We're also busy cleaning barns and preparing for goat kids that will be arriving soon. Making sure the proper medical supplies are on hand, cleaning barns and prepping the kids' housing facilities are keeping us busy. Below are more details on what is on our Gardening February to-do list.
This last week of January has been an interesting one. Yesterday in Central Texas it was 83 degrees F, one degree shy of breaking the record high. Of course the concern is the warm weather is causing plants to bloom and bud early and with an average last freeze date in mid to late March depending upon the respective location, there is a reasonable chances plants could suffer a hard set back from a late freeze, so we're anxiously watching weather forecasts with plant covers at hand. The weather here is very unpredictable and within 48 hours can offer up something wildly different from what the forecast predicted.
We're also busy cleaning barns and preparing for goat kids that will be arriving soon. Making sure the proper medical supplies are on hand, cleaning barns and prepping the kids' housing facilities are keeping us busy. Below are more details on what is on our Gardening February to-do list.
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This time of year weather plays a huge factor in what chores can be done and what chores must be done. We had a few nice days over the holidays which gave us an opportunity to make some improvements to the chicken coop and add another coop for our younger guinea fowl. I'll post more about that at a later date.
Our January List: Although the weather may not be that pleasant for outdoor chores, there are a few things you will want to be sure to check on as winter sets in.
Here is what is on our December to do list: In the beginning . . .I enjoy cooking, but I most enjoy it without deadlines, planned menus or others' expectations. Our dinner parties frequently include an impromptu menu determined by what nature is making available at the time combined with what sounds good to the guests and meals are prepared on the spot, in front of guests. One early summer's evening I took the trip out to the main garden to harvest various herbs that I anticipated would be incorporated into the evening's menu. I had previously experimented with a smaller herb garden more conveniently located to the kitchen, but for a number of reasons, this garden never produce the same quality of herbs that my main garden did. However, in a pinch, it did prevent me from having to trudge out in the wind, heat, freezing cold, pitch darkness - or whatever else Mother Nature threw at me. Also, I'll admit, I get rather tired at times and just don't feel like expending the effort. Other times, it's just downright laziness. Returning to the house with sprays of various herbs, I began to sort through my selection. It was at this point I noticed some antique bud vases sitting on a kitchen window ledge. The vases had been recently salvaged from my grandparent's house. I remembered how sushi restaurants will frequently line their bars with herb boxes. The sushi chefs will snip the herbs directly from their box and immediately incorporate them into their dishes. I decided to borrow the concept and lined my island with herb filled bud vases. The greenery added a whimsical touch and greatly simplified my meal preparation and the evening was a great success. This worked quite well and immediately became my new modus operandi. Then a couple of weeks later . . .After this particular dinner party, I was in a rush. Not thinking much about the remaining herbs, I moved the vases off the counter and back on the kitchen window ledge. Fast forward to a couple of weeks later when I once again was in need of fresh herbs and I remembered the herbs that had been abandoned in the bud vases. To my surprise, not only were the herbs still as fresh as when I had collected them, they had sprouted roots, grown new leaves and even flowered. I had seen fresh cut herbs at the grocery store. The cut herbs are typically wrapped in packets to allow for attractive display, stored in water to retain freshness and offered at prices similar to what you could purchase a 3 inch potted herb for. What a great virtually cost- and labor-free method to grow herbs. I can grow herbs in my kitchen which offers a temperature-controlled, pest-free environment; it requires no soil is which frequently can attract pests; and the care is simple and convenience unsurpassed. The only challenge for some could be enough direct sunlight, but that can be easily resolved with UV lights.
As a marketer, I know all the rules about the baseline necessity of posting a new blog post at least once a week. However, I have to say as a sustainable farmer, this isn't so easy. Not to take anything away at all from folks who are busting their bee-hinds all week at their day jobs only to return in the late hours of the evening darkness to scramble and try to save their garden or feed their livestock, but doing for a living does raise this to a new level.
Tonight is yielding our first serious freeze. By serious I mean the weather forecasters were first talking about low 40's then upper 30's. I'm pulling out the BS card to announce at 11 p.m. we were at 33 degrees F. I've planketed what I could of the garden, cut off the waterers, rolled down the canvas protectors for the chickens and will now sit and wait to learn what tragedy greets me in the morning. So, I've played with a few new recipes this week, got some great new plants started and will now hope for the best in the morning relative to my gardens and infrastructure. I appreciate the laws relative to building audiences in the blogosphere, but sometimes Mother Nature steps in and decides to play the house rules to her advantage and preempt the best of plans I may have been contemplating for myself,. Winter is well on its way to most parts of North America. Halloween parties abound this weekend while many of us are aborting haunting plans in lieu of watching Game 7 of the World Series. In the background harried and anxious discussions regarding Thanksgiving Holiday plans are filling the air. Amongst all this, the howling cold of the north wind and some of the goat does letting us know they are ready to breed, it's time to prepare the homestead for November. Here is what is on our list: 1. Lift and move any plants not already in the green house. Many of the citrus are fine down into the 40 degrees F range, but even though they can tolerate lower temperatures, moving them into the green house allows us to enjoy citrus during the winter months as well. 2. Heat loving herbs such as basil are lifted and placed into pots or new plants that have been started from seed in pots are moved into the green house. 3. Check irrigation systems to make sure everything is in good working order and buried or insulated well enough to avoid any breaks and bursts. Ensure all the cold weather crops such as kale, lettuce and spinach are receiving enough water. Harvest any remaining herbs that won't make it through the colder temperatures and put away for drying. 4. Clean off all the solar panels. With the dry weather we've been having, dust accumulates on the panels and can further reduce efficiency during the already shortened hours of daylight. 5. Drain water collection eliminators and clean roof washers. Although this isn't imperative, it's better to do it now and avoid having to potentially perform these tasks during bitter winter temperatures. 6. Check and repair seals on doors and windows. The summer sun and heat can be brutal on seals, and they can break down amazingly quickly. 7. In the chicken coop, we make sure the heat lamps are at the ready and power supplies and any related materials such as extension cords are in good working order. We also inspect the tarp we keep rolled up on the side of the coop. When inclement weather arrives, we simply roll down the tarp and secure it at the bottom. When the days warm again, we can roll the tarp back up. Walk the perimeter of the coop and make sure the structure is secure from animals looking to get in for some extra feed as well as predators looking for an easy poultry dinner. 8. When you rake leaves, bag them for winter goat treats or use them as bedding. If you are too lazy to rake and have portable fencing panels, simply move the panels around to where you want the goats to graze. However, if you are still milking, you will want to keep your goats off the dried leaves as it will impact the flavor of the milk. This activity is best reserved for doelings, bucks and retired does. 9. Be sure the does are getting enough exercise to avoid pregnancy toxemia. 10. Check the barn to make sure everything is in good working order and not too drafty. 11. Lastly, if you live in an area where birds migrate, beware of over-wintering birds of prey. Deciduous trees allow for easy line of sight for predators looking for free ranging poultry, so keep a careful watch on the birds in your area. If you see a bird of prey frequently visiting your place - even if they aren't looking at your poultry - it's best to prohibit free ranging for a few days and allow the predator time to learn they should move on to more fertile hunting grounds. Stay warm and enjoy some downtime from the hectic chores of spring time and summer!
Growing carrots, a root vegetable, in parts of Texas where we lack deep, loamy soil can be a challenge, even when you have amended the soil. Throw in a record-breaking drought and growing carrots becomes even more difficult. However, the nice thing about carrots is pests don't bother them much in the garden, so as long as you have decent soil and adequate moisture, they are easy to grow and have a zillion uses. There are more than 100 varieties of carrots today. Carrots can be as long as 3 feet and up to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and are available in orange, white, yellow, mauve, purple and black hues. However, because of our geography and climate challenges, I have become very fond of growing Baby Carrots. Baby carrots purchased in grocery stores are actually pared down from regular sized carrots, but these carrots growth to about 3 inches long and are "true" baby carrots. The variety we planted is called Little Finger and was developed in France for pickling and canning whole or eating fresh. This cool season mini-carrot can be harvested early if conditions require, but will still have a deep orange color, tender core and sweet flavor. In working our garden beds for the cool weather garden, we decided to pull all our carrots from one of the beds, providing us with an abundance of delicious baby carrots. Although we washed and enjoyed many of the carrots before they even had a chance to leave the garden, we had so many remaining that I spent some time experimenting with various carrot-based recipes. Carrots do have truly unlimited uses, from appetizers to desserts, even in the fabrication of wine. Carrot greens are very nutritious and much appreciated by gourmets. One of the goals of Life Slice Garden to Table Recipes is to use as many ingredients as possible as concurrently available in your garden, requiring a minimal amount of time and energy to cook and create these recipes, so hopefully you will find some of these recipes helpful in your own kitchen. Figs are a venerable Mediterranean staple and you will find them in grocery stores in the US from early summer to early fall. In the US, most figs are produced on the west coast and southwestern US in semi-arid regions.
In parts of Europe, such as Greece, figs are so plentiful that there are times of the year where it is nearly impossible to sell them. Some areas have the opportunity to enjoy two harvest seasons during the warmer months. If you are lucky enough to be growing some of your own figs, you need to frequently visit your own trees and check for fruits that are ready for harvest. Description Figs are a culinary delicacy with a unique taste and texture. Figs are lusciously sweet, believed to be one of sweetest fruits, and feature a complex texture that combines the chewiness of their flesh, the smoothness of their skin, and the crunchiness of their seeds. In addition, since fresh figs are so delicate and perishable, some of their mystique comes from their relative rarity. Because of this, the majority of figs are dried, either by exposure to sunlight or through an artificial process. However, in this article the focus will be on fresh figs. Figs grow on the Ficus tree (Ficus carica), a member of the Mulberry family. They are unique in that they have an opening, called the "ostiole" or "eye," which is not connected to the tree, but which helps the fruit's development, aiding it in communication with the environment. Botanically speaking, a fig is not a fruit, but simply a receptacle to hold the seeds, or "fruits" inside. The seeds can't be pollinated because the seeds are inside the fruit, the tree does not blossom. Figs range in color, shape and subtly in texture depending upon the variety, of which there are more than 150. Popular varieties include: - Black Mission: blackish-purple skin and pink colored flesh - Kadota: green skin and purplish flesh - Calimyrna: greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh - Brown Turkey: purple skin and red flesh - Adriatic: the variety most often used to make fig bars, which has a light green skin and pink-tan fles Figs: Great Nutrition Packed into a Tiny Package - Fiber: Few foods are as rich in dietary fiber as figs. An 8 oz. serving meets approximately 1/3 of the recommended daily requirement. - Trace minerals: Fresh figs are particularly rich in the trace mineral manganese, offering .29 milligrams, or 14.5 percent of the daily requirement per 8 oz. serving, and the major mineral potassium and 79 milligrams of calcium. - Vitamins: An 8 oz. portion of fresh figs also provides .26mg of vitamin B6 and 10.7 micrograms of vitamin K; meeting approximately 13 percent of the recommended daily value for each. Fresh figs also are a source of vitamin E, providing 2.02mg, or 10 percent of the daily recommended requirement for the same serving. Fig Leaves are Edible Too! Although you are not likely to find fig leaves in a US grocery store, but the leaves are edible too. In some cultures, fig leaves are a common part of the menu, and for good reason. The leaves of the fig have repeatedly been shown to have antidiabetic properties and can actually reduce the amount of insulin needed by persons with diabetes who require insulin injections. In one study, a liquid extract made from fig leaves was simply added to the breakfast of insulin-dependent diabetic subjects in order to produce this insulin-lowering effect. And remember from your history classes what a critical role fig leaves played during the Dark Ages when artistic censors ran about protecting the pubic by strategically placing fig leaves of the statues of scandalously nude gods and goddesses. Selecting and Harvesting Figs
Storing figs Ripe figs should be kept in the refrigerator where they will stay fresh for about two days. Since they have a delicate nature and can easily bruise, you should store them either arranged on a paper towel-lined plate or shallow container. They should be covered or wrapped in order to ensure that they do not dry out, get crushed or pick up odors from neighboring foods. If you have purchased slightly under-ripe figs, you should keep them on a plate, at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Preparing Figs Before eating of cooking figs, wash them under cool water and then gently remove the stem and wipe dry. Eat as is or use in one of our recommended recipes below. Quick Serving Suggestions:
Other Uses for Figs: Figs contain a chemical called ficin, a proteolytic enzyme capable of breaking down proteins with an action similar to that of papain, found in papayas, or bromelain, found in pineapples. Ficin is effecting in temperatures ranging from 140 degrees to 160 degrees F, the temperature range for simmering stews. If fresh figs are added to the stew, they will help tenderize the meat and impart excellent flavor. Canned figs will not work because they are heated to very high temperatures during the sterilization process. Fig History Figs are mentioned in the Bible and other ancient writings. They are probably the world's oldest fruit and are believed to have originated in Asia Minor and first cultivated in Egypt where they then spread to ancient Crete and around the 9th century BC to Greece where they became a staple foodstuff. Figs were held in such high esteem, the Greeks created laws forbidding the export of the best quality figs. In ancient Rome they were revered as a sacred fruit. At least 29 varieties of figs were known by then. Figs were later introduced to other regions of the Mediterranean by ancient conquerors and then brought to the Western Hemisphere by the Spaniards in 1520. Today, California remains one of the largest producers of figs in addition to Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Selecting Dried Figs If fresh figs are not in season and you would like to add some to your oatmeal or cereal, dried figs make a suitable alternative. If you are purchasing produce raised for commercial purposes it is advisable to select fresh figs over dried or always reach for the organic figs. Dried figs may be treated with sulfur dioxide gas during processing and sulfites to extend their shelf life, help prevent oxidation and the bleaching of colors. Sulfites used as a preservative cause in adverse reactions in approximately one out of 100 people and it is of particular concern for those who suffer from asthma. Approaching the second half of September, the northern hemisphere is preparing for fall and winter, while the southern hemisphere has spring fever setting in. If you are in the northern hemisphere and practicing, of thinking of practicing, some sustainable urban farming practices, here are a few things to consider for preparation:
When our sustainable living experiment was started exactly four years ago, we suspected there were a few things we were going to need to learn. Fast forward to now and we are still learning things everyday. The reason for this website and blog is to provide a resource for people who are thinking about trying to grow some or more of their own food. There is still a lot of information that needs to be added, and will added over the coming weeks; it was just difficult to realize how long it takes to record all that you have done and learned - while still doing the chores on the farm. The geography in which this experimental farm is located has been experiencing the hottest and most extreme drought ever on record. This has made it especially challenging to keep gardens alive, relieve chickens from heat stress and manage a careful balance of household versus farm needs with a system whose sole source of water is rain water. We have also had a record number of chicks hatch this spring and summer and it is still not unusual to go out and find a newly hatched baby hiding in a broody hen's feathers. To sum things up, the first inhabitants to settle in a new land were a hardy and resourceful breed. Luckily things aren't quite as difficult now and most of us have neighbors close by with whom we can trade food products and resources as needed. However, working on producing even a small bit of your own food, water or energy can be a very rewarding experience and our hope is this website will provide you with inspiration.
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