Summer Fun and Summer Eats!!

Mmm the scapes are ready!! So are the golden sweet peas and the carrots. Ohh and the favas came in, no photos because we ate them that fast! We had two good nights of them and then they were done, quick but worth the wait. I guess planting them early is the key.

Last year we had problems with carrot fly, a horrible little bug who's larvae enjoy munching on carrot roots. From what I have read they are attracted by broken carrot leaves, and any trimmings, so this year I have a strict compost rule. The carrots bits that I had previously strewn behind me as I munched in the garden, must now be put in the compost, which is farther away. Unfortunately I have already noticed a few brown worm holes in the larger carrots... sigh. The only other option is covering the entire crop, for the whole season, and I hate remay. I have also planted some carrots with our onions, perhaps the onion smell will hide the carrots.

Some very respectable carrot thinnings! This was two weeks ago, they must be three times this big now! How do I forget in just one year that everything grows so fast in the summer???

We have had a very exciting summer up this way so far, parties and trips, lazy days on the lake, I really don't know when I'm supposed to be in the garden.

Hope summer is finding every one well!

A love affair.....

Oh turnips how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

I suppose it isn't that serious, but having finally gotten the hang of growing turnips I am ecstatic to be harvesting them!  Last year the turnips went in at the wrong time, mid summer, I had no clue what I was doing and had clearly done no research.  I wound up with the most massive, woody, pithy, bolting monsters.  Utter failure!  But from that came a new understanding of my fall loving friend.  This year the turnips went in August 12th and 18th, perfect!!  

This photo shows all of the roots that grew this year except the radishes.  There are bull's blood and golden beets, purple top turnips, excalibur parsnips, purple dragon, atomic red and scarlet nantes carrots.  

What to do with a pile of roots and bok-choi...

Well I say get your salt and chilies we're making kimchi!! Yum. 

 

I used the recipe from Sandor Katz's book Wild Fermentation. His web site is here.  

In short the process involves adding julienned vegetables to a brine, then mixing them with minced fresh ginger, chilies and garlic. The whole mess is then packed into a container, I used a half gallon mason jar.  It sits on your counter for 4 days to a week 

depending on the temperature, until it is bubbly and sour... in a really good way.  

Again that is the abbreviated version, it is pretty easy though, and very adaptable.  I had atomic red carrots, daikon radish, bok choi and leeks left so that is what went into the jar!  Last year we had beet, carrot, leek kimchi. Tasty but very pink.  Traditionally there can also be fish or oyster sauce added, I'm just not that adventurous yet.  

This batch has just the bok choi ribs in it, (not the green parts I thought they got too slimy) and I left them whole, but they are so mustardy

 that I might chop them up in the next batch.