garden 2021

Sunny today, the seeds have emerged from the growing chamber to get some natural light on the window sill.

TOMATOES AGAIN , THIS YEAR TRYING SWEET PEPPER VARIETY

chicken thigh sandwich

A quick sandwich with max flavor, nice to have fresh bread and hand picked tomato on the same plate !

pound out one chicken thigh and season with course kosher salt and fresh ground pepper with a touch of ground turmeric. We are using and boneless chicken thigh. (please fresh ground pepper blend course ground, take the time to source fresh peppercorns a secret of maximum flavor to any dish. totally worth it.

heat to high a saute or fry pan

while the pan is heating prep some iceberg lettuce shredded and leafed to fit bread , thin sliced onion and slice fresh garden tomato

cut the fresh from the oven bread , 2 large slices. mid way from a round loaf

in the hot saute pan, with a combo of olive oil and butter, sear off the chicken thigh one side under high heat, flip, and lower heat for several minutes,

With a bacon press on the chicken to retain heat, remove from heat and let finish cooking, several minutes.

mound up the lettuce on one slice of bread

carefully slice the thigh horizontal into 2 very thin slices as best as possible, place on the lettuce.\ to cover the slice of bread.

top the thigh with thinly sliced onion, then sliced fresh picked tomatoes

butter the top slice of bread with mayo

top it off

enjoy with a strong ale

IN THE GARDEN AND OTHER PICS

THIS YEAR AS WITH THE PAST , TOMATOES ARE BEING GROWN. 2 VARIETIES , MONTESINO F1 AND SAKURA F1 FROM HIGH MOWING ORGANIC SEEDS . TOTAL OF 6 PLANTS AND THIS YEAR WITH PVC TRELLIS. SOIL BASED. STARTED INDOORS

THE MONTESINO ARE SANTA TYPE RED GRAPE TOMATO FOR FRESH EATING. HIGH YIELDS OF 1/2 OZ FRUITS IN UNIFORMLY RIPE TRUSSES. (LOOK LIKE MINIATURE ROMAS) NEW VARIETY THIS YEAR.

SAKURAS ARE FRUITS OF .5 TO .8 OUNCES ARE FLAVORFUL, BRIGHT AND CRACK RESISTANT TO SOME ROOT KNOT NEMATODE. A REPEAT FROM LAST YEAR.

SOME OF THE TRUSSES

ONE OF THE TRUSSES HAD 27 BUDS !

SOME SCRAP PVC TUBING, WEED BLOCK FABRIC AND SOME BRICKS LYING ABOUT MADE THE TOMATO GARDEN IN THE YARD WHERE IT GETS SUN FOR ALL OF THE DAY

TRELLIS IS ABOUT 7 FEET IN HEIGHT, HAD TO ADD SOME STAKED OUT RIGGING TO PREVENTING IT FROM FALLING OVER.NOTE THE DATE TIME STAMP FOR GROWTH. ALSO I TRIM THE SUCKERS FOR MORE STRAIGHT UP GROWTH

SOME HEAVY COTTON STRING TIED TO THE TOP FOR THE PLANTS NOT CLOSE TO THE PVC.

BRIGHT RED COLOR AND FLAVOR TO MATCH

YIELD OF THIS DAY

SALAD TIME ! THIS IS WHY I DON’T GO WITH STORE BOUGHT TOMATOES ! ALSO FRESH BREAD PAN BUTTER FRIED CROUTONS ATE THE WAY TO GO!

EXCELLENT TOMATOES JUST COOKED IN A SKILLET ! WITH SHRIMP, GARLIC, ONION, KALE, AND COUSCOUS, EASY AND FAST ! YES I’M IN THE SHELLS AND TAILS ON CAMP WHEN IT COMES TO SHRIMP , THE SHELLS ENHANCE THE FLAVOR IMO.

TWICE A WEEK NUTRIENT REGIMENT

SOME OF THE LOCAL WILDLIFE, AND YES THE GARDEN TOAD ALSO MADE AN APPEARANCE

STROLLING THE VILLAGE

NICE FLOWERS ALONG THE SIDEWALK IN THE VILLAGE

THE VILLAGE PARK REST STOP

THANK FOR YOUR STOPPING BY MY BLOG, ENJOY THE SUMMER!

Bacon and eggs pasta, AKA spaghetti carbonara

A popular dish in many forms and interpretations with different types of pasta. The basic ingredient bacon (or pork belly)  with eggs.  AKA spaghetti carbonara, ETC.

Simple Ingredients let the pictures tell the story…….

 

 

 

TOASTED BREAD, BREADCRUMBS

ADD BEATEN EGG

CHEESE

ADD THE BREADCRUMBS

SIDE OF TOMATO

PARM

SOME DISHES TO DO …. AND STUFF TO PUT AWAY…

 

 

lo mein

inspired by you tube, Ready , Jet, Cook, Jet Tila, an adaption of recipe, Food Network

noodle time….semolina… Bob’s Red Mill recipe, fine noodle attachment on the pasta machine.

…….. or use store bough FRESH noodle

prep up ingredients….. from what I have on hand… here I have fresh harvested kale for greens , carrot matchsticks, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, hot pepper, sauce mixture with cornstarch , shrimp paste, boiled noodle

saute the onion…..

add in the carrot………….

cook till carrot tender… add the rest of ingredients…then the sauce, toss…

the sauce will start to thicken, keep tossing….

add the noodle…….

toss to coat and distribute sauce to the noodles

plate up……

add sesame seed (not shown)

 

Garden update

The hot weather has receded, cooler temperatures albeit humid,  scattered showers prevail. One single tomato stalk remains of the hydroponic DWC , a caterpillar munching on the last green tomatoes, as soon as this is done I will move on to most likely growing greens that will last during the fall.

The soil based tomato plant still thrives providing us with almost a daily supply.

A friend has been hanging around for a while, sharing some tomatoes with him.

Interior of the tomato stem

dried tomatoes

Now that tomato harvest is in full swing, one way of preserving them for future use is by slicing and drying them. Some suggest seasoning the tomatoes before drying, I did not.

• Method 1 was placing the tomatoes in a parchment paper lined tray in the oven, the gas pilot keeps the oven at about 100 degrees farenheit. Very good results in about 24 hours.
• Method 2 was placing the tray , covered with a sheet of plexiglass, in direct sunlight. The resulting water from the tomatoes was trapped so holes were drilled for ventilation. But even with the drilled holes for ventilation, the water vapor was till present. Ultimately, an enclosure should be constructed bigger than the tray alone with adequate ventilation.

I’ve  dried about 3 trays to date, of the tomatoes. Their flavor is very concentrated, the dried tomato could be processed onto a powder if necessary and the uses for dried tomato are many in recipes. Since drying is relatively easy, there is a cost savings if one would buy them outright.

the dried result

stored in a small mason jar, some recommend covering the dried tomato with oil.

plexiglass covered tray for outdoor sun drying.

 

Even with the holes drilled the moisture collects, maybe no cover at all.

In a way it’s ironic that some of the water put into the growing cycle of tomato  is removed by drying, for preservation. I don’t can tomatoes (water bath method), but if there is an oversupply not used during peak ripeness, I may blanch peel and freeze them.

The Garden update/ tomato review

The mid summer doldrums are with us, hot,  balmy and humid weather. The nights are cool. The hydroponic tomatoes and soil grown tomatoes continue. The hydro tomatoes have ceased to grow, some of the foliage browning and dry,  the formed fruit continued to ripen. Some fruit harvested. Most likely a root temperature issue, too hot ! Planning either year round indoor growing or different vegetable next year for hydroponic system.

The soil based tomato plant has thrived still providing new fruit, the first formed fruit ripened and picked. Backed off the the nutrients and since the last rains some watering just from the rain barrel some times twice a day.

 

Two different varieties, Roni and Sakura, the Roni should be the larger of the two. Seeds sourced from High Mowing Organic.

July 16

July 16

Soil based plant. July 23 2018

Hydroponic Deep water culture, outdoor July  23

Uses so far. Salsa. Not shown, tomato sauce for gnocchi, salsa || with chicken and corn chips.

Pizza, hot weather , so baked in the convention oven. Maybe grille outdoor later in the season.

We usually hardly ever buy tomatos from the store , too many disappointments , once you taste them from the vine fresh. The taste of ours are excellent tomato taste, it seems they are at peak sweetness 24 hours after picking. Still good after that robust tomato flavor, no mealy texture, would like to dry some for storage but I think most will be eaten. A delicacy.

Garden update

Hydroponics: same as last year even with only 2 plants , the leaves started wilting . The massive root ball seems to be too big for the size on the reservoir. Possible next year a single Dutch bucket system for each tomato plant. Shifted to a recirculating system to add more capacity to the nutrients and require less topping off as the growth rate increases the more nutrients are used some days topping off at twice  a day. I occasionally trimmed the plants of shoots , but even just two plants, they grew massive main shoots from the base and went into the budding stages quickly. Don’t know if the plants will survive and continue during the heat wave, as of now none no substantial browning of the leaves buds are intact. Overall I like the type of tomato larger than last years cherry type. We will see about the taste when ripe.  addendum: some of the shoots have regained their strength while some have browned.

Conventional gardening: One of the tomato plants, hydroponically started was transplanted to soil, a small piece of weed stop fabric was used at the base. The growth rate was a bit slower than the hydro system, but there is no signs of stress on the plant. Soil temp is of course cooler than the exposed hydro reservoir. Continued to feed and water it with about the same nutrients as the hydro system. Roughly looks about the same or a bit less fruiting than the hydro system.

If it’s July then it raspberry picking time. No maintenance per say  on the bushes in the yard.  They  have spread into 2 different areas , during the off season they were mowed with a buffer zone between them. One section receives more sun that the other. About a 15 minute pick time today at high noon heat and sun, the midday siesta broken by the occasional sound of mowers, weed wackers and blowers in the hood. Good  harvest, some berries falling from the canes as I move them,  possibly an earlier pick might have yielded more but those on the garden floor may be for the birds or propagation. Today is a 12 ounce yield. July 03 , 1 lb 5oz. July 06 1 lb, 10 3/8 oz. July 08, 1 lb. 11 oz. July 12: 1 lb 2 oz

The berry bushes , side yard, have produced some berries but they quickly disappeared , managed to eat a few while mowing the yard a week or two before. The Viking aronia have some berries may be less than last year. Two cherry bushes have blossomed one is recovering when it got ran over by driving my pickup to the rear door when the basement clean out was underway severing one of the main shoots. After nutrient feed, many base shoots have sprung.

It seems to me through the years the different type of the fruit producing plants either raspberries, tomato or bush cherries have their annual “day in the sun” as far as fruit production.

greenworks lawn mower, Season 3

I’d never thought I’d see the day I would give up my internal combustion engine mower for an electric one. From past experience, it never seemed that the corded mowers could provide the power that a gas engine would provide. Times have changed, the internal combustion engine may be losing it’s advantage over the electric motor. The advantages are obvious, no need for gas, or oil, instant starting and  lower maintenance overall. Even the battery-powered mowers are quickly entering the market but at the time the corded mower had a price advantage over the battery powered models and in comparable with a newer gas powered mower.

The disadvantage is also obvious, it’s tethered to a cord so you’ll at least have to have some place to plug it in and the added cost of the extension cord, There are limitations of course on the size of the lot that an extension cord will go, but of course if it’s a great deal of square footage, you’ll probably have a riding mower. In a pinch one could power the mower with the cord put through a window to a dedicated outlet but exterior outlets should be used. If you are familiar with running a corded vacuum or floor machine you’ll adapt well to the corded mower and develop a mowing pattern that avoids running over the cord.

If there is creativity in you and some electrical knowledge with a spirit of inventiveness, other powered devices could be attached to the mower a la hacker. For fun, I’ve attached two LED wig-wag lights to the front grille of the mower and stripped the mower of its stickers to give it a semi autonomous look. Great for mowing during sundown. More LED’s could be applied and possibly a digital voltage, amperage meter.

Mowing the back “40”.

If the turf is extremely tall, multiple passes can be made starting off at the highest height and lowering height on repeat pass. The one lever height adjustment is well thought out.

If it seems under-powered as with a lower horsepower gas engine, just walk slower and listen to the motor.

Maintenance time consist of cleaning the bottom of the mower. You’ll see an additional fan blade below the cutting blade to aid mulching and/or discharge depending on the configuration of the mower.

Once and a while I’ll remove the cover and clean out any grass trimmings and inspect the  motor and brushes. As in the past I’ve had to rebuild the single cylinder gas engine over many years it looks like parts replacement for the electric one will be considerable easier.

The handle is designed to fold and unfold quickly for storage, and it has internal electrical components so the mower is stored indoors.