How I love surprises!

You know one of the things I love MOST when going away, even for the smallest vacation, is coming back and finding SURPRISES.
That is something really rather endearing about our very modest garden.  We can leave for even a very small time, come back and VOILA. We have new things popping up.
This past weekend we escaped to one of our favorite State run campgrounds for a bit of R&R, came back and found this!

Ostrich Ferns Barely peeking through the soil.

These are Ostrich Ferns which I planted in this area that has barely EVER produced ANYTHING. There are many areas of our yard that have massive handicaps.  This one has massive shade and very poor soil.  We have slowly added things (including manure and compost) here to see what WILL grow in this area. Most plants have died, failed to thrive or just simply didn't grow at all.
Well lo and behold we have found Ostrich Ferns will grow here. 
Now the really great bit about Ostrich Ferns.  I've wrote it before and now I'll write about it again. I love planting things that look nice but are also functional (aka EDIBLE). 
Ostrich Ferns during the spring months can be harvested as a wonderful treat. Fiddleheads!
Many years ago while visiting one of my favorite cities, Ottawa, we found these at the Byward Market and really had no clue what these were.  They looked odd and unfortunately we walked away without them, instead spending our money on something else. Later we found them again, and decided to try them after all.
These taste almost like fresh asparagus to me.  Somewhat nutty and almost grass like, Spring incarnate.  Saute them with a bit of butter and maybe some shallots and you have a wonderful side dish that you really can only get one time of the year, that is if you are buying locally.  To me, that makes these even more special.

Next, to check on the seedlings.  Most of them are doing well and are in the later stages of hardening off.  Within the next two weeks or so, most of these guys will be going into their new homes at which point I will being listing what extras we might have for sale.  Keep an eye on my Facebook page for that!

But once again, SURPRISE!  It looks like my son, Nick, has the lucky touch.  I have planted a total of three Moringa Oleifera seeds with NO LUCK. So, about a week and a half ago, I dragged my son away from the Wii and requested that HE plant two seeds.  He stuffed them (literally) into the soil, watered it quickly and announced "THERE!  DONE!" and raced back to Super Mario bros.
Sunday night we discovered this!

Moringa Oleifera Seedling.

The Moringa Oleifera, also called Tree of Life, Miracle Tree and Drumstick tree, is completely edible. From its leaves to its roots, its bark to its stems.  Everything is edible.  Not only that, it boasts some pretty dramatic health benefits to boot!
This is a fast growing tree that tolerates poor soil and is native to the southern foothills of the Himilayas in northwestern India. 
Now, here is a positive for all of those container gardeners out there (to which I still belong) The Moringa tree will be somewhat content to grow in a pot as long as it is 12 to 18 inches wide at the very least and at least 2 feet deep.  Instead of reaching its normal height of 20 feet tall, they can be trained to grow up to 2 feet approximately and then just become bushy.  One does have to "train" it though, by pinching off growth once it has more than two branches.  I have read that its important to remain vigilent to this as this little tree has impressive ability to grow fast. 
Another bit to keep in mind, the Moringa does not like wet roots as they will rot easily so it's important to let it dry off some before watering it again.  Lining the container with rocks or pebbles on the bottom can also assist with this.

Why grow a Moringa tree?  Here is a list of just a few of the health benefits.   
• 46 Antioxidants
• 36 Anti-Inflammatories
• 18 Amino Acids, 9 Essential Amino Acids
• Nourishes The Immune System
• Promotes Healthy Circulation
• Supports Normal Glucose Levels
• Natural Anti-Aging Benefits
• Provides Anti-Inflammatory Support
• Promotes Healthy Digestion
• Promotes Heightened Mental Clarity
• Boosts Energy Without Caffeine
• Encourages Balanced Metabolism
• Promotes Softer Skin
• Provides Relief From Acne
• Supports Normal Hormone Levels

Examples of some few nutritional value of Moringa-

• 2 times -the Protein of Yogurt
• 3 times – the Potassium of Bananas
• 4 times – the Calcium of Milk
• 4 times – the Vitamin A of Carrots
• 7 times -the Vitamin C of Oranges

The most common way of harvesting from the Moringa tree is simply grab a few leaves here and there to be eaten fresh, or, if you are like me and you have a dehydrator you can dehydrate them and then use them in tea.  This will make the nutrients more concentrated therfore making one heck of a healthful cup of tea.  Once the tree starts to produce pods they can be steamed and eaten like peas and once the pods become hardier they can be boiled and then the pulp can be scooped out and added to soups or stews. 

The flowers can also be added to salads, sandwiches or even as a wonderful topping to plain yogurt. 

As I grow this new addition to our garden I will be writing much, much more on it!

  

By Sunday afternoon, after coming back from our camping trip we were so enthused and energized by all of these wonderful surprises that we dug down deep and found some extra energy to well, dig down deep.  In the raised bed where our Sunchokes were planted last summer.  And lookie what we found.

We know that we probably left a few in the ground there which, actually is okay by us.  It just means more plants will come up this summer.  Sunchokes (also called Jerusalem Artichokes) are somewhat invasive so one does have to exercise a bit of caution.  If you do not want them taking over an area you have to make sure to get all the tubers that might be left behind.  In our case, we won't be here at this house next summer and we're pretty certain whoever inherits this house will have no clue what the heck is coming up. That actually applies to most of the plants we have planted in our yard, in the dirt.  I do have to suppress a giggle when I think of the next occupants trying to figure out "what the heck are these fern like things/these dang sunflower like things/these dang plants with thorns/these vine like plants that...wait...grow grapes?"

That's always the downside to the military way of life.  We move to an area, plant some roots, then leave.  And leave behind our plants for someone else to either love or hate.

Later this week I will be making a recipe borrowed from Food & Wine.  Since we have kale out front that is going nuts, and now we have freshly harvested sunchokes, I think it's time to use some of it all up.  Serve that with a loaf of fresh baked bread straight from the oven and we've got a wonderful dinner. 

Sunchoke-Kale Hash with Farro

Contributed by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo

• ACTIVE: 40 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN
• SERVINGS: 10
• HEALTHY
• MAKE-AHEAD
• STAFF-FAVORITE
• VEGETARIAN

Comfort food is rarely healthy, or vegetarian. This soul-satisfying winter hash is both. The recipe from F&W Best New Chefs 2009 Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, of Animal and Son of a Gun in Los Angeles, combines crispy sunchokes, silky oyster mushrooms, tender kale and chewy farro. It’s wonderful served with grilled steak or on its own as a meatless main course.

1. 3/4 cup farro
2. 2 1/2 pounds large sunchokes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
3. Salt
4. 1 pound Tuscan kale, tough stems discarded
5. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil blended with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
6. 1 small red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
7. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8. 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, halved if large
9. Freshly ground pepper

1.  In a medium saucepan, cover the farro with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat until the farro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the farro.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cover the sunchokes with water and add a pinch of salt. Boil until the sunchokes are tender, 10 minutes; drain. Slice the sunchokes 1/4 inch thick.
3. Fill the large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the Tuscan kale and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the kale and let cool slightly. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the kale leaves and then coarsely chop them.
4. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the blended oil. Add the red onion and a pinch of salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 12 minutes.
5. In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter in 2 tablespoons of the blended oil. Add the sunchokes in an even layer and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the sunchokes, reduce the heat to moderately high and continue cooking until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Push the sunchokes to the side of the skillet.
6. Add 1 more tablespoon of the oil and the oyster mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil along with the farro, kale and onion and cook, stirring, until hot. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 one day ahead; refrigerate the components separately.

Homemade Medicinal Salves

SALVE/sav/Noun:  An ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.

How many out here use Neosporin for your cuts and burns?
How many out here would like to make your own salves with your own homegrown herbs for little to nothing?

I do grow a lot of my own herbs. That's how I learned how to grow many of the fruits and vegetables that we grow now after all. Herbs are great for the novice gardener as most of them really do not want or need much attention. Think of weeds. For instance. Dandelion. Broadleaf Plantain. Chickweed. These are all plants that tend to propogate themselves freely in many yards, much to many homeowners dislike and yet every one of these is edible and actually useful to us. Herbs benefit from an almost lack of care usually so my garden usually has an odd assortment of both medicinal and culinary herbs.

There are really three basic ingredients to any salve.

1. Oil. 1 CUP. I really like Olive Oil the best as it tends to be the cheapest overall. I can buy it in bulk at big box stores to save some $$$. There are other oils that are good as well but the price tends to go up. I have no interest in making super expensive salve when lower cost salve works just as well.
2. Beeswax. 1 Ounce. I bought mine bulk at Michaels Craft Store long ago and I just shave a bit off each time I need it. From what I understand you can get the nicer, more pricey beeswax but I use just a simple block of it for my salves. End result still spreads very nicely. If you do want a smoother, softer salve you can add a bit of store bought Vitamin E oil and add that to the finished product. My finished salves end up harder but then soften once applied. 
3. Herb/Herbs. Here is the fun part, where you get to play around a bit. There are so many different things medicinal herbs can treat. From sore muscles, sprains, bruises, minor cuts, burns, joint pain. I could go on for a while.

Here is a list of the most common medicinal herbs and their uses.

• Calendula: Useful for a wide variety of skin irritations and conditions. These include wounds, insect bites, rashes, scrapes, abrasions, cuts, inflammations.
• Chamomile: Hemorrhoids, minor abrasions, cuts, scrapes, and wounds.
• Chickweed: Soothing, helps with skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema, minor burns, rashes, and other skin irritations.
• Comfrey: Relieves pain, swelling, promotes the growth of muscle, cartilage, and bone. Assists with healing a wide variety of conditions including sprains, eczema, dermatitis, viral skin infections, broken bones, arthritis, wounds, and bruises.
• Echinacea: Antibacterial, beneficial for sores, wounds, insect bites and stings
• Eucalyptus: Used for rubbing on sore muscles, as an inhalant, and chest rub for colds. Decongestant, antibiotic, antiseptic and antiviral. Used as a topical antiseptic on sores and fungal infections such as ring worm.
• GingerRoot: Warming, use for arthritis and sore muscles.
• Lavender: Soothing, calming, relieves hemorrhoids, pain, has healing properties beneficial for wounds and numerous skin conditions.
• Plantain Leaf: Antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antitoxic properties. Helps speed the recovery process, prevents infection, relieves and soothes insect bites and stings, pain, poison ivy, itching, rashes, sores, bruises, blisters, and damaged skin.
• Thyme: A strong antiseptic used for cuts, scrapes, and sore muscles
• Wintergreen: Warming, great for sore muscles or joints. Active ingredient in Wintergreen is methyl salicylate which is related to aspirin. Never use internally due to possiblity of overdose.
• Yarrow Flowers: Apply to bruises, sprains, wounds, cuts, rashes, eczema, scrapes, and areas with swelling and bleeding.

  

  I actually did not grow enough lavender last year and I have had little success with Comfrey so those were purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs. Broadleaf Plantain in bowl picked fresh around my neighborhood.

First and foremost, let me say, this list above is relatively short. This is a quick list just to get started. These are some of the most common herbs that can be used in salves. I know I have personally seen plants like plantain, yarrow, chickweed, and chamomile grow wild. The others I included because I have personally grown them and they do tend to be extremely easy to grow, even in small pots. If you like you can purchase fresh herbs and even tins for keeping your salves at Mountain Rose Herbs. I have provided the link above.  Many times I will purchase from them when I don't have just quite enough of one thing or another.

Now onto salve making. First, you have to make your infused oil. There are basically two ways to make the herbal infused oil. The expediated way or the longer way.

Fast way?
I simply take my crockpot. Fill it with one cup of your oil of choice. Take your herb/herbs of choice and dump into oil.

I always make sure my herbs are more or less covered by the oil regardless of the way I am infusing my oil so I cannot actually say "a cup of this, a half a cup of that" because I tend to just eyeball most of my salves. I promise, if you put an extra teaspoon or remove a tablespoon it will not change the end product by much. This is not an exact science. I simply stir it to ensure all leaves, roots or what not are covered by the oil. I turn on my crockpot onto the very lowest setting for about 15 minutes and then I just switch it to warm. The trick here is to make sure you do not "FRY" your herbs. You don't need or want crunchy burnt leaves. Keep your temperature down to around 100 to 140 degrees. When I am setting up to make salves for the day and I am using this method I set up my crockpot early in the morning, turn it to warm before I leave the house and then come back 8+ hours later and strain the finished (herb infused oil) product into a clean bowl/mason jar. This way has one extra benefit. Your house (depending on the herb) will smell lovely afterwards. If I have time I move to the next step immediately. If not I store in a mason jar for later.

Longer way?
Fill a mason jar with your choice of herbs. Fill with one cup of your choice of oil. Once again the herbs should be completely covered. You do not want the herbs exposed to air. For best result make sure you have about an inch or two of oil above the herbs. Place, with a lid screwed on, in a warm location, out of the way. It will need to sit for the next two to six weeks. Make sure to shake it every so often. Like the other way, this is not an exact science. If your herbs absorb some of your oil and your herbs are becoming exposed to air, just add a bit of olive oil to the top, put the lid back on, shake and then just put it back in your warm location. I tend to use my laundry room actually as its the warmest area in our entire house. When your time has run out, just simply strain the finished product into a clean bowl/mason jar.

Now you want to melt your beeswax.

I do not have a double boiler so instead what I tend to do for ease of clean up is simply fill a pot with water and then place a glass bowl in pot so it is floating. Add the one ounce of wax. Heat water to a simmer and let wax fully melt. Add herb infused oil to melted wax. Once they are fully incorporated pour carefully (CAREFULLY HERE. IT WILL BE HOT!) into your jars or tins of choice.

Let cool and store covered in a cool, dry location.

These will last, if stored correctly, for several years. Salves really do not go bad by the way. They just lose their potency and smell. 

Yet another giveaway

I promised didn't I?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am in fact giving away one Jam or Jelly to the winner of this giveaway.  The giveaway starts April 1st at midnight and ends on April 13th at midnight.
At the conclusion I will announce the winner and that winner will receive whichever jam or jelly that sounds good to them that I have listed at my Etsy store.

Now in order to win you do have to fill out the question on the giveaway, at the very least, but if you want more entries simply tweet this and like the page.
Now one extra bit.
If I hit 100 page likes by the end of this contest (April 13th) I will give one extra jam or jelly (your pick) to the person who shares my page and gets me the most likes.
I will be watching my page closely over the next two weeks to see who wants the free jam or jelly the most.
Enjoy!!

Free Seed Giveaway~One last update

UPDATE!

I have one last batch of seeds left to give to any who would like them.

Due to the overwhelming response I have nothing left other than Long Island Cheese Pumpkin seeds and I barely have much left of those! 
These grow into gorgeous pumpkin like squash with brilliant orange flesh. Long Island Cheese pumpkins are very sweet and are great for making pies, breads or even soups. 
This weekend I will probably be making a recipe I found on Southern Food.about.com to use up our one last Cheese Pumpkin (hence the reason I can offer a few more seeds!)

Pumpkin Pecan Bread
This recipe makes 3 loaves of pumpkin bread, perfect for gifts or holiday entertaining.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin pureé
• 3 1/2 cups self-rising flour *
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation:

Combine sugar, eggs, and oil in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in pumpkin pureé. Combine flour and spices; gradually add to pumpkin mixture, beating until blended; stir in pecans. Spoon mixture into 3 greased and floured 1-pound coffee cans or 8 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pans, or 2 9 x 5 x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in cans or loaf pans for 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
Makes 2 to 3 loaves of pumpkin pecan bread. *If you don't have self-rising flour, substitute with 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 4 teaspoons of baking powder.

Now all that being said, stay tuned because very shortly here I will be doing a altogether different sort of giveaway that some might actually enjoy and to top it off, this one will have no postage due or what not.

Best thing to do keep up with the status of the giveaway? Like my page on Facebook or follow me here! 
It should be posted within the next week.

Last Call for Free Seeds

A few might recall I posted a giveaway for free seeds a while ago.  I do have a few left to give out which I have listed down below here but here's a bonus for those who received some of those free seeds. A bit of history.
I am the type of person who loves reading the history behind a plant.  How did it become so popular? Why is this certain vegetable or fruit so expensive in the grocery store? Why does it have that really weird and sometimes musical name?  To me, this makes it so much more enjoyable to know all about the plants that I grow. 
So I decided to post some of the research I did while working on a project called Vegucation Outreach that is being used here to encourage kids eat their veggies.   

Something to keep in mind about the winter squash.  Many say this "Oh you have to have ROOM to grow THOSE plants!"  I beg to differ.  I have been now for the past two seasons training my heavy winter squash to grow vertical. Up fences.  I save my orange and onion mesh bags and when the plant sets fruit I simply put it in the bag and support it with zip ties.  This allows the fruit to still breath, it supports it as it becomes heavier and heavier, thereby ensuring that the fruit doesn't pull the entire vine down, and it keeps it off the ground so we can plant other things below it.  This year we will be doing this for both winter squash and watermelon and by the sound of it, our entire fence will be covered this year.  (stay tuned for that!)

Here's all that's left.

Acorn Squash

Long Island Cheese Pumpkin

Marina di Chioggia

Kabocha Squash

Delicata Squash

Carnival (also heard it called Festival) Squash

Galeux D'eysines

Red Russian Kale

Santa Claus Melon

Now, a warning to the last minute folks out there. There is very little left of the Red Russian Kale.  A note about the Red Russian Kale.  You want a plant that will grow during winter? That will go through a hard freeze and still bounce back and in fact will be sweeter than before?  This is your plant. We have these planted in our front yard and back this year.  We've had numerous freezes, frosts and a few snow falls.  These guys take a licking and keep on ticking! Really amazing. Come a month from now I'll be eating a lot of fresh kale out of the garden.  These are also very proficient at providing MASSIVE amounts of seeds.  When you go to harvest you can expect to find Red Russian kale seedlings all through your yard. They will germinate and flourish everywhere and once they do they are hard to keep down. They are tough little plants that are also, a superfood!

Now, I do have to say, this offer is not exactly free.  There is a cost somewhat.
Like last years Black Futsu Seed giveaway the only thing I ask on this one is that if you are interested you must cover the postage.
This means, unlike last year when people sent me a self addressed envelope with postage included (.45 postage on one envelope, .45 on self addressed envelope. .90 grand total), you will only have to send .46 to me via Paypal.
If you prefer you still can send me a self addressed envelope with postage but I suggest the Paypal method to save a bit of $$$ and I did have quite a few people report that they sent me envelopes that I never received.
I will cover the cost of envelopes.
If you are interested in this offer you can email me.
If you are interested in getting some almost free seeds this is all I ask.

1. Email me your address and advise me which seeds you are interested in.
2. Send me .46 via Paypal. 
3. Upon receipt of the .46 I will send you whichever seeds you would like(that I still have available) to the address you sent me on step 1. 

As you can see. Simple.  I will send you about 5 to 10 of each seed you wish.  Supplies are limited and of course rules of first come, first serve apply.

So here is your history lesson for the day. Enjoy!

Galeux D’esyines (Heirloom)

It is an outstanding warty variety. The sweet orange flesh of this variety is great in soups. The fruits weigh between 5 and 10 kg. For decorative purposes, it should be harvested before overly mature, because the peanut-like warts continue to grow and will cover the entire fruit. This variety does not keep for long.

Very old variety mentioned in France, in 1885, in the book “Les Plantes Potagères” of Vilmorin-Andrieux. It is also known as "Brodée Galeuse". 

Does not store well.  These are simply too sugary to stay good for long.

Marina di Chioggia (Heirloom)

Marina di Chioggia Squash are flattened in shape, and have rough, greyish-green, heavily warted rind.  Inside, they have sweet, orange flesh with a rich flavour.  They will weigh 4 to 10 pounds (1 3/4 to 4 1/2 kg.)  Vine-type plant.

95 to 105 days from seed.

Marina di Chioggia Squash is named after Chioggia, a seaport near Venice, Italy.

Stores very well. I just ate my last one from my yard about a month ago.

Delicata Squash (Heirloom)

Grows on a semi-bush type squash plant, that grows 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) tall

The plant has relatively poor yields, and is susceptible to disease.  Delicata Squash was introduced in 1894 by the Peter Henderson Company of New York City.  The susceptibility to disease made growing it commercially unfeasible, particularly because the thin skin also made it harder to ship. Consequently, it fell out of commercial favour, being replaced by the improved variety called Cornell Bush Delicata Squash.
Stores for about 3 months after harvest.

Kabocha Squash (Heirloom)

An average kabocha weighs 2-3 pounds but can weigh as much as 8 pounds.[2]

It has an exceptional naturally sweet flavor, even sweeter than butternut squash. It is similar in texture and flavor to a pumpkin and a sweet potato combined. Some can taste like Russet potatoes. Like other squash-family members, it is commonly mixed in side dishes and soups or anywhere pumpkin, potato, or other squash would be. 

The kabocha was introduced to Japan by Portuguese sailors in 1541, who brought it with them from Cambodia. The Portuguese name for the squash, Cambodia abóbora (カンボジャ・アボボラ), was shortened by the Japanese to kabocha
I purchased mine from the grocery store and then kept the seeds.  The one we had went bad fast but it's my own personal belief that this was most likely a squash that had traveled quite a bit and was already pretty old as it was available at the store in July. 

Carnival Squash (Hybrid)

Carnival Squash is shaped like a slightly flattened pumpkin with hard, thick, colourful rind that is mottled with green, yellow, orange and cream.  They grow to be 5 to 7 inches wide (12 1/2 to 18 1/2 cm.)  They have coarse but not stringy yellow flesh, with a sweet, mild flavour that improves with storage.  F1 hybrid semi-bush.  85 days from seed.  The Carnival squash is a a hybrid of Sweet Dumpling and an Acorn squash variety, both descendants of squashes native to Mexico.
Plant 4 or 5 seeds in each hill after all danger of frost, keep well-watered. Each vine will produce many squash which can be harvested in the fall.  Acorn squash are indigenous to the western hemisphere, so they were not known to Europeans until after the voyages of Columbus. Pre-Columbian Americans had been using squash as a food source for as much as eight-thousand years. The acorn squash most likely originated in Mexico and Central America.  Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew squash on their plantations. 

Mine stayed good for about four months before we ate them. They were still good!

Long Island Cheese Pumpkin (Heirloom)

105 days.  A longtime favorite on Long Island very popular for pies. Flat, lightly ribbed fruit look like a wheel of cheese with buff colored skin. A very good keeper of excellent quality; 6-10 lbs. each; a beautiful heirloom variety.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the first place Long Island Cheese pumpkins were made commercially available—they were introduced in 1807 by Philadelphian Bernard McMahon.

These store very well in cool conditions.  I still have one lonely little cheese pumpkin sitting on my floor. No soft spots, still in good condition.

Santa Claus Melon (Heirloom)

Named as it was once the only melon available in the United States during Christmas time, the Santa Claus Melon shares its greatest similarities with the honeydew. The melon has a sweet flavor and fruits will grow to 10 pounds. In addition to its late ripening period, this variety is known for its long shelf life, and can last for months off of the vine.

This is also callled piel de sapo.  It originated in Spain, where it is widely grown to this day. 

Can be direct sown in warmer climates after soil temperatures reach 70, plant 3-4 seeds 1/2” deep in hills 3-4’ apart on rows 5-6’ apart.  Once established, thin to two strongest plants.  For cooler climates start in pots in the greenhouse and transplant later when night time temperatures stay above 55 degrees.  Start seedlings 3 weeks before last frost. 

Red Russian Kale (Heirloom)

Red Russian Kale was introduced into America via Siberia by Russian traders in the 19th century.  It is very frost resistant and has a distinctive sweet flavour compared to the other varieties.

The Leaf is eaten in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter (for best flavor). They may be eaten raw, in salad, steamed, boiled, soup, sauté, stir fried or roasted.

Germination Temperature: Optimal 55-75°F

Days to emergence: 3-8 Days Minimum or 5-15 Days maximum

Status of the seedlings

It has now been seven weeks since we started our seedlings and this year, once again, we tried a different way.
That's the way it is with gardening and gardeners in general.  Many ask me as of late to give them advice and most times I'm left stuttering and speechless.  Because most of it boils down to trying something over and over again and just simply finding what works for us.
Out of all the seeds we have started it now appears we have a WHOPPING two plants that are being stubborn so far.

One newspaper pot containing an Italian Pepperocini from Baker Creek and one newspaper pot containing a seed for a Chocolate Habanero have yet to germinate.  All the others are doing their best, growing closer and closer to the grow lights we purchased for them this year.
Now, while I bang my chest and announce in a false baritone voice "me good gardener!" I do feel there is a need for tweaking our methods here.
Our plants are doing pretty good however they are all showing signs of being a bit leggy which means they have thin stems and are a bit weak.  This is usually due to poor lighting which has always been a problem in the house we reside.  Unfortunately we are cursed with several issues which severely restrict the availability of good light.
I can, with some ease, grow plants that enjoy shade or filtered light but trying to grow plants that need or require full sun conditions, during the winter, in our house is pretty challenging.

We have now transplanted our seedlings, most of them anyways, at least once.
I am still contemplating if I should grow one more variety of tomato called Egg Yolk Tomato.
This is a list of our current seedlings.

Japanese Black Trifele
Brandywine
Black Cherry
Christmas Grapes
Rut ger
Ingegnoli Gigante Liscio
German Strawberry

Eggplants:
La Traviata, 
Purple Stripe Edirne,
Brazalian Oval Orange

Bell Peppers:
Pinata Mix Sweet peppers
Sweet Chocolate Bell Pepper

Hot Peppers:
Jalapeno both hot and mild
Bhut Jolokia (We have gotten AMAZING Germination rates and growth from these little guys! Amazing!)
Cubanelle
Italian pepperocini. (like I mentioned earlier only one has actually germinated, even after two plantings. Weird.)

My one lone watermelon I started earlier, Cream of Sasketchewan is still hanging in  there.  I get the feeling that that little guy is really craving the sun.  While it doesn't look sad it definitely looks as if it would go nuts the moment the late spring or early sun hit it.  

Purple tomatilloes are still growing. Like the others, they are a little leggy but I'm hoping as we get into the warmer months I can solve that by hardening them off outdoors.  

A few more plants still have to be started.  Like my last blog on the status of our seedlings, I need to get the peanuts started as well as some of our herbs.   



My Turmeric, amazingly enough, has held on through the winter and is actually doing quite well.  I'm hoping that by this summer we will be harvesting some, saving some that we can then use, hopefully, toward another planting.  That is if we are in a new house by this next winter.  I did also have ginger started up but, well, I started it but it never did its share of the work and fizzled out without even the slightest growth.  I have read that store bought ginger is treated so it will not sprout, much like potatoes are so that could be the reason for that failure.  

Turmeric

Still, I might be trying again soon. Stay tuned for that.  

Last but not least. Spuds. Taters.  We have them sprouting everywhere now!  The potatoes purchased a while ago started to sprout around Christmastime.  We did everything we could to delay them a bit and then, just recently, we finally decided to plant them.  Inside.  In pots.  And honestly, they seem very happy now.  It is rather odd at first to look at the plant and realize its not a houseplant, its a potato but then we've been growing a sweet potato vine in the house since early winter so whats one more tuber.  

I did have more to write about, mostly pertaining to a plant called the Moringa Oleifera and how I thought it was sprouting but then I got curious.  I ventured back upstairs to check out the pot a bit further.  Upon moving the soil around a bit I discovered that what I thought was a Moringa seedling was in fact the beginning of a green onion resprouting. Obviously the bottom of a green onion somehow landed in the planter and was hiding.  Talk about having the wind taken out of your sails.  Oh well, maybe tomorrow.  Or Tuesday. Or Wednesday.  

Take this as a reminder.  Spring is 10 days away!

Making homemade Vanilla Extract

How many of us go to the grocery store and pay for Vanilla Extract?  Raise your hands.

Wait, no, never mind, because of course I cannot see you but if I could I would bet most of my readers here would raise their hands.  I know I normally would.  That is until recently when I discovered I could make my own Vanilla extract for use in baking and cooking and save a bit of $$$$ in the process.  This is just so easy that I cannot believe more do not do this.  Really.
Why is it that so many things are actually pretty easy and yet we all believe they are difficult? Well except mayonnaise. I have yet to successfully tackle that one even with scores and scores of eggs down the drain or in the trash.

Okay, now first and foremost.  Please keep in mind. I just started my bottles curing this weekend so I have yet to try out the finished product.  I cannot tell you yet what my thoughts are on the finished product that I have made.  I will be doing that in about two months from now.

Ingredients

 

Vodka.  I have read in numerous sources that this doesn't have to be fancy stuff.  You don't need Absolut, Grey Goose or Smirnoff.  Any brand will do.  As long as it is 80 proof.
Cost for us: 13.99

Vanilla beans.  You need approximately 12 whole vanilla beans to 750 ml of Vodka.
Cost for us: 26.50 for 4 oz
I purchased mine from MountainRoseHerbs.com

1st Step. Cut the vanilla beans in half. Nothing fancy.

2nd step. Pour vodka into container. Put vanilla beans that have been cut in half into vodka. Close tightly and store in a dark area.  These will have to cure for approximately 6 to 8 weeks.  The longer they cure the stronger the vanilla flavor will be.

In two months time I will be coming back and updating this to provide my own thoughts and feelings on this.  Now if this does turn out good then this will be an amazing cost saving for our household.

Here are the economics. 

 At Amazon.com currently McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract is selling for $12.49 for 16 oz.
Cost per ounce for store bought? $1.28

Homemade vanilla extra has cost us a total of $40.49.  I am not including the cost of the bottles as we already had those on hand.  We might be buying some special bottles for our vanilla later on so I'll include that with my update if we do purchase them.
The vodka we purchased was 13.99 for a half gallon.  That is 128 fluid ounces.
Cost per ounce for homemade? .31

Pretty amazing eh?
I think so.  I just cannot wait to see how this stands up in baking and cooking!

Now a few extra notes.  I am highlighting MountainRoseHerbs.com here simply because they are a sponsor.  I purchase from them because they are a reputable company with good quality products.
As we have moved into 2013 I have told my husband, Edward, time and again that I would really like to get my herbal medicine cabinet stocked again as it is almost completely empty except for a container of old Yarrow and Lavender.  While I do not dispute the effectiveness of most modern medicine, sometimes I just find the natural way is best for my family and I.
There are many companies one can go through for fresh herbs and spices but MountainRoseHerbs.com is just awesome!  First, the amount of fresh herbs, spices and teas is just amazing.  They're website is super easy to follow and browse through and the orders are processed and shipped with lightening speed.  The prices are very reasonable which is something I'm always mindful about now a days.  All in all, this company has been a real pleasure to deal with.
Usual readers know I only swear by something if I really have experience with that item and I can honestly say I fully endorse Mountain Rose Herbs if you are shopping for spices, herbs or teas.

UPDATE

Two months later...................... The vanilla has been sitting peacefully, on the floor, for the past two months.  From time to time, we would pick it up, shake it, open it to smell it, and hubby admitted that he's used it a few times to flavor his coffee.  I would say a month ago he announced it tasted delicious in his coffee so obviously by then it was almost done .  

At this point, the first step was simply to strain the whole vanilla beans out of the now vanilla extract.  

I lined my strainer with a coffee filter simply to keep some of the parts of the vanilla beans out of the extract.  Even with using the coffee filter,  it became apparent I would need to strain the liquid one last time which my son assisted me with.  I really wish I had a "scratch and sniff" capability on these photos as our kitchen smelled lovely during this process.  

This time we strained the liquid with a paper towel which got out the rest of the parts of the vanilla beans and even some of the oil that accumulated at the top of our bottles.  Later on I will be purchasing some nice bottles from Mountain Rose Herbs so I can package these as gifts for the holidays.