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| Backyard compost bin .. November, 2010 |
Today I needed to empty the overflowing kitchen compost container .. in our garden bin. I was able to uncover my snow/ice flattened covered tunnel of Swiss chard .. even with the weight pressing down on the plants left to over winter, there are new leaves ready to grow. It's about the only green thing in the backyard (other than the pines). I'm hoping in a few weeks to harvest a little for fresh greens.
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| Chard pic taken prior to snow ... November, 2010 | | | | |
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| salad/sandwich sprouts are easy to make each week. |
This winter I've not purchased but two heads of lettuce from the market. Instead I'm buying organic green and red cabbage .. it has a much longer storage life .. mine sits covered in a plastic bag and terrycloth towel on top of the freezer in our cold garage .. along with cauliflower, rutabagas and 25 pounds of carrots. The garage is the perfect cold storage area for winter hearty veggies. We eat a lot of tangy coleslaw during the cold months. It's more filling .. and the cabbage doesn't mold or wilt like lettuce; none of it goes to waste. It's our green of choice chopped finely on tacos year round. For sandwiches we're enjoying the salad sprouts grown on the kitchen counter.
While winter foods are hearty and filling just thinking about our summer garden is making my mouth water! Eating foods in season .. sure gives a person cravings .. and an appreciation for change. Do you eat seasonally .. or do you purchase out of season produce? It's been ages since we had a good fresh tomato .. but I will longingly wait and savor summer's goodness all the more when the time arrives.
12 comments:
That kale looks awesome! I've been wanting to do sprouts, do you grow yours in a mason jar? It's nice to have access to fresh veggies in the winter.
We pretty much eat in season. I
don't have time or desire to can
anything from our garden so we
eat hardily and give to our good
neighbors. I buy organic in season
veggies at one of the health markets
nearby during winter months.
That's heartily BTW not hardily!!
I'm a stickler for spelling
correctly.
We eat out of season products, as long as they are not too expensive. I can handle store-bought tomatoes.
We eat seasonally...except my husband has this thing with iceberg lettuce! I just can't make myself pay big $$ for a yucky Winter tomato. We have chard year round...beets, turnips, carrots, broccoli, and potatoes for about 9 months of the year. We're pretty lucky.
Today sure was nice, maybe we will have an early spring this year for a change and I can't wait for that first fresh tomato...its been a long time. I'm glad to hear that your greens have thus far managed the cold months.
meemsnyc .. yes .. the sprouts grow well in a mason jar; mine has a little mesh screen to rinse and drain it each day.
Dear Mrs. Mac,
I will definitely start growing sprouts. Gunnar likes them..I had totally forgotten.
I Norway one's got to buy tomatoes out of season. The season is never really there. Most are grown in hot houses.
Imported fruit and vegetables are incredible expensive, but we cannot and shall not do without.
In a short month we'll have the first green edible outdoor sprouts. The old Norwegians knew all about finding greens for survival. Dandelions,sting nettles (great soup),ground elder, wild thyme, are full of vitamins and mineral goodies.
Love the way you make me think through what I'm doing, and what needs improving.
I love being able to have a winter garden. Fresh lettuce & spinach - I sure will miss that in the heat of the So. TX summer, so I am enjoying it now. Your chard looks wonderful. Chard is something I struggle with. It should grow like a weed, yet I battle with something that is eating it before it develops - pill bugs, snail, army worms, grasshoppers. I am working on it and will not let them win! I am working on eating more seasonally. Emily
Your Chard sure does look healthy! Like you, I'm ready for the first garden-fresh tomato.
I can't believe how green your grass is. Not too bad for northern Idaho!
LynnS .. look at the dates on the pics .. they're from November :) .. I was without my camera when I wrote this post .. My chard is not quite as lovely .. but it's perking back up. Grass is still brown.
We mostly eat seasonally. Our winter garden didn't take off as well as usual, so we're waiting on our chard, kale, collards and other mixed greens to grow big enough to eat. We've been eating sweet potatoes, some lettuce, onions & garlic, a handful of carrots. Potatoes were disappointing. There's always next year :o)
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