2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

I was just reading about using red flashing christmas lights to keep night munchers out of the garden----it's supposed to make them think it's fire. Has anyone tried this?

I've never heard of that one, but it sounds like it would be right up there with the other things that make critters laugh themselves silly! While they are munching down all your veggies.

I picked my first snow peas today. They were delicious! I had another tomato today, too, but it will be a while before I get any more.

[KellyNew4Me2]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Okay, you southern-zone folks are making me jealous with your early harvests!! Luckily, we had some "gully-washing" soaking rains today, with more expected tomorrow.

Sunny, I will certainly be on the lookout for the garlic when the farmers' markets start to gear up. Next I will try to figure out how to include some garden pics. Good night!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

I finally got enough snow peas to make stir-fry instead of eating them raw. YUMMY! I did a stir-fry of both crimini (baby bella) and shitake mushrooms, red bell pepper and the snow peas. I had forgotten how much better homegrown snow peas are than store-bought--it has been several years since I've grown them.

I finally have some peppers on the vine about as big as a small pea--I am so ready to start eating my own and stop paying high store prices. I have been spraying them every two weeks with a seaweed emulsion mixed with Miracle Grow and Epsom salts. That really makes the fruit set and the plants get very green and bushy. The peppers have very thick walls, just like I like them.

[sadie147]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

I just cooked up a big batch of my rhubarb....i got a ton so far this year..and yes sunny you are right...home grown is so much better than store bought!

[Chicklady]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

I cooked up some rhubarb too, some with some nice strawberries. Strawberry-rhubarb cobbler.....yummmmmm.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Where did everybody go? Did a late frost get your garden? Woodchucks/groundhogs/rabbits/deer nibble it to the ground?

My strawberries are gone and the black raspberries are nearly gone. Cherries are still loaded and the mullberry tree is too.

I made raspberry tarts with a cream base and they were awesome. I made up a tart shell crust that was the best low carb crust I have ever tried. I mixed fresh raspberries with Smucker's sf raspberry jam for the filling, but I put a cream cheese/whipped cream base in each one so there wasn't that much raspberry filling to each mini-tart. I put a little lemon zest and lemon juice in with the cream cheese and a small amount of Splenda and then whipped heavy cream and blended the two. The two flavors really went well together.

I am picking hungarian hot wax peppers and I have my fingers crossed that I can pick several squashes tomorrow:

flying saucer

zephyr

and yellow straight neck.

I am drooling in anticipation of eating those flying saucer squash again. I bought only one at the Farmer's Market last year and I was so upset that they never had them again. They were the best squash I have ever had.

Sunny!

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Hi Sunny,
Reading your post made me drool, YUMMO!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Hi Sunny,
Reading your post made me drool, YUMMO!

Did you ever order those squash seeds from Johnny's? The flying saucer and zepher? Mine are planted up at my brother's house and I am calling him in just a minute to see if any are big enough to pick tomorrow.

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Yes, I did! I have three plants going now just fixing to bloom. I'm excited to eat them for the first time.
Lucky gal, hope they are big enough.
Enjoy!
Love ya Sunny!
Sherri

[Chicklady]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Well Sunny, you're not far off. Something ate my brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and broccoli. The tomato and pepper plants remain----I guess the critters are waiting until they ripen
I will be trying a fall crop of the broc and kohlrabi, but i think the first thing I need to plant is a FENCE!!!!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Every time I see your siggy, I just want to reach through the screen and scratch Buttons/Baubles tummy! Meow...

[Creek]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Gorgeous pictures of the squash. I'll have to try that variety next year.

I've gotten two tomato's off my plants so far this year, and for this area they are early. Every year I say the same thing as I'm cutting into them, "Nothing is as good as fresh from the garden."

We were overwhelmed with strawberries this year and I made ten pints of strawberry jam. I sent two jars to my Mom in North Carolina, and I'll give the rest to my grandchildren and friends.

The weather has been perfect for the cabbage and turnips this year too. I might try my hand at canning saurerkraut. Has anyone else made their own kraut? Any suggestions?

[Chicklady]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

LOL. I'll pass on that tummy rub, Sunny. But I think they'd prefer to play cat and mouse with your toes

[Chicklady]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Creek, I've made sauerkraut....just cabbage and salt. Just pay attention. It may be where I made it----the basement---or because I let it go to long and it picked up the wrong bacteria, but my first batch molded!! I did the next batch (as well as sour pickles) in the garage and watched it carefully, and it came out great. well, the next two batches were smaller too, but I'm not sure that would make a difference.
I used my my Moms "official" (not!) method....a big old 5 gallon bucket, shredded cabbage, salt between layers, and a dishcloth covering a pair of bricks sitting on a ceramic plate to weigh it all down. Fancy recipe, eh ?

[SunnySmile501]

Re: 2008 Low Carb GARDEN!!!!

Gorgeous pictures of the squash. I'll have to try that variety next year.

I've gotten two tomato's off my plants so far this year, and for this area they are early. Every year I say the same thing as I'm cutting into them, "Nothing is as good as fresh from the garden."

We were overwhelmed with strawberries this year and I made ten pints of strawberry jam. I sent two jars to my Mom in North Carolina, and I'll give the rest to my grandchildren and friends.

The weather has been perfect for the cabbage and turnips this year too. I might try my hand at canning saurerkraut. Has anyone else made their own kraut? Any suggestions?

I helped my mom can sauerkraut when I was young, about a 100 years ago, and both of us hated doing it. It's the only thing I remember my mom griping about of all the tons of stuff she canned to raise 10 kids on the farm. We had the big crocks and we shredded the cabbage and layered it in the crocks with salt, covered it with a glass plate and put a big rock on top.

My 1970's model of the Kerr canning book says to use 1 pound of cannng salt to 40 pounds of shredded cabbage or 2 ounces (3 1/2 tablespoons) for 5 pounds of shredded cabbage. One pound fills a pint jar. It says to mix the salt into the cabbage in a big bowl and press it into the crock with a potato masher. Cover with a clean cloth, plate and weight. It requires daily attention for the 10 to 12 days it is fermenting. Remove scum as it forms and wash and scald cloth often to prevent mold. When it is finished curing, pack into sterile jars within 1/2 inch of the top. Cover with kraut juice, put on caps and bands and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

In the jar method:
Prepare and mix cabbage and salt like in the previous recipe. Pack solidly into sterile jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Fill with cold water to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe rims and put on caps and bands firmly tight. Leave on counter to ferment for 3 or 4 days. When fermentation ceases, wash outsides of jars, tighten screw bands and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Start counting processing time when the jars are placed in actively boiling water.

That "in the jar" method doesn't sound so bad. I might try that this summer. I love kraut.