What I'm Planting/ Pulling

Some photos from around the gardens and an update on what's going in, on and out.
My backyard has previously been home to a raucous husky and thus no gardens. My husband had a gourd arbor back there, fenced from the chickens and doggie. The doggie has sense past, the chickens still try and get in, and there's really not a whole heck of a lot of sun back there for veggies that can't climb up 9 feet. But i'm reclaiming it for my own and hope to grow at least some spindly food plants.

Beet seedling - victim of cutworm or snail.

6 pack of Green Comet Broccolis surrounded by a row of Early Wonder Beets and side dressed with compost

In the front yard i've pulled out a ton of lemon basil spreading its seed all over the place and just generally tidied things up a bit. Some cucumbers i planted mid season are producing now and lots of volunteer seedlings are springing up. I've started putting in seeds and transplants of the veggies i want to grow for winter adn will continue to pull as things die and plant new winter veggies as the season progresses. I will do my best to stuff as much plant matter into this little space as i can - if the snails leave it alone.

I may just get kale to grow from seed this year! Spring's attempt was thwarted repeatedly by snails.

I tried cabbage last year with the same end. I eat a LOT of cabbage and was really hoping to grow some of my own. The snails have other plans.

The curse of the cayenne has been lifted!

Volunteer leafy lettuce and dill baby

Tuscan kale from a seed i saved

Baby calendulas - destined for craft and soap making

The Dallas Red Lantana is just so pretty. I plan on propagating cuttings soon in tandem with pruning time

So that's what's going on over here. My to do list includes more soil amending, weed pulling and spot watering along with harvesting what comes along and successively planting as many seeds and transplants as i can stuff into this little space. On the docket:

• Beets - Early Wonder and a baggie of mixed varieties
• Carrots - i chose little round ones this season
• Cauliflower and Broccoli via transplants - hoping to find Packman and Gypsy varieties
• Kale from seed and later from transplants if i can find them/ if my seeds fail again
• Lettuce and spinach - volunteer and planted all throughout the winter
• Garlic from saved bulbs in the next few weeks
• Separating and replanting multiplying onions to new bed in back that does not seem very happy at all
• Thinning cilantro and dill seedlings as they inevitably present themselves
• Prune shrubby perennials and start some cuttings
• Wildflower seeds now - Thanksgiving

I may also pot up some of my pepper plants to get them through the winter. I tried covering last year and just made a mess of things. This year frost victims will simply make way for new seasonal crops.

What's in your garden tote this season?

This post found at Simple Lives Thursdays.

Wholesome Wednesdays: Potato

Not feeling overly inspired today: having ones nose totally clogged causes a serious decrease in interest in cooking or eating. That being said - potatoes are a great go to meal addition. Oven fries, baked, mashed, as a "crust" to a fresh fritatta, chopped into a curry or stir fry: potatoes add a bit of carby starchy satisfaction to otherwise light and healthy meals.

I grew up in the potato farming community of Merrill, OR - sorry, Idaho, but Merrill's got your spuds beat! No potato has tasted as delicious since supping of the 'just dug' potatoes of my mother's garden. I've tried to grow potatoes here - tried and failed. It can be done, but i don't have a ton of space or patience and prefer to grow fresh green type foods and purchase my storage foods at the market. I don't have the nice, dark, dry garage for storing foods that she does. One day... one day.

For now i just buy potatoes. I like the red ones. I like yams too - but that's a whole other story. I pretty much always get red potatoes and try to get them local or from the Klamath basin. They're good for mashers and oven fries - not as great for baked potatoes, but still tasty. I always have a few in my kitchen drawer waiting for the 'i do not feel like cooking tonight - how about some oven fries with tasty dip?' evenings. They're starchy and carb heavy, but a better alternative to a loaf of bread or pile of pasta. Let's see how they break down:



Definitely a lot of carbs - but no fat and a little protein. I say that's not so sinful! According to WHFoods, potatoes are a decent source of vitamin C and B6. Potatoes are also high in fiber, thus their filling attribute. WHFoods also highlights this important health benefit:

A new analytical method developed by Agricultural Research Service plant geneticist Roy Navarre has identified 60 different kinds of phytochemicals and vitamins in the skins and flesh of 100 wild and commercially grown potatoes. Analysis of Red and Norkotah potatoes revealed that these spuds' phenolic content rivals that of broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts, and includes flavonoids with protective activity against cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and certain cancers. Navarre's team also identified potatoes with high levels of vitamin C, folic acid, quercetin and kukoamines. These last compounds, which have blood pressure lowering potential, have only been found in one other plant, Lycium chinense (a.k.a., wolfberry/gogi berry). How much kukoamine is needed for a blood pressure lowering effect in humans must be assessed before it can be determined whether an average portion of potatoes delivers enough to impact cardiovascular health. Still, potatoes' phytochemical profiles show it's time to shed their starch-only image; spuds-baked, steamed or healthy sautéed but not fried-deserve a place in your healthy way of eating."Phytochemical Profilers Investigate Potato Benefits,"Agricultural Research, September 2007

Potatoes may also help lower blood pressure, boost your cells and brain functions with B6 and protect the heart.

Potatoes have a rather fascinating history that i've gleaned from various programs on public television. Thought of as Irish food - potatoes actually came with Columbus (or somebody) from the Americas. You can still find ancient varieties of potatoes as stables in south american diets. Isn't it amazing how a little tuber transformed the world - can you imagine a world without 'French' fries?

As a bonus info: Potatoes are members of Solanaceae (nightshade family), along with eggplants, peppers and tomatoes these plants can cause some irritation to arthritis. If allowed to flower, potatoes will put on a fruit resembling a tomato! Fascinating. Generally the tubers are harvested before this happens.

Sick Day

I had a great time at the South Austin Urban Farmers Market last Saturday and hope to make an appearance again this weekend. I almost sold out of my new moisturiizng shea butter soap - so pounce early this Saturday to get your own bar. It's the most divine soap i've ever used and hope to make a few more batches as soon as i can get an order of supplies filled.



(Yes, i misspelled moisturizing. Just pretend i mean it makes you moister than other soap)


I've been feeling rather under the weather lately. Some combination of mold allergies, seasonal allergies, and allergies to very cute and heavily shedding corgi puppies......
I'm completely stuffed, can't taste the delicious food i've been cooking, can't sleep, and can't deal with it anymore! Sadly in order for me to afford health insurance i carry a high deductible policy that covers nothing much until i've spent $5,000. I can almost afford the low premium, but not much else. So i don't go to the doctor. Luckily i'm rarely sick and haven't had a cold in over 5 years. I just hate that in order to afford health insurance i can't afford to go to the doctor. I really wish health care would pay you back for being a healthy person. Sorry: i won't go into that particularly controversial topic on this blog - but you get the idea of my angst.

Long story short, i have some projects piling up in the studio and my building fatique due to sleepless nights of mouth breathing causes me to need a little break. I'll try and continue posting some shorter posts here, but expect a slightly less motivated and involved farm mama for the next few days.

On the positive side: kale, calendula, beets oh my! Germinating babies in the gardens make me happy! I'll post about my fall gardening schedule on Thursday. Any requests for wholesome wednesdays this week?

Grilled Salmon Recipe

I love grilling salmon. I never buy salmon in restaurants because it's never as good as the why i or my step dad prepare it. It's easy to do, just takes a little bit of experience to know how long to cook.

I marinated this salmon with Cousin Leroy's Asian Sauce (hoping to do a review of his products soon), soy sauce, chopped garlic and serrano, and a tiny pinch of rapadura. I generally add all the marinating things on the top of the salmon in a pyrex, then flip the salmon flesh side down to wallow in the yummy flavors for a few hours in the fridge. I always leave the skin on the salmon - it keeps all the moisture in the fish and acts as a natural non stick surface on the grill. I like to marinate salmon with a combo of salty and sweet flavors. Leroy's asian sauce is plum and orange based. Without this sauce you could stick with soy and some brown sugar or rapadura - just a tiny bit of sweet as a little goes a long way.

I place the fish skin side down on a pre oiled grill (just a little of that spray oil will do it) and cook on a medium heat until the salmon is done. I placed sliced sweet onion on the top and drizzled the remaining marinade over that. I like the edges to get charred and smokey looking, the flesh should be fully cooked - almost flaky. It's easier to tell that it's 'not done yet' as the fish will still look raw and firm. Don't OVER cook or it will dry out - and don't squeeze the fish, again that will dry it out. Just let it sit there and do its thing.

Yum.

South Austin Urban Farmers Market

We'll have a booth at the Farmers Market on Manchaca (Just south of Jones Street on the East Side of Manchaca) again this Saturday. I'll have my herbal hair rinses, bath salts, soaps and a few jars of that habanero peach jam for sale, plus a few of my husband and my gourd art pieces. I may even bring along some oil paintings or prints i've got laying around. It's a small market with just a few choice vendors, located in a pretty front yard wooded setting. 10am to 2 pm.

I hope to see you there!

Plant Sale

I have a few plants around the homestead that are looking for new homes. Please consider making an offer if you live in the Austin area. Cactus is available to ship.

I have a beautiful hibiscus that has outgrown the pot i have it in. I don't have a larger pot or the desire to purchase another pot - so please give this beauty a new lease on life. It needs to be protected in the winter, but can live outside if it's above freezing. $20 byo pot, or $60 with the current pot. It really needs to be potted up, it's sad and dry and root bound.



My plumeria is the best smelling thing in my garden. It needs to be brought inside for the winter, and can be hung bareroot in a closet or garage (between halloween and easter). I'll be keeping the pot, but the plant is available for $50. It's a young tree, about 5 years old, but flowers regularly and comes with a container of plumeria specific fertilizer.



And finally - our Agave Marginata is one prolific bearer of pups. There are at least 15 pups available. I can pot them in potting soil for you, or you can 'pick your own.' $5 - $15 depending on size.



***** As of Saturday the 25th all these plants have been sold. Please contact me with any interest in agave pups, as she's one prolific cloner. Seeds are still available:

 I also have herb cuttings of rosemary, sage, chives, lemon balm, lemon basil and oregano; transplants of chives and seeds of lemon basil, chives, dill and soon some stevia.

Wholesome Wednesdays: Chia Seeds

Cha cha cha chia! Not just for pets! I had a chia pet growing up, i think it was a buffalo or something, and never knew that those seeds were edible, much less good for you. Now they're all the rage.

Chia seeds are high in fiber and calcium and are a good source of manganese. They're said to give you energy, i just like the little pop pop addition to a bowl of bananas and homemade yogurt.

Chia seeds supposedly have even more omegas than flax seeds! Hot dog. Flax seeds are pretty indigestible unless you grind them first, whereas chia seeds are easily broken down, making them a great alternative for getting your daily omega fatty acids in.

Remember that weird jelly coating the seeds would get, thus allowing you to stick them to your chia pet? When eaten, that jell on the seeds helps us to retain more water in our bodies to stay more hydrated - it also helps block out calories being absorbed by other foods and makes you feel full. Great for athletes and dieters alike!

So, step outside your comfort zone and add chia seeds to your pantry. Great in smoothies, in yogurt, on cereal or salads.

Chia Seeds

Camping Grilled Veggies

Phew, that was quite the trip! My mother is aghast at the over 400 photos of scenery and Pocket that i posted to Flickr, and my tummy's aghast at the over indulgence of camping snacks i succumbed to. Back to the gym this week for SURE.

I did make at least one healthy and delicious meal while camping. I sadly used all grocery store produce, but it was still quite delicious. You could have a similar meal using one of those clampable basket grillers, but i find this grilling pan is super handy and easier to include smaller cut veggies without losing them to the flame. I received this pan as a wedding present from one of those kitchen-gifty stores like crate and barrel or something. Sorry i can't remember the store.

I didn't season much as i don't travel with many herbs, but i did sprinkle the veg with some pepper, soy sauce, and rosemary garlic spice i had premixed and in our kitchen box. Just cut, grill, consume. The corn i left unhusked, started before the rest of the veg, and turned occasionally to get a perfectly even roast. Served with some homemade raw butter and salt. Yum.

I used:

• Squash
• Red onion
• Hatch and Poblano peppers
• Porter tomatoes, halved

Now if only we'd eaten as healthfully and light the rest of the days i wouldn't be feeling like a 'i have no place to hike' homebound blimp.

On Holiday

In lieu of writing a bunch of posts last weekend and scheduling them to post during the week, thus shirking my planning and packing duties - i've decided to take this week off.

Never fear, I will return in full force next week, perhaps with some camp food recipes and lovely pictures from the Davis Mountains. It's planting season here in Austin, so wish my little seedlings luck while i'm away and get away from your computer to do some planting of your own.

Cheers,
Miranda

Yay! Yogurt Success!

I had to write this quick post before we left. In a mad panic i made yogurt this morning before Pocket's puppy school - i was done in the nick of time. I used Soule Mama's technique and finally succeeded!

I used 1 gallon, minus about half the cream removed for butter of raw cow's milk. I heated the milk to a steamy 180 degrees then cooled to 110ish whereupon i added 2 cups of White Mountain yogurt (made in austin) mixed with a little powdered goat milk. Stir stir, pour pour into 4 quart jars and one bonus little jar. I incubated them unlidded on a heating pad set to medium and wrapped in cozie towels for about 7 hours.

The husband and i immediately sampled from the little bonus container (that we'll be taking with us on our trip) and oohed and ahed immensely. So good! Really good warm, too. Pretty much the most delicious yogurt i've ever had. Success!!! The quarts have a lot of separated whey, but that's no matter. I can use it for other things.

Now to save enough starter yogurt to go towards my next batch. Can't wait to have my own goats to milk so that i can have a constant supply of fresh yogurt. $6.50 a gallon plus $2 co-op fee gets a little spendy.

Jam Recipe Request and Invitation to be a Featured Writer

A quick post to ask you, my readers to submit favorite jam recipes here. I have a ton of habaneros, and want to make some peach - habanero jam to put up and save for Christmas presents. I've never made jam before - i've always been put off by the huge amounts of sugar.

Please send me links or full recipes of your favorite jams, preferably one that would work for peaches since i live in peach country. I'd like to avoid refined sugar, substituting rapadura or honey or molasses if that is possible or just using less sugar than i often see in recipes.
I'll write up a post featuring you and your recipe if i choose to try it out.

Thanks in advance!
Send recipe ideas to: Miranda Mueller at G mail dot com or fill out the form located at 'contact me' at the top of this page.

McKinney Falls State Park and Onion Creek

Since this is an AUSTIN Homestead, i thought i would write a quick post to show off the super awesome flooding action out at McKinney Falls after this week's rain. I got about 7 inches of rain at my house, if my rain gauge is accurate. Last summer this waterfall was barely a trickle, last week we took Pocket to the lower falls to wade about and swim in some shallow waters. Last NIGHT we marveled at the booming waterfall sound audible from the parking lot and gasped in shock and delight at how high and tumultuous the waters really were! Puppies were kept securely on leashes at all times.

Last Thanksgiving the falls looked like this:




(that's my mama)

Yesterday - note the change:

Aren't you glad you're not standing out there now, mom!

No more crossing!

The Cypress from above - now neck deep in rapids!

We even found a special friend for Pocket:

It was pretty awe inspiring for sure - and really helps to secure faith in the 'turn around don't drown' mantra. Watch out for those flash floods! Rain water is a powerful force!

Rain

Love it or hate it - rain sure does affect the garden. I'm sure my established plants will be producing like gang busters after this torrent, but i worry my newly planted seeds will be washed away and my hot peppers will be not-so-hot from too much water.

Then there's the unpleasant little 'woops, the puppy didn't want to go out in the rain and deposited a sizable log in the living room' factor.

Who? Me? Naughty?

I usually pray for rain around here, but wouldn't mind some slackening - at least once every 4 hours for bathroom breaks, ha. Hopefully the sky will get a good cry out and dry up in time for a scheduled camping/backpacking trip next week. In the meantime i'll be hopeful that the little seeds will just germinate instantly with all this moisture and not get washed away to some random part of the garden or yard.

Wholesome Wednesdays: Chamomile

I don't actually have any chamomile growing here - it always gets too hot for it, and since i don't actually LIKE chamomile, i've stopped trying. BUT it's good for the skin and since i put some into my last batch of shea butter soap, i thought i'd point out some of its positive attributes.

crappy out of focus picture of dried chamomile flowers.

I think most of us are familiar with chamomile tea and the calming effects it has on our mood and sleepiness. I personally detest the flavor, but will sometimes force myself to consume the herbal remedy to help get me to sleep and perhaps sooth a sore throat with some honey and lemon added.

Apparently, chamomile has a cumulative affect - meaning that if you take a bit each day you will find a greater benefit than just the occasional sporadic cup of tea. Some of the uses for chamomile include:

• Muscle Relaxant
• Chamomile taken in pill or tea form may help relieve menstrual cramps and other muscle pains. Drink 2-3 cups every day to sooth muscle pains
• Skin Soother
• Chamomile can sooth burns, skin allergies, and other nasties like eczema. Instead of using a salve apply cooled tea to burns - creams can be used for other skin ailments

It's the essential oils and flavonoids within the chamomile that work their magic. The oils sooth the skin and the flavonoids help the body to heal with their anti-oxidant properties.

Lavender, chamomile shea butter available soon!

Chamomile is a great all over soother - for the skin and for insomnia. Consider growing your own chamomile if you suffer from particularly unpleasant menstrual cramps - the fresher the herb, the greater its benefits will be. Plus, chamomile makes a very atttractive low growing ground cover. I've combined freshly ground chamomile flowers with lavender essential oil in my latest batch of soap (ready to order the end of this month) which is a specific blend excellent for soothing eczema and other skin maladies - plus it smells nice :)

Tip for Roasting Peppers

A gas stove works, but not well. Roasting tumblers aren't often had by us normal folk. The broiler just doesn't cut it.

Here's an easy way to get nicely roasted peppers: Skewer them along some kabobs for easy group flipping and char over an open flame on your grill or even over a fire pit.

This is a variation of the 'raft' technique that can be used for other slender veggies you may want to grill, such as asparagus. Lay the veg flat in a nice little grouping and kabob perpendicular to the veggies on both ends. This way you can flip a flat square of veggies all at once without risking lost soldiers between the bars of the grill.

Roasting really brings out that nice sweet flavor of the peppers.

PS - last night i made kale chips on the grill and some seriously delicious bison burgers. For the burgers i mushed the ground meat with some finely diced onion, garlic, cheddar cheese and habanero, some smoked paprika, chilly powder and salt, and one whole egg plus some oatmeal. The egg really moistened the meat and held the patties together and the oats helped absorb some of that extra liquid - probably holding in a lot of the delicious bison juices that would have seeped down into the grill. I always make my burger patties full of yummy veggie goodness - much easier to eat than a burger with raw toppings, and that much more delicious! I cooked the burgers on the upper grill until decently cooked through then brought them closer to the flames for a few minutes on each side to get a delicious char on the outside. YUM.

Pesto Fritatta

Omigosh, this was delicious. DELICIOUS. I've been really 'not in the mood to cook' lately and have been having a hard time thinking of new things to make. How silly that i've been overlooking the one ingredient that comes delivered to me in a shiny brown package every day: EGGS.

So yesterday i decided to make a batch of cheeseless pesto and do some experimenting with fritatta. Fritatta is so versatile - you could make it sweet, savory, milky, cheesey, whatevery. I plan on making this one again, but also to continue experimenting with whatever is ripe and on hand.
I came up with something pretty healthy, the right balance of satisfying and light, and used a bunch of garden ingredients to create this:

• 5 eggs
• Handful fresh chopped tomatoes - i used Porters
• 1 red onion, pre microwaved or par boiled
• 1 large clove garlic
• Some onion, about 2 T
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/2 Cup or more freshly made pesto
• Basil
• Garlic chives
• Pecans
• Fire roasted serranos
• Olive oil
• Sauteed Tofu (could use any meat here as well)
• Sauteed with smoked hot paprika and salt

Saute the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in a little olive oil (plus a dash of truffle oil). Once soft set aside.

Re coat the pan with spray or regular oil and place the potato in slices along the bottom of the pan. Scramble the eggs with the pesto and tomatoes and add the sauteed onion mixture once it's cooled to the scramble. Place the sauteed tofu evenly over the potatoes and pour the eggs over that and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and remove when it's firm and bouncy to the touch. I added some cheese on the top for fun, but it totally didn't need it. The mixture of the eggs and pesto made a really unique fritatta that was not dry but not creamy either. There was much approval from the husband and a request for a second was chuckled at, but considered ;)

A Very Happy Pondlet

I knew right away that the critters in my backyard would love my little pond. The fish inside seem happy with their reeds and mosquito babies to eat. The doves love to drink from and play in it. I've even seen squirrels reach in for a drink. Water is definitely a comodity not to be taken lightly around here. We've been lucky to be out of last Summer's awful drought - but it's still pretty darned hot and dry most of the time.

My yards are especially full of anoles and toads. Zillions of them can be found most times, especially right after i water the veggie garden. From tiny spec sized to big ole' foot sized, the gulf coast toads appreciate the habitat i've made for them unfettered with poisons. Unfortunately, my puppy likes to pounce on them and the hens will eat them if they can catch them, but they take full advantage of what my husband refers to 'toad spa.' Whenever he finds a lost toad that's fallen into a hole or bucket, he brings it to 'the spa' where it is sure to enjoy an evening bath like this guy is doing. I had no idea how intense the numbers of toads that frequent the spa really were until i perchanced to accompany the pup's pouncing efforts one night and found up to a dozen big ole' toads lounging about in the water, politely taking turns using the rock to get in and out.

This guy had the spa all to hisself.

I'm very happy that my little Summer project turned into such a happy hot spot for my friendly wild creatures. Now, if i could convince the pup to leave the toads alone, and to not fall in herself - things would be perfect.

I'm Really Tired of Making Mistakes

Yes, we all do it. But it gets frustrating when mistakes are made a little too often.

I just finished a batch of soap: Shea butter soap with Lavender oil, calendula and ground Chamomile. Should be soothing and great for bothersome skin and eczema. Referring to the directions and tips in Smart Soapmaking by Anne Watson, making soap really is pretty easy, as long as you take the right precautions: gloves, goggles, prudence. And using stainless steel submerged in a cold bath to mix the lye in - SO much better then glass! It cools off in just minutes, verses what seems like an hour when using glass.

But i misread my recipe and put 14 oz of shea butter instead of 12. That's a big difference, and if i'd known it i should have upped the lye to about 5.83 oz instead of the 5.6 i used. Sigh.

But i just worked out the INS value of the ingredients, and got a value of 156. The ideal range is 145 - 160, so hopefully this soap works out after all. I'll know in about 3 weeks. Feel free to place your orders if you're interested, and i'll be sure and update then to let you know if it's viable and happy soap.

AND i realized in the middle of the night while being kept awake by a perpetually stuffy yet dry nose: i forgot to line my mold with freezer paper. What does that mean? It means i have no freakin' idea how to get the soap out of the pyrex. Big sigh number two.

Anyone know if i can freeze the mold without damaging the soap quality?

So now, what to do with this 1 oz of shae butter left over? Perhaps i'll go rub it in my hair while trying not to make any more mistakes.
Sigh.

*********Happy Update: i froze the soap in its mold (after cutting at the edges and making a mess of it) and it easily shrunk away from the sides of the mold and popped right out. Hopefullyt eh soap quality is unharmed, and at least it's out and ready to be cut into bars!

Winter Garden Approacheth

Yep. It's currently Sunday, 3 pm, i am soaked. In sweat.
Actually, i DID take a shower - but you get the picture: i still choose silly times to do my gardening. Front bed is all cleared out: purple hulled peas clipped and tilled in with some kelp meal added and toad holes (with large toads clearly present) successfully avoided. I'l add some more compost and start putting in kale and broccoli transplants and seeds in the next few weeks. The fall peppers i planted on July 23rd are happy and putting on fruits. The fall tomatoes i planted are barely larger than they were to start with, but at least one of them is flowering and the layered tomato branch turned new bush is also flowering happily. Hot peppers are in full swing and the little eggplant i put in along with the fall peppers has one cute little fruit on it. It's about time to make pesto number 4, the days MIGHT be showing signs of cooling off, and it's once again time for action out in teh veggie gardens.

See the little toad face?

On deck for Fall/Winter 2010/11:

Calendula
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Kale
Lettuce/spinach
Beets
Swiss Chard
Fava Beans for cover crop in back
Garlic

But i could really stand to wait a few hours, or get started a little earlier ;)