The Conclusion of the Gardening Season

It has been a very rainy weekend that grows colder has the rain continues. The last of the vegetables are now in the ”frig” for consumption during the week. I have quite enjoyed watching these plants grow from sprigs of green to hearty bushes. As the summer progressed, flowers were visited by honey and bumblebees, which pollinated each to produce an abundance of fruit. Cherry tomatoes, green bell peppers, an assortment of herbs, eggplants, lettuce, and pickling cucumbers. So many healthy treats that will draw me to plant another garden next year. Yes, the belief of future activities is the optimism that makes life worthwhile. So stay tuned to the upcoming garden of 2011! In the meantime, I will share some of my winter activities.

The September Garden

September is really a beautiful month, especially in the western U.S. The temperatures are warm with lots of sun. Days are dry and nights are cool but not cold. There is still plenty of treasures in the garden. Right now I am watching 3 beautiful eggplants that I will enjoy next weekend. My cherry tomatoes and banana peppers are still producing adequate amounts for a daily salad. And my tomatillo plant is loaded for a fresh salsa verde. Here is a recipe that I enjoy this time of year. It can be a sauce for chicken or a great dip for fresh made corn chips. Enjoy!
Fresh Tomatillo Sauce
• 1/2 lb. tomatillos
• 1/2 c. fat-free chicken broth
• ¼ c. cilantro leaves
• ¼ c. chopped green onion
• 2 TBSP fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• ¼ tsp. salt
Discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Combine tomatillos and broth in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat; cover and cook 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Combine tomatillos, cilantro, and next 6 ingredients (through jalapeno) in a food processor; process until smooth. It will last for up to 4 days.

Mills, J. (May 2009). Cooking Light, p. 137.

A Peaceful Saturday Morning In My Garden

Most mornings in my life are an early wake-up and off to the office. This starts around 5:45 AM. The summer climate requires me to be up early on Sunday if I want to accomplish a 7 or 8-mile hike. Thus, Saturday is my morning to slow down and enjoy my home environment. This morning I spent it in my garden. It started out with watering the vegetables and flowers and offering them the last feeding for this year. Then I harvested my tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, and herbs for a weekend salad. The eggplants are growing leaps and bounds. Maybe I will have one to take to a friend next weekend. The last activity was cutting peppermint and wintergreen as well as some flowers for a bouquet. It makes the house smell fresh and reminds of the beauty outside when my time is limited during the week.

Even though my mornings are a fast pace, I occasionally find time in the evening to enjoy my flowers and plants while sipping a glass of wine in the splendor that is my garden. In the background, some light opera or classical music charm the hummingbirds to join me for a liquid snack at dusk. It is truly a time to reflect on life, reconnect with the earth, and relax within a realm that is a gift.

Music suggestions for an evening in your garden:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
This soundtrack is a mix of songs that were composed for the movie and blend well with a natural setting. And, it includes mandolin music if you are a fan.

You Name It - Mom & Dad Grow It

I wrote a previous blog about the garden that my parents plant. Well I had a chance to visit a few weeks back and wanted to share some photos from their garden. The photo on the right is the main vegetable garden that contains corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, dill, eggplant, squash, melons, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and the traditional row of flowers (usually zinnias or gladiolus). We enjoyed a bounty of fresh vitamins from this space and my mom will can and freeze a great deal of food for the winter. I helped can string beans while I was home.

The photo on the left is the corn and potato field. My family eats potatoes every day and are might picky when it comes to this household staple. My dad plants red and white varieties but our favorite is “Green Mountain Potatoes” which are white. No matter how you cook them, they are fluffy and dry. Dad is known to experiment with different types of eating corn. “Silver Queen” is one of our favorites due to sweet taste and long ears. This year including a planting of “red corn” which added to the aesthetics of field with the bright red tassels blowing among the various shades of green. Unfortunately, the area is experiencing an incredible drought so the brilliant green you see here, is quickly fading due to three weeks with no rain. But due to my parents’ efforts, they have harvested a great deal for this year and shared with others who were not as fortunate.