The Yard right now....

I know these croscuses won't win any beauty awards but to be honest they are the favorite thing I have in my yard. They are what I wait for to pop up, not only because they scream spring but they carry a sense of belonging and history to me.  


Before we bought our house I had moved every 6 months (or even more frequently some years) for the previous 4 years.  I dreamed of having a garden, of being able to watch things evolve, grow and create my "vision".  To put things into the ground and not always into pots.  So when we finally got our house (it was late august) the first thing I planted was those crocus bulbs (also planted some daffodils thought the chickens seem to love those for a little snack..oy).  So much was changing and so much was hoped on.  Our blank slate of a house and yard was overwhelming, exciting.  Though by august there was little to do, and honestly little funds or energy to devote. One bag of bulbs was what I had.  And with each bulb a little promise of what was to come, a whisper of my dreams, fears, and hopes.  Fall came, Winter lasted forever and then in the spring up they came reminding me of that August.  It also made me stop for a moment and go back over the year.  As it does every year that they pop up, each year multiplying just a bit more.  I am so thankful to be heading towards our 4th summer here and honestly while the land is a bit less of a blank slate there is still a lot of work to be done.  


Here is where we are at now:

Our "chicken proof" raised beds.  In the middle is garlic and the ground cover is coming in nicely.  I actually forgot what ground cover I used so if anyone has any ideas that would be great...

(note to self: create a garden notebook..)

An artichoke is actually already coming up! Planted this last year thanks to our warm winter it is already growing up a ton of new leaves.  

Our asian pear tree we planted last year has tons of new buds!  

The rhubarb is starting its 3rd year and is just starting to peek up.  

I want to say that gardening is a learning process and I am FAR from an expert.  I think the great thing about staying in one place for multiple years though helps you really learn your lessons.  I have found that certain plants hate certain areas, chickens have their own gardening agenda and plants need tending to become real stars. Each year I get a bit smarter with my planting, a bit more relaxed, gutsy.  

Today as I submerged my hands in dirt to plant loose strawberry roots (this is the third year we are planting and each year we have had little to no success...so fingers crossed!) and peas (these are the best to start gardening with, hard to mess up) I realize how much I have missed this evolving world, this connection.  

I am so excited for summer! for sun! for gardening! (to be truthful I am just as excited for hammocking...)

Garbage.

After two weeks of processed shit entering my body in form of "food" I have had enough...I woke up this morning feeling like garbage and spent the previous day with no energy or motivation....I have had enough...sure the jello shots, cupcakes and Nacho Cheese Dorito's were tasty but my body was done with it all... So I started the morning off with some just picked peas and a sliced up cucumber....both homegrown!  Added in a cup of locally roasted coffee and real cream...not the coffee creamer crap that I grew up with and love...

For lunch I made some rice, beans & mixed in organic cilantro...with some organic & bpa free tomato paste & cumin for flavor. simple but delicious and took less time then hitting up taco bell...

And for dinner we had breakfast...  We dined on homegrown eggs mixed with just picked garlic & hot peppers & some minced up basil (all from our garden!) with some store bought (still local) Chevre thrown on top...wish I could convince the beau that we need..seriously need...a goat...one day..le sigh.  We ate that with some delicious ham steaks from our 1/2 pig we bought from Taylor Made Farms.....and guess what?!!? Just in one day I feel my focus coming back (even accomplished some work..ha), I don't feel sluggish or like just vegging in front of the tv.  More importantly the pride I feel feeding the love of my life (and myself of course) food that I planted from seed is freaking awesome.  Can't buy that feeling.

Sorry Nacho Cheese & frosting you just ain't cutting it for me anymore...

People...

Summer might just be coming........

 Look what I picked out the garden today......

Garden and Yard as of today.

So mostly pictures but this is the first year where I just started shoving stuff in places...in past years I made sure everything had a "area" and it was all organized and such..this year (mostly because of my addiction to buying plants) I am shoving stuff anywhere it will fit.  So here it is right now:

When we moved here 3 years ago there was really nothing but dead grass and the arborvitae, it is a slow process but getting there.    

I love doing laundry surrounded by roses...better than being inside! 

Corn....I have never grown it but we shall see how it does.  Sadly don't think it will be knee high by July..

Boscoe checking out the rhubarb and some flowers. 

The tiffany blue inspired Apiary, the bees are SUPER busy right now but moving fast I can't really capture them...we really enjoy having them around and that third box on top means there will be honey...just don't know how much yet.

One of the three raised beds we have...this one is partial shade so lettuce (and mustard greens as you can see) live here...

Please let it be noted I have re-planted the lettuce 3 times because of some very adventurous chickens...who might be soup soon....

Middle bed is full of tomatoes, some beets and half dead basil...I just can't get that stuff to grow...any tips?  Also would love if they made wall of waters that fit around the larger cages..my solution was to just wrap plastic wrap around them...seems to have worked.  

Just got this whiskey barrel and am going to attempt to grow cucumbers up the metal fencing in the back...anyone done this before?  Do I tie it to it or just slowly train it to go up??

The last bed is full of peas, some bush beans, more cucumbers, some eggplant and ......

Bell Peppers!!! This one plant has four on already! None of my other plants have much of anything...soo excited.  They eventually (fingers crossed) will turn purple...

 The chicken coop under some shade...sadly no chickens would pose as they used this opportunity to escape and are now meandering around the yard evading capture...oy.  Thankfully I know they can be lured by avocado leftovers....eventually this will be painted to match the apiary...was a great find off of craigslist.

Next to the chicken coop we have potatoes planted...I am experimenting with cages I made of stuff laying around the house (left over chicken wire and the weed blocker that never worked for us).  I also have some buried in the ground so we shall see which is more efficient.  

Between the rows I planted onions.....not a smart choice...between me stepping on them, the dogs and chickens they aren't doing so good....prob won't do that again next year.  Hopefully some turn it around.

 Won't win any awards for beauty but gonna use what you have laying around...

Still my favorite place in the garden...it is where I go to "supervise".....

Now gonna go hit the streets and ride the ol' bike around!  We are lucky enough to have the  Portland Parkways this sunday! Great weather to go out and see all the neighbors! Next week I will show some pictures of our newest "garden" space & the front yard.

Surprises.

So I bought 3 roses at Fred Meyers on the super cheap because they didn't have a tag on them....hence when I bought them I had no idea what they would look like...and then a couple of days ago I got this from one of the plants:
                                                       

           

Sometimes I love surprises.....

Spring.

Just ordered a bunch of seeds for spring.............Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo ready to get dirty.

Anyone growing something new this year?

When life hands you green tomatoes...

Ok I know its been awhile....I was so angry at the weather not assisting in this whole experiment I call a "garden".  I wanted to punish something and because I have no power to make the sun shine I decided I would punish the blog...silly right??!!?  So lets reflect on the amazingness of this year....

Lessons Learned:
-Just buy plants...don't grow from seed...you need counter space more then a million seedlings....
-The raised bed farthest to the right gets the least amount of sun...plan accordingly.
-Tomato plants get HUGE soooo don't plant bush beans behind them....
-Plant the tomatoes towards the back so you can plant other things in the front...
-buying plants via the mail doesn't work out...use saturday market instead.
-when using water walls for tomatoes put the cage around first then slide the water wall around that.


Okay so for year one we actually did okay...got a bunch of tomatoes (not enough to can sadly) but did find this option and let me just say "YUM!"...slow roasted tomatoes

Though we ended up with about 1 billion green tomatoes....so I searched the web and found the answer! It was simple, delish and uses green tomatoes.  I doubled it and ended up with ten 12 oz jars.


Green Tomato Enchilada Sauce

Combine the following:

5 cups of chopped green tomatoes
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 cup seeded finely chopped jalapenos
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. ground cumin
3 tbsp. oregano leaves (I used 1 1/2 tbsp. of ground mexican oregano)
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Put it in a big sauce pan bring to a boil.  Stir frequently and once it begins to boil, then reduce head and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 

I then added 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and used my immersion blender to puree the sauce.

Ladle the hot salsa into your jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes and you are good to go! 










Now enjoy!

 

I plan on making this a couple more times...we have that many green tomatoes!  Oy.  More experienced canners out there could you substitute lime juice for the lemon??  I think that would be more authentic though with the whole acid level issue involved in canning I didn't want to play around with the recipe too much.


Also just got my winter garden in so plan on hearing more about "lessons learned".

Lacy

* Just did some research and via the powers of the internet I have concluded that you could use lime juice which I think would taste more authentic.  I am going to use limes for the next batch so I will update on the taste...

Garden Envy...

I have a serious affliction of this horrible disease....I look around at others gardens and think WTF??!?? Did these people spend their winter looking at garden porn?....I mean...Nichol's or Territorials seed catalogs?? Did they research for hours the different options in available dirt that could be delivered? Did they think about drainage or the correct placement of the beds to get the most sun? When I look around at the gardens around me most of these answers are a big fat no....some people even :::gasp::: just planted some seeds in the ground!!! Yet even with all my hard work I see that my garden is lacking. Some people have bigger Kale/a better diversity of plants/already ready beets! Whats a girl to do when she is almost dying with Garden Envy?

As some of you might know we bought the house last August and while I got some plants in, it was a little late in the season to garden hard core. I was sooo ready for this summer! We made raised beds, got top notch dirt delivered (on that note if you had said to me I would spend that much $$ on dirt two years ago I would of laughed until I peed), and even got plants delivered in the mail!

After raising starts on my counter for MONTHS I first noticed my newly acquired disease...at the Saturday market they were selling bigger/better starts for $2.00! Why had I given up so much counter space for months with constant monitoring to save $2.00??!!? I then gave many of my starts away, planted some and even bought more at the Market. I was so excited to plant and to be able to show off my awesome gardening prowess/my hard work..to see my research pay off!

And then the rain happened......

And happened......

And happened......

It caused me to panic a bit...I waited to be sure no more plants would have to sacrifice their life. Once I was sure the rain was gone for a bit I replanted. THEN THE SLUGS....can't a girl get a break??!!? Ok two mini massacres down and I thought 'gotta put on my big girl panties and keep up the good fight'. So I kept watching/hoping and slowly I saw growth. Yet when walking the dogs I see much some amazing gardens. Plants I was sure would grow have died (Kale=failed), some never flowered (eggplant=dud) and I have realized that even with all my planning one of my raised beds is in shade.....I don't even know what to say. I keep telling myself it will turn around, all my knowledge/research will pay off but we shall see.

Does anyone else experience garden envy?? Any major mishaps?