kale chips, caramelized leeks and rose hips

I was lazy this year and am starting to think there IS a certain genius to it. Taking so long to go get the kale and the leeks allowed them to reach their full potential and let me attend to 'other', nongarden-related pressing matters. I just chopped the entire kale tops off and yanked all the leeks out about a week ago (Thursday 2 Dec) - just before it got really really cold.


I washed the leeks and caramelized them in EVOO with some organic cane sugar and a little balsamic vinegar. I was shocked that after so much had gone into growing them from seed, etc., I only had a half jar of leek jam.

They are a precious commodity now ... you can almost see them if you squint at this blurry shot of them (see brown in a little bowl in amidst the salami w three french cheeses I picked up at La Fromagerie on Friday). I think I'll just go to the farmers market next year (or maybe plant closer together). How can I give up growing my own leeks? I'll see.



I wiped the kale off and checked every crook & crany for bugs (found a few little guys), ripped it up, threw it into a big bowl and tossed it with EVOO, cayenne pepper flakes, salt and a little sugar (I have since gotten some organic garlic powder which I'm going to toss a few in and try) and ripped it up and put it into the dehydrator ... the chips were done within a few hours. Again, a whole lot of shrinkage!


Back to being lazy ... David gave me a big bag of rose hips and I kept meaning to get to them. They remained underfoot in my kitchen as a reminder of my recalcitrance until now - not that I didn't almost do 'something' with them a few times, but truth ... I wasn't sure what to do ... and 'other', nongarden-related ... (blah blah) ... so today I googled and found what I could do now (that they were shriveled up little knobs of maroon) phew.

All I needed to do was separate them from their thorny stems (as task probably best done wearing gloves) and then I used my kitchen scissors and cut off the furry bits and stems, threw them into the blender and sifted them so the powdery bits and fur fell through.

And voila - now I have a jar of hips for winter tea! And I saved a few seeds from the blades and will google to see if I might be able to try growing roses from seed! There is something about cold stratification I need to look into before they are planted! I have access to a neighbourhood greenhouse so I might want to do this sooner rather than later - stalling on finding out more abut this might just be someplace where laziness might not be smart!

... 'cold stratification' ...

Creeping Charlie

I've just been told the ground cover (see top right corner and in between all the kale leaves) is something called 'creeping charlie aka Lamiaceae, an aromatic perennial that has been around for a long time and it has been used for many ailments - one of which is ringing in the ears. Now I'm tempted as I've suffered from this for ages!

I loved davesgarden entire blog about Creeping Charlie ... Aunt Bett made tea from its tiny leaves. She said that the tea was a remedy for coughs, but I am here to tell you that when she made it for me it was such a nasty bitter drink that I coughed even more. She added honey to it and told me to drink it anyway. It tasted as terrible as an asphidity bag smelled.




Some sites say it is invasive and can only be taken out with the 'big guns' ...

I think what I will probably have to do is cover the ground with weed cloth and be vigilant next Summer with it. I'll save some for a hanging basket on the roof! I'll be doing more research on how to use it properly because as you may have noticed there are some safety concerns sounded on the wikipedia site that too much of it can make you so sick a horse could abort ... hmmmm (maybe I need to read that one more time) ... off I go!

Putting the Garden to Bed

I spent a couple of days (only a couple of hours each day) pulling out tomato stakes, undoing the twist ties to save for next year, saving little incised copper nameplates and taking tomato plants out of the ground and getting them off site - just in case they carry any old spores that could ruin next years crop. I am hoping to do a little crop rotation next year where possible. As well, I clipped a fair amount of overgrowth along the edges of the plot and spread oak leaves around. I have left the red mulch plastic and will see how well it protects the ground from weeds come spring. I want to bring more leaves to cover the ground and I have just left all the hoses in place - so I may need to purchase a few new ones for areas I left lie fallow this year - especially if I am planning to use these new areas for my tomatoes.


The temperatures have dropped substantially - I think I was around 10C tops and I've not really attended to this section of the garden - other than to weed out the strawberry patch and put poles beside the berry canes. I placed the fennel fronds along the path in beside the poor old pea patch gone wild. There is still kale, some leeks and herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, savory and stevia) to harvest on my next trip back with leaves. But for now - some rest for my aching back!

Day 17 - More Tomatoes (The Final Haul)

I stopped by the garden on my way home from school ... everyone's garden looks like it mine ... the tomatoes are done (I left a few dangling on the vine but will probably need to pick them green and do something relish-like with them). I will put these ones in the slow cookers tomorrow and water bath can more thick sauce Friday evening.


Here's the batch from last weekend (one medium-size jar lid didn't take - I didn't put the ring on properly).

Today is dedicated to someone I loved

for you Wayne. The Outdoor Classroom ...

Day 16 - Tonnes of Tomatoes

These lovlies took about an hour and a half to
pick & bag. I've named them to the best of my
ability below. I've got one tray in the oven
roasting and will dedicate the weekend to dealing
with the rest (again - to the best of my ability).


tomatilloes, chadwick cherries, reisenberg, sweetie, copia


sweet pea, sungold, black eyed peas, savignac


san marzanoes, principe borgeses


red fig, cosmanaught volkov, big ass red,
prudholms purple, azoychucks, rosemary & thyme


Fancy Tomatoes: pink accordian, black from tula
yellow ruffle and persimmon (still my favourites)


black plums and eva purple balls


black brandywine, eva purple ball, black krim

Big Peachy Pink Bottomed Tomato

Love that this tomatoes butt turned peachy pink as it ripened!
Time to slice into it now.


I am just about to roast and freeze another batch of tomatoes
... a little olive oil brushed over them with salt and the intensity
of flavour is almost more than one can imagine ... I am using a
straight sided mason jar to freeze in and Tattler PBA-free lids,
pressing down on the tomatoes with a circle cut from parchment
to keep them as air-free as possible. Happy Winter Pasta Eating!

Dealing with fruitflies

... my Desk this morning - what can I say ...

I tried my best to name them in the post below ...


Something I don't like which comes along at this time of year ... fruitflies ...

besides pouncing on a plastic bag fruitfly trap - another way
to capture fruitflies is to set out a shallow pan of apple cider
vinegar with a tiny squirt of dish soap (it breaks the surface
tension) and secure plastic wrap on top then pin prick a lot of
small holes all over the plastic ... wait & watch - they'll come!

Day 15 - Tomato Harvesting

In just under an hour tonight I managed to harvest
enough tomatoes from the allotment to mean I had to
make two trips to the car - about 5 bags partly full.

Here's the line up - to the best of my abilities!

Tims Black Ruffles almost ripe!


Sweet Peas, Red Figs, Picollo and Black Eyed Pea Pods


Sunny Gold, Yellow Ruffles and Bloody Butcher. In the
Sink the front one is a great big Burrackers Favorite from
Moonshine Territory in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains floating with an Ananas Noir (love that name) ...


Red Fig, Principe Borgese et al ...


Random Ruffles (Pink I think), Black Brandywines, Red Figs,
Pricipe Borgese and San Marzano ...


Russian Azoychkas ... This one is supposed to be a meaty,
lemony really quite a good one for both sauces and salsas!

... and last but not least ...

I think today, these ones are my favourite looking tomatoes
- just ever so delicately pink blushing on yellow Persimmon!

Day 14 - aka Gilead & Gardening Day

... well enough about Gilead - let's get this show on the road ...

... crazy velcro grape-weed coverlet on the entire
garden that I had to rip up & throw out last night!!!

beet & pea garden (somewhere in there - according to my copious & detailed notes of 2010 is a pocket melon too) I HOPE!
BUT ... let us not be easily fooled into thinking those at the far left nor bottom right leaves are melon leaves - they aren't - they're grape-like 'velcro vines'

... according to these same said super detailed notes - with this bit I now notice that's missing (just what made me think because I knew enough this year to put EVERYTHING into one notebook that I'd remember to actually write EVERYTHING down - UGH) Oh well - I can't exactly close said book on my head now and expect info to drop out like I'm shaking basil seeds into a plastic seed-saving bag can I - and especially knowing now I no longer know; ie, a little bit of a mixed up stoner metaphor where no seeds unturned are left in the birdsbrain but no worries - according to this notoriously poor notetaking I do - or don't - it's sort of safe to say that these are NOT the coveted Chantrais Melons from France - known first and foremost for their fragrant sweetness - and secondly for their tasty numiness - ... but let's back it up a bit again right here and remind ourselves that just because it's written in 'the book of me' doesn't mean TOO MUCH the other way either - obviously - though they do look decidedly the same as the ones on another different plant that looks exactly the same one that has the Pumpkins growing on it? Gayla who is more of an expert thinks it's all one big plant - and rightly so - everything's beside each another and there's enough leaves that one - well make that - I for sure - can no longer tell which ones are coming from where anymore - especially with all that crazy velcro grape vine covering everything up ... yes - let's not forget about that or anything anymore ... starting NOW.

velcro vine! ... nasturtiums, stevia, rosemary & thyme (at home rooting) - I HOPE!

... and here are those 'home-rooting' hoardings (woOps - collections) ...


Zucchini Patch (wait for it - you'll be introduced to Zaid later - Zaid the Zuc)


... some san marzanoes (didn't name them - had other things to do)


New Patch beside Zaid's Zuc Patch (notice the
black brandywines & 'o why are THEY elongated
- you ask - don't - just trust - as am I - the
chipmunk that munched on the one on the right
(the bites outta sight) that he's not picking
up the little copper engraved markers using 'em
as menus and gotten 'em all mixed up! Couldn't
have happened ... and pretty safe to say it sure
as heck wasn't me getting name things wrong ...


Kale Patch with Stray Tomatoes, Okra, Fennel,
an Eggplant, Edamame & Weeds (have I mentioned
'weeds' yet ... velcro grape is not the melon
I thought it might be either - it's a weed and
one that won't let go of anything it gets it's
little clinging vines on? To kill it I've been
told I would have to cut it off from the main
stem - and hell if I know if THAT was ever found
last night ... when I get busy I don't stop 'til
I'm dizzy - weeding's like housework)! And yes,
seriously I thought it was a melon and I've been
guiding it's vine up & over & around all Summer
so it would cover certain places and look pretty
(not to mention producing my very own varigated
orange Queen Anne pocket melon deodorant balls).


THE main PATH in - or NOT


In front of the 'hut' ... but can you see it through the grapevine - the hut?



Today's Catch .. the whole haul!


... Gayla said she just throws whatever stuff she gets
sometimes all into a crock pot some nights and lets it
stew ... so that's what I did! I had a slow cooker that
has been waiting for a good reason to strut it's stuff ...
and did it ever ... the peas & beans & okra & kale was
almost entirely flavoured with just some salted lemony
tomatoes, fennel & whatever other garden bits there were.



Too pretty not to post ... especially the little sweet peas.


... leftovers - after 'Chippy' had his fill ... I squished the seeds out of the half eaten tomatoes (Julie, another gardener, if you've been following my earlier blogs you'll be a little familiar with Julie, last night, she told me she was dying to either kill me or the chipmunk for letting these particular tomatoes in MY garden go to 'seed' like that ... or some such ... maybe she said 'waste' whatever ... so 'waste not want not' ... 'I plant some for my friends and some for me - no biggie' ... I decided to save some seeds for Julie) HA.

... and finally as a nod to 'ned the dog', I've given my great big fat zuc the human name, Zaid ... see Gayla's shot here if you missed it on Flickr via Twitter ... (you kinda had to be there - at the BBQ) but trust me ned the dog - try as he might - just can't be a good doggie ... I've known him for a short while and last I saw him after he was drinking and swirling about in the birdbath just after having been called on his trespass - and from up on the pedestal where he was, ned heard his name called and he looked up with a whiskery smile poised to sit - like a good doggie - but just ever so short as usual of getting it quite right - yet again) ... I turned away as Gayla shot him ... for sure when he heard his name called he thought he was getting a treat! Not very opaque - that ned - quite unlike Seattle wes who got someone named Judy to try to help him hitch a ride to Toronto mind you. Is this post over yet? OK - almost.

Zaid was waiting for me on the kitchen floor this
morning. The name, Zaid, is African for growing
big (or something like that - I think). He kind
of scared me a little when I went to make coffee.

Day 13 - The Mouse(s) + Weeding and Tomato Tying

So this looks like a boring and bad photo of uninteresting gardening tools on weeds I know. And it is! However ... (and I pause here for emphases - lest any of you forget this little 'what the Sam Hell from last week') ... this photo of scissors and tomato ties over weeds is what might be referred to as my establishing shot for movies I made of the little soft furry brown mouse (which in retrospect might have been one mouse or two or three) that was in my garden yesterday.

I had just tossed these things onto the pile of weeds I'd just spent an hour or so pulling up and was holding my flip cam and having a rest on my little yellow plastic kiddie chair plopped on said pile of weeds wiping sheets of sweat from my brow with a clean black sock I'd resiliently rescued from my bag of (gardening) 'tricks' ... and right there from under my newly yanked weeds not a foot from my feet popped up the little brown mouse with something in it's mouth (something small and brown ... maybe a nut ... or better yet one of it's babies. I don't know). I just know that instead of jumping up on my chair and screaming, "Help - a mouse!" (or something earth-shatteringly loud that might even have gotten me permanently evicted from the allotment gardens for good), I pressed the button and began filming (after it was gone mind you) ... and I stopped a few short moments afterwards and realized I'd almost captured a moment. Phew. What fun.

I got very proactive then ... once I had the thought that it might return to get more babies or nuts. Mice don't just have one. If it was a nut then I was stuck waiting - like one! But no matter - I perched on the edge of my little plastic yellow chair ... if this was for National Geographic in the jungles of Africa ... there would be no one more patient sitting-in-wait. Within about 30 seconds the mouse came running back and disappeared under the pile of weeds (remember I am sitting on the pile of weeds) ... but thankfully I am wearing rubber boots up to my knees and my pants are tucked in ... I am verging on being slightly delirious with joy just because it returned ... I got my finger on the camera button and readied myself for a third round, took the 'small game hunter pose' not even caring if anyone walked by or saw me or not ... (surely, if they did, they'd not talk to me crouched intently over like this which I knew was to my full advantage and I gained confidence that all was right in my universe and knowing now the little guy would most likely return with another nut or baby in it's mouth to take it where it had brought the other one, etc).

He/she/it/them did it again ... popped back out of the weeds not a foot from my foot and disappeared quickly out of sight over to the right. This time I was confident I'd captured it and even held the button down extra long before letting up on it. I realized I needed to be careful not to crush the camera. I held steadfast, my hands were sweating as well, I'd flung the sock so there was no more getting any help from it, no matter, I used my soily shirt and was ready when the mouse(s) reappeared, stopped looked at me and disappeared under the weeds and I watched and filmed the weeds moving between my legs and under the little yellow chair ... and here's where I took a road less traveled and got creative over a mouse and under distress ... and did a camera pan to my face ... and made a face ... not a very flattering face ... but this wasn't about me it was about the mouse ... and the whole documentation of it ... as a little reality star of sorts I suppose and I had just become one of those annoying side kick characters that gives context to what is happening (not exactly how I would've done it if I'd planned ahead) ... the little guy came out and went in a few more times ... or maybe it was it's wife or cousins coming & going ... all so Mouse-atouille. They really played it up for the lens ... drank water pooling now under my feet from the hose over watering the tomato patch beside me, looked up at me and ran in confused little circles and ran back under my weeds between my legs and my kiddies' chair legs ... and I caught it all - and not to be outdone I even panned in on myself, again, this time holding up 2 fingers and then 3 indicating there might be a couple or even a few more ... ie, different ones - wink wink nudge nudge ... you know how we all think 'they' all look alike ... well not so - and these guys kept going and wouldn't let up ... 'til it got so that I was getting really tired filming (maybe it was the adrenalin leaving my body and me hitting my stride) but hey I stayed with and caught their every move on camera - in living - hi def - colour ... or so I thought. When I came home and actually downloaded all my shots, this still is all I have of this. HA. How I even actually got that now I'll never know.



Quiet on the Set. After all the ruckus I got this shot ... what you'd see (minus me) if you were walking by when filming was taking place.


On arrival it looked like this ... all crazy with weeds!


I got a fair amount done before the ruckus broke out ... weeding & tying tomatoes up