Fresh Veg From a Co-worker...

All the hard work of Wisconsin gardeners is now bearing fruit. When I went to work yesterday, this beautiful bounty was waiting. On Tuesdays, I work with only one other person - Teresa - and we really work well together. She works in the kitchen, and I work in front as a cashier. Our days go fast, too, busy with sales or fuel, grocery, or freshly made food. With only two, we're really hopping most days.

She and I have a wonderful barter arrangement, too. I've shared canned or baked goods, and sometimes help her with sewing requests (machine embroidering her name on her work shirts, or sewing on a loose button. In return, she shares empty canning jars by the dozens, venison (which I love but don't harvest), or now, these beautiful vegetables from her garden. (There was another green pepper, but I used it to make grilled chicken sandwiches with sauteéd onions and peppers on my homemade buns last night.) We also buy her hens' beautiful farm-fresh eggs.

Our garden is small this year due to health circumstances. We have six tomato plants that are bearing fruit, but it's not ripening (yet). The squash I planted is doing really well, as are my basil plants, but overall, the garden won't be producing nearly as much this year. 

Handsome and I have talked about what we want to can this season, but most of the raw materials will come from farmers markets, local farmers and friends. Thanks to Teresa, we have some lovely, organic vegetables to enjoy for meals until we purchase what we need for our canning needs.

In the spirit of bartering, Teresa won't take any money, so I'm going to come up with something nice for her. I'll have to put on my thinking cap to make it extra special.

Putting Our Garden To Bed...

 

Man, we worked yesterday. We were outside for about three hours, pulling plants and cleaning up three of the four garden beds. Handsome did all the heavy shovel work and pulling, while I pulled the simple stuff and drove our yard tractor.

These are the last of the veggies we harvested as the beds were cleared. All of them are minis. We were giggling about the size of the last of the carrots and green peppers.

 

I planted the squash later than I thought I should, but someone on IG said July wasn't too late. Those are little delicata and long neck squash, which should be much larger at harvest. Lesson learned. I'll be planting our squash much earlier next year. I also guess I'll be buying delicata squash from the farm stand this weekend, too. (I've already planned to purchase local potatoes when I go to Portage for Craft Day on Saturday.)

I also learned that you never have a surgical procedure with after-care restrictions in the middle of growing season. The weeds took over, but thankfully our plants were established enough to not be affected by them. However, those weeds are the reason it took so long to clean out the beds. their roots were deep, and of course, we needed to removed roots and all so they don't return in the spring.

All in all, our first year as real gardeners since we were first married has been a learning experience. Handsome and I are thinking that we may not expand our plot next year much more, as this year provided plenty of work for two folks our age (including preserving our harvest). My mind is certainly willing, but our bodies are saying, "Take it easy. You aren't spring chickens any more." I'll draw up some plans over the winter, and we'll see where we are once the weather starts to warm up again.

 

We still have one bed to clear, which we'll do today. Then I'll add the amendments for the beds (compost, etc.) so that I can plant garlic very soon. It will rest all winter in the bed, covered with a straw mulch, and then sprout after first frost in the spring. At least that's what I've learned from other gardeners. Time will tell. I think I'll take my Tramadol before we go out to work today. Better to be ahead of the aches, rather than playing catch up when we come back in.

Oh, and don't worry. I'm doing my best to follow doctor's orders, and I have my guardian, Handsome to remind me if I get a bit carried away. Thankfully, it's only one more raised bed. We're heading outside to finish our work to get this task accomplished. Once I'm back inside, I've promised myself a hot shower and a nice, relaxing cuppa...and taking it easy the rest of the day.

Shared Bounty...

Brynwood Needleworks - Shared Vegetable Harvest

 

A little bit from our tomato plants; lots of tomatoes and peppers from Shelly's garden; and tomatoes, squash, peppers and a huge zucchini (not shown) from my youngest brother's garden. 

 

Handsome and I went to see my little brother, Christian, yesterday and he told me to take what I wanted from his garden because there was more than he could use. He has quite the green thumb!

 

I'm so grateful for Shelly and Christian's generosity. I guess I could learn a lot from them about growing a bountiful harvest. For now, I'll accept their gifts, and enjoy the fruits of their labor. I see a little canning in my future!

 

Peter Rabbit's Portable Veggie Farm...

 Tag and I have told you before about our vegetable projects here. When

I prepare a salad, I always save the root end of lettuce (usually Romaine)

and celery bunches. Then, I take those ends and place them in fresh water.

This is my current crop of vegetables. Most of them are lettuce, but the 

largest (in back) and the one directly to the right of it are celery plants. The

newest one is from two nights ago (lower left) and it's already sprouting!

 Most of them have roots sprouted, so my next step is to plant them into soil so 

they can get even bigger. Even the newest addition will be ready to plant by 

next weekend. I also have sweet onion cuttings that have sprouted and are 

going to be planted, too. I'm using an idea I saw on FaceBook this time.

Web Image

I'm going to cut one side off our milk cartons and fill them with soil. By 

using the flat-sided "planters", they'll nest better and will be disposable

when I'm finished using them. This is recycling at its best. Not only am

I repurposing the cartons, but I'm also growing a second harvest from 

what would otherwise be tossed in the recycling or become compost.

 

Peter Rabbit would be one happy critter around here!

Salad, anyone?

Hopple Popple...

  When we lived in Wisconsin, we often traveled to Milwaukee on a Saturday

morning for breakfast on the east side at a place called "Benjamin's Too Cafe".

It's still there, on Cass Street if you're ever in the area, although I don't know

if this dish is still on their menu. We haven't been there in quite a while.

They served up a mean Hopple Popple, and over the years, We've developed our

own version. The original used a fabulous smoked sausage cut into segments.

The best part is that this dish is great for any meal, from breakfast to dinner.

I thought you might enjoy the basic recipe, and you can improvise from there.

When I made this recipe last night, all the vegetables (except the mushrooms)

were purchased at our neighborhood aqua farm, and the sausage came 

from my favorite butcher shop - Hermann's - in Venice (next to Crazy Quilters).

Hopple Popple a la Liljegren

1-2 white potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 lb. of breakfast sausage (or kielbasa, smoked sausage, ham)

1 green pepper, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup baby portobella mushrooms, chopped

3-4 eggs, scrambled with 3 T. milk

salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a skillet, add potatoes and cook on med. high heat until browned. Brown breakfast sausage in a separate skillet until browned, drain off excess oil and add cooked sausage to potatoes. Lower heat to medium and add green pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are cooked but not mushy. Add eggs/milk mixture and cook until the eggs are scrambled into the vegetable mixture. Serve with your favorite toasted or baked bread. (A glass of wine when served as dinner would be perfect, too!)

You can substitute or add different vegetables to taste. You can also substitute spicy sausage or crushed red pepper flakes if you like it hot.

It's a great meal when you want something healthy and fast...or even a Mother's Day breakfast! If you make this, I'd love to know what you think. 

I hope you get a chance to stop by tomorrow. 

I'm planning a very special Mother's Day tribute.

Goodness From The Farm...

Yesterday, Taggart told you about his farming operation.

Today, I'd like to tell you about our inspiration...West Coast Aqua Farms.

I've been calling it "hydroponic", however they call it "aquaponic" on their website. 

If you visit their site, you can see firsthand the distinction between the two processes.

 When they first started setting up their operation, they started on the other side of 

their front yard, but this is what that installation looked like...pipes with these white 

containers of graduated sizes on each one. There were pipes and pots as far as the eye 

could see - and fabric-covered structures at the back that house the lobster operation.

 Only a few short months later, this is what those pots look like.

Each pot, from top to bottom, is filled with lush green vegetables!

 The white pots in the photograph above will soon be filled with

another crop and be overflowing with green goodness just like these!

 When I went there last weekend, I purchased green leaf lettuce and four

beautiful, slightly spice peppers. They're naturally, hydroponically grown

with only the waste water from their lobster operation to feed their plants. The 

best part was that this whole, brimming bowl of deliciousness cost only $5.00!

I know that I have more than a few readers who live in the area, so if you are

in the market for beautiful, healthy and natural veggies at a reasonable price,

please visit our neighborhood to shop at West Coast Aqua Farms.

They're located on Malton Street, just off Tropicaire Boulevard in North Port.

They're only open on Saturdays, but when they're open, they have signs out

at all the intersections advertising their "Natural Produce For Sale".

You can also purchase lobsters from them when they're in stock. 

(They sell FAST!)

You can call ahead to 941.426.7921

Email: westcoastaquafarms@yahoo.com or 

visit them on the web at www.westcoastaquafarms.com

In case you're wondering...I'm not being compensated for this post. I just

 believe in sharing good news and great products when I find them. (One of 

these days, I'll tell you about the our farm-fresh eggs, right up the road, too!)

I'll be back with more "crafty" things tomorrow!

Reminder: You have until Friday to enter my Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway.

Click here to enter!

Summertime Confetti...

Sometimes, creativity doesn't involve needle and
thread at Brynwood. Sometimes, it involves food.

I hadn't made this recipe in a while, but it's already hot in southern Florida, so it was a perfect dish to serve on Mother's Day. Today, I'm sharing my recipe for Confetti with you.

Composed of garden-fresh vegetables and a few other ingredients, it's a light and refreshing melange' that is perfect for summertime entertaining. It's always been a huge hit around here. Feel free to add or subtract to suit your individual taste, but I usually follow a recipe verbatim the first time and then make adjustments after I've made it according to the original.

Confetti

Chop the following ingredients and mix together in a large bowl:

• 1 can drained, pitted, jumbo ripe olives
• 2 large bunches of green onions (scallions)
• 3 large green peppers
• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms
• 6-7 fresh tomatoes
• cilantro (optional)
  

Add:

• 1 (2 c.) jar of salsa in desired strength (mild to spicy)
• 2-3 T. olive oil
• 3 T. wine or balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Cover and refrigerate. The longer it stands, the better it tastes. Serve cold with your favorite chips. (I prefer the round Doritos corn chips.) Oh, and a Marguerita (with or without alcohol) would be a nice accompaniment!

If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think of it!