First Harvest of 2014

The 2014 gardening season is just upon us the I am excited to say that this is the fourth year for my asparagus bed and it is flourishing. There year will be an extended week of harvesting this year . I have been harvesting at least one pound a day for the last two weeks now.  I highly recommend starting your own asparagus bed. Its not hard and it comes back every year its a one time plant and can last for nearly twenty years. Refer to my previous blog asparagus patience is a virtue to learn more about starting your own bed this year. I am looking forward to this season I have expanded the garden with three more raised beds. It will also be the first year of my Hugelkultur which I am not expecting to much from this year its another four year project. It going to be an exciting season as I learn something new every day with this hobby.

I urge everyone to start a small garden there is always a beginning and an end to this hobby. As always Enjoy Life and Have Fun

"Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let you fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? 
Job 12: 8-9

Never Water A Garden Bed Again Hugelkultur Huga what ?

Well when you think you know everything there is to to know about gardening. You always learn more. My wife thinks I am insane with all my crazy garden ideas but this one takes the cake.  I read up on a theory of growing a garden without ever needed to water a bed again. And this has been  proven  in desert like conditions. And yes I don't live in a desert but it was great excuse to bring home some iron and dig some holes. 

HUGELKULTUR

 Hugelkultur is German for "mound culture" the theory is mound some rotten wood and cover with soil and let mother nature do its work. Obviously I went to extremes on my project I dug a 7' deep whole and filled it with an big Willow tree that fell down in my woods. So as it rains the water will fill the hole and absorb into the wood and water will naturally release into the soil and plants will take as much water as it needs. As Mother nature does it work with in three years I should never have to water this garden bed ever again and should be able start plants earlier in spring  and grow longer in the fall. Oh yeah  Leo LOVED the machine as well.

As always enjoy life and have fun 

 

Final Harvest of The Year

Well its that time of the year, just before the first frost I harvest what is remaining on this years crop.  I wait to harvest the best of this years crop so I can save the seeds for the next years planting season. This will allow a much better crop for next year as the seeds year after year get accustomed to my soil.  Monsanto Seed Company can't stop me from saving my seeds. Until next year my friends. 

Enjoy life and Have Fun!!!

Basil & Butter ?

If you grow basil in your garden  and are looking for new ideas and ways to to use all the basil grown look no further my wife has found a useful way to utilize all the basil I grow . We can only make so much pesto and freeze it. I planted three different kinds of basil this year and my wife found a great recipe to use, a basil butter recipe that we all love.

Please Enjoy 

1-1/2 cups of basil leaves

2 sticks of salted butter

1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon of garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon of ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon of Penzy's season salt


Wash all basil leaves  grind leaves in food processor until finely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Spoon mixture into half pint Ball jar and refrigerate.

HOT PEPPERS!!! + Great Family & Freinds = FUN

This weekend we had a family gathering at the homestead. As I looked at my garden I had an abundance of Hungarian Hot Wax peppers. So I decided to pick what I had and search for a recipe. And I think I found a winner. I think my guests thought so as well,  for I didn't even get to sample one myself. It was a great day spending time with family and friends I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. Thank you all for coming .

Enjoy Life & Have Fun 

Recipe:

Get two 8 oz. packages of  soften cream cheese mix with some Italian sausage already browned and drained, with your choice of herbs I used fresh oregano, thyme and basil from the garden. Slice the peppers in half and spoon the mixture into the peppers. Use toothpicks to hold peppers together for  baking phase. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes once 20 minutes is complete take the tray out of oven and turn broil on high.  As the broiler heats up sprinkle on some grated Romano cheese and place back into the oven for five minutes . End result is heaven at least that is what I was told.

 

 

Asparagus - Patience Is a Virture

Growing asparagus is remarkably easy. But you must have some patience, as it takes three years before you can actually harvest the crop. But when its time time to harvest get ready because they grow quickly some can grow 10" overnight. Once you have an established bed you will have a good 10-15 years of  Asparagus growing year after year.  I can never get enough there are so many great recipes for Asparagus

Enjoy Life and Have Fun

Step one :

Buy some one year crowns this cuts a year of the harvest time , I purchased mine from walker plants online they have a few different varieties. http://www.walkerplants.com/products/Asparagus-Early-Season/

Step Two

Once you get the plants a couple hours before you plant the crowns soak the roots in water. After a few hours of soaking you can now plant.

Step Three

Dig a trench about 6 - 8 inches deep then spread the crowns into the trench. Plant the crowns about 15" apart and rows about 36" apart. Back fill the hole about 3 inches , once the you start to see growth back fill the rest of the trench.

Step Four

Let it grow and die out each winter and cut back in spring , until the third year at this time you can begin to harvest. But only for the first three weeks , 4 year you can extend to 4 weeks, 5 year you should be able to harvest for 8 weeks.

Jack In The Bean Stock

I have never grown Beans before so I didn't know what to expect. This year  I choose another Heirloom variety  a Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean also known as "Old Homestead" . They are stringless and rich in flavor. Probably the most popular pole bean grown. But I was amazed at what these beans produced. I planted 10 seeds this year and boy was I surprised they just keep coming . I strongly recommend trying a vertical method if you are tight on space. More on Vertical Gardening to come.

07/15/13

08/11/13