a time to dig

After a couple of seasons of trying to grow garlic from spring until summer with failed attempts I came across a message that I know was meant just for me.  After I read it it made total sense.  "Plant garlic bulbs on the shortest day of the year and harvest on the longest day of the year."  Shortest day being December 20th and the longest day being June 20th.  Maybe this isn't the case in all parts of the world.  Our local Wal-Mart sells garlic bulbs in the spring, which is why I thought they should be planted in the spring.  But fall planting or planting later in the year makes more sense.  Just like tulips, crocus or buttercups are planted in the fall to spend the winter sleeping underground only to emerge when the weather warms up in spring.  How lovely!  The first year that I tried flip-flopping my garlic planting schedule it turned out to be a great success!

This past year, we had horrible luck with our main garden all summer and decided to move it over for better drainage purposes.  This meant for me that the garlic couldn't be planted in it's normal spot.  So, I hem hawed around until it was almost too late to plant.  I had ordered and received my garlic a couple of months before December 20th and had hung on to it just wondering where to plant it.  I wound up planting the garlic bulbs in the garden spot at the day care.  It was a very rainy time, I planted them in the mud pretty much and expected them to all rot to pieces.  I frowned every time I glanced towards the small garden behind the fence and just sort of shrugged at my lack of our big garden to house them.  All that dread turned into glee when the foliage popped up this spring.  I had two neat little rows of garlic. . . thank goodness.

So today, being June 19th. . . the longest day of the year eve, I went ahead and dug my garlic out of the ground.  I was so proud that I didn't nick even one of the heads.  I am pretty sure I have decided to plant next year's crop in the garden at the day care.  If your garlic growing time is similar to mine then it's time to dig them up!  Knock a little of the dirt off the roots, let them rest in a shaded area (mine is under our front porch on the dirt) for a few days or until the leaves are browned and can be braided if that's the kind of garlic you have.  Hope you are as happy with your crop as I am with mine!

I will save a couple of the biggest head of garlic to take apart and replant in six months.  Other than that I take the easy road and order my garlic through Burpee.com.  They always have a good selection IF you get to them quickly in the fall.  They tend to start running out of the good stuff pretty early.  We live in Tennessee and prefer the soft neck varieties because they supposedly do well in our zone.  Plus I like to braid them and hang them up in the pantry and you can't braid the hard neck kind.

Here's a good video on braiding garlic.

Garlic Time

Hi folks.  During this August Break I'm taking, I felt it necessary to send out a friendly reminder.

 

As you may know, I live in Tennessee and have tried growing garlic many times of the year.  The only times, however, I have successfully grown garlic was when I listened to an Old Wives Tale. 

 

Plant garlic on the shortest day of the year and harvest on the longest day of the year.

 

Meaning, plant garlic in late fall and harvest in June.  Works like a charm.  We wound up with 41 really good heads of garlic this year to my delight. 

 

 

If you live in this area of the US, My two suggestions are these.

One.  Buy garlic early.  If you wait, it will be gone.

Two.  Buy the Softneck variety.  They braid well and they grow well in this warmer climate.

 

You can find garlic on many different websites.  I buy mine from Burpee.com.  Have for the past few years.  And even they run out quickly.  But they are reliable.  I also snuck in a lettuce mix of seeds for Fall.  And I plan on planting the largest bulb from each head of garlic that I grew this year and see how they do.  Happy Garlicking!

 

So there... back to the Break.

 



Hello July

We had such a busy June I feel like I missed it.  I did manage to squeeze in some pictures around the farm.  Sadly none of them are in the creek.  I haven't been down there in a while with my camera.  I just know the wild orchids have bloomed.  Hello July. 

 

 

we dug forty one heads of garlic.

 dew drops on the cabbage

 tiny white flowers in our fields everywhere

 miss kate, growing like a weed.

 lovely cleome

 tomatoes - no red ones yet

 tiny pumpkins

 queen anne's lace

 yellow flowers blooming on butterfly hill



Weekend Fun

Scenes from this weekend in my world.

1. collecting dill that the frost missed  2. making pumpkin puree  3. foofee cat napping  4. dottie girl headed to the garden  5. planting garlic - 72 cloves  6. while miss kitty watched  7. also planted green onions - 24 bulbs  8. my happy Mr. and pepper the hen

Black Bean Delish Side Dish

I have had a thing for black beans for some time now.  I love a good tasty heap of well-seasoned black beans on a chip with a nice dollop of sour cream resting on top.  When I cook black beans as a side dish it's hard for me to keep a spoon out of the pot while they are cooking! 

Last summer, I tried my hand a growing black beans in our garden.  What an easy thing to do and such fantastic surprise to shell the dried bean pods.  I ended up with a couple of quart sized canning jars full and a big smile from me!  It is probably cheaper to buy a bag or can of beans at the store but it's not near as much fun.  And a gardener's job should always be rewarding.  That's why I like to try new things in the garden.  I've already been seed shopping and have my magazine marked with sharpie and post-its all throughout. 

Black Bean Delish Side Dish

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

water

1 packet Sazon

1/4 cup ketchup

a handful each of green pepper, red pepper and onion chopped (how's that for measuring)

1 clove garlic minced

4 or 5 dashes hot sauce (please do not omit this, and please use Texas Pete)

a few dashes black pepper

In a sauce pot, cover black beans with water, doubled (meaning about an inch over the beans.)  Add all ingredients to pot and cook at a simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

If you choose to use dry beans, soak the beans overnight.  Drain beans the next day.  Use the steps in the canned bean recipe except increase cooking time by an hour and water by 2 cups. 

I seriously wish I had a picture of the finished product but sometimes you gotta blog when the moment hits you.  I am making my black beans for lunch and they have another 30 minutes to cook so.  You'll just have to make them and see!

BTW - if you don't have a garlic mincer or don't feel like getting it out and washing it after, here's an easy trick.

Place the peeled garlic clove between a small folded sheet of wax paper.  Lay a wide knife on top of the garlic and give it a good whack or two.  Chop slightly and you're good to go.  You dont' have to use a knife, just anything non-breakable with a solid surface for crushing.

Pass The Chicken Spaghetti Please

Several weeks ago I happened upon a website. Thinking back now I can't recall how I came across it. Most of the time I find blogs that I like to read or websites that I like to frequent through the photo website flickr. I post photos there, have friends that post photos there and find myself looking at pictures from other users quite frequently so I may have found a picture of hers there. However I found it I am so glad that I did. The website is The Pioneer Woman. She has cute stories, great photography tips and yummy recipes. There was one recipe in particular that I wanted to link you too as I don't want to post it like it's mine although it has definitely found a home in my personal cookbook.

The recipe is for Chicken Spaghetti. It is a very easy casserole to make and most of the ingredients I had on hand already. I was able to make it the same evening that I found it which made me happy. I like to use good tasting easy to make recipes on week nights because seriously.. 1. it's just my husband and I, and 2. I don't want to spend all night in the kitchen. What I liked most about this recipe, besides the yummy taste, is that it bakes in a 9x13" casserole dish. Using this info I divided it in half before I cooked it, baked half of it that night in an 8x8" dish and froze the other half. It was several weeks ago that I originally made the casserole and yesterday morning I popped it out of the freezer to thaw in the sink while I was at work. When I got home last night I emptied the mixture in to an 8x8" dish, topped with cheese as the recipe says to and baked it as directed. I made a salad and toasted some garlic bread and Hello.. supper was on the table in 30 minutes. It was fantastic because I had other things I wanted to do on my mind besides cook a big meal.

Another tip I want to share is a garlic bread that I found that is oh so yum. It's at the WalMart bakery, it comes as 2 loaves, precut, takes less than 10 minutes to cook, is very good, and is only $3.00. I think each loaf has 12 precut slices. It could be 10 but for Shaun and I it's perfect for two slices with pasta salad for lunch on a Sunday or four slices with an Italian supper anytime. I generally buy two at a time and keep them in the freezer. That way I'm not rushed to use it all right away.

I hope you enjoy The Pioneer Woman's recipe site and maybe even the garlic bread!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/