Friday 2 December 2016

Alternatives for gift-giving


It's that season again for people who celebrate Christmas or participate in gift-giving traditions around the time of the solstice... I've been trying for the last seven or eight years to make sure that I support local artisans and stores, especially independent bookstores. Christmas markets and bazaars are one good place to look, but if you want to shop online, sometimes that can be hard to do. Etsy is one obvious place to go looking, but there are other avenues as well.

Just recently my friends and I have been soliciting our friends to post what they make or sell on our timelines. It's a bit of free advertising. I lucked out and got something nice for my daughter. She doesn't read this so I can safely say that she's going to LOVE the crocheted mermaid tail blanket. It's exactly the colours she loves. Score!

I've made a short list of places below for your information and for the sake of interest:

Friday 25 November 2016

Composting. It's really not that hard!

You don't need anything fancy or expensive to start composting. All you have to do is designate a spot in your yard to let nature do its thing with vegetable matter. As always, don't put any bread, milk-products or meat into your composter. It will smell horribly, not compost very well, attract disease and pests... and just generally make your life difficult. Egg shells are one exception to this rule. I rinse them out and then crush them flat before I put them into the compost container.

The most basic way is a pile. Just a pile. You can hem it in with some sort of fence, but that can be made out of a cylinder of chicken wire, old pallets, or just a pile. People tend to put compost into vertical containers to save space and restrict access for wild animals. Container composting is the most popular for those of us who don't live on a farm or have a large amount of yard. However, in vertical containers there is also restricted air flow, so they need to be turned more often to maintain a good mix of oxygen-dependent bacteria.

The fancy word for this is aerobic. They thrive in oxygen-rich environments, and make your dirt good for for your garden. The other kind, anaerobic (surviving in oxygen-poor environments), aren't as good for plant growth and development, and will take time to clear out once added to your garden so the good kind can move back in. So, in this instance, cheap and lazy isn't a bad thing. Piles are messy, but they work.

Friday 11 November 2016

Friday 4 November 2016

Winding down for the winter

It's quite cold out there. There's something about damp air which ignores layers and insulation. And that lazy wind doesn't bother to go around... it just goes straight through.

But, my lasagne garden has some gorgeous, large worms in it now, and I uncovered a centipede (Chris called it a 'bazillopede' and got a bit squicked) whilst digging around. The soil is improving immensely. These are good signs. I have two composters digesting leaves and a bit of veggie scraps, but I don't want to put out much more than that because we seem to have rats. The green bin is for everything else. Thank goodness for that. I can feel less guilty about it.


Thursday 3 November 2016

Yet more on horehound


Since the horehound seemed to be effective I decided to start looking up *why*. There's been a lot of work lately on ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology and whether traditional folk cures actually work or not. Unsurprisingly, some of them actually are effective to a certain degree. Horehound was amongst some of the best that I have researched so far.

In the study referenced below the essential oil was distilled from the 'aerial parts' (ie. the leaves and stems) of Marrubium vulgare (horehound) and that was tested on various types of bacteria and fungi in vitro (ie. dropped onto culture plates of the bacteria, etc. and then studied). To distill it down to a sound-byte- Yes. It's very effective against two kinds of bacteria that make your throat sore, plus one kind of fungus that makes people feel sick. Plus, it slows down a few other kinds of bacteria. So, without knowledge of the scientific causes of sickness it would have been useful in quite a few instances to alleviate sore throats. I don't know how technical people want me to get with this... I could go into more detail, but I don't want to bore anyone. Basically, horehound was much more effective against gram+ bacteria than gram-. Also, it's a pretty good source of anti-oxidants, and it reduces inflammation and swelling.

Friday 14 October 2016

Bubble and squeak

Also filed under 'things I can eat'...

To modify this recipe you can use sweet potato instead of white potatoes. You can also veg-ify it by substituting vegetarian/vegan sausages and dairy-free margarine

Bubble and Squeak
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Left over boiled cabbage, carrots, parsnips, sausages (already cooked and chopped)
  • Mushrooms and onion (chopped)
  • 1-2 eggs (optional) 
  • gravy or ketchup (optional)

Friday 7 October 2016

Fall goodness- carrot recipes

I don't think I need to re-post all of these. I'll just direct you to the website for the Carrot Museum. It's a fun website with lots of information. And...

http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/recipes.html


Enjoy!

Saturday 24 September 2016

Summer gardening roundup

It was really tough not having my own space this summer, and not having the money to set anything up at my new place... But, I scrounged together some cash and threw some plants in the dirt.

I started with putting down cardboard on the area that I wanted to use for my first few beds, and I held it down with potted plants. After a couple months the grass stopped trying to fight back and the cardboard lay flat on the ground. By then I had a bit of money, and I bought a cedar board that was on sale at Homely Despot, got them to cut it into lengths, and got some cheap corner hardware to put it all together. Then I filled the center with some hay from my dad, a bag of composted manure, and a couple bags of cheap dirt from the grocery store garden center. It didn't quite fill the box, but I mounded it up on one side and used the other side to trench-compost some kitchen veggie scraps.

Friday 16 September 2016

Pumpkin soup

Pumpkin Soup
  • 2lbs pumpkin (pie variety NOT carving type)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • butter or butter substitute
  • salt and pepper
  • cinnamon and nutmeg
  • milk
  • 1 litre of vegetable stock

Friday 26 August 2016

Rose hip syrup with honey


Rosehips contain 20x more Vitamin C than you find in oranges, and you can find them growing on rose bushes everywhere. Some are larger and others smaller, but they're essentially the same. If you pick them after first frost they're a bit sweeter, but they're ready once they go all red.



Ingredients

Honey
Rosehips
Water


Friday 5 August 2016

Kitchen sink stew

Kitchen Sink Stew


Ingredients
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 leek or small onion
  • 2 Tbsp flour or thickener of your choice (I use tapioca flour)
  • Enough stock to cover the contents of your pot
  • 1 cup beans, fresh or tinned (kidney, lima, etc.)
  • 1 cup chopped, cooked meat (optional)
  • 4-5 cups chopped vegetables of your choice- whatever you have in season in your garden- kale, carrots, beans, potatoes, etc.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Mixed culinary herbs- fresh or dried to taste (dill tastes good with fish, rosemary tastes good with everything else, but I like to put in a bit of parsley, sage and thyme as well).
  • Milk or cream (optional)

Friday 22 July 2016

Wildcrafted local mustard







Garlic Mustard-Mustard               
makes about 1/2 c.

7 Tb ground garlic mustard seeds
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tb water
2 tsp honey or 3 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp turmeric

1. Grind the seeds using either a mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder, then stir together with the salt and turmeric. Add the water, honey and vinegar and stir until smooth.


Let it sit, covered, in the fridge for a week, and then stir before use. It will darken up a bit. Keep it covered, and use within seven months.

The only ingredients which aren't possibly local are the salt and turmeric. Not bad!

Friday 24 June 2016

Wildflower mead

This is a good time of year to make mead, and I'm going to try. Again. Last time didn't work out so well because I forgot about it in the closet and it went... stinky. I was a bit disappointed. Plus, it was such a large carboy that it was unmanageable.

However, this recipe seems like a good way to start- one gallon jar, local honey, and flowers from my own garden (and hopefully some of the ones which I've planted out there in the wild this past spring).

Wish me luck.

And this time I'm using a calendar.

Friday 3 June 2016

Thrifty garden goodness- pea pod soup

Pea Pod Soup


Ingredients
a colander's worth of empty pea pods (use fresh pods from your garden)
water
1 large onion
1 large or 2 small potatoes
a handful of fresh mint leaves (from your own garden if possible)
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
garnish with chopped green onions and/or cream or yoghurt


Friday 13 May 2016

How to plant a verge or front yard garden


Sometimes people want to plant a garden, but their backyard is unsuitable for some reason- too small, too shady, that's where the dogs and kids like to rampage, etc. More and more people have been breaking out of the mold and trying gardening in their front yards. Some have even taken it down to the edge of the road, on the verge.

Friday 6 May 2016

Garlic mustard hummus and falafels

Garlic mustard is an incredibly invasive species. I'll call them 'weeds', but they're actually incredibly edible, so maybe we should call them 'free food'... It grows everywhere.

So, here are a couple recipes you can use them in. Blanch the plants in a bit of boiling water if you find them too bitter when used raw.


Garlic Mustard Hummus 
makes about 2 1/2 c.

2 cups washed, chopped garlic mustard leaves
1 cup washed, chopped ramps greens, or 1/2 cup onion
2 cups cooked chick peas
5 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cumin

1. Put everything into your food processor and blend until a nice consistency. Add more olive oil if you like it smoother.


Green Falafels            
makes about 35 falafel patties

1 cup packed, chopped raw garlic mustard greens
10 green ramps leaves, or 1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cans chickpeas, or about 3 cups raw, soaked chickpeas
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp flour of your choice- choose something with a bit of sticking power like tapioca or corn starch if wheat isn't your thing
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 c. breadcrumbs (gluten free if you like, or more tapioca starch)

1. Heat the oven to 375°.
2. Blend everything in a food processor until a slightly chunky paste forms. You may need to add more olive oil as you want the mixture to be scoopable.
3. Form the mixture into patties, about 2 Tablespoons for each patty. Coat the falafel in the breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. Spray the falafels with a light coat of olive oil cooking spray.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, flip over and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with pitas and fillings.

Friday 29 April 2016

Community garden plot

We're moving back to the city we think of as home in about six weeks. It's exciting, and a bit stressful. And, as we're going to have to rent for at least a year while we build up a down-payment for a house... I'm not going to have much in the way of a garden for that time. This irks me. But, at least it will be mine. All mine, muahahahahahahahahaha*cough* Ahem.

I did manage to luck into a 10x10 plot in a community garden. It's not terribly near our new house, but it is very close to a friend's place, so I'm hoping to mix gardening and tea. It has been difficult trying to contact the community gardens, as none of them have contacted me back, except the one where I got a garden plot. I'm assuming this is because they have long waiting lists and not much volunteer time.

A good friend is sending me some flax seeds. She headed me off at the pass when I bought the wrong kind... There are more than one kind of flax, apparently. One is annual, the other is perennial. The perennial is a hardy garden plant and a good native wildflower. There are two varieties of annual- one which is better for seed and one which is better for fibre. Thankfully, she's sending me the fibre variety, and I'm sharing the perennial with her for her garden. The rest of the perennial kind I'll be spreading on a field this weekend. When the proper fibre kind gets here I'll be spreading it over half my community garden plot. You have to harvest the flax for fibre just after it finishes flowering, but before it sets seed, so I'll leave a patch on one side to grow some seed for next year. Maybe a bit to eat, too, just for the novelty. The flax plants get a bit tough by then, but it might make a nice bit of cordage.

I got permission for this in advance from the garden co-ordinator so I didn't get into any trouble. It was a strange request, but there you go. I'm used to whimsical looks from people.

Then comes the retting (rotting) process. I hear it's kind of smelly...

Friday 22 April 2016

Make a little bee-house in your soul

Wild bees

There are many thousands of varieties of bees besides those which make honey. In Canada we have at least 730, which is only 4% of the approximately 19,000 species world-wide, but only 39 of those reside in Ontario (as far as we know right now, as insects are notoriously difficult to find). (1)

Bees developed from digger wasps, but instead of killing prey for their young they switched to pollen. Bees are almost as old as flowers in the timeline of the earth. Most bee species do not live in colonies, but provide a store of pollen for their young in a safe place where the egg is deposited. The only species native to Canada that rear their young and live in colonies are Bumblebees, which live in abandoned rodent burrows. Of those who do not live in colonies most make their nests in the ground, but a good number of them like the pithy stems of plants, beetle-holes in wood, or other naturally occurring cavities (like snail shells). A few make a nest under rocks.(2)

Friday 15 April 2016

How to build a cheap hoop house

http://doorgarden.com/2008/10/27/50-dollar-hoop-house-green-house/

This is just a link because I've never made one, but these instructions look pretty good, actually.

Friday 8 April 2016

Time for tea- herbal tea blends and recipes


I have a great teapot which has an infuser under the lid, so I can make up a whole pot at a time, but I also use a tea ball for individual cups. Herbal tea usually takes about five minutes to steep. Sweeten with a bit of honey to keep the complex flavour palette.

Peppermint tea-
There isn't much more simple than this. Use one teaspoon of dried or 1 tablespoon fresh leaves per cup.

Lavender tea-
One tablespoon of fresh or dried lavender flowers per cup of water. You can add mint or lemon balm as you like.

Saturday 2 April 2016

How to grow and store your own herbal tea


Some herbs to try-
Mint, Lavender, Lemon verbena, Lemon balm, Thyme, Chamomile, Rosemary, Fennel, Sage, Lemon grass (will grow in a pot and can be over-wintered that way), Rose hips (I've mentioned this before, but they have an amazing amount of vitamin C), Linden tree flowers (harvest before the flower bud opens, and they taste like honey), Hyssop (lovely, fragrant leaves and the bees love the flowers), Clover blossoms,Organic citrus peels (eat the fruit and save the peels from the outside. Trim off the sour, white rind to improve the flavour), Blackberry and raspberry leaves, and Borage (the flowers are sweet and the leaves a bit cucumber-y). If you want to get some nutrition into yourself in early spring try gathering some nettles. They are surprisingly healthy, with vitamin C, B1, K, carotenoids, and a lot of calcium and magnesium and a few other minerals. Use gloves to gather them because of the stinging, but after being immersed in hot water they are safe to handle. Young nettles were commonly chopped up and added to pottages in the spring to help people recover after a winter of less food (and vitamins and minerals). Later in the summer they get too woody and fibrous. In fact, nettles are another source of spinnable fibres and are processed like flax.

How to dry and store herbs and plant material-

Friday 18 March 2016

Eggless tea cake (literally- tea)

Another British recipe from WWII. I love that this one uses tea, although since it also uses wheat flour I'll never be eating it. I may try to find a way to substitute in for the wheat somehow. Kitchen experiment time.

Eggless Fruit Cake

  • 1.5 cups self raising flour (or plain flour with 3 teaspoons of baking powder added)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup of black tea (cold)
  • 5 Tbsp butter
  • 5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup dried fruit

Plant-based rennets for cheese


The Medieval Cheese Blog is an amazing resource. I'm planning on trying a couple of these suggestions for making cheese- Plant-based cheese rennets

The most accessible plants mentioned are nettle, thistle, cardoon, sorrel and lady's bedstraw (that's a very multi-purpose plant!). The other option she mentions is the sap of a fig tree. While it's possible to grow those in Ontario, unless you live in zone 7 it's a serious pain to try and keep them.

I've harvested a few early sorrel leaves from the garden, so I'll see how it turns out.

Friday 4 March 2016

Keeping bees

I've decided to go in with a few friends and keep a hive of honeybees- only one for this first year because it's a bit expensive to start. It's illegal to use the medieval-style of hives (because they aren't as good for bee health), so I'll be using the modern Langstroth variety. It's the most popular and has the most information for beginners. If all goes well we might add another hive next year.

I admit that I'm a bit daunted and nervous. There will eventually be a LOT of bees. There are so many things that can go wrong. Bees have been under an unprecedented amount of stress from disease and parasites. I don't think they've had so much to deal with at once in all their 40 million year history.

Those pictures of foulbrood that I've seen on the 'net turn my stomach. If that happens I might just set the whole hive alight... Unfortunately, that's the best method of keeping the bee-eating bacteria from spreading to other hives and wild bees. The second best method is burning the frames and thoroughly scorching the inside of the hive bodies. The spores live up to 40 years in a dormant state. Once a colony has it, that colony is dead. I refuse to administer antibacterial treatments which become something you have to give that colony indefinitely. That's just breeding a super-bug. Plus, it gets into the honey you will be eating. Again, breeding super-bugs and damaging your own immune system. No thanks.

In my head I have this beautiful idea of a large garden of flowers, herbs and vegetables, drenched in sunshine and humming with bees. It's my idea of heaven on earth, actually. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to have that.

Monday 29 February 2016

Further updates on the horehound

So, I got to test it on myself, too, a little while ago. My daughter and co-worker both gave it positive reviews, and so do I. It definitely does help a bit. I wouldn't recommend it for something serious like bronchitis or pneumonia, but for the regular, run-of-the-mill cold with chest congestion... Yes. Horehound is effective.

NB: This is a very small trial of only three people. Don't get mad at me if you try it and it doesn't do all that you were expecting :) Everyone is different and has different immune systems.

Friday 26 February 2016

Cauliflower with cheese and bacon

Cauliflower with Cheese with Bacon
  • 1 fresh cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • 1 onion or leek
  • 2-4 oz of bacon (approx. 4-6 strips)
  • 2 oz cheese (a good way to approximate is look at your index and middle fingers together- that's about the right size)
  • salt and pepper
  • horseradish or mustard
  • blob of butter

Friday 19 February 2016

Local food- What is it and why should we care?



What is local food? 
In very simple terms, it's food grown and produced (and processed) in an area near you. That can be defined narrowly, such as what is within your municipality, or more broadly, such as within a few hundred kilometers of your house.

What are some reasons for preferring local food?
  • Depending on local food security laws can help avoid the incredible problems which have come out of places like China, for instance, or the more recent Listeriosis contaminated salads from the U.S.
  • Keeping money in your local economy is good for everyone.
  • Buying food from closer to home reduces your 'carbon footprint'. By burning less gas to get your food you put less CO2 into the atmosphere. Carbon footprint calculator


Cheese and potato dumplings




Cheese and Potato Dumplings
  • 2 lbs of potatoes peeled (set aside the peel to bake in the oven for another delicious snack)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 to 4 oz strong grated cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • dried herbs to taste 

Friday 5 February 2016

Herbal cold and flu syrup

I'm a big fan of The Nerdy Farm Wife, and this recipe sounded like something good to pass along as everyone seems to be sick right now-

Ginger and lemon balm cold and flu syrup

I won't say 'enjoy', because if you're using it you're not feeling very well...

Use it in good health, perhaps?

Herbs for a kitchen garden (common and not)

Until I get my own 'forever garden' I'm not going to bother with too many perennials this year unless I get them dirt-cheap from somewhere) but it's nice to think about it and dream. Just for a reference, my area is a 5b on the plant hardiness zones map.
Ontario and Quebec plant hardiness zones


Perennials

Bay- this evergreen tree *may* survive outside under the right conditions, but it does quite well in a big pot which you can over-winter in a sunny, south-facing window or a nice, protected greenhouse or garage. Although, if we keep getting warm winters it shouldn't be a problem. Not that this is necessarily a good thing. It needs full sunshine and a good watering once it dries down. These leaves are the traditional garlands used to award the victors of athletic competitions in Greece.

Chives- this is probably the easiest plant to grow on the planet. The leaves and flowers are edible, and every once in a while it's a good idea to split it to give the roots room to grow. It will grow in part shade but prefers full sun, and they like dry feet so just throw a bit of water at them every once in a while.

Lavender- there are two varieties commonly grown in gardens, English and French. The English variety is smaller and has smaller flowers, but it's hardy to zone 5. Keep in a sheltered area with good sun for the best chance of it surviving the winter. It's not a typical 'culinary' herb, but it's lovely, smells great, and is easy to grow. So, why not?

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Update on the horehound

So, I've had a chance to use human guinea pigs due to the tenacious cough that's going around this month. My daughter says that putting a sprig of horehound into her favourite herbal tea (with lots of honey to help with the 'funny' taste) did help her a bit with her cough. I have a couple co-workers who have had a cough for about a month now, so I'm giving them some snippings from my plant to try. I've asked them to give me feedback on whether they think it helped or not.

Since horehound has been recommended for the same thing for about 2,000 years now I suspected it was probably useful at least a little bit for coughs and chest congestion. My daughter says yes, and we'll have two other opinions soon. It's cheaper than cough drops to keep a pot of this plant on your windowsill...

Friday 29 January 2016

Lord Woolton pie

This was considered to be a sad substitute for Shepherd's Pie during WWII in the UK, but it's a great way to get veggies into reluctant veggie eaters. Serve with a roast of some variety for a very decadent meal. It's also a great way to use leftover vegetables. All these BBC Wartime productions have gotten me thinking.


Wednesday 20 January 2016

Planning for the spring

All the seed catalogs have started coming in already, but there's still a month and a half before I can start planting anything. This is the long, dark teatime of the gardener's soul.

But, on the up-side, my horehound and marshmallow are surviving in their pots, and my Meyer lemon tree is getting leaves again. It looked quite strange for a while with three green lemons and no leaves. It needs a better location, but that's the best window in the house. It also needs to be re-potted. Maybe in the spring when I can do that all outside. Our living room is much too small to deal with all that dirt. I'll have to wait until we get our new house to plant out the horehound. Or, maybe I could start a new plant and give this one away. It's a perennial, so it would make a pretty, low shrub in someone's garden. I don't want to leave it here, as the people who buy the place are 99.99999% unlikely to appreciate it.

I've found a whole new genre of YouTube channels- British people who vlog about their allotments. It's adorable, and makes me yearn for a milder climate. Putting in potatoes on the first of April? That would be insanity in Southern Ontario. I also learned a better method for growing leeks- use a dibber to make a 6" hole and place the small plant inside with the first leaves poking out the top. Don't fill it in, just water it. The hole will gradually fill in on its own and leave room for the stem to get nice and big. I'll have to try that this year.