tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205342039795780452024-03-04T21:14:56.747-08:00100 Pound ChallengeThis blog is about growing food in the city. 100 pounds of food in one summer. Join me in tracking the progress, sharing urban garden tips, and maybe even doing a 100 pound challenge of your own.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-68580887420400605572013-09-07T05:43:00.002-07:002013-09-07T05:43:37.920-07:00Early September Harvest - 19 pounds in one week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-76356703590462415802013-08-09T19:32:00.004-07:002013-08-09T19:32:46.939-07:00Almost half-way with a 6 pound tromboncino<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4NN-Vjn9OYuaOm1a1FPRngQLFOolbhyphenhyphenGVJxBKzJYqt-FIN4qHsJrELYABg_PDsC7sQvgjgXOP7SFSb5Q12Pe9-6t53FhpNIo-YamQ0mCwMW_E3ys8b8nGZ4Iez0LSZPAhIps2kgbLMo/s1600/tomato+slice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4NN-Vjn9OYuaOm1a1FPRngQLFOolbhyphenhyphenGVJxBKzJYqt-FIN4qHsJrELYABg_PDsC7sQvgjgXOP7SFSb5Q12Pe9-6t53FhpNIo-YamQ0mCwMW_E3ys8b8nGZ4Iez0LSZPAhIps2kgbLMo/s1600/tomato+slice.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">August gardening... plum tomatoes keep on coming ... another 5 pounds this week. A few large heirlooms enjoyed in thick slabs in sandwiches. Something wonderful about the combination of bread and juicy tomatoes. A little butter, a little salt - nothing else needed. Not the 2 pound beefsteaks that my dad used to grow, but as tasty as I remember them to be. He would have enjoyed them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbDZ5Vt3OaS4Vu3Vi-NIPCq0H_xWxn_iQc9YOADknOEypMO7jE6ryb4Ia4H_bra9XORwRQKI0k2H0gVpFs325CVXKNelTk1bKfYkcexn5gudA4WqoITSw0vS32oelt3y5RKXBgz5EOoE/s1600/trombocino2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbDZ5Vt3OaS4Vu3Vi-NIPCq0H_xWxn_iQc9YOADknOEypMO7jE6ryb4Ia4H_bra9XORwRQKI0k2H0gVpFs325CVXKNelTk1bKfYkcexn5gudA4WqoITSw0vS32oelt3y5RKXBgz5EOoE/s1600/trombocino2.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWceTb0SzCWwkTl6QORUJYkC3UDFDWQJvso9MpZeciaoC_omuzA7PfbiXUNGO4j2NL6o9K7ELEDDPFqzAynqPh28c4Nu1enN2Arc3pSFMgfjEINheW3fvb-utUCjJOaxFFr9UYdX7uYhQ/s1600/Me+with+tromboncino.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWceTb0SzCWwkTl6QORUJYkC3UDFDWQJvso9MpZeciaoC_omuzA7PfbiXUNGO4j2NL6o9K7ELEDDPFqzAynqPh28c4Nu1enN2Arc3pSFMgfjEINheW3fvb-utUCjJOaxFFr9UYdX7uYhQ/s1600/Me+with+tromboncino.JPG" height="320" width="238" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> A vegetable that grows inches in a day: tromboncino squash - think trombone. They are very fun to watch grow - this one was 6 pounds - didn't measure it, but I think about 3 feet. I broiled 1/4 of it in thick slices, brushed with olive oil. A flavor which is reminiscent of acorn squash, but a texture more similar to zucchini. The other 1/4 is in the fridge - maybe will get grated and put into muffins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Dancing purple long beans and Styrian pumpkins. More on those in another posting.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-25468973382311706792013-07-29T17:28:00.002-07:002013-07-29T17:28:24.273-07:00First Fruits<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first eggplant</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trombocino is growing. This is an amazing summer squash.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One day's harvest - tomatoes to freeze<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-50632885573723402013-07-24T18:38:00.000-07:002013-07-24T18:38:15.447-07:00Turmeric Sprouts + First Fruits + Wet Blankets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_JuiJSE4-Jtrq4XFPdyD_sASYZlpTh5NFuy4Kx67nwpgJyRCPmNQqNyYiNACrAY-MixG4DddV6eqnUDNpkhEeZzpHSG2BQD0tKjNuX_oXadZ08MqAEuZ4o6FU0MRiqpsrJbjf3Inzbw/s1600/baby+trombocino.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_JuiJSE4-Jtrq4XFPdyD_sASYZlpTh5NFuy4Kx67nwpgJyRCPmNQqNyYiNACrAY-MixG4DddV6eqnUDNpkhEeZzpHSG2BQD0tKjNuX_oXadZ08MqAEuZ4o6FU0MRiqpsrJbjf3Inzbw/s1600/baby+trombocino.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">July is an exciting time in the garden. Within a day, the squash vines have crept along by inches, and the bean vines are wrapping around poles at the blink of an eye. So much growth. The first of any fruits are a joy to behold, whether it is the first ripe tomato or a squash flower transformed into a tiny fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An additional joy was noticing that the turmeric root I had potted up a few months back finally sprouted, which means I will transplant it and perhaps it will make more tubers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hard to be planning for winter when the temperatures are blazing into 3 digits, but I am following the methods of my wise Community Garden neighbor Jim, who has planted winter carrot seeds this week. The trick is keeping them moist enough to germinate in this heat. I covered mine with a discarded cotton blanket which I am soaking with water. When the seeds start to sprout, off comes the blanket. I've also been germinating fava beans (from the grocery store), which I will soon put in the ground for a fall crop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 pounds harvested this week - with the first eggplant, trombocino squash, and tomatillos to look forward to. Happy Summer.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-55357075154454589182013-07-11T17:49:00.001-07:002013-07-11T17:56:43.928-07:0010 Pounds this Week<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzIZf6mmH_QmnNqrTbvIOEQbMqpwSCuB5bggWdOVMgKDU5GVYcvbwRMZOqDjr6nbdk2dDh1fN_tBFjyaz_nHL-L8DQ4y8hvND8rQd_FTHFqNwfud8J5MNET5ke2W-0hGfrnfEK3XKNy4/s1600/June+First+Harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzIZf6mmH_QmnNqrTbvIOEQbMqpwSCuB5bggWdOVMgKDU5GVYcvbwRMZOqDjr6nbdk2dDh1fN_tBFjyaz_nHL-L8DQ4y8hvND8rQd_FTHFqNwfud8J5MNET5ke2W-0hGfrnfEK3XKNy4/s1600/June+First+Harvest.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Finally! Something other than lettuce, swiss chard and kale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Blogging wanes as the garden explodes into production.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Watering... weeding... harvesting... scheming.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What will I plant where the garlic was?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A fellow gardener is putting in winter storage carrots.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Maybe a fava bean cover crop... maybe more buckwheat....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">....back to weeding... staking... tying... mulching... and more watering.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6PyhzHSgcgKvgKX8bxob4u57FHPEgvYVD85kFNnVvRUgoSB0rj1xCjxgekms1oGBrdJ0uOP1nHh0KEEZqfnWLPzjRgC9RFuwwHsFFYl0UB1fhXcKK_eTMp0anhqL7TpqT1h4x4XLm7U/s1600/first+tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6PyhzHSgcgKvgKX8bxob4u57FHPEgvYVD85kFNnVvRUgoSB0rj1xCjxgekms1oGBrdJ0uOP1nHh0KEEZqfnWLPzjRgC9RFuwwHsFFYl0UB1fhXcKK_eTMp0anhqL7TpqT1h4x4XLm7U/s1600/first+tomatoes.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">How fast things grow, with such heat and humidity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gotta love the process, including the detective work of examining every stripped down bare leaf of container kale to find the cabbage looper who is eating my breakfast smoothie greens. Haven't found it - could it be a rabbit?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xKIxvXKV_1FiUTw9g1bgyrch-g7jwTZB7U2sanumLHsedhUG-fBgU098p4A2ot3eO8mSgAhhsVf7ibE5HQNg_LLiT2_05BNMQeujjxfo5CLwlmYcP1wyowE5kq2sakVjX_RKzlJANmM/s1600/potatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xKIxvXKV_1FiUTw9g1bgyrch-g7jwTZB7U2sanumLHsedhUG-fBgU098p4A2ot3eO8mSgAhhsVf7ibE5HQNg_LLiT2_05BNMQeujjxfo5CLwlmYcP1wyowE5kq2sakVjX_RKzlJANmM/s1600/potatoes.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The 10 pounds were:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The 1st 2 perfect striped zucchini - 2 pounds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lots of little plum tomatoes - 1 pound</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Beautiful onions - 1 pound</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rose colored potatoes - 2 pounds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">More kale and chard - 1 pound</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Garlic - it's gorgeous - 2 pounds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Assorted other things... jalepenyos, amaranth, chamomile, lettuce, basil, shiso- 1 pound</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-60520405987416745932013-05-27T16:46:00.000-07:002013-05-27T16:46:09.507-07:00No Slugs in my Lettuce
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtPkKyy6_mR_iUVn9RXR_d6a4xJJQIokEBF5kq_7CXcNVezMRkhobJYnBNp0mi4OLgc0DR66CgoullM6rnR3rVAQdlGh5f4aNX5VbwbX6bDpv_EeAIW2MXBTqTmw3yN3pKAbVzdmyf_M/s1600/Lettuce+Late+May2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtPkKyy6_mR_iUVn9RXR_d6a4xJJQIokEBF5kq_7CXcNVezMRkhobJYnBNp0mi4OLgc0DR66CgoullM6rnR3rVAQdlGh5f4aNX5VbwbX6bDpv_EeAIW2MXBTqTmw3yN3pKAbVzdmyf_M/s1600/Lettuce+Late+May2.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I became a gardener in the rainy Northwest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slugs abound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Banana slugs, round backed slugs, keel backed slugs, and those tiny
little ones that spoil a perfectly good head of lettuce. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slugs are so ubiquitous in the NW that the <a href="http://www.ucsc.edu/about/mascot.html">UCSanta Cruz mascot</a> is a Banana Slug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slugs
have been described on the <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nurspest/slugs.htm">Oregon State slug info site</a> as “basically a stomach on one large foot”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are slimy and gross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is really hard for me to find anything
likeable about them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slugs appear during those gray, drizzly days so common in the
Northwest spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have spent countless
hours building beer traps, placing copper collars, doing death by salt, and hand-picking
in the wee hours with a flashlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
gone to considerable efforts, just for a head of lettuce without slug damage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my son found a tiny baby slug in a salad it
put him off garden grown greens for weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward to life in the Northeast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a week of cool, drizzly weather,
reminiscent of back home, I noticed a few delicate slugs stretched out on paths
as I walked through the arboretum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
snails venturing from their protective shells?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suddenly it occurred to me - I’d been harvesting lettuce all week – with
NO slugs. This is the Northeast!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
first season here I was so appreciative of those perfect slug free heads of
lettuce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How quickly one forgets and begins
to take for granted the simple blessings of daily life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another lesson from the garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrhocZbrAaqhyy7_dH2ZpoxfkAgknew3ghtoZ0wIlhswUOrkOfFMMc_3MwoJ0Dr2-aLyYu-Z8_kqGd5n3P3nPwvYiOwS1jg6aUXMeCR52AvBefr_YkvvkWWAxsB0Ls8XKGOXs_r4_jrc/s1600/lettuce+late+May.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrhocZbrAaqhyy7_dH2ZpoxfkAgknew3ghtoZ0wIlhswUOrkOfFMMc_3MwoJ0Dr2-aLyYu-Z8_kqGd5n3P3nPwvYiOwS1jg6aUXMeCR52AvBefr_YkvvkWWAxsB0Ls8XKGOXs_r4_jrc/s1600/lettuce+late+May.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">More food for thought – if you had to depend on your garden
to put food on the table, how would your gardening change?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just how much time would you spend on growing
food that wasn’t perfectly suited to your climate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not suggesting monoculture, but the
variety would be a little narrower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
eggplants struggling to ripen in the temperate northwest, spinach bolting in
the heat of the south, and artichokes squeaking by in the New England
snows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d be planting what grew reliably for our
parents, and their parents before them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for me, gardening is a hobby. If <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my experimental ‘crops’ fail, the market is a
quick walk down the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I can
experiment, and have the fun of challenges. For now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-36078302157562352362013-05-21T18:36:00.001-07:002013-05-21T18:36:49.131-07:00My Kaffir Lime Tree<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VEugoCE1t-M7F0gYi00oBWU8lSyouISY1EM79mf5lX3JF3n8AZ23A8t7_5FpviqPa2KyBmlksg5lNV3syQslBUQSF5QA-WWeORc2NZIVfJlR6ixXfpxJbCyFiYd4eO0eFEuBe3GqvUw/s1600/Lime+in+a+box.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VEugoCE1t-M7F0gYi00oBWU8lSyouISY1EM79mf5lX3JF3n8AZ23A8t7_5FpviqPa2KyBmlksg5lNV3syQslBUQSF5QA-WWeORc2NZIVfJlR6ixXfpxJbCyFiYd4eO0eFEuBe3GqvUw/s1600/Lime+in+a+box.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve received
some unusual plants through the USPS – onion starts, seed potatoes, garlic
bulbs, but never before a tree, and certainly not a tree with a permit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My tree came in a cardboard box – about 4
feet long. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It arrived in perfect health, with a 3 year warranty,
a permit, lots of leaves, and even a few limes. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had ordered it
online from <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.lemoncitrustree.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">LemonCitrusTree.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, a company with an astonishing assortment of trees, including Minneola
Honeybells and Red Naval Oranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even
had 4 kinds of limes: Persian Lime, Key Lime, Kaffir Lime, and a Limequat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problem choosing though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my first mail order tree I knew what I wanted:
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kaffir Lime.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hunt for a Kaffir Lime started with </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seasoned-and-Spiced/157763744390129"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Renita Mendonca’s Seasoned and Spiced</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> cooking class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">R<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">enita has culinary expertise which goes way
beyond her own native Indian cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She showed us how to use tamarind, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>turmeric
root, galangal, lemongrass and Kaffir Lime leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aroma of Kaffir Lime is heavenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gardener in me went home wanting to grow
these exotic herbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why drive all the
way to the Indian grocery if you could pluck leaves from a front porch<a href="http://hundredpound.blogspot.com/2013/05/greens-from-zone-1.html"> Zone 1</a>
tree?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New England is not Florida, but we
do have nice warm summers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I bought a
few turmeric roots at Whole Foods, put them in potting soil, and went online to
find a Kaffir Lime tree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will mention that I do have another Lime tree,
which has its own special history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
ordering the Kaffir Lime, I tore up a couple of leaves from the thorny
Lime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These leaves also seemed to have a
heavenly aroma – and to my inexperienced Western nose – indistinguishable from
Kaffir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Renita confirmed that these leaves
were definitely not Kaffir lime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T8j_-vhnqC2ReFGRlM3qrLGGnlZj7VaHilzylXKNGKTR39WIDiOk9mDcaUPA9II91MnFyJQfnJxIHS7vzT9-oAeDEgGSo4jl8kXVs6mr2eM-GheFly4c30RgUaLXD-5wqkNIczqNKsU/s1600/May+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T8j_-vhnqC2ReFGRlM3qrLGGnlZj7VaHilzylXKNGKTR39WIDiOk9mDcaUPA9II91MnFyJQfnJxIHS7vzT9-oAeDEgGSo4jl8kXVs6mr2eM-GheFly4c30RgUaLXD-5wqkNIczqNKsU/s1600/May+garden.JPG" height="320" width="238" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So the Kaffir tree arrived, I unpacked it, read
its permit from the commissioner of the Louisiana Dept of Ag and transplanted
it with help from my son. I snipped a leaf and sniffed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow – way different from the other lime, I
agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t wait to use the leaves,
so I added some along with ginger for flavoring a chicken broth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another exotic dish to come: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seasoned-and-Spiced/157763744390129"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beef Rendang</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Kaffir-Lime-Leaves"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read more</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on using Kaffir Lime leaves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week’s garden harvest is not abundant,
but tasty and fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pound of mustard,
various lettuces, arugula, and other greens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been enjoying plenty of smoothies and salads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m learning about seasonal planning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From my community garden, I see that it is
possible to be harvesting plenty of kale, spinach, parsnips, over-wintered
lettuce, spring lettuce, and roots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trick
is to put things in at just the right time in the late summer. There is always
more to learn when it comes to growing food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Oh - and back to that Kaffir Lime tree. I've got plenty of leaves - so if you live in the Boston area, I'm happy to share.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxF_aiHZDiqlq_kmBxo96BsrAEZpyyJ1rQTI4w6_pGNR9qLMj6p44Q6b520VTlgJ5HphAuxK7OtS0kgzkDf6k3-FRFUsMecNNLhSp6vw1vuh2pUol3nEIsf641XIgafm6hTtXf7_0whk/s1600/May+container3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxF_aiHZDiqlq_kmBxo96BsrAEZpyyJ1rQTI4w6_pGNR9qLMj6p44Q6b520VTlgJ5HphAuxK7OtS0kgzkDf6k3-FRFUsMecNNLhSp6vw1vuh2pUol3nEIsf641XIgafm6hTtXf7_0whk/s1600/May+container3.JPG" height="320" width="238" /></a><br />
I love green smoothies. My recipe changes constantly, based on what I find in the freezer and what's abundant in the garden. My smoothies are hardly the traditional barebones mix of 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit. I start with a base of frozen fruit - a combination of any of the following: strawberries, blueberries, banana, pineapple and mango. In goes either yogurt (a high-protein Greek variety is best) or coconut milk. Then out to my Zone 1 garden to pick greens for the smoothie. This week, I've picked beautifully healthy baby mustards, arugula and kale. No huge yields in this chilly New England spring, but the greens are lovely and undoubtedly packed with calcium and other nutrients. It's a nice way to start the day. Here is a link to a <a href="http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2013/01/my-favorite-green-smoothie.html">green smoothie recipe.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGEo5NP6Jog7VX48TKBgbWlz_dxIh2pjVXChdvnVBe5QEJlEhzs2NaVGIcdKaIaRskaIEmCgb4RzfttAd53-EfClP76v869kfaB_EMQ7tfIQElr5Ab07i-SOWrIEYEOAne2ZGq8o6TMk/s1600/smoothie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGEo5NP6Jog7VX48TKBgbWlz_dxIh2pjVXChdvnVBe5QEJlEhzs2NaVGIcdKaIaRskaIEmCgb4RzfttAd53-EfClP76v869kfaB_EMQ7tfIQElr5Ab07i-SOWrIEYEOAne2ZGq8o6TMk/s1600/smoothie.JPG" height="200" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="149" /></a> The concept of Planting Zones a<a href="http://www.patternliteracy.com/resources/ethics-and-principles"> permaculture principal</a> which I find so useful. Zone 1 is the area of the garden which has the easiest access, both for harvesting and for care. Basically, the idea is that when you are planning your garden, put those plants which you will want to access most frequently closest to your home, Zone 0. My Zone 1 is a bunch of containers in a deck off my living room. I can step out in my slippers and pajamas and quickly snip some vibrant leaves. In seconds they are being whirled up in my blender. Can't get any fresher than that!<br />
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Would I make green smoothies as often if the greens grew in Zone 2 or more? Probably not. If I had to walk a few blocks to the community garden, or even just down a flight of stairs to the front yard, harvesting just wouldn't be as simple. <br />
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From <a href="http://tcpermaculture.blogspot.com/2011/05/permaculture-zones.html">Temperate Climate Permaculture</a>: "Bill Mollison once said that if you need some fresh herbs for your morning omelette, and if you go to collect them from your Zone 1 garden and your slippers get wet from the dew, then they were placed too far from the home." Permaculture is fascinating. <a href="http://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-design-principles/4-zones-and-sectors-efficient-energy-planning/">Read more</a> about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvGFnUw9y602wfNWwWkmxEdaL9Gv-M7O4Wfv2J_DhOgo7AOk8FgM_TkvbhsicuRGo9BHHKwENaOsN1RZiNDuETbx_UgtgGKT2dNCsk0EGC20iTwXfo4HmRdmyvuzp6M6cOZxojxKV7oY/s1600/May+container.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvGFnUw9y602wfNWwWkmxEdaL9Gv-M7O4Wfv2J_DhOgo7AOk8FgM_TkvbhsicuRGo9BHHKwENaOsN1RZiNDuETbx_UgtgGKT2dNCsk0EGC20iTwXfo4HmRdmyvuzp6M6cOZxojxKV7oY/s1600/May+container.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a> This week I harvested a scant 8 ounces. That means 96 pounds to go. I remember that growth does not happen linearly, but at its own rate, sometimes exponentially, and sometimes not at all. I was so excited to find beautiful locally grown heirloom tomatoes in a Jamaica Plain block sale, and did some planting before the heavy rains today. Red Zebras, Paul Robeson, Tommy Toe and more, planted along with the Yukon Golds, and onion sets. Yes - I think I will get to 100 pounds by the end of the season. With patience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaM7tVBpXwtf7OWQCS1Yhcn4_WCNvcfmkp_8eigVTWRYBiiDVlxpnQwx9u8RJZ5GkutQNvHrVdCzcwPX8MP0rf5JWdtDHY9BNNYCKZFgF4IOrjZnMYiGyJ6RAPFK9C20jDvbfLYJNM5o/s1600/volunteer+lettuce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaM7tVBpXwtf7OWQCS1Yhcn4_WCNvcfmkp_8eigVTWRYBiiDVlxpnQwx9u8RJZ5GkutQNvHrVdCzcwPX8MP0rf5JWdtDHY9BNNYCKZFgF4IOrjZnMYiGyJ6RAPFK9C20jDvbfLYJNM5o/s1600/volunteer+lettuce.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Working in the garden can often reveal hidden treasures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With careful attention you can spot the little
surprises: colorful bugs as pretty as a painting, or the first delicate sprigs
of a carrot seedling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This spring I found
some interesting things in the plot at the community garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
a long winter, it is easy to forget what bulbs went in last fall, so it was a
delight to find garlic shoots a foot tall, and bright yellow daffodils bordering
the plot. Mint shoots were coming up here and there, evidence of a determined
underground trek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, it’s not been
a problem keeping them in check - the mint makes a fine cup of tea, fresh or
dried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a treat to find a beautiful
carpet of mixed lettuce greens, volunteers from last season’s plants left to
self-seed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I was turning the soil in one of my beds, I noticed
something shiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking closer, I
spotted a lost earring, missing since last fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so glad that I hadn’t tossed the
remaining earring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lesson my mother
never taught me - if you lose an earring (or sock, glove, or anything else that
comes with two) hold on to the remaining one, its match may reappear
eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBCrMZKhHqaq1ESdrUvfqMM_s9MXg-YvZ_mFvfKVFKsJelycpdmogSdHbn9DA54Ih7lreaIeSvZv9Vw2ffXxjeoAjzbmP5SAuobgrWiMGZKhqJFAa2CRJ1bGtwDx-hR-WqMmoITt9eWM/s1600/collard+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBCrMZKhHqaq1ESdrUvfqMM_s9MXg-YvZ_mFvfKVFKsJelycpdmogSdHbn9DA54Ih7lreaIeSvZv9Vw2ffXxjeoAjzbmP5SAuobgrWiMGZKhqJFAa2CRJ1bGtwDx-hR-WqMmoITt9eWM/s1600/collard+flowers.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The harvest continues – the young collard leaves are about
done, and now little flower shoots are appearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cousins of broccoli raab, they were worthy of
snipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick saute with garlic and
olive oil resulted in a delicious dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thanks Fran for mentioning the kale flowers – very similar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This 100 pound challenge is changing what I
eat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were it not for this experiment, my
dinner vegetable might have been store bought cauliflower, instead of those
tasty collard flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed essential
to record at least 1 pound every week, and the leaves were 2 ounces short of
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Collard flowers, young chives, baby
lettuce – it all adds up - and the question becomes not "what do I want to have for dinner?" but "what is available for picking today in my garden?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-39097761982806870662013-04-21T18:35:00.000-07:002013-04-21T19:09:29.985-07:002 Pounds Harvested, 98 to Go
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I finally made it down to the Community Garden this weekend.
I was greeted by a row of bright daffodils, a welcome site in a relatively bare
plot. Flowers in a vegetable garden?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Definitely!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the season progresses, my plot will be
dotted with the bright oranges of calendula and nasturtium, and the delicate white
of buckwheat flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flowers are nice
for esthetics, but they also perform an important function: attracting
beneficial insects, such as lacewings, ladybugs, and bees. These insects not only act as pollinators, but feed on other insects which like to eat our crops. <a href="http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=146"> Read more</a> about beneficial insects as a method of organic pest control.</span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zuUHuaL2Hsv1Y03y_8NdO0PcyV3WXL_lWeK328Su18aa5FGHsRmtKyRvVHqXQa0HWpVU-NAdO84YcEqe1Hrg9mHefLNuGd0EZhs3ZAr_952QghiFrDXag94dgmA6hYqe60GxDU4skcQ/s1600/leek+on+scale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zuUHuaL2Hsv1Y03y_8NdO0PcyV3WXL_lWeK328Su18aa5FGHsRmtKyRvVHqXQa0HWpVU-NAdO84YcEqe1Hrg9mHefLNuGd0EZhs3ZAr_952QghiFrDXag94dgmA6hYqe60GxDU4skcQ/s1600/leek+on+scale.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4RAlSCB6mZXFC25pYDo7gF9PiB3Q5xTYvlJzWq2QcFonm3Zpf-bbHyE1xu4rKPbzYrscw6jX09QXhPDTjg1e3ScNKzZNoIBbfKOq8qljNnnSov1aZlW6qfRb21Uo8Xk5Sl86gkdtrNU/s1600/collard2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4RAlSCB6mZXFC25pYDo7gF9PiB3Q5xTYvlJzWq2QcFonm3Zpf-bbHyE1xu4rKPbzYrscw6jX09QXhPDTjg1e3ScNKzZNoIBbfKOq8qljNnnSov1aZlW6qfRb21Uo8Xk5Sl86gkdtrNU/s1600/collard2.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along with the daffodils, I was also delighted to find food ready to harvest. <strong>My first harvest of the season<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>resulted in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 pounds of leeks and
collards.</strong> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a joy in harvesting a
crop that survives the New England winter – as the leeks did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What sturdy plants to remain unharmed by
subzero temperatures and harsh winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
collards are the star of the garden in spring, unlike last summer when they
stood in company of juicy ripe tomatoes and giant swiss chard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I harvested, weighed, and hunted for recipes. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In my experience, I’ve found that if produce goes straight into the
refrigerator, it is more likely stay there until it is ready to be worm
food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, as tired as I was from an afternoon gardening, no rest until the harvest was processed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The leeks were easy – a standard improvised leek and potato soup – with chicken
broth, cream and butter – a 5-ingredient recipe with lots of flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the collards, an
<a href="http://off-my-plate.blogspot.com/2009/09/collard-greens-from-garden-to-plate.html">interesting recipe<o:p></o:p></a> with pancetta, mustard and vinegar. I might just be planting more collards this season.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpxRdQTPjlu2gkZlBegoJksDHno3S4wwFvn0_qnqszOCcqWrWnKItPxYoo6YZu__AGQZ8m7CRD6p_X_WvlFW05UcVSn4echegKfqig43_lnOM_fPmsRAVRaVdbEdQh3VXS6Gm9pWbg54/s1600/collard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpxRdQTPjlu2gkZlBegoJksDHno3S4wwFvn0_qnqszOCcqWrWnKItPxYoo6YZu__AGQZ8m7CRD6p_X_WvlFW05UcVSn4echegKfqig43_lnOM_fPmsRAVRaVdbEdQh3VXS6Gm9pWbg54/s1600/collard.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each garden season has its gifts and challenges. Spring is a season that shouts 'Now!' Timing is everything, and the more we become attuned to the rapid changes in temperature and precipitation, the better conditions we can provide for our seedlings. Rapid changes affect harvest as well. One day the collard leaves are perfect to pick, wait 2 days and the plant has bolted, putting energy into a flower head. No procrastinating on picking once you see those tiny flower heads appearing - unless of course it's broccoli.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1HRnvv8tEf5PtA2VJug7n6gT4FzpFD9fpvjd88Mop36QUckHp5ms9Pr0HLwadeQ8af-Q-tsk4i6AF1fqo_Wv48RTV9RZ-rBMFsztyh3-B2Y-9oYkvLdvg7MwlmerznJyB0X5t48gpgQ/s1600/daff+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1HRnvv8tEf5PtA2VJug7n6gT4FzpFD9fpvjd88Mop36QUckHp5ms9Pr0HLwadeQ8af-Q-tsk4i6AF1fqo_Wv48RTV9RZ-rBMFsztyh3-B2Y-9oYkvLdvg7MwlmerznJyB0X5t48gpgQ/s1600/daff+(2).JPG" height="200" width="178" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a rough week in Boston – tragic and surreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that many of us find comfort in the
activities which lend a sense of normalcy to our days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, it is in the ordinary acts of tilling
the soil and planting seeds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Early
spring harvests are a lovely reminder of what can grow from the tiniest of seeds,
given sun, water, and nurturance. In the midst of this season of hope and possibility, a horrible event occurred in this city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Let us hope for an end to bombings everywhere. Let us a hope for a world in which people do not lose their loved ones to such acts of violence. Let us each do the hard work of cultivating understanding and compassion.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08718636501937812731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220534203979578045.post-25793042759148650902013-04-14T14:34:00.000-07:002013-04-14T18:04:30.035-07:00April Garden Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGo7xSWA7Y2Hj6ejylLGZwA2DOQXlWVZj_-oEIKyl-UX_26sIt0HxqvBiWFSrlkeYzXGpldHk0yBhfVP4jV_kIrJQlx92xS8cAtZX-17_RLanoGjt5sgCTE0WtdDsdfNyr3xe5Vr4P5w/s1600/Dad%2527s+2+pound+tomato+on+a+scale+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGo7xSWA7Y2Hj6ejylLGZwA2DOQXlWVZj_-oEIKyl-UX_26sIt0HxqvBiWFSrlkeYzXGpldHk0yBhfVP4jV_kIrJQlx92xS8cAtZX-17_RLanoGjt5sgCTE0WtdDsdfNyr3xe5Vr4P5w/s320/Dad%2527s+2+pound+tomato+on+a+scale+%25282%2529.jpg" height="320" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of Dad's 2+ pound tomatoes.</span></em><br />
<em>Made a delicious sandwich.</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViVMd32H0hqlfDkft70pN7bpNQPKL3N05_sLp5gqf0r5cm_IUkR9zKY3GRD4A9un3A9j4EpHa7BKTG4K_RiYBfB4BTEH96dfH-wdh_dGzbq3OrO9T0JSAU7AbLpwNdM8OuNWF95Vt1Ok/s1600/IMG_0542+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViVMd32H0hqlfDkft70pN7bpNQPKL3N05_sLp5gqf0r5cm_IUkR9zKY3GRD4A9un3A9j4EpHa7BKTG4K_RiYBfB4BTEH96dfH-wdh_dGzbq3OrO9T0JSAU7AbLpwNdM8OuNWF95Vt1Ok/s200/IMG_0542+(2).JPG" height="200" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>2012 Cherokee Tomatoes.</em><br />
<em>Not large, but full of character</em>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This blog is about growing food - 100 pounds of it. I'm not a farmer, but an apartment dweller in a high-density city. We see plenty of snow - no 3 season gardening here, and mid-April could still bring freezing temperatures. I've got lead in my yard soil, too much to grow food. But, I am fortunate to have a sunny deck full of containers, and a nice sized plot in a community garden. Can I grow a hundred pounds of food this summer? That's the challenge. The benefits: healthy super-fresh food, interesting varieties, saving money, reducing my carbon footprint, plus of course the intrinsic joy of digging in the soil and those first delicious harvests.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh-Dk6xbhmmaEp184QLDZXuh7f_F-6hkHHSakoQ5EJDFucf9BFSGk94rR6I1EIuTdzZ3_v05cJppyOqkkNuCAah-CLO-9yot72OZTLh0t3uMmltjKAXawdkKdPFmekyS8aUgVLsSaIyE/s1600/SCAN0008-page-0+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh-Dk6xbhmmaEp184QLDZXuh7f_F-6hkHHSakoQ5EJDFucf9BFSGk94rR6I1EIuTdzZ3_v05cJppyOqkkNuCAah-CLO-9yot72OZTLh0t3uMmltjKAXawdkKdPFmekyS8aUgVLsSaIyE/s200/SCAN0008-page-0+(2).jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I dedicate this blog to my dear father who passed away on
August 1, 2012 at the age of 100. Jay Furman understood the joys of gardening. He weighed his produce too. Picture albums contained countless shots of tomatoes on the scale, peaches on the scale, cucumbers... you get it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He planted grape arbors in his 80’s
and grew tomatoes on his retirement home rooftop into his 90’s. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beefsteaks I ate as a child were legendary
in size and taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He bartered
surplus tomatoes for Jersey corn from the local truck farm and gave away many juicy gems to
grateful friends and relatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ate seasonal and local – hothouse tomatoes
never appeared on our table in December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am thankful to my dad for helping me to appreciate the joy and wonder
of growing my own food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s spring in New England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, almost. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The forecast is for
sleet, so once again I dragged my deck pots of baby greens into the living room
for the night. In the temperate Northwest, gardeners are snipping chives, and
harvesting microgreens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But here, I am
planning, not planting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I am still
thinking about what I will grow this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How do YOU decide what you to put in your garden?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are my criteria:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s tasty</b>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year my collard plants were ornamental.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have any great recipes for collards, so I rarely
harvested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year I’ll be growing
more of what I like to eat: swiss chard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s beautiful? </b>Purple!
Shiny purple eggplants, striking purple yard long beans, cute purple peas, and
maybe even some purple kale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiso">Shiso</a> too –
it’s prolific, colorful, and makes a great pesto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s unusual?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><a href="http://bestjamaica.com/calaloo.html">Jamaican Calaloo</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My co-worker sent a <a href="http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/food_and_drink/callaloo-fish.htm">recipe</a> – I have
to try it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and those Styrian pumpkins
from <a href="http://fruitinwestseattle.org/">COWS orchard</a>– no hulls – can’t wait to try them. Thanks for the seeds Helen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What was scarce last
year? </b>That one’s easy – <a href="http://ground%20cherries/">Ground Cherries</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not one ground cherry made it from the garden home last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are just too tasty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I hope to have at least a dozen
plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'm starting seeds now. </span>Two varieties: <a href="http://ground%20cherries/">Pineapple</a> and <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1166">Aunt Molly's</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then there are the tomatoes… and onions… and potatoes…
and squash… and of course, basil<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Can't decide or new gardener? Try a preselected<a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/store/seed-collections/home-gardener-s-collection/"> Collection from Baker's Creek Heirloom Seeds</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>What will you grow this season? How do you decide? Want to do your own 100 pound challenge?</strong></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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