In the Garden: Garden Planning

Gardening Planning ~ Blog post by Bubblegum Sass ~ Garden journals from Taproot Magazine
Seeds from West Coast Seeds and garden journals from Taproot Magazine

There might still be the occasional snowflake falling from the sky these days, but it is time to turn some attention to garden planning & prep. My hubby is truly the brains behind the operation, while I lend my hands & time to the work in the spring, summer & fall. He comes up with our garden plan each year, while he plans out the other yards for his urban farming business. Even the seeds for our own garden get lumped into orders for Happiness By The Acre.

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Busiest Little Helper

Things have been busy, busy, busy. You can probably tell by this poor neglected blog. Sammy is getting dragged along from chore to chore. And even though his hands are little, he sure has been a BIG help. He might enjoy some more time to play with his trucks or go to the park, but I think he feels pretty proud every time he gets to help out the grown-ups in his life. I sometimes can’t believe the number of things he is learning to do at such an early age (hello, he’s only 2.5 years old)! I can imagine him living on our farm more & more. And maybe, I’m starting to picture my own life on the farm a bit more too.

Always plenty of plants that need watering every day in the veggie garden.
Always plenty of plants that need watering every day in the veggie garden.
Sammy LOVED helping grandpa cut the grass out at the cabin.
Sammy LOVED helping grandpa cut the grass out at the cabin.
My boys washing veggies together for the YYC Growers CSA.
My boys washing veggies together for the YYC Growers CSA.
His favourite thing so far to wash are radishes and carrots. Good thing there were too, since there were about 130 carrots to wash this past week for the Happiness By the Acre CSA. He was a super trooper! No complaints, just kept washing and admiring each carrot.
His favourite thing so far to wash are radishes and carrots. Good thing there were too, since there were about 130 carrots to wash this past week for the Happiness By the Acre CSA. He was a super trooper! No complaints, just kept washing and admiring each carrot.
He's even pretty gentle washing the salad greens for the Happiness By the Acre CSA.
He’s even pretty gentle washing the salad greens for the Happiness By the Acre CSA.
Sam was super helpful crushing the tomatoes for the big pot of sauce we made. This is our first batch of tomato sauce for the season and the first time I've ever canned it instead of freezing. More batches still to make with my little helper.
Sam was super helpful crushing the tomatoes for the big pot of sauce we made. This is our first batch of tomato sauce for the season and the first time I’ve ever canned it instead of freezing. More batches still to make with my little helper.

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How Grows the Rest?

Yes, indeed, the How Grows It? post was really just part one of our yard. Here’s the remainder. I’ve saved the herbs for last. Some we enjoy fresh and others we simply dry for use throughout the year. In fact, last year, we dried so much sage that we’re still using it (and we put sage in lots of recipes). So here’s a peek at the rest of the garden:

Lovely, lovely dill! I've been enjoying the dill the most this year, on grilled cheese sandwiches, in salads, in mac'n cheese, in salad dressings, etc. So tasty!
Lovely, lovely dill! I’ve been enjoying the dill the most this year, on grilled cheese sandwiches, in salads, in mac’n cheese, in salad dressings, etc. So tasty!
Bunches and bunches of chives!
Bunches and bunches of chives!
Minty, minty, mint!
Minty, minty, mint!
First time growing oregano since we moved back from B.C. Doing pretty good so far.
First time growing oregano since we moved back from B.C. Doing pretty good so far.
Our sage container, not doing as well this year as last, but not too bad.
Our sage container, not doing as well this year as last, but not too bad.
Thyme plants doing well!
Thyme plants doing well!

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How Grows It?

Time for a little garden tour! Of course, I can’t keep up with documenting the growing out there, so these photos are at least a week old, but you’ll get the general idea of how things are going.

First a peek at how it all started this spring. Here are our three main garden beds in May, after the first planting.
First a peek at how it all started this spring. Here are our three main garden beds in May, after the first planting.
Here are the main beds back at the beginning of June. Some bits of life starting to sprout up here & there.
Here are the main beds back at the beginning of June. Some bits of life starting to sprout up here & there.
Here are the main beds in full swing now. A green jungle with lots of yummy food being produced. What a difference a month makes!
Here are the main beds in full swing now. A green jungle with lots of yummy food being produced. What a difference a month makes!
Climbing beans are journeying up the trellis with a few blossoms.
Climbing beans are journeying up the trellis with a few blossoms.
Pea blossoms are so pretty. We've taken a few bowls of tasty sweet peas and snow peas into the house (and into our bellies) since this photo was taken.
Pea blossoms are so pretty. We’ve taken a few bowls of tasty sweet peas and snow peas into the house (and into our bellies) since this photo was taken.
Carrot jungle
Carrot jungle
Green onions needing some serious eating. Poor fellas have been a little neglected.
Green onions needing some serious eating. Poor fellas have been a little neglected.
Loaded with tomatoes! So juicy and sweet!
Loaded with tomatoes! So juicy and sweet!
Our precious broccoli. Or broccolini to be more precise. Lots being harvested off of these each week, and we've even begun to pull off the leaves and dehydrate them for our "super green" powder.
Our precious broccoli. Or broccolini to be more precise. Lots being harvested off of these each week, and we’ve even begun to pull off the leaves and dehydrate them for our “super green” powder.
Squash beauties with the cutest little squash and biggest blossoms right now! I always enjoy watching these gals grow.
Squash beauties with the cutest little squash and biggest blossoms right now! I always enjoy watching these gals grow.

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In The Kitchen

There’s lots of time being spent in the kitchen these days. It’s not the weather that’s keeping us in there, it’s just the season. Growing season means lots of preserving to do. Chopping, freezing, drying, and boiling. Repeat. So how about a little peek into the kitchen over the past couple of weeks?

It's rhubarb season which means lots of pie making. Some in the freezer, some in our tummies, and lots of extra rhubarb frozen & waiting to be made into things (like ketchup, salad dressing, and muffins)
It’s rhubarb season which means lots of pie making. Some in the freezer, some in our tummies, and lots of extra rhubarb frozen & waiting to be made into things (like ketchup, salad dressing, and muffins)
A new weekly chore, harvesting fresh herbs from the garden (only just learning how to "properly" dry herbs... I've always removed & chopped leaves before drying, but apparently that's not the best method). Always learning.
A new weekly chore, harvesting fresh herbs from the garden (only just learning how to “properly” dry herbs… I’ve always removed & chopped leaves before drying, but apparently that’s not the best method). Always learning.
The first official harvest from our garden: dandelions blossoms, lilac blossoms, thyme, oregano, sage, dandelion greens, chives & radishes (that didn't make it into the picture). This was from last week. This week our harvest included LOTS of lettuce & arugala, ALL the radishes, and the first of the broccoli. Green onions are calling too!
The first official harvest from our garden: dandelions blossoms, lilac blossoms, thyme, oregano, sage, dandelion greens, chives & radishes (that didn’t make it into the picture). This was from last week. This week our harvest included LOTS of lettuce & arugala, ALL the radishes, and the first of the broccoli. Green onions are calling too!
The sweet smell of bubbling dandelion syrup filled the house one evening this week. Now there's a beautiful jar of it sitting in the fridge, waiting to be poured over some yummy waffles one morning!
The sweet smell of bubbling dandelion syrup filled the house one evening this week. Now there’s a beautiful jar of it sitting in the fridge, waiting to be poured over some yummy waffles one morning!
Hubby was at his first Farmers' Market of the year with the YYC Growers & Distributors. He brought home these beautiful flowers from Seed + Soil. They make the kitchen such a happy place.
Hubby was at his first Farmers’ Market of the year with the YYC Growers & Distributors. He brought home these beautiful flowers from Seed + Soil. They make the kitchen such a happy place.

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From Weed To Yummy

Confession: Our backyard is a sea of dandelions.

They’ve taken over any area that we left as lawn. In past years, we tried pulling, mowing, even spraying them with vinegar (we refuse to spray any chemicals). This year, I’ve given up and I’m treating them like just another crop to harvest.

Dandelions are such a cheerful thing to harvest.
Dandelions are such a cheerful thing to harvest.

Here’s some tips I’ve found handy so far:

  • If using the greens, harvest fresh or no more than a day before. They keep in the fridge, but they really are best eaten as soon as possible.
  • When preparing to de-petal the dandelions, pick them no more than a couple hours prior. They are easiest to de-petal when the blossom is big and open. Dandelion blossoms tend to close up and wilt very quickly. In general, I pick a big bowl of blossoms right before making dinner and then 2-3 hours later, after Sam heads to bed, I get comfy on the couch & start to de-petal the blossoms. You can still de-petal dandelions even after they close up, but it’s just a trickier task.
  • Dandelion petals can be frozen! Once you de-petal the blossoms, pop them into a freezer bag or container (I measured out 1 cup bags). This makes life easier when you want to tackle bigger dandelion projects (like dandelion wine) or if you only have a small crop of dandelions and therefore have to combine multiple harvest days to accumulate enough petals.
  • I tried washing the dandelion blossoms, letting them dry, and then de-petaling. It was kind of a fail. Now I don’t even worry about washing the blossoms to de-petal them. You can clean off any bugs you come across while you de-petal each one. Our yard is chemical free, and pet-free, so I just don’t worry about it. I do wash the greens in cold water after I harvest them (just treat them like any other salad greens).
  • I choose to wear rubber gloves while de-petaling. Besides my struggle with eczema on my hands, I just don’t love the sticky, &  yellow stain mess that is involved with de-petaling. Even with pumice soap, it’s tricky stuff to get off. Then again, I spend a couple hours at a time de-petaling, so maybe if you’re only doing small batches, it wouldn’t be so bad 😉
  • Fact: Children love to play with dandelions. They are an easy crop to teach kids to harvest. Sam has really enjoyed helping me pull off blossoms. Even got him de-petaling for a little bit one afternoon. So dandelion harvest time can definitely be a kid friendly task.
Dandelion petals ready to be frozen.
Dandelion petals ready to be frozen.

There are lots of interesting things to make out of dandelions. There’s a good collection of ideas & recipes on The Prairie Homestead blog. I started out simple, just making come dandelion green salads. There’s really no end of possibilities when it comes to salad combinations. Just think of some of your favourite salads or dressings, and add or substitute dandelion greens. For example, I love broccoli salad, but there’s no broccoli ready to harvest in the backyard, so I used dandelion greens instead, added my usual raisins, nuts, and cream dressing. Viola! I tend to like adding sweet things to salads made with dandelion greens, just to cut the slight bitterness of the leaves. I’m thinking strawberries and sunflower seeds next time around or maybe a sweet rhubarb dressing. Just have fun experimenting with it!

Dandelion green salad with fresh chives, raisins and pumpkin seeds. I made a simple creamy dressing of mayo, vinegar & a touch of sugar.
Dandelion green salad with fresh chives, raisins and pumpkin seeds. I made a simple creamy dressing of mayo, vinegar & a touch of sugar.
Dandelion green salad with fresh chives. I simmered dried apricots and prunes with coconut oil and a bit of water to form the dressing. Sooooo tasty!
Dandelion green salad with fresh chives. I simmered dried apricots and prunes with coconut oil and a bit of water to form the dressing. Sooooo tasty!

There are several things I want to try making with the dandelion blossoms and petals, including syrup, fried blossoms, and wine (if I’m super ambitious one week). We made dandelion cookies this week from some of the fresh petals. They were yummy and a hit with Sam. I used a recipe from the Dinner For Everyone blog. Since they are basically oatmeal cookies with dandelion petals, I want to try adding raisins to them next time around.

Cookies made from dandelion petals. Yummy, but next time I'm going to add some raisins.
Cookies made from dandelion petals. Yummy, but next time I’m going to add some raisins.

Have you ever done anything with dandelion greens or blossoms? Would love to hear about it! Also, should let you know that if you happen to be one of those lucky folks who don’t suffer from dandelion invasions in your yard (or don’t have a yard), chances are you can purchase dandelion greens from your local urban farmer or grocery store. Here in Calgary, you can check out the YYC Growers & Distributors booth at some of their upcoming farmers’ markets. Some of the greens you purchase from them might just be from our yard.

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