Harvesting & Cooking Bok Choy - Recipes

 
Bok Choy in my garden. The reality, weeds and all.  :-) 

I should have harvested this a bit sooner - although I'm using it now and it's still fine, it's apparently better when it is younger, and smaller.  This is a QUICK crop - and it likes cool weather - doing best in early spring and late fall.  

Use Bok Choy in: Salads, as greens in your sandwiches, in omelets, soups, and stir frys.  

Purslane - How to Recognize, Harvest, and Eat

Purslane - Identification, Harvesting, & Recipes

You probably won't find purslane at your grocery store, and it's unlikely any of us planted it in our gardens. And yet, here in central Pennsylvania, as well as across most of the United States, you have probably seen it.  Many of us are pulling it out by the handfuls as a weed. In some farmers markets, this "weed" sells for $7 a pound. It's an incredibly versatile ingredient, with a lemony pepper taste, and it's really good for you too.

When To Start The Seeds & Plant The Plants, In Central PA -

 A Week By Week  Planting Guide for 2020

Here in Central PA, the last spring frost is, on average right around May 1st.  The rule of thumb I grew up with is that Tomatoes and Peppers should never be planted outside before mothers day, but most other plants can be started a little earlier.  

There's a great frost calculator here: https://morningchores.com/frost-dates/ .  Of course this is just a guideline, based on past years, but  for our area, we get the following results:

Based on the above chart, this is when to start seeds, and plant outside, in our area:

February 22-March 6th
8-10 Weeks Before The Last Frost

If you are starting your vegetables from seeds, this week and next are the time to start:
bell peppers, 
celery,
eggplant,
leeks. 


"Most pepper seeds sprout in about a week at a temperature of 70-80 degrees F., but germination can be spotty depending on variety. Hot peppers can be very finicky. To speed the process, place the seeds between damp sheets of paper towel, put them in zippered plastic bag, and put the bag in a warm place (the top of the refrigerator works fine). As soon as the pepper seeds sprout, carefully plant them in individual containers such as pea pots. When the first true leaves develop, move the plants to a sunny southern window until you can transplant them into the garden. Don't set out your pepper transplants until night temperatures average around 55-60 degrees F." -  Read m ore about growing peppers from seed, here https://www.burpee.com/gardenadvicecenter/areas-of-interest/seed-starting/growing-peppers/article10252.html


March 7-March 21
6-8 Weeks before the last frost

Start Seeds Indoors For:

Tomato,

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Lettuce

This is when the majority of the years  seeds are started.  Annual flowers (petunias, inpatients, snapdragon, salvia), Perennials (Blanket Flower, Yarrow, Black Eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower) and vegetables (Tomatoes, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Lettuce & Swiss Chard)

Most annual flower seeds are best planted directly into the ground outdoors in late April through late May.

Plant outside this week -  Radishes, Peas, Spinach

Radish seeds can be planted outdoors, directly in the ground, around now.  
"Radish seeds can be planted in both the spring and the fall, but growing should be suspended in the height of summer, when temperatures are typically too hot. (Hot temperatures may cause radishes to bolt, making them essentially useless.)
Otherwise, radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow."
More tips for growing radishes -  https://www.almanac.com/plant/radishes
Wondering why you would grow radishes?  Try them in a creamy cucumber radish salad, or roasted garlic radishes.

We can also plant some of the early spring bulbs around now too!  Crocus, snowdrops, early daffodils, early tulips can all be planted 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost.

March 21 - April 4
Planting Outdoors - Last week was a good time to start planting Rashes, Spinach, Peas, and spring bulbs such as crocus, snowdrops, early daffodils and early tulips, outside.  This week it's time to plant the carrots, Onions, and Turnips outside as well.

Indoors, it's a good time to start seeds for:

Cantaloupes,  
Cucumbers
*Pumpkins
Watermelons

Sweet Potatoes - This is also a good time to start your sweet potatoes.  Sweet potatoes are started from slips, not seeds.  You can purchase a sweet potato at the store to start your plants, but that can make it difficult to tell whether it is a bush, or vine, variety.  Ordering slips online will make it easier to know what you are getting.  Here's a step by step how to grow them - https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/how-to-plant-and-grow-sweet-potatoes

Pumpkins - While it's fine to start your pumpkins now, most of us want our pumpkins for the fall season.  Most will take 75-100 days, from planting the seed to harvesting a pumpkin - so mid may to early June is a typical time to start the plants, and they do really well just by planting the seeds directly in the ground around then.

We have more than 140 acres here on the farm - but most of my garden is grown in two 4 foot by 4 foot garden boxes.  It is amazing how much I can grow in those two boxes, and its very little weeding! The method is called "Square foot gardening" - https://amzn.to/2ut6qku

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Tried & True Zucchini Recipes

The other day I tossed some extra zucchinis into the pig pen, and the pigs looked at me as if to say "No thank you, we've had enough zucchini for one year."  They did eat it later, but I could relate to their initial response!  I only planted two zucchini plants this year.  Two.  And we could eat zucchini every night for dinner and still have extra for the pigs.

Thankfully, I have a few recipes that I really love!  I will also shred and freeze some for in vegetable soups this fall, and some to make zucchini bread too.

 Zucchini Nachos

This is definitely one of my favorite new recipes!  It's so simple.  Slice the zucchini.  Grill. Add some cheese at the end, just like you would on a cheeseburger.

(This year I am tossing the zucchini into the air fryer rather than grilling it)

Bring them in off the grill and top with nacho toppings - avacado, black beans, olives, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream.. whatever you like. The Zucchini acts as the "chips".  YUM!!

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Zucchini "Noodles"

This is soooooo  easy!  Next time I'm going to add some carrots too.  You use a julienne peeler just like a regular peeler.  It's quick and easy.  I blanched them - placing them in boiling water for just a few minutes, then draining.  

I use a Julienne peeler made by OXO - it works great for me!

https://amzn.to/31faYWu

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Peanut Chicken on Zucchini Noodles

I found this recipe here, where I first learned about using zucchini in place of pasta :

Chicken and Tangy Peanut Sauce

I adapted her peanut sauce recipe just a little:

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 c peanut butter
4 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar [or apple cider vinegar in a tsp of sugar]
a drizzle of sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic 

a sprinkle of sugar
At least 1/4 cup water, add 1-2 more tablespoons depending on texture

The main difference is I used a lot more soy sauce than the original recipe  The peanut butter was just too strong for me until I added a lot more, then I really liked it.

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Zesty Zucchini Fries

Original Recipe Found here - http://shrinkingkitchen.com/baked-not-fried-zucchini-fries/

My favorite thing about this recipe is adding hot sauce to the egg before dipping in the breading.  That is genius! One Zucchini made enough fries for my husband and myself.  It's a little time consuming to make - but it was REALLY good.  

Dip cut up zucchini in an egg, beaten, with some hot sauce added to the egg.

Then dip in a mixture of panko bread crumbs and italian seasoning

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, flip gently, bake for another 10 minutes.

I have some lemon pepper panko crumbs that I think would be excellent on this as well.  And I used some regular italian bread crumbs for a few for my husband - that worked well too.

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Zucchini Bread

When we bought the farm from my mother in law, it came with a recipe drawer.  Her recipes, recipes from aunts, friends, sister in laws, mostly in family members handwriting.  My daughter and I have been working our way through all of them, but it is taking us awhile to try them all.  This one we have used many times..  but we substitute butter for the oil.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 cup cooking oil 

2 cups sugar (I use half brown sugar)

3 cups grated zucchini

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flower

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Bake for 1 hour at 325

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More Recipes To Try:

Zucchini Boats
Parmesan Garlic Zucchini Chips
Basalmic Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Tots
Zucchini Noodles
      With Pesto
Beer Battered Zucchini Rings
Zucchini Pizza bites
Zucchini Crust Pizza
Stacked Summer Salad

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https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html

Three Sisters Garden

How To Plant & Harvest A Three Sisters Garden

[Including Recipes]

My 2012 Garden Plan

Most of this is already in..  but I have not yet transplanted the peas.  They were grown in the field, but did not do well at all.  There are enough plants out there to move to this garden, but they will not be ready before the sweet corn goes in that field..  so I'll transplant them to here.  And still have room in front for something else, I think.

This is not to scale - each section but the one on the right is the length of a railroad tie.  The last one, on the right, is a short section.

Raised Beds - Planned & Planted

Most years I look at Companion Planting guides, and then I go out and plant the garden willy nilly.  This year I wanted to follow some of the suggestions.  So when I made my plan (I use microsoft publisher, 5x7 page size, create a grid for the veggies, and add notes to the right.  Save each page as a jpg, send to my phone..  voila, portable, digital, garden planning)

I planted cabbage right in the herb bed this year, because the smell of the herbs, and marigolds, are supposed to help repel the cabbage worms.  I planted catnip in the backyard too, because it is supposed to help repel fleas. 

Currently there are 3 raised, Modified Square Foot Garden, boxes in my back yard.  Below are the planning sheets, followed by a photo of what the box looks like planted.  I do not have tomatoes in the ground here yet, but everything else is in.

Tuesday Garden Party

My Tackle It Tuesday Project today -  Before.

There was a butterfly bush here, but I trimmed it a bit too enthusiastically the other year, and it didn't come back.  :-(  The one on the other side of the steps is now huge, and taking over..  but I'm afraid to trim it back!  :-)

After -

The iris are blooming!  They are one of my favorites, even though they don't make a good cut flower usually...

Just a tad overgrown.  :-)  I'm really thinking about pulling those bushes out completely..  but for now I really need to trim them back!  I cut all the iris that are on the ground here and put them in vases in the house.

More flowers in the house - 

I found a plant stand, like a yard sale, but all plants, in Muncy..  everything was $1!

Black raspberries, conflowers, brown eyed susans, shasta daisies, sweet pea,  lily of the valley...

I cleaned out the bed to the front of the house, and planted a lot of the new plants in here.  It will  probably be too crowded when they all get big, but I can always move them later.  :-)

In the vegetable garden, my beans are coming up nicely.