Earth to Table

Groundhog blues

2007-12-07T15:27:00.001-05:00

I feel as though I poked my head out of the ground a few times these last months and decided I was going right back in to burrow. For reasons X, Y and Z, blogging hasn't been terribly high on my list of things to take care of...getting up and out of bed was about as much as I could handle some days. Cold weather and dark days are taking their toll on me hard this year and I'm fairly certain its due to the new apartment. We have huge, amazing windows that are wonderful to have in the summer, but in the winter do nothing but suck the heat out. We've just started getting around to sealing them up, so it's getting better, but November was not a great month for health. The cold never used to bother me, but this year it's been killer. Add to that, I can't drink my beloved caffeinated teas anymore...or any caffeinated beverage. Anyone have any recommendations for good herbals?

I finally managed to clean up the remains of the Container Kingdom. I don't know that the soil will be salvageable this year, but we've already got plans for building several more Earthbox type containers before spring. Unfortunately, due to the cold and ailments, I wasn't able to get the garlic in the ground before it froze...pushed back yet another year.

We're entering into day 4 of Hanukkah, which means mountains of potato pancakes when I get home! Christmas is all well and good, but Jewish holidays have such better food :)

I'm about to embark on my homemade, edible Christmas venture ((yes, we have a dual holiday household)). Toffee, glass candy, candy canes, chocolate covered fruits and an assortment of Christmas cookies are in the works this year. I've played around with candy making before so it won't be a complete disaster, but I'd love to hear if anyone with more experience than I has any advice to give. Or recipes. Just saying ;)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

NIMG!

2007-09-26T15:34:00.000-04:00

So there's this meme going around, see...
This one was started over at A Study in Contrasts. Not In My Garden takes a look at what gardeners refuse to have in their gardens, for whatever reasons. However, according to the original interpretation, it is a list of things that gardeners may enjoy in other people's gardens, just not their own. So, let's have a go.

NIMG
1: Flowers. Yes...flowers. The essence of many other gardens. I think flower gardens are beautiful and striking, but I just don't feel like I have the time, space or touch. The other problem with them, if I'm going to be honest, is that they don't fit in with my "directly practical in every way, at all times" garden mentality right now. As I'm working with very limited space and resources, flowers fall into the ornamental category and just don't give me the return I'm looking for. Luckily for me, my landlady and neighbors all keep beautiful flower gardens and sidewalk plots, so I don't lack for beautiful, coloured visuals.
We'll also skip over the fact that I kill just about every bloom I get my hands on.

2: Zucchini. I'd love to grow zucchini again one day, so that if everything else in the garden fails, I'll at least have the monster veggie. But right now, with space so limited and fruits so prevalent in farmer's markets, I'll hold off on the zucchini and squash for another year or so.

3: Decorative buildings. I love garden sheds. I love sheds in general, as they were my playhouses when I was young and Kids Crooked Houses are still at the top of the list when I get around

to having my own chiblings. Honestly, though, while I can't help but admire the quaint, decorated little shed/cabin/pagoda/fairy houses that many gardens boast, I could never maintain one of my own. Or I would stuff it so full of tools, supplies and miscellenia, it would become a safety hazard. Or it would become infested with bugs somehow and I would never, ever set foot in it again. Have I mentioned how terrified I can be of infestations?

Photo from Flickr, taken by
Richard Cocks

4: Small trees. Willows, Japanese Maple, Dogwood, dwarf fruit trees...they all sort of fall under the same problem as flowers. But more than that, they take up precious sunlight spots. If I want to lie down outside under the shade, I'll use a big tree, one that probably marks my property line and well away from my garden. And let's face it...how bizarre would a willow or dogwood look among rows of beans and tomatoes? Yeah...NIMG.

5: Colour themed gardens. Ones carefully thought out, planned, planted, pruned and presented. White flowers here, slightly taller purple flowers here to offset the orange and yellow over there...
Or the all one colour gardens. I like them well enough when I see them, but no way would I be able to put enough thought or constant effort to keep them from running into each other in one, big Crayola nightmare. I have a hard enough time keeping my tomatoes from duking it out with each other. My raised bed was planted utilising a method that encouraged intertwining growth, because I knew there was no way I could keep them separated! I'm hopeless -_-

Okay, so I've run out of "Things I like, but would never have", so I'm moving on to "Things I don't like and would never have."

6: Swimming pools. Now, I don't mean like Chris over at the Gorham Garden. That's a swimming pool adjacent to, or in the same area as, a garden. I mean like my father's house, which set their garden right around the pool. It's impossible to work there in peace, the sun reflection off the water is killer, and let's face it...the plants aren't dying because they need more food, it's because they're getting saturated with chlorine.

7: Topiary. Carved, shaped and force grown shrubbery makes me want to go wild with clippers. Part of it stems from a scene from Stephen King's The Shining ((the book, not the film)), where the hotel's massive topiary animals come to life. Yeah, no thank you.

Unless it looked like this. Because not only would it be amazing to have a small Death Star in my garden ((thereby breaking my "no trees" rule from above)), but every time I went into the garden, I would have to frown, look concerned, then mutter something to the effect of "that's no moon...". And let's face it. I'm geeky enough as it is.

Speaking of Death Stars, however, G and I are in the process of creating the "Death Cake". Stay tuned for more progress on the most ridiculous gamer cake I've ever made.

8: Fountains. Don't get me wrong. I like fountains. I like them in parks. I like them in playgrounds. I like them in squares and centres. But for some reason, I can't really stand them in gardens. I don't know why. Perhaps it's my love of ponds that conflicts with these above-ground interlopers.

9: Gazing balls. That's all I'm going to say about that.

10: Squirrels. They ate all the corn, they throw apples on my beans ((and me)) they knocked over the heirloom tomatoes...not so much an NIMG, but seriously...GET OUT!!

I'm done!

MOFGA

2007-09-25T12:09:00.000-04:00

Common Ground Fair happened. This was the first time I'd been since I was very very little, and the first time I'd been able to make it since I'd begun gardening, so it was grounds for some excitement. Unfortunately, wouldn't you know it, my camera died right when we arrived on the fairgrounds, so I was unable to capture any images.

Just imagine: dozens of tents, tens of thousands of people ((22,000 in three days)), cows, sheep, ducks, pigs, horses, more cows, sheepdogs, alpacas, rabbits, chickens ((and other assorted poultry)), vendors, veggies, chiblings, crafts, jewelery, musicians and a variety of empty animals.

Mix in equal parts: Lectures, demonstrations, classes, workshops and chibling crafts.

Top with: Food. Ohmygodsfood. Common Ground food vendors must supply items that are at least 50% ((by weight)) Maine grown products. Which in this case meant a vague lack of noodle product, but resulted in local lamb, fried Maine shrimp ((regular shrimps cannot compare)), Give Peas a Chance soup, deep fried veggie and cheese pods, dumplings, fried onions, crab and lobster rolls, cider, switchel, lemonade, Cranberry Boog Juice, smoothies, fritters, fried dough, ice cream, fruit and cheesecake pie cones...oi.

The other thing about the fair is that there is a ban on coffee products, chocolate and black tea. While these things can now be found organic and fair trade, fair organisers felt it would defeat the purpose of the fair's local focus. There was also a frown on refined sugars, so most everything there was sweetened with honey. Whole wheat fried dough with maple powder, cinnamon and honey? Yes, please!

But what really brings the fair together are the workshops and classes. Opening up the CGF three day schedule, my first thought was, "How on earth am I going to be able to fit this all in?" TOH and I compromised, though, and we went to the "Canning 101" workshop and "Organic Vegetables in Self-Watering Containers" lecture. Very interesting, both, and the former helped assuage my fear that I'm going to kill us both with botchulism. Who knew apples were high enough in acid to water bath? ...everyone? Oh. :D

The lecture on the energy status of the world was disappointing, though. Mostly, he was preaching to the choir and the whole thing boiled down to "There is a problem, people need to realise there's a problem, and then we need to fix the problem." I had expected a little more from them, I guess.

Most important lesson learned: If you are traveling with other people in one car...make sure you know where to meet your driver if you get separated!. My friend G and I lost TOH ((who was driving)) at some point, and we had zero idea how to find him. The place was packed and no cell reception, so we wandered to all the places we imagined he would be and hoped. Through some miracle, we found him before panic set in. Whew.

What an exhausting weekend. I really wish I had pictures. I think I'm going to put in for a new camera this Christmas :)

I find your lack of zucchini...

2007-09-21T00:32:00.000-04:00

...disturbing....

Seriously, though! I just realised since I grow any zucchini this year, and I didn't even think about buying any, except for the little ones for sautee. So I missed out on making one of the greatest psuedo-recipes featuring the Great Green...Gourd ((for the sake of alliteration)). Zucchini lasagna. You generally need a larger...think size category huge, zucchini and all the fixings for a good lasagna, sans noodles. Meat optional. Slice the zucchini into long thin strips and use in place of lasagna noodles. It's...different, but super good. The only problem is that it doesn't use huge amounts of the stuff, so one generally has a half sliced leftover zucchini.
But I dropped the ball this year, and must do without. Perhaps next?

We're leaving for MOFGA's Common Ground Fair tomorrow, so I'll likely come back with lots of pictures that I'll still fail to upload onto the computer. There just isn't enough time. Ever.

Update!

2007-09-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

Garnering support from local residents for the legalisation of backyard chickens. Photo taken from Give Peeps a Chance website

On a much, much happier note: remember the post a few weeks back about the Give Peeps a Chance movement to allow backyard chickens in SoPo? Guess what! On September 4th, 2007, the SoPo City Council passed the change of ordinance, 7-0. Unanimous vote to allow residents to keep hens on residential property. Huzzah!

According to the website updates:
The first year, 20 permits will be issued, with a review at the end of the year to assess how well it's working. The ordinance goes into effect on Sept 25, 2007. The basics are: with an annual permit up to 6 hens allowed for personal (non-commercial) use; no roosters; hens must be kept penned or fenced; henhouses require building permit and are subject to stringent requirements re: appearance, predator-safety, and setbacks; no smell or noise nuisance allowed.

The website is currently undergoing a transformation into a place where residents can go for detailed information and resources about the ordinance change, license requirements and the safe raising of hens.

My hat's off to Stacey, Neil and Olivia, the ones who started the whole thing and saw it through to fruition. Well done, you.

Whole Foods Markup

2007-09-12T15:15:00.000-04:00

I know. This was supposed to be a cooking and gardening blog, supposed to document my garden experiences and a place to store new and save-worthy recipes. I'll get to that one day...honest.

I can also honestly say that this entire rant is born from, and can be summed up in five simple words: I miss the Whole Grocer.

((Those of you who read The Bollard, this may sound familiar.))
Instead, allow me please the time and space to go on a bit about a mega-retailer most of us are familiar with, certainly those of us in the Portland area as of February 14th.

Last Valentine's day, foodies in the Bayside area got something better than boxed chocolate and roses: the 56,000 square foot ((one of the largest at that time)) organic super-giant, Whole Foods Market.
Claiming the title of world's largest natural food chain, Whole Foods could not have picked a better time to open in the otherwise run down area of Portland. With the farmer's market not scheduled to open for an eternity of months, local foodies welcomed the appearance of abundant, colourful organics with open arms and mouths. Nevermind that it was still the middle of winter and any produce, conventional or otherwise, came in many cases from the same West Coast sources as Hannaford or Shaws. After all, this was Whole Foods. You don't just shop here for groceries, but also the prestige and the feel good knowledge that you did your part to support the local and organic communities. Years of Common Ground Fair posters adorn the walls behind the checkout counters, and pictures of smiling, successful farmers look down from their printed screens onto their allegedly local produce. It's obvious that Whole Foods Market wishes to keep the local farming community thriving, right?

Right?

Not so much, according to several local vendors who, after WFM bought out the locally owned Whole Grocer, began selling to the larger retailer with high hopes of a new and successful business partnership. At this level, it becomes apparent that while local food may be integral to the Whole Foods image, how much of that image translates into their actual business practices?
The problem lies not in the stocking of product, but how the product is moved. It seems that the local organic produce is more there to add to the friendly, down-to-earth image of the market than to be sold. Why? Markups. According to several vendors, sales have dropped far below what they could expect from the Whole Grocer due to Whole Foods marking up their products by almost 50% above suggested retail value. In one case, Whole Foods buyers found it cheaper to truck in several hundred pound of a certain veggie from California than it would be to buy from a local supplier. Organic? yes. Local? hardly. Eco-friendly? try again.

Instead, Whole Foods is pushing their own house brand, mostly private label items resold under the 365 name. And it's to that 365 label which goes the best market real estate-- the shelves at and directly above/below eye level, and the more affordable pricing.

Have you ever looked at a package of 365 anything? One major benefit of purchasing small-scale and local is that you know where the food is coming from and in many cases, the practices that went into producing it. 365 labels are frustratingly devoid of such information, sometimes limited to "Made in the USA, Distributed by Whole Foods, Austin, TX." Truly, my mind is now put at ease.

As difficult as the markups and nameless leading-brand competition are to deal with, many farmers don't even get to that stage. Because Whole Foods is a national chain retailer, they must take precautions to ensure their products will be safe for mass public consumption. With recent e. coli and other contamination scares, Whole Foods, like many other retailers, require Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point ((HACCP)) certification for green leaf veggies. While following HACCP requirements isn't difficult, especially for organic growers, the required farm inspection at $10,000 is.
Admittedly, this is a difficult area to form opinions about...after all, I have no desire to contract a disease I generally associate with pre-1990's Jack-In-the-Box food, and disease driven lawsuits can be a death sentence for grocers. At the same time, I've eaten said leafy greens from the Whole Grocer ((who did not require HACCP certification)) for years until it was bought out, and never suffered so much as a tummy ache from bad produce.

The problem mainly lies in that Whole Foods is, above all else, a national chain which means none of the policies or purchasing decisions can be made at a local level. Everything must be decided at the headquarters in Austin, TX., which makes it nigh impossible to establish an solid relationship between the company and its local suppliers.

All that said, please don't take this as an attempt to dissuade you from Whole Foods entirely. According to some of the same vendors as mentioned above, the company is working on making its shelf space more available on the local level.
I don't shop there myself, but I've been known on occasion to nip in to their pre-made sections and extensive "salad" bars for a quick lunch. But if you do go, take a minute to consider the produce in your hand before it makes its way into your cart. Is the cheaper, organic green pepper one of the locally grown items, or has it been trucked in from an organic farm in California? Are you passing up that Big Sky Honey Whole Wheat because it's two dollars more than the 365 loaf? Consider heading to the Big Sky Firehouse location on Deering Ave, or the Market House in Monument Square.
All I'm saying, is that when it comes to buying well known, local brands, please think twice before heading to the Bayside. As good as it feels to buy from a place that allegedly supports local business, offer those businesses your direct support, instead.

More depressing, however, may be the day when alternative options to the Whole Foods Market disappear. Even before its construction, the company bought out the Whole Grocer, one of my favourite local markets. Nearly a year before that, the Portland Greengrocer on Commercial St. closed its doors for good. Wild Oats, which once faced opposite the Whole Grocer on Marginal Way, will be closed in the coming months, while Wild Oats across the country will be merged with WFM. The Portland Public Market, once located in Bayside, was moved and severely downsized once Libra Foundation owners decided to sell the building, after offering it to Whole Foods a few years ago. According to Owen Wells, Libra President, while the movement of Whole Foods to Portland was not the reason for the market's closing, "it was a consideration, certainly."

In short, I don't think Whole Foods Market is a bad place. They carry products I haven't seen anywhere else, and they promote an awareness of the food we eat and the world we live in, even if they don't necessarily practice what they put on their walls. Still, I never shop there for day to day items-- not when I can still go to locally owned businesses or buy straight from the source.
What I do fear, however, is that one day I won't have that choice.

Tougher than that

2007-08-28T14:38:00.000-04:00

They haven't got me yet!
-cough-

What I mean to say, of course, is that I'm still here. Absent, busy, but not deceased. We haven't been home for a single weekend in over a month ((a wedding, a family visit, etc)), and this past five days have seen me sick as a dog and bedridden ((much love for TOH who kept me in A/C, video games, tuna melts and DayQuil during that time)).

But now I'm back. We are overrun with beans, the corn is ripening, the peas are succumbing to the heat and I am long overdue in turning my Juliets into sauce.

Upcoming entries include: pickles, the Wednesday/Saturday Farmer's Market photo tour, sauce-capades, lazy baking, garlic, and cooking-for-one.

Yeesh. I guess I should get crackin', huh?

Homegrown Yum!

2007-08-11T11:29:00.001-04:00

ZOMGTOMATOES!!!

The Juliets came through with all the aplomb a tomato can muster. In addition to these beautiful girls, the Patio Toms, after BER after BER fruit, produced a gorgeous pair and the Husky Cherry Reds are just starting to redden. We're headed up to TOH's family's place tonight, where these are destined to become sauce with grilled zucchini and summer squash over pasta.
The beans were blanched and sauteed with garlic and butter, eaten tendercrisp. We considered saving them for later, but that lasted all of...maybe 3 minutes :)

The cukes are a whole other story...
When the Picklebush packet said they were prolific producers...they sure weren't kidding. We've got more than we can handle right now, and there are at least a dozen and a half more ripening on the vines. Truly, these cucumbers are my zucchini.

I mean...TRULY.

This one escaped our notice. What gets me is that it couldn't have been more than 3 days over due on the vine. We've only got 4 cuke plants, and we gave them a thorough pick-over before we left for 3 days. I don't know *how* we could have missed this one. Beside it is a normal sized Picklebush, cute and manageable. The "one that got away" measured in at over a foot. Yikes!

A little more perspective in relation to TOH's hand...and he has large hands! While it might not seem too big for any ol' cuke, these ones are only supposed to get 4" long! Picklers for dog's sake.

Yeesh.

Oh. And yes...in case you were wondering, I named him before he ended up in compost.

Optimus Prime.

Don't ask. Just...yeah -_-

Give Peeps a Chance!

2007-08-07T12:47:00.000-04:00

For those who are unaware, South Portland's City Council held a meeting last night to vote on the ordinance amendment that would allow residents of South Portland to raise "city chickens." The meeting was the result of a movement started by Stacy, Neil and Olivia Collins, who pushed to change SoPo's zoning ordinance that kept them from raising their own backyard chickens and organic eggs. It started with an online petition and email campaign and eventually caught the eye of WCSH and WMTW. Public hearings were held, support grew and articles appeared in numerous publications, including the Portland Press Herald.

The result: last night's meeting passed the ordinance amendment through Council by a vote of 5:2. Councilor's Jim Soule and Kay Loring were the only two who voted against the change.
The next meeting of the City Council will be September 5th, 2007. This will include a public hearing, and the final vote on whether or not to change the city ordinance.

The cities of Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook and Biddeford all allow chickens to be kept in backyards with limited restrictions. South Portland residents should be allowed to do the same. Even if you live far outside of Maine, or are fortunate enough to live in an area that already allows the keeping of chickens, head over to their site and take a look. While I don't live in South Portland ((a stone's throw away, though)), and wouldn't be able to keep chickens anyway due to my apartment situation, I do feel that this is an important step for relocalisation and community awareness. And if it passes is SoPo, it's only a matter of time before people in this city begin looking to their own backyards and realising the worth of their own fresh, organic eggs.

Not Quite Harvest

2007-07-29T21:51:00.000-04:00

Photo of the raised bed taken July 8th-ish. Just when everything was starting to really shoot up...

And here's what it's doing now! Please ignore the beets...they're looking a little sad. Too much nitrogen, I think.

Pretty, pretty Blue Lake blossoms. We've got baby beans about the size of a two inch piece of industrial thread.

First Picklebush cucumber to be picked. At a little under 4", this guy got et raw with salt.

I spoke too soon earlier, regarding the Red Beauty peppers. Still green, though.

Huzzah! Tomatoes! They should be ready in a couple days. Hopefully before August.

Open Farm Day

2007-07-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

My camera's on the fritz again ((damn you, Fritz!)) and it's been raining nigh constantly when I've been arriving home, so no pics for updates yet.

But! This last Sunday was Open Farm Day in Maine, and if any of you were able to make it to any of the farms, good on you! Due to a late start, we were able to make it to only a couple. We passed on Broadturn this year in favour of my personal favourite: Smiling Hill Farm ((which hasn't updated the website since 2003)). After all, if we wanted a more conventional farm, we'd prolly just head up to TOH's father's farm :)
We bought some delicious sandwiches, vanilla cream milk, honey sticks and lemonade for a lovely picnic on the grass beside the duck pond. We had a friend in from out of state and had a fun time showing her around "real Maine" products and whatnot.
I "showed my support of the local community" ((read: indulged in some heavy retail therapy)) and brought back some cheese curds, cinnamon butter and amazing peach ice cream. Have I mentioned how much I adore fresh dairy?
The fact that their associated cheesemaking company is called "Silvery Moon" makes it all the better...though the reference will likely make sense only to those familiar with the terms "Forgotten Realms", "Faerun" and "pallid, dice rolling, basement inhabiting geeks". XD

After that we skimmed by Risbara's Greenhouse, though we were a little too late to find it open. We wandered around for a bit anyway, and I got a whole bunch of ideas regarding close space container gardening. I think next year I will try crookneck squash...though I'll stay away from zucchini one more year until I know I can find something to do with it all.

Hopefully, at least some of you were able to get out and enjoy the Open Farm Day as well. Next to look forward to: United Maine Craftsmen 6th Annual Fall Festival of Arts & Crafts at Smiling Hill Farm...but not until Sept 8th. Any suggestions for interesting things before then?

2007-07-18T15:12:00.000-04:00

I am a lazy gardener.
Well, not exactly, but that's certainly what I first thought when I saw what had become of the broccoli. After almost 2 months after transplant, the heads were formed, though not big. So I waited. And waited. And waited.

Then they did that. *sigh*

I admitted when I first planted these guys that I had no idea what I was doing with broccoli. I knew about how big it got when it was ready, I knew it sprouted little button heads after the main head was removed, and I knew it liked to have some shade. I didn't even know what size container it liked!

Naturally, I assumed it was because I had dropped the ball when it came to harvesting, that the heads of *real* gardeners got bigger but for X, Y and Z reasons, mine just weren't up to par.

Then I read some other sources and blogs and found out this is not necessarily the case. I've been told that due to the intense heat and crazy weather patterns ((Southern Mainers know what I mean)), the plants didn't receive as much shade as they should have, and heads were cut short in their growth. Then, believing they would get larger, I waited too long to harvest and they bloomed. Alas, but at least I still have button heads to look forward to.

Just to show...even Rodney decided it was too hot for Xbox, and that cat loves his Star Wars Battlefront...

Progress Reports: Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Peppers

2007-07-09T01:01:00.000-04:00

Patio Toms, some of the first to form. I'll admit...I'm very proud at how these guys turned out.

The latest and greatest: new Patio arrival. I love how perfectly round and happy looking this guy is ((yes, I personify my plants a bit)).

Pretty Juliet girls...

This was just too cute...like two...peas...can I even say that about these?

Picklebush blossom. You can see my little green nemesis on there, happy and blithe. Just wait 'til I soap you all to aphid hell...

The saddest pepper plants. This is off the Red Beauty, who despite whacked out weather patterns is holding on by the slick of its non-existant teeth. The Ace, not shown, isn't doing so hot. They both fell prey to the hot weather and decided to drop their blossoms. Still. Hanging on.

War and Peas

2007-07-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

Last of the World's Record Peas.

So it looks like this is the end for the World's Record peas I've been container growing. Despite dubious predictions from various nurseries, they've produced two lovely, delicious harvests. The first was steamed ((absolutely the best way to cook straight peas, with a little butter and lemon)). I was a little late harvesting the second ((I'm a lazy gardener)), so it was a mix of older and new pods; that one was thrown into a pot of curry.

But as of a few days ago, something got into my plants ((aphids. I *despise* aphids)), and turned the leaves to lattice-work.

Although to be fair, as you can see from the photo on the right, the plants were also reaching the end of their natural days. After all, there's only so long they can live in a pot. Even a big pot.

So this is the end of the peas I started way back in March. They survived and persevered through the crazy Maine weather, the snowstorms, the ice, the hot, hot days...and those rare few days that combined all three. Would I grow them again? Not likely...they were pretty generic all around. I think next time I'll try my hand at Green Arrow, or perhaps even the much acclaimed Alderman.

But they had a good run, and as the first plants I put to earth in years...and the first ones TOH and I planted together...we salute you.

You were tasty.

Fresas

2007-07-05T13:20:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a safe, happy and fun Fourth of July!

Now, I never particularly liked this holiday, mostly because as a small child I hated loud noises. Fireworks were more traumatic than anything for me, although depending on where we lived it was sometimes an excuse to eat fried dough. Not that I needed an excuse, really...

A few days ago, I ran into our neighbor B who asked if we had gone strawberry picking yet, this year. He recommended a great little place in CE, which I'd heard good things about from others. Between his recommendation and the gorgeously tempting strawberry photos I keep seeing in other blogs, I had a hankering...which is odd for me.

See, when I was a child, I faced a terrible dilemma. I was horribly, nastily and painfully allergic to strawberries. Every time I dared sneak a fresh, sweet berry I would develop a rash that sometimes made it difficult to breathe. I remember having to go to the hospital once or twice when it got bad ((it happened as a result of other things besides the strawberries, as well)).

But oh...who could resist the temptation? So delectably red and juicy...naturally, they were my favourite things in the whole wide world. I would sit and stare in envy at my older brother who loved strawberries as much as I, while he chowed through a bowlful. I was not a happy child.

Luckily, as the years passed the allergy faded. I've been able to eat strawberries for years now, with no ill effects ((aside from a small tummyache when I indulged a wee bit too much)). However, the entire experience left me with a slight aversion to strawberries in general. But in recent years, maybe the last two or three, I seem to have overcome said aversion. This year, I wanted strawberries. Bad.

TOH worked a half day yesterday, so when he got home we packed up the car and headed to CE. I've never seen more beautiful, perfect berries! Each one was like a tiny, sweet little jewel, hidden behind the leaves. Despite ((or perhaps because of)) it being the 4th of July, the fields were hardly crowded which made for a nice, relaxing day. Unfortunately, the two of us love berry picking well beyond our capacity to consume the fruits of our labour. The two of us could easily have continued picking long after berries spilled out over the edges of our tray.

In half an hour, we had filled the tray with no less than 10lbs of strawberries...yikes! 10lbs? What were the two of us going to do with that many strawberries?

...pack 'em up, freeze 'em, and send some along to friends and family, of course!

A huge tub of them went with us to my folk's place, where we went to visit and share a 4th of July dinner. A bag of them now waits in the fridge to be carted over to our friends' place. Two bagfulls and one tray was frozen to be saved for smoothies and baked goods, perhaps well into winter.

Here's what we have left to eat fresh. I hulled a mess of them last night to sit in a container with sugar, until they get all sweet and syrupy. I'm thinking of making some sponge cake tonight, and having them over that with fresh whipped cream. I'm also toying with the idea of a batch of strawberry lemonade.

It feels officially summer, now.

Yakimeshi/Tamago kake Gohan

2007-06-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

The second batch of peas were harvested today, most of which were slated for the freezer. I reserved a handful, however, for one of my favourite dishes. Not only is it simple and awesome, but it's a great way to get rid of leftovers, especially if you're like us and have a constant supply of day-old rice.

Tamago kake Gohan or "eggy rice" is a simple Japanese dish often eaten for breakfast. Basically, you take a bowl of hot rice and crack an egg on top. Mix rapidly, until the heat from the rice cooks the egg. Add some soya sauce if you're feeling froggy, and voila! Tamago kake Gohan.

Yakimeshi, on the other hand, is a Japanese fried rice dish with meat, egg and vegetables. The following is the recipe I like to use that combines the two.

Ingredients:
2c Cooked rice ((day-old works best, since it's not as wet))
2tbsp Peanut oil. Or any oil that isn't olive. Just be careful using sesame, as it has a very low smoke point.
2 Eggs
4tbsp Soya sauce
1c Diced veggies ((carrots, onions, broccoli, peppers, squash, mushrooms, bean sprouts-- go nuts))
1/4c Shelled peas
2/3c Diced cooked meat ((chicken, beef, pork, whatever ya got))
OR
15-20 peeled raw shrimp

Blanch peas and vegetables, unless you're using "soft" types, like squash or mushrooms.

Heat rice over medium heat. Add oil and mix to be sure the grains are covered. Once the rice starts to warm and no longer clumps, add egg to pan over rice. Mix in, coating the rice with egg, stirring frequently so the egg does not burn. If you're using shrimp, add those in once the egg is cooked.

Add soya sauce and mix well to incorporate.

Throw in the veggies and meat. At this point, add more soya sauce or oil if you feel it's necessary. Rice should not be bone dry, but it shouldn't be swimming in sauce, either. If there is too much liquid, just cook it off.
Heat thoroughly until everything is warmed through.

Serve ^_^

Notes: If you don't like the egg actually cooked onto the grains, just scramble the eggs separately and add with the veggies.

Chili oil or Red Rooster makes a nice addition if you like spicier dishes.

Leave out the meat and serve as an accompaniment for any Asian style fish, especially grilled salmon or steamed whole fish.

Leftovers served cold or at room temperature make for a great lunch!

An answer to drought

2007-06-27T22:03:00.000-04:00

TOH poses, justifiably proud, behind our homemade self-watering container.

Last week, the big project in the plant realm was to construct our very own self-watering container. Based off the Earthbox design, rather than the irrigation system, we took the basic idea and plans from Joe, over at GardenWeb. The only differences are we used a much bigger container, but cut the top out a little funny. As a result, we put black WeedBlock over the bit holding the dirt out to keep any from spilling into the reservoir. Also, we ended up deciding to go with plastic paint buckets instead of PVC for the wicking chambers, since we couldn't be sure if the PVC was treated. Although yes, that is still PVC sticking up over the top.

This was by far the bit most fun to build. Wielding power tools at all hours of the night/morning equals good times for all. Except the carpet -_-

The tub was so big, we needed two PVC aeration pipes, and no less than six wicking chambers ((although only half were perforated, as per directions)), instead of the original 1 and 4. We lined it with WeedBlock and filled it with normal potting mix. I had pre-sprouted the peas ((one of the reasons it was imperative this get finished *now*)), and we planted them around 1am. They started sprouting above ground by 10am the next morning.

Also, the WeedBlock stuff came in handy later on. When I planted the raised bed, a few of the bean and corn seeds were found dug up and scattered. Squirrels or birds, I still can't tell the difference. So we covered the bed with two pieces of WeedBlock in hopes of keeping pests away until they sprouted. Well, apparently the covering must have warmed the soil and created a mini-greenhouseish effect, because about 80% of all the plants sprouted the very next day. For honest and for true! I'll definately be keeping some of this stuff around for next year.

But the not-quite-earthbox was a godsend, today. It was hot and sunny enough out to warrant spending as little time as possible outside watering, and that meant 24 pea plants I didn't have to worry about. It's working great so far!

Not sure why it feels so hot today. It didn't even hit 90, as far as I know. But TOH and I have taken the day off of any housework and have taken to lounging around the best way I know how.
With ham sammiches on homemade bread and tall glasses of fresh ((...ish. made last night)) lemonade. It may have been hotter than Hell's Kitchen, but all that baking yesterday was worth it ^_^

Well...here I am...

2007-06-25T23:14:00.000-04:00

I just realised I haven't taken any photos of the new garden setup, yet. This is likely due to the fact that since the garden was the first thing done, we *still* haven't unpacked everything yet.

So here it is. My mini-kingdom of pots and planters, at least most of them. Several were either too big to fit in the setup, or inside, or otherwise absent. The ones shown from *checks "L" shape on fingers* left to right:
First row: Juliet Roma Tomato; Danvers Half Long Carrots ((covered: see later explanation)); Patio Tom
Second Row: Packman Broccoli; Ozark Beauty Strawberries; Red Beauty Pepper; another Packman
Third Row: another Patio Tom; Picklebush Cuke Seedlings
Offscreen: World's Record Peas; Golden Sage; Thin Leaf Cilantro; Sweet Basil; Cayenne and Ace Peppers; Husky Cherry Red Tom; Iceberg and Buttercrunch Lettuces.

My carrots are sad. They were off to an okay start, then they got attacked by some vicious pint sized critter and half toppled, then placed under the drain pipe during heavy rain. Not only were they flooded, but the force of the water flattened the sprouts and sent a good amount of dirt flying out of the pot. I propped them up and am hoping for the best. If not, I'll just put in a fall batch.

The raised bed I unexpectedly inherited for this one year. In order to maximise space, I've decided to go with the "Three Sisters" method of planting. The theory was to create a symbiotic planting environment with corn, beans and squash. The corn would provide climbing space for the beans, which provided nitrogen in return. The squash was planted between the rows to provide ground cover to keep the soil damp, weeds down and critters away. I used peas instead of beans, and replaced squash with bush cukes, but the theory remains the same.

Two rows of Early Sunglow corn, three Wando peas per stalk. One row of five Picklebushes between them. What I didn't count on was that Early Sunglow only grows up to about 4 feet. I was planning on using Green Arrow, or even Alderman if I could grow them down, but with only 4 feet, I needed something smaller. I don't really know anything about the Wando variety, except they're said to be very heat resistant.

The rest of the space is occupied by Detroit Dark Red beets, and Blue Lake 274...not the Blue Lake Pole I had planned on. See, it *was* going to be corn, beans and cukes, except I bought the wrong seed packet and ended up with bush beans instead of pole. Le sigh.

These, by the by, are our World's Record peas. The people we talked to at the beginning of the season recommended-- actually, damn near insisted-- we only plant 5 seeds to the pot and thin down to 3 ((still pushing it)), and that they'd never get more than about 4 feet.

There's six plants in there right now, and they're officially taller than either myself or TOH, without the help of the pot. They've outgrown two different trellises and actually collapsed on themselves last week. We're going to start training them down, as they're already at the top of the *third* set of poles and reaching for the other.

Oi.

2007-06-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Busy. Busy busy busy.

We're in the final stages of unpacking ((we didn't have a lot of the stuff we needed until this last weekend)), and I was called in to do some extra hours at work. Luckily, I was able to get the raised bed planted with time to spare. More on that tomorrow, prolly.

I think I needed more space for the lettuce...I had to do a great deal more thinning than I thought I would. My cilantro got so leggy and tall that I had to chop the top off...quite literally. I think I'll go with the broadleaf variety next year. Still learning, though I'm rather impatient about it. I want everything to be done correctly *now*! ^_^

Hmm...now I must figure out where I can get some hardneck garlic to plant for fall. Because if I don't start now, I'll forget and lose out on that one like I did the potatoes this year. Le sigh.

Whee!

2007-06-09T11:43:00.000-04:00

I get to have raised beds this year! Huzzah!

In a completely unexpected turn of events, our new landlady built two 5'x5' raised beds for her garden this year and for some reason or another, will not be able to use one of them. So, having seen my collection of pots and my need and desire for actual *ground*, she's graciously allowing me use of the second raised bed this year.

Figures, the day before she offered we had gone out to HomeDepot to buy supplies for a 46" handmade Earthbox, in which to plant the second round of legumes. Sooo...what now, what now? I suppose I could always plant one with peas, the other with beans. Or maybe put the cukes in the ground...or the peppers...

So many possibilities!

Chicken with Fiddleheads and Roasted Veggies

2007-06-06T18:51:00.000-04:00

I was at the farmer's market the other day, and while it's still too early for summer produce I did find something I hadn't really thought about in years. Fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads are actually the immature fronds of the Ostrich Fern, which coil up into a scroll resembling, logically enough, the head of a fiddle. Technically, there's more than one type of fern that produce edible fiddleheads, but the Ostrich is the most common.
The growing season for fiddleheads is understandably short. Too early, and the heads are too small to harvest, too late and they've matured into inedible fern fronds. Also, if anyone is familiar with the peculiar habits of certain mushroom foragers, you'll also understand the manners of those who harvest fiddleheads. While the average consumer is more than capable of going out and picking plants themselves, recognising the Ostrich fern from more hostile plants can be tricky. In addition, especially northwards of the state and further from the cities, established patches of fiddleheads may be closely guarded. After all, at $5-$6/pound, fiddleheads aren't the most common of greens.

When I was little, my father used to buy fiddleheads and boil them up with salt. I always thought they were the weirdest thing, and not in the good way. With their coiled little leaves and mottled green and brown stems, I flat out refused to eat them. It was hard enough to get me to eat salads at that point! ((I was really little)).
As I grew up, I saw less and less of fiddleheads until I finally forgot about them altogether. I almost never saw them in local grocery stores, and most farm stands prefered to focus on more approachable fruits and vegetables. But when I saw them the other day, sitting green and dirty in their basket, I remembered. And I had to have them.

Fiddleheads are funny plants. It's difficult to pin down the taste, but they have a certain sweetness like that of new asparagus and the earthy richness of mushrooms. There's also something rich and almost unidentifiable, but reminiscient of artichoke hearts. If you're not careful in preparing them, however, they come out bitter. Most people would recommend blanching them before preparing them further. Discarding the blanching water gets rid of most of the initial bitterness.

Prize in hand, I decided to cheat a little and spring for some pre-season veggies. Summer squash and zucchini won't be out in the farmer's market for another couple weeks, but the conventional grocery had 'em. I used up a few other things I had around the house and prepped up a simple, filling meal.

Chicken with Fiddleheads and Roasted Vegetables
2 cups chopped veggies, suitable for roasting ((carrots, onions, potatoes, beetroot, celeraic, etc))
1 chicken thigh ((I know, very exact measurements...I only cook for one!))
1 cup fiddleheads
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup ((optional))
1 tsp rosemary
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thoroughly- and I mean thoroughly-- clean fiddleheads in cold water, then pat dry. Remember, these are coiled ferns- dirt can really get in there sometimes. Blanch fiddleheads for three minutes in boiling water, or until they turn bright green. Rinse in cold water, pat dry.

Toss chopped veggies in oil, vinegar, maple syrup and herbs; spread onto a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add garlic.

Season chicken. Add oil to pan, toss in fiddleheads and sautee. Add chicken and brown on both sides.

Scatter fiddleheads across the baking sheet and place chicken on top of the vegetables. Roast at 375F for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside. If you prefer crunchier veggies, keep the chicken in the pan until almost cooked.

And finally, place on a plate ((preferably one more exciting than this)) and serve. I always make more veggies than I need, so I can reheat the leftovers in a pan the next day. Yum!

Book Recommendation

2007-06-05T16:08:00.000-04:00

((First a dearth of entries when I have no time, then suddenly a slew of them. Isn't that just the way of blogging...feast and famine. Famine and feast.))

We went up to Bangor to visit TOH's family the other week and I picked up an interesting looking book on a whim. Due to everything else going on, I wasn't able to get around to finishing it until just now. It was worth it.
Now, I'm a major proponent for supporting local business, including restaurants and agriculture. In addition to my veggie attempts, we have a local farmer's market ever Wendsday and Saturday within walking distance, and both establishments where I work are part of the Buy Local movement in Portland. These kinds of groups are important to me, living in a city that has the unique statistic of being the most populated city in the state, yet devoid of a WalMart or Target. There's a pair right across the bridge into South Portland, which is where I'd like to see them stay.

Plenty documents the experiences of Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon as they set out in an attempt to eat only food grown and produced locally. Locally, in this case, is defined by 100 miles. One full year of eating nothing that comes from outside 100 miles of Vancouver. During that time, they discover all those little things we take for granted on any given day-- salt, coffee, sugar, citrus, wheat. At the same time, they discover the wealth and beauty of simple things: the ruby glow of home canned tomatoes, or the early sweetness of spring greens.
The book includes some very interesting statistics about the food we eat on a regular basis, including the total distance travelled by conventional foodstuffs ((it's a lot)), and the epiphanies of people who suddenly realise what that "Grown in China" label on their garlic really means.

No region feeds itself anymore: we all stand in reference to the same global food system. Wherever you may choose to go, the same trucks zip across the landscape filled wtih the same chicken nuggets or canned cream corn, and the fertile fields are turned into housing tracts. The lettuce was grown in Asia and came to port under a Panamanian flag-of-convenience. All is hidden and anonymous.
We could continue to decipher every far-flung product that appeared on our supermarket shelves. Or we could start fresh. We could immerse ourselves in the here and now, and the simple pleasures of eating would become a form of knowing.

Transplanting Our Plants and Ourselves

2007-06-05T15:54:00.001-04:00

So the move went off without a hitch. We rented a truck instead.
...sorry.

But yes, TOH and I managed to move all our things ((one 10' truckload and a handful of car trips)) in an 8 hour time frame. That's what we get for moving before anyone else gets home from work ^_^
The kitchen was the first room I tackled, although the first project was the garden. Due to space issues, we had to move all the plants in the car, tomatoes in the back seat, lettuce and herbs on the floor, strawberries on my lap. Yeesh. I'm happy to say, however, that everything made it safely, with only minimal squishings. I don't know what we'd have done if it were any later in the season, though.

Fortunately, there's a perfect little 8' patch of the driveway which is unavailable for parking, and perfect for containers. When finances permit, I'll be spreading the pavement with bark mulch, but for now, it's rainy enough that I'm not worried about scorching. We've got everything up on Coke crates ((free from BJ's Wholesale)) and it actually makes a nice tiered arrangement. It's too rainy right now to take pictures, so here are a few from before we left the other apartment:

Cilantro, Purple Basil, Golden Sage, Sweet Basil.
Despite crowding, these guys are doing really well. The purple basil was on its last legs when I got it, though, so it's destined for pizza, soon.

First Red Beauty pepper bud. Pic's not great, but it's hard to get a closeup with so much bright green.

Pea blossoms ((World Record)) really are quite beautiful things...

And I'm very pleased with how well these ones are turning out. The first nursery we went to said not to plant more than 3 per pot. This pot has 5, and is turning out pods like nobody's business.

Nothing really happening with the Packman broccoli, yet...

The Patio Toms are flowering. I snipped the buds on two of the plants in order to compare quality of output and quality of plant. I left them on one Patio and the Juliet.

Now if only it would stop raining for more than 4 hours!

A Note on Peat Pots and Other Techniques

2007-05-30T21:16:00.000-04:00

Since my camera is still acting up and we're in the middle of moving apartments, I figure I'll put in something about actual gardening, rather than just updates.

So in a few of my circles, there has been some discussion about peat pots. Mostly, how much people dislike them. Given, they do have some bad aspects, especially if not handled correctly, and more often than not, those bad aspects lead to dead seedlings. The biggest complaints seem to be that the peat doesn't soften in time for the roots of the transplant to grow through them. The roots grow compact, the plant dies.
However, as mentioned in a previous post, I would be hard pressed to get a summer planting done without the little buggers. Their good aspects include assisting in moisture retention, portability, added nutrients, and eliminating the need to disturb roots unnecessarily. There are ways to minimise the bad, and accentuate the good.

Now, the way in which I treat the pots depends on what's in them. Two cases in which I've used them are for pea ((World Record)) and cucumber ((Picklebush)) seedlings, and both are doing wonderfully.

Peas:
Starting peas in pots gives me the added benefit of a few more weeks of growth before I need to put them into their final soil. This year, that was a major plus given all the wonky weather we got in March, April and May. I set my pots on a metal baker's quarter sheet ((I find that any heat reflection at this stage helps more than it hinders)) and place it on a sunny windowsill. As I don't have growlights, this is vital. You also don't need to use a baker's sheet, but you need something with a lip or a wall around the edges.
I always presprout my legumes, as well as cukes, although this is only sometimes feasible for those who plant in larger quantity. For container growers, I can't find a reason to do otherwise. I use the same mix in the peat pots that I will in their final container. Before planting, however, cut five holes in the pots, one on the bottom, four on the sides. They don't need to be huge, but we're not talking pinholes, either. Dime sized or thereabouts. Go ahead and leave them ragged on the edges, the resulting fibre strands will improve absorption.

A fully saturated peat pot.

Once you plant the sprouts ((hopefully rightside up, unlike myself ^_^ )), water gently from the top. That was the only time I ever did so.
From then on ((and this is where the bakers sheet becomes essential)) always water from the bottom of the pots. Peat is naturally absorbent, but it takes a while to break into their water capacity. Add water to the bottom of the pan until the pots have absorbed water all the way to the top line of soil, making sure the contents are moist. If you have to, add a little water to the top as well, but remember that the bottom will be much wetter than that top inch or so.
Watering this way encourages root growth, as the seedlings must send their roots downward in search of optimal moisture, but as the pots constantly absorb water, they begin to break down just a touch.
Once your seedlings are at optimal size ((I waited until I had two "real leaves" on each)), put them into the ground pot and all. Some people like to cut the bottoms off, but if the peat is soft enough and there are already roots poking out, it should be fine.

Cukes:
The only thing I did different with cukes is that I continued to water from the top. Cukes like a little more water than peas, so I had to make sure they were germinating properly. To avoid the absorption problems that would have arisen, I soaked the pots before adding soil. Not long, maybe five minutes or so. Then shake the excess water off before adding soil and seeds.

Now, it may be that someone finds out that their pots are all ready to use and absorb water like a dream, in which case soaking would be wasted. For peas and other crops that rely on strong roots, however, I recommend bottom watering while they're seedlings.
And honestly, some people just prefer non-peat methods. Plastic pots can be reused ((unless you cut them off)) and in the long run are cheaper. But I can't see myself giving these up for a long time to come ^_^

Postdiluvian

2007-05-17T20:03:00.000-04:00

"April showers bring mayflowers. What do mayflowers bring?"

...more showers, apparently.

Today was a busy, busy day. Got a late start due to not feeling well and rushed around all morning trying to get everything done. TOH and I are moving at the end of this month ((to a beautiful new apartment with enough space for my portable garden)) and everything's been cleaning, sorting, packing, panicking...the usual. Hopefully, this will be the last time we move until we're done with schooling.

Found time to run to Skillins Greenhouse and picked up the last of what I needed, including one new pot, two seed packets and a box load of herbs. Oh. And broccoli.

Let me explain that I am often one for getting in far over my head. I will set out with grandious imaginings and lofty schemes until the reality of the situation will come crashing down, be it finances, practicality, or sheer knowhow. I purchased a six pack of Packman broccoli seedlings on a whim, primarily because this is one of the few vegetables that TOH will eat. I hardly need more reason than that ((although I'm quite a fan myself)). So now I undertake the process of growing broccoli in 4 gallon pots, without much more than a wing and a prayer. I've never done broccoli at all, let alone in containers. This'll be an intersting one.

Anyway, once he left for work, I had the opportunity to clear out space and start transplanting the latest batch of seedlings. To sum up the day in two words: Total Accomplishment.

In the course of an afternoon, I got all my current inventory potted. Here's what's been earthed so far--
Carrots: Danvers Half-Long
Cucumbers: ~~Patio Pickles~~ Picklebush
Lettuce: Iceberg and Buttercrunch
Peas: World Record
Pepper: Red Beauty
Tomatoes: Patios and Juliet Roma

Today finished up with--
Sweet Basil
Golden Sage
Purple Basil
Cilantro

Broccoli: Packman
Strawberries: Ozark Beauty

No pics yet, since my camera's on the fritz, but soon.

Graaah!

2007-05-17T19:02:00.000-04:00

Curses on you, Lothrop, Allen & Sterling! Curses!
Okay, so it wasn't really their fault. I should have done a thorough check before I actually bought anything...but it's been a while, and I'm allowed to make mistakes ((do you have any idea how many new types of vegetables have been cultivated in the last eight years?)) This mistake cost me one tray of cucumbers, and possibly one more if conditions don't improve.

With the first few weeks lost to the cultivation of a plant I couldn't even keep, I had to hurry to get the second batch of seeds in. Soak, wrap, sprout; rinse, lather, repeat. They're sitting all fat and happy in their peat pots and then, right as the first green leaves are poking through...

...*BAM.* Bad weather.
For those of you in the northeast area, you've probably had the same dreary, wet, chilly weather we got in Maine, that looks to last for the rest of the weekend. While the outside pots are doing okay ((no flooding, yet)), the cukes on the windowsill are...well...not.

As I am without growlights ((due to various reasons, I won't be getting any in the near future either)), I depend on the sun from the southern window; up until now, it's been working famously. With the spate of bad weather, however, they're coming in slow and pale. They still look healthy enough...but nowhere near as good as the Patio Picks.

Compare:

...with...

Not exactly the most promising looking sprouts. Some of them are already improving as they get bigger and stronger...but it's disheartening nonetheless. And if we don't get much sun in the next few days, it'll be a tough call.

Cucumber Custody

2007-05-11T10:20:00.000-04:00

So with all the focus on my traumatised pea plants of late, my other plants have been pushed to the background. I shall remedy that.

Now, while they people over at Lothrop, Allen & Sterling were quite helpful in the selection of seeds, soil and mix, they neglected to tell me one rather important thing. Patio Pickles, while well suited to container growing, are gynoecious. In short, they only produce female flowers, which leads to the requirement of not only bees, but another monoecious plant nearby. As these plants were destined for hanging pots, I have neither. -le sigh-

Instead of doing the proper thing, which was to get rid of them then and start over, I let them grow. And not only grow, but flourish. Now, you must fully understand that I hatehatehate killing plants. That includes thinning, pruning, culling and even getting rid of dead or dying seedlings. TOH usually ends up taking care of such grisly tasks, under my direction.

They sprouted early...

And they were doing so well!
Yes, those are soda bottles atop two pots. More on that later.

So now I have a tray full of healthy, growing seedlings of a plant I can't use. Why do I do this to myself?
Providence, my friends. And not of the Rhode Island variety.

The law of averages states that out of all the people I know, *someone*, *somewhere* has to want and have some use for these guys. There must be one busy or broke gardener out there who has a place outdoors amongst the bees for tiny, pickle potential.
And oddly enough, I was right.

So enjoy the plants, canandageorges' mom. Hopefully they weren't *too* much of a surprise.

2007-05-10T15:39:00.000-04:00

April 25th

I underestimated the tenacity of my pea plants.

A few posts ago, I mentioned how the snow ruined my first batch of peas when they rotted in the ground. Well, apparently when I sifted through to find them, I wasn't paying close enough attention.

The other morning, when I went out to check on the ones I transplanted, there were tiny little shoots of green in odd places in the pot. At first, I thought they were fallen buds from a nearby tree, but upon close inspection, I found I was wrong on all counts.
The little guys sprouted after all!

Unfortunately, they were scattered across the pot and there really

wasn't any sort of room for that. So two of them got pinched off, but one went to replace a taller shoot that had fallen victim to what may have been a squirrel, may have been a small child.

So next time, I won't be so quick to dismiss my seeds as a lost cause. Tough little buggers, they are.

They're really shooting up at this point, with the late sprout making up for lost time. Better roots, and all.

Murphey's Peas?

2007-05-09T15:25:00.000-04:00

April 17th
Proof that you don't need to know what you're doing in order to do it.

-I planted the sprouted seeds upside down. I just realised that when I dropped the seeds into their peat pots, they all fell in root-side up, due to the weight of the seed. I fully meant to go back and flip them right side up again, but in the mess of innoculation and misplacing the baker's quarter sheet, I forgot. No wonder they all sprouted crookwise and left of centre.

-I dropped one seed in my innoculant container. I keep the stuff in an old glass sea salt container on my desk ((until I get a new apartment, my organisational system is bare bones functional)) and apparently one seed slipped in. There was some residual water on the seed and just enough sunlight in the jar to provide a mini-greenhouse effect, so...for those of you wondering, a pre-sprouted seed will, in fact, grow in a pile of innoculant if the conditions are right. Not very far, mind, but enough to be disconcerting when I find leaves in my innoculant.

First Sprout Success

2007-05-08T16:27:00.000-04:00

April 8th
True to form, three days later we had sproutage. 100%, I might add, which is a first for me; usually I get at least one dud. This turned out to be a problem later...one had to be culled. In another post, I'll introduce you to the traumatic experiences I put myself through in this regard.

Into peat pots they go. I'm not a huge fan of peat moss for planting-- I find mulch bark holds things together more to my liking. But I couldn't live without my peat pots. Set them in a baker's quarter sheet ((we make due with what we've got =P)) and onto the windowsill with them.
Those of you who've lived in Maine long enough know that she's fickle with her weather. The next few days brought sun, rain, sun, rain, drizzle mist and sun. So here I am thinking if I see these guys sprout at all, they're going to be some confused little plantlings when they wake up.

Another three days later ((maybe there is something to the number 3 after all...)), we start seeing little shoots of green.

The first one.

Just a wee little 'un...

You can barely see them all just starting to come up, here.

Not sure how long I'm going to give them, yet. With the lack of sun and warmth we're having lately, these ones might not have the easiest time of it, even inside.

2007-05-08T15:50:00.000-04:00

April 5th
Well, let's give it up for Maine weather.
I'm not much one for traditions or superstitions such as planting peas on St. Patrick's Day, but I generally like to get them in the ground on the side of late March. Normally, this isn't a bad plan and as I mentioned in my previous post, we're liable to get snow "up to and including the end of April."
Well, I should have listened better to my own self.

It was even sitting under the overhang...le sigh.
As you can also see, the dowel and twine tripod we rigged up to support the initial plants. Not exactly the top-notch work of professionals, but I like it.

10 to 1, the poor suckers rotted in the ground. I sifted through just to be sure once the snow melted, and couldn't find a one. Alas and alack.

Not to be daunted, I started a new batch of peas inside that very night. 7 peas got soaked overnight and paper towel sprouted. One of the few lasting, important things I ever learned in third grade ^_^

The Beginning

2007-05-05T11:59:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm going to be backblogging, a bit. For a while, the entries I'm posting are going to be old entries from my other e-and-paper journals, so bear with me as the dates don't match.

March 29, 2007
Two days ago was the official start of Spring, in my opinion. For me, the beginning of the new season varies significantly with the "calendarial equinox", usually by about a week or so, but some years it can be up to a month. Lunar and solar differences aside, Spring is marked by the date when I get to start playing around in the dirt.
When I was in college and couldn't do much growing of my own ((I'm not a huge fan of community gardens, though I spent some time there)), I'd follow some of the local Maine forums and determine Spring by who all started their seeds first. I didn't care if it was windy and snowing where I was, or if the roads were covered in black ice and fallen pedestrians. When home started putting seeds into the ground, Spring had begun.

So, naturally, what is the first thing I stick in the ground?
PEAS!

Now, The Other Half ((referred to here on out as TOH)) both fears and scorns what he calls "that little green devil veggie", and there's really not much I can do about that. But peas are one of my favourite things of all time. They're sweet and green and cute and amazingly versatile. That and out of all the vegetables I grow, garden peas are the toughest little cold weather buggers out there. And living in a state where snow is possible up to and including the end of April, that's a major plus.

Being new ((again)) to Portland, part of the process will be figuring out all the different nursuries in the area. I refuse to schlep all the way up to Windham or Naples for supplies.
So Monday was devoted to Allen, Sterling & Lothrop in Falmouth. It's a cozy little place with a nice selection of plants and seedlings in the spring, but this early on the inventory had shrunk to a small greenhouse of hardy, cold climate loving plants. I was tempted to pick up a small pot of Hen and Chicks, but I have no idea where I'd put them. That and I fear to bring anything green and growing home, lest it inadvertently and unexpectedly kill my roommate.

Luckily, since it was still hanging on the off season, we managed to snag two very helpful, very enthusiastic people to help us out. I'll admit, this is the first time I've ventured into the realm of container gardening...the closest I've come is starting seeds in beds, then transplanting. TOH's experience has been with a large garden that borders on a small farm. But living from apartment to apartment, I need a garden I can take with me in a moving van.

About forty minutes later, we got our stuff, four packets of seeds and a much better idea of where we were headed. Then off to Home Depot to find gardening stakes ((failed)) and instead left WalMart with a bundle of wooden dowels and twine. Meh.

Tomorrow will be the planting and seeding and playing with dirt. Hopefully, pictures as well.