A New Home!

I have a new home on the web. I have imported the entirety of this blog over to the new site :-) I will keep this blog up for another six months for folks to migrate over to http://kenskitchengarden.com I hope you all visit me at my new address!

Happy Gardening!

Another Cold Weather Classic

I love Cassoulet, the french bean and pork based stew. If you have grown your own beans, carefully harvested them along with some delicious onions, garlic and other root vegetables, you can make this hearty dish with mostly home grown ingredients. I won't lie, it is time intensive...including soaking the beans, the total time is about three days, but it can be shortened (active time) by buying or pre-soaking your beans and using your crock pot. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

12 cups chicken broth
3 cups dry navy beans, presoaked
1 lb slab bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 lb garlic sausage
2 small yellow onions, peeled and left whole
3 garlic cloves
2 bouquets garnis (see note)
Salt as needed
1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin, cut into large cubes
1 1/2 lb boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into large cubes
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
6 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced leeks
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced parsnips
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef broth
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 3/4 lb duck confit (or use more lamb and pork combined)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepot and add the beans and bacon. Return the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 40 minutes.

Add the sausage, onions, garlic, and 1 bouquet garni. Return the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the bacon is fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove and reserve the sausage and bacon. Remove and discard the onions, garlic, and bouquet garni.

Season the beans with salt to taste continue to simmer until the beans are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Strain the beans, reserve them, and return the cooking liquid to the pot. Continue to simmer until the liquid reduces by 1/2 and is beginning to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reserve the sauce for later use.

Season the pork and lamb with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Sear the pork and lamb in the oil on all sides, turning as necessary, until deep brown. Transfer the meat to a pan and keep warm.

Add the leeks, carrots, and parsnips to the casserole and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is pasty, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine and 3 cups of broth to the casserole, whisking or stirring until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining bouquet garni. Return the seared meats to the casserole, along with any juices they may have released, and the duck confit (if you are using it). Add more broth if necessary to keep the meat completely moistened. Bring to a slow simmer over medium-low heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the casserole and braise the meat in the oven, skimming the surface as necessary, until the meats are fork tender, about 1 hour.

Peel the reserved sausage and slice it 1/4 inch thick. Slice the reserved bacon 1/4 inch thick. Add the sliced sausage and bacon to the casserole. Cover the meat with a layer of the reserved beans. Add the duck confit in a layer, topped with the second half of the beans. Pour the sauce from the beans over the cassoulet. Toss together the bread crumbs and parsley and sprinkle in an even layer over the cassoulet.

Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F and bake the cassoulet, uncovered, periodically basting the crust with the juices that bubble up at the sides of the casserole, until it is heated through and a good crust has formed, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let the cassoulet rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve in heated bowls.

Happy Gardening!

Using Herbs: Smudge Sticks and Burning Bundles

A couple of months ago I took deep and final cuttings and harvested the balance of my herbs from the herb garden. Some of these bundles were brambled and jarred up for culinary, ceremonial and medicinal purposes. However the bulk of that final cutting were dried and prepared to make burning bundles and smudge sticks. These will be part of my holiday gift baskets to share more bounty from the garden with my family and friends.

For the smudge sticks I chose sage, rosemary and lavender. These three herbs are traditional for spiritual cleansing and protection and make great choices. I like to combine herbs rather than simply use sage (my olfactory preference).

Choose the twine you will use to wrap the smudge stick. Use a natural material like cotton, raffia or hemp, and when possible select a red colored twine. Red is the most common color used in Native American ceremonies for its spiritual power.

Lie out your cuttings and form an easy to wrap bundle. Place the herbs that burn fast on the inside of the stick and place the sage on the outside. Tie a loop on one end of the twine and pass the other end through the loop to make a slipknot. Pick up the herb pile and place the slipknot loop around the bottom of the stems, pulling tight.

Wrap the twine around the smudge stick until you have reached the top. Be sure to keep a moderate tension. If the twine is too tight the smudge stick will not burn well, however if it is too loose your smudge stick will fall apart. When you have reached the top, reverse the direction, wrap again to the bottom, and tie a knot. These smudge sticks are used to cleanse a space of negative energy.

Burning bundles are used in fire places and fire pits to add fragrance and a touch of magic to the hearth fire. I chose to make two types; a lemon/lime bundle and a winter herb bundle.
The lemon-lime bundle consists of three pieces of fat wood, a small bundle of hosta stems (lunar magic), lemon balm (success) tied up with dried lemon and lime slices (success and protection).
The winter herb bundle contains fatwood, cinnamon (love), rosemary (protection) and lavender (love and enchantment). These bundles are tied up with dried orange slices.

There are so many ways to use herbs, I hope you like these!

Happy Gardening!

A Bistro Favorite to Chase away the Cold

Two of my dear friends Aubrey and Suzanne recently took their honeymoon in London and Paris. I know they had a lovely time in the City of Lights. I recall the life changing trip to Paris I took many years ago. I can recall the sights, smells and tastes of that fantastic city at any moment. One of my favorite things to do was to sit and eat in cafes and bistros, these are the places where life happens in Paris. Salads, Croque Madame’s , Monsoirs, soups, steaks, roast chicken all take on a Parisian flair when served on gleaming white plates by hurried waiters.

One of my favorite dishes back then and still today is French Onion Soup or Soupe a l'Oignon au Fromage. It is an easy dish to make and the rewards are spectactular. This soup, when made properly serves as a fantastic lunch course with a salad or a hearty first course at dinner. This recipe serves 6 people. This morning was chilly and frosty so I decided to let the yard warm up a bit before I attempted any yard work so I put the time to good use in the kitchen. I pulled some onions that came from the garden out of the pantry and made a big batch of soup!

6 large onions (about 5 pounds), sliced thin
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 quarts beef broth
twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices of French bread, toasted
3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyère

In a large kettle cook the onions in the butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth slowly, stir the soup constantly until it comes to a boil, and simmer it, covered, for 20 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Put 2 slices of the toast in each of 6 heated soup bowls, top each toast with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère, and pour the soup over the toasts. (To serve the onion soup gratiné, arrange the 12 toasts on the bottom of a flameproof casserole, heap each of them with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère and boil it under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.)

This soup freezes beautifully so don't worry if you don't have six hungry mouths to feed with it, make up a batch, have some for lunch and freeze the rest!

Happy Gardening!

Celebrating The Holidays and Bringing the Outdoors In!

The wheel of the year has turned us to the time of the Winter Solstice, Yule and of course Hanukkah. All of these traditions celebrate the return of light in one way or another. The darkest day of the Solstice marks the time when the days will grow in length. Yule is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival. Large “Yule logs” were burned for many days to chase away the cold and dark nights. Hanukkah of course celebrates a victory for my ancestral people over their oppressors and a miracle involving holy oil and light in the temple.

This year, like in years past I celebrate these holidays. This year, however, I decided to incorporate them all in my holiday decorating. Sadly, last year my exquisite Lennox Menorah was destroyed and I have not been able to replace it as of yet, so I decided to use votive cups and tea lights as a menorah this year. This allowed me to incorporate some of the season’s plants in my home.

I laid out the special blue velvet mantle cover I use each year, then laid out boughs of Pine, Cedar and Boxwood. Herb and plant lore tell us that Cedar will remove negativity from a space; Pine is a spiritual cleanser and that Boxwood energy is used for protection and granting wishes. I also included a dried Bayberry wreath on my mantle for prosperity, health, healing, protection and luck!

I finished the whole thing off with birch candles in large apothecary jars surrounded by golden Hanukkah “gelt” . The word gelt means money in Yiddish and refers to money as well as chocolate coins given to Jewish children on the festival of Hanukkah.

Incorporating these themes into my home helps me feel I am honoring all of my traditions. I hope you all have a peaceful and happy holiday season!

Happy Gardening!

Humbled (Part 2)

My visit to the Grand Canyon was not only a spiritual experience, it was also remarkably educational. I am a nerd frankly and I am not ashamed to admit it. I like understanding the ecosystems of the places I visit, learn about the indigenous people, its history as well as the plant and wildlife.

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River. The Canyon is located in the state of Arizona. Most of the Canyon is contained within the Grand Canyon National Park (established 1919). It is considered a Wonder of the Natural World.

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attains a depth of over a mile. This is one of the reasons photos just can’t do the canyon justice, even standing at its rim, the human eye has trouble grasping the distance and depth.

Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While scientists debate the timing of the activity, most recent evidence suggests the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago

For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon ("Ongtupqa" in Hopi language) a holy site and made pilgrimages to it (I totally understand why!). Some of the earliest European’s to view the canyon were Spaniards who were guided by the Hopi to the south rim. One of the most documented and a famous expedition was John Wesley Powell in 1869. Once the railroad was established in 1901, tourism really boosted the area to prominence with one of the buildings on the rim being a Harvey restaurant and hotel. Its history and that of the “Harvey Girls” is illustrated on the site and in my pictures…a little shout out to one of my favorite Judy Garland movies (1946).

The extreme changes in elevation from canyon floor to rim support a wide range of plant and animal species. The lower canyon has a lot of desert areas as well as marsh areas near the river itself. The rim has ponderosa pine forests, Aspen trees, Juniper groves as well as Montane forests. The unique animal inhabitants of the canyon area include the Humpback Chub fish, Big Horn Sheep, Canyon Rattlesnakes, The Pinyon Jay, Mountain Lions, Wild Turkeys, Mule Deer and Two distinct species of Squirrels that were once a single species (North Rim: Kaibab and South Rim Abert) that adapted to the different climates of the diametrically opposed rims.

I know hundreds of thousands of people have toured the canyon before I did, but it was still breathtaking. If you ever get the opportunity to do it, DO IT!!!

Happy Gardening!

Humbled (Part 1)

I have been waking from a dream for quite some time….each new experience lifts the veil and the clouds over my mind and spirit a little more. I have always been a lover of nature and hopefully a good steward of the planet we live on, but I have been a victim, like many, of the feeling of separation and dominance over nature.

Over the last few years, that feeling has been abating…by immersing myself in nature by gardening, being out in nature and feeling the interconnectedness of everything is, by making this connection a spiritual pursuit. Each of these experiences enriches my mind and nourishes my soul.

My most recent experience was on a trip out west. I had the opportunity to visit and tour the Grand Canyon for the first time in my life. To say that it was a humbling and awe inspiring visit is an understatement. At first the cloud bank obscured most of the canyon and I thought the 5 hour ride was going to be a bust, but the clouds cleared and I caught glimpse of the canyon for the first time. I was literally moved to tears. The clouds continued to clear and the view became more and more spectacular. I felt the power of nature by seeing how it can carve and create the landscape. The spirit of the land in this area is ancient and very, very present.

The pictures I took simply cannot do this wonder justice. In this post, I have included a panorama shot I created, but in my next I will create a composite image for you to enjoy.

While the garden is resting and recuperating in my own back yard, I am committed to stay out in nature and bring those experiences back to you!

Happy Gardening!

You Say Cacciatore, I say CacciatorA!!!!

Americans may know this dish as cacciatore (hunter’s style), but it’s really cacciatora, named in the honor of the hunter’s wife – who, in parts of northern Italy, traditionally cooked it on the eve of the hunt as fuel for the chase.

You could also call this dish "Ken had a crazy September Schedule and couldn't can his tomatoes so he came up with this instead". The fact is that my September was insane...and August was no picnic either. Work was a bear, I started a graduate school program and I decided to take an 11 year overdue vacation! But the garden waits for no man, not even me; so I decided to freeze my tomatoes whole to be able to make sauce later. The freezing process is easy...don't peel the tomatoes, just wash and core, pop them into freezer bags and get them into the freezer quickly! I happen to be fortunate and have a chest freezer...very conveinent!

Once you have a break and can do something with your tomatoes, just bring the freezer bags out and thaw either in the sink or in the refrigerator until they are completely thawed. I popped mine right into the slow cooker and put them on high for one hour. While I waited, I 1 large onion and a head of garlic (minced) in a separate pan. Once the onions and garlic are soft and completely cooked, I set them aside. After one hour, I pass the tomatoes through a food mill to separate the skin and seeds from the valuable juice and pulp of the tomatoes. The food mill attachment makes a nicer texture than ricing the tomatoes or using a food processor, plus the mill really does a nice job collecting the peels for the compost heap.

Return the sauce to the slow cooker, add the onions and garlic and allow to cook (covered for part of the time and uncovered for part of the time) for 6-8 hours.

While the sauce is cooking, sterilize and prepare your jars. Once ready, fill the jars allowing 1/2 inch head space, add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice to the jars and pressure can (you cannot water bath can this sauce due to the extra ingredients). Quarts and pints are to be processed at 11lbs pressure for 15 minutes. Once passed, shut the heat off and allow the canner to depressurize before removing the lid, extract the jars and cover with a towl and allow to cool...the seals will pop as the product cools. Store in a cool dark place until ready to make your dish.

Chicken Cacciatora

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 3 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup dry white wine
1 quarts of canned Cacciatora sauce

1/4 cup minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup rich chicken stock (see note below)

In a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot, add the olive oil, then add the chicken and fry, turning the pieces several times to brown evenly, about 4 minutes per side.

Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add the prepared sauce and parsley, reserving 1 tablespoon or so for garnish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, add the chicken stock gradually as the tomato juice evaporates, for 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and garnish with the reserved parsley. Serve with steamed potatoes or white rice.

Note: If you have to use canned chicken broth, supplement it with a little chicken stock base paste or a bouillon cube.

Happy Gardening!

Halloween Candle Making!

Halloween or Samhain is a traditional time to make candles since it marks the start of the pagan new year and also a time when (at least the Northern Hemisphere) enters a time of darkness.

Since the day was sooo cold, I decided to stay in all day. Aside from a little housework and the completion of the apple butter, I decided to make candles to commemorate the holiday. These candles will be gifts for the later winter holidays.

I made Lemon Verbena and Sage Candles with essential oil of Lemon and Sage. These are perfect candles to be burned in the kitchen since the are in jars and the scents are complimentary, but they can be burned anywhere in the house (following safe practices of course). I added powdered herbs that I dried from the garden. Herb lore tells us Lemon Verbena has the energy for purification and love. Lemon brings longevity, purification, love and friendship, while Sage's energy is for immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection and inspiration. I can't think of a better gift to give to my friends and family than these energies!

I added the herbs to the brick of pure beeswax being melted in a double boiler. I also added some natural green pigment for color. Once the wax was melted I added the essential oils and blended. I placed the waxed wicks in the jars I selected (these are fantastic Italian canning jars!) and used only soy wicks. I anchored the wicks with a little melted wax and poured the candles in sections to avoid the wicks slipping. I supported the wicks with some handy chopsticks.

Once the candles cool completely, you will probably find a depression near the wick, simply melt a little more wax, add color and fill in...trim the wick once the candle cools and close up the candle. Package as you like and keep for yourself or give as a gift. I hope these gifts will bring my friends and family comfort and light!

Happy Gardening!

Frosty Morning

One of the things that drove me into the kitchen today was the frosty cold morning! I thought about getting up early and heading out to the garden for some work, but the fact that we had our first heavy killing frost last night/this morning prevented me from working out there so early...but I did sneak out in my jammies and wellies to grab a few shots of the frozen, frosty beauty.

Happy Gardening!

Mmmmmmm Apple Butter

Not a long post, just pulled the apple butter out of the canner...I cannot wait to dig into one of these!

Happy Gardening!

The Marvelous Apple

I love apples, I hope that the trees I planted a couple of years ago are prolific and provide my home with bunches of delicious Lodi and Winesap apples....but until then I content myself with going to Lynd's Fruit Farm (http://www.lyndfruitfarm.com/ ).

Established in 1919 and currently in the 7th generation, Lynd's is 160 acres of beautiful orchards, brambles pumpkin an gourd fields right here in central Ohio. They are marvelous!

I headed out early yesterday morning for my annual picking, I picked about 30 pounds of winesap and 30 pounds of goldrush apples (1 bushel total) and brought it home alongside some spectacular pumpkins and squash for decorating and eating!

Some apples end up in the root cellar for later eating, some will end up being apple chips. The bulk have been split up to make both applesauce as well as apple butter.

Since I make everything in large batches, the recipe is as follows...just cut it down for smaller batches

15 pounds of apples (a mix of sweet and tart apples) cored, peeled (roughly) and sliced...I love my apple peeler, it makes quick work of a lot of apples

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

the juice of one lemon and zest of one lemon

2-3 cups sugar

1/2 cup honey

Cinnamon & Nutmeg to taste

Cook the ingredients for 20-3 minutes on medium heat to soften the apples. Turn off the heat and allow to steam covered for an additional 10 minutes. Pass the apples through a foodmill to remove stems or core bits.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two weeks. Freeze or can for longer storage!

Happy Gardening!

GORGEOUS!

I made a visit to my favorite Columbus treasure, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens last week. One reason for my visit was to view the exhibition “Hungry Planet” a photo exhibition on global diets….more on that later. The other reason was to get a chance to wander through an outdoor fantasy garden of blown glass pumpkins, gourds, fruits and vegetables created by Michael Cohn and Molly Stone of Cohn-Stone Studios. These pieces were so finely crafted and detailed, I was definitely in awe….I may have to save my pennies (and a lot of them) and purchase a small item from their collection…they are pricey, but stunning!

Michael Cohn and Molly Stone have been making glass art pieces at their studio in Richmond, California, since 1980. Many of their pieces are inspired by nature and the horticultural world. Molly is an avid gardener as well as a glass designer/ blower and has created an art garden showroom as a part of the glass blowing studio. Their work has been exhibited throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and South America; it is included in numerous museum, corporate, private art and botanical garden collections and has been featured in a variety of garden venues. http://www.cohnstone.com/

Click on the image above for a better look at the pictures I took and visit http://www.fpconservatory.org/ for more information or to plan your visit!

Happy Gardening!

Two Year Tree Update

Just about this time two years ago, my dwarf apple trees arrived from the National Arbor Day Foundation. These trees were tiny twigs with a few roots at the bottom of them. I selected two varieties of apple tree (Lodi and Winesap), these are delicious varieties and they cross pollinate well. While the trees are not ready to bear fruit, they are nearly ready to begin training on the trellises. I will begin to coax them along the lines of the trellis system in the spring, but I wanted to show you an update of their progress so far!

The trees are healthy, bushy and spouting side branches. They have also grown about a foot taller than the tiny sapplings I put in the ground two years ago. I am excited to a have the trees and more excited at the possibilities of the fruit they will eventually bear.

Happy Gardening!

Greenhouse Update

A few weeks back I put the new greenhouse kit on half of one of my raised beds. This kit, from http://www.framitall.com/ provides a 4' X 4' covered space to extend the growing season. With the cool late September, I thought for sure we would be getting frost near the first of October...well it is the second week in October now and the weather has turned to "Indian Summer" with highs in the upper 70's. Harldly a need for a greenhouse I thought.

However, as the picture above illustrates, the greenhouse raised the temperature enough to simulate summer conditions inside and really enhanced the growth of the vegetables inside. The first picture is the califlour, brussel sprouts and lettuce I planted outside the greenhouse. The picture on the right is what is inside the greenhouse (broccoli, radishes, carrots and lettuce)...there is a dramatic difference!

I am going to harvest the radishes tonight and then put down another crop as well as carrots and see how they reach into the colder months with my new favorite thing!

Happy Gardening!

Watch That First Step!

My journey began as I detailed in my last blog entry, but once I got on my way, I was not disappointed. The beauty that awaited me was definitely what I needed to be inspired!
Cantwell Cliffs is located in the northern reaches of Hocking County. Its remote location discourages visitation, but those who travel the extra distance will not be disappointed. It is probably the most picturesque area in Hocking County.

Cantwell Cliffs was named for Josiah Cantwell, a pioneer in the in Hocking Hills State Park area. Various springs and drainage systems here make up the headwaters of the stream known as Buck Run that flows away down the valley. The forces of nature have etched an endless mosaic of crevices and patterns on the towering sandstone portico, the erosion caused by Buck Run accounts for the deep valley, steep cliffs and rock shelter under the cliff. This hiking trail isn't for the faint of heart. There are challenges aplenty, I had to remain alert not only for the beauty I was after, but for my own safety.

The landscape is a reddish-brown sandstone cliff shaped like a giant horseshoe that towers 150 feet over the gorge below. The trail lead me eventually to Lookout Point on the east rim, where I was rewarded with a striking view of the cliff and a rock shelter. Along the trail, I encountered inclines and descents, slump rocks (large boulders) on the valley floor, a recess cave and an especially narrow passage nicknamed "Fat Woman's Squeeze." I even found a fallen but yet still alive Beech tree to recline on and meditate for a few minutes!

Not only are the cliffs and gorges amazing, but the plant and animal life are abundant…this is a place where the spirit of nature is definitely alive and pulsating! The trees, plants, subsoil structure, fungi and lichen are abundant and beautiful. Click on the image above for a larger view of the composite image I have created.

Happy Gardening!

Misadventures in Inspiration!

I am not sure everyone considers what I do an art, but I for one do. Gardening, cooking, healing, writing, completely non professional photography, these are both my calling and my artistic outlet. I read in a book a while back about artists dates. These are dates with your self, your inner artist, doing things and going places that feed your creativity. For me these can include the Columbus Museum of Art, Frankling Park Conservatory, I have gone to Cleveland, Chicago and many other places to visit and feed my yearning for knowledge, beauty and art. I try to do these little trips once a month.

This morning started with a plan to take myself on an artist date, I wasn't sure what form that would take so I put it out into the universe (and facebook) for suggestions. I ended up planning on going to the Hocking Hills to commune with nature.

I prepared myself with a shower, put on my "adventure" pants (that is what I call my North Face cargo pants), collected my journal, my Petersons field guides and I was off...oh wait, I need my camera...cuz you cannot go on an adventure without it. It was not in my bedroom (and I tore it up looking for it), it wasn't in the work room where it normally is (again with the tearing up). In fact it was nowhere in my house to be found. Where in the world was my camera...perhaps it was in my car...more tearing, no camera...well I must have left it at work...I can swing by on the way out of town, pick up the camera and be off....ummm, nope. I came back home and tore up the house once again...no camera, well I either left it in the garden the last time I took pictures (in which case it would be water logged....and um, no it was not there) or I left it at the coffee shop, library or the thousands of other possibilities....ugh!

I really liked this camera, it was small but powerful, took great pictures with it's 7.1 megapixel goodness, it was easy to upload...we are not happy! I eventually resigned myself that the camera was just gone. After all, it was 6 years old and I had been thinking about a new camera...perhaps my artist date will be shopping for a new camera.

I stopped at 3 places this morning, I looked at some schmancy SLR cameras which candidly I think will just set themselves up on the tripod, take the shots for you...they will probably drive to the destination for you...you can probably just stay home...but they do come with a hefty price tag. I am in no way a professional photographer, I take pictures of my garden and in the woods...sometimes I take pictures of things in my house, I am not sure I need something you take along on Safari when covering it for National Geographic.

After some additional comparison shopping I decided on a pretty schmancy Nikon digital camera, it is the camera just below the SLR class, can has standard settings as well as can be customized for pretty much any kind of picture taking you want. With a fancy memory card, stylish carrying case and batteries I was out of the store and out several hundred dollars. That's the bad news....the good news was it was still early enough to go on my date so I headed down to the Hocking Hills, took a 10 mile hike and took hundreds of pictures....they will be featured in a later blog post. I felt awed by nature and complete inspired!

Oh, and above is a picture of my new camera, case and accessories (and a bit of one of my cat's tail)....taken with my old camera, I found it about 5 minutes after getting home from my adventure...grumble grumble

Happy Gardening!

When it is cold, I think of summer!

Yeah, I was not expecting a windchill of 37 degrees F on the first of October, but what are you going to do...those who doubt climate change can kind of kiss my patooty...this year's weather has been, in a word, FUNKY!

But I am not one to grumble, I just find things to do, this morning, I cut the last of the rosemary from the garden and am in the process of drying it. This rosemary will be used for making burning bundles later this year. I also harvested the thyme and oregano and they are drying as we speak. I continued my work on my holiday presents.

I celebrate all the winter holidays because I have friends and family that do the same, so my gift list is what you would call eclectic ;-)...but never fear...gifts from the garden never dissapoint no matter what the occasion.

In the past I have made flavored oils and vinegars with small herb bounty from the container herb garden I have kept for years, but with this years addition of an herb garden I was able to grow more and different herbs...and that got me thinking of different products to make.

Instead of oils and vinegars this year, I am going to make syrups! Herb flavored syrups are so versatile you can't believe. Sweet herb syrups can be used to flavor everything from your morning pancakes to your evening cocktail, they add flavor and moistness to cakes and quick breads and they can also be used to treat ailments both directly and indirectly....directly by the attributes of the herbs and sometimes indirectly by acting as a carrier for other less delicious medicines!

Since I had a glut of Lemon Verbena in the garden late in the year, I decided to make Lemon Verbena syrup and include a bottle of soda with my holiday gifts. People can use them together to make a delightful lemonade or they could use the recipe (below) for a sparkling cocktail anytime of the year!

Lemon Verbena Syrup

(Makes about 9 cups)

8 cups sugar

8 cups water

4 cups fresh lemon verbena leaves

Bring water and sugar to a simmer in a saucepan, stirring to disolve sugar. Add lemon verbena leaves. Bring to a very low boil. Then immediately reduce the heat to bring back to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain the lemon verbena leaves and discard. Decant and either seal with cork and wax (can be stored for several months in a cool dark place) or refrigerate for up to one month.

Pear/Lemon Fizz

(makes one drink)

1/2 ounce pear flavored vodka

3/4 ounce Lemon Verbena Syrup

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Champagne (for floating)

1 fresh (or dried depending on the time of year) lemon verbena leaf for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, syrup, and juice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass, float champagne and add the leaf for garnish!

Happy Gardening!

The Greenhouse Kit! Season extending techniques

I was so excited when my greenhouse kit for the raised beds came a few weeks ago, I hope that it extends my growing season by several weeks if not a couple of months (depending on the severity of our early winter here in Columbus).

The air over the last few weeks has been steadily getting cooler and before we get into a situation where the crops are stunted or worse threatened by frost, I thought it best to put the greenhouse kit on one of the beds.

The kit, provided by http://www.frameitall.com/ fits on the raised beds I purchased from them a couple of years ago. The fabulous thing about this system is that they include extra parts in case you don't have their raised beds. These parts adapt to your bed so you can still use their greenhouse kit. Another advantage of this system is if I want to expand it (and I might after I see how long it extends the season) it is easy simply to add framing pieces and zip together two of the heavy guage plastic domes.

The set up took all of 10 minutes of laying out the parts, reviewing the instructions and setting it up....super easy and it looks great. The greenhouse has flaps and bird netting to allow air flow and venting that can be covered over with the plastic flaps to protect the crops when the air cools down at night!

For ease of construction, I give it a 10, we will see how it works and I will update you!

Happy gardening!

The Motherload of Herb Harvests!

I knew this day was coming, but I didn't expect the massive bounty of herbs from the garden on this harvest day! I have been taking cuttings of herbs all summer long for my cooking as well as making lotions and potions for healing and comfort. I have also been taking larger cuttings to dry and replenish my culinary stock for colder weather. Today, however was a different kind of harvest.

As we prepare for the colder months ahead, the herbs will start to slow down and to retreat into senecence and or death. I will be mulching the herb bed in the next week or so to prepare for frosty mornings and eventually (eeek) snow. Before that happens, though I needed to take the large harvest of herbs for medicinal and craft purposes.

Lavender was one of my goals today...lavender is fantastic in that it provides two cuttings! First the florets are harvested, dried and either the flower pods are removed or they are left on the stem for crafting...that is what I am doing since I already harvested the culinary portion. The second cutting is the trimmings. To properly maintain lavender bushes, you need to prune them down to a mounded shape. All of those trimmings can be bundled up and dried and used for perfuming your fireplace, firepit or sacred fire this autumn and winter.

The same goes for lemon balm (which there is always a bumper crop). Trim your plants a handful at a time and bundle the trimmings with a rubber band out in the garden, it makes it soooo much easier, then hang these bundles somewhere light and warm to dry. I placed tension rods in my sunporch windows thanks to a suggestion of a friend and tied the bundles to it with kitchen string. Once dried, I will keep stored for gifts this winter!

The more delicate herbs of sage, thyme and the last of the basil are treated a little differently. These stems are picked clean of just the leaves (no stems), washed carefully and either dried on a flat drying rack (see earlier posts) or you can use an electric dehydrator (of which I am now in possesion of). Once dried, they can be packaged in airtight jars kept away from heat and light.

I have a few days before the mornings get too frosty and they herbs die back...I still have to cut back the mugwort, wormwood, bergamot and a few other medicinal herbs and get them dried for winter storage before the cold days are upon us!

Happy Gardening!