Mountain Man Trail Mix

It is a bit of an oxymoron,

but my mountain man (Mr. LB) loves this.

When he's riding or fishing etc.

and needs to pack food along,

this is packed with both protein and energy to keep him going.

I'm sure if I could work bacon or steak into the mixture,

he would like it even more:)

Ingredients:

Group One

5 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup almonds (or any nuts)

1 cup pecans (or any other nuts)

1 cup pumpkin seeds 

1 cup sunflower seeds

2 cups dried fruit 

(I used dried apricots [chopped,] craisins, and dried blueberries)

Group Two

1/8 cup honey

2/3 cup real maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Sea salt

In a large bowl, mix up the ingredients in group one.

Place on baking sheet(s) and toast in a 350 degree oven

for 5 minutes.  Stir and toast another 5-6 minutes.

Transfer back into the large bowl and mix in group two ingredients.

Place back on sheets, sprinkle with sea salt,
 and repeat toasting process.
Don't be surprised if little noses followed by little fingers
make their way into the kitchen.
It smells so good.
When you remove it from the oven,
pour it back into the bowl to cool.
If you let it cool on the sheet,
you will have to pick it off as it will stick.

Once cool, I like seal-a-meal bags
to keep it fresh and on hand for outings.
It makes about 10 cups of granola.
That is of course depending upon how much
disappears before you get it into the bags.
Enjoy.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

A Seed Carrot !

The joke in our garden is

I plant. . .God laughs.

Last year we had so many things come up from seed,

it was difficult to tell what we had actually planted.

If a spud pops through somewhere, so be it.

I leave it to grow

We do rotate what is planted in each plot each year; however,

last year we had a bumper crop of parsley - in the potatoes,

some fabulous spinach - in the onions,

of course borage - everywhere!

cherry tomatoes in the carrots and beets and so on.

It is actually almost comical that I put markers in the ground.

Yes, I still need to weed around it:)

This year, as I was wondering around out in the plots

looking and visually planning, I noticed something.

It was there amongst the weeds.

I was absolutely delighted.

A seed carrot!

In case you didn't realize, let me explain a little.

If you put an heirloom (not hybrid) seed in the ground to grow a carrot,

a carrot grows during that growing season.

Come late fall, the tops die back.

It does not "go to seed" (like our spinach, borage, and tomatoes.)

Depending upon the climate where you live,

it will either rot or keep until the next year.

This carrot actually survived our winter and is growing back.

This year at the end of the growing season,

it should bare seeds.

I put the tomato cage around it and

told Mr. LB (probably a little too often) to watch out for the carrot.

I have wanted to try to over-winter a few carrots for seeds

every year we've planted them.

Buuuttt, they are so delicious and never seem to be in a good spot.

This one is definitely not in a great spot,

but since the good Lord let it grow, I ain't a'stoppin' it!

I will have to let you know come fall, if it bares seed.

Keeping the Garden Simple

It's almost gardening season, and...
We want to plant it all!

Am I alone in this?  (I bet not:)

Those seed catalogs showing up at just the right time is no accident.

If you consider how marketers approach sales,

it is no wonder that we are shown gorgeous tomatoes, luscious greens, 

and savory herbs right smack dab in the middle 

of the longest, bleakest, coldest winter days.

We must be strong!

How much of each item does your household eat?

As your mouth begins to water while looking at the 32 varieties 

of delicious corn on the cob, do just one thing for yourself.

Go get a black marker and at the top of the page

write how many pints and/or quarts of corn your family eats in a year.

Figure about 2 ears per pint (4/qt.)

Now comes the tough part - choosing which one or maybe two you want.

It's a torturous task indeed.

Do this for each item.

I find that each year I plant fewer and fewer items.

I don't mean fewer seeds.

The garden is still full.  How? you ask.

In our garden, we have 4 plots and a round.

This year, I'm planting one whole plot of tomatoes.

Rather than 3-4 plants, I'm planning on about 10.

We use quite a bit of stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and enchilada sauce.

I have beed canning our stewed tomatoes for some time.

Last year, I think I got the tomato sauce down (thanks to a neighbors Victorio.)

And I have recently come up with an enchilada sauce recipe that we like so will now add that to the list of things we no longer purchase from the grocery store.

Another whole plot will be green beans.

Why do they taste so good?

We eat them fresh, cooked, canned, all yumminess.

Do you 'get' where I'm going here?

The other perk to this is that there are fewer seeds to save or purchase.

Though, I am improving my seed-saving skills, I still worry that I will inadvertently do something that will ruin the seeds.

This year I am going to try a small separate patch of seed carrots,

which will take two years.

My hope is that by refining our garden, I will be able to procure my own seeds

and have plenty of the things we like to eat.

I count seeds, canning jars/lids, and gardening items as part of the grocery budget - because they are after all, and it all adds up.

By growing, harvesting, preserving and procuring future food,

we decrease our reliance on foreign markets of questionable quality products.

We strengthen our own financial situation.

And we reap the health benefits of fresh organic produce.

As often is the case, 

the simple solution can be the best solution.

Weather you grow a large garden to feed your family or a window box of herbs, you are doing something good.

Keep it do-able so you are continually encouraged 

and not discouraged by too much or too many.

And now my friends, I have a perplexing question for you all~

Why don't they sell zucchini seeds individually like they should?

Just a thought.

Seed Saving

If you grow a garden and find yourself drooling

over seed catalogs come about February,

you might consider trying to save your own seeds.

You might find your outlook changes a little.

While, I like to think, "Oooh & Aaah, that looks good."

In truth, I need very few seeds after saving seeds for only 2-3 years.

I now think, "I'm only spending $3.42 on seeds!" 

(or whatever small amount it is as opposed to a weeks pay)

Beens and radishes are very easy.

The plants keep the seeds all nice and tidy in a pod.

Here we have spinach.

(We had a rain between seed harvests.  I didn't keep the black looking ones.)

Those little seeds just roll right off for keeping.

I would suggest doing so on a tea towel or placemat, etc.

If you try to do it on a table, 

they are great at escaping by rolling right across the slick surface

and across the floor.

Today, I plan on planting a new row of spinach from my package

that I purchased this spring,

and a row of these that I just saved

in order to test germination.

This year I am going to try my hand at saving carrot seeds.

They require heirloom seeds to start with,

then don't produce seeds until year two.

Our carrots are looking pretty good so will leave a few in the ground

and see what happens next year.

A couple of important tips:

*Hybrids don't usually produce seeds that will germinate.

*Slimey seeds should be washed then dried (tomato, cukes, etc.)

*Keep seeds in a dry place.

*A quick internet search will provide a plethora of informtion

for your favorite veggies.

*Start with just one or two of your favorites:

you'll find you want to save more next year.

*If I can do it, you can too.  (My joke is that

my garden thrives upon neglect;)

I look at seeds like money in the bank.

I know next year, not only will I be saving on seed purchases,

but will also be saving substantially on food purchases.

It's just another way to save money and eat well.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

*~*~*January Projects for the Garden*~*~*

1st

If you haven't ordered your seeds,

I would strongly suggest placing your order soon.

One site I really like:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

I have only had good luck with their seeds,

and I'll just remind you that this is me

the brown thumb talking.

2nd

Go through your seeds and see what you will

want to purchase as plants.

I have horrible luck starting tomatoes from seed

so I just plan on buying them.

If your seeds look like this,

maybe do a little tidying-up;)

Even the sunglasses for weed wacking.

3rd

If you don't already have one,

maybe find a local source of bunny poo.

Yep, you read that correctly.

It's !ultra-fabuloso! for the garden.

I called our extension service and

they hooked me up with a 4-H family

who had a gold mine of doodoo.

They were only too obliged to share.

4th

I don't know what you all do,

but I can't stand the tomato cages

that you buy in the store.

I even bought the larger, sturdier, more expensive ones,

and they were wimpy.

So I've come up with a little plan.
I will have to play with it and get some pictures
before I share:)
The suspense is brutal, I know.

Hopefully I can get on it &
get it done.

I read another blog about things they plant in January.
Our ground hasn't thawed since October.
I just have to wait for my seeds to arrive,
and clean-up my seed box before they show up.

More soon.
Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

January

It's January.  Hasn't been above freezing since who knows when.  We have a couple inches of icy snow on the ground that won't go away.

And, we ordered our seeds.  Yep, it's that time of year.  For multiple reasons, I haven't planted a garden for the past year or two.  Usually, I say my house is where plants come to die.  I think it has something to do with water.  I heard once that they grow a little better if they have some once in a while.  I might have to try that.

In all honesty, last time I planted a garden, though small, it was great.  

I like herbs, mmmm.  The best spaghetti I ever made was when I just went out and snipped all fresh herbs for the sauce.

I keep hearing about a fresh start and New Year's Resolutions or about the horrific things to come (we just experienced the end of the world, remember.)  I try to see things from a pretty realistic view.  2013, I have no doubt, will have it's own challenges just as certain years through history have. The thing is, none of those historical events were really just one day or even one year.  To recover from the effects took some time.  And so it will be - we can focus on the miserable, or we can try to be prepared and take it in stride the best way we know how.

How does all this relate to planting a garden you ask.  Yes, I can hear you asking.  It's one of my superhero powers:)  Without getting political, I am uncertain about the upcoming year and what it might bring.  What I am certain about is that I know how to plant a seed.  And if I can do that and nourish it into a productive plant - and maybe even add a little H2O, it will help take care of me.  That's something we can all do.  Plant a seed of kindness, nourish it, and  watch it grow.  You might find a friendship growing someplace you would have never thought possible.

I am so grateful for my family and friends, I want them to know that and continue to know.  So, if I can scatter a little kindness in their general direction, fabulous.  If we plant a seed and forget about it, usually there is nothing to show.  It takes care.  Even if we plant the seed and get it started, it still takes care to continue to grow and bear flowers &/or produce.

That said, I would like to share a little portion of my garden with some folks. My hollyhocks were about 6-7 feet tall this past year and the most beautiful deep fuchsia color.  You would think I would have taken a picture, but alas, I did not.  If you would like a packet of seeds to plant and tend to, just be sure to be a follower of the site (so your picture shows:) and leave me a comment.  I have 6-7 packets to give away so if there are more of you wanting seeds than that, I will draw names.  This is just a little bit of sharing so will keep it short.  I will draw the names January 9th (next Wed.)

Happy digging.