- Author: Deanna Wade, Master Gardener
Now that we are harvesting and bedding down our gardens for the winter, our thoughts may naturally turn to sharing or “gifting” some of our bounty. Distinctive and personalized gifts can come straight from our garden, but if you are like me, you may be at a loss in creating those gifts. In preparation for this article, I stumbled upon a used book titled, glorious gifts from the garden, inspirational projects from the potting shed, written by a British author, Stephanie Donaldson. The first two projects are taken from her book, specifically her herb garden chapter.
I am planning this first gift for my friend who is reluctant to try herb gardening or cooking with fresh herbs. I'm hoping this will inspire her to try both. Following are instructions for a “bouquet garni” planted in a small moss-lined crate. Herbs for bouquet garni are typically parsley, thyme, and bay leaves tied into a posy with string to flavor stews, soups, and sauces. Rosemary is sometimes added as well.
Bouquet Garni
Materials and Equipment:
Drill
Wooden crate, approximately 10x8x6 in.
16 in. sisal rope
Permanent marker pen
Liquid seaweed plant food
Paint brush
Moss
Small bay tree
Thyme
2 parsley plants
Compost
Coarse sand
1. To make the handles, drill 2 holes in each end of the wooden crate. Thread an 8 in. pieces of sisal rope through the holes and knot on the inside to secure.
2. Use the permanent marker to write on the front and back of the crate – “Bouquet Garni.”
3. To give the crate a weathered appearance, mix 1 part seaweed plant food with 1 part water and paint the exterior.
4. Line the crate with moss, the bottom as well as sides.
5. Plant the herbs with 3 parts compost and 1-part coarse sand. Press the plants in firmly and cover with more moss. Water thoroughly.
Bouquet Garni Posy
Materials and Equipment:
Selection of freshly picked herbs
Bucket
String
Scissors
Ribbon
Trug or basket (optional)
1. Gather some parsley, thyme, and bay leaves, leaving 4 in. or more of the stems.
2. Condition the herbs, standing them in deep water for 3 hours or more.
3. Spread the herbs out, in groups, on a work surface.
4. Assemble the posy, holding it loosely in one hand, while adding and adjusting the herbs with the other hand.
5. When satisfied with the arrangement, tie the posy firmly with string.
6. Trim the ends of the stems and tie the ribbon over the string.
This posy may be given in a basket, trug, or simply tied with a ribbon for a hostess gift. If you would like to dry the posy, wrap it in craft paper rolled into a cone-shape. Tie the cone with string towards the bottom and hang upside down to dry.
This last gift idea may not be directly from your garden, but it would be appreciated by any of your Master Gardener friends!
Sore Muscle Soak
Ingredients:
½ cup baking soda
¼ cup Epsom salts
¼ cup coarse sea salt
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Combine the baking soda, Epsom salt, and sea salt in a plastic bag and seal tightly. Shake the bag vigorously, add the essential oil, and shake again. Package in cellophane gift bags, muslin bags or decorative jars with a lid.
Yield = about 1 cup.
Add 1/3 cup of these soothing bath salts to a tub of hot water.
References
1. glorious gifts from the garden, inspirational projects from the potting shed. Stephanie Donaldson. Lorenz Books, New York, NY. 2002
2. The Bountiful Kitchen. Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrisey. Penguin Putnam Inc., New York, NY. 1997
Tree rings reveal age, Earth's atmosphere reflects the state of its own health, and waterways move to the tune of a changing ability to support life. The ground upon which humanity stands also discloses itself in a myriad of ways: the quiet seasonal joy of flowers blooming and food growing, the terror and beauty of a volcanic eruption, the fragility of life on the battlefields of Gettysburg and the heartbreaking remnants left behind, discovered in the soil. The ground tells us much about human history, feeds and delights us in the present and informs the viability of our future.
So, what is the result when we pave vast areas of soil, destroying its life, only to cover the remaining with development for a burgeoning population? Or, we continue to add harmful inputs to the soil until it becomes a medium used only to support an immense and unhealthy monoculture?
And what are the consequences to wildlife as habitat declines, migration paths disappear, extinction looms, and humans draw ever further away from the joy of the natural?
Scientists have spent decades in the study and amelioration of air and water quality. Education of the public and enforcement of laws continue. But what of the nearly forgotten resource of Earth's ground? Is the discussion beginning too late to achieve protection and restoration of this crucial resource?
Author Paul Bogard in The Ground Beneath Us (Little, Brown and Company, 2017) has drawn upon resources in various areas of the world to assist in his quest to wonder, investigate, question and observe the ground or, as he puts it, “what we see when we look down, the planet as we experience it in our day-to-day lives.” (p.4)
I like to believe that the author has designed this book as a symphony, offering up five pieces all related to the wonders and the despair of ground. The titles of three of these pieces are each three words long, linked by the conjunction ‘and'. The linked words describe types of ground that appear to be opposite; but Bogard wants to impress that the boundaries between the two types are often blurred.
The ‘movements' in each piece are the actual places the author visits to find answers. There are very harsh realities found in many of these destinations. Let us begin:
The Ground Beneath Us
From the Oldest Cities to the Last Wilderness, What Dirt Tells Us About Who We Are
The reader accompanies the author to Manhattan, to the top of One World Trade Center where portions of the physical layout of the island are visible. Bogard's plan is to return to street level, then walk through neighborhoods to find what remains of uncovered ground. Read on in his prose to learn that the sheer physical weight of all which covers Manhattan's ground can be calculated in tonnage. There is a world in covered ground that is no longer available to sustain life.
II. Paved and Hallowed in five movements
Manhattan, Mexico City, London, Northern VA, Gettysburg
By some estimations, mid-21st century will bring an additional three billion humans to feed, with decreasing availability of uncovered land. Read on for an examination of humans' relationship to nature and the consequences of residing too far from the microbiota in living ground. Learn about the term fragmentation when used in an ecological sense. And note the mention of Stockton, CA in the section (p.75) describing the perils of worldwide car-centered growth.
III. Farmed and Wild again, in five movements
Bishopstone, Soil, Ames, Grass, The Sandhills
Soil sustains humanity physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Maintaining the health of the living ground left in the face of population growth is paramount. Read on to learn that ground has become a Wall Street investment, creating a plantation farming redux. A longer-term approach will be key: crop diversification and rotation, fewer harmful inputs to soil, a return to regenerative farming practices, protection and restoration of grasslands, wetlands, and the ground along bird migration paths. Learn more about the sandhill crane and predictions for its longevity. Diversity is what makes the world---if it is lost, the world fragments.
IV. Hell and Sacred finale
Appalachia, Treblinka, Alaska, The Sierra Nevada, Home
Here is the point in the book where a different understanding of hell is put forth. Not as a place but, more usefully, a situation of degradation and despair: changes to earth's geology caused by fracking, thawing of permafrost which will eventually expose more carbon than has been released since industrial revolution times, estrangement from the ground, from others, from our own selves. Author Bogard gently lays out to the reader that if we want a world where we know the connections that keep us alive, those connections between ourselves and others and between ourselves and nature, then there are choices to be made now, with wisdom and courage.
Resources, gratitude, additional reading, recognition, quotations, statistics, stories, and results of fascinating studies abound in the pages between pgs.265 and 297
Reviewer's note: I found this to be a fascinating, emotionally difficult book to read but as the author quoted, and I am paraphrasing, “if you don't know what is happening, you cannot fix it.”
- Author: Julie Hyske, Master Gardener
Recipes From the Garden: A TasteWinter soups can warm up the chilliest of nights. Think of these as bowls of comfort; guaranteed to keep your family filled up and cozy. The one pot lasagna soup has all the richness of lasagna with layers of cheesy noodles in a marinara sauce infused with Italian herbs and browned beef. Smother with Parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella and you've got lasagna in a bowl. Chicken Taco Soup will be your new taco Tuesday this winter. It can be ready in 40 minutes, while you put together a salad. The Tuscan Bean Soup checks all the marks being both healthy and filling. Creamy chicken mushroom soup is cozy, comforting and velvety. And, I'm feeling like the mushroons are way too exotic to even be considered a vegetable! Finally, the bean soup with ham is a hearty contender for any winter weeknight. It's another simple preparation using dried beans, ham and chopped vegetables. The ham hock or a ham bone added during simmering adds a nice smoky flavor and if you add some hot-baked cornbread, you'll hear no complaints. Now you've got a start to your winter soup challenge and a delicious way of stretching that grocery bill dollar!
One Pot Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or half Italian sausage/ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes
24 oz. jar traditional Italian spaghetti sauce
8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp each dried parsley, dried oregano, salt
½ tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
12 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into approximately 1–2-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream
Cheese Garnish; any or all
shredded mozzarella cheese
freshly-finely grated Parmesan cheese
ricotta cheese
Heat large Dutch oven/large soup pot over medium high heat. Add beef or beef/sausage combination and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until beef is browned. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat. Add jar of spaghetti sauce, 6 cups chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, spices, bay leaf and lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until lasagna noodles are tender, stirring occasionally (approximately 20-30 minutes). Discard bay leaf and stir in heavy cream and 2-4 cups chicken broth to reach desired consistency. Garnish individual servings with desired amount of cheeses.
Serves 6
Chicken Taco Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
2 10 oz cans Ro-tel tomatoes and diced chilies with juices
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp each garlic powder, ground cumin and paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
12 oz can of corn, drained
14 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
8 oz block of cream cheese softened
3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings as you desire: shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend, avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips
Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour ahead of time to let it soften up or microwave it for 20-30 seconds until it's soft. Add the oil and onion to a soup pot and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining soup ingredients to the pot except for the cream cheese, chicken, and salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat so it's simmering gently (uncovered) for 5 minutes. While the soup cooks, prep your toppings. Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the soup. Let it melt in and stir in until fully incorporated. Stir in the chicken and cook for another 5-7 minutes or so, until it's warmed through. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve with desired toppings.
Serves 6
Tuscan Bean Soup
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried rosemary
1 quart either vegetable or chicken broth
3 cans (14 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
3 cups chopped kale; ribs removed
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Sauté for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the contents to a boil, turning the heat down to low and add the chopped kale. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender or standard blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans/vegetables for texture. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with Parmesan or Dubliner cheese and a side of crusty bread.
Serves 8
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
2 ½ cups cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ cup half and half, or more, as needed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 sprig rosemary
Melt butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaf and chicken, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1-2 minutes, season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and rosemary, if desired.
Serves 4-5
Ham and Bean Hearty Soup
Ingredients
6 cups water
6 cups chicken broth
1 lb dry great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
1 lb bag of assorted dry beans, sorted and rinsed
1 tsp salt
1½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped onion
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ tsp mustard powder
2 bay leaves
3 ham hocks
3 cups chopped ham
1tsp ground white pepper or to taste
Place water, broth, and beans in a large pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in salt and remove the pot from heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Add carrots, onion, celery, garlic, mustard, and bay leaves to the pot with beans; stir well. Add ham hock and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove ham hock and discard. Stir in chopped ham and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with ground white pepper to taste.
Serves 6-8
Of the basic herbs that many of us like to grow and use frequently (basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, rosemary, dill, cilantro, chives, and sage, perhaps lavender), most like full sun and heat and will grow heartily from mid spring until late fall. Several are perennials, living through the rest of the year, although with diminished production, and come back enthusiastically year after year. Oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, lavender, and chives are in this category. Marjoram is a bit more sensitive to temperature, as is parsley, which is biennial, and basil are annuals. Almost all herbs are easily propagated through cuttings, division, or layering.
Think of herbs as a landscape plant. What can they do to add size, form, color contrast, or texture among other plants (rosemary or lavender for example)? What about chives around your bulbs? Parsley as an edging plant? Oregano, marjoram, thyme (the “crawlers” and “bushies”) filling the crevices in your rock garden?
To have herbs close at hand plant them in a garden area close to the house; or consider pots or other containers at your back door. Mixing herbs together in one pot is lovely, providing a mix of textures and colors. Mix with a few flowering plants such aslobelia oralyssum for added interest. Cut back the herbs as you need them or to harvest for preserving. This keeps them from getting “leggy” which makes for a bitter taste. Having some herbs, especially the more sensitive ones, in a pot or pots allows you to move them indoors when the temperature falls. Herbs can be kept all year long for convenient use in a windowsill or pot garden.
You can preserve your herbs in a variety of ways, the easiest being drying. Of course, the most flavorful way of enjoying them is to use them fresh cut in your cooking or by adding flavored vinegars or oils. These not only are easy to prepare, but make marvelous and well-appreciated gifts, as do prepared dried mixes (Mexican, Italian, Indian, etc.). A variety of herb butters, kept in the freezer as a roll (like cookie dough) allows you to just slice off what you need to sauté, add to a dish, or use as a spread.
Herbs are also used for their scent, in sachets, making soaps or lotions. Many have medicinal uses as well. Refer to the listed sources for details on herb planting, growing, and use for culinary, cosmetic, or medicinal purposes, as well as some innovative ways to grow and display.
Ten Nifty Ways to Grow Your Own Herbs (including making an herb spiral)
http://tipnut.com/herb-spiral/
Herbs for freshening your home
http://tipnut.com/herbs-freshen-home/
Herb gardens, growing, uses, recipes
http://www.culinaryherbguide.com/
Ten Easy Ways to Preserve Herbs
http://tipnut.com/preserve-herbs/
- Author: By Amy Fritz, Master Gardener
When it seems that winter will never bid us goodbye, gardeners are busy anticipating spring with planning and scheming of ways to make their gardens even more beautiful and productive than ever before! Whether you are planting a vegetable garden, growing fruit trees, or you just love watching pollinators in your garden, the best way to succeed at all three is by keeping plants that bees, butterflies, and other pollinators love to visit! We have received inquiries at the help desk from gardeners wondering just which plants are best for attracting these pollinators and keeping them happy enough to stay a while!
Plants have evolved through time to offer unique flowers that attract select pollinators, thus ensuring that the pollinators' visits will provide them with another year of flowers and fruiting. The end result of the pollination process is that humans and animals of all kinds benefit from a bountiful supply of food and beauty. Nearly all ecosystems on earth depend on pollination of flowering plants for their existence and survival; furthermore, from 70 to 75 percent of the world's flowering plants and over one-third of the world's crop species depend on pollination for reproduction. So, considering these statistics, we see how vital pollination and certainly pollinators really are! We have bees, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, and many flies to thank for this.
So how do we best go about attracting these beautiful creatures? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you begin thinking about a pollinator garden:
Mix up your plantings. Different pollinators respond to different colors.
Create drifts. Many pollinators are near-sighted, so it's easier for them to find flowers where there's a large bunch.
Be sure there is water nearby. This can be as easy as adding a bird bath or a puddling area for butterflies or as complex as installing a water garden. You can provide water by hanging a dripping bottle. You can make a waterer by filling a non-porous plant saucer or a shallow dish with rocks and water. Bees and butterflies become reliant on these sources so it's important to keep your waterers filled.
Provide shelter. Dead leaves and plant material are food and shelter for pollinators in the winter. Resist the urge to rake your leaves in the fall and let them support pollinators throughout the winter season.
Try trees. The flowers of native perennials and annuals are excellent nectar sources for pollinators, but to really up the impact of your pollinator-friendly garden, plant a flowering tree! The amount of nectar and pollen potential gleaned from a single tree may be equal to that of an entire field of wildflowers. Trees also provide shelter for native nesting bee species and carpenter bees. Native trees' bloom periods are synchronized with local pollinators' life cycles, and when they're planted in the climate zone and soil conditions in which they evolved, they require little maintenance.
Try to stick to the natives! Your pollinators are locals so your plants should be too! Since our pollinators have existed alongside these native plants, they tend to instinctively seek them out. Exotic flowers can look appealing to us, but they tend to contain very little pollen or nectar the bees can use.
Following these basic guidelines should bring you an abundance of beautiful creatures to enhance your garden!
