Eggplant – One recipe idea

We raise eggplant.  Ken often combines eggplant with other summer vegetables like onions, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and tops with cheese for a bake.       I was looking for a new eggplant recipe and tried this.  Slice and salt eggplant;         they will weep so you can absorb some moisture in a towel         Season some bread crumbs in a flat dish and beat an egg in a …

Continue reading

Harvest Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This week’s CSA box has tomatoes, potatoes, cukes, peppers, onions, garlic, beans, beets, greens and lettuce. Field Notes.  Ken transplanted fall greens.  Ken starts them , moves up to 2″ soil blocks and then transplants to the garden. This means more time in that garden space for other things and more importantly transplanting a small seedling in a clean bed gives the plant a decided edge over the weeds. Ken is …

Continue reading

A Break from the Produce

A few days ago Ken needed a break.  He started a building project; he is taking a very old cart and converting it to a portable chicken coop.  I also needed a break from produce work; I love tomatoes and peppers, but I have sorted many this season… So, I headed upstairs to a loom that has about enough warp for one more rug.  I was experimenting with two different warps to figure out how …

Continue reading

Harvest Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This CSA box has tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, eggplant, onions, garlic, carrots or beets, greens, beans, and basil.           Field Notes.  Ken has been pulling crops as they become less productive so he can make room for later crops.  He got beds ready for fall greens, and will transplant in the next few days.  He likes to let the beds rest and then rake any weeds …

Continue reading

Ripe Pepper Jam

It is a great pepper year here! After Ken had started the pepper seed, we had an opportunity to participate in a U W Madison seed trial program, and there were some great peppers in the trials – in addition to our usual excellent varieties.  I froze a couple batches of chopped peppers for later use.  Then Ken requested I make a red pepper jam.  So I checked the internet and found two very similar …

Continue reading

Preparing Beds for Fall

Ken is constantly planting from February through November.  This week he pulled out the determinate tomatoes in the garden and some summer squash  plants.       Then he started mulching and preparing the beds for fall crops –         Then Ken ran the wheel hoe through the beds           and added compost           Finally Ken spread out the compost, and now he will …

Continue reading

Labor Day – When Pigs become Hogs

It’s that time of year!  Each Labor Day Ken announces the pigs have become hogs.  Gone are the cute little piglets, and even the gawky, funny adolescents.        They still are characters and they are full of energy           The pigs get broader and they start to have  jowls, and with the longer, cooler nights, they become most serious about their food. These pigs will go to the locker …

Continue reading