Well knowing that I need more proteins, I just ordered two Heartnut trees, they are a form of walnut that is supposed to be sweeter, hardier, easier to grow and shell and nutritious. I also decided to order a Windsor cherry as a pollinator for my 2 Bings, and am writing for a replacement on my Sugar Pearls Apricot, which appears to have died..wahhh..but it has a lifetime guarantee.
Just heard from a member of Permaculture forum who is sending me some perennial grain rye seeds, so I am going to plant the new bed I've been working on just south of the woods and north of the pond to the perennial rye rather than the other plants that were going to go there..the bed should be ready when the seeds arrive and it should be a good time to plant them...or possibly fall..I'll have to do some research on that.
Today I have blossoms open on some prunus trees, and we are expecting snowstorms..oh dear...it is so green and flowery, so early, I hate to think of what we'll lose this spring.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Dandelion recipes from Paul's blog
Dandelion recipe borrowed from paulabowser@blogspot.com
Dandelion Jelly
Ingredients:
8 oz. dandelion blossoms
2 lemons (sliced)
1 lb. jam or jelly sugar (can be replaced with apple pectin stock)
3 cups of water
Directions:
Bring water to boil, add lemons and the yellow leaves of the blossoms, let boil for 5 min and then simmer for 1h. Filter through a very fine colander, return to pot, add the jelly sugar and bring to boil again. Stir for 5min. Fill in cleaned jelly jar. Label and date. Keeps fresh in the fridge for 8 months.
Dandelion Salad with Pistachio Dressing
Ingredients
ca 8 oz of cleaned dandelion leaves or a mixture of dandelion and romano
bunch of fresh mint
bunch of Spring onions (wild onions will do just great)
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup of grated pistachios
5 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper, cumin
Directions:
Clean and cut salad, mint and spring onions, place in a bowl
Roast the grated pistachios lightly
Blend orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin to a creamy dressing and drip over the salad mixture. Top with roasted pistachios.
Ingredients:
8 oz. dandelion blossoms
2 lemons (sliced)
1 lb. jam or jelly sugar (can be replaced with apple pectin stock)
3 cups of water
Directions:
Bring water to boil, add lemons and the yellow leaves of the blossoms, let boil for 5 min and then simmer for 1h. Filter through a very fine colander, return to pot, add the jelly sugar and bring to boil again. Stir for 5min. Fill in cleaned jelly jar. Label and date. Keeps fresh in the fridge for 8 months.
Dandelion Salad with Pistachio Dressing
Ingredients
ca 8 oz of cleaned dandelion leaves or a mixture of dandelion and romano
bunch of fresh mint
bunch of Spring onions (wild onions will do just great)
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup of grated pistachios
5 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper, cumin
Directions:
Clean and cut salad, mint and spring onions, place in a bowl
Roast the grated pistachios lightly
Blend orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin to a creamy dressing and drip over the salad mixture. Top with roasted pistachios.
Friday, March 16, 2012
giving budding a try
Well with the 3 damaged pear trees (from rabbits) and one apple tree I decided to go ahead and try to do the bud grafting I had been reading about but had yet to try.
I cut off the tops of the trees that were chewed up by rabbits, took 12 bud grafts off and put them onto 3 pear trees that are growing well (2 ayers and 1 5 on 1 pear tree)..not sure if they'll survive but I'm giving them a fighting chance.
There was some decent wood left on two of the trees so I took cuttings from those and the apple and planted the cuttings, so maybe I'll save those too, better then tossing them on the brush pile.
Having these problems in the garden this spring got me to rethinking some of the garden planning also..so I went out and dug up 2 of my grapevines and one climbing rose ..that I had planned on building an arbor for. I decided that financially we aren't ready to build that arbor, and I have several other arbors..so the 2 grapevines (reliance and interlaken) are now planted by another arbor that was already there (along with some kiwi and clematis ..that are not sure they want to live)..this means now that I don't have to build that arbor, which should save me some bucks..
I was hoping to move the wooden swing to the new arbor, but it is ok where it is now..plans change.
Have some other things I'd like to dig and move around also.
I had some good luck with black currant cuttings last spring..so I went and attacked one of my overgrown black currants and got a lot of cuttings off of it and put them out..some along rear of our garden and some extras here and there in the woods.
Noticed that the goosberries we dug up in the woods are still alive..thrill..so that is a bonus...cause I thought they were probably going to die.
Sure enjoyed the 3rd day of 80's in winter..how long can it last?
I cut off the tops of the trees that were chewed up by rabbits, took 12 bud grafts off and put them onto 3 pear trees that are growing well (2 ayers and 1 5 on 1 pear tree)..not sure if they'll survive but I'm giving them a fighting chance.
There was some decent wood left on two of the trees so I took cuttings from those and the apple and planted the cuttings, so maybe I'll save those too, better then tossing them on the brush pile.
Having these problems in the garden this spring got me to rethinking some of the garden planning also..so I went out and dug up 2 of my grapevines and one climbing rose ..that I had planned on building an arbor for. I decided that financially we aren't ready to build that arbor, and I have several other arbors..so the 2 grapevines (reliance and interlaken) are now planted by another arbor that was already there (along with some kiwi and clematis ..that are not sure they want to live)..this means now that I don't have to build that arbor, which should save me some bucks..
I was hoping to move the wooden swing to the new arbor, but it is ok where it is now..plans change.
Have some other things I'd like to dig and move around also.
I had some good luck with black currant cuttings last spring..so I went and attacked one of my overgrown black currants and got a lot of cuttings off of it and put them out..some along rear of our garden and some extras here and there in the woods.
Noticed that the goosberries we dug up in the woods are still alive..thrill..so that is a bonus...cause I thought they were probably going to die.
Sure enjoyed the 3rd day of 80's in winter..how long can it last?
link to Kat's recipes, and update
Got a couple interesting recipes from Kat today so here is the link
http://katlupesblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/zucchini-lasagna-recipe.html
Also learned that you can plant the stub off the bottom of your celery from the store, so I had 2 and I took a chance and planted one outside yesterday (may have to pop a milk carton over it as it is still Winter here in Michigan although it has been 80 degrees plus the last 2 days).
Because of the outrageously warm weather and the fact that the snow is mostly melted, I also planted some "as soon as the soil can be worked" seeds yesterday: Kale, Spinach, 2 kinds of Mesclun, stinging nettles, Golden Acre Cabbage, Hawthorn, Bearberry and Paw Paw seeds, Garlic Chives, Swiss chard, collards, sugar snap peas, rattail podding radish and good king henry....at least I have a start now.
Busy with other busy busy work that has to be done, like pruning grape vines and cleaning up stuff ..a lot of blown down trees and branches await. Also a lot of sitting on the deck and also on the swing by the pond watching the goldfish and turtles..has to be done when it is in the 80's and you are wearing shorts and a tank top..in WINTER. This photo was taken 2 weeks ago tomorrow.
that tree lying down was a 35 foot tall black spruce..
http://katlupesblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/zucchini-lasagna-recipe.html
Also learned that you can plant the stub off the bottom of your celery from the store, so I had 2 and I took a chance and planted one outside yesterday (may have to pop a milk carton over it as it is still Winter here in Michigan although it has been 80 degrees plus the last 2 days).
Because of the outrageously warm weather and the fact that the snow is mostly melted, I also planted some "as soon as the soil can be worked" seeds yesterday: Kale, Spinach, 2 kinds of Mesclun, stinging nettles, Golden Acre Cabbage, Hawthorn, Bearberry and Paw Paw seeds, Garlic Chives, Swiss chard, collards, sugar snap peas, rattail podding radish and good king henry....at least I have a start now.
Busy with other busy busy work that has to be done, like pruning grape vines and cleaning up stuff ..a lot of blown down trees and branches await. Also a lot of sitting on the deck and also on the swing by the pond watching the goldfish and turtles..has to be done when it is in the 80's and you are wearing shorts and a tank top..in WINTER. This photo was taken 2 weeks ago tomorrow.
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