The Cottage Herbals :1

The herb world is a vast amazing realm once you step past the culinary doors. True, they hold great importance for flavoring of foods and drinks but one should never stop there. Come... Step into our Cottage herbal garden series. Be sure to close the gate. Black Cat, whom roams our woods and follows us about at times, may find it a welcome site. She came with the house and rather enjoys the herbs. Our catnip is most tempting.

Have you ever had a toothache, soar throat or gum's? How about cavities, Thrush or Athletes foot? Then you simply must see this plant.   It has many names like Eye Ball plant, Spilanthes & Peek a Boo, but I prefer it's traditional use name. The Toothache plant.

See the round cone yellow flowers with the blood red circle in the middle? That is where it received the name Eye Ball plant. Long ago, people noticed they looked like eyeballs jutting above it's greenery, making the nickname more memorable to many. Such a fun name. My children became intrigued when I mentioned we were growing the Eye Ball plant.

Beyond such a fun name, it has an effect many do not believe until they dared try it. Making a tea or chewing on the leaves/flowers of this herb have an analgesic effect. Numbing the mouth, gum's and throat. This plant also contains bacteriostatic, helping to fight tooth decay. You can also make a mouth rinse from the plants extract. If used daily, it will promote gum health. Make a tincture from the dried leaves & flowers with a very potent alcohol such as 80 proof or higher Vodka. Fill the jar as much as possible with the plant, then cover over with the alcohol. Shake a few times a day, stored in a cool unlit area such as an often opened {and re-mindful} kitchen cabinet such as one for dishes, would be ideal. I direct you to this link for further instructions on making your own tinctures *.

It is suggested depending on the purpose~

Internal: 20 drops twice daily, in a little water. External such as ringworm, athletes foot, etc: Dab liberally onto the affected area, undiluted 2 to 5 times daily.

As a mouthwash: 30 drops - gargle for one minute, 2 to 4 times a day

If you grow & save this plant for use, the antique advertisement below would make an adorable label or tag. You can edit the how to use it portion in a pic editor for your very own how to. I do have a much larger original if you are unable to obtain it from clicking on the one above. Just let me know.

In my search for more use on this plant, I happened upon the blog of Growing Hermione's Garden.*A most captivating site for those interested in growing their own medicinal garden.

"chewing as little as a single bud of the plant can numb the mouth and reduce the pain of toothache for up to 20 minutes depending on the sensitivity of the person."

Its application for this is still widespread in Taiwan and many other parts of the world.It is actually well known in the Chinese medicine circles.

She mentions much more on it's use and antibacterial qualities as well as a bit on it's use for relaxing stress wrinkles.Can you imagine? I have not used it as such but one can not help to wonder if it has a tingle effect on the skin as it does for oral tissue. 

It is included that it has no particular odor, but when eaten it has an interesting flavor that slowly develops from pleasant and salty to a strong, tickling-burning pungency that leaves a numb feeling in the mouth. An interesting tidbit to add is that In India, the buds are used as flavoring in chewing tobacco.

Imagine how fun to see the faces of those unknowing individuals whom grab a leaf or flower head in the garden, to only have their mouths tingle & go numb. Go ahead. try it!

 

A few more herbs to share in this short Cottage Herbal series.Simply ones I find of importance for every garden to include. Or, as I have done, slowly add. I'm still waiting on my small package from England. My Baker Creek order arrived yesterday. For the first time, I included flower seeds. My only let down is discovering that the Peony poppies I ordered may not flower until the following summer. sigh... Wish that would have been in the description. 

I have my Garden layout to tweak some more and a visit to the Terrain website I hope to order that Boot Knocker* from. Actually, I desire much more but that knocker would be darling on my potter shed...that no one ever see's.  I DARE you to TRY a visit to this section* and not come away wanting...Oh how I adore their items. Thankfully the knocker is budget friendly but it may have to wait until all the plant & mushroom orders are done.

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

**I am not a medical professional nor am I a certified "herbalist". I merely share what I know & do and in no way will be held responsible for your decisions, effects, failures, injuries or any other issue of any kind should you try anything I share. Experiment and do on your own risk. Sounds so scary but it must be included since not everyone uses common sense such as you & I.

Winter surprise spoutings

Before the big snowfall, I had the big idea to begin my bentwood arch in the garden. Big idea that I got as far as the main arches. The wattle weaving will have to wait until we get some more odd warm & dry winter days. The arbor is a tunnel effect for when you enter the garden, just past the River stone & sand entry I put in last Fall. As you can see, we have yet to paint the inside of the picket fence. {So ignore that eyesore}. If I come into anymore brick, this path will go the entire length of the enclosed garden.

Back to the Bentwood arbor area. As I dug the ground for putting the arch ends in, I noticed greenery popping up from under the leaf mulching. I had noticed them earlier in the month but thought for sure they would have died back with the intense change of weather. I was wrong!

Looks like I have around 5 chamomile sprouting up in the area they grew last Summer.

There is one in the pathway which will be transplanted if it holds on until Spring. Weird really. Until this house, I had never had much luck with Chamomile. Now, it's sprouting by itself with vigor!

I made my way to the kale bed and found the rabbits must not detect them, being all tucked under more leaf mulch. The warmer days have the Red Russian seedlings we began in the ground last Fall, popping past their blanket.

I made my way out to the Elderberry patch for some inspection for determining IF they were spaced enough to move them further apart. My fear was their root systems being so close it would kill them to do a separation. We have been clearing the area not far from their spot in hopes to move a few into a row verse their wild sprouting of a cluster. The weather has been playing tricks on them as well. Green buds have begun to grow past their protective dormant shell.

Now off to inspect the Apple trees on the South yard side. I adore this apple tree which sits on a slight hill of the front yard. It's lower trunk branching is dreamy. Pictures do not do this gem justice. With the one long branch reaching out, it's the perfect spot to climb up and lean back, gazing into it's intricate display above.

And the moss... Oh I do love the ground around this apple tree. Portions of it's root system poking through the surface with patches of Moss interspersed amongst it's feet.

Now if there were just one apple tree in the South side yard I could only keep, it would be that one. Why say such a thing? Because they are under attack! Well, not this gem but an apple tree closest to our house on the south side is smothering in Oyster scale! At first I thought the tree had a disease but with further research & a helpful forum post, I found our culprit. Despite looking like an apple tree disease, it is an invasive insect.

Oyster scale is not a disease on apple trees but an infestation of an insect exoskeleton of the female insect. The shell is protecting the eggs she has laid on the tree, which will hatch in spring of larvae.

This is just a 6 inch area of a very close snap shot. Compared to a tiny grain of rice, imagine the 8 ft of trunk from ground to first branch COVERED in these.

If the Oyster scale can not be eradicated with the organic oil methods then I must discuss with Mr. & Mrs. J the possibility of cutting her down to prevent this from spreading.

 For now the ground is covered with a thick layer of bright snow. The only wondering about I will enjoy is to the woodpile and back for some cozy by the fire reading.

OH! I am most excited for my next trip out to White Willow's home. We have decided to learn some West Coast Swing dancing. Of course we could never afford lessons in a studio, so I found a few DVD's at the local library we plan to try out. Although I do not foresee us hopping the dance floor in public anytime soon, it is surely to be a blast learning the basics. Who knows, maybe I can talk Her & Dirk the Dude into some swing music for the outdoor nuptials reception.That gives us 1 1/2 yrs to look like we actually know what we were doing. After all, it would go perfect with the Vintage Nature theme we are coordinating.

I have something special on it's way from a small Nursery in Lincolnshire England. So keep watch for a special posting on my anticipated package.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Part 4: Cottage Pantry Potentials

Before the advent of the potato in most of Europe, Parsnip was a staple of roots. Poor things have received a bad rap in our modern time demand of taste. Some hate them. Some love them. Most... have never even had one.Their flavor is matured by a good frost. The grocery store kind have been chilled in the modern "cold box" way. Steady cold temps and a manufactured environment. This new crop will be the test to possibly determine if it alters the natural garden taste {which I am sure it does but experimentation is far more fun}. Soil & environment does affect taste as we all know as gardeners. Do not judge the parsnip until you've tasted some homegrown roots. Do not bother harvesting until winter has set in. You want home grown taste, then go all the way with it.  I'll get into that in a moment.
Parsnips are not very hard to grow. They bring valuable nutrition to the table as well as store exceptionally nice. Marine, My sister in law, would be aghast at this next comment being she is a huge potato lover..look away Marine... look away!.... Parsnips can be used in place of potatoes and have more nutrition value when it comes to Folic acid. That much needed essential for pregnant moms.. cough cough someone I know....
We are growing the half long Guernsey parsnip  from...yeah. Baker Creek Heirlooms. Sorry my friends for the once again mention, but THAT is whom I have ordered from the last few years.

The Guernsey variety was the most popular parsnip of the 19th century. Introduced prior to the 1850’s, this variety is medium-long, and has thick shoulders and smooth white skin. Flavorful flesh gets even sweeter after a good frost in autumn. In 1898, Nebraska Seed Company of Omaha said, "As name indicates, not as long as the Hollow Crown. Quality very sweet and delicate."

 A review on their site posted by SmellyCat{ Can you hear that? Phoebe from Friends singing Smelly Cat in the coffee shop..I swear I did not make it up} anyway. They wrote: They are probably the sweetest parsnips I have ever tasted, they roast well too. Added to potatoes they're excellent!

Take in mind, we are not discussing the WILD parsnip. No. No. No.Cultivated varieties are the only ones you can eat. Wild are poisonous! Some people who have grown the cultivated variety have experienced a sensitive reaction to their greenery, so I advise take care and do not tend their area in a small halter and do not even consider trying au naturel tending until you know if you are amongst the few sensitive to their greenery. Think blisters like poison ivy for those rare sensitive humans! I'll spare you the picture but feel free to look it up for yourselves.
 Modern society Americans have turned up their noses at this once Upon a time Regal root. It has pedigree, in a way. At a time in history, the Parsnip was looked upon as a delicacy. Frequently treated as an exotic dish and in some circles, held a very high demand. In Medieval times, they were a fast day food, particularly popular with the poor. The Elizabethans admired the sweetness of it's flesh & it was amongst the Virginia colonists' Old World introductions.
Modern diets are overpowered with sugars and processed staples. Our minds & mouths have become accustomed to such textures & tastes that when simplicity of a natural diet come along, people shun it. Proclaiming the "twigs & berry" attitude associated with health foods due to ignorance of many levels.
Away from such talk. Lets focus on why this has been selected for spotlight in the Cottage Pantry Potentials.Besides having a Worthy Nutritional value consisting of the many B vitamins and so on. This link* will provide far more nutrition information then I have room to share today.

 Parsnips growing in the Soilman 's garden
The seed is slow to germinate & unevenly sprouts.Sow in early spring being sure it is shallow as one would a carrot. Instead of wasting seed which will end up being thinned to every 6 inches, be a bit more articulate and alternate in the row with a small heading lettuce- Parsnip then lettuce. Parsnip then lettuce..So on & So on. The lettuce will come up before the parsnip, marking the row as well as providing adequate space between each parsnip. Remember, Parsnip is a root crop and planting the above surface lettuce just 3 inches from each parsnip will provide a very nice coexistence. Saving space & empty appearing spots. Not too mention, keeps one from planting them too close causing the roots to intertwine.
DO NOT freshly manure their space. Just as in carrots, this may cause "forking".


Would you like to know a simple trick to achieve show quality parsnips? "Bore" a broom handle into the spot of Parsnip sowing up to 2 feet {YES! TWO FEET} deep and 12 inches apart. Move the handle in a slight circular motion so the "bore" is an inverted cone shape and about 6 inches wide at the mouth of the hole. Don't plop that seed in there yet! Fill the "bores" with potting compost/sifted soil and pack it firmly in the hole you just made all the way to the top. Now you can sow your seed & lightly cover with soil. This is the traditional method of obtaining show quality produce as shared in "The art of the Kitchen Garden" written by Ethne Clark. Seems like so much work but if you were afraid of work, then you would not be gardening.
Now lets point out the nutrition value mentioned as well.
I could not find a single source for exact 100% listing of their complete nutrition value. Some have forget to to mention the hefty vitamin K value with the listing too. So here is a round about idea:
"Nutritionally, parsnips are low in calories, about 130 for a whole one 9" in length, and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. That same 9" parsnip can boast a 6.4 grams of fiber, 93.1 mcg of folic acid (that's nothing to sneeze at), 59.2 mg of calcium, and 46.4 mg of potassium, and lesser amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, vitamin C, iron, and zinc." {*direct quote source}
I direct you to...That British Woman *! She has 50 + 1 parsnip recipes in the post linked above*.
This simple looking dish from BBC food looks to be a keeper! PLUS, it includes celeriac. Parsnips & Celeriac casserole*

How to harvest & Store your Parsnips.
If you have some ambition and time, you could make yourself a backyard root cellar the old fashioned way:


I direct you over to the blog of Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford new york {*link above} to see & learn more of their set up above.
Or, you can leave them in the garden, nestled under a thick mulching layer of straw for the winter. Taking them as the need arises. The only problem one may foresee is their tops will have died down, making the spotting of your roots a bit of a guessing game. One can always mark them off with twine tied between 2 sticks of the row just an inch from the ground. Lay your straw carefully over the twine and harvest through the winter starting at one end, lifting the string as you go down the line. Just twirl the excess string around that ends stick marker, resetting it where you stop harvesting. marking the continuation line for the next winter dig. 
Harvesting is like with Carrots. Their a root crop, so the mentioning of how to harvest a root is more common sense. I will add to all of this, Parsnips are relatively free from disease, unlike carrots, which can be ruined by Carrot root fly. plant your carrots by your tomatoes. Remember, Carrots LOVE Tomatoes. Their companionship helps deter those nasty root flies.

Parsnips have been neglected far too long. They deserve today's long post and your consideration of inclusion to your Food garden.
Now my mind is turning back to that root cellar.... Wonder if Mr. J would indulge me that one?.... Maybe?....

Sweet Dreams,
~Tammie

Part 3: Cottage Pantry potentials

This next Cottage Pantry addition tempted me with it's multitude of uses in addition to it's storing potential.

(Hibiscus sabdariffa) A valuable plant for making cranberry-flavored bright red beverages, jelly, pie and tea. Much grown in Asia and the mid-east as the flavor is wonderful. A tasty sauce can be made by boiling and sweetening the fleshy calyxes; the leaves are also used to make a drink. The entire plant of this Hibiscus is red and very beautiful. Start early, unless you live in the far-south. Citrus-flavored flowers are delicious on frozen deserts. This plant has too many uses to name here. Collected in Thailand.

This is the Thai red Roselle * offered by Baker Creek Heirlooms. I became rather intrigued with the thought of a new twist in our teas & summer drinks grown on our own vs. buying. Upon more research, discovering this plant has an amazing array of uses & potentials, I KNEW I had to share & of course grow it ourselves.It has a cranberry like taste, not sweet, but not overly tart and of course rich in Vitamin C as well as antioxidants. Although Wikipedia's source * shares a massive piece on it's uses & growth, let's delve into a few here. Between medicinal, fiber & blow your mind array of EDIBLES!

lets hop straight to dessert with a Hibiscus infused Lemon tart!

The mingling of lemon & hibiscus in a creamy light textured tart with this amazing flavor filled crisp crust won us over from first bite. Not too mention, a great way to incorporate some of that homemade Limoncello!

Maybe you prefer cheesecake? Then how about a  fat free  Oatmeal Cocoa Crusted Hibiscus Cheesecake! Topped with a Hibiscus Jam & syrup...

From Cafe Nilson with the cheesecake baking challenge. The recipe link is here*

Who knew you could make a great tasting JAM from Roselle Hibiscus? Wonder how it tastes with peanut butter... or even better Nutella! {We are planting hazelnut trees this spring due to the insane love our kids have for this expensive alternative to peanut butter}.

This is one useful flavoring flower! Everything from Hibiscus infused salt for Fin Tuna to Popsicles , a multitude of drink varieties, as well as ice cream and cookies.  I found over 60 recipes for Hibiscus at this link* {http://www.tastespotting.com/tag/hibiscus}

As for growing Red Roselle ,aka Hibiscus, one must take in mind it is not a northern acclimated plant. To grow in the north, we must start the seed indoors as early as January or February. Do not plant out until temps are staying at least 65-70 F degrees. When the temps are getting cold, well before that first frost, pot a few up * place under grow lights so you are able to let the smaller later blooms go to seed. Replenishing your supply for the next year. Mother Earth News has a very nice article for further reading on growing your Thai Red Roselle over at this link*.
For reading more on it's medicinal use as a tea for ailments such as high blood pressure, lowering of cholesterol & prevention of liver damage from acetaminophen, I direct you to yet another link* due to the mass of information.

Another use  I discovered which is non edible related, Hibiscus is also used as a Natural bright red dye for fabrics. I am experimenting this winter on natural plant derived dyes on cotton and hope to make my way to the art of hot Batik. I have so many plants & flowers we grow that are great for naturally dyeing fabric. I'm starting with Flour sack cotton towels to use as  a cover for my rising yeast breads. My SIL has an embroidery machine so I may send some off to her for putting a few Black silhouette roosters on the edges...

Who knew that the main ingredient in red zinger teas would be so versatile?! From drinks to desserts to condiment flavoring. Lots of potential packed into a plant that will also look outstanding with it's purple red hues against all that greenery in the garden.

Our next & last Cottage Pantry Potential is coming soon. Not as exotic or rare but often overlooked for the winter Pantry, being American diets have turned away from their "Roots"..

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

1/18/2012**I must add this to my post, when brewing the hibiscus, steep it in hard boiling water {take water off the stove once at hard boiling level then add the roselle} by itself for at least 10 minutes before adding any other tea ingredients. I have personally found that by doing this, the Roselle gives a much "deeper" berry taste before adding Rooibus to the tea pot. I also add a hefty tablespoon of Rose hips when I do the roselle hibiscus. The 2 make an excellent tea which the children & I agree it is much like a berry juice! Just a tad of sugar or honey for balance is all you will need. This has become a huge hit with our tea times and I find myself having to make a dash to the co-op for more Hibiscus now that the large Jar is almost bare. Not the average tea taste. Very fruity, Berry like. Sure to please almost any non tea drinker.

Bentwood projects & Living Mulch

Here we are in January yet the days have provided temps comfortable enough for pruning a few apple trees. Plenty of "tree suckers", straight & long which had me thinking of Rick Pratt the Willow Furniture maker. Remember him? He was the first Adventure video I attempted to make. Not the best of filming & editing but plenty of great info & tips on using wood to bend & shape.

All those cuttings had me dreaming up what I would do with them.This year I will attempt to build an arched arbor tunnel based on this one for inside the garden:

This will be for the climbing beans & peas to twist & turn on this summer. Simple and pretty. A bit more saplings will be woven on the sides providing more spots to cling on. I envision about an 8 foot long section lined on the garden path starting from where my sand, brick & river stone entry ends.

I'm also going with Trellis style tomato supports made from bentwood. A bit ambitious, ay? No worries. I've got the time.

A short how to for a twist on the style I am after, found at this link* from Vegetable Gardener.

Being I will have 30-35 Amish paste tomato plants, mine will by far be simple yet useful being  they will grow from one end of the garden to the other. O.k, maybe not too simple in looks. More like this style in 5 ft long sections:

The Captain & I paid a visit to the library where I picked up a great book I have previously poured over titled: Making Bentwood trellises, arbors, gates & fences Author Jim Long . If you can access a copy, I highly recommend it for some bentwood inspiration. 

Now on to the subject of living mulch. I have tried hand tilling weeds out till I threw my hands up & walked away. I've tried Weed blocker cloth which just had weed seeds growing ON TOP & rooting down through the breathing holes. I even fell for & did the cover crop of winter rye grass , said to be a weed inhibitor {by the way, that method was worse then any of the others.}. And now I have come to the conclusion, I have nothing left to lose by trying one more method of weed prevention & soil health improvements. Crazy? Yeah. I think we settled that thought a long ways back.

I know what your thinking. Clover? Really Farm Chick? People try to get RID of clover, not encourage it. People! Hear me out. It has so many con's going for it and the downsides are not that worrisome {see winter rye & hand weeding belly aching comment above}. This whole idea came about while looking through one of the many seed catalogs {for like the 7th time}, when I spotted white dutch clover with a bar table describing it as a "living mulch" that it also did not go higher then 8 inches. hmmm. My interest is peaked. More like I couldn't stop thinking about, which is another reason why The Captain took me to the library. I was driving him crazy with "growing stuff" chatter and something about forest floors & Polyculture. Of which he thought I somehow switched to wine making and polyculture was a new kind of yeast I wanted... anyway, there was not a single book in the entire section on this matter. So I took to my personal library... The internet. Where I found this win me over post & encouraging reference point for the next weird step I take in experimenting with how my garden grows. Actually, they did my homework for me, with other forums & sites echoing all he shares.

1. Less Weeding
2. Retains Moisture
3. Withstands Traffic
4. Nitrogen Fixer
5. Improves Soil Tilth
6. Attracts Pollinators 

As for it competing for nutrients, they had this to say {& I quote}:

On a side note, here’s a good read about polycultures being more productive than monocultures from a recent study at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science:

“…analysis shows that plant communities with many different species are nearly 1.5 times more productive than those with only one species (such as a cornfield or carefully tended lawn), and ongoing research finds even stronger benefits of diversity when the various other important natural services of ecosystems are considered. Diverse communities are also more efficient at capturing nutrients, light, and other limiting resources.” (Source: ScienceDaily.com via Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

Thanks to Seattle Homestead { :http://www.seattlehomestead.com/136-6-reasons-i-chose-white-clover-as-a-living-mulch/ , } our garden takes on another experiment.

Let's hope this one works out in our favor.

Oh! And did I ever mention how this last summer during the many road trips I had taken our children on,I seemed to always end up with getting us lost BUT never failed to discover a chicken statue on the road side EVERY time? Well marine was visiting & of course I took her on a mini road trip that I of course got us lost on the back roads. And what did we spot? Another chicken statue! 

I guess that's my new thing... Not the getting lost {as if that would ever stop} but the Chicken statues. Wonder how long the streak will last...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Part 2: Cottage Pantry Potentials

How any one person can say they do not like squash is beyond me. With hundreds of different varieties, there is bound to be at least one or two fitting to such picky taste buds. In this house, we prefer the more sweet potato varieties. Well... The captain does enjoy Spaghetti squash but I have yet to find one that is more "unique" from the grocery aisle variety. 

Today, we focus on an unfamiliar acorn squash I came across whilst dreaming of spring soil. I decided to go grow acorn squash this year being my Mother In Law is rather fond of them. I thought a new variety would be nice to share with her while also adding to the pantry storable choices.

This year, we've decided on Thelma Sanders Sweet potato squash.

Excerpt from SSE: "Family heirloom from Thelma Sanders in Adair County, Missouri. The seed was passed from neighbor Everett Pettit to Sue and Tom Knoche, Ohio squash collectors and two of SSE’s earliest members. Wonderful cream-colored acorn squash. Sweet chestnut flavor, enormously productive. Our favorite two-serving baking squash. 85-90 days."

Don't ya' just love edibles with a story? Hopefully seed companies will catch on & begin to give a bit of history lesson as well as basic description with each of their offerings. That would be nice.

 

photo by Seasonal Ontario Food

 This variety is said to be a VERY good pantry storing squash, according to abundant life seeds*." One of the longest storing winter squash we have grown." Impressive. Especially being Acorn Squash are said to not be more then an avg of 2 months in storage.

  Over at the SSE forum*, I found this very helpful advice on storing the Thelma Sanders by a member named  bcday:

"The hardness of the shell is the indicator. This is a winter squash and should have a hard shell like a pumpkin. It won't have its full flavor and it won't store well if it's harvested before it has matured with a very hard shell. I wouldn't use either the color or the stem as an indicator. In my NY climate we don't harvest winter squash until a few days before the first expected frost."

I am sure you can manage to grow winter squash without my input. Not that I do anything special for each kind of plant. Leaves, grass & compost on the whole thing. I know there is a section more sandy where root crops grow best. There is a section with more clay that is slowly working its way to more versatility by adding the compost and of course there is a spot rich & dark. No science class needed or top soil trucked in}. Just some Common sense.

So lets get to the Harvesting.

Do not cure acorn squash. The high temperature and relative humidity during the curing process actually reduce the quality and storage life.

As for WHERE to store them? I have heard of people placing a sheet under their bed, where the squash hang out until cooking time. Great idea for those with limited space. Others can make room in a garage or basement, using shelves from floor to ceiling. How about a shelf  2 feet below the ceiling all the way around the room? Up & out of the way, without taking up floor space.

My basement has a wall of closet like pantry shelves, built from the original owners sometime in the 1940's. Plenty of room for squash & jars. And one of the reasons I am in love with our little cottage.

Simple shelves like these from Farming for life* are all you would need:

 Rather soothing of a site. I am rather fond of such a basic set up, adorned with the winter edibles. Must be rather uplifting to venture down while the wind is howling & icicles hang from the gutters, to hold the many colors from your summer garden, untouched from their original form.

I did take note many people eat winter squash rather simply. Baking with a pat of butter. Some with the addition of simple seasonings  like pepper or cinnamon. They are far more versatile then such primitive forms. Majority of winter squash can be substituted for each other in any recipe you choose.

There is Gratin*, Savory Squash rolls*, Puree & mashed*. Heck, there's even a Squash cookie recipe* with addition of oatmeal!

Expand your Squash savoring with a new variety along with plenty of new recipes for your discernment this upcoming season. Go beyond the tomatoes and other canned goods. Think simple preserving. After all, taking a quote from my Son whom was talking to his father about why he didn't eat breakfast with 5 box's of cereal in the pantry :
" A man can only eat so many cheerios dad! That's all there is. Cheerios. Cheerios. Cheerios."

I gotta agree. The same old thing gets tiring real quick.

Sweet Garden Dreams,

~Tammie

Cottage Pantry Potentials

'Tis now the season to garden dream. 

Not just of greenery & fresh salsa, but of the potential DRIED goods for pantry storing. Take note of items you use during winter, such as soup beans, that can be grown instead of bought. The best time to realize what you SHOULD grow and WILL use up.

We are veering the Food garden towards 95% items that can be preserved & stored. Many do pickles, sauces, green beans, etc. But how many actually think of DRIED beans in abundance? Winter soups contain this staple yet I rarely read of it's importance in other blogs or forums discussing gardens & the storing of food. So here it is. The Take Notice & Plan it out post all about our future Dried beans. Besides, what a fantastic way to utilize all those OLD antique mason jars no longer approved for canning. I know I have been grabbing all kinds of old ones, like this spring top latch beauty, every chance I get. Perfect portion size for family favorite soups & a great excuse to tell the Hubby "No, I need those for storing dried beans in".

This last year, the Garden Gods spared me heart break with a single plant of Borlotti beans {Italian Variety for use in Fagioli soup}, growing full force despite the fate of it's row mates. The others had rot away from the intense wet Spring, taking the last of what seed I had stored. Of that single plant, I was able to harvest 30 seeds for this next year.

We have also poured over our baker Creek heirlooms {rareseeds.com} catalog, coming to the conclusion we will also order 2 packets of Extra Precoce A Grano Violetto {a dark purple Italian Fava/Broad bean that according to many sources, they retain their purple after cooking}. We have never grown this kind of bean, nor had we thought of it until the decision for more sufficiency reared up this year. A cool weather bean, perfect for southern winters & Fall planting in the North.

"This extra early variety produces long pods that are filled with 6 large beans that are a pretty purple color and are sweet tasting. A unique and colorful variety from Italy. "

 If you scroll down to the Fava section of this link, you will see another deciding factor for us to include this Purple gem. I especially enjoyed the authors sentiment of this Violetto from his childhood as well as the suggestion of a simple dish:

This variety’s name means extra early purple seed. There are also green seeded varieties of Favas, but I grew up eating the purple kind so I picked this to carry. We always ate them simply cooked in a bit of water with garlic, pepper, salt, olive oil, and a touch of butter. Accompanying them was always good hearty Italian bread. You used the bread to sop up the juice. (I’m getting hungry writing this.) Unlike regular beans Favas do well with cool weather. Having a short season variety is nice since so many areas like here go from cool to hotter than Hades right quick. They can also be planted in late summer for a fall crop in places south of here. In places like Florida, they can be planted as a winter crop.

Growing beans for drying is super easy! No need to pick them until they have dried on the vine. You can always cut the stem close to the ground & hang over paper in a room or garage should the rains start making undesirable conditions. 

Forget those plain grocery store varieties and explore the amazing world of varieties. besides, after a taste of home grown difference, you'll be letting the kids make Bean art with those bagged things:

 Or just sprout those things for a chicken house winter treat....

This is not an ad for baker creek, I assure you {if it was, I would not be adjusting my... umm... tall order, so as to stay in budget of what we have agreed upon for seeds this year}.... Just a simple nod to the amazing world they have opened up & introduced  for so many of us enjoying the fruit of their hard labor. Preserving heirloom varieties for the future. For each & every one of us to enjoy & grow.

Through them, our family has opened their minds and mouths to such amazing food. From our cherished Long Pie pumpkins used in our Fall Empanadas, to the current exploration in dried beans. Much love to them. Much gratitude. What better way to say Thank you then to spread that love via The Unusual Farm Chick.

Looking for more inspiration on filling that pantry? I recently discovered this blog and thought I would share.Some very thought provoking topics for those who garden & adventure towards self sufficiency.  * I now want to cover my jars with parchment & twine like their linked photo below... :

This is the year where everyone should go "outside of the box". Try something new. We are expanding our palette and tastes with the help of Baker Creek & many other heirloom seed suppliers. Once upon a time, dried beans were a less frequent pantry staple due to tiring of the same old kinds available. Now, the kids are begging for more bean soups, depleting what little I had. They are now suffering through with store bought and take great interest in selecting new varieties for the winter Pantry.

Suddenly, we have become Bean snobs! There is a debate on adding one other drying bean, which may have to come down to a rough & tumble game of Rock, Paper Scissors...

Not only are we growing the above beans, But Parsnips, Beet root, plus an herb I am saving for a new post which is used for teas & drink flavoring. {nope, not mint!}. Gardening has taken a sudden new outlook & path with my family. Not sure if it is the amazing Garden Porn {baker creek heirlooms} The Captain has been caught snagging from my pile or if the children finally realize the importance of taking back control of what we eat {or you get stuck with less then healthy &/or boring foods}.

I leave you with a quote from Jere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirlooms:

"Beans are the most important types of food on earth & are packed with fiber, protein, calcium, iron, & potassium.

Dried beans can be prepared a myriad of ways & are a great & inexpensive pantry staple."

Take the time to spend your evenings & laid back days exploring between the covers.

Planning what new to you or old forgotten favorites are waiting to grow in this years garden.

It is never too early or late for such simple pleasures.

Sweet Garden Dreams,

~Tammie

P.S Many thanks to Dinahs Garden for the tidbit on how they cure/dry their beans. My post was lacking the info on this step & feel it is of importance to share in the main post & not just leave in the comment section:


"To me there is almost nothing more relaxing than shucking beans. Once freed from their pods we leave the beans in mesh colanders to further dry/cure, hand mixing them daily. We all love the mixing, a tactile play of sorts."