Broccoli & Cauliflower leaves.... Eatable??

YES, They are!   

I asked this question on facebook yesterday,

 wondering if any of my friends had ever eaten them.   

I had someone send me links to some sites about eating these leave.

 Well, that was enough for me... 

I told the kids what I was up to and they wanted in!

 Oh Yah! (Big smile from the mama!)

First we started with the picking. 

(Photos by my oldest daughter) 

Next, I washed the greens. (Not shown)

Then peeled them... 

The stems are called "the poor mans asparagus" 

which sounds to me that they might be a little tougher then what I want in my greens. 

But defiantly have their place in the kitchen.

 So OFF with their heads! 

I also ripped them into 3-4 inch large piece.

I also read that the greens might have a bitter taste.  So I filled a pot with cold water & leaves. I brought this to a boil. Once it came to a boil I dipped the greens out and added them to ice cold water. 

Next I drained the greens .... and gave them a good squeeze!




                                                                                          Then I gave them a chopping.

Fried some Bacon....  As my hubby said, Bacon makes everything taste better.

I then add the green to the bacon, added some garlic and sautéed them for about 3-5 mins. 

This gave them a nice crunch. Just the way I like my veggies.

Still amazes me something I once thought to be uneatable, 

something that would just find its way into the compost, could taste so good.

Until Next Time, 

Amy

Oklahoma Summer Gardening

 Gardening in Central Oklahoma has been completely different from gardening in Oregon, where I was raised.  Everything seemed to grow all season long with ZERO die off!  NOT Oklahoma! Two days of 100 degrees and say good bye to your tomatoes and anything else that might be a little weak from bug munches.    Today the kids and I pulled out our tomato plants that have browned and stopped growing and replaced them with a fall crop of green beans.  The green beans will add nitrogen back into the soil that the tomatoes have depleted. ......... or so I'm told.

Until Next time,

Amy

No time, NO TIME!!

Peppers

        WOW wow WOW....   (wonder how many times I can say that without taking a breath?)



This has been a really busy week so much so I really haven't been able to spend much time in the garden. The weeds have noticed and are growing faster than rabbits reproduce!


However, I have been harvesting an enormous amout of tomatoes and I'm finally getting a few okra. Enough okra for 1 pint jar to pickle later today! Yippy skippy that's good stuff! Squash bugs have taken over anything squash or vining. So yuck for us!   BUT we have tomatoes!!

Until next time,

Amy

In Loving Memory of the Brown Apple tree

Received a call this evening from a friend.... "Amy would you like some apples?"   {ummm, Sure}  "They are still green but my apple tree split....."   You get the picture right?

 It's a sad day for The Brown Apple tree indeed!  But let me just say to you, this was one HUGE tree! And it was L~O~A~D~E~D with apples. We're blessed with wonderful friends that are willing to share their apples. But I must say, I am sadden at the untimely death of the Brown Apple tree.

Now onto business! What to do with all the apples! Candied apples, apple butter, apple sauce, pie filling, apple cider, perhaps some apple cider vinegar. Who knows, I might think of a few more things to make from the apples between now and then.... I guess we'll have to wait and see.


Amy

Welcome to My Garden

Welcome to the Garden 2010,

This is where I love to spend my time.  I would rather be in my garden than to wash dishes or do laundry.  I find digging in the dirt, planting and harvesting relaxing... even in the hot Oklahoma Sun!  Grab a glass of Ice Cold Tea, kick your shoes off and enjoy the garden tour.

The Herb Bed... along with a few plants I didn't have a "REAL" thought out home for, landed here.

This area is also new to the homestead this year, and right out my front door.

This area receives about 6 hours of the morning sun.

Not sure I can say anything about this garden area. Except, I think every homestead needs one! Mostly shade.

Thought this might save some time.... This is the main Veggie Garden 2010.

The top picture shows off my 75 tomato plants and a few squash and okra.

The bottom shows a nice empty area where I will be planting the fall crop, slatted to go in some time in the next couple of weeks. 

(right after I finish pulling out those weeds) Full Sun

My lovely Asparagus bed! 

 I worked so hard on this bed for a whole year. I added grass clippings and leaves flipped and flopped until it was broke down into wonderful organic matter.  And this spring I added my roots and they are taking to that bed like pigs to mud! full sun

 I have since pulled all the corn out. (was a really bad spot for corn) I'm not really sure what I will plant here with the leeks but I'm sure I will come up with something. Part shade until the pear tree gets a trim.

The Melon Bed..... cantaloupe, acorn squash and sugar baby watermelons. 

the two pots are just some flowers that I moved out of the way while mowing and never put them back.... story of my life!  

 Last but certainly not lest... the new bed. Mostly shade so I'm not real sure what I will be planting here. More than likely it will be my experiment bed. (if I can ever get it finished) Then again it might just be the perfect place for my rhubarb plants we will have to see how that one plays out.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have enjoyed your stay! 

And Come back often ya hear?!

Amy