Herbs, Herbs, Herbs!!!

Herbs are ready to be harvested and it's so hard to keep up. Running out of room in the house to hang them to dry. Today I harvested echinacea, goldenrod, marshmallow, borage, feverfew and nettles (don't even let them brush up against you--they sting). Trying pickled nettles: put into jar, covered with tarragon vinegar, added garlic, cayenne and let sit for 8-10 weeks. Serve with toast, feta cheese and olives. Have been making herbal foot and bath bags to sell at the Farmer's Market. Sold a few last week and will try and make some other mixtures like Cold & Flu Soak, Antiseptic Soak for Cuts & Bruises, Stress Relief, etc. Seems that if you don't sell items to eat, you don't have to make them in a certified kitchen. Garden is slow this year--I think I used too much horse manure, although it didn't seem to hurt the grass. Harvesting beans now and will pick some salad burnet and herbs to take to market this week. Planted some seeds today--pole beans, carrots, turnips, beets, kohlrabi--hopefully they will have time to mature before frost.

Bought a dozen quail eggs at the Farmer's Market last week. Had 3 fried this morning. Very small, and they cook quickly, but very tasty. They looked so cute, but it was kinda scary thinking about eating them. Actually they tasted just like chicken eggs.

Independence Day!

Picked my first zucchini today. And the first real harvest of green beans. Have been picking the lavender flowers to dry this week and the hot weather crops are beginning to grow. Should have cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers soon. We have a few families of birds living in the gardens. A robin made a nest on the drain spout of the house and it is on it's second round of providing a nest for babies. The ones in there now are starting to ruffle their feathers; getting ready to learn to fly. Another family of dove are hanging around in the herbs and the whole family was sitting on the fence the other evening; mother feeding and hugging the two babies on either side of her. Chased a big buck deer out of the garden the other morning--he had a nice rack on him all covered in velvet. Pretty sight, but not in my garden!

Birth Day!

Not the type of day you would expect on April 28th, but it's another "Oregon day" in my book.

Gardening sure is creeping into the media these days. White House garden, community gardens, gardening clips on GMA. I love it! It's about time people realize they need to take care of themselves and stop relying on fossil fuel to get their food. And the health benefits are astronomical!

San Francisco Farmer's Market was eye opening. Organic eggs $7/dozen. Cheese $18+/pound. The variety of vegetables and fruits. And then there were the markets in Chinatown. Never saw so many different types of greens. And live fish! If we only had those kind of food opportunities in this small community. That's why I grow my own--now I just need to learn to use it all in my kitchen.

I've already planted some tender plants outside--tomatoes, basil, peppers--and other Asian greens. Can't wait when the weather is nice I just have to start planting. But currently they are all covered with row covers. Hopefully that will hold in what little heat we have these days. Have gone to a few workshops at the Herb Farm and of course I had to bring home some new herbs. Planted nettles and chocolate mint the other day.

Another Snowy Moisture Day!

Yesterday it rained and today it snowed. Glad I got out in it yesterday and got something done because today is a house cleaning day. We have potatoes and asparagus poking through the soil and we have spinach, lettuce, chard, chives, lovage and more green herbs ready to be picked for salads. Planted grass seed, onion sets, kalaidescope carrots, red ace beets and bull's blood beets. Also started some more seeds inside (cucumbers, squash, melon, asian greens, lettuce, mustard greens, chinese cabbage and more herbs).

Greenhouse Growing

The trick now is figuring out which plants to bring in on which night . . . .

Sometimes you have to wait for the 10 o'clock news to run out there and bring in the tender plants. The tomatoes and peppers are getting their 2nd and 3rd leaves. I think it's time to plant the cabbage and kohlrabi outside in the beds. Another weekend task along with planting the onion sets. And watering, of course. Still trying to figure out how to regulate the temperature in the greenhouse. Trying bubble wrap and double -sided tape now. The fan seems to be working with the heat--it's perfect when it's cloudy.

Spreading Horse Manure!

I spent the morning spreading horse manure around the front lawn and flower beds. What a fitting subject for the first post of my blog. Spreading horse shit! Thank you, Butch. The weather is beautiful--kinda damp and cool--reminds me of Oregon. A place I truly miss. But I think it's snowing all around us. This valley along the Arkansas River of Colorado is protected from the severe weather by Pike's Peak to the north and the Rocky Mountains to the west. Perfect for gardening near the mountains.

The tulips are starting to bloom, the herbs are coming back and the work is starting. Tax season needs to end earlier! The small greenhouse is up and ready to provide us with a sauna. I have a fan in there that runs most of the day, but it still gets up around 100 when the sun is shining. And then of course it only stays a few degrees above the temp outside during the night. I have some brassica starts out there, but don't dare move the peppers and tomatoes out there yet. Might have to put the portable swamp cooler in there for warmer days.

I've already harvested rhubarb and spring greens from the garden. Made a killer Rhubarb Apple Crisp last weekend. Wonder if I can post the recipe on this blog? The Swiss Chard was pretty much available all winter and chives are at their prime now. Just dug some chives up this morning to divide and take to the Co-op meeting tomorrow. One of my artichoke plants from last year is looking good--and that was the one that had the aphids so bad last summer. The French Tarragon along the driveway is coming up strong and looking very promising.