Carrots

We have three rows of winter carrots waiting to be used, in the winter, and for pickling soon. They are by far the most beautiful carrots ever (for us  I think they will make fabulous pickles Christine!

Autumn King, sown approx. July 1

Stormy Weather

Recently we had a real wild wind storm and although I can’t remember what we did that day, we did make it to the beach and the waves were the biggest I have ever seen. These pictures are taken at the lighthouse, looking across the narrow water to Campbell River/Willow Point. The pictures don’t do it justice, but these were monster waves!

They cancelled the ferries for awhile, including the Powell River to Little River ferry.

Bearded storm watcher, with a rather stormy look...

 

 

Twenty Seven, It’s a Fine Age to Be

Portion control is the secret to weight loss and a key discipline to master, I know. So.. putting this sage knowledge to task, I made a very small and delicious crisp to celebrate the end of my 26th year, and the beginning of the rest of my life. I don’t mean this celebration to signify any big resolve or turning of new leaves, just a sweet/sour dedication of a sweet/sour day that was made for my sweet/sour self, and Ryan, who is almost always entirely sweet. Happy belated birthday to me, and Happy belated ( however inaccurately dated) anniversary to my lovely man, six years of loving and learning every day.

Lobsters

There is a complicated story concerning this particular mushroom, which explains its existence. It’s a parasite of another fungus..maybe Ryan can comment with the explanation. Nonetheless, once identified, they are one of the most exciting mushrooms to search out. I suppose the name comes from the cooked lobster colour.

I think they are one of the most beautiful mushrooms, they vary in size and shape considerably. We sliced them thin and dried them.

It looks like it just might rain today, and if it does, it could be the start of Chanterelle season. We did find a few Chanterelles last evening, but you can tell there are millions just waiting for the fall rain to pop up.

Cute Nephews

Both Ryan and I have and share adorable Nephews (I actually have 2 and share them with many people! Erik will get his very own picture post one day) I also am the proud Auntie of many Nieces as well, it’s actually getting difficult to keep track… BethanyElinorVictoriaEmilyMeghanLily. Got it.

Loic, what a sweet picture!

I'm pretty sure Nathan ate this whole carrot, well almost.

We found some amazing Lobster mushrooms while in Open Bay today, pictures tomorrow. Mushroom season is almost here!

Tomatoes and Pickles, But Not Pickled Tomatoes.

Do people pickle tomatoes?

Harvest is full on right now, keeping up with everything is the big job at hand. We are getting beautiful September weather to make it that much easier. The tomatoes are the winners again this year, we’ve harvested and processed pounds and pounds and pounds of them now, it’s becoming old hat. 2011 will be known as the year we bought a new food processor.

 

The new workhorse. Diced tomatoes are out, crushed are in. Although.. I liked diced too, it just takes way longer.

Old fashioned diced tomatoes, worth their weight in.. tomatoes.

We had the pleasure of learning the fine art of pickle making from Christine earlier in August. You really only need to do it once to be a ‘pickle artist’, in my opinion. Like many food preserving techniques, it’s all about timing, organization and following all the steps properly. Being clean helps too.

Scrubbed cukes in the cold, icy wings, waiting to be packed.

 

One of the few essential ingredients, from Christines garden.

 

Jars packed with cucumber, peeled garlic cloves, LOTS of dill weed, 1 piece of grape leaf and hot water processed for 20 min and you are done. It took us the better part of the waking hours of the day, but it was well worth it. Food shouldn't be easy and quick, should it?

All in all, this is a big thanks to Christine for her guidance and patience! I’m thinking we will work together in the near future

Next post might have some really cute pictures, so.. beware.

This Just In – I’m Sick of Peas

I love em, but I can't eat anymore. You know you're finished for the year when everything is pea green, everything! Now it's time to take them and store them away for the dismal grey days that will desperately need some pea green colour

 

 

 

Colour

Sweet peas remind me of everything nice. I think of summer as a care-free kid and my mums loved garden. I will probably insist on having a substantial planting of sweet peas every year from now on, there’s no excuse not to. This year my planting was beset with many challenges, the most being the slugs that thwarted the early days and then the endless rain at the beginning of summer. But it all worked out.. a lesson I need to learn involving not worrying so much.

This year I only planted one variety, the classic Royal family mix. Next year I will branch out .. sophisticate my operation.

I hope to plant a cutting garden at the farm, something separate entirely from the food growing aspect, with ducks living in it.

Height of the season colour

A Banana Kale Almond Phenomenon

I really like kale, I do. I’ve eaten loads of it raw, steamed, stir fried, sautéed, in soup, in lasagna, the list goes on. Lately, however, my favorite use of kale is this;

Chocolate Almond Milk/Steamed Kale/Plain Yogurt/Banana Smoothie.

Combine

3/4 cup of unsweetened choc. almond milk

1 banana

3-5 leaves of lightly steamed/rinsed to cool kale

large dollop of plain balkan style yogurt

a few ice cubes for assured cool temperatures

Now, I have a vitamix, and I know this is a large part of the smoothie success equation (thanks Dad, best-most used gift ever) But even if you don’t the smoothie will turn out, I think. I don’t really know though.. since vitamix is the only blender I will use ever again!

The point of this post is that kale is amazing and you should eat it. If you don’t like the taste, you’re not alone. With this recipe, or a variation of it, you can’t even taste it and of course you get many of its benefits nonetheless. Fibre fibre fibre fibre fibre. It looks like a swamp but it tastes like a banana chocolate smoothie.

 

In other food-related news I’m interested in any interesting potato recipes anyone might impart (of all 2 of you who might read this!)

I made Gnocchi tonight.. it was interesting. I think I’ll make it again.

 

 

 

 

Health Food and Summer

The garden is in full production mode these days and R and I are coming up with all sorts of ways to avoid buying much of anything at the grocery store and focusing on vegetables. Ryan made a fantastic looking kimchi yesterday and today (I helped chop and encourage) The taste test will come in a few days, and we will probably eat it on top of rice.. and vegetables. We used homegrown daikon radish and napa cabbage, both which were a huge success this year. If the kimchi impresses, we will likely make another batch from kale and daikon.

Peas in particular and making a big impact this year. Our 50 foot row of sugar snaps need preserving – not to mention the constant deer style browsing we’ve been doing- and in the next week we will have plenty of  ”Aladdin” shelling peas to blanche and freeze. This is the first year we’ve had too many to eat on the spot

We dug up two rows of potatoes a few weeks ago and I’ve been trying to think up something different to make, since I’m incredibly bored with roast/baked/boiled potatoes. I know there’s hundreds of options, but I have to be in the right mindset to embark on any projects. Today, the project was perogies, and the outcome was fantastic! I have to work on shaping, but I got the dough made right the first time, and the filling was simply potatoes with caramelized onions and plain yogurt, all mashed together of course. I’m going to be making lots of these! We need a deep freeze…

So, not incredibly healthy, but reasonably so considering what perogies can consist of. Notice, no cheese and I used sunflower oil for the dough and grapeseed for the frying! No cheese is big for me.