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.