November Harvest

This fall is unusually warm.  People have told me they're still harvesting greens, such as chard. In my garden, I have bok choi, which I'll harvest today or tomorrow.  We're up for a few nights of freezes ahead, and while I could cover them, I've got a recipe I want to make. We've since eaten the chard and the lettuces. This year's main struggle in my garden was a slimy creature that I think I finally have under control.  I never understood why people complained about slugs so much until they ravenously consumed too many delicious items in my garden. Another struggle was the late start since we had been traveling at the beginning of the summer.  In some ways, it was great because the soil was warm and seeds sprung to life quickly and the tomatoes grew vigorously.  Yet my sweet peppers didn't turn red, partly because the only choice at the garden center was California Wonder, great for hot and sunny spots, not so great for my shady woods. Every growing season has its strengths and weaknesses, though overall this was a pretty glorious summer and fall.  After washing thoroughly (and rinsing again and maybe again--I hate slugs!), I'll enjoy these delicious homegrown greens...in November!

The Color of Oak Leaves

Oaks don't have the reputation that maples do for fall leaf color, but the wild oaks in our area are gorgeous, too. The leaves can be brown, but they're also rust, gold, orange-brown...

and a spectacular scarlet.

Thank goodness the oaks are here since the maple leaves have fallen. (This photo is from last week.)

Other colors in my woods include the rainbow leaves of raspberries and blackberries and a burst of yellow from grapes.  What a beautiful time of year!

 

Falling for Autumn

This time of year may be my favorite. (Wait. Do I say that when the daffodils bloom? Or when I pick the first tomatoes?) This is the view from my front porch this morning. There are no mosquitoes!

But there are plenty of slugs.  I should be eating this bok choy instead of the slithery critters. That is the Fork of Death. I use it to pick out the slugs because it's just too gross to touch them.

Even the revered maple leaves are holey (or holy?). I wonder if the slugs did this. This is the worst they've been as long as I've lived here. Next year one goal is to cut back on the slug population in my garden, but the weather conditions will probably be better for a different kind of pest. No worries--I'm a prepared gardener with my arsenal of organic remedies. Whatever winter doesn't kill, I'll be ready.

Fun with Fruit

 I love clearance shopping, and I found this Red Banana in July, which doubled in size with the tropical hot and humid weather we had recently in Minnesota. Last night I had to bring the plant indoors so it wouldn't be too stressed in our 40ish degree temps. Our house feels cool, but I refuse to turn on the heat.  (I'll turn on the oven and make some zucchini cake instead.)

The wild plums have been picked over by the animals, so I won't have enough for cooking, but I'll get a taste.

I know this is bragging, but one of my favorite things to do is to pick an apple off a tree and then eat it for lunch. This is my McIntosh tree.  People love their Zestar and Honeycrisp varieties (I do, too), but this classic sweet-tart apple is one of my favorites.

P. S.  Thanks to the Minnesota company Fra-Dor Inc. for featuring my blog recently.

Basil Lover

I'm a basil lover.  I love fresh basil in my summer recipes.  True confession--sometimes I purposely walk by my basil, rubbing the leaves to release the fragrance, especially the vanilla scented Blue Globe (bottom right corner of above photo/Purple Ruffles in photo below).  No, I'm not crazy (or at least I don't think I am--maybe that's not such a good sign).  For me, basil signals summer---the delicious smells and fresh tastes and delightful sights. 

 

How To Freeze Green Beans

The most important thing is to breathe deeply. Yes, that's a lot of green beans. Be sure to taste one straight off the vine.(Yum!) But don't panic  because freezing is soooo much easier than canning. 

First, clean the beans.  I break of the stem end, but cutting is okay.  I keep the beans whole, but they could be chopped into bite-sized chunks. (Take another taste?  Why not!)

 

Next, boil a big pot of water. Gently lower the beans into the water to avoid splashing. Generally beans need three minutes for processing. The boiling process kills an enzyme that makes beans mushy when they're frozen. The beans may make a popping sound; that's normal. I like to use a strainer to get the beans out, but tongs or a slotted spoon works as well.

 

 

Plunge the beans into ice water immediately to stop the cooking process.  Overcooked beans are mushy, too.  I like to use a big chunk of ice because it melts more slowly than ice cubes. Note the bright green color compared to the olive color of the uncooked beans. (This is a good time to take a taste to make sure they're cool.  Yum!)

Drain well.  Ice crystals form with the leftover water.  It's not such a big deal, really, just be prepared to drain off excess water when re-heating your beans.

Place the cooled beans in a baggie, keeping the bag flat for better storage in the freezer. They won't taste as good as they did today, but they'll be better than anything you'll find at the grocery store in the middle of a Minnesota winter.

The Power of Petunias

It's been hot and humid, really humid, melting my previously wind-chilled inner thermostat.  And I won't complain. I promise. Instead I marvel at the staying power of petunias.  The containers need water every day, but they thrive in this weather.  I went for lots of color and planted Wave with double-flowered.  I consistently trimmed them soon after potting them so they'd grow bushy.  And they look great. Please don't notice the weeds...I'll get to them when the dew points drop.