tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22682603337762751572024-02-20T22:21:16.011-08:00put your shovel where your mouth iswill work for (good) foodSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-4500469409480458382017-02-24T14:14:00.001-08:002017-02-24T14:14:42.814-08:00the little reveal
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-71015249386166122852016-08-04T13:07:00.001-07:002016-08-04T13:07:06.943-07:00the much maligned cauliflower
I started growing cauliflower about 4 years ago, and hadn't really cooked with it a lot before then. Unfortunately my timing in this regard means that every recipe search returns dozens of results for "how to use cauliflower to replace X in your diet". I get paleo, whole 30, keto, gluten free, how to get your kids to eat it, blah blah blah results, but not enough recipes that just enjoy Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-20399503177332241142016-08-02T10:58:00.001-07:002016-08-02T10:58:10.731-07:00On sticking to the planYou'd think the meal-planning habit would start in the doldrums of winter, or when you were stuck in a rut of cooking the same things all the time. Mine came at the height of the summer rush. It was most likely mid-August, when the counters were overflowing with tomatoes, and the refrigerator drawer was packed with zucchini, and a walk through the backyard caused minor heart Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-58680521460003246242016-07-10T06:51:00.001-07:002016-07-10T06:51:49.649-07:00and nativesBack when finished up the backyard terracing project, we were left with a middle zone between our two stone walls that needed planting. It was semi-crappy soil, a steep slope, and blazing hot southern exposure. Since one major point of the wall project was to eliminate perilous mowing, we wanted this section to be fairly low maintenance. Due to chickens and dogs, it also had to Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-63904729900355169292016-06-13T14:57:00.001-07:002016-06-13T14:57:59.229-07:00Boom
The garden exploded this weekend. Some rain and a couple of 90ish degree days were just what we needed to push past spring seedling-hood into early summer growth spurts. The tomato plants are bigger every time I go outside, and the raspberries and grapes are wildly taking over their parts of the backyard.
One of my tactics of gardening is to plant a large variety of plants knowing that Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-52397705003985475972016-05-26T08:16:00.003-07:002016-05-26T09:53:55.305-07:00the bagel habit
I made bagel dough this morning before work.
This week (this month, really) I'm struggling with finding balance with my workload at home. Last year's kitchen remodel caused some garden neglect, and we really thought that this year would be all about maintenance and refinement in the backyard. But the reality is that the kitchen project has spilled over into this year-Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-42865795923791623592016-04-06T10:50:00.001-07:002016-05-26T09:54:55.326-07:00gifts from the freezer
Well look at that, I did a little website cleanup!
I've been in the mood to post here lately, after a long break. Maybe it's the as-always frustration of early spring, when I'd like to be outside but it's raining/snowing/sleeting/blowing 40 mph winds. Maybe it's the excellent posts I've been reading elsewhere lately. That's how I got started writing here, inspired by other Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-47721295964070604872014-10-08T10:45:00.002-07:002014-10-09T11:36:09.165-07:00Fall garden cleanup pep talkThis is the lecture I've been giving myself the past week, and I figured I'm not the only one who needs it:
It's okay to pull the plug on your garden, even if it's not dead/frozen/finished yet. I took out my tomatoes last week (all but those in the hoop house). Sure, it there was a forecast of possible patchy frost, and it's better to pick green fruit before vines are damaged bySarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-6884770225713234702014-07-17T06:26:00.000-07:002014-07-17T06:26:31.241-07:00A successful garlic experimentLast year I was a wee bit short of garlic. I ended up with 80ish heads, when our goal is generally closer to 100+. I couple of things contributed to this--obviously I didn't quite plant enough bulbs--but also I had purchased a few "fancy" types from the market to diversify my crop a bit, and NONE of them survived the winter. Lesson learned. Also: our pickle production has Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-8577730133378584102014-05-08T07:36:00.002-07:002014-05-08T07:36:57.732-07:000-2 weeks to last frost(!) - Some tips on early spring planting
As is fairly normal for this time of year, we've had a rollercoaster of weather the past two weeks. When the temperature dropped into the forties with rain, most of my plants came back inside for an extended break, and I bunkered up as well.
Inside the hoop house, spring plants loved it though. They didn't get the rain, but the cool, grey days were perfect for Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-89955979977639695602014-04-19T06:15:00.001-07:002014-04-19T06:15:49.354-07:00Four weeks to last frost, and a follow upAs did many in Wisconsin (and apparently many places in the US) we had snow this week, blarg! Even worse was waking up to a 19 degree morning, with a high of 37, which is the normal low temperature for this time of year. But really, somehow, in about 4 weeks our chances of frost will be nearly over. Right? RIGHT?
There is not too much on the indoor seeding front for me Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-11017611478077002392014-04-05T05:16:00.001-07:002014-04-05T05:16:19.266-07:006 weeks to last frost: Gardeners, start your tomatoes!Sorry I'm a little late on this one, but then again, so is the weather! We've had a crazy week which included some good news, some bad news, and these little guys, which are pretty distracting.
Three new chicks to add to our flock: our two oldest hens are five years old this spring, and while they are still laying well right now they are slowing down a bit. We lost two from their Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-37446026920088988502014-03-17T14:29:00.000-07:002014-03-17T14:29:02.704-07:008 weeks to frost - transplanting
Last week I seeded the brassicas: Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. These generally are advised to plant 6-8 weeks before setting out, but since most of these are fairly cold tolerant, that set-out date can be a little earlier than the average last frost. Depending on the forecast and how warm the soil is on a given year, I start thinking about setting cabbage and broccoli outSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-22530819945749944062014-03-05T14:58:00.001-08:002014-03-05T14:58:07.850-08:0010 weeks to last frost (give or take) - how much to plant?
Well, the onions are up, and coming along nicely.
This week on the planting schedule: eggplant, and some peppers. The first (and slowest-growing) of the heat-loving plants.
Depending on your variety and seed packet, eggplants and some hot peppers are sowed between 8-10 weeks. Last year these were slow starters for me, and although I have fresh seed for several of Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-30869098107359485202014-02-21T05:41:00.001-08:002014-02-22T06:03:37.922-08:00Seed Starting - AlliumsI used up my last storage onions last week. If I can't quite grow enough to last me until the next year's harvest (or chive season!), at least I can make it to the next year's sowing!
I started growing onions from seed about 4 years ago. Previously I purchases bundles of plants from our local garden center, but decided I wanted the variety control and price savings of growing my own. PlusSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-85996319834557802582014-02-18T07:18:00.000-08:002014-02-18T07:18:52.509-08:0012 weeks to last frostI hesitate to start a post with a title like this--it suggests I'll have a series. It could happen!? In fact, I've already split this into two posts, so I could start with a general overview of seed starting.
In Madison, our
average last spring frost occurs right around mid-May. Frost
dates are funny little statistics. I found a good map of Wisconsin
climate data here,
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-36913549994469316922013-11-14T17:28:00.003-08:002013-11-14T17:28:44.285-08:00in pursuit of generalismI keep meaning to post final pantry pictures, but I've had a run of annoying lower-back issues that made sitting for long periods quite uncomfortable, and I saved that for work. So at home there was short, drive-by internet browsing (hello twitter), and things that involved standing--which meant, more canning! Well, and fall cooking, yoga, dishes, and some mild yardwork.
The entireSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-43027993405042184122013-09-26T06:16:00.002-07:002013-09-26T06:16:45.479-07:00Coming up: Reedsburg Fermentation Fest!
I promised myself that I would remember this year to post about the Fermentation Fest AHEAD of time, this year. So here we go:
what: Reedsburg Fermentation Fest
when: October 4th through the 13th
Details: http://fermentationfest.com/
As I've mentioned before, Fermentation fest is a very ambitious quest to merge art, agriculture, and food in the guise of a Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-2149353748453635802013-09-18T09:24:00.000-07:002013-09-18T09:24:11.255-07:00The preservation report 2013
Not every day canning is a zen session, but today it was.
The water boiled for blanching just as I prepped the tomatoes:
the kettle water for lids was hot just at the same time as the
crushed tomatoes were simmering; I didn't forget the citric acid; I
had just enough to fill every pint jar I had ready, and the pot of
filled jars came to a boil as I finished up the last of the prep
dishes. Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-86423934252395764012013-09-12T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-12T17:00:00.688-07:00The tomato report 2013 (or, lets hear it for the little guys)
I wouldn't say this year is a banner
season for tomatoes. But I'm not complaining! It's been an
outstanding year for so many things, I think it might have been too
much to deal with 20 pounds of tomatoes at a time. It's been a
mostly cool summer around here, and fruit has come in slow but
steady. I am getting near to hitting most of my preserving goals (I
even made ketchup last week) and Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-12836578702857583782013-09-06T06:26:00.000-07:002013-09-06T06:26:25.233-07:00A go-to late summer mealAs I made this for the second time in as many weeks, I realized it was a good non-recipe to share.
This has been our go-to dish for using up a drawer or colander full of veggies, and it's perfect for a leftover side or lunch so ideal for busy gardeners or back-to-school folks alike.
Next time you're grilling, search for all the vegetables you are ignoring in your fridge/counter/ or Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-29760951991237827742013-07-16T09:36:00.000-07:002013-07-16T09:36:50.280-07:00On admitting successI have a habit of scoping out veggie gardens, mostly on my bike. There's a couple of front-yard gardens on my commute to work, and a bunch of community gardens along Madison's bike paths. At the start of the season it's sharing in the excitement, and judging how far behind/ahead I am. And later on, according to D, it's a little competitive. I'll admit it, I was measuring up my 6Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-27438018704882916372013-06-16T07:18:00.003-07:002013-06-16T07:19:35.276-07:00Hoop house guttersWell hello there. My updates here have been sporadic of late, but this seemed like a project that might be of interest to a few folks out there.
In the pendulum of weather that is our new reality, last year's extremely early and hot spring, followed by severe drought, has been replaced by a cool, late season-start and tons of rain. It's now the 2nd wettest year for Madison on record!Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-49584162096338092372013-04-17T11:50:00.001-07:002013-04-17T11:50:53.707-07:00how do you support your DIY lifestyle?or, "You're drinking what they're [not] selling" (with apologies to CAKE....)
In an attempt not to talk about the weather, I thought I'd look back at the off-season to see if we've made good use of this downtime.
There were some minor house projects:
Discovering you can utilize the space in your Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268260333776275157.post-54049935381958644432013-04-05T07:44:00.000-07:002013-04-05T07:44:00.872-07:00Ah, spring, and an actual follow-up
a perfect way to start the morning....also, I have suspicions there's a toad sleeping right under my coffee cup.
I am trying to remember to look back at my pictures and notes from 2011, because comparing this spring to last is a bit disappointing. You know it's going slow when the NWS has an exciting announcement that we finally had a day with temperatures above average. But all in all Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11777871420440458786noreply@blogger.com0