Seed Swap Party 2013

Seeds are Everywhere.

I'm practically buried in them. Which I believe is contrary to the point of seeds.

And somehow I think I need more. I don't know why, but it's a compulsion. Like shopping for shoes. You can't help it. It's worth all the pain. And really, there's no harm in having too much, right?

So I thought I'd try that one in one out rule. I get a packet of seeds when I give one away, after I've taken what I need to get me through the year. Then I won't waste what I don't use. Spoiler alert. The attempt to save space in my seed box was an epic failure, but the result was a fun night with a room full of gardeners, new, experienced, young and old.

Welcome to Seed Swap 2013. The first Annual Seed Swap. Annual meaning I hope to have many more.

I added little notes of encouragement and handed out little seed starting tip cards with chalk painted wine bottles.

 

I put out reading materials for people to peruse as the wandered into the house.

Only the best magazine EVER of course....

And, if there's a party at my house, there's got to be food. One couple brought the most amazing salsa, both hot and mild, that they had put up last year. A superior blend of tomatoes, peppers, onions and nothing like the BLAH you get at the grocery store.

There were mozzarella balls with tomatoes roasted in olive oil with rosemary, thyme, and salt.

And there was shrimp with fresh cilantro chimichurri.

And stuffed potato skins, petite peppers stuffed with goat cheese and herbs, and kale chips.

Lots of kale chips...

And so much more.

There were seed pots made up for people to take home to start their seeds in ...

 And SO MANY seeds.

People brought fistfuls and bags and boxes of seeds.

Heirlooms, Organics and just the most bizarre varities...

 



Little envelopes were made up so that everyone could take what they wanted...

They wrote what they took and jotted down the instructions with fun colorful markers...

 

And for whatever they thought they might still need, there were plenty of catalogs available for perusing.

 

 

Speaking for myself, it was SO much fun! We sat around for hours and talked about tried and true gardening methods, total failures, and fun ideas for the upcoming year. We had newbies who were starting raised bed gardens for the first time ever and seasoned gardeners who had their hands in the soil for over 20 years.

 

It's a definite do-again kind of an event.

 

I'm already looking forward to next year!

 

Have you ever done/been to a seed swap before? What did you do there? Share, share!!!!



Philly Garden show and UN-Hibernating

I'm BAAACKKK!

Spring is right around the corner and the crazy holidays of work are behind me and the insanity of graduation season looms in the near future.

And since Hubby won't let me become a full-time farmer (he doesn't think I'll commit fully to the overalls. And he's right) I keep my crazy job, that I love, to pay for my obsession with gardening.

But spring is here, so I'll find as many excuses as possible to be outside with my arms sunk up to my elbows in mud and manure. And if you're a gardener, you know there's no better place to be.

Unless it's looking at other people's gardens.

Or going to the Philadelphia Garden Show. Bronchitis and all. (Sorry Philly!!!)

So here's a few shots to get you through this bizarre last month of winter...

 Hello British Gardens!

Lots of fun displays this year...

From the ultra modern

To the Homemade rustic

With quint mailboxes

 

And artwork made from the tiniest petals and flora imaginable

With displays that made you want to climb up for a sit

 And drool worthy potting sheds

To gorgeous cold frames

And even the totally "say what now?"

 With an emphasis on whimsy

And fun

To Alice's tea party

And Recycled crushed glass borders

With fairytale trails that led to nowhere

To the eerie crime scenes at 221B Baker Street

And who could forget the star of the show

And the emphasis on British Bands

And the creepy, deathly gardens of the alleys of London circa Jack the Riper days

Spooky and mysterious

To the simplest concrete vegetable gardens

And the yummiest displays

And a hint of what's to come in just a few weeks

With the bright colors of spring...

Can't wait for next year!!!!!
Did you go to the Flower Show? Did you see any of the seminars or cooking demonstrations?
Share! Share!

Chimichurri!

Chimichurri.

 

I'd say enough said, but you might have no idea what I'm talking about, because if you're like me a few years ago and someone mentioned that word out loud, your mind would jet off to a rolled up fried Mexican dish thing of some sort. With a side of rice.

 

And you'd be so wrong. And sad.

 

Because Chimichurri will make anything taste better.

And if you haven't been eating it, food has not been living up to its potential

I don't eat meat, but I'd almost be willing to like this off of a steak. Even if it was on Hubby's plate.

I made this bottle myself. Well, what's in the bottle. The bottle is a reused, rinsed out wine bottle.

And here's how it goes...

Throw 1 cup of really tightly packed fresh herbs in a food processor or good blender. I recommend either Cilantro, Parsley, Cilantro or Cilantro. You can choose any of the four, but I'd personally go with the cilantro.

With the processor whirling away, add 1/2 cup of olive oil, a couple to a few cloves of garlic, a splash of red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp (I do 2 tsp, but I'm crazy) or crushed red pepper, and a few pinches of salt and pepper To Taste.

And I mean "to taste" it. "To taste" it with your finger and adjust it until you love it. And "To taste" it when Hubby turns his back, when you are sitting alone on the couch with the dirty food processor bowl, and "to taste" it with whatever porous/nook/cranny edible surface there is in the fridge. "To taste" it until it's gone. And that will happen before the dishes get done. Easily.

Put it on fish, steak, veggies, salad and do to your chimichurri what I did with mustard as a child (okay, young adult). Drizzle a little on each finger and then just lick em like there's no tomorrow.

I had (have) issues. But try Chimichurri and so will you. And I haven't even gotten to Avocado Chimichurri yet. You're not ready.

Have you made Chimichurri before? How? On what? Share, Share!

Pumpkin Chunkin'

Every single thanksgiving (for at least one) there's been Punkin Chunkin' on television.

And since I'd rather save pumpkins for tossing as far as possible through a barren field, I'm looking for new kinds of squash lovin' dessert.

My butternut squash were so fantastic this year and I had a few left over and I was dying for some yummy kind of dessert. I though of a cobbler-ish dish, whipped mousse, something frozen, but nothing really beats pie. So ex-nay the pumpkin and substitute in the squash. And Yum!

I sprinkled allspice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt on my quartered squash and roasted them until they were tender.

I threw them right into my food processor, skins and all since I LOVE nibbling on the skins and I was too lazy to peel them. I added just a bit of sugar and pureed them till smooth, added two eggs and an egg white and pureed it until it looked (and smelled) amazing!!

While that was blending, I tossed together some almond flour, a dash of raw sugar, a stick of butter, a sprinkle of salt and that leftover egg yolk. I mixed it together with my hands until it looked like pea sized crumbs, added a splash of cold water, mixed it into a ball...

And pressed it into a crust, which I baked for 8 minutes until it was still soft, but not raw. I poured the squash over the warm crust...

Spread it around, banged the pan on the counter to smooth it out and popped it back in the oven at 350 for about an hour...

And it came out fantastic. Hubby Loves it and had NO IDEA it was butternut squash and not pumpkin. It was super tasty, fairly low in added sugar and just plop-your-face-swan-dive-style right into the middle kinda good.

I'd sit down and eat the whole thing, but since Hubby is undeterred in eating Butternut Squash Tart, he'd notice it was missing.

Bummer.

What are you cooking with leftovers from your garden? Share! Share!

The most delicious way to use Summer Squash (now that it's nearly winter)

I think I told you I had limelight squash out the wazoo this past year.

And there is no better way to use it up then to make brownies. Which I did repeatedly this summer.

There has to be a support group.

Vegan, rich, chocolaty brownies that will make you wonder why you ever wasted money buying eggs and oil.

Not only are these virtually fat free and animal free, but you get TWO different kinds of produce packed into each bite. And not only will you not be able to tell what that secret smattering of ingredients are; you'll be kicking yourself for getting sucked into the idea that brownies ever needed to be boring and dry and box-like.

And I am NOT a vegan. But I will never willingly go back to the basics if I have these ingredients on hand...

This is adapted from a betty crocker recipe (who would have thought??), but changed a bit since I refuse to bake with splenda and like my brownies a bit more dark chocolate...

Come on people. You could eat these for dinner and not feel guilty.

2 cups of zucchini, grated
2 cups of flour
1 cup sugar, raw unprocessed if possible
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 generous tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients together.

Pour into a greased 8x8 pan
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until a knife comes out of the center clean.

Serve with homemade cinnamon infused whipped cream. (for the un-vegan in you)

I'd post a picture. But I ate them. Whoops.
I know you're wondering why I'm posting this now, but if you find yourself some good squash, or put some up in your freezer, now's the time to pull it out and heat up the house. Take something AMAZING to the holiday parties without worrying about packing on that winter weight. And if you manage to get a picture, share! But chances are, it's not going to happen.

Back, and deader than ever...

So I just woke up from a coma.

Okay, but not a real coma. Or actually any coma at all.

It's more like a Disney story.
Girl is obsessed with yard work. Girl has real job too. Girl gets tendinitis in wrist from over-use. Doctor tells girl not to use wrist. Girl listens to doctor a little and stops yard work. Girl stares out window every day with longing. Leaves pile up in garden, tumble weed blows by, things start to look dilapidated. Girl decides to ignore doctor. Girl plays in garden again, frolics even, and prances around with joy in heart. Wrist... eh, girl will figure that out later.
Man (or Girl) was made to work. Hard.

Classic Disney.

And So I'm back. And my garden is deader than ever. But isn't that just the way the seasons go?
The geese are flying south. Except for this jazzy one my nephew painted for me.

 And nearly everything is dead. Except for this Greek Oregano...

Some hardy cilantro that doesn't realize it's practically winter...

And these beets. Which I just cannot eat. I cannot. Beets are yucky. And now I know.

And confused hydrangeas. Of course, it's 65 degrees today. Halfway through November. In zone 6.

But everything else is torn out. Tags saved for next year...

Leaves and plants heaped up out of the way...

 

 

And I put up this jazzy structure. Which is just PVC pipe pushed into the ground in my semi-raised bed. A little heavy grade plastic, a little bit of straw and I have myself a not so high high-tunnel. Which will be great for the spinach and kale and early season veggies.



How's your garden? Kinda dead? Mostly dead? All dead? Share Share! This coma-free gardener wants to know!