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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Cool and Stormy? Let's cook!

My game plan would be ideally be to spend this holiday weekend out in the sunny backyard with my family and friends.  However, I don't control the weather.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, this has been an especially cool and wet spring and lots of the garden is way behind where it should be.  I looked back in my garden notes from 3 years ago and I'd had small zucchini by now.  So what am I cooking?  Tabbouleh using a recipe from the lovely folks at Culinate.  Luckily, I've got the requisite ingredients for this growing including Mint, Parsley, and Lettuces.
Honestly, this might be the nicest my lettuces have ever looked.

I'm also working on some home made hummus from scratch.  Maybe if it stays rainy, I'll post the recipe later today. Add Kalamata olives, some local feta from Shepherds Dairy, and some pita bread from O'Falafel ( I should wax poetic about this place at some point, if you live in SLC and have not eaten here yet, shame on you.)

Oh yes, we'll have radishes with this meal too.  They're a hit with the home team!
Think Sun!!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Spinach

This is 1 pound of spinach.
It was harvested, rinsed, then cooked into a simple pasta bianco.  So delicious.
We are also eating salad greens, including perfectly peppery arugula, aka Rocket.
Did you know why its called rocket?  It bolts quick.  Ours is close.  I'm waiting for a hot sunny day to document this process.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Progress and Pests

Midway through the month of May things continue to be cool and rainy.  Needless to say, some of my plants are loving it, like the lettuces
The  garlic and potatoes also seem pretty happy
However something is eating my peas.  I'm not sure what, so not sure how to destroy the offender since I'm not game to go spraying poison in my garden.  (just not my style)
In other news, remember that hoop house I planted back in November with Spinach and Arugula?  Awesome, check out the parallel rows, arugula on right, spinach on left, 2 varieties of each.
I'm eating some serious salad.  What about you, were are you and what are you eating out of your backyard garden?

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Waterwise

It can be sort of hard to think about drought tolerance when it has rained more days than it has not rained in the last month.  However, I think its important to note that Salt Lake City has a desert climate and once it stops raining in June, it will likely be late August before we get some reliable storms again.  Here are some waterwise plants we have procured and planted this weekend.
Agastache
Blue Oat Grass
Navajo Tea
Creeping Phlox
Purple Fountain Grass
 Pretty, right? Not just spiny cacti and rocks in this landscape.

Winter, finally (and seriously)

I planned to start this blog last spring as my garden flew into action, but then got into the actual work of gardening and abandoned the task. However, today its winter, really winter. I'm wearing long underwear and sitting under a blanket and I'm still cold.
Today is the shortest day of the year so from here on in it gets better. I look forward to longer days, that's for sure. But I'll also tuck in and enjoy winter's freeze and snow, it does mean skiing after all. Maybe more importantly is the snow pack - without snow there isn't water for the West.
The end of the year and the solstice are a good time to think back on the last 365. I have no reason to complain and feel really lucky about the last year and really hopeful about the year to come.