Monday, June 10, 2013
Mulched strawberries while waiting for
DH to check cattle.
With his help set two cattle panels for
the tomatoes....have 3 leftover that I will stake somehow. I don't
want to wastes a 15 foot panel for them.
and the back side of the fence,
I hoed out most of east side of garden
and harvested very nice broccoli. This was the first year ever in my
gardening life that I had zero little green worms from the cabbage
butterfly. In fact, I have only seen one of them and it was in the
front yard!
I thinned the onions some and will
probably have to chop and freeze them.
I chopped some low-hanging branches
from the trees on the west side of the house and then,
we actually sat down in the shade and
enjoyed our morning coffee break outside.
It is now too hot to do anything so I
am in for the day.
I am making Spanish rice and new
broccoli for lunch.....may go out and pick enough strawberries for
dessert (or not)
June 11, 2012
This was my morning to milk. Willow is
down quite a bit but she is getting along in her lactation so that is
part of fit.
After milking, I tilled the garden,
both sides. I also replanted the very spotty corn patch. I used a
different variety, Bodacious. I always select varieties that don't
have to be isolated so I am hoping this will work.
I tied up a few tomatoes that were
large enough. I also picked the strawberries again. I won't get
many more pickings from them and they will be smaller berries. I got
another gallon container full. I also did my last harvest of the two different rhubarb plants. I know I am pushing the size on the red one but it is my Sis's fault! She has been talking all week about making a strawberry rhubarb pie.............I finally gave in and harvest the makings:
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| From June Blog 2013 |
I wasn't far from this since I keep Nathan's Never Fail pie crust in the freezer and it thaws very quickly.
and the finished pie,
She makes hers using tapioca and strawberry jello and cooks filling on stove top first. I used my Joy of Cooking cookbook method which is just fruit tossed with sugar and cornstarch and baked from scratch.
I should have used more sugar! But I love it.....DH, not so much. He isn't a fan of rhubarb.
The first Asiatic hybrid lily opened.....I think (stress think) this is a Brunello I rescued from the driveway border.
and more poppies,
I was happy to see honey bees working the poppies this morning. I think I just don't pay close enough attention to see them all the time.
I checked out the garden too, this is the strawberry row finally mulched,
and last,
Yes,Virginia, that is more cats(kittens) and these two aren't all,
Once again I am amazed and inspired by all that you do there at the farm. I know what you mean about being done early, and coming in because of the heat and humidity, plus we've got mosquitoes.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great there and the pie looks delicious. DH would love it, I'm not a fan of rhubarb.
Enjoy the rest of your week dear Glenda ~ Rainey
So far, no mosquitoes here. Of course I am not out in the times they favor like late evening.......snug in bed by then.
DeleteI wanted to use a cattle panel or at least some hog wire and T-posts for my tomato patch. We ended up with stakes using some from when we used PVC pipe for electric fence posts. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteAll those good things to eat! I made a blueberry pie the other day using oil pastry from the old Betty Crocker cookbook and just thickening with flour and sugar. It was too rich but oh, so good.
You mentioned my color palettes. Not so sophisticated as much as keeps me from plunking things in that do not 'go' so well. Well, it made me put tomato plants with orange fruits or dark fruits in the front beds, anyhow. I automatically know that reds and pinks go in the upper garden and anything gaudy goes with the tropicals.
I tried blueberries and failed miserably. Our soil is naturally limey and even though I used sphagnum moss and treated with sulfur they lasted just two years. I did get a handful of berries. I try to buy them when they are on sale and freeze.
DeleteThose old cookbooks are the best ones.
Everything looks good; this hot weather makes everything jump, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI've never grown broccoli but I'm thinking I need to try it. Yours looks so good.
Your pie looks yummy!!! Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!
ReplyDeleteI am and I do....way too much!
DeleteOh, that broccoli looks SOOOO wonderful! And your strawberry-rhubarb pie? Like a picture from a cook book! Is there any left? If so, my husband will fill the Suburban with gas and be on his way shortly. We both love rhubarb (I've made two rhubarb pies so far this season) but he's been asking for a strawberry-rhubarb pie for years and I've never made one. (Yes, I'm a bad wife.) I have promised him to come through with one this year though.
ReplyDeleteMake him that pie! I finished the last piece yesterday.
DeleteThat strawberry rhubarb pie looks absolutely fantastic! Oh, to be able to make a pie crust like that...I guess it takes a lot more practice than I've had. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteAlicia I can remember when I couldn't make a decent pie. I finally vowed to just keep on trying....then I discovered the recipe for Nathan's Never Fail Crust on another forum. It makes 6 crusts and freezes beautifully and you can re-roll it many times and it still remains flaky. I think I have it on the blog somewhere.
DeleteGlenda,
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful flower pictures, it looks like your rescued Brunello likes it's new place. I so wish my flowers would bloom in our front planter boxes at the door. Last year and this, nothing bloomed. I'm so disappointed, I placed new soil with compost and absolutely nothing grew.
The strawberry rhubarb pie you made looks so delicious, your making my mouth water. DH doesn't like the pie, does he like strawberries by themselves?
He loves the strawberries. He usually loves pie but not rhubarb, raisin, or mincemeat. I make myself these pies maybe once a year.
DeleteMy nephew on learning that one of my Imaginary Friends makes her own bread and further learning that my Imaginary Friends are real people, wants to know if you ever use SAF yeast? He says it has a very long shelf life.
ReplyDeleteNell, tell him yes that is exactly what I use. I keep it in the freezer and use it directly from the freezer for bread making. Also I swear by King Arthur flour and have to go a a special store to get it. My two other stores don't carry it.
ReplyDeleteI buy the yeast from Amazon and get several packages to get the best price; therefore, the freezer.
Imaginary friends.....I call you all my internet friends when referring to you.