Rooster in the hen house...do si do

Punting predators out the door!

I keep a rooster to protect the hens.  The hens in turn, provide eggs and fertlizer for my little urban farmstead.  We have a symbiotic relationship - I provide for them, they provide for me.  The hen house is clean and layered in fresh straw.  That straw combined with chicken manure will be broken down and later thrown into the compost bin to be added to the gardens.  

Over the winter when there's less fresh forage, greens are started indoors as fodder for the chickens.  Healthy hens mean healthy eggs.  The shells from the eggs are saved to crush and add to the compost bin. 

When tilled into the soil, ground eggshells provide plants with calcium, which helps build strong cell walls. This also aids in preventing blossom end rot in eggplants, tomatoes and peppers, a disease caused by calcium deficiency in the soil.

But back to the rooster being the protector of his flock.  Living in town has it's share of predators, usually in the form of feral cats, some of which  get really big.  One night I went out to investigate a terrible ruckus.  Roo, as I call him, was beating his wings against the night, sounding for all the world like he was being strangled.  Except he wasn't. It's his way of making a really "big" noise.

Peeking in the hen house, I turned on the light - a low wattage bulb - barely enough to chase the shadows out. Just as I thought, a cat.  Except it was more of a kitten and appeared half starved.

Expecting a hard freeze over the next few days I decided to trap this kitten and get it help.  I baited a cage trap with food and waited until morning.  Mind you, I didn't get a good look at him, since he was trying to hide beneath the lowest nesting boxes. And it was dark (ish), did I mention that?

This is all I could see...

Duhn....

DUHN....

Same color, right???

DUHNNNN!!

Not a very friendly sort!

  Those toes though!

Over the next couple of weeks, I successfully trapped and released a total of four possums.  Roo did his job alerting me to the "stranger danger" in the hen house and earned his place on this small urban farmstead.

P.S.  Is it wrong that I want to paint the nails on those cute little toes?

Egyptian Walking Onion

They aren't called  Walking Onions (aka Winter Onion) without good reason.  One of my all time favorite, and most versatile onions, has a way of walking through the garden.  A wonderful gardening friend, Barbara,  got me started with these and now I'm addicted.  

 Though  not invasive, the Walking Onion will happily drop it’s top set (this makes me think "tipping it's top hat") and grow on its own. Hence, the "walking" in it's name.  

Walking onion bed

A prolific producer, and a hardy perennial, these onions making gardening easy.  The bulblets can be used like pearl onions and added to roasts or stews. Add a few to a pan of fresh snap peas, or pickle them, like I do.   

 I was told I wouldn't see bulblets the first year, but lo and behold, there they were.  I had bulblets by the hundreds and it was more than enough for me to share with friends and neighbors. I shared so much I didn't realize (initially) that I'd shared myself right out of them.  Fortunately there were still some in the ground and I've seen them popping up in different garden beds.  

The tall, green stems can be diced fresh to use in salads, or garnish dishes the same as chives or green onions, and have a light, delicate flavor.  Freeze some for later to add to winter soups and stews.  Be sure you don't harvest all the topsets (greenery) or you won't have any bulblets. 

Walking Onion Bulb

Beneath the ground you will find  delicious, shallot like bulbs -  often in clusters.  These can be eaten and prepared like any onion or shallot.  Leave the onion in the ground over winter and it will come back in the spring when the clusters can be divided and replanted for a more abundant harvest in late summer or  fall.  

Bloomin' onions

As part of my edible landscape, I especially enjoy this onion when it's in full bloom.  

These onions are very winter hardy and have stayed in the ground for as long as I've had them, and that's with some pretty solid freezes.  The mulch  I put on when I'm winterizing my garden beds might contribute to their overwintering success.  

If you have  favorite photos of your Walking Onions, or recipes you'd like to share, be sure to drop them in the comments.  

Move over potatoes, there's a new spud in town

Beneath a sky dotted with pink cotton candy clouds, I assess the gardens, excited by what I see already above the ground, curious about the plants I do not.  And so, like any normal five year old, I grab my handy dandy garden claw rake, decide on my first victim, and dig.  I know, I know, that's a huge no-no, but I really need to know what's going on.  Did my tubers get too wet?  Did they freeze?  Did they rot?   Did the squirrels get them? In under a minute, I find a tuber. Still as fresh as the day I received it. So now I'm puzzled.

• Did I plant them 2 to 3" deep?  Check.  
• Planted 2' apart?  Check  
• Plant as soon as the ground was workable?  Double check.  
• Are they rooting?  No.  No they aren't.  

 I  tuck the tuber back into the dirt, and pat the soil down lightly.  Back to the drawing board, or rather Google, to do some follow up research.  

A little backstory here.  I've been exploring perennial vegetables that are fast growing and prolific producers. This resulted in the discovery of tubers, and hence, the Jerusalem Artichoke. This is not an actual artichoke, but a relative of the sunflower.  It's also a wonderful perennial that will return year after year, like it or not.  Known to be invasive, it's a good idea to dedicate one area of the yard or garden to Jerusalem Artichoke and to maintain that area so the plants don't take over. 

Further research tells me that I should:

• Start new plants in spring 4 to 6 weeks after the last frost for an autumn harvest. So I may have gotten a bit of an early start.  Patience, grasshoppa, patience.
• Optimal planting soil temperature is 50°F to 60°F (10-16°C). The soil certainly wasn't 50 to 60 degrees at the time I set the tubers.  In fact, the ground had recently thawed after a nice, hard freeze.  In my defense, the instructions that were sent with the tubers indicated to plant them any time.  And so, I did.
• Optimal growing soil temperature is 65°F to 90°F (18-32°C).  With this in mind, it seems I need to hurry up and wait and watch.  Our days are only now heating up, so perhaps a few more weeks.  

Strategically, this member of the sunflower family will reach 6' to 10' tall, creating a beautiful, natural,  privacy fence with it's dainty yellow flowers.  Living on a highly visible corner lot, privacy is key.  And, since the tubers can be harvested in late fall or early winter - after a frost or two, I'll have natural privacy for the best part of the year.    

This, my friends, is what I call "edible landscaping".  Much like the Okra plants growing in my tree garden in the front. I refer to them as "shrubs", but that's a story for another time.  

Meanwhile, here's a  little nutrition information for you:

"One cup of sliced, raw Jerusalem artichokes (about 150g) has 117 calories, 3.0g protein, 26.2g of carbohydrates, 2.4g fiber, 14.4g sugar, and no significant amounts of fat. Jerusalem artichokes are an excellent source of potassium and a good source of iron." 

It took a bit of digging (see what I did there?) to locate Jerusalem Artichoke tubers online, but I succeeded.  They're currently selling on Etsy, Amazon, and Ebay.  Gurney's Seeds (who has been around for as l long as I can recall) and Johnny's Selected Seeds have them as well. You might also check area markets, like Farmer's Market, Sprouts, etc.  There isn't one specific source that I use, so be sure to do your research.

If you'd like to learn more about this wonderful tuber, check out this article:  7 Health Benefits of Jerusalem Artichokes complete with references.  

I want to go where the wild things grow

My life motto. For as long as I remember I've enjoyed being out of doors, digging my fingers and toes into the dirt, watching, and waiting expectantly for things to grow.  Time and age haven't dimmed that desire.


As Winter gasps her last breath, and Spring pokes her delightful, sunny head over the month of April, the earth stirs, winter's blanket is tossed aside, and things begin to GROW.

By mid March, peas, beans, carrots, radish, a variety of lettuce, potatoes, jerusalem artichoke, and more, were already in the garden beds, covered in a layer of earthy mulch.

Potatoes and snap peas

Horseradish is something I've never grown, and I wasn't sure it would grow well where I'm located, but here it is, all growing and everything!

Horseradish

It's easy to make your own fresh horseradish right at home. If you don't grow your own, it can often be found in Farmer's Markets, whole food stores, Asian markets, etc.  Be sure to grab an extra root so you can plant and grow your own!

 Check out this easy recipe:

1 Cup peeled and cubed horseradish
3/4 Cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In an electric food processor or a blender, add the above ingredients.  I suggest doing this in a well ventilated room.  If you've ever roasted or peeled chiles, you'll thank me for the warning.  Blend on medium, until it has a smooth consistency. If it seems too thick for your taste, you can add a bit of water.

If you've never tasted fresh horseradish, you'll be delighted with it's intense heat and aroma.  Remove the cover (keep your face away, it'll curl your nose hairs).  With a spatula, scrape the horseradish  into a container with an airtight lid, like a mason jar.  It will keep anywhere from 4 to 6 months refrigerated, longer if it's frozen. Bon appetit!

A little health and nutrition info for you.  This recipe should yield 48 servings.  Per serving: 6 calories; 0 grams fat; 1.2 grams carbohydrates; 0.3 grams protein; 0 mg cholesterol; 61 mg sodium.