Garden Highlights 2018

We have just celebrated the winter solstice in my part of the world, and the seed catalogs are already starting to turn up in my mailbox for the next planting season.  Work and studies have kept me pretty busy, but I carved out a little time to put in a kitchen garden again last year.  Digging in the soil, listening to the buzz of the bees, and working muscles little used while sitting at a desk helped slow time down for while while the stress melted away.  This year had a cool and rainy start which delayed getting the garden started.  I was so excited to see one of my fig trees develop fruit for the first time; however, because of the cool start, it was so late in the season that they didn't get a chance to mature...fingers crossed for next year.  Although I wasn't able to have as much variety as some previous years, I was still able to capture a few glamour shots of the daily (sometimes twice a week) harvests.  Before I turn to dreaming about next year's garden plan, I thought I'd share some of these highlights from my 2018 garden with you.

2018 Garden Highlights

Early spring greens (chard, kale, spinach)

Makings of a strawberry and greens smoothie

The wettest year on record helped produce these giant squash plants in this view of two of the raised beds in the front yard.

Cucumbers, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, green, wax, and broad beans, peppers and basil

Onions, shallots, cucumbers (green and Asian dragons egg), bell pepper, zucchini, ground cherries, green, wax and broad beans

Onions, eggplant, cucumbers (green and Asian dragons egg), bell pepper, zucchini, ground cherries, green, wax and broad beans, tomato, and lima beans

French market carrots, Asian cucumber, tomatoes, red and yellow onions, shallots, and broad beans

Cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground cherries, green, wax and broad beans, Italian sweet peppers, and lima beans

Cantaloupe and heirloom tomatoes

Eggplant, Italian and bell sweet peppers, tomatoes, basil, cucumber, sage, and raspberries

Eggplant, bell and jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, and sage

Eggplant, jalapeño and bell peppers, beets, carrots, tomatoes, and arugula

Kale, chard, carrots, and sweet peppers

Thanks for reading!

Garden highlights - 2017

Heirloom tomatoes

This year's garden was about compromise.  Work and studies left me little time to nurture seeds from start to transplant, so I opted for heirloom seedlings from online sources and the local nursery.  I was pleasantly surprised that the selection wasn't as narrow as I had feared.   Happily, I was still able to stock the freezer with tomatoes of about half a dozen varieties for making soups and stews over the winter, and there was usually something available for harvest fresh from the garden on most days.  Sadly, the basil was ready for harvest as I studied for a final and then was away on vacation.  Because of this, I didn't get to stock up on homemade pesto this year, but I think the neighbors enjoyed the windfall.  Another casualty to this year's weather was the garlic, which only yielded a few scrawny bulbs at harvest.  On the plus side, I was able to deter the deer that like to nibble our green bean plants.  This time, I tucked the bean seeds among the prickly leaves of zucchini plants, which the deer avoid.  This seemed to have made our garden no longer on the equivalent of the deer's Zagat guide of best places to eat because they seemed to have been frequenting our neighbor's flowering bush instead.  This year's gardening experience was certainly a bit pared down over the last few; however, I'll take it over not having one at all.  The seed catalogs have arrived in the mail just as we're settling in for a couple of weeks of below freezing winter weather, so it's time to snuggle up to the fireplace and start planning for next spring.

Although I didn't get to share the progress throughout the growing season, I did manage to capture it in photos.  Here are some of the highlights from the garden this year.

Flowers in an urn, a raised bed, a fig tree, zucchini and yellow squash

Daily harvests

Some of the flowers from this summer

Swiss chard, Italian eggplant, tomatoes ripening on the vine, strawberries

Spring in the garden and a visit to a small farm

This year, the garden got off to a slow start this year as we had a cool, often wet, spring.  Because of my studies, I didn't have time to start plants from seed as I usually do.  However, there are many more varieties of heirloom plants to choose from in local nurseries and by mail order than a few years ago.  Although the harvests won't be as diverse as I'd like, I was able to get a variety of tomato, peppers, squash, eggplant, basil and cucumber seedlings.   I also directly planted seeds for beans of all kinds, carrots, and greens. The last few years have provided enough garlic to last will into the winter months.  However, the mild winter disagreed with my fall-planted garlic, so, sadly, I will not have a large garlic harvest later this summer for pesto making.  I will be lucky to get half a dozen bulbs and will miss making a garlic braid to hang in my kitchen.  Each year's weather brings different successes and failures which is why I try to plant a variety each year - if one crop fails, hopefully, there will be plenty of something else. (We still have a couple of butternut squash left from the more than 20 from last year's harvest.)  Gardening certainly makes me appreciate how much work goes into producing our food.

Here are some photos of the garden during the last week of this spring.  Now that the summer heat is on, things have taken off, so I'll post some updates again soon.

Two of the garden beds with tomatoes, basil, and beans; a fig tree, and squash blossoms

Some of the flowers and ornamental plants tucked among the vegetable beds

Recently, we had a real treat in attending an open house of a friend and his wife.  They have about 7 acres, and have been setting up a small farm.  The chickens have the nicest coop I've ever seen with a cupola topped with a weather vane and a solar powered door to allow them easy access to the yard.  There are two of the cutest baby goats that enjoy the run of the paddock and climb on anything they can, plus beehives and guinea hens.  There is a puppy that is a working dog in training to protect them all, along with a few border collies (both theirs and ones they foster before they find a forever homes) for keeping things rounded up.  A vegetable garden is in its first year with plans for a field of cutting flowers for the next.  It was such a relaxing day spent in the fresh air and a bonfire to end the evening.  We went home relaxed while the dogs were tuckered out from running in the fields.  It has me dreaming of having a bit more land of our own.

Resources:
Seeds and fig trees (planted 2 years ago) - http://www.rareseeds.com/
Seedlings:  http://www.territorialseed.com/ and  http://www.rareseeds.com/

Highlights from 2016

Farm view - Rural Retreat, VA

Well, they say it's better late than never...so, I'm finally getting to complete this post started many months ago.  For me, 2016 was shadowed by my sadness over my mother's passing away in February of last year.  I spent much of the rest of the year just taking things as they came as I realized that I wasn't going to be in control of things the way I usually like to be.  As I incorporated the responsibilities of settling an estate into an already busy schedule, I had to come to grips with the reality that grief makes you move at a slower pace through life.  I had to let some activities go in order to cope.  Despite that, there was still plenty to celebrate during the year.  The year was also filled with plenty of personal reflection, and I marked the end of the year by doing a look back to celebrate the highlights from 2016, picking a word and setting goals for 2017 as I have been doing over the past 10 years or so.

Here are some of the highlights from 2016:

I started and completed 1/4 of the coursework in a graduate school program in transpersonal psychology.  This partial stack of school books in the photo below kept me busy during the year.  My coursework has a large experiential component requiring a great deal of inner work.  My personal meditation practice has become even more consistent as I explored a variety of both Eastern and Western techniques.  I delved into a journey of self-discovery uncovering the mythologies of childhood and culture that are influencing me today, and immersed myself in discovering the science behind the powers of the human mind and the the mysteries of our dreams.  I've included a resource list of some of the books I explored in class and some others just for fun in case you are looking for something to add to your reading list.

Because of my studies, the garden didn't get as much of my attention as I would have liked to have given it.  However, the harvests still offered an abundance of fruits and vegetables plus beautiful flowers for bouquets.

I attended a weekend program on intuition and dreams at a farmhouse called the Big House in Rural Retreat, VA.  In addition to gaining new knowledge, it was a weekend of much needed rejuvenation, beautiful scenery, and making connections with a like-minded community.  After the program, the road trip continued with visits to family in Kentucky and Indiana before heading home and back to work and my studies.

The Big House in Rural Retreat, VA

Other highlights for the year included:

spending time with my brother and his family

a photography workshop with my favorite zen master

high tea at an historic inn with some of the ladies in the neighborhood

a fun summer evening at a traveling carnival with a girlfriend and her family

performing dance at a charity function

a special night at the 10-year anniversary celebration of  the release of Hip Tranquil Chick

my husband taking me to a performance of Love Letters by Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal

a beautiful local Christmas light display

monthly volunteering with my son at the local food bank

As I have done for many years, I completed Susannah Conway's Unravelling exercise of reflection for the year past and set aspirations for the year ahead.  Last year's word was IMMERSION, and that came about when I dove into my studies and also coped with being unexpectedly immersed in grief.  For 2017, I have chosen AUTHENTIC as my word to explore as my knowledge and worldview expand with my studies.  I'm looking forward to watching the rest of 2017 unfold and the adventures it might bring.

Thanks for reading!

Reading list:

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Personal Mythology: Using Ritual, Dreams, and Imagination to Discover Your Inner Story
Dream Solutions! Dream Realizations: The Original Dream Quest Guidebook
Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind
Meditation for Beginners
Living Deeply: The Art & Science of Transformation in Everyday Life
When the Soul Awakens: The Path to Spiritual Evolution and a New World Era
The Secret History of Dreaming
The Essential Edgar Cayce
Succulent Wild Woman - Dancing With Your Wonder-full Self!
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

   Rose in full bloom in my garden

Spring in the garden

Spinach

Uncovering the winter garden is always a surprise.  Some years are better than others, but there is always something that makes it through the winter tucked under hoops covered by garden fabric and plastic.  This year, there is spinach, flat leaf and curly parsley, carrots, and a few onions.  Of course, the mint always seems to survive no matter what happens, and there are always plenty of weeds.

Spinach harvested for a salad

Repairs have been made to the beds, and I'm looking forward to refreshing the soil in preparation for planting.  This year, I'm trying a different mix to refresh the beds inspired by Jake Mace's soil mix video.  I'll be topping off the beds with a mix of compost, coconut coir (a substitute for peat moss to help retain moisture and save the endangered peat bogs!), azomite trace mineral dust, and worm castings.

This year, I didn't have a chance to start my own seedlings indoors because my studies in a graduate program and work have kept me busy.  I opted to order some seedlings online (rareseeds.com and territorialseed.com), and I'll get a few more from the local garden center and health food store.  Even just a few years ago, if you wanted to plant heirloom varieties, you had to start from seed.   Although you can't beat the variety of heirlooms available as seeds, there are increasingly more choices being offered as seedlings these days.

I look forward to sharing this year's garden adventures with you.

Thanks for reading!

Carrots, flat leaf and curly parsley survived the winter in raised beds under covered hoops

2015 in review

Annual year end review workbook 

I can't believe that 2015 is over.  It feels as though it went by in a whirlwind.  In my annual tradition, I am ending the year with a look back to acknowledge the year's accomplishments and evaluate the misses and then set intentions for the new year.  I find that the busyness of life means I don't always get to savor some of the accomplishments as they happen or don't take enough time to take a look at what didn't work and why so I can make corrections or be at peace with letting go.  I know this doesn't work for everyone, but taking just a few hours for this makes me feel as though I am setting myself up to make the most of the coming year.  This process helps me put things into perspective and it's interesting and rewarding to see what I was able to accomplish and how differently some things turned out from what I imagined.

Last year's word was embodiment and I dug deeper into a few topics and projects that I had been dabbling in for awhile to see where they might lead.  I enjoyed my explorations which are leading to more changes ahead and my word for 2016 which is transformation.  This is just the beginning of the changes to come, and I look forward to sharing them with you.

Here are a few highlights from 2015:

Volunteering at the DC Food Bank 
My son and I usually volunteer at the DC Food Book once a month and we were able to make 8 times last year.

1.  Sorting food into bins  2.  View into the warehouse

Road trip to an ancient forest

A day trip to Beall Woods State Park in Illinois which is a forested area that has not been logged or altered and remains today pretty much as it was hundreds of years ago. 

Fall Craft Cornucopia with Hyattsville Aging in Place
A great day of demonstrations and teaching crafts along with some of my neighbors who are also crafters and artists.  I enjoyed teaching the participants how to make collaged gift tags.

Starting in the upper left:  1.  weaving demo, 2.  felting wool, 3.  some of the seniors group working on their needlework and sharing stories, 4.  my table with supplies for making tags, 5.  upcycled old t-shirt, 6.  origami instruction, 7.  wool for felting projects, 8.  origami examples, 9.  reclaimed t-shirts cut into strips ready for weaving, 10.  weaving on t-shirt strips on a stick loom, 11.  t-shirt weaving examples

Garden adventures
Lots of hard work in the garden yielded abundant harvests and filled our freezer for the winter.

Art exhibition at the Popcorn Gallery
Two pieces of my mixed media collage were chosen for an exhibition using reclaimed materials.

Thank you for reading and wishing you all the best in 2016!


Resources:
Unravelling the Year Ahead
Zen Habits: The Practice of Year-end Reflection

Sunflowers in the garden

Mushroom Veggie Burger Recipe

Mushroom and eggplant burger on a whole wheat bun with garden fresh spinach, tomato and refrigerator pickles

I love a good veggie burger and enjoy giving new recipes a try.  The recipe in this video was the inspiration for a burger that has become my current favorite.  During the summer months, I even substituted eggplant for some of the mushrooms when the garden offered up an over-abundance.  (The mushroom/and eggplant version is pictured here.)

Here is my take on the original recipe:

Mushroom Veggie Burgers

(makes 6-8)

1 pound mushrooms (white button or portobellos)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Braggs amino acids or soy sauce
2 tablespoons barbeque sauce 
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 teaspoons garlic powder or 3-4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper  (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 to 1 cup rolled oats, oat flour or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking burgers

1.  Process the mushrooms in a food processor until mushy.
2.  Cook over medium heat in a skillet, stirring often until most of the water is cooked out.  Put in a large bowl.
3.  Using the same skillet, stir fry the onions and peppers until wilted.  Add to the bowl with the mushrooms.
4.  Add garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, Braggs, barbeque sauce, olives and brown rice and 1/2 cup of the oats or breadcrumbs to the bowl.  
5.  Mix well.  
6.  If the mixture seems too moist, add more oats or breadcrumbs until the mixture holds together.
7. Shape into 6-8 burgers.  
8.  In a skillet heated over medium heat with olive oil, cook until browned on both sides, turning only once to keep from breaking apart
8.  Serve on buns with your favorite burger toppings.  

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:
Eggplant veggie burgers
Whole wheat sandwich rolls

December Garden Update

Giant bowl of mixed greens:  rainbow chard, spinach, arugula and kale

At this time of year I'd normally be snuggled up in front of a cracking fire to write this post. However, this year, we've got the windows open and the warm weather feels more like late September than December.  Whether it's because of global warming, El Niño or just a normal shift in weather patterns, we are enjoying harvests far longer than usual.  Amazingly, the last of the summer peppers were just picked in mid-December!  The hoop frame tunnels only have a layer of light garden fabric over them instead of the usual layer of fabric topped by heavy plastic that is usually need to protect the fall and winter garden from cold weather.  Here are a few photos of the late fall garden as we head into winter.  

A view inside the fabric covered tunnel where collards, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, onion seedlings grow during the cool weather months

A sea of arugula

Tender spinach

Swiss chard

The last harvest of this summer peppers

Thank you for reading!

Highlights from this summer's garden

Most of the summer garden is gone as the days have grown shorter and the temperatures cooler.  Although the garden got off to a slow start because of a cool spring, production picked up and we were not disappointed with the variety in our harvests.  Here are some of my favorite garden photos from this year.

Sunflowers were abundant in the garden this year, and beautiful from both the front and back view.

Colorful lima beans

A day's harvest #1

A day's harvest #2

A day's harvest #3

A day's harvest #4

A day's harvest #5

Soy beans

Zinnia glamour shot

I hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.  

Thanks for reading!