Category Archives: Weather

Weather Or Not

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As in extreme weather. The conference.

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It may have started out sunny, but we did have a serious little storm with some lightning and thunder, so we brought the conference in from the rain.

I volunteer for field trips. This one, for ninth graders from four local schools, was the second year the Conservancy hosted all sorts of stations and presentations about extreme weather.

Want to know about power lines, and why you should be really careful around them? Let BG&E demonstrate what happens when live wires come in contact with ladders, poles, and gloves.

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Oh, and they roasted a hot dog for the students. I missed that picture. At that point, we were checking the clouds rolling in and using the resources around us, including the Office of Emergency Management’s Command Unit.

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I am always impressed by the thoroughness and the complexity of events hosted by the Conservancy. From Ava Marie’s opening remarks to the presentations all over the grounds, and the learning activities, and the displays, this was another chance to engage the community and have a fun day as well.

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It was a pretty full house, and most of the students seemed to be intrigued and interested in what they were learning.

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If only Mother Nature had cooperated and didn’t make us cancel the last session, as thunder roared and cloud to ground lightning was seen in the western sky. Oh, and getting back to the buses while it poured rain. Just what we are used to seeing around here. Wait a few minutes and the weather will change.

I love my volunteer “job”. We are never too old to stop learning, and sharing knowledge is even more rewarding. Congrats to Ann Strozyk and all the volunteers today, for putting on this conference for over 100 students.

#hocoblogs

Horn of Plenty

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Seems like when it rains, it really pours. We have gardens in the works. Foraged asparagus coming up. CSA has given us notice that we are a “GO” for this summer and fall.

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The first spear of foraged asparagus. Showed up in my stir fry last night. About six more are showing out under the crepe myrtle.

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Tomatoes planted today. Earlier than ever before, but the temperatures are saying that we need to do this. I planted 26 plants at the Conservancy and I am putting in four here at home (praying for enough sun). At least I could run out and pick a few supersweet 100s and Early Girls, if the site gets enough sun.

My new tomato this year. German Johnson. Along with my favorites. Hillbilly. Pineapple. Work horses. Sun gold. Yellow plum.

Yesterday we did maintenance at the gardens. Like string trimming and trash removal.

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It is looking good up there.

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Onions anyone? The white onions are going crazy. Time to dig up a few spring onions, and enjoy them.

I am one very tired but very happy camper these days. Fresh veggies make me that way.

#hocofood

Perfection

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The weather. The garden. The grilling.

All came together to make one perfect day out here. We spent part of the day tilling, and came home to grill a good dinner.

68° and sun and breeze and no humidity. Why we live here. Spring is my favorite season.

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Tomorrow, Sharp’s Farm opens and we will be there picking out tomatoes for the garden. If you want a huge selection of vegetables, flowers, and herbs to plant, try and get out to the greenhouses. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays for picking out plants.

It may rain tomorrow night but the rest of the week should give us more perfection.

Crank up the grill. Plant some herbs, or lettuce.

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Find some flower seeds to sprinkle in the ground. Tomorrow is Earth Day. And, come join us for a bird walk and some projects at the Conservancy this Saturday to celebrate.

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#hocoblogs

If It’s Thursday …

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… it must be market day.

Or maybe I should say basket day. Three months ago I decided to try out Friends and Farms, until the spring CSA starts up. Turns out I really like the variety of protein and the surprises like this one.

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That would be the buttermilk. Back when I started with the CSA I enjoyed the challenge of cooking with new vegetables. Now, we get grains, beans, polenta, monkfish, and other items that aren’t on my normal shopping list. It makes me think outside that rut filled box (mixing metaphors here) that we all fall into. Cooking in our comfort zone.

Looking ahead, next week is a doozy. Catfish and grits.

This week, bangers and mash.

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Along with the suggested chicken and waffles. Since I don’t have a waffle maker, I am considering scones or cornbread. Or maybe blueberry pancakes using up some of my Larriland berries from the freezer.

This week we are slowly moving into springtime. With my favorite tomatoes other than those I grow.

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Hummingbird Farms hydroponic tomatoes. Grown on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

This week’s basket was huge.

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I had to use the wide angle setting. And this is a small basket.

We got edamame. That was a bonus. Spring greens. A mess of collard greens. Those tomatoes. Potatoes. Apples. Pea shoots. Onions. The bangers. Chicken. Breakfast sausage. I got yogurt for the eggs, and eggs for the milk. My standard switch. Grains Galore bread from the Breadery.

So far, it has been easy to use up the protein. The dairy, a little harder. The frozen items I occasionally forget to make, but I do get to them. We love the edamame as an appetizer.

So, today, I hit Wegmans for some tuna. Grilled it with the potatoes. Made a great salad using some spring mix, pea shoots, the last of the cucumbers from an earlier basket.

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I mean, after all, it is springtime and the weather just invited grilling. Since it may rain tomorrow, I am thinking it will be banger and mash night.

#hocofood

How To Forget About Winter

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Winter? What Winter? How quickly we forget about winter when the temperatures start to rise and the sun comes out.

We spent two hours putting in the first row of the spring garden. Tilling. Planting kale and Swiss chard seeds and white onion sets.

After a scheduled community garden member trip to select spring plugs and seedlings from Sharps coming up, we will finish the planting and put in the row cover. Best to keep the bunnies from noshing on those tender greens.

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Big difference from a few weeks back when the snow was on the ground.

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Today while we were out at the Conservancy, there were four busloads of school children doing service learning. At least six different plot holders were planting, tilling, building raised bed boxes and just flat out enjoying the warmth of the spring sun.

We stopped for a snowball before heading home. The first snowball of the season is always a treat. Spearmint with marshmallow. Our traditional favorite.

The next week looks to be filled with those days that make me stay here in Maryland. The perfect spring days. Cherry blossoms are popping out. Forsythia is starting to bloom. I will have daffodils within the next two or three days. Followed by the hyacinths and the tulips.

Add to that the Coop to Coop tour this Saturday. I also should head out to England Acres and pick up a few petite filets to grill. Or maybe that last package of venison tenderloin from the freezer. Or the first kofta of the season. The possibilities are endless.

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Putting away the soup pot and getting out the spices.

Oh yeah, as I said, Winter? What winter?

#hocofood

Gardening Update

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My first spring garden is well underway. Since we decided to go the route of joining the community gardens and buying row cover and hoops to construct a “low tunnel”, we will be planting and harvesting vegetables that I didn’t do in our yard.

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The PVC hoops are the bigger version of what we will be doing. We are using a steel hoop that digs into the ground. The lightweight row cover in the foreground above mainly protects against frost, but is a deterrent for rabbits and other pests. We bought a heavier weight cover, which is a little more resistant and not prone to tearing in high winds.

Over the next few days we will be tilling a 3′ by 20′ row, then putting newspaper under the soil conditioners and mounding the amended soil above it. We will then insert the hoops along the row and fasten the cover.

Our plot has a drip irrigation system that we have to hook up to use for watering, so I don’t have to remove the cover to water.

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Over the next couple of days, we will also be buying onion sets, some rhubarb plants, and I think I might venture into trying some horseradish root. There will be kale, mesclun, arugula and Swiss chard.

I think that’s enough for right now. I intend to plant three rows for the summer garden. One totally tomatoes. One peppers, edamame, eggplant and tomatillos. Lots of herbs. Some pole beans and the Malabar spinach. Crossing my fingers for a productive summer.

On the home front, an expanded herb garden, with parsley, dill, cilantro, chives, sage and basil. Planting potatoes too. And later this summer, trying a few fall pumpkin vines. Hey, why not experiment?

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Plus, I need to get these plants out of my kitchen. They are out of control.

#hocofood

Diggin’ The Garden

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At long last, a day to get outside and start working on the gardening. But, that wind chill made it a bit hard to get lots done.

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I spent most of today out at the Community Gardens. The Food Bank plot team was preparing the double plot for spring plantings. I have started cilantro from seed, in my garage window, and will be donating some of those plants for the herb site there.

I was there today to assist in the row cover sale and orders.

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We were over in the restored Montjoy barn today. Trying to stay out of the wind. Cutting and folding row cover and selling hoops for low rows. We are going to put in one row so that is next week’s project, if we get the ground dry enough to till. I would like to start some spring plants there.

Monday I am off to Sharp’s to return the unused thin version of the row cover, and the last of the hoops. Sharp’s Waterford Farm on Jennings Chapel Road is a great supporter of local businesses and garden clubs all over the area. They open for business on April 22nd this year.

And, yes, spring is officially here. That would be evident as it was opening day at the Woodstock Snowball Stand. A little cold for snowballs, but such a welcome sight.

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So, Howard Countians. Get out there! Plant a few herbs. Take a ride and get a snowball. Spring is definitely here.

#hocoblogs

Carpe Java

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Seize the Coffee. Some days I feel I need that kick to get started.

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Thanks, Iron Bridge for the awesome coffee cups. Today was a bit dreary, but yet warm enough to feel like spring really may be coming.

Highlights: picking up the Friends and Farms basket.

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And, heading up to the community garden to plant a few garlic chives.

I keep searching for the signs of spring in the yard, and they are getting closer.

As for the basket, those hamburger patties just scream “Fire up the grill!”.

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The cod is destined for a fish and chips dinner. More on that later this weekend.

There were the usual eggs. Some nice looking Colby cheese. Cremini mushrooms. Apples, potatoes, kale, Bibb lettuce and carrots. Frozen broccoli and squash puree.

AND POPCORN.

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I love getting popcorn. So much fun to make. There will be fancy popcorn while watching the final four this weekend.

Getting into that spring mood now. The garden will be coming soon. The grill is up and running. One more day of rain, and then a lovely weekend.

#hocofood

All Markets Are Not Created Equal

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Some of them are truly awesome.

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Like the market in Manheim Pa. We have been there once before, in the winter. Today, with great temperatures and lots of sunshine, we headed back north to look for a few things, and to enjoy the early spring weather.

I wish we had a market with 89 years of history. What started as a poultry market has evolved into a huge 200+ vendor flea market, auction, produce market and all around interesting slice of Americana.

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You can still attend the poultry auction as well as a produce, flower, and shrub auction every Tuesday, year round. About 100 minutes away from Columbia. A good destination. Particularly for things like this.

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That’s my pit beef sandwich from Hess BBQ.

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When we were here a few months back, the outdoor vendors were closed. Today, vendors and flea market stalls were hopping.

I did end up buying a few Time Life Foods of the World books, on Middle Eastern and Latin American cooking, for a buck each, out on the flea market sites.

I almost splurged on the asparagus.

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Yes, I know many of the vendors bring things up from the South, or even use wholesalers, but still, fresh produce is so great to see.

And, yes, I found some oatmeal raisin cookies, chewy, fresh baked.

Want to take a day trip and have market envy? Head up I-83 and east on US 30, then northeast to Manheim.

And wish we had something this much fun around here.

#hocofood

Farm Kitchen Soup

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The weather turned wet and blustery today so we wanted soup for lunch.

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Soup made from whatever I had hanging around in the kitchen. A leftover chicken thigh with rice. Some corn, green beans and chicken stock from the freezer. The last handful of sugar snap peas.

It reminds me of the stories we shared with some other volunteers out at the Conservancy. Where there was always a pot of soup hanging above the fireplace by a hook, in the farm kitchen. Leftovers from the family style dinners got dumped in the pot. There was always hot soup for the farm hands and the family when they came in from working.

This soup turned out to be very good. No recipes. No measuring. Just a slow simmer.

After all, around here, winter won’t go away, it seems. It poured all day today with rain, then turned to snow.

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This afternoon, a river in the yard.

This evening. So far, close to two inches of snow on the ground, with a possibility of more.

Days like this, being able to make a hearty tasty soup is a skill I am glad I developed.

Don’t give up on leftovers. Freeze little bags of veggies, and make extra rice and freeze it. Plus, freeze lots of pint and quart jars of chicken stock.

Reminds me of what all those resourceful farmers did. Oh, and I need to defrost and roast a chicken this week, and “stock” up on my stock.

#hocofood