Friday, May 11, 2012

A Garden Learning Moment



The honeysuckle was smelling sweet on our walk tonight.  The pups charged ahead, Guinness in the lead, and McNibs not far from me, as is their usual.  The hay in the back field has been cut, and rolled into large, round bales.  It's a pretty spot, back there.


     I had a garden learning moment this evening.  I learned from Google that rutabaga leaves are edible. But then those purple-topped vegetables in the garden I'd been told were rutabagas turned out to be turnips.  They had none of the earthy sweetness I love in rutabagas, just that unpleasant hot taste.  Oh well, good thing there will be plenty else to eat, because these are all for Joseph.   I'm still working on cleaning out the freezer from last year's harvest, so okra and patty pan squash are on the menu.  There are also little potatoes, from last year's harvest.  We tried something new with our potatoes that Joseph remembers his grandfather doing.  We stored them on the ground in the woods, with lots of pine straw over them, a sprinkling of lime to keep insects at bay, and topped with tin.  They lasted wonderfully well  for months this way.   Around February, the quality started deteriorating, but lo and behold, they began making potatoes.  Free food, with no added work.  What's not to like? 



There are 13 new quarts of lima beans on the pantry shelf, and 4 1/2 quarts of crowder peas cooling.  Oh, I hope our sweet corn does well this year!  That Southern delicacy of crowder peas and corn is good eating.  Wishing you a wonderful weekend, friends!

5 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

thanks for the walk in your woods and that back pasture is beautiful.
But the little friends that wanted to come home with me have been tossed and torched!
I don't think they will make good pets!
Love the potatoe lesson-good one.

Laurie said...

Delighted to have you along for our walk! I'm not sure if the potatoes will do as well with a really frigid winter, but it sure has worked well so far. Those little friends can be persistent!

Mrs. Mac said...

I'll have to google crowder peas .. the things you are already harvesting won't even be ready until June in my garden. Enjoyed reading about your walk. Have a blessed week.

Julia said...

Stumbled on your blog and wanted to let you know I love it!

Laurie said...

Crowder peas are definitely worth checking out, Mrs. Mac.
Hi Julia! You were on my blogroll for a long time, but I thought you'd stopped blogging. I look forward to seeing what you've ben up to.