The Garden

Thankfully, Eric is much more on top of the garden than I am. Early this year he picked up some compost, and after the deluge was over (I think we had like three months of rain) we were able to get the garden beds in order. Well, one of them, at least -- you can see in the "after-ish" fence picture (taken in May) we put down sod on one bed to welcome the chickens (it lasted about a week after they moved in). Here is the start of our garden (again, late May): Along the back in the far corner are 3 cucumbers and a bunch of pole beans, and the pole beans stretch along the entire fence. We also have one grape tomato plant against the short side of the fence at the far end, two brandywine tomatoes (from the farmers market), a couple eggplants, a cubanelle pepper plant, perhaps, and a squash and zucchini plant in the nearer bed. There are a few basil plants and marigolds scattered throughout as well. After a couple months, this is what we have now: So far we have gotten a bunch of beets (from our bed at the community garden), more cucumbers than I can count, and a ton of squash and zucchini too. Again, lucky for us, Eric has started seeds for a fall garden too. Hopefully we can get brussel sprouts to work for us this time around.

One thing I've noticed that is really unfortunate about eating produce almost exclusively from your own garden (or a local CSA to which we belong, further exacerbated by shopping at the local farmer's market) is that you really do overdose on local seasonal vegetables. I think we ate beets almost everyday for a month. I was dreading them, until I made borscht (recipe from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America - a fantastic cookbook), which we promptly scarfed up. Now, we are thinking up creative ways to eat cucumbers, including a really delicious thai cucumber salad that I've made twice and will probably do, yet again, this weekend. As for the zucchini and yellow squash, I've sauteed both with onions a few times, stuffed yellow squash (much better with zucchini), and just made zucchini cream soup - super easy and very delicious.

Zucchini cream soup:
Saute 1-2 chopped onions until they begin to brown. Add 1.5 - 2 lb. chopped zuchinni. Continue sauteing a few more minutes, then add 6c stock (don't use chicken bouillon, it overpowers the soup), 1/2 c oatmeal, and salt. Simmer 15-20 min. Blend well and strain soup. Add plain yogurt prior to serving if desired.

Garden reminders:

• Don't plant cucumbers and beans together -- the beans will strangle the cucumbers.
• Put the trellis up for the beans when they are planted if at all possible -- it is very difficult to move them without breaking them later on
• Brandywine tomatoes are enormous!
• Farmers market plants are fantastic