Got Zucchini?

What an encouraging plant to grow-as a novice gardener in the 70's I planted six zucchini plants in my garden in Southern California-lots of sun,warmth and water-I could have supplied a developing nation with zucchini-but instead I chose to supply my friends,neighbors,co-workers and extended family with this great summer squash that few of us knew how to use-I felt such a sense of accomplishment-helping to feed all these people from my little garden-I was encouraged by my sucess to continue on in my gardening adventures.

There is a folk saying in the San Juans 'the only time we lock our cars is in the summer-if not, you may return to a front seat loaded with zucchini'.

One of my best zucchini years was the one I didn't plant a single one-I just mentioned to a few of my gardening friends that I just LOVE zucchini and had not planted any-I was on the receiving end of a bumper crop-how easy was that!!

So if you want to grow something that will boost your 'gardening ego'try zucchini. I've planted several varieties over the years, Black Beauty is a traditional favorite of mine and next spring I want to try the Romanesque variety-deeply ribbed and speckled with a great sturdy flavor- I've purchased some from Susan and Peter Corning at Synergy Farm and found them very impressive.

Over the years recipes using zucchini have proliferated-breads,muffins,cookies,cakes,pickles-we seem to love to find ways to use this gratifyingly, abundant vegetable. I grate fresh zucchini into a shallow,microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Drain and add some grated cheese and a grind of pepper on top. Return to the microwave and cook a little more, until the cheese begins to melt-a fast and easy fresh veggie that will amaze you with wonderful flavor.

Another way to use zucchini is in:

Zucchini Stew

1 lb. ground turkey
1 jar Marinara sauce
1 large can tomatoes
2-4 zucchini
fresh ground pepper
fresh mushrooms-optional

Brown ground turkey in a large soup pot. Drain if needed. Add Marinara sauce , tomatoes and a grind or two of fresh pepper. Stir together and add chunked up zucchini and, mushrooms. Cover and simmer on low until veggies release their liquids,stirring often. Top with grated cheese and serve with a warmed baguette from Bakery San Juan and Enjoy!

At one time I had a recipe for bread&butter pickles but over the years it ,has gone missing so, I think I'll Google and see what comes up-after all, I've got another bumper crop of zucchini just waiting in the garden!

Transition Gardening in Friday Harbor

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Well, the rhubarb has wound down along with my shelling peas-the pea vines and trellis are gone and the last of the rhubarb is in the freezer for later use.The mustards have also finished for now so I have three blank areas to begin planting some winter veggies in-I'm very excited about winter gardening-I've done a bit of it for the last two fall/winter seasons with mixed sucess, so this summer I'm trying to get ahead of the game and actually do some PLANNED planting-it's just so difficult to think about planting and seeding in August-but there is lots of information out about winter gardening and veggie plant vendors at the Farmers Market have a wonderful selection of starts for our fall gardening pleasure-Heather and Jessica of Revolutionary Roots have some beautiful kales and the much-sought-after purple sprouting broccoli and Keith,Roger and Eric of Your Personal Farmer have a great selection of collards,kales,Chinese cabbage and a great blend of kales in small packs,just the right size for experimenting in the garden.

Joel and Margaret Thorson of 1000 Flower Farm have been encouraging all of us to plant a few extra rows of fall/winter crops so we will have wonderful,abundant veggies at the winter Farmers Market-gosh, it's really a stretch to think "Winter Market" after about 90 days with less than an inch of precipitation and record high temperatures!!!

Well, back in my veggie garden-I have begun harvesting the potato patch-I planted Russetts,Pontiac Reds,French Fingerlings,and Apple Rose Fingerlings-I LOVE to grow potatoes-a fresh potato is an amazing,wonderful product, crisp and tasty beyond belief-nothing like a store-bought potato-try some from the Farmers Market, roasted with other root veggies and some garlic, drizzled with a good olive oil and some fresh-cracked pepper-YUM-Yum-another favorite recipe I love to use with fresh potatoes is:

Potato Salad with fresh Tarragon
4 large Russett potatoes
apple cider vinegar
2 cups garlic mayonaise
1/3-1/2 cup fresh tarragon
1 red onion, chopped
salt and pepper,to taste

Cook and peel potatoes. Dice them while they are still warm and douse them liberally with vinegar. Add garlic mayo,fresh tarragon,chopped onion and salt and pepper. Mix very gently and refrigerate overnight.

VERY simple and soooo tasty-Enjoy!



These photos are courtesy of my neighbor, Gail Seitz, who makes garden art from my rhubarb leaves. Pretty wonderful - Huh!

Rhubarb 102

Ah Rhubarb -


I'm just about knee deep in fresh rhubarb. The more I harvest, the more my plants produce! As the heat of summer settles in it will slow down and then stop producing since it doesn't care for hot weather. But until then I can barely keep up - more chopped rhubarb in the freezer, more jam, more Victoria sauce and more spicy rhubarb chutney.

Spicy Rhubarb Cutney Recipe:
1 1/4 lbs rhubarb trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried cherries
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro leaves

In a four quart saucepan combine brown sugar, vinegar, onion, coriander, ginger, mustard and salt. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat uncovered for three minutes stirring constantly. Stir in rhubarb, apricots and cherries. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, stirring as needed, until rhubarb is just tender but not broken up (about ten minutes). Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and let cool ten minutes.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

This makes a great glaze for pork tenderloin and is also a wonderful confiment for pork chops, lamb chops, roast beef and ham.

I'm always searching for new and different ways to use rhubarb. For instance, one of my neighbors uses my rhubarb leaves as casts for concrete garden art. They are so beautiful and I'll include some photos in my next blog. So, if you have any ideas you would like to share please contact me.

As I prepare to make another batch of gingered rhubarb jam I look around at the waiting jars, lids, bands, large wooden spoons and big kettle and I feel a renewed connection with both of my grandmothers who loved preserving the bounty of the garden for their families. Thanks, Grandmas

Dennis's Comment re: rhubarb

O. K. - Rhubarb is a wonderful plant and very self-sufficient. If you want to know more about the plant and its origins you should listen to Garrison Keilor's monologue on the topic. It's hilarious. By dint of hard work, Gayle has me approaching the point at which I can recognize lavender, rosemary, some mints, and rhubarb at will and without help. She has friends who talk with her using the Latin names, genus, species, etc. as if they're actually communicating in an organized language. I think this is one of the reasons I'm a back office worker not allowed to interact with her customers. Have you ever had a real rhubarb with somebody?

Dennis

RHUBARB 101

Rhubarb - that gift that keeps on giving is growing wonderfully in our garden. It is so self-sufficient, so productive and so beautiful. What's not to love about a plant like that? It is long-lived and easily shared with others. It loves the cool springs (and summers) at our farm and thrives on our cold wet winters. The "rules" say it should be split every few years, but we haven't done that for thirteen years. Maybe next winter we'll have time. So far so good - production is still excellent with thick stalks in abundance - gallon bags of rhubarb in the freezer for pies in the winter and jam - lots of jam - one of our favorites!

Gingered Rubarb Jam
4 cups diced rhubarb
3 cups sugar
3 TBSPs finely snipped candied ginger
2 TBSPs lemon juice
Red food coloring optional
Combine rhubarb with next three ingredients in large pan; let it stand about fifteen minutes or until sugar is moistened by juice. Cook over medium-high heat stirring frequently until thick and clear for 12 - 15 minutes. Skim off foam; add red food coloring if desired. Ladle into hot scalded jars; seal and process in a hot water bath for fifteen minutes. Makes (3) 1/2 pints.

This is used for hostess gifts throughout the year and gets rave reviews. So, if you have access to some rhubarb, give it a try.
I have wonderful memories of rhubarb - huge leaves made into hats and fans with my sisters in our grandmother's back yard. I always had to fan my big sister. Tart stalks to suck on, sitting on the back steps of Grandma's porch. Oh - the stuff of childhood.

Well, I think it's time to go harvest some rhubarb and make my first batch of gingered rhubarb jam for 2009. I hope you enjoy the recipe and I will share more later.

Hi! I'm Dennis

I'm writing to introduce myself. I'm Gayle's husband and right-hand man. I found her when she said "Hey sailor, want a ride?" LOL... I'm just kidding. That's something I do all the time. In fact, never take a word I say without a grain of salt.


The picture above was taken a few years ago when we had our dog, Grace. If you want to see our current dog, check out our website, here.

Anyway, I'll be joining Gayle and posting here periodically.

Great day on the island today! The dogs love this weather and so do we.

Dennis

Getting Started

Hi!

This is my first post! I'm starting a website and this blog at the same time... Trouble is, I don't know much about computers, so this is all a learning experience for me.

Gardening (and especially herb gardening) is my passion! I plan to share gardening tips, rececipies and landscaping ideas here. Tune in for more soon!

Gayle H.