tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16667195493510091322024-03-13T09:22:15.688-07:00Wisdom of the TrowelThe trowel has all the wisdom. Unfortunately, the trowel is mute.Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-36349912447610188432009-07-25T12:40:00.000-07:002009-07-25T12:42:10.631-07:00Total lack of posting!Hi all,<br />Yes, zero, zip from me in two months! Bad! However, given the impending arrival of my little man in October, I've been doing full-time reading about how to raise a child! SO much more involved than a garden. Cloth diapering alone is a full time reading and researching project. I'm keeping the blog and hope to drop in periodically or maybe next summer at the latest, because I'm still gardening and still learning in that area...it's just in second place right now!<br />Thanks.<br />HeidiLewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-34309847235570812952009-05-06T06:54:00.000-07:002009-05-21T06:59:23.832-07:00What we've been eating and solar oven newsWe've been lucky enough to be able to eat from the garden for a while now. The broccoli was ready around March 6th and we've been enjoying it regularly until most of it quit a few days ago (the younger plants are starting now). We've also had spinach by the mound - almost too much spinach! - for weeks now. Also kale, mesclun mix, and last year's onions that sprouted in the fall, too, as well as carrots, Asian greens, a couple of leftover kohlrabi, and garlic scapes. Lots to eat and enjoy!<br /><br />Luckily, the ridiculous, crazy, <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-state-my-case-in-graphical-way.html">out-of-control compost gift butternut squash</a>, or the <a href="http://peakoilhausfrau.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-garden-fun.html">Lewru Special</a>, as my friend Frau calls it, produced 17 squash on one vine last year! NUTS! So we've been slowly working our way through that. It stores really well! I was surprised, actually. Here it is almost a year and I've got one left that looks to be in great condition.<br /><br />It has been trickier than you might to think to use up 16 butternut squash when you have a husband who doesn't think vegetables should be sweet. I've had to dress it up with sauces and disguise it in frittatas and mash it into chili and cakes and such. I think my<a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/recette.html"> habanero cream sauce</a> was a hit, and the savory pumpkin quiche (which could just as easily have been butternut squash) went over well, too. I definitely got creative with the vegetable!<br /><br />My inaugural run of the <a href="http://www.sunoven.com/">sun oven</a> resulted in a beautifully sunkissed butternut squash. Then last weekend I baked that into two loaves of butternut squash bread which turned out magnificently! All in all, it's been a nice time to eat from the garden...still looking forward to tomatoes and peppers, though!!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-62415171355291812732009-05-05T09:47:00.001-07:002009-05-06T11:43:29.411-07:00Oklahoma is the New Oregon!...yep, that's right! Without the hipsters and the bike messengers and the crazy cool art and music scene (ours is on a much smaller scale), and, oh yeah, the mountains and ocean...but boy do we have rain! It's been cloudy and rainy since April 23. Today makes 14 straight days. 2 weeks of rain! We topped 7 inches over the past few days, with a community just East of us having 10 inches! Ouch! Flooding has been a problem in some areas, but luckily not at casa 36-95.<br /><br />In the meantime, that "start your engines" theme I roared a few weeks back...yeah, that was a bit premature. I transplanted and planted that day, but then nothing since then until two days ago. It was just too rainy and chilly and the soil was too mucky to get much done. But on Monday afternoon I finally had a break in the weather that coincided with a break from work. So transplanting peppers was tops on the list.<br /><br />I usually like to get my peppers out on April 15, same as the tomatoes. Some people think this is too early for heat-loving peppers. I say, let them get tough! If it gets really cold at night or something I'll cover them with frost blankets, but typically that's a late enough start that it doesn't freeze them out.<br /><br />This year they got transplanted almost three weeks late on May 4. Weather was a problem, but I also wanted to wait until my <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-overwintered-gardens-in-oklahoma.html">broccoli</a> was ready to pull out (sayonara broccoli, you were great while you lasted!). The peppers needed to go into their vacated homes, so it was sort of a waiting game.<br /><br />I'm actually glad I waited, too, because the soil has warmed up some and they avoided getting waterlogged in all that rain. Monday I went out with my trusty Epsom salts and bone meal, a trowel, the flat of peppers, and a chart telling me what's what, as well as a sketchy map of the garden so I could know what's what went where.<br /><br /><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Rodales-All-New-Encyclopedia-of-Organic-Gardening/Fern-Marshall-Bradley/e/9780875965994/?itm=5">Rodale's</a>, which the regular reader will recognize as my gardening Bible, recommended transplanting with the mix of salts and bone meal in order to encourage good root growth. I tried it last year and it seemed to be a winner so I'm trying it again this year. So far I've only used it with tomatoes and peppers, though. (Incidentally, I have the 1992 edition of the Rodale's encyclopedia and but I'd really like to get the new version that just came out in February of this year...)<br /><br />After digging out a hole slightly bigger than the root mass and soil ball of the plant I wanted to transplant, I mixed about two or three teaspoons of salt with 2 tablespoons or so of bone meal (available at any garden store in the natural section). Last year I included compost, too, but this year I'm trying it without to see if that encourages the roots to spread faster rather than staying in one little ball for too long, feasting on compost. The book didn't mention anything about salt and grubbies, but I know that if you mix salt and slugs, for instance, you get a nasty (and probably painful) outcome. I try to avoid this by removing any slithery looking creature to a few inches away. I don't know if salt hurts worms, but I don't want to take that chance! They're garden heroes!<br /><br />So once the salt/bone meal mix is in the hole, carefully pull the transplantee out of its former lodgings. I like to gently squeeze the plastic seed cell and invert it, if possible, to let gravity help. Be careful not to pull too hard on the stem or you can damage the roots. Once it's out, carefully plop it into the new hole, cover the root ball and fill in with soil, gently tamping down the whole bit to help the roots connect with soil. If you don't expect rain, water the transplants with a light stream. If it's sunny, you might want to protect them from bright sunshine for a few days until they get going. If they're small enough, I'll sometimes just cover them with leaves or set up a frost blanket propped up with sticks or something. No worries of that here, though. Remember: Oregon!<br /><br />I still need to plant the corn in my <a href="http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/teach/2003045238014436.html">three sisters garden</a> (squash is a check but beans are still on hold, too), as well as <a href="http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/ground_cherry.htm">ground cherries</a>, basil with the tomatoes (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Carrots-Love-Tomatoes-Companion-Successful/dp/1580170277/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241617479&sr=8-1">they heart each other</a>), some more poppies because I love them, and some green beans...ah summertime, I will never quit you! :)<br /><br />I saw a question on a listserv I'm on about starting seeds indoors. While it's too late for early summer plants, seed starting is definitely still an option for a fall garden, so I'll post about that next. I've also been reading up about the tilling vs. not-ever-under-any-circumstances-tilling debate. So maybe I'll rustle up something on that.<br /><br />As school dies down and the garden ramps up, so does this blog! Stay tuned!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-32964913804648006832009-04-19T09:31:00.000-07:002009-04-19T10:35:16.755-07:00Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines!Gardening season is ramping up in a BIG WAY around here, although it's coinciding with my belly this year since I'm pregnant! Not sure I'll be able to do a lot of the heavier maintenance (which is fine with me!) but I can still pull weeds and transplant tomatoes and such.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Which is what I did on Tax Day, 2009! 19 tomatoes went into the ground, including Green and Black Zebras, Paul Robesons, a Great White, some Thessalonkis, some Cuor di Bues I got in Greece, some Cherokee Purples, some determinate Big Months, some Golden Queens, and a Bonus tomato from a random seed that fell on the floor while I was planting my seeds. Of course I've planted them too close together again, but I vow to keep them well pruned this year (Ha! Well, see!) which should ease up on the space issue. They're in a spot where they should receive 8+ hours of sun, so barring a repeat of last year's rainy, mucky bad weather, we should see a good harvest.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVw4uRE9I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/dnTok4vVl98/s1600-h/IMG_2872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVw4uRE9I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/dnTok4vVl98/s320/IMG_2872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326445282644267986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >The tomatoes are spaced in a diamond pattern at the bottom of the picture.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" > At the top middle is a small clump of Sylvetta arugula and behind that some flowering kohlrabi and broccoli.</span><br /></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVyFrFaPI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/jrWyLfQ6djs/s1600-h/IMG_2874.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVyFrFaPI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/jrWyLfQ6djs/s320/IMG_2874.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326445303300450546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >Here you see my awful, terrible, no-good attempt at thinning. </span><br /><br /></div>The thinning didn't happen. These are the Great White tomato seedlings. I put two of each seed in each cell. Some died off or didn't sprout. If they did, I still couldn't manage to kill them off, even though I always vow to scrupulously thin each year (and fail). Maybe someday. It's partly that I don't want to kill something that wants to live but it's also because I am a frugal bastard. Instead, when I transplanted the tomatoes, I just separated them as much as I could to get them growing different directions. Then I'll see if I can cage or stake them enough a part to be viable. If not, I may still have to do some hacking...<br /><br />My tomato seedlings stayed in the cell pack a bit long. I planted them <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2009/02/sweet-little-sleeping-seedies.html">Feb 13</a> and they came up in the next week or so. I should have moved them into larger pots (or transplanted them into <a href="http://www.harrisseeds.com/Storefront/p-5078-plant-protector-wall-o-water.aspx?_cr=googlebase%7Cgoogle%7Cfeed%7CWall+O%27+Water+Plant+Protector">Walls of Water</a> or something) a week or two earlier. Instead they ended up a bit leggy. This is perfectly okay, though, since it's common place to pull off the bottom set of leaves of the tomato plant, trench it, and allow the stem to grow more roots, which strengthens the plant. To trench the plant, dig a sideways trench instead of a deep hole. Lay the plant in there with the roots and stem horizontal to the ground. Cover with soil, leaving the top part of the tomato poking out. The top will turn itself toward the sun in a few hours, leaving it growing in the proper direction. The stem puts out roots, strenthening the whole thing. I also add a teaspon or two of regular Epsom salts and about a tablespoon of bone meal to each hole or trench. This helps with root development and also helps strengthen the plant. For the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rodales-All-New-Encyclopedia-Organic-Gardening/dp/0875965997">Rodale's Organic Gardening Encyclopedia</a> told me so.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVxST-bdI/AAAAAAAAAaA/9yegRNkmj2g/s1600-h/IMG_2871.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVxST-bdI/AAAAAAAAAaA/9yegRNkmj2g/s320/IMG_2871.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326445289513315794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >Here's a full view of the backyard garden. </span><br /></div><br />You can see the wood planks we used to hold down the frost blankets all winter. They'll get put away in the next week or so. In the back left is a huge patch of gorgeous garlic. We planted two pounds worth of <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1297/s">Bavarian Purple</a> and <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1303/26">Ontario Purple Trillium garlic</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> last October so we're hoping for a big harvest. Garlic takes 9 months - like a baby! - so we've been watching it all winter. Soon...soon.<br /><br />In front of the garlic are onions and then fava beans (they look lime green in this picture and actually have small favas on them!) followed by more broccoli, then a scrubby looking patch of mesclun (wild lettuce mix) which should spruce up with some sun in the coming weeks. We'll soon be eating salad by the bowlfuls!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVyWKjVAI/AAAAAAAAAaY/fP-UtgFkaUg/s1600-h/IMG_2875.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVyWKjVAI/AAAAAAAAAaY/fP-UtgFkaUg/s320/IMG_2875.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326445307727401986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Garlic!</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVx1wYxZI/AAAAAAAAAaI/X6geaZxAjMY/s1600-h/IMG_2873.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SetVx1wYxZI/AAAAAAAAAaI/X6geaZxAjMY/s320/IMG_2873.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326445299027723666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Broccoli!</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />To make room for the 14 peppers I have to transplant soon, I'm going to pull some of the broccoli this coming week. The stuff that's flowering will go and I'm thinking about pulling the lush <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.aspx?item_no=S10943">de Cicco</a> specimen on the bottom left because it's doing NOTHING! No broccoli shoots to speak of. I am disappointed! Last year I waited until the end of June to pull them out - <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-state-my-case-in-graphical-way.html">they were hole-ridden by stupid cabbage moths at that point!</a> Don't think I'll be that patient this year. I'll probably at least cook up the leaves, though. I'd hate to throw away a perfectly beautiful plant that is edible and tasty.<br /><br />Then the peppers are going in! The limon peppers bit it during transplant into larger pots this year. Not surprised. Same thing happened last year, but one made a miraculous Lazarus-from-the-dead recovery. That's why I only ended up with one plant last year. I don't think I'll have any limon peppers this year! The rest of the peppers look fine and will be transplanted soon, probably this coming week.<br /><br />I also re-planted five kinds of winter squash yesterday -<a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Jumbo-Pink-Banana"> jumbo pink banana</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Black-Futsu">Japanese black futsu</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Chicago-Warted-Hubbard">Chicago warted hubbard</a>, compost butternut from last year, and <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Bush-Buttercup">buttercup</a>. I don't have high hopes for them since only one of my six plants survived The Horrendous Squash Bug Infestation of Ought-Eight. Here's to hoping this year is better for squash, both summer and winter!<br /><br />Still plenty to talk about - smothering bermuda with cardboard collars, pimping your soil, growing cucumbers over ugly hedges, and the Sand Springs Herbal Affair '09...more to come!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-78498726121140396342009-03-28T08:19:00.000-07:002009-03-28T08:35:25.064-07:00SNOW!Gotta love Oklahoma weather...two weeks ago it was 84 degrees outside and beautiful. Today we're accumulating 3 inches of snow and counting. I spent a fair bit of time last night dragging out the frost blankets and a load of old sheets and towels to cover everything. I have tiny mesclun, spinach, radish, and lovage seedlings coming up, and the onions are setting in pretty well, too. Hope the weather doesn't derail too much. Hope the towels are sturdy enough and that the snow is insulative once the mercury starts to really drop (it's still above freezing, just snowing like mad!).<br /><br />I don't have any pictures (b/c my husband took the camera with him to SXSW...I was jealous!) but last weekend I bought <a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/6387&cid=pport0001?CAWELAID=63704872">bird netting</a> to stretch over some seedlings. The birds had done their best to clip and entirely pull up my kale and Swiss chard seedlings, and I'd meant to get bird netting last year but never got around to it...so it was definitely time. It was fairly easy to stretch out, too. I stuck some sticks in the ground and draped the netting over it. I think it will probably be somewhat of a pain to pull back up, though. It's already looking like it's tangled. But if I get some plants out of the deal, I'm better off than I was last year with just a bit of money (my netting was $7.99 at Lowe's) and time invested.<br /><br />The squirrels are also starting to be a problem (well, not today!). I have containers of spinach and radishes which they've already dug up (do they think they put nuts there?). I have a bunch of surviving seedlings, but they messed up a few. I also suspect the squirrels of snapping off the fava beans at soil level. The irony here is that they probably just take a nibble and throw the stalk down, because they're always laying nearby, barely eaten. That's frustrating. One year I lost an entire corn crop that way, but I think that was raccoons. I'll have to figure out a better squirrel deterrent this year...I'll keep thinking.<br /><br />In the meantime, hope all of your gardens are growing well and that this snow doesn't screw up too much!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-63407180282934175502009-03-15T09:37:00.000-07:002009-03-15T10:11:30.865-07:00Why overwintered gardens in Oklahoma rock!Largely, because of this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wAJ5XWZI/AAAAAAAAAZY/27SoZ8uhg-Y/s1600-h/IMG_2830.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wAJ5XWZI/AAAAAAAAAZY/27SoZ8uhg-Y/s320/IMG_2830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313455914581711250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wB5TaN4I/AAAAAAAAAZw/7h0X_I-VM-w/s1600-h/IMG_2829.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wB5TaN4I/AAAAAAAAAZw/7h0X_I-VM-w/s320/IMG_2829.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313455944487286658" border="0" /></a><br />These pictures were taken on March 6th! The purple shoots are from <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Broccoli/Early-Purple-Sprouting">Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli</a> from <a href="http://rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek Seeds</a>. It is specifically an overwintering type that can take cold. I planted the seeds around Sept 15. They grew to about 10 inches or so until winter hit and then kind of went dormant - too dark and cold. But whenever we had a mild sunny day, I know they were collecting the rays and packing them away. Then as soon as it turned mostly mild in late Feb, voila, it was a race to sprout!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0v-cUD7vI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/jAcWRpcvUQU/s1600-h/IMG_2828.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0v-cUD7vI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/jAcWRpcvUQU/s320/IMG_2828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313455885165784818" border="0" /></a>This is the broccoli that I experimented with <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/11/fall-wrap-up.html">replanting the thinnings</a>. It worked remarkably well event though I wasn't very sensitive with how I pulled out the plants I wanted to thin. Didn't seem to matter, though, except that the thinned plants are still a bit smaller than the ones I left standing.<br /><br />Early Purple Sprouting is a sprouting type of broccoli, as opposed to a heading type. The broccoli we buy at the store is heading type - you get a large single flower cluster that can span six inches across or so (it's also undoubtedly a hybrid variety, grown in a monoculture green house, with loads of pesticides, but I digress...). Sprouting broccoli, on the other hand, makes many more, smaller flower clusters, sort of like the side shoots you might get after harvesting a head of broccoli. I'm also growing a heading type, <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.asp?item_no=S10943">Di Cicco broccoli</a> from <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/default.asp">Seeds of Change</a>, but they are still developing. It seems the "Early" in Early Purple Sprouting is quite accurate!<br /><br />Last fall, when I started my overwintering garden, I was planning on it being a fall garden - but I planted too late! Rookie mistake... In any case, it's a happy accident this spring and something I'll likely continue. In addition to the broccoli, which will be the star due to the abundance of plants we have, I also have kale, spinach, miner's lettuce, cabbage, leeks, a few carrots, a few turnips, a few rutabagas, and a few kohlrabi, a ton of garlic, some fava beans, and a few random onions that never came up last spring. All of them are looking great and putting on serious growth.<br /><br />How did we manage this nature-defying trick? Very simply: Frost blankets. Yes, that's it. I have two large frost blankets and then we also used a sheet, a tarp, and some containers so that everything got covered by something. At first I covered whenever it dropped below 32. This might have helped the plants acclimate, but I soon realized I didn't need to do this (when I forgot to cover and nothing died). After that realization I started covering if it was going to drop below 28 degrees. Yes, it meant we had to trudge out to the garden on a regular basis and arrange all of our sheets. Yes, it probably was an eyesore for the neighbors, but they're nice. And yes, we have relatively mild winters in Oklahoma. It did drop down to 9 degrees though, over Christmas. I'd decided just to leave everything covered while we were out of town and when we came back, after five days of being covered, everything looked a little tired but no worse for wear.<br /><br />In sum, I highly recommend it and will do it again! Here's some of the fruits of the bounty...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wBZn2dAI/AAAAAAAAAZg/TCcBonniyVg/s1600-h/IMG_2817.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wBZn2dAI/AAAAAAAAAZg/TCcBonniyVg/s320/IMG_2817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313455935983088642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />They soon looked like this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wBstCWOI/AAAAAAAAAZo/fdAHZyo29YQ/s1600-h/IMG_2820.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sb0wBstCWOI/AAAAAAAAAZo/fdAHZyo29YQ/s320/IMG_2820.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313455941105113314" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then turned into a delicious winter root pasta e fagioli! Yum!<br /><br />If you haven't gotten your lettuce and greens in, it's time! Carrots, onions, beets, broccoli, cabbage, get at it! I'm going to plant my butternut squash next weekend to see if I can get a repeat of last year's monster. We'll see...<br /><br />Happy gardening!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-13580401072838231772009-02-28T08:26:00.000-08:002009-03-10T16:55:48.681-07:00Shovel-ready blogWell, there's been a flurry of activity over in my backyard, thanks in large part to an open weekend and lovely weather. I finally got to go out to enrich one swath of the back garden that's been neglected for a while - three bags of compost and three bags of manure, graciously spread for me by my awesome husband. Thanks, babe!<br /><br />Add to that the planting of 150 sweet yellow onion sets, weeding approximately 225 square feet, deep-feeding the overwintered vegetables (which are doing great! more in another post soon), and planting radishes, daikons, shallots, leeks, Brussels sprouts, hamburg rooted parsley, and parnsips, and I'd call it a very productive afternoon in the garden.<br /><br />BUT...I'm already seeing harlequin bugs, which frustrates me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sbb7oLVKXbI/AAAAAAAAAZA/LyHWanTlwZ8/s1600-h/histrionica.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sbb7oLVKXbI/AAAAAAAAAZA/LyHWanTlwZ8/s320/histrionica.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311709478184967602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/84867830<br /></span></div><br />Seems a bit early...Also spotted two of the dreaded white "butterflies" that indicate cabbage worms to come. Perhaps our relatively mild winter was too mild!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sbb8F-llemI/AAAAAAAAAZI/U2L_vzJpWdc/s1600-h/Cabbage+Looper+Adult+Aug+19+2005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/Sbb8F-llemI/AAAAAAAAAZI/U2L_vzJpWdc/s320/Cabbage+Looper+Adult+Aug+19+2005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311709990160267874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >http://web2.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/mwvr/viewreport.php?action=entire&issue=13&date=2005-08-19</span><br /></div><br />In any case, I'll have to watch out for them this year. Last year they pretty much devastated my cole crops. The snails were also a problem and I've been saving and crushing my egg shells all winter to make a homegrown version of <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/04/invasion.html">diatomaceous earth</a>. Don't know if it will work, but it's worth a shot!<br /><br />I am very pleased with how everything has overwintered so I'm excited to write more about that and include pictures...soon!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-91732340543753196032009-02-13T10:42:00.000-08:002009-02-13T14:26:41.180-08:00Sweet little sleeping seedies!Well, all the little pepper-fellas but the red savinas from 2003 (which <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2009/01/pepper-planting-time.html">I predicted wouldn't sprout</a> and so far haven't) are up and awake and stretching their little leaf hands up to the lights.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SZXuO2egoaI/AAAAAAAAAYw/MbwZLLNslxs/s1600-h/IMG_2807.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 175px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SZXuO2egoaI/AAAAAAAAAYw/MbwZLLNslxs/s320/IMG_2807.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302406075207688610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">They're back! Peppers planted 1/23/09</span><br /></div><br />I have a few that are still trying to outgrow their seed shell. You can see that in the picture above. If the shell is just hanging on to the edge of a leaf, it's not that big of a deal, but there are two that are mostly still contained in the seed shell, on top of a relatively long stalk. This is a problem because the seed leaves are pivotal to get the whole plant off the ground (so to speak). The first two leaves make enough plant juice for the rest to grow forth. If they break off, the plant is dead, nothing-doing. And it's sad to watch it go from a green, headless stalk to a withered up brown thing...In the past when I've tried to worry these off I've usually ended up messing up the plant, either breaking off the leaves all together or seriously clipping them. So I'm trying to resist doing that this year (like not picking at a sunburn!). I'm trying to keep the seed shell damp so that it'll be easier to outgrow and split.<br /><br />You can also see my super-awesome, massively high-tech approach to lights. They're located on top of my refrigerator. On one side I put tacks in the wall and propped the lights on top of them. The other side balances on phone books. This way I can keep the lights as close to the plants as possible and move them up as needed. I've seen ingenious ways of doing this that involve carpentry and chains. This is my low-fi version! And hey, it works for one flat, so why not?<br /><br />Today I planted my tomatoes. I want them to be a bit bigger than last year's by the time I plant them out (1st or 2nd week of April in these parts). After my <a href="http://peakoilhausfrau.blogspot.com/2009/02/seedy-sunday.html">super-fun seed swap</a> with the Frau, I ended up with a variety of tomatoes for this year. I double planted each cell pack and will hopefully end up with the following:<br /><br />Green Zebra (seed saved from last year; hugely, hugely productive!)<br />Pink Paul Robeson (I saved seed from a plant that went more pink than the rest and so tasty!)<br />Paul Robeson (ditto - last year's purchase from <a href="http://rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek</a>)<br />Black Zebra (New to me - THANK YOU, FRAU!)<br />Great White (New to me - THANK YOU, FRAU!)<br />Thessaloniki (free gift seed pack from BC)<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br />Cuor di Bue (picked these up in Greece!)<br />Pink Israel (free gift seed pack from BC)<br />Big Month roma (this year's purchase from BC)<br />Opalka (last year's purchase from <a href="https://www.superseeds.com/">Pinetree</a>)<br />Golden Queen (last year's purchase from Pintree)<br />Banana Legs (on clearance at Pinetree last year)<br />Cherokee Purple (I grew these five years ago and LOVED THEM - THANK YOU, FRAU!)<br /><br />I also planted <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Garden-Berries/Ground-Cherry-Strawberry-Husk-Tomato">ground cherries</a> due to the enthusiastic recommendations of my co-local gardener and <a href="http://oklavore.com/2008/09/23/ground-cherries/">oklavore</a>. I'm excited to see what happens with them! I've never tried anything like them (fruit, berries, tomatillos, nada!). Hopefully I will get to make jam, too!<br /><br />Happy planting!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-11244425999542178632009-02-05T11:23:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:38:52.809-08:00Why choosing where you buy your seeds mattersHello, hello!<br /><br />It's garden-dreaming, seed-buying, row-sketching, and early planting time! If you haven't already bought your seeds, let me encourage you to read this <a href="http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/90/90-2/Jerri_Cook.html">article</a>. It's very important to support the good guys when it comes to where your seed dollars go. Our food supply has been forced into exponential reduction in richness, quality, and diversity by a few, huge, deep-pocketed members of the agribusiness industry. At one point there were thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of varieties of vegetables and flowers. Now, most people are offered a few types which are largely specialized and barren hybrids, incapable of reproducing on their own. Instead of being able to save the seeds from these plants growers have to buy new seeds and plants each year. It makes great fiscal sense for the devious minds and moneyholders involved. It gives the average farmer the shaft, not to mention the dangerous ramifications involved when some of these seeds are genetically modified to produce their own pesticide or resist certain herbicides (which <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/genetically-modified-47122604">we're subsidizing</a>, by the way). If you buy your seeds at your local garden center, chances are you're supporting that ecological genocide.<br /><br />Diversity = complexity = richness = safety. You can find a treasure trove of gorgeous, safe, open-pollinated (ie "savable") seed stock from such modern seed heroes as <a href="http://rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds</a>, <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/">The Seed Savers Exchange</a>, <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/">Seeds of Change</a>, <a href="http://www.nativeseeds.org/">Native Seeds</a>, <a href="https://www.superseeds.com/">Pinetree</a>, and the <a href="http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/">Sand Hill Preservation Center</a>. Do you know of other good companies you'd recommend?<br /><br />Please read the article and be thoughtful when you make your purchases. There are waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better tomatoes than Better Boy and Early Girl. Go grow some heirlooms or open-pollinated varities and give Monsanto et al. the big, fat financial finger!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-20334744459382392212009-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:002009-02-05T07:53:39.663-08:00Pepper planting time!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbghmdO9I/AAAAAAAAAX4/pD3RIyftYZQ/s1600-h/IMG_2662.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbghmdO9I/AAAAAAAAAX4/pD3RIyftYZQ/s320/IMG_2662.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296404144865491922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(Clockwise from top left: red chile, Roberto's, ancho, aji limon, tabasco, green tomatoes, a lone lat</span><span style="font-size:78%;">e fall okra, anaheim, habanero)<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >2008 Pepper Report & 2009 Pepper Planting Mania!</span><br /></div><br />Yes, it's early! But I wanted to get a jump start on my peppers this year, since the ones I grew from seed didn't really come into their production height until September/October. I'd planted those seeds toward the end of Feb last year and planted them out toward the end of April. It gets hot, hot, hot in Oklahoma and our first freeze wasn't until November 6. Most of the peppers hung on until November 20, though, with the help of frost blankets. Then everything except the over-wintering crops went down hard.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMiVr6VI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/fXamDzR_B2U/s1600-h/IMG_2026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMiVr6VI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/fXamDzR_B2U/s320/IMG_2026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296408199512713554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(Left corner: tabasco peppers; right corner: Hungarian wax. Also one Roberto's Cuban and one jalapeno)</span><br /><br /><br /></div>This year, I planted 18 seed plugs with 2 seeds apiece, on Jan 24 (for the list, see the bottom of the post). I'm hoping that giving them an extra month will mean more peppers earlier in the season. The biggest of my home-seeded plants were producing well but the smaller guys had really just put on a bunch of peppers right before the first frost. The plants I bought were all big, bushy, and beautiful, producing extravagantly by August. So with that in mind, I bumped up my seeding date by about five weeks.<br /><br />Last year I grew 11 varieties of seeds and 3 peppers from plants. Below are some notes...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMCKoM0I/AAAAAAAAAYA/KbHEW_4draE/s1600-h/IMG_2020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMCKoM0I/AAAAAAAAAYA/KbHEW_4draE/s320/IMG_2020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296408190876398402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(Clockwise from left corner: Hungarian wax (looks like a yellow finger), tabasco, cayenne, red bell, habanero, Anaheim)</span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Seeds</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Hot pepper mix</span> (included jalapeno, cayenne, Hungarian wax, red cherry, & Anaheim): This was a <a href="http://www.burpee.com/product/vegetables/pepper%2C+hot/hot+pepper+mix+-+1+pkt.+%28100+seeds%29.do?search=basic&keyword=hot+pepper+mix&sortby=newArrivals&page=1">Burpee's packet</a> I bought from Lowe's. I double-planted 9 seed plugs and ended up with 1 jalapeno (did okay but got taken out early by some sort of disease that looked like <a href="http://www.infonet-biovision.org/res/res/files/699.400x400.jpeg">anthracnose</a> on its leaves), 1 cayenne (same story as the jalapeno), 3 or 4 Hungarian wax (these did well, showed disease tolerance, and produced about a dozen+ peppers per plant. I <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/garden-is-laying-down.html">pickled</a> these and they lasted about three-four months), and 3 or 4 Anaheim (one grew well from the beginning and was highly productive. The others were stragglers and had put on a bunch of peppers in Nov when it got cold. Good disease resistance). I didn't get any red cherries!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCQGUMOcAI/AAAAAAAAAXg/k0YFklKLbOc/s1600-h/IMG_2036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCQGUMOcAI/AAAAAAAAAXg/k0YFklKLbOc/s320/IMG_2036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296391599961305090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Pickled Hungarian wax peppers<br /><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Roberto's Cuban Seasoning:</span> Got this from <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Peppers-Hot">Baker Creek</a> but they haven't relisted it this year. It was described as a habanero-flavored, low-heat pepper, which it was. It was AWESOME!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCJqsW1SWI/AAAAAAAAAXY/dc7x_c6ermg/s1600-h/IMG_2051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCJqsW1SWI/AAAAAAAAAXY/dc7x_c6ermg/s320/IMG_2051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296384528342141282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(Roberto's Cuban Seasoning/Aji Dulce)</span><br /><br /></div>Baker Creek is carrying a new pepper called Red Mushroom that seems to bear a physical similarity to this pepper, except Roberto's wasn't hot or was only very, very mildly hot. I read an article in Gourmet (I think) over the summer that described a similar pepper called <a href="http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Aji-dulce.cfm">aji dulce</a>, which is probably what Roberto's really is. Anyway, phylogeny aside, I planted 6 of these and three made it into the garden. One grew exceptionally well and early (saved seeds from this one), and the other two were in the straggling bunch that had just set well (although on smaller plants) when the first frost hit. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dommage!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Lemon Drop (aji limon):</span> From <a href="https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=125">Pinetree</a>. I bought these seeds because I tried one from the pepper lady at <a href="http://pearlfarmersmarket.org/">Pearl's Farm Mkt</a> in Tulsa. The one she gave me actually did have a lemony accent. Mine had a lemon smell, but not much of a lemon flavor. And they were HOT! I planted four of these and two got planted out. One died. The other did really well, producing early and prolifically. I liked it and used it quite a bit (excellent minced with mashed chickpeas and garlic) but may try again for more lemon. The growing conditions and the fact that I only got to sample one plant may have affected the flavor. I saved seeds and still have 1/2 the packet, as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accidental bliss</span> - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gifts from the compost</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Red chile</span>: This is the pretty red triangular pepper sold at the grocery store as a Red hot chile. Kinda generic name. I put them in chili and salsa and loads of stuff, so there are always tons of seeds in the compost. I don't know how many of these came up - probably three dozen or so! I let about half a dozen grow to maturity and they didn't disappoint. While not exceptionally prolific (they didn't get off to a start until June, maybe), they were reliable and lasted a long, long time, right up until the second hard freeze. Nice heat and disease resistance.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbgtocdtI/AAAAAAAAAXw/StR2AF9XxYQ/s1600-h/IMG_2056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbgtocdtI/AAAAAAAAAXw/StR2AF9XxYQ/s320/IMG_2056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296404148095055570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(red jalapeno, tabasco, red chile, Roberto's Cuban, Hungarian wax, the larger pepper at middle-right is an ancho)</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Ancho</span>: Also from the compost and also grew slowly. The peppers were normal sized, not the monsters you see at the store. Good heat and good heat/cold tolerance; one of the last peppers to bite it! Like the red chiles they were somewhat spindly but they were only getting probably six hours of direct sunlight...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMXv5Q4I/AAAAAAAAAYI/NHS9-nW2_ZI/s1600-h/IMG_1933.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCfMXv5Q4I/AAAAAAAAAYI/NHS9-nW2_ZI/s320/IMG_1933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296408196669850498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plants</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Tabasco:</span> Plant bought at Lowe's. This plant exploded on me. I ended up with hundreds, if not a thousand, tiny orangy-red peppers that were hot, hot, hot! I made tobasco sauce, froze them, dried them, and of course we ate them fresh. This plant was almost too productive and lasted until the bitter end.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Habanero:</span> Ditto. We had more habs than we could handle. Ate fresh, made sauce, pickled, dried, frozen. Very prolific and very, very hot! Also bought at Lowe's.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">* Red Bell: </span>Not very productive. I think we got four or five bells off this plant and they were mostly undersized. I think it got whatever foliage disease the jalapeno got. Also bought at Lowe's.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbgtKrqvI/AAAAAAAAAXo/MyVYDwKNmbA/s1600-h/IMG_2052.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SYCbgtKrqvI/AAAAAAAAAXo/MyVYDwKNmbA/s320/IMG_2052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296404147970222834" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">(tabasco, cayenne, jalapeno, Hunagarian wax, Roberto's Cuban, habanero)</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />I guess that completes the 2008 portion. For 2009 I'm focusing more on smaller sweet peppers since the larger ones seemed to have trouble in my micro-climate (which doesn't feature tons of all-day sunshine). I'll planted the following:<br /><br />* 4 seeds from the Hot Mix - Burpees (Lowe's)<br />* Ashe County Pimento - Baker Creek<br />* Jimmy Nardello Italian (for frying or drying) - Baker Creek<br />* Italian pepperocini (mildly hot for pickling) - Baker Creek<br />* Leutschauer Paprika (medium hot for drying/grinding) - Baker Creek<br />* Pasilla Bajio (medium hot mole pepper) - Baker Creek<br />* Red Cheese pepper - Baker Creek<br />* Aji limon - Pinetree<br />* Aji dulce/Roberto's Cuban Seasoning - Baker Creek<br />* Red Savina Scotch Bonnet - these are from some peppers I grew and froze in 2003, so I kind of doubt they'll germinate...we'll see.<br /><br />And there you have it! The pepper round-up and opening, in one go! The irony about writing this today, however, is that I'm only sitting at home due to being iced in for the second day in a row! So of course my thoughts turned toward warm soil and tasty, spicy peppers. Can't wait!<br /></div></div>Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-6943427044169199242008-12-30T11:31:00.000-08:002008-12-30T11:50:11.777-08:00How does your (winter) garden grow?After perusing the <a href="http://peakoilhausfrau.blogspot.com/2008/12/garden-fever.html">Frau's</a> latest garden musings, I felt compelled to get my garden cap on. The seed books are coming out - and <a href="http://rareseeds.com">Baker Creek's</a> is a piece of art this year! - and the garden jones is coming back slowly...<br /><br />This is my first year to plant a fall/winter garden and I think I learned a few things...<br /><br />1) Start earlier. Trust the planting dates. Even if it's 106 degrees outside. I started most of my stuff in mid-late September and it didn't have enough time to mature.<br /><br />From what I gather the plants are supposed to be full size by the time it's cold, cold, cold. Call me dense, I'm just now putting this together. That way, the garden acts like a form of cold storage, keeping your (now dormant) carrots, parsnips, cabbages, turnips, etc. freshly bedded in a pile of leaves. Aha moment for me! <br /><br />What I have, conversely, is about 20 mid-sized broccoli plants (the overwintering variety) who are hanging on quite well, a few smallish cabbages, some tiny parsnips, a bunch of lovely (and correctly cultured) prepubescent garlic, some fava beans that are putting up a helluva fight, some spinach and small kale plants, and some teeny, tiny leeks that will probably be the world's most all-weathered vegetables by the time this winter is over. Between two frost blankets, a tarp, and a few upside down planters acting as cloches, we're making it through. It got down to 10 degrees while we were away for the holidays, but everything seems to have pulled through (although the fava beans look like they need to be in the vegetal ICU). <br /><br />So I'm hoping that all of my covering is not for want and that I'll be able to see these plantlings into the spring, at which point - I'm crossing my fingers here! - they'll pick up where they left off and produce me something or other...Or perhaps I'm in denial of biology, physics, and the earth's natural cycles and all I'll have to show for it is a bunch of deep green leaves. Either way, it's been a learning experience. (And I could probably survive on the deep green leaves if I needed to!) I will definitely have garlic, though. Hallelujah!<br /><br />I tried something new with the broccoli this year, too. When I thinned it out, I replanted the 6-inch thinnings and all but one took. So no waste! Hopefully it will make it through the winter and give me some early spring broccoli shoots! The weather's been sunny and warm the past few days, so who knows...<br /><br />I used the last of my fresh peppers yesterday when I made a big pot of black bean soup (very simple - just 1 lb beans, soaked and cooked with 2 diced onions, 4 garlic cloves, some chicken/vegetable stock, hot peppers to taste, served with hard-cooked eggs, green onions, and lemon juice. YUM!) The pepper plant didn't give up the ghost until early December, I think, when the garden went down hard (all the frost blankets in the world probably wouldn't have saved them!). I still have a few tired looking tomatoes that have ripened slowly since that time. And 10 or so butternut squash out in the garage. Not bad.<br /><br />Still have yet to decide what to purchase/try this year. I still have a bunch of seed left over from last season plus all the seed I saved. Still though, I want to try some different hot peppers. I don't want as much okra. I'm going to try cowpeas over our fence (let them duke it out with the morning glories) since they last all the way through the major hot summers...Ah, garden dreams! I can't wait!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-35999115631306377592008-12-02T17:27:00.000-08:002008-12-02T17:29:54.150-08:00Hilarious - Now with the Sonic guy<embed src="http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/common/assets/videoplayer2/flvplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="400" height="355" flashvars="file=http://www.theonion.com/content/xml/90029/video&autostart=false&image=http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/MONEY_HOLE_article.jpg&bufferlength=3&embedded=true&title=In%20The%20Know%3A%20Should%20The%20Government%20Stop%20Dumping%20Money%20Into%20A%20Giant%20Hole%3F"></embed><br/><a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/video/in_the_know_should_the_government?utm_source=embedded_video">In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?</a><br /><br />Stolen from <a href="http://jedimomma.livejournal.com/178736.html">jedimomma</a>.Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-15203069105968842242008-11-28T10:08:00.000-08:002008-11-29T10:40:10.954-08:00Consuming thanksOne day post-Thanksgiving and I'm thinking about what a weird (and sometimes lovely) world we live in. One day post-Thanksgiving and I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>shopping.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27955316/">Black Friday, indeed</a> - a clerk at a Wal-Mart in Long Island was trampled to death and a shopper had a miscarriage...in order that the families of these mad shoppers could have the latest techy toys and High School Musical pajamas? What is this sick thing within us humans that pushes us to externalize our wealth and make it a symbol or replacement for love? This drive to consume, is it evolutionary? Has it gotten mis-translated and warped by modern times as many other evolutionary safeguards have? (<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Update</span>: thank god the pregnant woman <span style="font-style: italic;">and </span>her baby are both okay, the reports of a miscarriage were false.)<br /><br />In another post on <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/06/ecopsychology-beginning-for-me.html">ecopsychology</a> I pondered the implications of a brain that evolved in concert with nature now feeling the brunt of a technological divorce from that shaping force. For instance, we have an incredibly effective internal alarm system called the fight-or-flight response which triggers a whole host of bodily responses in case we need to get the hell out of dodge. Breathing increases, heart rate increases, the blood rushes to the core to support increased heart-rate and organ activity to facilitate fleeing or standing to fight. Highly adaptive over millions of years, no doubt. And still adaptive in times of true need. Yet highly inconvenient if triggered by a rude motorist who cuts you off in traffic, or if set into effect before an exam in the form of test anxiety, or if made more susceptible to triggering as is the case in panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.<br /><br />Is our drive to consume similar?<br /><br />It was at one time highly adaptive, certainly. We needed protections against the future - food, warmth, fuel in the form of firewood. Consuming could be seen as a hedging of bets and a protection against terror, simply put. Bringing things under one's dominion, leading to a prosperous life full of the illusion of control, probably helped people sleep easier at night and did help get them through lean times. Even gaining weight - at which we are spectacularly adept now - was an evolutionary advantage against hunger. People from the colder Northern climes gained easier and those of us who are their descendants still do!<br /><br />There is a similar drive to amass within the peak oil movement, although it's metaphor is the squirrel storing winter nuts, rather than useless gadgets and new plastic crap from China. But nonetheless - we have within us a need to gather things for our protection. It affords us a greater illusion of control in an uncontrollable life. It helps us to feel okay in a world on the verge of considerable change. And there are many unscrupulous folks out there who would take advantage of this potential weakness - indeed there are a lot of people making money off the threat of peak oil, hocking expensive wares through manipulative fear.<br /><br />I'm certainly not saying we shouldn't be thoughtful about potential shortages and therefore take time to save useful items, or even to consider purchasing a few new things (preferably used!). It would be imprudent to suggest that we shouldn't prepare. It would be impossible - an nonsensical - to suggest that we stop consuming.<br /><br />But I think it's hugely important to be honest with ourselves. Is our consumption coming out of fear? Has an evolutionary advantage been kicked into hyperdrive by the availability of 32 kinds of ketchup and 18 types of maxipads and an infinite variety of clothing and toys? Are we being wise when we purchase out of misplaced anxiety? How much are we controlled by our instincts to hedge our bets? Is uncontrolled, mindless consumption of clearance junk from Target or Black Friday "deals" from Macy's a sickness? When does it become one? At what point have we lost our balance?<br /><br />At what point can we feel okay without lists and lists of things we can turn to to protect us? At what point do we realize that our true wealth, security, and comfort is internal and interpersonal?<br /><br />At what point do we have <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">enough</span>?Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-28478702375378836832008-11-26T06:32:00.000-08:002008-11-26T08:30:32.183-08:00Fall wrap-upWell, witness what an academic semester looks like by reviewing this blog...One post in November, one post in October, two in September...Ouch! It's like a tsunami came and sat on my head! (Which is what it felt like, incidentally...)<br /><br />So what have I been up to over the past several months?<br /><br />One, riding the wave of course prep and lecture development for a class I hadn't yet taught (2 more weeks of that post-Thanksgiving, hallelujah!).<br /><br />Two, riding the rising tide of mental health use. We've been <span style="font-style: italic;">so </span>busy this semester! I don't know if it's the economy and all the bad news in the media that's made us busier or if it's just a fluke. I do know we've been smacked hard.<br /><br />Three, checking in on my garden from time to time...I have loads of over-wintering broccoli, turnips, carrots, leeks, tons of garlic, chard, spinach, and kale all sitting in their maturing adolescence out back. I've had to cover everything with frost blankets 3 times so far and expect to 3 more times this coming weekend (I'll probably just throw on the covers and leave them for that stretch). But they look great all in all, provided the early spring isn't too brutal, we'll have crops all the way through here. I tried to transplant the broccoli thinnings this year and I think it's worked pretty well. About 3/4 of them survived the transplant, so that might become a new practice. Nothing lost if they don't survive beyond a few minutes of my time.<br /><br />Four, the end of the food prep! The peppers went absolutely gonzo until a killing freeze knocked them back last week. I have so many different pepper products that I may not have to grow to peppers next year (not that I won't!). I have about half a pound of pepper flakes in the mild, medium, and hot varieties; habanero pepper sauce; tabasco pepper sauce; aji dulce pepper sauce; aji limon pepper sauce; green chili relish; pickled habaneros; pickled Hungarian wax peppers; frozen dried peppers of all varieties; and frozen hot chili sauce. And there's probably more stuff I'm not thinking of right at this moment.<br /><br />I do think I'll scale back my pepper production next year. I got tired of having to come up with new ways to save them! I must have gotten several hundred tabasco peppers (they're small, don't forget) and close to a hundred habaneros off one plant each! It was sick! Next year I think I'll do a jalapeno (mine wasn't prolific this year and I love the large dried flakes/pieces that jalapenoes make when you dry them. Delicious in mashed potatoes!), a mole pepper, the <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Peppers-Hot/Robertos-Cuban-Seasoning">aji dulce</a> I can no longer live without, and a smaller bell (I'd rather have more smaller than fewer large bells).<br /><br />Also in the food prep category, I canned up 10 qts of beef stock made from the lovely, silky knuckle bones from my <a href="http://www.oklahomafood.coop/">local food co-op</a>. Bought a 20 pound bag of potatoes to save in our cool garage, stored the 12 leftover butternut squash from this summer's bumper crop, and bought several small pie pumpkins for the makeshift garage-root-cellar. Dried 10 bell peppers I found on sale. Inventoried all the food storage to date. I've had to watch the mounting anxiety I feel whenever I see anything to do with the economy. It seems like most of the peak-oil bellwethers have moved from advocating a 3-month food supply to at least a 6-month supply. What do you guys think?<br /><br />I've been struggling to find time to breath and I found that time away from the computer was the way to go for me. I was still (and am still!) reading/scanning other people's blogs - in brief, stolen moments - but writing on top of the lecture development was too much. I guess when I get busy I prefer to power down and away whenever I can. Hopefully I'll have some time to write over the next few weeks until the semester picks up in the spring.<br /><br />Hope you are well and enjoying the winter gardening and/or planning for spring. My <a href="http://superseeds.com/">Pinetree</a> catalog came last week! First of the season... anyone else starting to get seed catalogs?Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-54820168724279280162008-11-05T06:08:00.000-08:002008-11-05T06:13:39.624-08:00At the doorstep of historyLast night I was so happy I cried. We weren't prepared for the sudden announcement - I still thought it too soon and didn't want to get my hopes up. Then there was jumping, dancing, obscene phone calls left on friends' voicemails, a congratulatory call (reaching across the aisle) from my sister and mother, more tears of joy, glasses of champagne.<br /><br />And awe. I was in awe. I am in awe.<br /><br />It kind of feels like waking up after a bad dream and having that soothing, grounding feeling in your stomach when you know things are going to be okay.<br /><br />Thank you to everyone who organized, activated, shook, rattled, rolled, and voted for change! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Obama, for your inspiration.<br /><br />This is history.Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-4347598919164250112008-10-01T08:59:00.001-07:002008-10-01T11:49:57.585-07:00Long Silence = Whirlwind FallSo a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://thesustainablebackyard.com/smalltownhomesteaderblog/">wise woman</a>, and former teacher, reminded me that I'd be busy this fall with teaching...And I thought, surely not! I'm pinch-hitting a course this fall but was given the syllabus, book, and powerpoint dummies (and they were seriously dummies). I thought it would be easy-pleasy. But OH MAN. Prepping 2 weekly 75 minute lectures (and reading and grading and test making) is very different than teaching the upper-level discussion/seminar-based courses I've been used to...Egads.<br /><br />So yes - a long silence on my end. However, I did have time for a <a href="http://greentulsa.blogspot.com/2008/10/mindfully-hanging-laundry.html">guest blog</a> over at <a href="http://greentulsa.blogspot.com/">Green Tulsa</a>. I talked about trying to steal little bits of time for myself whenever and however I can and then to use them mindfully...very a propos right about now.<br /><br />More on gardening, living, and eco-psychology coming as soon as I can take a deep breath...Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-7229015802304618112008-09-15T06:20:00.001-07:002008-09-15T06:20:55.256-07:00This is great!<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/48cd3b64ddb82bd0/48cd0cf97d529c95/be940ef3" id="W4727a250e66f972348cd3b64ddb82bd0" height="283" width="384"><param value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/48cd3b64ddb82bd0/48cd0cf97d529c95/be940ef3" name="movie"/><param value="transparent" name="wmode"/><param value="all" name="allowNetworking"/><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess"/></object>Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-53203434968039702122008-09-11T09:02:00.001-07:002008-09-11T09:02:16.808-07:00August Eats Stash<ul><li>August 23 - yellow tomato salsa; sandwich toppings; roasted peppers</li><li>August 21 - mixed beans with herbs</li><li>August 19 - baked potato toppings; sandwich fillings</li><li>August 18 - jalapeno poppers; lamb's quarters, peppers, onions, tomato stiry fry</li><li>August 15 - veggie burger fixings; additions to chicken stock</li><li>August 10 - salsa; 14 frozen batches of pesto; Island Stew</li><li>August 9 - veggie burger fixings; Spicy Marinara with fresh herbs and angel hair pasta</li><li>August 8 - Dixie Special (yellow squash, (turkey) bacon, onions, tomatoes, peppers)</li><li>August 7 - grilled chicken with pickled okra, habanero pickles, and cherry tomatoes</li><li>August 6 - 9 1/2 pints peach and blueberry jam (didn't grow, but proud I tried!)</li><li>August 5 - veggie burger fixings</li><li>August 4 - green beans and onions</li><li>August 3 - tomato salad with fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar</li><li>August 2 - jambalaya!!!; homemade tabasco sauce</li></ul>Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-30733445458207031072008-08-25T07:35:00.000-07:002008-08-25T07:39:39.118-07:00All Quiet on The WidsomBlog Front...This week: school starts and the madness begins.<br />Next week: I'm blowing it off to go <a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/greece/greece3.jpg">here</a>.<br />The week after that: I'm back in black, baby.<br /><br />Have a good coupla weeks!<br /><br />PS: the fall beans are off; the shallots and leeks are transplanted; some late tomato seedlings have been set out...the true fall garden goes in Sept 13. Stay tuned for disco!Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-29902937271722199962008-08-19T05:57:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:02:21.482-07:00I heart Al Gore<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ydOPBL5iO2Y&color1=291787617&color2=325161297&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ydOPBL5iO2Y&color1=291787617&color2=325161297&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I loved this so much over at <a href="http://simplegreenworld.blogspot.com/">jeneflower's blo</a>g that I had to do a repost.Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-42741698896969704802008-08-15T17:18:00.000-07:002008-08-15T18:25:17.580-07:00Fall Planting - woohoo!Well, the weather this year has been down right weird. It rained and rained and rained in June. Then it got normal - hot and scorchy in July and most of August so far but the past week it's been around 80 degrees and overcast with some rain. Portland weather!<br /><br />In the midst of the cool down I decided to start the fall garden with a first sowing of green beans and romano beans. The spring beans did well until the spider mites nearly obliterated their numbers. I'm hoping the cooler fall weather will spare them of this menace since heat seems to send spider mites into heat (the reproductive kind). I also tucked in some more winter squash (<a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Chicago-Warted-Hubbard">Chicago warted hubbard</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Black-Futsu">black futsu</a>, and <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Squash-Winter/Jumbo-Pink-Banana">jumbo pink banana</a>) since the last round got decimated by squash vine borers. Not sure I'll get anything off of them but I'll try. Today I followed up with a mix of fish emulsion, hot pepper spray, and insecticidal soap to get the heat-oppressed garden back up to par. The peppers till look good, as does the <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Okra/Burgandy">okra</a>, <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.asp?item_no=PS15919">sylvetta arugula </a>(that stuff is amazing!) and <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/08/growing-guide-for-little-pink-house.html">cherry tomatoes</a>. Everything else looks sad and will probably come up soon.<br /><br />Several weeks ago I also started some fall tomatoes (a pink Israeli tomato I received as a thank you from <a href="http://rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds</a> - it's a trial tomato not for sale, so we'll see), <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/988/s">shallots</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Leek/Giant-Musselburgh">leeks</a>, and <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.asp?item_no=PS17644">beets </a>under lights inside. I plan to plant out the tomatoes tomorrow and hold off for cooler weather for the other stuff. I've been trying to decide what and how to plant everything for this fall. I just got a big order of seeds from <a href="http://superseeds.com/">Pinetree </a>that included three kinds of kale (<a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=19101">konserva</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=19102">dinosaur</a>, and <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=191">dwarf blue</a>), <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=310">rutabaga</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=53">brussel sprouts</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=W482">daikon</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=330">spinach</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=188">collards</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=56">cabbage</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=18902">miner's lettuce</a>, <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=320">salsify</a>, and some seeds for next spring (<a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=426">banana legs tomato</a> and the <a href="http://superseeds.com/details.php?id=W252">bianco lungo cucumber</a>). <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1297/248">Garlic</a> should be arriving from <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/">Territorial</a> soon. I already had some <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/607/325">carrots</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Broccoli/Early-Purple-Sprouting">broccoli</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Leek/Giant-Musselburgh">leeks</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Fava-Beans/Broad-Windsor">favas</a>, <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Turnips/Purple-Top-White-Globe">turnips</a>, and peas that are relatively cold hardy so we should be good. I need to get a few more frost blankets, though. Between that and some salvaged windows we should be able to make several things last through the winter. Okie winters involve a lot of ice but aren't typically ridiculously cold.<br /><br />In terms of putting away the harvest, we've been busy on that end, too. I've made 14 large batches of pesto (anyone want some???) which are currently in the freezer. Dried and froze some tomatoes. Dried habaneros and cayenne for Pizza Flakes from Hell. <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/garden-is-laying-down.html">Pickled peppers</a>. <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/fridge-pickles-of-death-home.html">Pickled cucumbers</a>. Canned salsa and jam. Made <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/08/homemade-tabasco.html">homemade tabasco sauce</a>. Canned tomatoes and green beans. Stewed and froze some tomatoes. Dried loads of dill, rosemary, and cilantro. Tonight I'm canning up loads and loads of chicken stock with homegrown onions and carrots and herbs. Oh, and the <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-state-my-case-in-graphical-way.html">crazy volunteer butternut squash</a> has just provided number 17! I've got them stored in an old bread box until it cools down enough to clear a space in the (largely uninsulated) garage. I checked my calendar and I first noticed it had come up on March 29 which is ridiculously early and cold. I didn't bother to cover it when it froze two more times after that, so it was one hardy bitch! :)<br /><br />And lest it sound like its all roses here, it's not. Absolute failures in the garden included the aforementioned winter squashes and the chartenais melons (nice vines - no fruit!). Largely failures included the broccoli, <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/05/spring-abundance-and-onion-flower.html">red onions, and white onions</a> (the yellows did great). Somewhat failures included the <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/08/growing-guide-for-little-pink-house.html">damned Opalka tomatoes</a>! I'm so disappointed about them!!! I'm going to do some more research to see if I can clarify the problem...<br /><br />Well, I suppose that's it. I need to work on the course I'm teaching starting in...10 days...Au revoir summer. You were one belle soeur if only for just a little while...Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-26528033294721751252008-08-13T06:23:00.000-07:002008-08-13T06:27:51.644-07:00The journalistic prowess of Martin Brashear and companyABC did a Nightline story on (mostly) peak oil survivalists last night. Of course the whole thing was sort of like "Look at the crazy monkeys in the zoo, little Johnnie! Aren't they weird? They're saving FOOD!"<br /><br />Someone, somewhere, on some blog (probably lots of someones) made the point that the green movement/peak oil preparedness movement/locavore movement, etc. is garnering enough attention and short time devoteeship that it might eclipse itself into trendiness (which it has) and eventually passe-dom. I certainly hope this is not the case...but stories like this don't help.<br /><br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=5565070&page=1">Nightline story on survivalists</a>Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-49978828289685263312008-08-12T06:05:00.001-07:002008-08-12T12:24:13.102-07:00GamesTwo night ago was the first time I found myself jumping up and down and screaming in my living room in quite some time (well since <a href="http://www.soonersports.com/ot/2008_preseason_central.html">OU</a> played last year...). I get somewhat turned off by the melodrama that goes into enormous sporting events, but watching the athletes themselves is such a pleasure. Especially when you get this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frickin' awesome</span><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SKGLyH915uI/AAAAAAAAATc/L8MW2W6ai7Q/s1600-h/swimming+reaction.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SKGLyH915uI/AAAAAAAAATc/L8MW2W6ai7Q/s320/swimming+reaction.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233617935229380322" border="0" /></a><br />Last night lovie and I marveled at the absolutely outrageous Chinese gymnastics team. Those dudes <span style="font-style: italic;">nailed </span>their landings, you could see shock waves rippling through their backs before they stood up. Good god.<br /><br />And Jonathan Horton is like a bullet with magnetic feet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">He may be from Houston, but he goes to THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA!!!!</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SKGTKhiIgeI/AAAAAAAAATk/akDgFj8WNsE/s1600-h/horton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SKGTKhiIgeI/AAAAAAAAATk/akDgFj8WNsE/s320/horton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233626050990735842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diving or Jumping?</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img10.beijing2008.cn/20080812/Img214531979.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://img10.beijing2008.cn/20080812/Img214531979.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I can do without the Morgan Freeman schlock, but this stuff is <span style="font-style: italic;">sweet</span>.Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-79161871905810418562008-08-11T10:52:00.000-07:002008-08-11T14:50:16.838-07:00Pepper ReportAnother update on the growing guide...<br /><br />This year I grew <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Peppers-Hot/Robertos-Cuban-Seasoning">Roberto's Cuban Seasoning</a> and <a href="http://superseeds.com/products.php?cat=125">Lemon Drop</a> peppers from seed, as well as a hot pepper mix that included ancho, jalapeno, cayenne, Hungarian Wax, and poblano. These I started under lights inside in March and April. I bought plants for habanero, red bell, and tabasco. All were planted out the last week of April in a soil amended with homemade compost, store bought mushroom compost, and manure.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roberto's Cuban Seasoning</span><br />Started 9 seeds of which three were viable. Planted those out - 1 died and two are still a-growin'. One is now reliably producing a gorgeous and delicious wrinkled Chinese lantern type of pepper. The other is still growing and is stunted for some reason, although it looks healthy. Roberto's is billed as being a heat-free version of the habanero with that delicious taste. While it doesn't look like a habanero, it could be reasonably similar in appearance to a savina or scotch bonnet, but wrinklier. It does have that phenomenal taste and very low (though not heat-free) heat. I had trouble getting these maturity, but I frequently have trouble starting and maintaining peppers from seed (except for Fish Peppers which seem to grow themselves). They're worth the trouble, though - great pepper if you can get em going. Very, very, very tasty!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lemon Drop</span><br />I started 6 of these, of which 2 were viable. Planted them both out and 1 died. The other is now covered in green peppers that are beginning to ripen to yellow. I guess I can't really comment on the flavor as they haven't ripened yet, but hopefully they will taste like the one I got from the pepper lady last summer - it tasted like a pepper dipped in lemon! YUM! In any case, these too were persnickety in terms of the growing culture. I don't have much space for heating mats and a big lighting rig, but I bet that would help my pepper turnout...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hot Pepper Mix</span><br />These grew very easily in comparison to the speciaty peppers mentioned above. They are likely hybrids, though - wasn't mentioned on the package specifically what variety they are. In any case, they were much easier. So far I've gotten some of all, but the real stars have been the Hungarian Wax peppers which have gone mad. The anchos are doing okay. The jalapenos are doing well. The cayenne is working on it. The poblano is not doing so okay. Both the poblano and the anchos are somewhat spindly and growing straight up, rather than bushing out. Not enough leaf cover to prevent sunburn on the fruits. Lame. I think next year I will pinch all of my peppers when they are young things and remove the first sets of flowers. I want busy, bushy plants!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Red Bell</span><br />Hmph. Usually when I've purchased plants they've done well. Well, not these. The plant looks okay but I've only gottn 4 bells off it so far. Boo! And the first had BER on the side of it. I know it was a weird year weather-wise (wettest on record by July!) but still. Not impressed this year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Habanero</span><br />I've had good luck with habaneros in the past and this one is no exception - big, bushy plant with loads of lethal orange beauties. Doing great.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tabasco</span><br />This is probably the standout plant in my garden this year - well, this and the <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-state-my-case-in-graphical-way.html">Grendel Squash of Doom</a> - but this one is much more manageable and productive in a much, much smaller amount of space. This plant is literally covered in hundreds - yes, really - of tiny peppers. I'm constantly pulling them off. Very much worth the space and time, particularly if you love things bloody spicy. Need I mention <a href="http://wisdom-of-the-trowel.blogspot.com/2008/08/homemade-tabasco.html">homemade tabasco</a>???Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666719549351009132.post-5896451320332831452008-08-08T06:55:00.000-07:002008-08-08T10:34:06.977-07:00Homemade TabascoEasy, very hot sauce to dribble onto everything. Except people. This could seriously burn eyes and sensitive membranes (never pick your nose after cutting peppers...it's just a bad idea). Use hot pepper safety.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Homemade Tabasco</span> - makes one jar<br /><br /><ul><li>Save yourself a Tabasco jar with lid and plastic stopper.</li></ul><ul><li>Simmer about 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with about 1 1/2 cups tabasco peppers until peppers look soft and mushy (maybe 15 mins?).<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The little orangey-red peppers in the left hand corner are tabasco peppers<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJsBXzOfYiI/AAAAAAAAATU/nqGNg2OoX4g/s1600-h/IMG_2032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJsBXzOfYiI/AAAAAAAAATU/nqGNg2OoX4g/s320/IMG_2032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231776900520567330" border="0" /><br /></a></div></li></ul><ul><li>Grind it up in a food processor or food mill. If you are so inclined and have the time and equipment, put it through a sieve to get out the seeds, etc.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_YmTt7hI/AAAAAAAAAS0/2jmEDomNaA8/s1600-h/IMG_2040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_YmTt7hI/AAAAAAAAAS0/2jmEDomNaA8/s320/IMG_2040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231774715209444882" border="0" /><br /><br /></a></li><li> Place a funnel into the neck of the bottle - you might have to shove it down on there. This one came from a flask kit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_Yyh9f5I/AAAAAAAAATE/LHVGYEv7_MI/s1600-h/IMG_2042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_Yyh9f5I/AAAAAAAAATE/LHVGYEv7_MI/s320/IMG_2042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231774718490410898" border="0" /><br /><br /></a></li><li>The bamboo kebab stick helps you poke the pulp and seeds through so they don't just bottleneck the funnel. Top remaining pulp with enough vinegar to cover (maybe a tablespoon or so).<br /><br /></li><li>Shake! Shake! Shake!<br /><br /></li><li>I left enough room to add more peppers, so adjust accordingly. I think I'm going to regrind this or maybe sieve it because it's getting clogged. Or I might just remove the stopper and see how that goes.<br /><br /></li><li>This sauce is really hot! It tastes a lot like regular Tabasco except it's not fermented for three years because frankly I don't have that kind of patience or self-discipline. We had it on eggs and on jambalaya and it really is great on most savory things. But be careful, though, because it's firey hot. The seeds make it hotter than the real deal.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Et voila!</span></span><br /></div></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_YzxSGWI/AAAAAAAAATM/_vekteRBkaM/s1600-h/IMG_2043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-SD8EtS4md4/SJr_YzxSGWI/AAAAAAAAATM/_vekteRBkaM/s320/IMG_2043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231774718823111010" border="0" /></a>Lewruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996885511857490269noreply@blogger.com2