May | 2012 | AnnieRie Unplugged

They’re Baackk!!

Posted on May 2, 2012 by AnnieRie

The wild asparagus returns! After being MIA for two weeks, I noticed their presence today.

There are three spears at the moment. Two white ones and a larger green one. Maybe a few more will pop out before the weekend.

Plus, the mint is going nuts again, just in time for the Kentucky Derby. Sounds like a mint julep party Saturday night on the patio.

Anyone can grow mint. It is essentially a weed. Get a pot and put some in. The Howard County Farmer’s Markets open next week and there will be vendors selling plants. Mint is extremely easy to grow. I put it in iced tea, use it in salads and over veggies, like zucchini, and my personal favorite, watermelon, feta and mint salad. I leave the pots out all winter and every spring the mint comes back. DO NOT put in in the ground or it will spread like mad and take over your other plants.

As for the tomato plants, they are hanging out waiting until this weekend to be planted. I think we might be lucky and get them in the ground before Mother’s Day. So is the basil.

I did plant lavender, tarragon and marjoram today, along with some plugs of cutting flowers. The herb garden is filling in nicely. The ability to cut fresh herbs for dinner is so convenient, and they just add something special to meals. I also toss a few leaves on the grill while grilling to fill the air with the scent of herbs.

As for the non edibles out there, the rhododendron are blooming finally.

I am thrilled this year. Dozens of blooms instead of just a few. This is one of my two bushes. The other is behind the tree. For me, having flowers in bloom all spring and summer is a lovely backdrop while dining on the patio. Beats that view of the parking lot at most restaurants. 😉

The tangelo azalea finally bloomed.

This is the first of a number of blooms on this plant. It is my favorite azalea in the yard. And, it is fragile so I baby it every winter.

The markets open next week. There will be plant and flower vendors at every market. If you don’t want herbs, at least get a basket of loveliness to put outside of your home. The bees will thank you for it. Like our carpenter bees who are living under our deck. Pollinators help your garden. We can’t lose them from our environment.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Foraging, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Nature and tagged azaleas, farmer's markets, Food, heirloom tomatoes, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, nature, photography, spring flowers. Bookmark the permalink.

A Day Trip to Lancaster

Posted on May 1, 2012 by AnnieRie

It was way too nice out to stay home. We decided to play hooky from yard work and spring cleaning and head out for a leisurely back roads drive to one of our favorite destinations, Lancaster.

We intended to drive by a few of the Amish barn, shed and outbuilding companies and also hit the Central Market. We got a late start so bagged the first part and just lingered on the second.

Ever since I was little my parents would take weekend drives with us, taking us to parks, cities, towns, whatever, just because they liked exploring. I don’t know when I first entered this building with them, but I was pretty small.

The building is really hidden now, as the city skyline changes around it. I keep forgetting where to turn to find the nearest parking.

You have to navigate carefully to get in this back way, but it puts your car really close so you can bring things out and wander the streets.

I did not take pics inside, as not to offend any of the Amish who don’t wish to have pictures taken of them. It is hard to selectively take pics and not get an inadvertent image. I respect their wishes so put the camera away. We hit many of our favorite stands, like Clyde Weavers for bacon and smoked kielbo.

I had to get goat cheese feta and mozzarella. These are not made by our local goat cheese purveyors and they are so good, and lactose free.

To use with the mozzarella, one of the stands was offering home grown, greenhouse ripened tomatoes. So much better looking than supermarket tomatoes, and cheaper than those sold at Silver Spring Market, or at Roots.

With the mozzarella, the tomatoes, and basil from Mock’s last Saturday, it looks like a Caprese salad some night soon. We had a snack, then wandered the new shops behind and across from the market. We couldn’t resist trying this, in lieu of making a sangria for a get together with friends. We needed something fun and low alcohol to complement spicy wings. This wine should do it. The PA wines made from fruits are fun, summertime light wines.

These two bottle packs are eco friendly, and the wines are just fun. We don’t always want heavy wines in the hot weather, and this one is a treat. The winery is just outside Lancaster, and they source the fruit from all over. This wine is slightly sweet, but the winery also makes dry varieties of wine. Nice people, a friendly tasting room, and we had a relaxing day riding the back roads of PA and MD. What we got today should tide us over until our Sandy Spring CSA starts next Thursday. We got an email today with specifics, including the first two picnics at the Amish farms near Lancaster. In May and June. Can’t wait.