“A good gardener always plants 3 seeds – one for the bugs, one for the weather and one for himself.” ….Leo Aikman
The very first sprouts are the ones that give you hope, hope that all those seeds will sprout and grow. It always takes me awhile to get started. I ponder over what I want to plant, where I am going plant it and how much I need to plant for a great harvest. You Tube link below! https://youtu.be/VOgP4V1zRtUout
Some of the products and techniques I use have evolved over time. I finally bought some well made, sturdy Bootstrap Farmer 1020 Trays. I got really tired of having the cheap, big box trays fall apart every year, the biggest problem being leakage, usually in the corners of the trays. Seedling heat mats are another very good idea. The above seeds sprouted in less than two days. Wow! Love it! I am planting a larger variety of plants this year and most of them will be things I have started at home. I no longer can afford the big box seed starts. I could go broke easily. I am increasing the herbal things I plant as well.
“There is not a thing that is more positive than bread.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
I began by using a recipe from the infamous “America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook” Nothing, but nothing, tastes as good as fresh home made bread. I decided to try Dakota Maid Bread Flour and the results were fabulous. The bread is wonderful with butter and jam and great toasted. The savings are phenomenal as well. If I pay $7.00 for fresh bread from the bread store, this 100 cup bag will give me close to $230.00 worth of bread products. I am going to try hot dog buns and cinnamon rolls later.
A few additional notes on the aforementioned “America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook” American Sandwich Bread recipe. There are all manner of hints and tips in this cookbook that made this experience an outstanding success. I used a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer and dough hook to mix the dough. I am seriously convinced that this contributed to great gluten development (the recipe recommended 10 minutes). Another product that I really like is Fleischmann’s Instant Dry Yeast. My rise with this yeast was more than enough and things went a little faster as a result. You can order the flour from the North Dakota Mill website (https://www.ndmill.com/) or check in with Sam’s Club.
I don’t care how much money you have, free stuff is always a good thing. Queen Latifah
If you are like me, the more plants you can produce through various means of propagation, the better. The price of seedlings, trees and plants continues to skyrocket so I am pleased to offer some excellent solutions for “doing it yourself”. Check out my You Tube video for some “freebie action”! https://youtu.be/bG4rYnvnO74
And while those indoor plants are thriving inside the house, start planning for your summer cut flower garden. Check out Botanical Interests Flower Power download for inspiration on your summer beds.
Need some serious “fight back” herbal remedies for current viruses? Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs -Fire Cider Recipe is one of the best. I mixed up my first batch this fall and all things considered (first case of Covid19 in our area today), I am so glad I did. It has enough stuff in it to destroy anything IMHO.
All the leaves are brown, and the skies are gray, I’ve been for a walk, on a winters day… Lyrics from California Dreamin’ Mamas and Papas
Just went out to check on the little greenhouse out back. Some serious thawing is taking place today which gives me pause for a tiny sliver of hope – not much, just a sliver. Got some seeds in the mail today so that’s a start. Pulled the potting soil out of the pickup and opened the bag. Filled up some gallon Ziploc bags with Pro-Mix soil mix and a quart of water. I let it sit overnight and then fill my trays. This stuff works really great for me. Much better than the standard big box fare. It is a very light blend with plenty of vermiculite as well as mycorrhizae.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a package in the mail from Seed Savers Exchange. (https://www.seedsavers.org) They are a non-profit dedicated to preserving America’s seed diversity. I need some additional fruit products. My soil is not acidic enough for blueberries and my raspberries are doing fine but I am going to give huckleberries, ground cherries and sunberries a shot. The jury is out. I know nothing of these three item so I will let you know at harvest time. Celery is a new item for me as well. Pricing is pretty darn good and there is usually a history of the seed on the packet.
Check out the little greenhouse on my You Tube Channel, Greenhouse-Spring Gardener Peak Roof (Walk In) https://youtu.be/FsyKUJ2UMrU
It looks so wonderful in the summer. Check out this You Tube video of 2019 summer glory. https://youtu.be/LzbbHDpKtAA
“When I cannot write a poem, I bake biscuits and feel just as pleased.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
If there ever was a kitchen challenge, especially for an inexperienced cook, it would be making a great fluffy biscuit. And there is a splendid answer to that age-old dilemma – Cream Biscuits. From the pages of America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, it is an all time winner. If there were a foolproof recipe, this one certainly stands out. There is no way you can mess this up. It comes out just right every time, rich, tender and fluffy. Just the thing for cream chicken on biscuits.
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” – John Steinbeck
If you’re like me, and I live up here in the frozen North, about this time of year you start to refer to yourself as “stir crazy” and become afflicted with the bane of the North known as “cabin fever”. There doesn’t seem to be much you can do. The snow lingers on the landscape. Sure, you have sunny days and the steady drip, drip of water melting off the roof. But still, no respite from those ongoing 26 degree days that seem to go on and on. Sand and ice in the driveway and just a short drive away up to four feet of snow is currently falling due to the Great Lakes “lake effect”. But wait, there is an entire small garden of greens growing vigorously in the office (in my case). Invest in the wonderful low-tech manual, Year Round Indoor Salad Gardening by Peter Burke. Any warm room of the house will do. If you have a sunny window all the better. I am just thinking you might like to try this at your house. I use grow lights because I have no sunny windows.
Soak seeds in non-chlorinated water for 4-5 hours and drain
Prepare the soil the night before. Refer to the book for how to do.
Soak your paper towels in water
Put the drained seeds for each tray evenly ON TOP of the soil. Cover with paper towels
Put the trays in a dark place. I used a covered cookie sheet and covered with a towel.
Let them brew for 3-4 days. Remove cover and place in the window.
A day later you will see the plants start to green up. Water daily 3 TBSP each tray.
Four or five days later you will have enough for a nice salad
You will see Charlie’s pic on my home page. This rescue dog has been with us every step of the way, defending his turf with a lot of barking. I’m glad he is here and I have been doing home cooking for him since he became ill with Hypothyroidism. Not a good thing for this pup. His pills make him sick so I have decreased the dose and improved his nutrition. I started with Dr. Pitcairn’s complete Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. I also get Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil for Large Dogs and Daily Multi Plus powdered vitamin from Pet Health and Nutrition Center. The good doctor has other suggestions as well. Charlie is pretty plump due to restricted winter exercise. I adjusted his diet to a more vegetable based one for weight loss (pg 419 in my copy).
I will be posting Christmas Cooky recipes periodically during the next year. At some point in time I will compile a cooky cookbook of my favs. I am really excited about this project. I hope you will tune in and take advantage of this remarkable collection.
All it takes is one slightly warm February day, here in the heartland, and thoughts of things green and growing leaps to the forefront. Looking through my photography from years gone by I go back to a summer when I was unemployed and out in the meadows looking for wild flowers. Just for today I don’t want to worry about cash flow and other sundry life duties and just bask in that summer feeling that is so ever present when you start to browse those wildflower photos. Enjoy!
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For Your Enjoyment
Garden Planning
This is my garden planning area, a small kitchen table in my basement kitchen. It’s a great place for thinking and planning. I have two favorites for seed catalogs, Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds and Seed Savers. Both have a really great selection. I will show a few more details when I get into this a little further.
Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had. -Thom Jones
Meet Charlie, the dog who rules the house, keeps the schedules and is the recipient of a myriad of treats, hence his ample girth. He does a lot of “talking” if the household is not on schedule. He knows exactly when feeding time is and wants to go out with such frequency that it is now, in jest, referred to as the adult exercise program since it requires descending a flight of stairs and letting him out for a time.
As the snow flies, I am getting ready to make Charlie some home made dog treats which he dearly loves. The recipe is below, as well as a brief gallery of shots on the entire project. Enjoy Mr. Dog, enjoy!
Gather your supplies and add egg, oil, milk and cheese. Stir till well mixed.
When dough begins to form into a ball, knead on counter until the dough well mixed.
Roll the dough out until it is a little over 1/4 inch thick. You can go thicker if you like.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes and let cool on a rack. I let my treats dry in the residual oven heat for a little longer.
DOG TREATS 101
The recipe for these treats is gleaned from the pages of a 1990’s book, MacPherson’s K-9 Cookbook. When originally sold it came replete with three different sizes of plastic dog bone shaped cutters. I use the smallest one since my dog is fairly chubby already and only needs treats delivered in small portions.
Spot’s Golden Cheese Dreams A nice elastic dough which makes a golden-flecked, chewy treat. Makes about 60 using the small K-9 cutter 3 Cups whole wheat flour 2 tsps garlic powder ( I use 1 tsp.) 1/2 Cup vegetable oil 1 Cup Shredded cheese of your choice 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and garlic powder.
Make a well in the flour mixture and gradually stir in Vegetable oil, cheese, beaten egg and milk until well blended.
Knead the dough on a floured surface, about 3-4 minutes.
With a rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4″ thickness.
Cut woth K-9 Biscut Cutter and place on a cookie sheet. (I use super parchment sheets to cover my cookie sheets. It protects them from becoming discolored.)
Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. ( when time is up I turn off the oven and let them dry a little longer in the residual oven heat)
Cool on a rack and store, at room temperature, in a container with a loose fitting lid.
Country Comfort 