A Very Tucson Christmas

For the Holidays, Adam and I traveled to sunny Arizona.

Adam and I have been so bogged down by deadlines- my work's upcoming meetings and travel, marketing support for work, setting up the farm and the farm website (coming soon- Jan 1st), working on the production plans for our crops, and so many other aspects of our work and farm that could easily be overwhelming.

We needed a break... And I thought December was going to slow down just a bit- I was wrong!

We ended up having a great time with friends and family. We went horseback riding, golfing, shopped at Bon- one of my favorite boutiques of all time, baked cookies, cooked the Christmas pasta for dinner (amazing but very involved- I'll post the recipe), went to Mount Lemmon, enjoyed a giant cookie, and believe it or not- actually relaxed!

Here are some pics of our trip:  

Horseback riding with Lindz (Adam's sister), CiCi (Adam's mom) and myself.

Cookie Cabin!

The Cookie & Snowman

Mt. Lemmon

      My temporary office                

                                                Hope you all had a very nice Holiday
                                                                            & Happy New Year!

The First Crop At Heritage Hill Farm

It is official... we have a farm name and the first crop has been planted.

Heritage Hill Farms came to be, because Adam and I wanted to simply honor the agricultural heritage. We purchased this land from a farm family who has been farming in the area for five generations. As you probably know, I'm also very passionate about heirloom vegetables because of their unique tastes and flavors, plus the stories and folklore that accompanies the varieties. I find it remarkable that gardeners have worked hard generation after generation, to preserve and maintain these varieties that are typically not found in grocery stores because they don't have the shelf life and other commercial attributes. There is also a small hill on the property, where the house will eventually be built.

This Fall, we planted the first farm crop: garlic.

I ordered 3 cultivars of heirloom garlic: Music, Purple Glazer, and Armenian Porcelain. There are two categories: hardneck and softneck. Hardnecks typically have more complex flavors and have a higher perishability, and grow the best in more Northern climates. Softnecks are usually found in the grocery stores because of their longer shelf life.

Music garlic- a wonderful hardneck cultivar

In Iowa, we plant garlic in the Fall. This has been a challenge in the community gardens because the season begins in the Spring. We marked off a small area that was spared from Fall disking, and manually cleared a patch in the cornstalks. We tilled in some sand (because of the heavy clay) and made four and a half rows. Elizabeth and I separated the garlic into cloves and planted several inches apart and approximately 1'' deep. The rows were covered up and mulched. They should be nice and cozy, tucked in for the winter!

We planted approximately 450 cloves of garlic- I hope it's enough!

After they appear in the Spring, we will uncover them and use the mulch as a weed suppressant/ in between the rows. In the Summer, the foliage will dry down and that is the cue for harvesting!

I'm already looking forward to cooking with these great garlics, as well as having others enjoy them! I have lots of fresh dishes and canned pizza sauces that will be just wonderful with the garlic- I just need to be patient- something that I'm not good with. 

Thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our day was filled with lots of baking and cooking, something that Adam and I both really enjoy. Our mashed potatoes were Yukon Gold's from this year's garden, hardly putting a dent in all of the potatoes that we harvested!

Aside from the delicious mashed potatoes, we had the usual Thanksgiving suspects: turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, rolls, salad and my favorite goat cheese/ pesto and sun dried tomato spread.

This is one of my favorite salad recipes:


Fresh mixed greens
Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
Glazed or Candied Walnuts
Sliced Apples or Pears
Dried Cranberries

Dressing- there's no measurements, I usually just mix everything to taste!
Balsamic vinegar
Vegetable oil or olive oil (personally I stay away from olive oil because of an allergic reaction) 
Minced garlic
Brown sugar
Salt and Pepper

Whisk all of these ingredients together and dress the salad- Enjoy!

We also spent some time at the farm, and while there- it is always easy to think of what we are thankful for. We're thankful for great family and friends, an opportunity to purchase an acreage of our own, grow healthy and nutritious food for others and ourselves, and careers that keep us busy.

Pumpkin Spice Scones

As you probably all know, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year!

We (our good friends and us) picked out our pumpkins at the Black's Heritage Farm. This involved a hayrack ride to go get them and we were like kids in a candy store. We were in search of the biggest, perfect pumpkins and then somehow forgot how heavy they can be.

These pumpkins were HUGE and we had thousands to choose from.

Our pumpkins and squash in the garden didn't do so great this year. We had a squash bug epidemic so that means coming up with a game plan over the winter.

Here's another favorite little part of Fall for me: Pumpkin Spice Scones.
There's not doubt about it, pumpkins seem to be the latest flavor trend. My friend introduced me to these and since then, this is what I look forward to with my coffee on a nice crisp, cool morning.

Here's my recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin (without the spices or sugar)
3 tablespoons half and half cream
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

The Glaze (basic powered sugar glaze with traditional spices): 
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves

Scones are simple to make. 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust lightly with flour.

Then sift the dry ingredients and spices together.
Cut the cubes of cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or a food processor, until the consistency is of pea sized crumbs.
In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, half and half, and egg in a bowl. Then, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and knead slightly. Shape into a ball and roll flat with a rolling pin, use flour as needed if the dough is exceptionally sticky. Keep in mind though, that the dough should not stick to the floured surface. Use a pizza cutter to cut into triangles and place on the parchment paper. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. They will turn slightly golden brown.
Place on a baking rack to cool slightly.

Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the scones while they are still warm.

Enjoy with a nice pumpkin spice latte if you're feeling especially thankful for Fall! 

Jessica

Finally, A Farm of Our Own!

Finally.
It's been a long time coming but we can officially say we have a farm.

Just late last week, Adam and I finalized the purchase of ten acres right outside of Ames, Iowa that we have been working on since June or so. Right now there is just a hog building on the property from the 1950's. An area farmer has been renting the land and using it for corn and soybean production. And our neighbors are actually Iowa State University farms and the Black's Heritage Farm (who sold us the property). They are 5th generation family farm who I have rented plots in the community gardens for a couple of years. They are especially known for their sweet corn (absolutely delish- keeping up the reputation of good Iowa sweet corn) but they also grow other vegetables for the local Community Supported Agriculture program and Farmer's Markets.

The plan is for Adam and I to build as soon as possible. We really like the French farmhouse style and have plans in place that need tweaked- similar to below. We like the 1.5 story, lower profile look. There is a little hill on the property and right now, we are working on a farm name. We have a pretty good idea but just need to register it and for that matter- an official address.
 

For next year, we are going to be working on a Community Supported Agriculture Program of our own, inheriting it from the Black's. We are excited about the opportunity to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for a weekly program. This means, more space for our gardens- including the heirloom tomatoes! There might be opportunities with local restaurants and markets but that is in the works. I'm just ready to build and cook with all of the fresh produce!

We are very excited about being right outside of Ames- Adam and I met at Iowa State University, then I went to California- he went to Arizona, then Virginia- we've been all over the place. This was a really rare opportunity- very, very rarely are there any acreages right outside of Ames. We are going to be close to Des Moines and have easy access to the interstates for my travels with work.

When Adam and I were working out there, we realized that we can hear Iowa State football games. We can also get to one of our favorite restaurants in about ten minutes- Hickory Park.

As of right now, we have 3 Honeycrisp apple trees and 3 cherry trees planted... the beginnings of an orchard and lots of plans in place.

More to Come!
Jessica

Fall is here... the extra crunchy leaf!

This is the time of the year, where you go out of your way to find that extra crunchy leaf... and step on it! 

The days are getting shorter.
I'm not a fan of the darkness so early but the extra chill in the air is nice. I'm trying to stay extra cozy and will justify any reason to go out for a Pumpkin Spice latte!

The other night, I made some delicious acorn squash with brown sugar and butter. This is one of my Fall favorites. Adam happens to be a squash hater so I'm on my own- fine by me, because I'll surely enjoy the extra! Our squash this year was the victim of squashbugs, so I bought some from the Black's Heritage Farm, where I had my community garden at this year. 

Fall also brings lots of exciting changes and looking ahead... 

We are finalizing a property (a farm of our own!) and working on a Community Supported Agriculture program. We are lining up next year's gardens, including picking out more interesting heirloom tomatoes to grow! More details and pics to come soon... we are just tying up some details before closing!

In the meantime, be sure to live in the moment and enjoy Fall to the furthest.
It is hard for me to take my own advice, but I need to!

Fall Is Here

It's the cozy time of the year!

This is my all- time favorite time of the year. I look forward to the chill in the air, wearing fleeces and sweatshirts, the cool rains, and the leaves changing. It also means pumpkin spice lattes, beautiful pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, and eating acorn squash with (lots of) butter and brown sugar. The last of the canning projects are well underway and the gardens are getting ready for their long rest.

Growing up on our family farm, we were very busy with the corn and soybean harvest. I would sleep with my windows open and could hear the constant hum of the combines and elevators, as the farmers were processing grain into the late hours of the night. Sometimes even a harvest moon would be out- very helpful to the farmers who welcome any and all extra light. Occasionally there was the Friday night football home game. Sometimes I miss those days. And nights.



The other day was a cold, rainy day.
It was the perfect day to get carrots and celery from the gardens for a homemade chicken noodle soup. I've never grown celery before, I had no idea what I was doing but it turned out alright. The carrots were delicious. There is a huge difference between homegrown carrots and store carrots that have to travel many, many miles before they make it in a soup.

Here's my recipe for 'Purple Ribbon Chicken Soup'.
This is actually the recipe from one of my first postings. 


4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
4-6 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole chicken, chopped into smaller pieces
3 quarts chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
About 3 cups of egg noodles (we usually did homemade noodles)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped 
Salt and pepper to season (and you could be in trouble if you are like me today, and can barely breathe!)

Season and saute the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil, until soft. Then add broth, butter, chicken, and egg noodles. Cook for at least 20-30 minutes and enjoy!

Then, find a cozy place to take a break (like Luca). Maybe enjoy some hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte!

Heirloom Tomato Success

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the annual Seed Savers Exchange Tomato Festival in Decorah, Iowa. This is an event that I look forward to every year, especially since I've realized the importance of eating fresh and locally. The heirloom flavors are unsurpassed and the folklore of some of these variety names sure keeps things interesting.

There is really nothing like having a number of home gardeners, foodies, and chefs uniting to talk tomatoes and other heirloom vegetables. Some people may call the heirlooms a trend or fad, but I believe they are here for the long haul.

Heirlooms from my garden 

Sampling of 70+ heirloom tomatoes

We tasted over 70 varieties of tomatoes. Each variety seemed to have a slightly different flavor and a rich history. Some tomato varieties were from generations of family farmers across the country who eventually donated seeds to Seed Savers Exchange for preservation. Other seeds came from overseas in war torn areas, and were smuggled out as owners were fleeing for safety. These seeds were important enough to be saved year after year, unlike today's seeds which can be the result of laboratory experiments. These genetically modified organisms (GMO's), sometimes have their exact gene sequences patented and are resistant to any chemical under the sun. And, if you're a farmer in the next field over to a patented GMO crop, minding your own business looking after your own crops and some cross pollination happens- look out. This has happened and some farmers have lost everything because of legal action from some large seed companies, just because the patented gene shows up in the crop unintentially. Enough of my rant, but I'm am very opposed to GMO's (and in full disclosure actually married to a patent examiner, who really is interested in the gardens as much as I am).  I just want to go back to a simpler time- where you could trust where your food came from, care less about pushing the limits on yields per acre, or the latest salmonella or listeria outbreak, and actually have a healthier, flavorful meal. Maybe some of my childhood memories of gardening with my great- grandma and grandma play into this... but it is just the link I need with the heirlooms. These are all reasons I caught the heirloom bug.

Here are some other pics of the event:

Beautiful Iowa barn at Heritage Farm

Benary's Giant Zinnia 

Ruby Moon Hyacinth Bean

Every garden needs a scarecrow...

 
I haven't spent as much time at the gardens lately because its been hot and my work has been picking up. We had a long heat spell and it has really taken a toll on the plants. Even the tomatoes are looking tired. Hard to believe but even they have slowed down on production. It seems as though the end is near for the pizza sauce and salsa projects.

Looking back on the garden, there was a fun project that we did this summer. We made a scarecrow to keep watch over our crops and honestly, just because. There was a couple of times that the high winds knocked him down and his hat went sailing. Eventually a storm did take him down. This week he is officially back up, complete with a new shirt and everything!

The Fall crops have been planted and soon we will be enjoying more beets, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and peas.

This long Labor Day weekend, I am looking forward to the Seed Savers Exchange annual Tomato Tasting at their farm in Decorah, Iowa. They showcase numerous heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables. I also need to make another batch of pickles, pizza sauce, and salsa. For some reason, I think this weekend is going to fly by...

Happy Labor Day Weekend-

Melrose Peppers... A Chicago Staple

I'm not that much of a pepper person... usually I'll eat them only in salsa.

For me, green peppers have such an overpowering flavor. I am picky about my peppers.

There is one little, tiny exception... the Melrose pepper!

This is an heirloom pepper, famous in the Melrose Park area of Chicago. This is an Italian pepper, about 4'' long which is perfect for stuffing. It is sweet and full of flavor. They are green but turn red quickly. I found these seeds in my Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook and ordered them from a friendly gardener. I started a few seeds inside and then moved them to the gardens. They have done well this year!

To this day, Chicago area grocery stores proudly announce their arrival. Grandma Nancy is a big fan, and usually buys enough to freeze and make stuffed pepper dishes. We went over to the Coach house one day, and she offered us some of these. I was hooked!

Adam made a stuffed pepper dish with these. He stuffed them with fresh mozzarella, cooked pork sausage, and covered with my homemade canned red sauce (all fresh ingredients from the garden). Add a little grated mozzarella and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Delicious!

Pickle project

We are in the dog days of Summer.

Here in Iowa, we are having one of our worst droughts since the 1950's, or so they say. I'm a young little whippersnapper so I wasn't around then but I am sure it was bad. The leaves on the corn are curling, looking like sharp daggers, meaning the corn is very dry. Now is the time for pollination, which means the yields are going to be affected big time.

I'm not sure when the last good rain was. It has been in the upper 90's for quite some time. People are going to be a little excited when it cools down to 80, and digging in their closets for some long sleeves! Aside from everyone being tired (and a little crabby), the gardens look tired. It is even too hot and dry for the weeds to grow!

Since its been so hot, I've been restless.
So...on one of the hottest days of summer, Adam and I can pickles. (I know, I make a lot of sense...)

Growing up, my family did a lot of canning and preserving foods. I remember my great grandma making the best sweet pickles that were bright green because of the food coloring. Her garden was huge and it was a crime if anything went to waste, most likely the result of growing up in the Great Depression. Some of my favorite memories from growing up was the smell of fresh dill and the apples from the nearby trees in late Summer and early Fall and me playing ("cooking") in the play house. The playing would stop when the pickles (and other goodies) were ready, and we were the first ones to come running for the all important taste test. We meant business and took our jobs seriously.

I was lucky enough to learn how to can from three generations in my family. I even exhibited some canning projects at the Plymouth County Fair. Back in the day, some of these were selected as grand champion and advanced to the Iowa State Fair- major bragging rights because our county was full of fierce competition.

This weekend, I got back to my roots and had some cucumbers that needed to be used up. These were really great pickling ones at the perfect size for making pickles. Sometimes if they are too large, they don't fit in the jars well and lack flavor, the same with most other oversized/ super sized vegetables. 

Because we cook quite a bit, I thought about going all out on the pickle project. From my favorite cooking store in downtown Ames, I bought a mandolin so the cucumbers could be cut into crinkle cut pieces. After all, that makes the pickles more authentic!

All in all, it was a good day. A little (ok a lot!) hot in the kitchen but well worth the great bread and butter pickles.

Next week is looking like part two of the pickle project, as well as some salsas because the hot temperatures have the peppers and tomatoes on overdrive. We might as well save the flavors of summer, right?! 

4th of July Celebrations!

Hope you had a nice 4th of July!
We had a fun filled Holiday, filled with Iowa sweet corn, fresh berry tarts, patriotic potatoes and good friends!

It was definitely a hot one and the end of the record temps seem to be nowhere in sight. The gardens look a little tired and could use some rainfall.

We cooled off with these homemade fruit tarts. I am usually not a pie crust kind of girl, but I couldn't resist the rich buttery flavor of these! The vanilla pastry cream was actually made with farm fresh eggs that I collected in the morning. These berries were from the store (we're out of the short lived strawberry season because the season was pushed ahead significantly), but they were delicious! Don't you love the little strawberry rose that Adam carved? I have no talent (or patience) for that...

Earlier this Spring (on Good Friday to be exact, which is an old wives tale), I planted these potatoes: Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold, and even Adirondack Blue's. The blue potatoes are actually bright purple inside and liven up any potato salad.

They are one of the many unusual varieties planted in the garden.

And, with the 4th of July... that means the beginning of the legendary Iowa sweet corn season!
The Black's Heritage Farm in Ames has 20+ acres of sweet corn that has been staggered so its ready up until Labor Day. We had some on the grill for the 4th and it was delicious, well worth the yearly wait.

Enjoy!

Green Bean Epidemic

It seems like Summer is officially here. 

The green beans are ready, and they are growing fast and furious.

I started harvesting them for the first time about a week ago. I ended up with a 5 gal bucket FULL after one row. I planted six rows total, two varieties that were supposed to mature at different times: Trofeo (gourmet French cultivar with a rich, buttery taste) and Early Contender (one of the earliest producing green beans that is a favorite among gardeners for its high yields).

I was smiling after the first bucket of green beans

A couple of weeks after planting, the great washout happened with about a row and a half.
And the replanting project... so I thought I would be alright on them not all maturing at the same time. I was wrong. Way wrong, as wrong as a person can get. The later green beans caught up with the others because the weather has been so perfect and before you knew it, everyone was blooming and setting tons of little green beans. Overnight and with a little sun and warm temperatures, the little beans became the big green beans. The panic set in and before you knew it, I was contemplating the meaning of life and doing lots of thinking while picking buckets of green beans by hand!
If they are continually harvested, they will keep producing throughout the summer.

So far, approximately 35 lbs have been harvested!

Friends don't let friends plant six rows of beans... but if that happens, you might need to make a few recipes. And hope your friends and family needs green beans. And every restaurant and farmers market you can think of!

This is one of our favorites:

Pasta Ricotta with Green Beans & Tomatoes 

Linguine
Ricotta cheese
Green beans, ends removed
Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to season

Boil hot water and add several drops of olive oil (so the pasta doesn't all stick together- a little trick I learned). Once boiling, add the desired amount of linguine and cook approximately 8-10 minutes until done. Drain. Add the desired amount of ricotta cheese and stir in.

Saute the green beans and garlic with olive oil. Then add the tomatoes and stir briefly so they do not burn (I usually just do this to warm them up). Add to the pasta mixture and lightly stir, trying not to crush the beans or tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper.


Also if you like balsamic vinegar/ vinaigrettes, try this recipe out! 

Cold Green Bean & Tomato Salad

10 lbs green beans- ends removed but kept whole otherwise
Grape tomatoes, halved
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to season

Boil water and 2 Tbsp salt, add green beans and cooked through but still firm.
Drain water and add green beans to cold water/ ice to chill.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper (to season). Drizzle over the green beans and add the tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Picking Project

Earlier this week, I was dead set on picking strawberries.

I can't even remember the last time I had a fresh strawberry, until my friend Shannon brought some strawberries to a Tuesday garden party at the farm. Even though the strawberry season is so short here, they still put the large, hollow and flavorless strawberries to shame that you find in the stores. Those strawberries are 'improved' to handle the many miles to the Midwest and that means, flavor is usually sacrificed.

I was thinking about strawberry spinach salads, jams, strawberry shortcake type of desserts, and for snitching as a little snack.

Well.... that plan was sidetracked when I found out that the season had progressed the strawberries 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule. The disappointment was short lived because it was blueberry season at the Berry Patch in a surrounding town!

My friend Elizabeth and I were picking blueberries at the Berry Patch in Nevada

I honestly never thought that blueberries would do so well in Iowa. I had never picked blueberries but remember the few times that I would snitch them on a hot summer day. They were one of my dad's and my favorites but rarely did we have them in the house.

It was blazing hot and I probably ate three to each one that I picked... no, not really but it sure seemed like it! After a couple of hours, Elizabeth and I each picked about 3 lbs of blueberries. Then we moved onto the red raspberries but we were ahead of schedule on those. They would all be ripening in the next week or so, so we were late on the strawberries and too early on raspberries.

The blueberries were definitely worth it and that made the strawberries turn into a distant memory. For garden party, I made a fresh lettuce salad (from the garden) with blueberries, glazed walnuts, and a poppy seed dressing.  Also in the works this week are blueberry muffins, a strudel, and other recipes that I have been wanting to make but haven't had the chance. 

We also came upon this bird nest in one of the blueberry bushes.

As for me, I will have to catch up in the garden and pick my mountains of green beans in addition to other veggies that will be available. It seems like I have been waiting forever to start cooking and now, I'm ready!

The Gardens... An Update

So, I've disappeared for a little while on here... but I've resurfaced with some great gardening ideas, recipes, and little projects that I've been busy working on.

For me, Spring means busy season for work and attempting to garden on the weekends.
Sometimes, my friend Elizabeth and I garden until dark. Lately I've been sneaking out early in the mornings with a nice, hot cup of coffee to work outside for an hour or so before the work madness starts.

Our gardens are much bigger than last year's. I wanted to change it up a bit, and this year I planted Red Pontiac and Yukon Gold potatoes- 100 pounds actually. Those, and the onions were the first to be planted. There is an old wives tale about planting potatoes on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter. That didn't necessarily happen for me but in all fairness they were in my farm store's shopping cart on Good Friday. That should count for something?

The potatoes are now all tucked in with straw and flowering.

I can't even tell you how many times my phone and car keys were also tucked in with the straw. To keep myself sane, I had to move them to some other vegetable landmark. And gardening is supposed to alleviate stress... leave it to me to make it stressful!

Soon enough (and I can't wait) these potatoes will turn up in all sorts of recipes: herbed new potatoes, roasted potatoes with carrots, mashed potatoes with chives, au gratins, and much much more!

Also in the gardens this year: basil, cilantro, dill, beets, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, onions, garlic, shallots, tomatoes (20+ varieties of interesting heirlooms in addition to Roma's and others for canning projects), peppers (sweet and hot, including one of the worlds hottest peppers- Ghost), sugar peas, squash, watermelon, French melons, and pumpkins. Of course, we couldn't forget the flowers...and lots of them. I'm growing gladiolas in memory of my great grandma Hughes who was known for these gorgeous flowers.

Growing up and working alongside her, I can honestly say her gardens were legendary and really sparked my interests in gardening and cooking.

Heirloom Veggies...

Since growing up, I can remember that first taste of summer. It was usually a red, perfectly juicy sandwich tomato that was sliced up. Then my parents would sprinkle a little salt or sugar on it. Delicious.

The taste of summer seemed even more vibrant with the vegetables coming from my great grandmother's garden. The flowers were also gorgeous- especially the gladiolus in a rainbow of colors. It was a mystery, up until the moment the buds showed their first tinge of color. It was one of my favorite places to be when I was younger.

As kids, I'm sure we had our battles with not eating our vegetables. Then again, our vegetables were usually sweet corn, carrots, green beans, onions, potatoes and tomatoes- the real hearty ones that were usually eaten with a pork chop or steak. Broccoli seemed foreign to us. Hard to believe, most of our vegetables came from cans even though we had a nice sized garden, with the exception of the tomatoes.

Since having the space now at the community garden and getting older, I want to go back to a simpler time. In my down time, I have an interest in food- learning about where it comes from, tips for gardening, and of course- lots and lots of cooking. This also compounded, as the slow food movement came into play. I was fascinated by Jamie Oliver coming to America and seeing firsthand, the ingredients that go into school lunches for children. It also opened my eyes as to how I was eating and changes that I needed to make in order to avoid preservatives or chemicals.

Here is Jamie dressed up as a pea, and helping to make vegetable a little more exciting...

This year with the warm weather and my interests in food, I am ready more than ever to get gardening. I'm especially focusing on heirloom vegetables (specifically tomatoes) because so many have a complex taste, the rainbow of colors, and variety names that will make you smile.

Here are some tomato varieties that I have started from seeds, or hope to in the very near future for this growing season:

Amish Paste- sauce tomato (red), originally from the Lancaster, PA area
Black Krim- sandwich tomato (black/ dark purple-red), from Krimm, Russia
Black Ruffles- sandwich tomato (black, fluted/ pleated tomato)
Black Sea Man- sandwich tomato (dark purple-red, red and green centers when sliced), from Russia
Egg Yolk- cherry tomato (yellow, very similar to an egg yolk!), from a Missouri garden
German Pink- large sandwich tomato (red-pink), Bavarian heirloom
Green Zebra-  small to medium sized (green and yellow stripes), from Washington in 1983- recent
Gold Medal- medium to large sandwich tomato (gold/ yellow and red bicolor), originally from 1921 
Lemon Drop- cherry tomato (yellow, tart flavor), found as a sport on a white tomato plant  
Japanese Black Trifele- (dark purple-red),  Russian heirloom that is great for canning!
Kellogg's Breakfast- large beefsteak (orange), from West Virginia and tomatoes weight 1-2 lbs.
Nyagous- medium sandwich tomato (black), almost blemish free tomatoes in clusters
Red Fig-  small cherry tomato with a fig like shape, from PA in 1805 and used as a substitute for figs
Rosso Sicilian- paste or slicing tomato (red- fluted/pleated), one of the prettiest tomatoes- from Italy
Striped Cavern- slicing/ stuffing tomato (red/ yellow bicolor), shape is similar to a bell pepper
Sweet Pea Currant-  pea sized red tomatoes, great flavor but I'm going to resent picking these
Wholly Blue Jay- I'm not sure... I ordered it from a Seed Savers Exchange member- we will find out!

And others such as Ferris Wheel, Pork Chop (I live in Iowa after all!), Berkley Tie Dye, and more!

Spring brings seed starting...

Lately, its been so nice outside...

Spring is right around the corner and I'm starting to think ahead about this year's garden.
Last year, I wasn't prepared and purchased my flowers and vegetable plants, unless I sowed seeds directly into the garden plot. Flying by the seat of your pants gardening!

This year, I'm planning on starting my heirloom tomatoes and peppers. Last Labor Day, Elizabeth (my friend and one of my gardening buddies) and I checked out the Seed Savers Tomato Tasting in Decorah, Iowa. We sampled 30+ tomatoes and then purchased seeds, and lots of them!

Here are some of my tricks and tips:

For a biodegradable seed starting option, try eggshells! Start saving eggshells a couple of weeks before you plan on sowing seeds. With each half, fill with seed starting medium or even a container planting mix. The egg cartons can be used as trays. Make sure there are holes in the bottom of the carton to allow for drainage. Follow your seed sowing instructions, and place on a heating mat or near a window. In a short amount of time, you should start seeing some great results...
When you are ready to move these to the garden, you can plant shells and all. 

There are also other great seed starting products available. Jiffy pots, peat pots, mini greenhouse seed starting kits, heating mats, Gro Lights, and the list goes on. Make sure you use a seed starting mix and then afterwards you can transplant your seedlings to a container potting mix and peat pots, unless you are using Jiffy pots. Make sure to follow the seed sowing instructions for best results- planting depth is very important!

Good luck!

Happy (be-lated) Valentine's Day! From me and Pewie...

So, this is a little overdue. Happy be-lated Valentine's Day.
This is the only picture that I have from when I was younger. I stumbled on it the other day. For reasons that I won't go into, I essentially started over with my life about five years ago now. When I left, I left without much of anything. This photo was from my grandma's house with one of my favorite friends, Pewie. Pewie was a small dog and I have no clue what breed.

Adam and I are going back and forth about a dog. We have a bet, but I'm not sure that I'm going to win it because of some recent setbacks. That means, it is going to be tougher to accomplish my financial goal for work. I am sure trying hard...

Adam grew up in Chicago with a black lab named Jessie. I could just see him spending hours and hours training and taking care of the family's dog. In the future, once we are settled in and under the same roof, he would like another lab.

In the case of opposites, I am more interested in a small dog. I would like a French Bulldog. Adam's cousin brought her French Bulldog to Chicago over the Holidays. Stevie is such a great dog! Since then, I've been letting Adam know that I need a Stevie... hence, the work in progress to get a Stevie!
I also love France and studied abroad during college.I would go back in a second if I could.

In high school, our mascot was a Bulldog. It might have been our principal or staff member, who owned a bulldog that made appearances at our Homecoming events. His name was Beans and he was massive. 

 

How can you say no to this little Frenchie?