Tunnel Preperation

Higher Ground has two 48 foot single glazed plastic tunnels. One tunnel is used for tomatoes, cucumbers and basil, the other is for peppers, eggplant and winter squash.

 

Here we are weeding the tunnels. We will direct seed our lettuce mix in mid-March. The soil in the green house is bone dry so we will soak the soil under burlap first.

 

 

Orchard Pruning

Our friend Charles demonstrates how to prune fruit trees.

- - Each tree should have no more than four main leaders
- - Branches off the leaders should be at 45 degrees
- - Open up the center of the tree for ease of harvest and increasing light

“Do your best, with gladness and integrity.

Then step back, open to success and disappointment.

The path to serenity.”

Growing onions from seeds

This year Carol will try starting onions from seed in our house.  Julie suggested this last year.  They will be Walla-walla and Cortland onion seeds.  Last year we had poor quality live starts and it's expensive ($10 seeds vs. $100 for live starts and bulbs).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehuyOPf2dU

Some details gleaned from several websites:

- Plant seeds 8-10 weeks before last frost (early March should be ok for us)

- Plant in clean flats of moist potting soil, ~1000 seeds scattered across a 10X20" flat. Drainage holes not needed, but if there are holes can be covered with newspaper. Cover with 1/4" soil, pat gently, water gently.

- Cover with plastic top until ~ 50% have germinated, then uncover. Generally poor germinators, about 75%.

- Keep warm, 70-80 degrees is good, they'll germinate slower in cooler temps.

- When tops get tall they can be trimmed to about 4-5", use tops in cooking

- Keep slighlty watered.

- Start to harden off when several inches tall, or at least match stick diameter, but bring them in before it gets cold at night.

- Can be transplanted after most frost danger is over. Well fertilized soil, well drained, consistently moist, weed free.

Here come the tomatoes

"Hiding" zucchini in yummy stuff

Here's a recipe for Zucchini "Apple" Pie. I borrowed the idea for rhubarb zucchini crisp for the potluck.

6 C zucchini (Huge is good, as they are firmer) Peel, cut out seeds, and slice as you would apples. Cover with water and simmer ~15 minutes until tender. Cool and drain well.
Mix together and add to zucchini:
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
Dash of salt and nutmeg.
In a double pie crust, Bake 350 degrees 45-60 minutes.

Beans and Cabbage = Pickles and Sauerkraut

My favorite recipes for pickling beans and for preserving cabbage:

Pickled Dilled Beans (from Joy of Cooking)  Makes approx. 4 pint jars

Pack lengthwise in hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4" headroom:

2# stemmed tender green beans

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic

1 head dill or 1 1/2 T dill seed (dill can be found growing in various random places in the garden)

Bring to a boil:

2 1/2 C water

2 1/2 C vinegar

1/4 C salt (non iodized)

Pour the mixture over the beans, leaving 1/4" headroom.  Seal the jars and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath [see pg. 804] for pints.

Sauerkraut 1-4 weeks or more

Equipment:  1 gallon crock or jar, plus weighted plate or other airlock.  Non metallic bowl to mix kraut.

5# cabbage

3 T non iodized salt

Slice or shred cabbage; combine with salt.  Crush and mash it as you pack it tightly into jar.  Work it to force out air pockets and bring brine to the top.  (Brine will be formed as salt brings moisture out of the cabbage.)  Use your hands to firmly massage the cabbage, or a wooden implement to crush it.

Cover with a plate weighted down, or a zip lock bag filled with salt water.  Don't cap it tightly, you want air to escape as the fermentation happens, but not to leave it open to the air.  

Leave it at room temperature to ferment.  Check every day or 2, skimming off mold if it appears.  It should taste tangy in a few days, and stronger with more time.  Store in a cooler place to slow down…may improve for months.  Eventually it will become soft, with less pleasant flavor.

Possible additions:  red cabbage, grated carrots, onions, garlic, seaweed, greens, brussels sprouts, caraway seeds, dill seeds, celery seeds, juniper berries…

Happy preserving,

Carol

Cabbage worm eggs-don't want this in our kale

One reason, besides upward growth, we want to harvest kale using the clean stalk method is to prevent these hidden pockets for things like cabbage worm eggs (above) or aphid habitat.