Parsley cubes

Have to much parsley or too much cilantro?   I am set for soups in the winter.  Or even to add to salsas.  Try freezing cubes.  

Wash the parsley remove the stems and chop my hand or use a blender,

I used a small hand blender

Add olive oil enough to make of thick paste in consistency and spoon into ice cube trays. 

I placed in the freezer for two days but 12 hours is good enough

To remove the cubes from the tray I placed the ice cube tray in another shallow container and added hot water for 5 seconds without wetting the parsley

This loosened the cubes so they would come out easily

I've placed the kids in a Ziploc bag removing all excess air by sucking it out.  Close zip the bag and label with content and date. 

place back in the freezer avoid piling them up.  And that is it Papi Q in winter soups.  I also like to add to rice with Parmesan cheese.   Google recipes using parsley.   I'm doing the same thing for cilantro.   

Radishes and Swiss Chard

Lessons to share.  Made a quick cell phone video today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofpZa2_wFxU&feature=youtube_gdata

pulled radishes and Swiss chard.  gonna have to research more on SC but radishes I knew something about from the Web.  

plenty of water now added 2x a day, more minutes and a hose that is twice as wide.   replenish soil with good earthy compost and replanted radish.  these are very fast growing veggies due now in about 25 days and seed sprout in like four days.  

happy growing !

My mini farm

A panoramic view of my vegetable farm 

Our home came with the small fence as a dog area.  Kinda nice to keep Sammy away from the plants he just has to smell everything.  

composting the right materials will break down very nicely will amend soil for next year.  

In a short paragraph use water to wet but not completely soak.  Fresh air, dried up grass with no weed killer, leaves brown or green, kitchen scraps that are vegetable only except crushed egg shells.  Skip avocado skin never breaks down either.  

I also added saw dust with no chemicals, and horse manure cause I had the opportunity.   

This summer I got the chance to add several buckets of composted material from similar pile aged a year at least.  From a friend people who share of course I share what ever grows and taste good.  Same from a friend with two horses.   I met her by posting on Facebook on westernslope site need aged manure.  She said sure come on over.  You know it will be a pleasure to share with friends who just have an open heart.  

Just a little over a month ago

Potato towers

On the internet lots of talk about making towers out of discarded wooden pallets

http://shar.es/M55Nl

that means taking apart and using my nail hammer skills that don't exist so I figure something creative that I can handle.  3 long pillow cases at Salvation Army $2.20 for the three towers I have with potato plants

Cut them open on long sides 

sew, I did by hand with yarn, I crochet so I have lots of yarn.  The side to close is the original opening side    

Slide into the four stakes.  I had used duct tape at the base but this is not necessary.  It was just a cheap roll I bought.  

If too loose you can readjust stake or sew a pinch for tightness 

fill with dirt mix I use regular dirt and old horse manure mix I gather from horse owner friend and a new home construction site down the street

Cover until leaves top show.  The plant continues to grow and more dirt is needed to continue covering until plant flowers and dries out late September

When covering Potato main stem forces plant to make root and grow taller repeat procedure 

 More info here...

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato2.html

 I get the soil for free so it's worth it.  

Cute little tomato

Cute little tomatoes have started to form all tomato plants are busy flowering now I pinched off all the suckers 

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-plant-suckers.htm

but there still lots of green bushy plants.  

 One thing to remember is too much nitrogen as soon too much horse maneuver although it is all dried up it still makes tomatoes plants very pushy and long leaves.  I think that's one thing I'm doing.   When flowering also make sure they have extra extra water.  

It's only five weeks !

Vegetables are really growing and fast I was moving rocks out of the way and planting seeds just give weeks ago.   Nice !   Pepperoncini peppers are so good pickled.  I got e plants and will pickle in a jar when ready ! 

Mesclun salad.

cut off all the topping of growing mesclun.  Enough for a salad before going out this evening.  Two days ago I cut off all the greens from beets stir fry with garlic onion olive oil.  Gonna get my vitamins this week.  I had to cover so the birds would leave me the rest 

tomorrow I'll cut off the chard.  not that they grow fast is just that there are enough plants and IM HUNGRY 

my first harvest !

today I cut some flat leaf parsley I added to my dinner.   it's rewarding to cut something I grew instead of market bought.

I also notices strawberries started to come out.  I bought them a few weeks ago and cut all all the flowers to give strength to the roots which did very well the plants got so much stronger.   Now I'm going to let the flowers bloom for the all summer berries 

Last plot number six: corn

In another post I will try to explain the differences between hybrid and GMO food sources.  I have planted a hybrid corn that looking me lasting sweetness as well as six corn per stalk.  You grow about 6 feet

The redline across means planting this plot in sessions every two weeks so I will not have a massive amount of corn all at once.  

I have read so many websites help forums books videos it's great to acquire all this knowledge and can test out what works in my garden.  I'll be sharing more soon.  

Plot number five. My sloppy one

Seems like we all have one plot that is always the lagging behind one.   Well this is the one for me

 in this plot I have Kayle Walla Walla onions patty squash some radishes three sweet potato plants and basil of course

I can't even tell what are weeds and what art radishes right now.   That Patty squash is going to be the larger plants.  I have to look and see what's up with the Kale.   well I'll be tackling this one tomorrow ... 

Plot number four: the misc plot

This one I consider my misc plot.  If I think of something I want to grow later I have room I add here.  I put left over tomato cause I could not fit them all in number one.  It would be too crowded.   Added curly parsley I bought cause the seeds are eeeever so slow I'm not sure if I'll be using it before fall ?   I have flat parsley which I like better in #1.  

I added cucumber bush instead of trellis don't know why I could not find non-bush.  I'm going to attempt to keep them off ground and disease free.  And of course basil.  Can never have too much. When I buy container they come in four do I got eight and put left over here.  I'm going to be freezing some if it in ice cube trays for the winter for soups etc 

Plot three: salad

Plot number three

this is the salad bin or plot.  In it I have mesclun, Bibb lettuce, radicchio, escarole, swim chard, arugula. 

I have no cover yet but I do plan to cover as it will be 100 many days during the summer and they will suffer from heat.  The birds are many here too I have a birdhouse an feeder right outside kitchen dinning room slide door and love to see them.    Pic of arugula 

Plot two: same measurement for the 1-3 plot 12 x 3 feet

Plot number two.  The second one I got ready.  Working on them in numerical sequence    In it I'm growing potato, strawberry, snow pea in bush, beet, radishes, carrots, cilantro, basil.    I guess you can figure out my favorite herbs.    specially when they Ate easy to grow.  

Some grow under ground, while others are quick growing above grands.  makes sense.    I'm using horse manure aged from a friend who has two horses.   Met her on Facebook page on westernslope free, yard sale and bartering group site.   I will be sharing produce with her as a thank you.   another friend for home composting I'll be sharing  something.   Gardening does not have to be expensive if I'm willing to find reasorses.  

 

Plot number one six total

each of the six plots are numbered.  

Master picture above on graph paper.  Each square on each of the six plots is one square foot.   ease of companion planting and track what's growing and where.  know germination dates to take action on not growing when is overdue.  how much produce you will have by when.   It's a necessity to keep records on everything

summary of what is growing in each plot 

first is plot number one.   growing tomato, green bell peppers, parsley, green bean , basil.   Some marigolds and herbs intermixed with veggies help draw in good bugs and repel bad ones.  

Some plants are from seedlings some are bought.  The different sizes help with harvesting at different times.  

On another post I'll share my misfortune with growing seedlings early Spring but I will attempt again next year.  

record keeping

as organized as I am ... When I choose to ... I have a binder with detailed records. 

plot number and what's growing using the square foot method.  what's planted and due to germinate and due for harvesting.  records include costs income such as yard sale or even selling produce to neighbors    Info on seedlings failing miserably but with this got lots of notes to retry next early spring

A log of reading ideas, lessons, tips.  

One section for pests problems, creating bug traps and organic pests controls.  To do lists, even a wish list.   

mini farm is doing wonderful

I spend hours upon hours cleaning moving rock soil conditioning planting weeding ...  But the fruit of my labor is positively wonderful.  All six plots are growing nicely.   Pic my Strawbarry farm a fun name for our last name Barry 

What's growing? Part two

Here is my list of vegetables in the garden 

What's growing ?

My garden is almost all planted.   Need a few more drip lines.   Very few plants, tomato, bell pepper, Strawbarry and few flowers from my Sweet Adeline Director Tammy.  need to move more rocks to the front of the house and make nicer looking walkway.  

three plots complete

Been working at least five hours on the garden.  my first three plots measuring 12 x 3 feet are complete.  The big work was cleaning out all the rocks from a gravel lot.  I had to dig several inches down to remove these river rocks.  Dried manure added to enrich our soil.  high desert area sandy clay soil.  Drains well.  vegetables and Strawbarry added to these three plots surrounded ny marygold sat perimeter.   I read these flowers are very good to deter possible pests.   Water irrigation installed but very little pressure so the installation guy will be getting a call as soon as this holiday weekend is over.  will take pictures and type a list of what's in the grown ...

Prepping Soil

Making progress.  Warm Saturday 83 the high.   Weeds are incredible.  Have not planted sense spring 2012.

yard sale for garden supplies

Yard Sale raising funds for my veggie garden

Need to think of a watering system (drip or soaker..??) and plants sense I did so crappy at growing seeds - well that sure was a learning experience - must share that too.