Category Archives: Gardening

Perfectly Roasted Garlic

Posted on August 12, 2013 by AnnieRie

It’s all Rebecca’s fault. She taught me this trick in her ajvar post last year.

For perfectly roasted garlic, turn off the oven. Put garlic cloves, salt, pepper, olive oil in a foil pouch. After cooking whatever it may be that you are cooking in a hot oven, turn off the oven and put the foil packet in it.

You will get lovely soft roasted garlic, you know, the kind that sells at that $7.99 a pound Mediterranean bar at Wegmans.

These are so good on garlic bread, in pasta sauces, on pizzas, in pesto, on lamb.

They are so easy to make, and a jar of them in the refrigerator will get used quite quickly. I did this batch with CSA garlic. For the rest of this fall, my garlic from my garden will be used this way.

So, turn off that oven and roast garlic. And thank Rebecca for the recipe. By the way, I use her preserving pages religiously when I am putting up foods. Thanks, Rebecca!

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Food, Gardening and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, foodie, gardening, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

A Rainbow of Ribbons

Posted on August 11, 2013 by AnnieRie

All the colors. This year the third and fifth place ribbons rounded out my collection.

It is satisfying as a gardener, to be rewarded that your efforts mean something. That all the weeding, watering (well, not this year), and worrying were worth it.

I went to the fairgrounds this morning to pick up my entries, my ribbons, and my check. It is fun to go and visit with others. While in line at the fair office, or just wandering through the farm and garden building to pick up your veggies.

This year, most of my tomatoes survived the week. The weather was kind to us.

I got to bring home my orange roma tomatoes and oven dry them.

I added a few from the windowsill, then slow cooked them in olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of sugar. Off to the freezer they went.

As for the Paul Robeson, there was one there. The other one was eaten during the judging.

With a second one from the garden, some mozzarella and basil, they became part of dinner tonight.

Twelve of the fifteen cherry tomatoes survived and we had them with our lunch salad. The herbs, nope, they wilted, and were sent to the trash at the fair.

It is not that hard to grow something for the fair. Herbs are the easiest.

Now, to cash that check for $7.50, and plan for next year.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County and tagged Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, Howard County, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Food Processing Friday

Posted on August 9, 2013 by AnnieRie

Well, we didn’t make it to the auction tonight. I just finished processing food for the freezer, and it has been a crazy day weather wise. I still need to handle the beets for the fridge, and the eggplant for the ajvar.

Almost another half inch of rain, and we had some outdoor work that needed to be done this morning.

Add to that a power glitch right in the middle of roasting veggies.

The eggplant is destined for a small container of ajvar, that I thought didn’t have the smoky charred eggplant flavor I wanted. After roasting, I am letting them cool and will mix them in the spread. The two red peppers I used for them were a bit more than I should have used. Live and learn.

As for tomatoes, there were three batches done today. Two blanched to be frozen, and one batch for sauce.

After blanching, I peel them. Squeeze out the seeds, and pack them tightly in freezer bags. I do not use the food saver on tomatoes. Too much liquid in them. I do make sure to remove those damaged areas, the ones where you see the stink bug holes.

As for the romas from the CSA, they became a tomato sauce. A chunky tomato sauce with sausage bits (just enough for flavor).

Sweating the veggies first.

Peppers, onions, garlic, carrots in olive oil.

Then, add the peeled squeezed tomatoes. I don’t worry if there are still some seeds in it. I just try to get out the big stuff. Let it simmer on low for at least an hour, until you can completely smash the tomatoes into pulp. I add just salt, pepper, oregano and fresh basil to this sauce.

I got two one quart plastic freezer containers full of sauce out of this batch.

Now, if my paste tomatoes will just get on the ball and start turning red, I should be able to put up at least another six or eight quarts of this type of sauce.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Food, Gardening, Real Food and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, Locavore, real food, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Tomato Sauce Boss

Posted on August 8, 2013 by AnnieRie

Week Twelve. Halfway through the summer CSA. An overload of tomatoes.

Grape tomatoes. Slicing tomatoes. Roma tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes.

Here is the entire list.

1 pint Red Grape Tomatoes – Breezy Morning Farm
6 ears Sweet Corn – Farmdale Organics
1 bag Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes – Freedom Acres Farm
1 container Microgreens – Eastbrook Produce
1 bag Red Slicing Tomatoes – Green Valley Organics
1 bag Garlic – Valley View Farm
1 bag Purple Viking Potatoes – Bellview Organics
1 bag Rainbow Carrots – Cherry Lane Organics
1 bag Sweet Onions – Cherry Lane Organics
1 bag Red Roma Tomatoes – Healthy Harvest Organics
1 bunch Pistou Basil – Kirkwood Herbs

My microgreens were microradishes, which we love. You will notice the missing basil in my picture. I swapped for some eggplant sitting in the swap box. It will be part of a new batch of ajvar. I now make it in small quantities.

But, this is tomato sauce base. Tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, basil. Since I grow four varieties of basil, I decided the swap was worth it.

Besides what the CSA gives us, we have my windowsill full of tomatoes, and my garlic that has cured.

Some of the tomatoes from my garden.

Plus,

cured red and white garlic hanging in the mud room.

I figure the next few days, there will be sauce making. There will be pesto making. There will be blanched, peeled tomatoes to freeze.

I did make it all the way through last winter and this spring with the sauces and oven roasted tomatoes from last summer. Sure beats jarred sauces full of sodium and sugar.

Here’s to my favorite fruit, tomatoes.

hocofood@@@

4 Comments

Posted in CSA, Food, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Locavore and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, Locavore, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Stretch Goals

Posted on August 6, 2013 by AnnieRie

Making the most of our lives. Finding something new and exciting that continues to inspire us.

There has been quite a bit of discussion within the Howard County blogger community that reflects this. Posts about Comfort Zones by Julia. About volunteering by Tom. About connecting with neighbors by Bill. About community by Lisa.

It was Bill who proposed the #summerofneighbors and I wrote a post about being neighborly. It sparked some of this discussion.

For me, I found that pushing the comfort zone after I retired meant learning to use and understand the connective tissue known as social media. It also meant pushing my hobby to a higher level, by entering the county fair. Not being afraid to fail with my tomato entries. Learning and growing and every year doing better. Meeting and talking with the people who make this county fair so special.

It meant taking responsibility for some large events at my volunteer location. Like bringing together farmers for a panel and an opportunity to connect.

It also meant changing how we cooked, ate, shopped and traveled. Locavore, locapour, foodie. All those interests merging into a driving force that influences us.

In other words, “Do Not Go Gently into That Good Night” (Dylan Thomas)

For both me and my husband, retirement was the entry point for doing those things we never had time to do. Things like his pursuit of DXCC (an amateur radio program that credits you for contacting each separate entity around the world).

And, his desire to have the time to do home projects, and bird watch, and take trips, and just walk in the woods. The slow pace outside that commuter world. The time to read. Books, newspapers, magazines.

For me, it has been the hobbies and the volunteering. The cooking and the writing. The garden.

We will probably spend four days at the fair this year. Saturday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Talking to friends there. Watching the auction. Checking out the exhibits.

Tomorrow we will be learning more about county history at the fair. Later this month I will be volunteering to clean up the CAC garden. Next month leading family hikes at the Conservancy. In October taking the social media class offered by David Hobby.

After all, isn’t what makes life interesting is the constant challenge, the “stretch goals” that keep us active and involved? I have to admit. Howard County certainly has enough going on to keep us busy.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Adventures, Commentary, Community, Farms, Food, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Locavore, People, Retirement, Volunteering, West HoCo and tagged amateur radio, commentary, community, cooking, farms, Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, hobbies, hoco loco, Howard County, Locavore, retirement, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink.

Opening Day at the Fair

Posted on August 3, 2013 by AnnieRie

My favorite day to visit. There aren’t large crowds yet. Things are getting organized. But, our favorite part of the fair are the young farmers and the animals.

There are still more than 300 farms in Howard County. Over 300 members of 4H clubs specializing in agriculture. Over 600 if you include other interests.

I love watching the little ones handle their livestock.

Today we were watching the 4H and open Jersey cattle show. And waiting for the farm and garden building to open after judging. Talked to a number of friends who farm, including friends from the farmers markets.

A trip down the midway to watch those on the rides, even though it was drizzling.

Then off to see how I did. I had four entries this year. And, THREE RIBBONS. OK, batting .750 isn’t bad. I got my highest ribbon in tomatoes this year. A third premium for my orange romas.

A fifth for my heirlooms, and a third for my herbs. Not bad for a rainy frustrating year. In four years, I went from four to seven ribbons this year.

The herbs.

The Paul Robeson. One tomato is eaten. The other left for display. Heirlooms are judged on taste more than looks.

This year the grand champion veggie was a really nice specimen of squash.

We will be out at the fair at least three more days this week. Lots to see and do. If you have never watched the 4H shows, you really should take the time some year to watch.

And we will be there to cheer our friends on, at the shows and the auction Friday.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Community, Farms, Food, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Local Businesses, People, West HoCo and tagged community, farms, Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, hobbies, Howard County, tomatoes, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Planning for the County Fair

Posted on August 2, 2013 by AnnieRie

Every year the fair coincides with our wedding anniversary week. Usually it means we are working our anniversary dinner and maybe a short road trip around drop off and pick up of entries. Add to that my mom’s birthday the same week. This year is no different.

There are events at the fair that we regularly attend. Like the 4H auction. This year it is scheduled on our anniversary. Plus, this year my husband gets the senior discount for the first time, and we won’t be buying a “season pass” for him anymore.

I am stressing over my tomatoes. Forty eight plants and almost ZERO heirlooms ripe. I finally got two Paul Robeson a few days ago.

The good thing about heirlooms. They are judged on taste, not appearance.

I have been busy collecting Supersweet 100s, sun sugar and large cherry tomatoes the past week. I need 15 good looking specimens to enter. Looks like the supersweet 100s will be entered.

The sun sugar are pretty but I don’t have 15 of them.

As for roma tomatoes, I grow three varieties. Orange roma, Polish linguisa and Amish paste. Right now, only the orange roma are close. I have five gorgeous ones, and four sitting there almost to ripeness.

They go from green to yellow to orange. I have five bright orange ones. Four yellow ones. Out on the vines, about 40 green ones.

This will be a late tomato year.

As for herbs, I have six choices to make three herb selections. I have cut all of them and they are “perking” up in the water getting ready for tomorrow.

I have to drop off by noon. This stress is worse than when I worked. Who knew the gardening hobby would be so stressful?

See you at the fair?

hocoblogs@@@

Doing My Happy Dance

Posted on August 1, 2013 by AnnieRie

For the CSA bounty. This week we got a baker’s dozen. Thirteen items. Some of my absolute favorites.

The list:
10 ears sweet corn – Farmdale Organics
1 quart garden peach heirloom tomatoes – Riverview Organics
1 bag green bell peppers – Twin Pines Organics
3 (monster) green zucchini – Spring Valley Organics
1 bag red slicing tomatoes – White Swan Acres
1 bag mixed garlic – Eagle View Organics
1 bunch Italian parsley – Noble Herbs
1 bag orange carrots – Pine Hill Organics
1 bag white garlic – Friends Road Organics
1 bag yellow roma tomatoes – Millwood Springs Organics
1 bag red beets – Farmdale Organics
1 lil sweetie cantaloupe – The Back 40 Ranch
1 pint blackberries – Freedom Acres

Yes, for $31 (the weekly charge), we got close to 35 pounds of organic produce.

We are heading into that part of the summer when we almost drown in veggies. Today we also got some great fruit. This week I will be giving away a few veggies. My neighbor loves zucchini. We will probably trade concord grapes from their arbor for a couple of zucchini.

I just wish my tomatoes would kick into gear. Lots of green ones out there. Not a whole lot that are ripe.

The parsley was inspiring. I decided to make tabbouleh.

I chopped up all the parsley and ran with it. Yep, we have tomatoes. Nope, no green onions so I used a sweet onion. Nope, no bulgur so I used couscous. This tabbouleh came from parsley, mint from my garden, onions, cucumbers, couscous, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and allspice. Please don’t ask me for a recipe, because I just added stuff in amounts that looked good.

Sometimes you just have to wing it.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Food, Gardening, Howard County, Locavore and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, foodie, heirloom tomatoes, Howard County, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

Eat A Peach

Posted on July 27, 2013 by AnnieRie

Or in my case, freeze a peach.

At today’s market, I picked up a basket full of seconds from Lewis orchards. Brought them home, blanched them, cut them up and put them away to become something good (like a galette) this winter. Whenever I can find the seconds, they are a great deal for getting peaches to freeze.

Or, maybe we will head out to Larriland this week. Peaches and blackberries. To round out my fruit stash for next winter.

Today I also oven dried and froze my first pan of cherry and roma tomatoes.

I oven dry tomatoes after slow roasting them at 250 degrees for two or so hours. They were liberally sprinkled with pepper, dusted with salt and sugar, and tossed in olive oil before roasting.

These beauties will brighten a winter day in a pasta dish.

I have to admit, there are five fruits that I associate with July and August. Tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches and blackberries.

Yes, tomatoes are a fruit. A lovely fruit but not the same as those incredibly soft juicy ripe peaches.

And, yes, food savers are amazing devices.

You just have to use the moist setting, normal and leave lots of room so the juice doesn’t all leak out.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Gardening, Locavore and tagged cooking, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, Locavore, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

The First Tomatoes

Posted on July 23, 2013 by AnnieRie

Real tomatoes. Not the little cherry ones. The ones we wait for months to grow, blossom, set and ripen.

The ones on the left are some type of yellow roma. Umm, I didn’t plant yellow roma. Seems my yellow plum seedlings weren’t. No matter. These will get used for some interesting tomato sauces. I have four of these plants growing.

As for the one on the right, another mystery. Out of my ten Amish paste plants, this one came up right in the middle of the row. I don’t know what it is. Still researching. I took it off yesterday before the storm hit as it was starting to split. There is a variety out there called Large Yellow Amish that looks similar to this. I need to get a few more of them ripe to see if this is what came up.

The mortgage lifter and box car willie are about two or three days away from my first harvest. Then, taste testing to decide which variety works best for the county fair.

As for those hillbillies, they really are slow. And the pineapples haven’t given me anything but blossoms. I might have two or three Paul Robesons by the fair, but I am not holding my breath on those. Bad year, with all this rain.

As for the cherry tomatoes, they are coming in strong now.

There are large red cherry tomatoes. Sun sugar and supersweet 100s coming in. Interestingly enough, the supersweet 100s are the ones that have really been low producing. Hoping they get back on track and put out many tomatoes.

There is one lone Amish paste tomato on the tray. A small one. The rest of the Amish paste and Polish Linguisa tomato plants are full of green tomatoes. Nothing else ripening, but they are getting close. Hopefully, I will get enough to do sauces. I did see that the CSA will be offering 25 pound boxes of heirloom paste tomatoes again this year. I will be buying some if my plants continue to droop and turn yellow from all this rain.

Hoping to have lots of tomatoes for the Buy Local Challenge picnic Sunday at the Conservancy. Got a lovely ball of mozzarella at Breezy Willow last week, and my basil plants recovered from the bunny mauling. Sounds like a Caprese to me.