Harvesting Triticale (and other grains)

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Christy

August means harvest time, and even in a small garden there’s plenty of work to do to bring garden treasures in for the season. Harvesting grains can be a bit time consuming, but it is particularly
satisfying when the process is over. After all the chaff is removed, you have a finished product that can be used to make cereals, breads, pie crusts, and other baked goods through winter.

We grew triticale this spring and just harvested it this week. Now it’s time
to prepare it for the …
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Melons and Tomatoes – Flavors of Summer

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Christy

Check out the latest post from Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter. Get some great ideas for no-cook recipes for melons and tomatoes:

Savor the Fruits of Summer with Melons and Tomatoes
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Cucumbers Become Mom Jo’s Dill Pickles

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Christy

Last week’s Tip of the Week podcast introduced you to my mother’s delicious dill pickle
recipe. This week we tried our hands at making them with home grown Lemon Cucumbers. Tension mounted at the thought of doing it for the first time without Mom there to guide, but a few phone
calls along the way made it easy.

We started with freshly picked Lemon Cucumbers (and an Early Russian straggler). We soaked them over night in cold water.
…
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Seed Saving for Celery

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Christy

Celery is an umbel, a member of the Umbellifera family, which has flowers that are shaped like umbrellas. Umbels are famous for attracting parasitic wasps and other beneficial insects that combat
aphids in the garden.  

Last fall, we tested out some Tall Utah Celery seed from
Hometown Seeds in the garden, and found that it did really well. We harvested individual stalks all season long and then let the rest go to seed to attract beneficial insects and provide habitat. Boy
did it! It is now 6 …
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Summer is Pesto Time

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Christy

The latest post from Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter is here to give you ideas about pesto. Make it yourself, or buy it pre-fab – you’ll be smiling either way:

Pesto: A Basil-Based Delight
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Harvesting Delicata and Acorn Squash

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Christy

Since we planted squash very early this year (in order to get the plants established by the time June Gloom set in) we are already set to harvest some of our winter squash. Our Golden Pippin Acorn
squash and most of our Delicata squash plants have withered, leaving behind golden fruits that will store through winter.

With pumpkins, it’s easy to know when to harvest – just let the vines turn brown and crispy, then pick your pumpkin. Not all winter squash is that simple. For example, I’ve …
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Raita: a Tasty Cucumber Side Dish

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Christy

Low-level panic strikes when the pile of cucumbers from the garden starts to become overwhelming. What to do?  If you’ve already made “spa water” with cucumber and orange slices in a pitcher of
water, and you’ve been scooping up hummus with sliced cucumbers every day, try an Indian side dish that will help dwindle down your supply.

Cucumber Raita (ra-yee-ta) is an Indian/Pakistani condiment made with yogurt that is usually used to cool the palate when eating spicy foods. It can have its own degree of spice, with mustard seeds
or paprika, …
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Local Honey is Nature’s Gift

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Christy

The latest post from Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter is reading for your reading delights. Get the lowdown on local honey, along with some great uses in sweet and savory treats:

Harry’s Honey: Nature’s Sweet Treat
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Lemon Verbena Ice Cream

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Christy

Cooking jags strike without warning, and when combined with the innocent act of pruning the lemon verbena plant out front, it makes for a delicious combination. Lemon verbena is one of those romantic
herbs that I imagine Victorian women picked as they walked through the garden and rubbed onto their pulse points to carry the fragrance with them all day. It’s lemony, but floral.

Lemon Verbena is usually dried and used in tea, but adventurous cooks use it in other dishes with fish, chicken and breads. We at Gardenerd …
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A Date with Some Great Dates

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Christy

The latest post from Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter is ready for your eyes. Find out where dates come from, and how we get them locally in So. Cal:

Dates: Delicious Desert Delights
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