Oregano and to a lessor degree in thyme and savory. Marjoram has a citrus back-note prized by the chefs of Provence and Tuscany.
I just do not have any Marjoram growing right now, and I should remedy that!
I am trying one more drying experiment -- a variety of vegetables: onion, sweet pepper and zucchini. I read recently about drying zucchini as one method to 'use up the bounty' and decided to try for a vegetable blend which I will grind up and use as a thickening/flavoring agent in sauces - I will let you know how that turns out.
*Many of you have asked if I am going to bring back my signature dried herb blends. I had to let them go out of stock as I could not maintain the level of freshness I desired for my customers due to time constraints of care-giving and related issues. I can only state that if things can stay calm - I would like to begin return to offering some of the blends for sale again, probably in late fall. I will let you know when that happens.
In the meantime, as usual I offer fresh cut herbs from the gardens at the Mesa Farmers Market on Friday mornings (Center south of University). You can pick some up and use or dry for later use with my drying tips.
Remember - my books give more seasonal gardening information (Edible Landscaping in the Desert Southwest...) and lots of recipes in the cookbook (101+ Recipes from The Herb Lady). The books are available in print and e-book for iPad and Kindle type readers.
Catherine's Publisher Site
Have a great Sunday!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
I have been drying more herbs in the sun and have more information for you, but first some Seasonal Tips and "neighbors" for and in the garden.
Seasonal Tips in The Garden
Established fruit trees should be fed 3 times a year. Memorial, Labor, and Valentine's days are traditionally used as markers here in the desert. Young fruit trees should not be fertilized the first year.
Harvest seed for sowing later. Plants like arugula, cilantro, and the radishes and carrots are going or will be going to flower and seed if they have not already. Catch the seeds for sowing later on in the fall -- recycling at its best! Store in paper envelopes in a cool dry place and they will be viable for a couple of years. Mark the date you harvest on the envelopes.
Speaking of seeds -- did you know the nasturtium seed is edible? The fresh green seed after the flowers die off are a great bite of horseradish. Just don't eat too many at once. 3-5 crushed and added to a dressing is good. They can be pickled like capers. They contain oxalic acid, which binds with minerals like calcium and make it unavailable to your body when eaten in large quantities. Many of the foods good for you, like spinach and other dark green leafy veggies have the same caution. Too much of a good thing, can be a problem.
I let many of the nasturtium seeds drop where they may, harvesting some seeds so I can fill in later next fall/winter where I need more color. This year's freezes killed the first 2 crops of "nastys" but there were many more seeds in the ground that just needed the opportunity to pop up, so our fruit tree wells had lovely hems of brilliant colors and the textures of the exotic leaf shapes.
There is still time to plant sunflowers, soybeans and summer squash, cantaloupe and Armenian cucumber. One of my recommended variations on the "three sisters" companion planting. For more color, plant moss rose flowers (portulaca) - they love the heat.
We encourage the birds by putting out seed for them, but not all of them need the seed. The Lesser Goldfinch is one of the acrobats of our feathered neighbors and a hoot to watch on our sunflowers.
Look closely at the photo on your visual right and you will see the male hanging upside down. I always thought they were only after the seed, but a reading several years ago said they are after the tiny bugs which frequent sunflowers, as well as nibbling on other parts of the sunflowers.
I found out about the bugs one year when something I could not see bit me, and I tried to find out about what the heck it was. One of the types of bugs found on sunflowers are thrips an annoying insect which has a nasty bit for such a small thing. Healthy plants do not need our help to maintain vigor with these pests and having finches helps keep the bug population under some control.
One of our shy neighbors is the Cardinal. I caught this handsome guy just before he flew away - I am usually not good with the camera, but this did not turn out too bad. Deane is the photography expert who's pictures I use for this blog, but he was snoozing early the other morning and I only had about a minute to try and snap a picture.It is also rare for us to see them on the ground. They usually prefer to be "up."
We have been blessed this year to have the Gamble Quail come regularly to the feeders. For the last few years, they have not been around as much -- too much development going on we think. Some years ago, Deane moved a large piece of lumber stored in the back drive and discovered a quail nest. He gently eased the wood back in place. Later, we were treated to mom and dad taking the "eggs - with - legs" hatchlings back and forth through the yard for a week or two.
Drying Herbs
But it is easier and faster to take advantage of our hot weather to dry them quickly, and in larger amounts. I'm drying my garlic chives right now as I write this post and they will be done today, it has been so hot and dry.
You will notice from prior posts and also from the picture here that I dry them whole. Using the picture I want to point out some tips about drying herbs for you. The picture shows fresh then dried - it took about 3 days.
First, what you are looking at is one combination of Herbes de Provence. From your visual left to right I have: French Tarragon, Conehead Thyme, English Lavender, and Greek Oregano. Next batch I'm going to add Rosemary to more closely align with the dried HDP blend recipe I developed some years ago*.
If you have dried herbs before, have you tried making your own blends? You should try it.
Second, I leave them whole after giving them a good rinse. Here is why: have you noticed your ground spices and herbs don't keep their aroma and flavor as long as those that are whole? Crushing or grinding the herbs and spices releases and "dissipates" all the essential oils. That is a good thing when you are adding them to your food, but a bad thing if they are only going to sit in a jar or can after crushing. All the wonderful essence goes away. So I leave them whole -- and on the stem.
COVER -- you must provide some kind of screen to keep insects and birds off of your drying herbs. I like the picnic mesh food covers, but netting from a fabric store will work too.
Once dried, store in a dry, cool. dark place. You can freeze them if you prefer, but they will store well in glass, if you can, or a ziplock bag in your dark pantry. They can be stored in the refrigerator if you like. The enemy of herbs, spices, coffee, tea, nuts, seeds and flours are: air, light and humidity. Cool - dry - dark. Remember that.
Once you are ready to use these dried blends, or even single herb bunches, you merely have to tap or press to release a shower of dried leaves. Our Italian heritage families grew up keeping a big bunch of oregano handy and just showering some oregano from the bunch over the sauce pot when they wanted to flavor.
The stems - use them for flavoring stews, soups and sauces. Tied with cotton string or just placed in the pot while cooking imparts all that wonderful flavor and then you remove them before serving in the same way you remove a bay leaf. (One of Deane's funnier observations of my string-tied herb bunches in sauces several years ago was my "herbs on a leash" -- kind of makes sense, took them for a 'walk' in the stew then pulled them back.)
About making blends of herbs. Start with thyme. If you have ever looked at the ingredients of many of the most loved herb/spice blends, many of them have thyme in them. It is considered an "anchor" herb for blends.
Back to my Herbes de Provence blend above. Traditionally HDP is made with Marjoram and not Oregano. The flavor of Marjoram is more subtle because it lacks the carvacol essential oil which gives some of the hardiness flavor to Oregano and to a lessor degree in thyme and savory. Marjoram has a citrus back-note prized by the chefs of Provence and Tuscany.
I just do not have any Marjoram growing right now, and I should remedy that!
I am trying one more drying experiment -- a variety of vegetables: onion, sweet pepper and zucchini. I read recently about drying zucchini as one method to 'use up the bounty' and decided to try for a vegetable blend which I will grind up and use as a thickening/flavoring agent in sauces - I will let you know how that turns out.
*Many of you have asked if I am going to bring back my signature dried herb blends. I had to let them go out of stock as I could not maintain the level of freshness I desired for my customers due to time constraints of care-giving and related issues. I can only state that if things can stay calm - I would like to begin return to offering some of the blends for sale again, probably in late fall. I will let you know when that happens.
In the meantime, as usual I offer fresh cut herbs from the gardens at the Mesa Farmers Market on Friday mornings (Center south of University). You can pick some up and use or dry for later use with my drying tips.
Remember - my books give more seasonal gardening information (Edible Landscaping in the Desert Southwest...) and lots of recipes in the cookbook (101+ Recipes from The Herb Lady). The books are available in print and e-book for iPad and Kindle type readers.
Catherine's Publisher Site
Have a great Sunday!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
What did I plant there? - June Garden Tips
Dear Folks,
If all the people who get help from my work and writings could see me in the garden, they might wonder how I manage to actually get the information out :-) After a friend gave me an ornament with "Trowel & Error" as the name on the representative potting stand, I adopted it as my motif.
Case in point is that while I constantly experiment in the garden on where and how best to grow something -- I am not real good at marking what I planted.
While thinning out the epozote, I finally remembered the leeks I planted - in February! I had actually started them as seed a month or so before and then transplanted the little darlings into the epozote bed. As soon as the warm spring air warmed the soil the leeks took off but so did the epozote (which can top 4 feet if I let it), obscuring the growing leeks. Don't they look great!
If you look closely at the one at the top you will see the baby bulbs - which I removed and transplanted back in the garden. With the warming weather, they may not make it, but I know where they like it when I plant next fall -- the actual proper time to put the seeds in.
Think of leeks as a scallion on hormones -- they make a great addition to soups, stews and the grill. As tender as scallions, if you are going to use them within a week or two, harvest them, otherwise leave them in the ground for another couple of weeks, they store better there (or in a bucket of sand stored at refrigerator temperatures).
We grilled Memorial day and I tossed a halved and cleaned leek (they really do get a lot of debris and grit between the growing leaves) on the grill with squash and onion (from the Mesa Friday Farmers Market - my squash is just getting started - I planted late - come to think of it I didn't mark that either) for our side dish. I like Queen Creek Olive Mill's blood orange EV olive oil for grilling or roasting vegetables.
Speaking of Farmers Markets (of course you are supporting your local farmers, right!), for you East Valley-ites, there is a new farmers market - at a farm - in the far east valley.
Superstition Farms is a working dairy - family owned for generations. They have gradually increased their family-farm-friendly experiences and have now added a weekly Thursday afternoon/evening indoor farmers market.
This brand new, cool, indoor farmers market takes place on an actual farm every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 with the Grand Opening Thursday, June 2nd. Superstition Farm is conveniently located off the 202 and Elliot at 3440 South Hawes Road, Mesa AZ 85212.
Superstition Farm is a fun and educational working dairy farm run by the Stechnij Family, now raising its third generation on the farm. The farm offers tours to school groups, scout groups, and the general public. The farm also provides a dairy CSA, horse riding lessons, a petting zoo, Wednesday night Chicken Dinners, Moosters Mootique, a milk bar, as well as a tie-in to a great local ice cream shop, Udder Delights. The family believes in helping to create a strong sense of community.
Did you see the Summer 2011 issue of Edible Phoenix? Too many great articles to list here, go check them out, find them at your local farmers market information tables or subscribe and support them and the local farmers and ranchers they support.
. . .
About the farm in YOUR backyard -- as we head into the warm summer months, check your watering cycles, use that water meter to make sure you are giving the plants enough but not too much. If you are seeding in anything the stop soil does need to be misted each night until you see growth, then you can back off the misting to encourage deep root growth.
GARDEN TIPS for June
June through August in the Desert Southwest is the equivalent of winter in North Dakota — you maintain what you have planted, taking special care of young or sensitive plants. With the exception of August when the heavy pre-fall seed planting begins, it is a good idea to hold off on any major transplanting until the fall when the temperatures (below 90 daytime) drop back to prime planting weather.
Our Flower Mulching technique can be used to protect young plants by canopying the soil around them, placing the flowering plants very close to the base of the young plants.
Heavy watering requirements may result in yellowing of leaves due to iron deficiency, especially of fruit trees (Chlorosis). Apply Ironite before next watering to correct - or a more natural option is "Green Sand."
JUNE PLANTING: Cantaloupe, Corn (for fall harvest), Cucumber, Armenian ; Eggplant, Gourds, Luffa Gourd, Melons, Musk; Okra, Peas, Black Eyed; Peppers, Chiles, Portulaca (Moss Rose), Potato, Sweet; Purslane (Portulaca X Hybrida), Sunflower.
Luffa gourds are great to grow - BUT be aware of the size of a happy plant - 30 feet of vine - they make a good arbor cover, the young squash (yes all gourds are squash family members) can be eaten like zucchini and the vine produces lovely, large yellow flowers. Deane was photographing them when I grew them a couple of years ago and the bees love them - so much so that a carpenter bee arrived at the same flower as a honey bee drinking and the carpenter kicked the honey bee off the flower!
Sweet potatoes are fun to grow - they grow the opposite season of regular potatoes and the young leaves are edible - you get a 'two-fer! (Sweet potatoes are NOT from the solano family.) Make sure you give them room - another large vine plant.
. . .
Finally, Thanks to all of you who took the time to answer my survey question (upper side bar here on the blog) The survey is now closed but I will leave the results up for a few days. In looking at the results, I am going to put together a "program" of some sort and get the information out to you - my probable time frame is early fall, when the weather is more conducive to being outside. I am leaning towards a tour/sampling/Q&A combination based on how many folks wanted both "dinner/class" and a tour. Numbers of invitees will be kept very small for each event to allow concentrated attention and enough time for all to enjoy. I will keep you posted.
If you need help with gardening and cooking - I'm always happy to answer questions. For quick resources, consider my books available in both print and e-book/download form. Publisher site.
Have a wonderful day!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
If all the people who get help from my work and writings could see me in the garden, they might wonder how I manage to actually get the information out :-) After a friend gave me an ornament with "Trowel & Error" as the name on the representative potting stand, I adopted it as my motif.
While thinning out the epozote, I finally remembered the leeks I planted - in February! I had actually started them as seed a month or so before and then transplanted the little darlings into the epozote bed. As soon as the warm spring air warmed the soil the leeks took off but so did the epozote (which can top 4 feet if I let it), obscuring the growing leeks. Don't they look great!
If you look closely at the one at the top you will see the baby bulbs - which I removed and transplanted back in the garden. With the warming weather, they may not make it, but I know where they like it when I plant next fall -- the actual proper time to put the seeds in.
Think of leeks as a scallion on hormones -- they make a great addition to soups, stews and the grill. As tender as scallions, if you are going to use them within a week or two, harvest them, otherwise leave them in the ground for another couple of weeks, they store better there (or in a bucket of sand stored at refrigerator temperatures).
We grilled Memorial day and I tossed a halved and cleaned leek (they really do get a lot of debris and grit between the growing leaves) on the grill with squash and onion (from the Mesa Friday Farmers Market - my squash is just getting started - I planted late - come to think of it I didn't mark that either) for our side dish. I like Queen Creek Olive Mill's blood orange EV olive oil for grilling or roasting vegetables.
Speaking of Farmers Markets (of course you are supporting your local farmers, right!), for you East Valley-ites, there is a new farmers market - at a farm - in the far east valley.
Superstition Farms is a working dairy - family owned for generations. They have gradually increased their family-farm-friendly experiences and have now added a weekly Thursday afternoon/evening indoor farmers market.
This brand new, cool, indoor farmers market takes place on an actual farm every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 with the Grand Opening Thursday, June 2nd. Superstition Farm is conveniently located off the 202 and Elliot at 3440 South Hawes Road, Mesa AZ 85212.
Superstition Farm is a fun and educational working dairy farm run by the Stechnij Family, now raising its third generation on the farm. The farm offers tours to school groups, scout groups, and the general public. The farm also provides a dairy CSA, horse riding lessons, a petting zoo, Wednesday night Chicken Dinners, Moosters Mootique, a milk bar, as well as a tie-in to a great local ice cream shop, Udder Delights. The family believes in helping to create a strong sense of community.
Did you see the Summer 2011 issue of Edible Phoenix? Too many great articles to list here, go check them out, find them at your local farmers market information tables or subscribe and support them and the local farmers and ranchers they support.
. . .
About the farm in YOUR backyard -- as we head into the warm summer months, check your watering cycles, use that water meter to make sure you are giving the plants enough but not too much. If you are seeding in anything the stop soil does need to be misted each night until you see growth, then you can back off the misting to encourage deep root growth.
GARDEN TIPS for June
June through August in the Desert Southwest is the equivalent of winter in North Dakota — you maintain what you have planted, taking special care of young or sensitive plants. With the exception of August when the heavy pre-fall seed planting begins, it is a good idea to hold off on any major transplanting until the fall when the temperatures (below 90 daytime) drop back to prime planting weather.
Our Flower Mulching technique can be used to protect young plants by canopying the soil around them, placing the flowering plants very close to the base of the young plants.
Heavy watering requirements may result in yellowing of leaves due to iron deficiency, especially of fruit trees (Chlorosis). Apply Ironite before next watering to correct - or a more natural option is "Green Sand."
JUNE PLANTING: Cantaloupe, Corn (for fall harvest), Cucumber, Armenian ; Eggplant, Gourds, Luffa Gourd, Melons, Musk; Okra, Peas, Black Eyed; Peppers, Chiles, Portulaca (Moss Rose), Potato, Sweet; Purslane (Portulaca X Hybrida), Sunflower.
Luffa gourds are great to grow - BUT be aware of the size of a happy plant - 30 feet of vine - they make a good arbor cover, the young squash (yes all gourds are squash family members) can be eaten like zucchini and the vine produces lovely, large yellow flowers. Deane was photographing them when I grew them a couple of years ago and the bees love them - so much so that a carpenter bee arrived at the same flower as a honey bee drinking and the carpenter kicked the honey bee off the flower!
Sweet potatoes are fun to grow - they grow the opposite season of regular potatoes and the young leaves are edible - you get a 'two-fer! (Sweet potatoes are NOT from the solano family.) Make sure you give them room - another large vine plant.
. . .
Finally, Thanks to all of you who took the time to answer my survey question (upper side bar here on the blog) The survey is now closed but I will leave the results up for a few days. In looking at the results, I am going to put together a "program" of some sort and get the information out to you - my probable time frame is early fall, when the weather is more conducive to being outside. I am leaning towards a tour/sampling/Q&A combination based on how many folks wanted both "dinner/class" and a tour. Numbers of invitees will be kept very small for each event to allow concentrated attention and enough time for all to enjoy. I will keep you posted.
If you need help with gardening and cooking - I'm always happy to answer questions. For quick resources, consider my books available in both print and e-book/download form. Publisher site.
Have a wonderful day!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Memorial Day - "Emergency Steak" and Memories
Dear Folks,
In honor of our Veterans and current troops, I wanted to share a recipe from 1945, and a link for more memories -- old time radio programs focused on the Memorial Day holiday.
First the link for the radio programs. Jon Hall over otrcat.com has compiled an incredible library of old time radio programs. Everything from comedy to drama and "shudder" horror. Many, many of the programs in the library celebrate holidays through out the year. Here is the link for the page showcasing Memorial Day. Jon, always provides a free program for each theme to listen to or download. And his compilations are very inexpensive, literally pennies per hour of enjoyment, and perfect for your iPod, mp3 player, computer or tablet. Memorial Day on otrcat.com
DONATE:
In the sidebar here on the blog I list some of my favorite charities. I always check out a charity with Charity Navigator for the best organizations -- those that put the most money into the program and not administrative or fund raising expenses. What that means is sometimes the really good programs do not get as much attention as they should. One of them is Packages from Home. Consider a donation, to honor your veteran, or someone else's or just to help out. Packages From Home
Remember every little bit helps, don't not donate because all you can muster is $10 -- every little bit helps!
RECIPE.
Back in November I blogged about "Emergency Steak" a war-time recipe using ground beef to make a 'steak' and that I was going to try it soon. Well with one thing and another it was a recipe I just never got around to until this week. Just in time for Memorial Day!
Read that blog post for the original recipe -- It was all about cooking shows are not new. Old time radio programs included cooking shows. As mentioned in the blog and before - the Victory Gardens of WWII were the source of about 40% of produce consumed in the US during the war. And the frugal necessity of limited supplies stateside meant cooks had to be creative.
We should keep all of that home growing and cooking creativity always in focus. Many people are still struggling. Growing some of your own and being creative in the kitchen can be a money saver. I personally believe the emotional and mental support gardening and cooking give a family is worth a lot more than the money it saves! Also note in that blog post that the recipe serves 6 - they filled their plates with vegetables for a healthy AND frugal meal.
Here is the link for the post
I adapted my recipe for Emergency Steak to create a more steak-like result. I used locally produced grass-fed ground beef -- Red Mountain Cattle Company in Mesa They sell as several farmers markets around the valley. Support your local producers!
Emergency Steak
Using ground beef is not a new 'steak' - chopped steak is an old time favorite of many people. The trick is to limit how much you 'work' the meat so you do not wind up with meatloaf. The other benefit is it takes about 2 minutes to prepare and only about 15-20 minutes to broil it - how's that for easy!
1 pound of ground beef
Herb blend of choice - I used a mixture of rosemary, garlic and black pepper - in this case dried
2 tablespoons of red wine
4 or 5 very thin slivers of butter
Preheat your broiler. I used my toaster oven (hot day) in which I have baked bread, pies and cooked whole chickens.
I placed a piece of aluminum foil on the pan, sprayed with a bit of olive oil spray and patted the meat into a one inch thick long 'steak shape' -- I purchased a roll of meat so it was easy to simply pat it down into the size I wanted. I also pressed my thumb down on top in several places to create the depressions needed to keep the meat from swelling up and cooking unevenly (technique usually used with burgers). Sprinkled with a generous amount of the dried herbs. Dribbled the wine over it and popped it under the broiler set at 500 for 15 minutes. As soon as I pulled it out I laid the butter slivers on top.
This produced a great caramelized top and a rare interior - you may prefer cooking longer to 20 or 25 minutes at 425, to cook well done.
Deane and I agreed that it turned out great (and he is the real meat and potatoes person who wants substance in his food). Not a meatloaf at all but somewhere between steak and a burger in texture and what the food people call 'mouth satiety', and the flavor was awesome.
Grass fed beef needs to be handled a little differently than grain fed, and it is worth learning that since the grass-fed are healthier animals and better for you and your family.
And finally today, check out my newsletter site for my answers to a reader's question on using chives. Tips you can put to use this weekend too!
Chives - What are they good for?
Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and be safe, hug your veteran, salute our troops and get out into the garden!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
In honor of our Veterans and current troops, I wanted to share a recipe from 1945, and a link for more memories -- old time radio programs focused on the Memorial Day holiday.
First the link for the radio programs. Jon Hall over otrcat.com has compiled an incredible library of old time radio programs. Everything from comedy to drama and "shudder" horror. Many, many of the programs in the library celebrate holidays through out the year. Here is the link for the page showcasing Memorial Day. Jon, always provides a free program for each theme to listen to or download. And his compilations are very inexpensive, literally pennies per hour of enjoyment, and perfect for your iPod, mp3 player, computer or tablet. Memorial Day on otrcat.com
DONATE:
In the sidebar here on the blog I list some of my favorite charities. I always check out a charity with Charity Navigator for the best organizations -- those that put the most money into the program and not administrative or fund raising expenses. What that means is sometimes the really good programs do not get as much attention as they should. One of them is Packages from Home. Consider a donation, to honor your veteran, or someone else's or just to help out. Packages From Home
Remember every little bit helps, don't not donate because all you can muster is $10 -- every little bit helps!
RECIPE.
Back in November I blogged about "Emergency Steak" a war-time recipe using ground beef to make a 'steak' and that I was going to try it soon. Well with one thing and another it was a recipe I just never got around to until this week. Just in time for Memorial Day!
Read that blog post for the original recipe -- It was all about cooking shows are not new. Old time radio programs included cooking shows. As mentioned in the blog and before - the Victory Gardens of WWII were the source of about 40% of produce consumed in the US during the war. And the frugal necessity of limited supplies stateside meant cooks had to be creative.
We should keep all of that home growing and cooking creativity always in focus. Many people are still struggling. Growing some of your own and being creative in the kitchen can be a money saver. I personally believe the emotional and mental support gardening and cooking give a family is worth a lot more than the money it saves! Also note in that blog post that the recipe serves 6 - they filled their plates with vegetables for a healthy AND frugal meal.
Here is the link for the post
I adapted my recipe for Emergency Steak to create a more steak-like result. I used locally produced grass-fed ground beef -- Red Mountain Cattle Company in Mesa They sell as several farmers markets around the valley. Support your local producers!
Emergency Steak
Using ground beef is not a new 'steak' - chopped steak is an old time favorite of many people. The trick is to limit how much you 'work' the meat so you do not wind up with meatloaf. The other benefit is it takes about 2 minutes to prepare and only about 15-20 minutes to broil it - how's that for easy!
1 pound of ground beef
Herb blend of choice - I used a mixture of rosemary, garlic and black pepper - in this case dried
2 tablespoons of red wine
4 or 5 very thin slivers of butter
Preheat your broiler. I used my toaster oven (hot day) in which I have baked bread, pies and cooked whole chickens.
I placed a piece of aluminum foil on the pan, sprayed with a bit of olive oil spray and patted the meat into a one inch thick long 'steak shape' -- I purchased a roll of meat so it was easy to simply pat it down into the size I wanted. I also pressed my thumb down on top in several places to create the depressions needed to keep the meat from swelling up and cooking unevenly (technique usually used with burgers). Sprinkled with a generous amount of the dried herbs. Dribbled the wine over it and popped it under the broiler set at 500 for 15 minutes. As soon as I pulled it out I laid the butter slivers on top.
Deane and I agreed that it turned out great (and he is the real meat and potatoes person who wants substance in his food). Not a meatloaf at all but somewhere between steak and a burger in texture and what the food people call 'mouth satiety', and the flavor was awesome.
Grass fed beef needs to be handled a little differently than grain fed, and it is worth learning that since the grass-fed are healthier animals and better for you and your family.
And finally today, check out my newsletter site for my answers to a reader's question on using chives. Tips you can put to use this weekend too!
Chives - What are they good for?
Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and be safe, hug your veteran, salute our troops and get out into the garden!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Preserving The Bounty - Sun Drying
Dear Folks,
In the past we have canned our fruit. See also a note near the bottom on "pie kits."
And when I dry my herbs, I use the refrigerator (the modern refrigerators mimic the commercial freeze-dry process by constantly removing moisture from the air, thus drying the herbs in a process which keeps both more color and essential oils).
Our fruit production was way down this year due to the demise of trees and a more aggressive pruning of the remaining fruit trees. So I decided to sundry some of the fruit and while I was at it - I dried some herbs in the sun also.
See my post from 2009 on sun drying tomatoes and letting the plants sprawl for maximum production in the desert garden. http://edibleherbsandflowers.blogspot.com/2009/02/tomatoes-let-em-sprawl.html
We should take advantage of the free energy our Desert sun affords us (one of these days I'm going to get around to making a solar cooker).
Keep some things in mind when sun drying foods:
Bugs
Animals
Any weather other than hot and sunny
With fruits like apricots you need to dunk them in acidulated water (light lemon water) to keep them from browning too much. Commercial dried fruit is usually sulfured and the lemon water works in the same way to keep them from browning too much.
You can see the fresh fruit just put in the trays, and the finished fruit along side of some dried conehead thyme and Syrian Oregano. You will note that the fruit shrinks about half, and that I left the herbs whole (keeps more essential oils intact until ready to use).
The Process. After rinsing off, and removing any damaged parts of the fruit, I cut the apricots in half, pitted them and dunked them in the lemon water (1 squeezed lemon to 1 quart of water). You don't have to leave the fruit in very long. I let them air dry cut side down so there was no moisture on the bottoms (skin side) of the fruit, then nested them into trays, cut side up. It took 3 whole sun days to dry them to almost leather consistency - there was still a bit of give in the center of them. I am storing them in the refrigerator as a precaution, but I'm very pleased with the way they turned out.
You will note that I used a pryex (Glass) tray and a metal tray lined with plastic wrap. I would recommend that you try to use only glass. I did not want the fruit coming in contact with the metal but the plastic draped over the edges of some of the outer fruit and spoiled them, before I noticed what was happening.
I used picnic bug tents to keep the bugs off the fruit while drying. Since we did not have any humid or rainy days while this drying was going on, I left the trays out over night. If you have overcast, rainy, or humid days, you should plan on bringing the trays in overnight and put them out again in the sun. The process will take anywhere from 2-5 days depending on temperatures and humidity in the air.
Herbs will dry in 1-2 days depending on temperatures. You will note I used paper towels to keep the bugs and debris off them while drying. I simply rinsed them well and set them out between a layer of paper towels.
Once you get into sun drying your bounty, you may want to devise a hanging screen compartmentalized set up. If you have ever seen shoe and sweater hanger storage arrangements for closets that is what some folks like to use. Use weed cloth or screen material to build them. Be aware that if fruits leak while drying cleaning the screening material may take a bit of elbow grease. That is why I chose glass baking dishes. Perforated grilling or broiling pans will work also, if you don't mind the metal to fruit contact.
The first batch of apricots I put out to dry several weeks ago made me think of the old adage "if you want to be a better house keeper get a cat" - if you forget anything about securing the food, the critters will find them!
I placed the dishes on the table and forgot to move the bench away from it and the squirrel promptly helped herself to the drying fruit!
Hope this gives you some idea of taking advantage of the sun for drying the bounty of your garden.
This morning I put out some of our summer apple slices. Since these are the crisp green kind and Deane likes his apples sweet I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar after dunking them in the acidulated water. Should taste wonderful!
One other 'preserving' technique I started using last year was making 'pie kits' mixing the cut up fruit with the suggested (from your favorite recipe) proportions of sugar, spices and a some flour, toss gently put in a zip lock bag, label and freeze. If you have more freezer space than we do (why I use the ziplock, even though I prefer glass), use quart size canning jars to freeze.
When I made the pie kits and used them the first time, I discovered the thawed fruit produced too much juice to make a decent pie -- it tasted great just wound up looking like pie-soup! So the next time I thawed the pie kit I drained the juice and boiled it down about a third and glazed the fruit with it before popping it into the oven - worked great.
Make the most of your bounty, share, use, and preserve!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
My books including recipes using fresh and dried ingredients for real flavor and gardening help for the new-to-the desert gardener. Check out the publisher site http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
In the past we have canned our fruit. See also a note near the bottom on "pie kits."
And when I dry my herbs, I use the refrigerator (the modern refrigerators mimic the commercial freeze-dry process by constantly removing moisture from the air, thus drying the herbs in a process which keeps both more color and essential oils).
Our fruit production was way down this year due to the demise of trees and a more aggressive pruning of the remaining fruit trees. So I decided to sundry some of the fruit and while I was at it - I dried some herbs in the sun also.
See my post from 2009 on sun drying tomatoes and letting the plants sprawl for maximum production in the desert garden. http://edibleherbsandflowers.blogspot.com/2009/02/tomatoes-let-em-sprawl.html
We should take advantage of the free energy our Desert sun affords us (one of these days I'm going to get around to making a solar cooker).
Keep some things in mind when sun drying foods:
Bugs
Animals
Any weather other than hot and sunny
With fruits like apricots you need to dunk them in acidulated water (light lemon water) to keep them from browning too much. Commercial dried fruit is usually sulfured and the lemon water works in the same way to keep them from browning too much.
You can see the fresh fruit just put in the trays, and the finished fruit along side of some dried conehead thyme and Syrian Oregano. You will note that the fruit shrinks about half, and that I left the herbs whole (keeps more essential oils intact until ready to use).The Process. After rinsing off, and removing any damaged parts of the fruit, I cut the apricots in half, pitted them and dunked them in the lemon water (1 squeezed lemon to 1 quart of water). You don't have to leave the fruit in very long. I let them air dry cut side down so there was no moisture on the bottoms (skin side) of the fruit, then nested them into trays, cut side up. It took 3 whole sun days to dry them to almost leather consistency - there was still a bit of give in the center of them. I am storing them in the refrigerator as a precaution, but I'm very pleased with the way they turned out.
You will note that I used a pryex (Glass) tray and a metal tray lined with plastic wrap. I would recommend that you try to use only glass. I did not want the fruit coming in contact with the metal but the plastic draped over the edges of some of the outer fruit and spoiled them, before I noticed what was happening.
I used picnic bug tents to keep the bugs off the fruit while drying. Since we did not have any humid or rainy days while this drying was going on, I left the trays out over night. If you have overcast, rainy, or humid days, you should plan on bringing the trays in overnight and put them out again in the sun. The process will take anywhere from 2-5 days depending on temperatures and humidity in the air.
Herbs will dry in 1-2 days depending on temperatures. You will note I used paper towels to keep the bugs and debris off them while drying. I simply rinsed them well and set them out between a layer of paper towels.
Once you get into sun drying your bounty, you may want to devise a hanging screen compartmentalized set up. If you have ever seen shoe and sweater hanger storage arrangements for closets that is what some folks like to use. Use weed cloth or screen material to build them. Be aware that if fruits leak while drying cleaning the screening material may take a bit of elbow grease. That is why I chose glass baking dishes. Perforated grilling or broiling pans will work also, if you don't mind the metal to fruit contact.
The first batch of apricots I put out to dry several weeks ago made me think of the old adage "if you want to be a better house keeper get a cat" - if you forget anything about securing the food, the critters will find them!
Hope this gives you some idea of taking advantage of the sun for drying the bounty of your garden.
This morning I put out some of our summer apple slices. Since these are the crisp green kind and Deane likes his apples sweet I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar after dunking them in the acidulated water. Should taste wonderful!
One other 'preserving' technique I started using last year was making 'pie kits' mixing the cut up fruit with the suggested (from your favorite recipe) proportions of sugar, spices and a some flour, toss gently put in a zip lock bag, label and freeze. If you have more freezer space than we do (why I use the ziplock, even though I prefer glass), use quart size canning jars to freeze.
When I made the pie kits and used them the first time, I discovered the thawed fruit produced too much juice to make a decent pie -- it tasted great just wound up looking like pie-soup! So the next time I thawed the pie kit I drained the juice and boiled it down about a third and glazed the fruit with it before popping it into the oven - worked great.
Make the most of your bounty, share, use, and preserve!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
My books including recipes using fresh and dried ingredients for real flavor and gardening help for the new-to-the desert gardener. Check out the publisher site http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Spring!
Dear Folks,
I harvested my garlic yesterday (May 23, 2011).
The typical planting season for growing head garlic is October 1 - October 31. This past planting season, I was so far behind and did not get a new order of fresh garlic to plant, I used my last season garlic - stored as I typically do in the crisper of the refrigerator. Because I really did not think I would have enough for a full crop (the prior year I harvested over 90 heads, but sold or used most of them) I planted 12 cloves near the end of the planting time, and reserved the rest of what I had left, still storing in the crisper, for successive planting of 'green garlic'. (The green garlic is harvested when the cloves swell slightly and are more like a scallion and do not form a head.)
To grow head garlic you need the full winter cool cycle - about 6 months.
So to grow my green garlic I planted successive sets about every 2-4 weeks apart beginning in early December.
Theoretically all the ones planted for green garlic should not produce flowers or go to 'head' stage because they are not in the ground long enough, or get cold enough.
Well..... remember our freezes this year?
We got cold enough over a long enough period of time (Deep freezing in early February and near freezing temperatures off and on through early April) that all the unharvested green garlic began to show flower buds (called scapes) the beginning of May! When growing the head garlic you cut the scape off then pull the plants several weeks later. I cut the intended head crop scapes on schedule and looked back down the green garlic plants and low and behold - scapes!
So I harvested everything yesterday, I have a whole bunch more head garlic to hang and dry then I originally planned. Not a problem certainly but one of Mother Nature's whimsical jokes.
When you look at the picture here of what I harvested yesterday, you will see a great size difference in the heads. The ones on the right are the intended 'head' crop. The ones on the left are the intended "green garlic" crop and the one in the middle was a hold over from last year and set connected, good sized heads in one clump. Sometimes I will miss a plant when harvesting and it will stay un-noticed until the next spring because the top growth dies back completely in the heat of the summer.
I love to garden, don't you!
Don't let anyone tell you what you can not grow here in the desert.
Have a great day in the garden.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Get the beginners guide to successful edible landscaping in the desert http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
Available in print or as an ebook for iPad, Kindle and other e-readers
I harvested my garlic yesterday (May 23, 2011).
The typical planting season for growing head garlic is October 1 - October 31. This past planting season, I was so far behind and did not get a new order of fresh garlic to plant, I used my last season garlic - stored as I typically do in the crisper of the refrigerator. Because I really did not think I would have enough for a full crop (the prior year I harvested over 90 heads, but sold or used most of them) I planted 12 cloves near the end of the planting time, and reserved the rest of what I had left, still storing in the crisper, for successive planting of 'green garlic'. (The green garlic is harvested when the cloves swell slightly and are more like a scallion and do not form a head.)
To grow head garlic you need the full winter cool cycle - about 6 months.
So to grow my green garlic I planted successive sets about every 2-4 weeks apart beginning in early December.
Theoretically all the ones planted for green garlic should not produce flowers or go to 'head' stage because they are not in the ground long enough, or get cold enough.
Well..... remember our freezes this year?
We got cold enough over a long enough period of time (Deep freezing in early February and near freezing temperatures off and on through early April) that all the unharvested green garlic began to show flower buds (called scapes) the beginning of May! When growing the head garlic you cut the scape off then pull the plants several weeks later. I cut the intended head crop scapes on schedule and looked back down the green garlic plants and low and behold - scapes!
So I harvested everything yesterday, I have a whole bunch more head garlic to hang and dry then I originally planned. Not a problem certainly but one of Mother Nature's whimsical jokes.When you look at the picture here of what I harvested yesterday, you will see a great size difference in the heads. The ones on the right are the intended 'head' crop. The ones on the left are the intended "green garlic" crop and the one in the middle was a hold over from last year and set connected, good sized heads in one clump. Sometimes I will miss a plant when harvesting and it will stay un-noticed until the next spring because the top growth dies back completely in the heat of the summer.
I love to garden, don't you!
Don't let anyone tell you what you can not grow here in the desert.
Have a great day in the garden.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Get the beginners guide to successful edible landscaping in the desert http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
Available in print or as an ebook for iPad, Kindle and other e-readers
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Solid Gold - A New Definition - Apricots -- and Around The Garden
Dear Folks,
I decided while biting into one of our ripe apricots that eating these luscious morsels is like eating solid gold! You really need to get to your local farmers market to get them ripe, OR, grow you own. The season is short for apricots usually only about a month per variety. We have Katy and Gold Kiss. The Gold Kiss was planted in 1998 and still (we are happy to say) going strong. It is getting a bit long in the tooth, but so far Deane has had to take only the occasional dead wood from it in addition to an annual pruning.
Check out my booklet "What's A Chill Hour..." to learn how to choose stone-fruit trees, including apricots, for the desert garden. Available as print or PDF download - the download file is only $2.95.
. . .
One of the fun things that happen in our garden, and since I am not a stickler for orderliness - is finding the random pleasant surprise that is always a treat. Deane is far more interested in keeping a park-like look, but he also enjoys the blazing display of edible flowers and other garden delights.
We have a small patch of summer lawn (bermuda) designed specifically to encompass the dry wells for our septic system should the plumber ever need access. While walking through the garden the other day, I noticed a yellow violet and figured the birds had dropped a flower on the lawn. NO, the plant was growing there - serendipity! It has also given me the idea to over-seed the lawn in the winter with pansies and violets this winter since we do not grow a winter lawn. I can't wait -- Deane is just rolling his eyes, but I think it will be beautiful! This technique is generally referred to as 'naturalizing' and is frequently used with spring flowering bulbs like tulips, by the time the winter/spring bloom is faded the summer grass starts to grow and you can mow down the leftover greenery (I, of course, hope the flowers will reseed for the next opportunity of serendipity).
Another 'happenstance' is the random visitors to our gardens. For several days we have both heard a whistle and the woo, woo of it made it sound like a person, maybe calling a pet. Well it was not human, or a regular visit to our gardens. Deane quietly snapped pictures of this beautiful Bob White Quail, named for their surprising "BoooB, Whittteee" call.
Today, May 15th, is the feast day of Saint Isidore Patron Saint of Farmers, Field Hands & Livestock
Have a wonderful Day in the Garden!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
I decided while biting into one of our ripe apricots that eating these luscious morsels is like eating solid gold! You really need to get to your local farmers market to get them ripe, OR, grow you own. The season is short for apricots usually only about a month per variety. We have Katy and Gold Kiss. The Gold Kiss was planted in 1998 and still (we are happy to say) going strong. It is getting a bit long in the tooth, but so far Deane has had to take only the occasional dead wood from it in addition to an annual pruning.
Check out my booklet "What's A Chill Hour..." to learn how to choose stone-fruit trees, including apricots, for the desert garden. Available as print or PDF download - the download file is only $2.95.
. . .
One of the fun things that happen in our garden, and since I am not a stickler for orderliness - is finding the random pleasant surprise that is always a treat. Deane is far more interested in keeping a park-like look, but he also enjoys the blazing display of edible flowers and other garden delights.
We have a small patch of summer lawn (bermuda) designed specifically to encompass the dry wells for our septic system should the plumber ever need access. While walking through the garden the other day, I noticed a yellow violet and figured the birds had dropped a flower on the lawn. NO, the plant was growing there - serendipity! It has also given me the idea to over-seed the lawn in the winter with pansies and violets this winter since we do not grow a winter lawn. I can't wait -- Deane is just rolling his eyes, but I think it will be beautiful! This technique is generally referred to as 'naturalizing' and is frequently used with spring flowering bulbs like tulips, by the time the winter/spring bloom is faded the summer grass starts to grow and you can mow down the leftover greenery (I, of course, hope the flowers will reseed for the next opportunity of serendipity).
Another 'happenstance' is the random visitors to our gardens. For several days we have both heard a whistle and the woo, woo of it made it sound like a person, maybe calling a pet. Well it was not human, or a regular visit to our gardens. Deane quietly snapped pictures of this beautiful Bob White Quail, named for their surprising "BoooB, Whittteee" call.
Today, May 15th, is the feast day of Saint Isidore Patron Saint of Farmers, Field Hands & Livestock
Have a wonderful Day in the Garden!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Please take my survey.
Dear Folks,
Please take a moment and answer the "poll" at the stop of the sidebar here on the blog.
I am giving some thought to maybe, perhaps, thinking about it, offering cooking classes in a home-based environment or similar.
I would like to get a feel for how much interest there would be for this, offered by me, Catherine, The Herb Lady.
Thanks for your input.
Have a great day.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Please take a moment and answer the "poll" at the stop of the sidebar here on the blog.
I am giving some thought to maybe, perhaps, thinking about it, offering cooking classes in a home-based environment or similar.
I would like to get a feel for how much interest there would be for this, offered by me, Catherine, The Herb Lady.
Thanks for your input.
Have a great day.
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Don't Just Stand There - Plant Something - Update #2
Dear Folks,
My friend Brenda writes a regular newsletter and blog on gardening, cooking and "homey" attitudes on family, home and life in general. She is as much a lover of old time gardening and cookbooks as I am and she has some real gems in her library. We also both appreciate the old time way of looking at things - nostalgia to many - but maybe a little simpler, more thoughtful and in some cases, kinder than the modern 15 second internet 'buzz.'
In a recent edition of the newsletter she shared a great quote for gardeners from Victory Garden Manual by James H. Burdett, published in 1943.
During the war years victory gardens were not a hobby but a necessity accounting for as much as 40% or more, of the national consumption of produce.
If we were all perfectionists, there would be few gardens. I have made fine vegetable gardens for many years in soil which the experts assured me was not suited to vegetables. If your property does not provide a plot which seems right in all respects, do not give up the idea of the garden. Pick out the most suitable space and take steps to correct its deficiencies. -- James H. Burdett
Read more of Brenda's post and sign up to receive them regularly at:
http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/tips-from-victory-garden.html
I've adopted the declaration "Don't Just Stand There Plant Something" as not only a gardener directive, but also as a life directive. In stead of saying to myself, what can I do about ... I go out into the garden and 'Do Something.'
I'm not being frivolous about life's travails, I am trying to show readers that growing some of your own food is 'A' solution to many of the challenges in life.
Has the economy taken a hachett to your budget? Plant some food.
Are your children too focused on electronics and 'instant gratification'? Plant some food and help them learn patience.
Are you concerned that your family-member does not have compassion? Plant some food and teach them to share it.
Do you have a need for a peaceful and quiet place to de-stress? Plant some food whether in the ground or a large pot. There is no place more peaceful than your own garden for decompression.
A recent Mother Earth News magazine had several really helpful references for the gardener whether new-to-gardening or experienced. Many times I am frustrated with national publications complete lack of information for the desert gardener. MEN had some better than usual information.
Mother Earth News National Survey on Top Home Grown Foods
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Best-Regional-Crops.aspx
MEN - Best Garden Foods for the Southwest Survey
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Best-Southwest-Region-Garden-Crops.aspx
And, finally a good article on shade-tolerant vegetables. BUT FIRST - I want to reiterate the desert gardening reality fact -- if you plant at the right time in our desert garden for the variety of vegetable, fruit, or herb you will not have to provide special shade during our hot summers - most of the time. The reason is the plant adapts according to its own needs when planted at the right time of the year. And keep in mind, it is the sun exposure that builds the luscious fruit, tasty vegetable or flavorful herb. The fact that some of these can tolerate less amount of sun is not meant to convey that you can have a huge amount of success by planting "in the shade" but only that some of them will produce. Shade means less air circulation which can invite pests, dust and diseases to settle on your plants.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shade-tolerant-vegetables-zm0z11zsto.aspx
. . .
So you get this great harvest of veggies from the garden. And you can't eat it all. What to do? Obviously you can share it with neighbors, friends and family - and if you and your neighbors formed a 'loose' community garden you can get together and swap at harvest time.
Or you can sell the extra at the local farmers market.
Or you can preserve them. I was recently gifted with a 1940s era pressure cooker, exactly like one my mom used when I was a child - except this one is a little smaller. I have a new gasket on order and will be ready to pressure can my homemade tomato sauce and soup broths when it arrives.
Preservation of the bounty can be done by freezing (I make 'pie kits' of our fruit), boiling water canning (fruit preserves with our apricots and peaches), and non-acidic vegetables like asparagus with pressure canning. And do not forget dehydrating many of the foods and herbs. While you can certainly purchase a dehydrator or use your oven (expense involved) our summer sun does a wonderful job on food like tomatoes - see my blog post from 2009 on how I dried my tomatoes here.
If you garden successful, at some point you are going to have to 'do something' with the bounty. Give some serious thought to how you will deal with, so you do not get discouraged and decide that gardening with food is too much work!
Canning sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? The reality is yes and no. At harvest time on the farms, canning is a days and weeks long project to get the harvest 'put by' for the winter, because the references you usually see are to the 4 season locations where they had 3-4 months to grow and preserve everything.
Our desert gardens give us a more leisurely approach to preserving extra harvest. If you want to can 16 quarts or pints at a time, you can certainly do that, but sometimes I use my small soup stock pot (with a rack in the bottom) to can 4 pints at a time.
With most homes lacking a stand up freezer - freezing harvests is less of an option, and canning becomes far more appealing.
If you have never canned food it is VERY important that you read up on it and make sure you understand the standards and methods used for the various types of foods. Poorly canned food is a serious health hazard. Mason jar home canning has been around since 1858, so successful home preservation has a very long history of safety and usefulness. You just need to make sure you know what is needed and follow the instructions and DO NOT use non-specific shortcuts.
After the harvest much of the enjoyment is eating, saving and sharing the food!
. . .
Kicking back in the backyard to enjoy our work is a leisure we love. I usually have something to drink whether it be sparkling water (I'm not much of a soda drinker except my homemade ones with our fruit syrups), a glass of wine, or homemade liquors (I've made prickly pear and cranberry in the past).
I found a neat "Tea Thyme Cocktail" in Food & Wine Magazine to share with you.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tea-thyme-cocktails-2011
Mixologist Kathy Casey of Kathy Casey Food Studios–Liquid Kitchen steeps vodka in English Breakfast tea for this drink.
When designing your garden for cooking themes you may wish to incorporate a 'beverage' theme. During the warm months I begin my sun tea with sprigs of herbs for flavoring green or white tea. So many of our fruits, vegetables and herbs make nice drinks whether alcoholic or not.
I developed a really light refreshing 'tisane' using spearmint and lemon verbena. You can vary the ratio of spearmint to lemon verbena or try other herbs. This kind of 'light tea' is served as a replacement for plain water at meals.
Lemon / Mint Refresher
5 sprigs of lemon verbena and spearmint (try 3 lemon 2 mint)
1 cup boiling water
Sweetener of choice (1/2 teaspoon of honey, agave nectar, or sprinkle of sugar or a leaf or two of stevia)
3 cups very cold water or water and ice combined
Add sweetener to boiling water, stir to dissolve, add herbs stir and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and add to cold water. Sip and enjoy.
Change around the ratio of lemon and mint to find your favorite!
Have a great week!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
My friend Brenda writes a regular newsletter and blog on gardening, cooking and "homey" attitudes on family, home and life in general. She is as much a lover of old time gardening and cookbooks as I am and she has some real gems in her library. We also both appreciate the old time way of looking at things - nostalgia to many - but maybe a little simpler, more thoughtful and in some cases, kinder than the modern 15 second internet 'buzz.'
In a recent edition of the newsletter she shared a great quote for gardeners from Victory Garden Manual by James H. Burdett, published in 1943.
During the war years victory gardens were not a hobby but a necessity accounting for as much as 40% or more, of the national consumption of produce.
If we were all perfectionists, there would be few gardens. I have made fine vegetable gardens for many years in soil which the experts assured me was not suited to vegetables. If your property does not provide a plot which seems right in all respects, do not give up the idea of the garden. Pick out the most suitable space and take steps to correct its deficiencies. -- James H. Burdett
Read more of Brenda's post and sign up to receive them regularly at:
http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/tips-from-victory-garden.html
I've adopted the declaration "Don't Just Stand There Plant Something" as not only a gardener directive, but also as a life directive. In stead of saying to myself, what can I do about ... I go out into the garden and 'Do Something.'
I'm not being frivolous about life's travails, I am trying to show readers that growing some of your own food is 'A' solution to many of the challenges in life.
Has the economy taken a hachett to your budget? Plant some food.
Are your children too focused on electronics and 'instant gratification'? Plant some food and help them learn patience.
Are you concerned that your family-member does not have compassion? Plant some food and teach them to share it.
Do you have a need for a peaceful and quiet place to de-stress? Plant some food whether in the ground or a large pot. There is no place more peaceful than your own garden for decompression.
A recent Mother Earth News magazine had several really helpful references for the gardener whether new-to-gardening or experienced. Many times I am frustrated with national publications complete lack of information for the desert gardener. MEN had some better than usual information.
Mother Earth News National Survey on Top Home Grown Foods
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Best-Regional-Crops.aspx
MEN - Best Garden Foods for the Southwest Survey
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Best-Southwest-Region-Garden-Crops.aspx
And, finally a good article on shade-tolerant vegetables. BUT FIRST - I want to reiterate the desert gardening reality fact -- if you plant at the right time in our desert garden for the variety of vegetable, fruit, or herb you will not have to provide special shade during our hot summers - most of the time. The reason is the plant adapts according to its own needs when planted at the right time of the year. And keep in mind, it is the sun exposure that builds the luscious fruit, tasty vegetable or flavorful herb. The fact that some of these can tolerate less amount of sun is not meant to convey that you can have a huge amount of success by planting "in the shade" but only that some of them will produce. Shade means less air circulation which can invite pests, dust and diseases to settle on your plants.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shade-tolerant-vegetables-zm0z11zsto.aspx
. . .
So you get this great harvest of veggies from the garden. And you can't eat it all. What to do? Obviously you can share it with neighbors, friends and family - and if you and your neighbors formed a 'loose' community garden you can get together and swap at harvest time.
Or you can sell the extra at the local farmers market.
Or you can preserve them. I was recently gifted with a 1940s era pressure cooker, exactly like one my mom used when I was a child - except this one is a little smaller. I have a new gasket on order and will be ready to pressure can my homemade tomato sauce and soup broths when it arrives.
Preservation of the bounty can be done by freezing (I make 'pie kits' of our fruit), boiling water canning (fruit preserves with our apricots and peaches), and non-acidic vegetables like asparagus with pressure canning. And do not forget dehydrating many of the foods and herbs. While you can certainly purchase a dehydrator or use your oven (expense involved) our summer sun does a wonderful job on food like tomatoes - see my blog post from 2009 on how I dried my tomatoes here.
If you garden successful, at some point you are going to have to 'do something' with the bounty. Give some serious thought to how you will deal with, so you do not get discouraged and decide that gardening with food is too much work!
Canning sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? The reality is yes and no. At harvest time on the farms, canning is a days and weeks long project to get the harvest 'put by' for the winter, because the references you usually see are to the 4 season locations where they had 3-4 months to grow and preserve everything.
Our desert gardens give us a more leisurely approach to preserving extra harvest. If you want to can 16 quarts or pints at a time, you can certainly do that, but sometimes I use my small soup stock pot (with a rack in the bottom) to can 4 pints at a time.
With most homes lacking a stand up freezer - freezing harvests is less of an option, and canning becomes far more appealing.
If you have never canned food it is VERY important that you read up on it and make sure you understand the standards and methods used for the various types of foods. Poorly canned food is a serious health hazard. Mason jar home canning has been around since 1858, so successful home preservation has a very long history of safety and usefulness. You just need to make sure you know what is needed and follow the instructions and DO NOT use non-specific shortcuts.
After the harvest much of the enjoyment is eating, saving and sharing the food!
. . .
Kicking back in the backyard to enjoy our work is a leisure we love. I usually have something to drink whether it be sparkling water (I'm not much of a soda drinker except my homemade ones with our fruit syrups), a glass of wine, or homemade liquors (I've made prickly pear and cranberry in the past).
I found a neat "Tea Thyme Cocktail" in Food & Wine Magazine to share with you.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tea-thyme-cocktails-2011
Mixologist Kathy Casey of Kathy Casey Food Studios–Liquid Kitchen steeps vodka in English Breakfast tea for this drink.
When designing your garden for cooking themes you may wish to incorporate a 'beverage' theme. During the warm months I begin my sun tea with sprigs of herbs for flavoring green or white tea. So many of our fruits, vegetables and herbs make nice drinks whether alcoholic or not.
I developed a really light refreshing 'tisane' using spearmint and lemon verbena. You can vary the ratio of spearmint to lemon verbena or try other herbs. This kind of 'light tea' is served as a replacement for plain water at meals.
Lemon / Mint Refresher
5 sprigs of lemon verbena and spearmint (try 3 lemon 2 mint)
1 cup boiling water
Sweetener of choice (1/2 teaspoon of honey, agave nectar, or sprinkle of sugar or a leaf or two of stevia)
3 cups very cold water or water and ice combined
Add sweetener to boiling water, stir to dissolve, add herbs stir and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and add to cold water. Sip and enjoy.
Change around the ratio of lemon and mint to find your favorite!
Have a great week!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Monday, May 02, 2011
Good People, Good Cause - Need a Little Help
Dear Folks,
On Saturday afternoon (April 30th), local musician Joe Bethancourt and his wife Cher saw their home go up in flames. In addition to the music Joe brings to the valley and state, he and Cher are part of the Grey Hound Rescue group - all the animals and the family got out safely, but the home is non un-inhabitable.
A benefit concert is being put together for this Saturday (May 7th), location to be announced.
If you are able to send even a little bit, you can make a donation to assist Joe and his family (human and furry)
Make a check or money order out to:
Joe Bethancourt
Mail to:
AMAZ Records
P.O. Box 1554
Queen Creek, AZ 85142
P.O. Box 1554
Queen Creek, AZ 85142
Any amount will be a help.
See the story:
Thanks, folks,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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