Picture Farming

 

 

I try to keep up, really I do.

 

Yesterday I finally planted the strawberry plants that I purchased about a month ago. 

 

They will be ok.

 

I also planted some cucumbers and squash and got my gladiolus bulbs from their basement storage home and made a row in the thing I am now calling my tender bulb garden.  I added two new dahlias.  This will be the first year I have tried these.

 

All morning, I mowed...and there is still a lot of lawnkeeping to do.

 

But after spraying the apple trees and taking a few greens to market, I thought I would get the camera

 

and take a few pictures of poppies and iris blooms...the rain and wind really didn't hurt them too bad yesterday.

 

Sigh.  I forgot about wind..so the poppy picture plan was a bust.

 

Never fear...I can always find things to point the camera at.

 

I took a few minutes to go picture farming.

 

We still have a snow removal scar...sigh.   I finally did get it leveled off a bit...but it is not replanted yet. You can see the two new poppies blowing in the wind.

The apple trees are loaded with little green apples.  I am telling the critters to stay away.  I hope it works.

 



 

Green Blueberries.

 

Sounds a bit like yellow fuchsia.

 

 

 

 Bok choi green.  The first crop is always the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 Red and green greens.

Little ones first,   followed by the  bigger plants.  They are ready for market now.

 

 Such pretty little baby romaine.  We are trying white mulch under a shade shelter.

The shade shelter is not up yet and the white is absolutely blinding.

 



Food from the garden..is it food from the gods?

 

Bok Choy Chicken Soup

 

Leaf lettuce, green onions, and Bok Choy.

 

What more can you ask?

 

I love it when I can go out and whisk something good out of the garden

and make something satisfying and delicious with no fuss, no muss,

and simply using ingredients from the pantry.

 

I discovered this soup online last year...sorry...I don't remember where I found it.

 

The basic recipe is:

 

3 cups chicken broth

10 leaves Bok Choy, thinly sliced

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. Asian sesame oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 garlic glove.

 

Simply bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, add seasoning as above or to taste

and follow up with bok choy.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until bok choy is tender.

I usually use a little less sesame oil, and a little more garlic.

Variations I have tried and like include adding one or more of the following:

1 fresh carrot...peeled and cut into matchsticks

3 or 4 fresh mushrooms...sliced.

fresh chopped fresh or frozen sweet red, green, or yellow pepper

fresh sweep peas

fresh snap peas.

 

This is great as an appetizer, or as a light soup to go with a sandwich or chef salad for lunch or supper.

 

Mmmm good garden goodness.

Joi Choi

I love bok choy, joi choi...whatever you call it.

 

It is easy to grow in early spring.

 

Tastes fine in soup.

 

Tastes fine in stir fry.

 

Tastes fine sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

 

It is at it's very best as the first annual crop of spring.



A week of gourd crafting

Off to a funky start

 

and then a favorite

 



 

The back of this one...love the birds!

 

Added a touch of green and a glossy finish to one of fall's feeders

 

 

and finally decided what to do with this  one.

 

 

Today's sunshine is a wonderful bonus!!

 

 

 



Catch up

 

Time does fly by and by

 

as I have been neglecting this little blog record.

 

With August so very hot and all those green beans to harvest

 

I got behind on my fall greens planting.  The little babies that

 

did get planted got neglected for a single day and that was too much.

 

I eventually gave up on market for the year...

 

except for the beautiful butternut squash harvest.

 

I collected the season's gourds and painted some Christmas ornaments and

 

made some birdhouses...all the while puttering around the house.

 

Hopefully re-organization and planning will make for a great 2013.

 

Here are a few pictures:

 

 

 



 

 

 

Wi th a new puppy, I have been enjoying long evening walks.

 

Even hiking in holmes county with family..

 

Puppy watching..

 

 

Gourd crafting...just a little.

 

I am re-inventing my work area..so that I don't saturate

the house with gourd smoke.

 

Hopefully there will be more to come.