Friday, June 17, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
Manure, Soil and Seeds...
The weather has warmed up enough to begin the process of getting our garden beds ready for planting. So we bought two bags of manure yesterday, turned on the outdoor faucets, retrieved and setup our rainbarrels for rainwater collection, and purchased initial cool weather seeds for planting: peas, lettuce, and early green bean seeds. Rather than starting seeds from scratch this year, we've decided to buy small starter plants to reduce our workload. So far, we've purchased only herbs: parsley, oregano, dill, thyme, and the initial plants I mentioned earlier. We still have to integrate the manure into the soil from last year, but this is a beginning...
We also purchased pansies for our window boxes and will be planting them today, as well. We have a beautiful Patriots Day in MA, and would like to take advantage of the milder weather to plant these before the rain dampens the soil and makes work with manure and earth more challenging. But, I'm getting my hands dirty again! The gardener in me is shouting for joy!
Looking forward with anticipation🤗...
Andrea
We also purchased pansies for our window boxes and will be planting them today, as well. We have a beautiful Patriots Day in MA, and would like to take advantage of the milder weather to plant these before the rain dampens the soil and makes work with manure and earth more challenging. But, I'm getting my hands dirty again! The gardener in me is shouting for joy!
Looking forward with anticipation🤗...
Andrea
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Winter blues are turning bright!
It has been a mild Winter, giving way to the beginning of an early Spring. This is wonderful, but gives me pause. Are we going to pay for this beautiful weather during the summer with rainier days or hotter temps? I hope not. I'd rather consider this a blessing and dive into the manure and soil with the same joy and wonder I've experienced in the past. I haven't setup a plan for the garden yet this year; but, expect we'll be using seedlings I'll be starting, as well as those purchased in local greenhouses.
It's always a thrill beginning the vegetable garden each year! The layout may change, but the anticipation always returns. Looking forward to seeing the first shoots pop up, the first beans on the vine, and the first tomatoes popping out for attention!
Another year of new starts!
Go ahead, dream those garden dreams!
Andrea
It's always a thrill beginning the vegetable garden each year! The layout may change, but the anticipation always returns. Looking forward to seeing the first shoots pop up, the first beans on the vine, and the first tomatoes popping out for attention!
Another year of new starts!
Go ahead, dream those garden dreams!
Andrea
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Oh, Sweet Pea!
This year, my peas came to life! We had about six Sugarsnap Pea plants that produced wonderful sweet peas which we ate raw, sautéed, and in salads for about 2 weeks. Didn't save any for later - they were too tasty - yum! Next year I hope to plant double the amount as they have a relatively short growing season. Now, we're watching the string beans and tomatoes reach for the sky!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Basement Beginnings - Canning vs. Freezing - Pros and Cons
So, I'm stepping back in time for this blog post - I never finished my thoughts on canning vs. freezing (oops)...
Canning - I loved canning tomatoes and tomato sauce! The process of taking these beautiful tomatoes I had grown, and adding the other herb elements from my garden, gave me a true sense of accomplishment well into the Winter months.
The sauce and tomatoes were also very tasty, and held their flavors very well into the Winter months. We could also open a jar, use a little as a chicken or beef flavoring, close the jar, and use the remainder at some point later in the week as a pasta sauce (refrigerating after opening, of course.).
We stored the canned tomatoes and sauce in one of our pantry cabinets which was not used previously. I made about 30 Mason Jars of sauce which easily fit in the cabinet.
Freezing - Freezing tomato sauce was very efficient. Rather than using Mason Jars, I used freezer bags, and added them to the freezer to be used during the Winter months.
It's important to have a backup in the event of a power loss, but we were lucky last year with our power staying consistent through the Winter months.
Also, freezer sauce does not stay as fresh as canned sauce - there's a shorter life span. You also can't use a little and refreeze. Canning does allow a bit of flexibility to use a small amount and refrigerate for later in the week.
Canning - I loved canning tomatoes and tomato sauce! The process of taking these beautiful tomatoes I had grown, and adding the other herb elements from my garden, gave me a true sense of accomplishment well into the Winter months.
The sauce and tomatoes were also very tasty, and held their flavors very well into the Winter months. We could also open a jar, use a little as a chicken or beef flavoring, close the jar, and use the remainder at some point later in the week as a pasta sauce (refrigerating after opening, of course.).
We stored the canned tomatoes and sauce in one of our pantry cabinets which was not used previously. I made about 30 Mason Jars of sauce which easily fit in the cabinet.
*Lesson Learned*
If you don't have cabinet space available, find a closet - or any space that will not freeze - to store your sauce and/or tomatoes. Since I used 'Ball (Glass) Mason Canning Jars', I did not want to risk them freezing and breaking. Freezing - Freezing tomato sauce was very efficient. Rather than using Mason Jars, I used freezer bags, and added them to the freezer to be used during the Winter months.
It's important to have a backup in the event of a power loss, but we were lucky last year with our power staying consistent through the Winter months.
Also, freezer sauce does not stay as fresh as canned sauce - there's a shorter life span. You also can't use a little and refreeze. Canning does allow a bit of flexibility to use a small amount and refrigerate for later in the week.
*Lesson Learned*
Make sure you have space available in your freezer. If you freeze too much sauce, the sauce may block the circulation vents and generate a lot of ice.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
My Garden 2015 - a new beginning!
Well, it doesn't look like much, but we have a plan and are starting our garden anew in 2015! Still very cool in New England with sporadic bursts of warmth, so we headed out to Lowes last weekend to buy manure, and a few different Spring seeds and pansies. The Spring seeds and pansies typically hold up well during these cooler Spring days and nights in the Northeast.
Tony was the great garden orchestrator, making sure the manure was incorporated into the soil properly, and ensuring that our water barrels were properly positioned and ready-to-go. I planted the pansies in the window boxes - on the porch railings - and designed the garden layout. Because my MS symptoms are impacting my balance, Tony was kind enough to plant the first batch of Spring snap peas following the layout I put together (you can see the area he watered below to give them a drink).
We decided not to plant seeds in the basement this year due to the long Winter and short growing season, so we'll be purchasing starter seedlings from Lowes and Home Depot. This year, we'll be planting lettuce, dill, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant and parsley. There should be enough room in the garden plot for all with enough sunlight and rain water.
I do love the garden! Each year it brings new surprises, and great tasty treats that we can enjoy right away, or freeze for the winter.
Go ahead, get your hands dirty!
Andrea
Tony was the great garden orchestrator, making sure the manure was incorporated into the soil properly, and ensuring that our water barrels were properly positioned and ready-to-go. I planted the pansies in the window boxes - on the porch railings - and designed the garden layout. Because my MS symptoms are impacting my balance, Tony was kind enough to plant the first batch of Spring snap peas following the layout I put together (you can see the area he watered below to give them a drink).
We decided not to plant seeds in the basement this year due to the long Winter and short growing season, so we'll be purchasing starter seedlings from Lowes and Home Depot. This year, we'll be planting lettuce, dill, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant and parsley. There should be enough room in the garden plot for all with enough sunlight and rain water.
I do love the garden! Each year it brings new surprises, and great tasty treats that we can enjoy right away, or freeze for the winter.
Go ahead, get your hands dirty!
Andrea
Friday, March 20, 2015
Happy Vernal Equinox???
I was hoping to 'spring' into warmer temps and throw open the windows after this brutally snowy and cold winter on this first day of Spring, but woke to another cold day and no sight of any red, red robins bobbing their heads anywhere on my snowy lawn! The pain, the pain... So, I'll live with the knowledge that the warmer winds will find their way to this cold climate and bring a taste of rebirth before the month has ended.
In the meantime, I'm shopping for seeds this weekend! Even though I won't be planting anything yet, I'll be able to set up my basement accordingly for seedling generation. And that makes me very happy!!
Let's hope April showers will bring May flowers...
Happy dreaming.
Andrea
In the meantime, I'm shopping for seeds this weekend! Even though I won't be planting anything yet, I'll be able to set up my basement accordingly for seedling generation. And that makes me very happy!!
Let's hope April showers will bring May flowers...
Happy dreaming.
Andrea
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