How Does Your Garden Grow? {July 17, 2012}

This week is a very special week. Bonbon Break Media (that's Kathy and I) have launched our new magazine!

And..."How Does Your Garden Grow?" is featured in the Backyard! So please hop on over and enjoy yummy garden fast food like this:

....and ENJOY! Please share your garden links in the Backyard. See you there!

How Does Your Garden Grow? @ Bonbon Break

 

How Does Your Garden Grow? {June 26, 2012}

Sunday was the big day in the garden. (I won't write about the rest of the week because it mostly involves deer and sour sentiments and this is a HAPPY post). I pulled 46 heads of garlic out and they are in drying mode. These are HUGE heads of garlic and I am feeling quite proud. The last time we planted garlic, we lost about 12 heads to rot. This time we only lost 3. That is a major improvement! They are now sitting happily in our drying rack (which I adore--thanks mom).

After I pulled the garlic, I left the leaves along the side of the bed, for what it is worth. I know there are a lot of pests that do not like the fragrance of garlic, so we will see if this helps.

The peas are incredibly plentiful and the kids are regularly heading out to the garden for snacks of peas and strawberries. THIS is why I garden.

OK, enough about the garden for a moment. Almost 4 months ago, my blogging buddy, Kathy from My Dishwasher's Possessed, and I embarked on an incredible adventure and it is all going to come to fruition on July 16 as....

Logo by Loea Design

This is my third child. Bonbon Break is an online magazine for moms by moms. We have just launched our Facebook fan page and our Twitter page, so any support you can offer would be greatly appreciated. If you visit our site right now, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, which will send you a reminder directly to your email when we launch. 

It has been a thrilling and fun adventure with Kathy and an unimaginable source of personal growth. I am so appreciative that she is my partner and for the overwhelming support for all of our friends and family. *full heart*

THANK YOU in advance for your support and PLEASE let me know how YOUR garden is growing!

OH yes, before I go... the winners of the awesome reCap Mason Jar caps are:

Tracey

Laura

Libbey

and Rossel  please contact me with your mailing address so I may send your caps to you!

How Does Your Garden Grow? {June 19, 2012}

The deer are back...through the netting. I'm not kidding. They topped my carrots and chard and took some of my precious kale. Yes, that came out, precious kale. They have started moving in on my raspberry plants and I HAVE to get my sprinkler system out tomorrow if I hope to save anything. They ignored the "Deer Away" bells o' stinkiness. They bit one of my onions...and spit it out. Bah. Sprinkler. Tomorrow.

My beautiful and delicious Lacinato Kale. Best. Ever.

My potato plants have gone W I L D! I have piled them up twice and then they exploded. Now I think it is too late to attempt another level. Thoughts?

Summer Savory. Oh. So. Good. Grow some, you will love it.

Trapped, but safe. We are eating these red rubies of juicy goodness daily.

Peas are another daily treat. I head out in the morning with the kids and they head straight for the snap peas...until they see me at the strawberries.

I can't believe these have not been in my life every Spring. The scapes are incredible. Lil Miss picks very last one off her plate. Tonight we sauteed them with a little Soy Vay and a mix of greens. Heavenly.

How could I have ignored these curly-Q's that are such a treat? I was taking pictures of them. That's all. Thank goodness we finally started eating them. It does make me wonder, what else am I missing?

Seascape Strawberries. I will plant even more next year.

We went camping this past weekend and the Good Apple thought it would be fun to make s'mores tonight since we had leftovers. Chocolatey marshmallowy melty graham cracker treat was pushed aside for a red, ripe strawberry. Atta boy. Then he found that chocolate and strawberries are a delicious combination. Uh oh.

 

Before I leave, I have to mention my little giveaway for this awesome item:

Click here to find out more. reCap Mason Jar lids. Yes. They are oh so cool. Go on...click.

So...how is your garden doing? What are you eating these days? Have a marvelous Summer Solstice!

 

How Does Your Garden Grow? {June 12, 2012}

This was the first week we were really able to harvest from the garden. Our chard and kale are growing growing and I have been sautéing sautéing. One night I added pea tendrils, which were so delicate and yummy, and last night I added garlic scapes. Now those little babies are d e l I c I o u s. Do not let them grow! Grab 'em and eat 'em (you don't want your bulbs to waste energy on flower production anyways). Serve them on top of this and ooh la la.

Little fingers are finally grabbing peas and yesterday, a voice shouted from the yard, "Woo hoo! Guess who is the luckiest kid in the world!?! Me! I just got the first strawberry!!" He did and he even shared a little nibble with me. So sweet...the strawberry and my Lil Man. The kids have turned into asparagus addicts, almost to the point where it is embarrassing. I know better than to serve it when we have guests now because their little eyes will drill a hole into the person who grabs the last spear and there are no guarantees that Lil Miss won't just grab it right off your plate.

Yesterday, Lil Miss and I were in the garden and she started breaking off asparagus tips and chowing. Next she went for some peas. Suddenly, I turned around and she had a fistful of grass going to her mouth! I guess she just figured she could keep on picking around her. I have to keep my eye on that one. Trouble.

As I have been using my greens this year, I can't get over the tenderness of the chard and kale. It is similar to spinach. Between the chard, kale, pea tendrils and garlic scapes, tenderness is the word that constantly comes to mind as I harvest, clean, prepare, serve and eat. Tenderness.

My herbs are growing beautifully. I will be able to use my Summer Savory by week's end. I caught myself just running my fingers through it yesterday and smelling it's delicate aroma. Ahhhhh. My little kitchen jars are really producing and I have already been plucking some dill and cilantro...which is all well and good, but I really want that basil to grow!! When I can use fresh basil for my Pesto Pecan Potato Salad, it will get kicked up a notch.

A friend had a plant sale this week and I just had to stop by. Three new artichoke plants and 3 new brussel sprout plants. To be honest, I was completely giddy. Seriously excited. Woo hoo! Weekend after next, they will get their own special place in the garden. No, I cannot stop planting and expanding.

Well more rain and then sun scheduled for this week! Here we go!

 

How is your garden doing?

 

(Photos to come)

 

How Does Your Garden Grow? {June 5,2012}

A collection of photos this week, starting with this amazing deer fence I saw over the weekend. Dreamy, isn't it?
These irises were transplanted from our Island Parents. When we moved to our house, we saw traces of irises and were thrilled...until they bloomed the next spring and we saw they were brown. Yes, brown. Who plants a brown flower? We are relieved to have these gorgeous irises along our potato bed now, bringing in a shock of color.
California lilac. A plant that I hate to love and love to hate. Gorgeous in bloom. Major bee attractor. Touch it and you will be itchy itchy itchy...so pruning it is a real treat.



What plant is creeping in here and what is eating my beans?



Potato plants are currently happy. I mounded up some compost on them this weekend and it is already time to add more!



I feel the need to apologize to my strawberries. They are being held prisoner. Hopefully this proves to be more of a safe haven. Lil Man has been playing cheetah and scaring deer off the property...regularly.



Nasturciums. I can't wait until their beautiful colors shine through. This year I was significantly more intentional about placing flowers amongst the veggies. We will seem how it turns out!



Beautiful Kale leaves. I can't wait to plant more!



Chard. The shock of color is just amazing. I have really gained a new appreciation for young kale and chard leaves in salads and sautéed along with pea tendrils. Delicious.


So...how is your garden doing this week?

How Does Your Garden Grow? {May 29, 2012} ...finally!

I have to start with this carrot. You see, we haven't had much luck with carrots over the years and when we saw these greens bursting forth from our garden, we really thought we were on to something great. The pride was incredible...and then we pulled it. Gardening sure can be humbling.

 These are some of my Hidatsa Reds. I threw seeds in every conceivable spot in our yard this year. This planter usually houses rosemary and tulips. This year I added in beans, sunflowers and potatoes. Yes, I had a couple extra...why not?

 Do you think I should thin out my cucumbers? I haven't had much luck with these over the years either. I planted some seed in some containers which I WILL thin, however, I am not sure what will be best for them after I do that. Tomato cage? Put next to a wall with a trellis? I am completely open to suggestions.

A special welcome to Flash, our newest source of fertilizer joy! He is incredibly sweet and the kids adore him. We haven't had a pet since our pup passed away two years ago. There is a pretty good chance that I just broke the dam. You see, at one point I had a 250 gallon salt water tank, 10 goldfish, 2 geckos. 5 toads, 2 hamsters and a dog. Then came the Lil Man and only the dog and goldfish stayed. I like pets...stay tuned.

 The peas are doing their pea thing. A friend, who is incredibly talented in the kitchen, suggested sautéing the tendrils and that they are one of her absolute favorite things. We are trying them tonight.

 Hmmm...pests. I am guessing that these are of the hoofed variety. The netting must go back down. Sad. The Good Apple will tell you that he doesn't mind if the deer eat his share of the chard, little does he know that it has been in all of his salads lately. Ya, take that. 

 The Lemon Balm is a constant battle these days, so buyer beware. Apparently, deer don't like to eat it...

...so they HAD to move right on to the chard!! It is encroaching on everything and I am pulling it out of my beds almost daily. Wahhhh. I know. Does my chard need a little thinning? Yes, and THAT is what I have been putting in our salads...the bits that I am thinning out! A friend gave me that great idea and we have been enjoying the "thinnings" from our spinach, chard and kale in most of our salads.


Our sunflower seed starts were over a foot tall and a wee bit pathetic, so I planted all 50+ of them today in various parts of the yard. Fingers crossed, these are another plant I have not had as much success as I would like. I had set out to plant them with the Lil Man since he started them, however, his new KungFu Panda toys won and I was left to plant on my own...or so I thought. Lil Miss (who had just ripped off her diaper and threw it in the grass) handed me each and every sunflower start. My mama heart was l e a p i n g. Honestly, it made my day to have her want to help out. Back and forth to the tray, she brought them to me, one by one. Love.

I am still doing my photo a day challenge and I just had to share this little beauty that I captured yesterday. I love poppies even though they never last long. Look at that red. Divine.

So...tell me...how is your garden doing?

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

How Does Your Garden Grow? {May 22, 2012}

Everything is growing. Last Spring was so wet and muddy and this year...well this year we have had a beautiful Spring. Sunny days followed by a day or two of rain, perfect for germination and growth. The weeds are noticing as well, but I am going to focus on the intentional growth.

Our peas are filling out nicely. The shelling peas in the background even have flowers!

We are adding radishes and asparagus to our meals. I just have to tell you, there is not any color enhancement in these photos. Deep greens and robust reds on our dinner plates. A friend suggested slicing and roasting the radishes. Ooh la la, I will be trying that this week.

Look at that. These are the days I linger in the garden. Last year was such a disappointment that these prizes feel like an incredible reward for returning to the task and believing in the possibilities of what can happen when seeds and soil meet.

We added our cherry tomato plants to the beds this week along with two broccoli seedlings and a patty pan seedling. I can't wait.

Signs of life in the garden: radishes, oregano, sunflowers, peas, spinach, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, strawberries, potatoes, corn, beans, pumpkins, raspberries, asparagus, artichokes, summer savory, chard, kale, leeks and apple gourds. Here we go. Excitement mounts as we make our daily rounds. This is why we garden.

A fun aside about our garden this year, we are seeing new bird species. Collared Doves, baby American Goldfinches, Chipping Sparrows are all new inhabintants. So far, they are welcome. The doves are sitting on the top of our potato box posts every morning. They are like perfect little ornaments perched and watching. Love it. The baby goldfinches were sitting on the edge of the garden bed, patiently allowing my littles to watch them. We have seen the adults before, but never their littles. I Love Spring and the myriad of opportunities it allows to learn about growth, change and abundance by your own hand. Who are your feathered friends?

...and tell me, how is your garden doing? I can't wait to see!

 

How Does Your Garden Grow? {May 15, 2012}

Nasturtiums in.
Marigolds in.
Edible Wildflower mix in.
Howden and Sugar Pie Pumpkins in.
Cherry Belle radishes in.
Apple Gourds in.
**another secret planting of corn and beans**

We have been enjoying fresh mixed green salads, radishes and asparagus. So, why am I feeling like such a grump? Here is a sampling:

Do you see the common theme there? My garden is in jail. It used to be free. Free to grow. Free to stretch it's green limbs. Free to be pollinated and watered and weeded. Now I am in a constant battle with chicken wire and bird netting, screaming expletives while I am trying to enjoy the joys of gardening. I have NOT been feeling the love, even though everything is growing behind the maze of wire and nylon. It is as if the cages are defying the very positive psychological effects of gardening. Bah. Yes, I know. Debbie Downer.

asparagus

One more whiney point. Two years ago, we planted 25 male asparagus crowns. Last year we ended up with red berries...EVERYWHERE. I am guessing male plants don't have red berries. This week, these popped up...EVERYWHERE. See a pattern?

potato plants

potato plant

cucumber seedlings

Hidatsa Red Bean plants

Yes, I realize that I should be happy about the verdant pictures above. Everything is growing and not getting chewed by teeth that do not belong to me or my family. I get that and believe me, I am happy we will be seeing the results on our table. Wah wah wah.

Do you have any helpful hints? 

HAPPY NOTE: Congratulations to TONYA! There was a three-way tie with 3 correct each. I used random.org and she won!  Tonya, you won a $20 gift certificate to Territorial Seeds. Send me an email with your mailing info. XOXO

I promise to be a bit jollier next week. Promise. Maybe I didn't get enough dirt under my nails this week or perhaps I wasn't able to pull enough weeds to get that euphoric surge of "making things right". Next week. 

I AM thankful that a dear friend went to the island Master Gardeners' Plant Sale and purchased some great starts for me and that two island friends brought six tomato starts to be added to our garden. LOVE and thank you for thinking of me. 

Most of all, I am thankful that the Good Apple and the Lil Man brought in a bouquet of flowers to me on Mother's Day. It was full of purple lilacs that had to be reached from the top of a ladder, parrot tulips and precious dandelions since my kiddo "knew I would just love them in there!". He was oh, so right.  Who knew that a hard-to-reach lilacs and a carefully placed dandelion would move me to tears? 

Well netting, be damned. There was joy from the garden this week.

So tell me, how is YOUR garden growing?