DIY almanac: bring home a living Christmas tree for replanting later

 

A Living Balsam Fir, all wrapped up in burlap and ready to be planted after Christmas. Photo credit: Christmas Is Alive

 

I love Christmas trees: their needles' woodsy, fresh scent and the calming, magic they can bring to a room. This year for our tree  I decided I wanted to bring home a tree that was still alive, with the hopes of replanting it instead of chopping down a tree. After all, evergreen trees produce oxygen for us all year round since they retain their foliage. A small, potted Yvonne Port Orford Cedar called my name at our local hardware store: lemony-green with a sweet cedar aroma and good cold tolerance with the potential of growing up to 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide. I figured a unique cedar variety would also be a good choice because we could plant it amongst the rest of the cedars at our new property. Living trees work best when they are on the smaller side, up to 4 feet tall or so. This makes them great for smaller dwellings as well: tiny homes or studio apartments.

 

Since our older house already has some colder rooms, I didn't bother with acclimating our tree slowly to the indoors. If you keep your house rather warm, you'll want to give your living tree a chance to adjust to the change in temperature gradually (about 3-4 days), so that you don't shock your tree out of dormancy. This can be achieved by leaving your tree in an outdoor garden shed, up against the house on the porch or in the garage. You'll also only want to have your tree indoors for up to two weeks (10 days is ideal), again, so you don't bring your tree out of dormancy. Basically, if your tree awakens from dormancy, it will have a hard time readjusting to the cold of the outdoors when you're ready to plant your tree. Your tree also might drop many of its needles if it goes into shock.

 

I chose to place our potted tree in an antique wash basin, up away from Banjo, our one-year-old shepherd mix who would definitely be tempted to chew on the tree's branches and ornaments. Having our tree up in a wash basin meant I could water the tree without water dripping as well. I also covered the top of the tree's black pot with Christmas linens, save for the back, leaving some soil exposed for easy watering. I've seen living Christmas tree pots set up in apple bushel baskets or wrapped in festive fabric. Some living trees arrive with their rootball wrapped in burlap (as pictured above) instead of potted up. These trees can be kept in a galvanized tub full of water and weighted with stones.

 

I strung one string of mini green LED lights amongst the little tree's boughs and decorated the cedar with German paper star ornaments made by my Great Aunt, glass owls from my mom, and the corn husk angel I made last Christmas. Every other day I give the tree a pour of water from a mason jar I have sitting on a shelf nearby. I've read that keeping a spray bottle on hand for misting will keep living trees from losing their needles.

 

Anyway, on December 26th, I'll be busy taking these decorations down to prepare my little tree to return to the outdoors. Here, I will probably try to acclimate my tree to the outdoors by keeping it in our shed for a few days. Then, I'll be able to plant our tree over at the new property, where it will awaken in the spring, ready to keep growing.

 

Our litte tree, all set up.

Our tree is decorated with German paper stars, glass owls and mini green LED lights.

Our little tree at night.

DIY almanac: crockpot apple sauce and spiced apple skins

 

We have so many apples at out house! Two ancient apple trees in the side yard and nearly a dozen craggly wild trees reaching out of the abandoned schoolyard across the street. I've started our family's little 'festivle of apples' with crockpot applesauce, candied apple skins and dried cinnamon apple slices for Christmas potpourri. Our house is so toasty warm and smells of sweet spicy apples right now. Just right for a hazy, foggy September day.

 

For my simple crockpot applesauce, I just peel and thickly chop enough apples to fill the bowl. Then I splash in about a half cup of water, a generous pour of honey and ample sprinklings of cinnamon and nutmeg. We like our applesauce to be granny spicy goodness. Then, I just let the crockpot cook on high for about 4-6 hours, taking the time to stir and mash the apples every once and a while until my desired saucey texture is acheived. Like liquid apple pie.

I've started rolling my apple peels in cinnamon and brown sugar to be baked up into crispy apple candies in lieu of tossing them out (although the worm bitten skins are given to my ducks). I set the oven to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit and spread the skins on a parchment lined baking sheet. In about an hour and a half to two hours, the skins will be caramel brown and crispy and they'll disapeer within 10 minutes at our house.

DIY almanac: Fresh berry and oat tart

I love berry season! Yum, these past few weeks I've been enjoying handfuls of plump and sweet Rainer and Bing Cherries and juicy strawberries from the farmers market, and raspberries picked plum off the canes in my backyard. This afternoon I felt inspired to bake a pie, but as I was out picking raspberries (and snarfing every third berry), I thought it'd be a shame to bake my berries and rob them of their fresh zing. With just a little bit of sugar and a crumbly oat crust, I tried to make these berries sing! Here's my super easy fresh berry and oat tart recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup almond meal (optional but definitely adds to the flavor)

1/4 cup butter (I used Earth Balance and it turned out great!)

A pinch of salt

4 tablespoons of sugar or honey (2 for the crust and 2 to sprinkle over your fruit)

An assortment of berries and cherries, pitted, washed and sliced (at least 3 pints worth)

Preheat your oven around 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a baking pan or pie dish.

Using a food processor, process your oats into a fine meal and then mix all remaining dry ingredients (save for 2 tablespoons of sugar) in a bowl with a pastry blender until you achieve a nice crumbly crust. If you want to make your life super easy, forgo the pastry blender and mixing bowl and  process the oats, optional almond meal, butter, pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar all together until a crumbly soft dough develops. If you don't have a food processor, you could probably just use oats straight up for more of a granola-like crust. Anyway, once your dough is formed, press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of your greased baking pan. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes, keeping an eye on it. When your crust is golden brown, bring it on out of the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. Then, pour your fresh berries over the crust and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Enjoy and keep chilled. I bet serving this with whipped cream or creme fraiche would take it over the top. So good!

DIY almanac: My favorite way to cook kale

My co-op was just delivered some beautiful, beautiful mixed kale braising greens from Highwater Farm of Mt. Vernon, Washington. Their kale is so very fresh and  flavorful- you can almost taste the rainwater and the soil minerals that helped it grow. I brought home a pillow-sized bag of it...and it's empty already. Kale is so good when cooked in a hot pan with a little olive oil and minced garlic, or when transformed into a hearty winter salad with chopped fuji apples and steamed beets (mmm!). Kale chips are amazing too- whether baked or dehydrated...I'll be sure to post a recipe someday, but for now, here's my very favorite way to cook kale. So simple: 

First, you'll want a good few handfuls of kale.

Then you'll want to bring chicken stock, the juice of one lemon and parmesan into the mix. 

Warm your chicken stock and lemon juice in a nice sized pan over medium-low heat. Then toss in your kale.

Lightly cook and stir until just al dente. I like my greens to still have a little bit of crunch left to them. 

Serve with a generous garnish of parmesan and enjoy your brothy kale goodness. 

DIY almanac: Homeground cornmeal and corn husk angels

Last night I tried using my coffee grinder to turn my dried corn kernels from the previous post into cornmeal. Success! I just cleaned out my coffee grinder with a dry cloth and then ground one small batch of kernels at a time until I'd achieved my desired consistency. The coffee grinder worked very well. If I wanted to make full on soft and velvety corn flour, I could have made it with the grinder, but I decided to create a coarser meal. The meal I ground is the color of eggshells, speckled with bits of blue, red and gold. Very pretty. I tried baking my first loaf of cornbread with it- another success. Very good flavor and the the colors of the speckled cornmeal became richer.

I also had a bunch of dried corn husks leftover in colors of gold, green and ruby red, so I decided to make a corn husk angel to top our Christmas tree this year. I made her a red and green dress, a husk halo complimented with red corn kernels and even braided her hair. I'm going to try and see if I can make some corn husk ornaments in different shapes to gift to loved ones. Anyway, here's the recipe I used for the 'painted mountain' cornbread:

Painted Mountain Cornbread

1 cup homeground cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/8th cup brown sugar

1/8th cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup of milk

1 egg

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a small loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients, then gradually mix the two together. Bake about 20-25 minutes.

DIY almanac: saving tomato seeds for later planting

My husband and I have been harvesting tomatoes left and right and have been enjoying tomato inspired meals everyday- tortilla soup with big chunks of tomato, open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches with green tomato slices, little slider burgers stuffed with shredded purple carrot and onions with giant slabs of brandywine tomatoes and beet greens, classic basil and mozzerella caprese salads, scrambled tomatoes and farm fresh eggs...I might have to make tomatoes stuffed and baked with bacon, chopped onions and bread crumbs tonight. Oh baby!

Anyway, if they don't just get tossed into the cook pot, I've been trying to save as many of my tomato seeds as possible from the really nice tomatoes I harvest (any big, colorful "perfect-looking" tomatoes or tomatoes with cool features). That way, next February, I can start tomatoes from my own homegrown seeds. Saving these seeds should produce hardier plants next year and the year after since the parent plants had to acclimate to Western Washington weather conditions. My original seed packets came from California, so I'll be creating my own Washington genetic version, which should increase my yield for years to come.

This is really a big part of heirloom creation. For example, I've been saving seeds from my really, really big pink brandywine tomatoes. Next year, when I grow these plants, most of their offspring should exhibit this size, and I'll select, again for the biggest brandywines for seed storage, perpetuating this giant trait. I haven't researched tomato cross-pollination too much this year, though my tomato plants did get a little mixed up in the greenhouse, so I do have a few tomatoes that look as though they are mixed between pink brandywine and evegreen. I'll probably save some of their seeds, though since they are more of a hybrid, I'm not sure what I'll get next year with them, but that adds to the fun and the mystery. One of my goals is to create a few of my own heirlooms to pass on to the next generations of my family.

There are a few different routes one can go down in regards to the tomato seed saving process. The biggest concern for tomato seed saving is removing the enzyme that coats the outside of the seeds (the goo around the seeds). This enzyme actually prevents the seeds from germinating within the fruit, and traditionally the enzyme is removed via fermentation. The seedy goop of a tomato is scooped out and dropped in a glass and then filled with water. Usually plastic wrap is placed over the glass and the glass sits in a warm place for a few days, until the goop rotts off of the seeds. Then, when mold starts to appear, the seeds are rinsed through a fine mesh sieve and then laid out to dry.

I usually follow some of these steps, though I'm a little too impatient to wait a few days and allow something to rott on my window. My method involves most of the same steps. I'll take the goop out of my tomato and then rinse the seeds as much as I can using a fine mesh sieve, then I'll let the seeds sit in a glass of water for 24 hours. The seeds that sink are the most viable seeds, whereas the floaters are immature seeds, so I'll skim off the floaters after my 24 hour period. Then, I'll pour the seeds into my sieve once more and rinse and scrub them with a little baking soda or natural dish soap and a small brush. Usually I can buff away the remaining enzyme. I'll then set my seeds out on a piece of brown paper and let them air dry. When they're ready, they'll go into small, labeled glass jars and will be hidden away in a cool, dark cabinet for starting next winter.

DIY almanac: roasted zucchini and stuffed squash blossoms

I'm a little bumned to admit that the rabbits and slugs got to my zucchini starts this season. Pretty shocking since zucchini is so easy to grow. I had my second garden patch too far down the hill I suppose, where these garden fiends could run rampant and undetected, nibbling and munching away to their heart's content. Luckily, I sell produce for a farmer who always has the coolest crops, so I can always get my favorite veggies from him. One of the specialties that he brings along are his baby zucchini squash with their blossoms still attached. The zucchini is tender and sweet and roasts up very quickly and their big, orange blossoms can be stuffed and made into an ambrosial treat. These baby squash can be found now, out in your garden if you have them growing (you can also use pumpkin blossoms), or you might find them at a farmers market. Here's how I like to prepare them for a nice, summer meal:

Roasted Baby Zucchini with Parmesan and Pepper

Ingredients

A dozen baby zucchini

A big handful of parmesan

Black pepper to taste

1 to 2 caps of olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice zucchinis in half and arrange, belly-up, on a roasting pan or cookie sheet. Evenly drizzle the oil over them, then generously sprinkle with parmesan and pepper. Roast in the oven while you prep the squash blossoms, or until the cheese is a golden brown. You can also broil the baby zucchini at the last minute to really amp up the carmelization of the cheese.

Stuffed and Tempured Squash Blossoms

Ingredients

A dozen squash blossoms

1 small package of chevre goat cheese or a soft cheese of your choice

1 small chopped sweet onion

1 to 2 tablespoons of cream or milk

Optional stuffing: chopped walnuts or pinenuts, green onions or basil

2 cups canola oil

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups sparkling water

Salt, to taste

Prepare a plate with a piece of paper towel or brown paper (much like you would for making bacon). Mix the cheese, cream, onion and any other stuffing additives in a small bowl. Gently untwist the blossoms and stuff with the cheese mixture, either using a small spoon or a pastry piper (you can also cut a corner off a ziploc bag if you don't have a piper). Re-twist the blossoms shut. Start heating the canola oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat until you start to see little traces or legs in the oil. You don't want it to be too hot though-no boiling or smoking! Lightly mix the flour, sparkling water and salt in a bowl, then start coating the squash blossoms one by one and then drop them in the oil until their batter becomes light, puffy and a little bit golden on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove each blossom and allow them to rest on the plate with the paper towel. Enjoy with your roasted baby zucchini and a glass of lemonade.

DIY almanac: what to plant in the garden in July

July is a very busy and very rewarding month for vegetable gardening. This year we've had a long, cold spring but I'm hoping that summer is here at last. According to the forecast we're supposed to have 10 straight days of sunshine, so I've been working hard outside to take full advantage of the light, doing more intensive-weeding, feeding my already established plants and sowing lots of seeds (mainly beans and winter squash) in preparation for growth. It's funny because every time we have a sunny day I swear my Hop vines grow half a foot! Along with the work I've been enjoying lots of homegrown peas, potatoes, cucumbers, kale, turnips, early onions and more at my dinner table.

Anyway, a big part of planning for July planting is considering when the next major killing frost will be and how this compares to the length of time it will take for vegetables to mature (usually noted on seed packets in days unless you've memorized the planting rhythms). Last year, the earliest frost we had was in late October...I remember this because I made the mistake of leaving some of my harvested sugar pie pumpkins out on the porch. The frost hit them and they became mushy. Sad story. At least this was after I had had the chance to make a few batches of pumpkin chili, a pie, bread and "pumpkins stuffed with everything good" (a recipe I heard on NPR), so I did get to enjoy most of them.

Another planting consideration to make is to anticipate what kind of weather we'll have from July through October. Most vegetables can be planted and grown now, but some might not do as well with the raising temperatures. Potatoes, for instance, prefer a long, cold start and are usually best planted around the end of March. I've heard of folks having some success planting them late, but I suspect that yields won't be as much as they could be. However, one should consider that we've had a funky spring, so maybe planting potatoes now could be like a game of catch-up. Peas are another crop that are usually planted in early spring. I have heard of people planting a second crop for fall. Yields, again, might not be as good as the prior crop, but if anything, you're building up the nitrogen in your planting space and controlling weed growth, so the peas are acting like a green manure. Pea vines are also delicious sauteed in a hot pan. If lettuces, spinach, and arugula get too hot, they'll bolt (go to seed), but it's good to throw them in the garden anyway. I usually try to put them on the shadier side of my garden, or plant them as living "row covers" between plants like squash and corn.

In early July you'll want to plant the following:

-beans! get them in now

-corn (it's a little later to plant corn, but we have had a weird spring and some local farmers have had to replant their corn too)

-winter squash (pumpkins, delicata, acorn, spaghetti...I'm holding sugar pie pumpkin seeds in the photo above)

-second-crops of summer squash (like zucchini, patty pan, crookneck, etc)

-salad greens, chard

-root crops like beets, carrots and parsnips

In mid July you'll want to plant the following:

-cabbage family members like kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli and kale for overwintering (a touch of frost makes them taste extra sweet)

-arugula, spinach

DIY almanac: Harvesting garlic scapes for spicy pickles

It's almost time to harvest garlic...but not quite yet. First off, the garlic's going to try and pop out some flowers. These curly green shoots, known as scapes or ramps, which hide within the garlic greens, are absolutely delicious...kind of like garlicy asparagus. It's beneficial to pluck them because instead of letting them flower and seed into bulbils (tiny, tiny cloves of garlic), picking the scapes will allow the garlic bulb down in the ground to have more energy directed towards its growth, resulting in larger cloves. I think it's far more time efficient to grow garlic from large cloves (which will grow into large heads of garlic in one season) since little bulbils can take years to grow to good size. Anyway, scapes are also too good to miss! If you don't have garlic growing in your yard at the moment you should be able to find these at the farmers market now.

There are a few different ways I like to prepare scapes. First off, they are very good roasted on a cookie sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt. Mmm...toss some roasted scapes on top of salmon. They are also delicious when chopped up, sauteed and mixed in some mashed potatoes. I'm also experimenting with making spicy scape pickles this year. My recipe is below...one will want to adjust the liquid pickling mix based off of how many scapes and jars you have for canning. Essentially you want to be able to pack the jars and have enough liquid to cover the scapes.

Spicy Scape Pickles

Ingredients

A basket full of scapes

1 quart distilled white vinegar

1 quart of water

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup salt

Dill sprigs (you'll want 1-2 per jar)

Fresh Jalapenos, sliced into circles (2-3 per jar)

1-2 garlic cloves per jar

Optional ingredients: Sliced hot red pepper, mustard seeds, etc.

Wash mason jars and lids in hot, soapy water or run through the dishwasher to sanitize. Prepare canning equipment (fill a stockpot with water and bring to a simmer, keep lids in a saucepan over a simmer, etc). In a large sauce pot, heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt at a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Keep hot. Toss jalapenos and garlic cloves into jars, then pack with garlic scapes, leaving about a half inch of room at the top of each jar. Feel free to cut scapes if you'll be able to pack more in. Add dill sprigs to jars. Ladle hot vinegar mix into jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Using a non-metallic spatula or spoon, slide down along an inner side of each jar to release any hidden air bubbles. Wipe mouths of jars clean and then fix on their lids. Boil in your hot water bath for up to 15 minutes and then allow jars to rest on the counter until they've sealed. Your pickles will be ready in 4-6 weeks.

DIY almanac: rhubarb pineapple jam

I'm fortunate to have a well-established "granny" rhubarb patch growing in my garden that returns year after year in spring (see the third picture above). When this stalky, sour vegetable (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable and is related to buckwheat and sorrel) appears, I start dreaming of rhubarb pies, sauces, cobblers and my favorite- jam! I made a strawberry rhubarb pie a week ago and I made pineapple rhubarb jam today. I'll share the recipe for the jam below, but first I want to write about rhubarb a little more because it's a pretty intriguing crop.

Rhubarb originally came from western China and was used for medicinal purposes up to 5000 years ago in the East. The plant made its way into Europe and the Romans named it after the barbarian lands wherein they had discovered it: near the River Rha in Scotland. Then, in the early 1800s, Rhubarb was brought to America. This was about the time that it really began having more of a culinary presence than medicinal. In fact, strawberry rhubarb tarts were popular in 1824.

Nutritionally, rhubarb is high in Vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber, and is said to have antioxidant effects due to its high polyphenol levels and it can apparently lower blood pressure. Some sources try to boast its high calcium content as well (more than milk), but the calcium in rhubarb is actually in the form of calcium oxalate, which counter-intuitively blocks calcium absorption. Though the stalks are safe to eat, oxalic acid is concentrated in the large, heart-shaped leaves of rhubarb and thus these are toxic.

Rhubarb is a very hearty perennial which will return each spring for up to 15 years (perhaps longer if it's well tended). Rhubarb prefers a soil pH in the 6.0-6.8 range with lots of organic matter worked in. Much like asparagus, you can plant either rhubarb seeds or crowns, but you cannot harvest stalks until the second year as rhubarb's first growing season helps it build up the energy needed to return. To keep a rhubarb plant producing stalks (or to encourage bumper crops), one should remove any flowers that form within the leaves (see the second picture above) as this means that energy is being diverted into seed production rather than stalks.

Now onto the jam! My local natural foods co-op had a post-Easter sale on pineapple, so I decided to try making a pineapple rhubarb jam, which came out a golden orange hue (almost like apricot jam) with a delicious, caramely and tart flavor. Here's my recipe and directions for making this delightful spring jam:

Ingredients

4 cups chopped rhubarb

4 cups chopped pineapple

5 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 ounces liquid pectin

Wash mason jars and lids in hot, soapy water or run through the dishwasher to sanitize. Prepare canning equipment (fill a stockpot with water and bring to a simmer, keep lids in a saucepan over a simmer, etc). Toss the rhubarb, pineapple and sugar into another stock pot and heat over medium, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar has fully melted, raise the heat to high and continue stirring the mixture for 30 minutes. About 15-20 minutes in, mash the mixture with a potato masher to get the best jam consistency. Keep stirring until you reach a rolling boil (a boil that keeps on going, even while you're stirring), then add the pectin. Boil and stir for 1-2 minutes, then remove your jam from the heat. Pour your jam into the jars, leaving about 1/4 an inch of head room, and wipe the rims with a clean cloth. Drop on your lids and screw on their bands, then carefully place in your other stockpot and raise the heat to high. Boil the jars for 10 minutes, remove, and allow them to rest on the counter. Delight in the little *pings* you'll hear as your jars officially seal and enjoy!

DIY almanac: asparagus planting video

Here's a little video I made while planting my asparagus crowns. It shares a few basics of the planting procedure.

DIY almanac: upcycled seed starting containers and where to find cool seeds

I nearly have a vegetable garden growing throughout the windowsills of my home: Pink Brandywine and Evergreen Tomatoes, Candy Onions, Merlot Lettuce, Agnes Pickling Cucumbers, African Marigolds, Red Sun and Russian Giant Sunflowers, Mammoth Dill, Long Island Brussel Sprout and more. Soon I'll be hardening off and transplanting my little starts outside, but in the meantime I wanted to write about some of my seed starting methods...mainly in regards to some alternative seed starting containers I've been using and where I find my seeds in the first place.

Anyway, one doesn't need to invest in peat pots or seed trays (though these are certainly handy) to successfully produce baby vegetables- most times there are perfectly functional seed starting trays in your very own household, just waiting to be repurposed. Basically anything that can be filled with a few inches of seed starting mix with good drainage will do. You can use old yogurt and Tupperware containers providing you punch a few holes in the bottom for excess water to escape."Sawed-off" milk cartons work great since their waxy coating helps to retain moisture. Of, if you stop by your local grocery or food co-op you might be able to find tomato, pepper, apple or pear flat boxes which come with a protective plastic or cardboard tray for the produce (with individual grooves for each fruit. These are great because you can easily fill these with starting mix, plant one seed per groove and then easily punch out your start from its container and transplant it, much like a fancier seeding tray. Also, in lieu of peat pots, grab yourself some simple cardboard egg cartons, fill them with your starting mix and plant those seeds (check out my cucumber starts above). When you're ready to transplant you can either push the starts out of the carton or you can simply pull the carton apart (per start) and directly plant the starts into the earth since the cartons will biodegrade quickly. If you directly plant the carton pots, it does help to make sure there's a hole or tear in the bottom of each, to make it easier for your starts' roots to acclimate to the soil.

Now the fun part! Seeds! I get so excited when my first round of seed catalogues show up, right about the time winter is winding down. My favorite seed catalogues come from Johnny's Seed Co, the Territorial Seed Company and Peaceful Valley. Their selection is always astounding, chalk full of heirlooms and organics, and I adore the plant photos and illustrations. Recently I discovered a seed company called the Kitazawa Seed Co (it's funny because they have been around since 1917) that specializes in Asian vegetable varieties. They have all sorts of cool and quirky seeds such as melons, greens, cabbages, gourds, turnips, beans, sesame, eggplant, water peppers, leeks, mibuna, mugwort and the likes. I ordered a few packs of seeds from them including Lunar White and Kyoto Red carrots, a dark-orange winter squash called Uchiki Juri and Harukei Turnips (yum!). I've also had some success searching for seeds at my local Cenex (farm co-op). They usually have a decent assortment of seed potatoes and onion sets. Often I find myself on the hunt for local seed exchanges as well, wherein folks can come and share and collect personal heirloom seeds. I'm considering organizing one myself...

DIY almanac: heirloom apple butter

My cousin was in town a little while ago. I took her out to the tomato farm and then decided we should pick apples together since it was such a gorgeous, late-summer afternoon. My family has two 100-year-old apple trees, and there are some more wild ones growing in a meadow across the road from the farm. To get to this forgotten apple orchard, you have to scramble through a thicket of blackberries, and once through, you'll find yourself in a peaceful field of golden grass, speckled with ancient apple trees and a few small Hawthorns. My cousin and I picked all sorts of apples that day: tiny pink apples, skinny yellow apples, and big, fat green ones. With such an abundance of fresh apples, I had one thing on the brain: apple butter! Mmm, after being slow-cooked with spices, homemade apple butter is absolutely heavenly spread on some toast. I made some right away, here's my recipe- you have to try this:

Ingredients:

10 cups peeled and seeded apples, cubed

1 cup apple juice or cider

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons brown sugar

Throw apples and cider into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. When apples are soft, saucy, and brown add the spices, lemon juice, and brown sugar and mix well. Slowly begin mashing the mixture. Using a hand blender, blend the apples until smooth and creamy. Get out some good bread and enjoy! Goes well with peanut butter too for an autumnal spin on the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I also have jars of this apple butter up on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31220354

DIY almanac: scrumptious summer squash stuffed with cheese

Ever seen a pattypan squash? These flying saucers, also known as sunburst squash, are slightly cone-like in shape with frilled edges...in fact, they almost look like little flying saucers when turned upside down. They have a sweet and buttery flavor similar to zucchini and a soft texture characteristic of other summer squash. You can buy seeds for them (for next spring) from the Territorial Seed Company:

http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1102/220

Pattypan can be picked when they are itty-bitty or when they are as large as a baseball. The smaller guys are delicious steamed or sautéed in butter. You really have to let some of these pattypan hold out on the vine until they are on the larger side though, so as to make stuffed pattypan with goatcheese, walnuts, and parmesan (and maybe some bacon?). Here's how to do it:

Ingredients:

4 large pattypan squash
4oz chevre goat cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and pepper
4 slices bacon (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil squash for 5-10 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Slice off their tops and scoop out their insides. Mix squash insides with goat cheese, chopped onion and walnuts. Add cooked bacon (fried over medium heat), broken into pieces, to the filling if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place squash shells in a baking dish and fill with the goatcheese mixture. Mix bread crumbs, parmesan, and olive oil, and generously top each patty pan. Bake for 10-15minutes or until topping is toasted and golden brown. Enjoy (I know you will!).

DIY almanac: heirloom purple calabash tomato soup

So, my family has a tomato farm- Flying Tomato Farm of Snohomish, Washington to be exact. You can visit the farm's website here for some background: http://www.flyingtomatofarm.com/

Anyway, of all the various tomatoes we grow, the Heirloom Purple Calabash are, hands-down, my favorites of the whole batch. Their appearance is almost comically striking: fat and jovial, purplish-red wrinkled balls of Lycopersicon character. And they taste pretty darn good too! A more acidic tomader, these heirlooms have a vibrantly tart taste, as if they were the lovechild betwixt a tomato and a lime. Mmm mmm mmm, delicious simply sliced with a light dusting of sea salt, or transformed into this amazingly flavorful, roasted calabash soup:

Ingredients

6 big calabash tomatoes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil

2 handfuls fresh basil (and any other herbs you'd like such as oregano, parsley, etc)

2-3 cloves chopped garlic

1 tablespoon organic butter

2 cups free-range chicken or vegetable stock

pepper and sea salt to taste

1/2 cup organic cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop calabash tomatoes into fat wedges and then toss into a baking dish. Drizzle with oil and mix in the herbs. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until tomato skins are loose and their fruit is shriveled and juicy. Meanwhile, sauté chopped garlic in butter over medium heat until lightly browned. Start heating the stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and the cooked tomatoes. Purée with a handheld blender, and additionally strain for a smoother soup, if desired. For a more luscious version, mix in cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with good bread or a hearty scoop of chevre goat cheese. This soup's totally meant for a rainy day!