Basil

I LOVE basil, it's not that I'm a huge pesto fan, although I am, I just love the smell of it. I also love all different the varieties you can grow of basil. Many of you are familiar with the Italian variety Genovese. It's bright green and super delish on tomatoes and mozzarella, but the more uncommon varieties are what really spark my interest. This year I have three varieties in the garden, Italian Genovese, Blue African basil and Thai basil. Each has a distinct fragrance, texture and taste. Blue African basil is coarse and woody but the scent is fantastic. It closely resembles it's cousin the mint plant. Genovese is smooth and soft and very delicate with a more mild flavor. Thai basil smells almost like licorice and has a great taste that compliments shrimp dishes. Here's an easy recipe as posted on my friends blog http://www.myjudythefoodie.com/2012/06/a-homegrown-experience-making-fresh-pesto/ My Judy the Foodie. Check it out! I helped her with her garden planning and she's promised some good recipes in return. Enjoy!

How to make a self watering container out of bottles

Here's a fun DIY project to do with kids. It's easy requires few supplies and works great for indoor our outdoor use.
Supplies:
Empty bottle (water bottles work well, as do larger 1 liter soda bottles)
Scissors
knife
Duct tape
Cotton ball
Potting soil
Starter plant ( long root plants work well, you want to select something that won't outgrow its container too quickly so herbs and lettuces are best)
Have fun!

How to Harvest Kale plus a Great Recipe!

I love kale! It's a super food as far as I'm concerned, and if harvested correctly it will provide throughout the season maybe even into the next ( the kale in my garden was planted in October and is still going it's May ) Here's a simple video on harvesting kale and here's a recipe from my friend who writes a great blog with super yummy recipes, check her out My Judy the Foodie.

http://www.myjudythefoodie.com/2012/04/kale-dip-with-carrots/

ENJOY!

How to harvest broccoli rabe

I'm trying to keep in mind that even though I can show you how to grow things I have to remember to show you how to harvest them. Many crops if harvested the right way will provide multiple harvests. So here's one of those veggies that just keeps on giving and I'm including the most basic recipe as well. So enjoy your broccoli rabe!

Recipe:
Broccoli Rabe
Olive oil
Fresh garlic
Pinch of sea salt

Rinse broccoli rabe in cool water towel dry lightly. Saute garlic and oil quickly do not let it brown. Add broccoli rabe and and stir with wooden spoon during cooking until color of broccoli rabe is dark green. Add pinch of sea salt. Do not over cook as soon as it's dark green pull off heat and serve with fresh pasta. YUM!

A New Spring "Don't Force It"

Okay so my motto used to be "Grow Something Anywhere", not anymore. You see not every plant will grow just anywhere. Often when we are planning gardens or deciding where to integrate veggies into our landscapes we force plants to be in the wrong spaces. Planning is important, and providing your plants with their sunlight and soil requirements are essential. Two super handy resources I keep by my side that help me throughout the planning process are "Garden Anywhere" by Alyce Fowler and "the Edible Front Yard" by Ivette Soler. Check them out, my new motto for this weeks blog is "Don't Force It." Give your plants what they need, southern exposure is best, plant the tallest plants on the north side of your beds as to not shadow your other plants. Companion planting is great, your plants not only will help protect each other from predators but enhance each others flavors if grown together. There are whole books on companion planting but if your in a pinch and want a shortcut check out http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html . So don't force it, plant your seedlings and starters where they will grow best. 

Last year I planted this garden with basil and tomatoes next to each other, not only do they taste good when eaten together but basil actually enhances the flavor of your tomatoes when growing. Basil is also said to repel flies from the tomato plants. I always plant anything in the onion family near any lettuce I grow, the onions repel aphids from eating your lettuce. Plant oregano near broccoli or cucumbers to repel beetles.
Got any tips? Please share and happy gardening!

Healthy Winter

Staying well with tips from Farmers and Friends:
I've been fortunate throughout my life to come across many interesting and knowledgeable people.
I've always loved how life seems to bring these people in and out of my life, and lately they've made their way back round again. So without further adieu let me introduce you to the people at Stone Barns Center. I can't say enough about these beautiful people and the work they do. They not only produce nutrient dense food for their local market but help train and educate the up and coming farmers of the future. This blog isn't long enough to list all the great things that Stone Barns does so check them out at http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/.  So in keeping with the theme of this blog for today here's a recipe from Stone Barns for overall respiratory health throughout the winter months.http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/elderberry-or-thyme-syrup/
Most recently my wonderful husband has been coming home from the library, yes library, with issues of Mother Earth News magazine which has encouraged us to plan for a future of solar power, beekeeping, composting, animal husbandry... you name it, it's on our list. If you haven't checked this magazine out online, on Facebook or in the flesh (in print) do so, you'll be glad you did. Here's a few helpful hints from them about staying well during these months where most of us tend to stay inside more than we would like. Basic rules of good hygiene wash the hands sort of stuff but also some helpful herbal remedies as well. Check it out here http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2007-12-07/Effective-Natural-Cold-and-Flu-Remedies.aspx
Enjoy and all the best for a Healthy Year to come!
Grow Something Anywhere!

The Farm Bill

The Farm Bill

What I do know about the agriculture business is that bigger is not better.  Small farms have become major contributors to our nations economic growth. What I do know about small farms is this...
1. they tend to feed their local community
2. most small scale farms don't rely on government subsidies which have been proven to be detrimental to our nations economy.
3. small scale farms are less likely to have a negative environmental impact on the land
To learn more about the farms that produce your food and why the Farm Bill may not be good for our country check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV_nMtkmzGo&feature=youtu.be
http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2011/11/help-stop-the-secret-farm-bill/
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_24260.cfm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob303.htm
Thanks
Grow something anywhere