Traditional Foods

So this topic is one I have been interested in and have researched off and on for years.  I just never seemed to work up the energy to take the plunge.  The energy is there now, but well, I am back on the HCG diet, so I cant eat any of it lol.  Instead I am spending my time doing, yes more research, and watching videos etc.  I am trying to get a good idea of a plan to implement all of this instead of just jumping in with both feet like I usually do and burning out or never starting at all.  I tend to do either extreme.

So, step 1 - Raw Milk
We have got raw milk in the past.  In fact we got it from the same place we bought a years worth of pastured chicken last year down in Cape.  During the summer, we visited the ILs enough that we were able to pick it up here and there, but that really hasn't been working since.  Well, Greenwood Farms, another local place, now delivers their raw milk to several local grocers as well as to a pick up spot where you can also pick up milk and cheese orders.  One of the locations is Freddie's in Webster....and I have an order in for a gallon to be picked up Wednesday.

Step 2 - Start making my own yogurt
I have a yogurt maker, never use it.  However, you can also use a cube dehydrator.  I am thinking of going this route as well as you can use them to make bigger batches of yogurt, dehydrate of course, rise bread dough, dry out sprouted grains, etc.

Step 3 -  Change the way I handle flour - soak it, sprout and grind it, or use sourdough
I would start this today, but I can't eat any bread or bread products for quite awhile...dont want to tempt myself!.  I am thinking a combo of all three would work best here.  Sourdough and soaking take a little more planning ahead which is not my forte.  Sprouted flour, while yes, would need to be planned ahead as well, I can make some up and put it in the freezer so it is ready for last minute baking.  Would need to get a grain mill though....

Step 4 - Start making water and milk kefir
This one I am totally excited about, but am making myself wait.  I am not totally sure we will actually like and drink too much of it so I am trying to start SLOOOOOOW.


The other thing I need to desperately implement is having stuff prepped and ready in the freezer.  Too easy to fall back on take-out on crazy days when the idea of cooking is just too much.

Seed Inventory 2011

Just finished going through all my seeds and ordering new that I needed.

Vegetables

Beans

Bush -

Tricolor

Golden Wax

Blue Lake

Royalty Purple Pod

Dragon Tongue

Empress

Pole -

Rattlesnake

Scarlett Runner

Chinese Noodle

Broccoli

Del Ciccio

Early Purple Sprouting

Cauliflower - Violetta Italia

Brussel Sprouts

Celery - Golden Boy

Cucumber

Lemon

Early Fortune

Corn - Stowell's Evergreen

Carrots

Amarillo

Cosmic Purple

Melon

Sugar Baby Watermelon

Charenteis

Leeks

Onions - yellow of Parma

Radish

Daikon

Purple Plum

Eggplant

Fairy Tale

Rosa Bianca

Black Beauty

Thai Yellow Egg

Tomatillo

Purple

Green

Peas

Blue Podded

Snow Sugar Ann

Golden Sweet

Dwarf Grey Sugar

Greens

Arugula

Corn Salad

Kale - Russian Red

Spinach - Bloomsdale

New Zealand Spinach

5 color silverbeet Chard

Mesclun Mix

Siamese Dragon Stir Fry Mix

Lettuce -

Summertime

Slobolt

Little Gem

De Morge Braun

Cimmaron

Rocky Top Mix

Peppers

Cayenne - Long thin

Sweet Chocolate

Anaheim

Tequila Sunrise

Sweet Yellow Stuffing

Mini Red Bell

Purple Jalapeno

Ancho

Black Hungarian

Tomatoes

Wayahead

Henderson's Pink

Orange Banana

Purple Russian

Egg Yolk

Cuor di Bue

Weeping Charley

Cherokee Purple

Opalka

Green Sausage

Red Zebra

Cream Sausage

Aunt Ruby's German Cherry

Amish Paste

Chocolate Stripes

Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge

Squash

Zucchino Rampicante

Lemon

Crookneck

Baby Blue Hubbard

Amish Pie

Sugar Pie

Spaghetti

Potatoes - La Ratte

Herbs

Basil -

Lettuce Leaf

Mammoth

Sweet Genovese

Red Rubin

Dark Opal

Globe

Mrs Burns Lemon

St John's Wort

Rue

Thyme

Tarragon - Russian

Parsley

Curly

Giant Italian

Cilantro

Lavender

True

Lady

Chives

Sage - garden culinary

Sweet Marjoram

Catnip

Bronze Fennel

Borage

Soapwort

Lemongrass

Chamomile, Roman

Dill - Bouquet

Feverfew

Hyssop

Flowers

Cosmos

Bright Lights

Picotee

Sensation Mix

Nasturtium

Black Velvet

Moonlight

Marigold

Tiger Eyes

Kilimanjaro White

Brocade Mix

Lemon Gem

Zinnia

Cut and Come Again

Profusion White

Bright Jewels Cactus

Lilliput Mix

Alyssum - carpet of snow

Calendula

mix

Pink Surprise

Sunflower

Mongolian Giant

Italian Green Heart

Hollyhocks

Black Currant Whirl

Queeny Lilac Rose

Nigra

Mystic Merlin Malva

Morning Glory

Star of Yelta

Grandpa Ott

Moonflower

Love in a Mist

Cleome

Impatiens

Safari Mix

Carousel

Wildflower Mix

Court Jester Chrysanthemum

Snapdragon - Black Prince

Cuphea Purple Passion

Petunia - Balcony

Coleus - Rainbow Mix

Coral Beauty

Nicotiana

Perfume Lime

Perfume Purple

Butterfly Weed

Shasta Daisy

Daisy - Fire and Ice

Dahlia - Bishops Children

Bergamont - Panorama Mix

Heliotrope - mini marine

Canterbury Bells

Joe Pye Weed

Portulaca

Foxglove - Giant Spotted Mix

Four o'clocks

Pansy - Historic Mix

Johnny Jump Ups

Yarrow - Summer Pastels

Amaranth

Playing Catch Up.....

So long since I have been here....sigh

My camera is currently broken, so I cant go out and get pics for updates. Peppers, tomatoes, squash are all coming along nicely. Bush Beans got decimated....but the yard long beans are doing well.

Harvested a nice amount of cherries in early june. Also planted rhubarb, horseradish, and asparagus this spring so hopefully that takes off. Garlic is being harvested...potatoes are almost ready. We might actually get a crop of them this year as they are looking good!

As usual we didnt get everything in we wanted...but thats ok:)

seed starting

Grrr....lost two flats of seedlings. I am not used to the heated seed stand and they dried:( Some of them may pull through, but to be on the safe side, I replanted them. All in all, did 5 flats today in addition to the 5 already started. I am now done with everything I am starting indoors!! woo hoo!

It ended up being a beautiful day after a very dreary morning. We worked in the garden, clearing out some old stuff, adding some compost to the beds etc. I also started some peas and greens outside.

Seed Tapes

So after a long break, I have been hanging out at Baker's Creek Forum again (Idig). It has a politcal subforum and some of the people there made me sad to share a planet with them.

Anyways, there have been several discussions on there as of late about making your own seed tapes. I am intrigued and may try this. It is really most useful for really small seeds. You can see what you are doing when you place the seeds on the tape (toilet paper) and then when you place them out in the garden they wont wash away in heavy rains or vigorous waterings.

Another plus is that you can prepare them ahead of time. Then when Spring is in full swing and everything is needing to get done, the tapes make direct sowing quick and simple. I am really excited by this idea!

2010 Seed Inventory

I havent ordered any yet, but I guess I dont need much!

Tomatoes
Orange Flesh Purple Smudge
Egg Yolk
Red Zebra
Opalka
Green Sausage
Aunt Ruby German Cherry
Amish Paste
Orange Banana
Cherokee Purple *
Purple Russian
Chocolate Stripes
Weeping Charley
Cream Sausage
Cuor di Bue*
Wayahead
*dan's favs

Peppers
Anaheim
Ancho
Black Hungarian
Purple Jalapeno
Sweet Chocolate
Tequila Sunrise
Sweet Yellow Stuffing
Mini Red Bell
Cayenne

Greeens
Russian Kale
5 color Silverbeet Chard
Siamese Dragon Stir-fry Mix
Mesclun Mix
Bloomsdale Spinach
New Zealand Spinach
Slobolt Lettuce
Corn Salad
Apollo Arugula
Rocky Top Lettuce Mix

Peas
Dwarf Gray Sugar
Blue Podded
Golden Sweet

Beans
Chinese Red Noodle
Rattlesnake Pole
Empress
Scarlet Runner
Blue Lake
Tricolor Blend
Golden Wax
Purple Podded
Dragon Tongue

Green and Purple Tomatillos
Plum Purple Radish
Golden Boy Celery
Bubbles Brussel Sprouts
Broccoli - De Cicco
Cauliflower - Violetta Italia

Cucumbers
Lemon
Early Fortune

Summer Squash
Yellow Crookneck
Lemon
Spaghetti
Zucchino Rampicante

Winter Squash (pumpkins)
Baby Blue Hubbard
Amish Pie
New England Sugar Pie

Herbs
Basil -
Red Rubin
Mammoth
Lettuce Leaf
Globe
Dark Opal
Sweet Genovese
Thyme
Borage
Catnip
Rue
Cilantro
Hyssop
Lavender
Sweet Marjoram
Sage
St Johns Wort
Curled Parsley
Chamomile-
German
Roman
Bronze Fennel
Calendual
Feverfew
Tarragon (russian)
Bergamont

Flowers (not listing all varieties!)
Impatiens
Petunias
Butterfly Weed
Joe Pye Weed
Morning Glory
Moon Vine
Cleome
Statice
Nicotiana
Hollyhocks
Canterbury Bells
Sunflowers
Alyssum
Zinnia
Love in a mist
Kiss me over the garden gate
Violas
Foxglove
Shasta Daisy
Dahlia
Poppy
Heliotrope
Lobelia
Balloon Flower
Baby Breath
Cosmos
Nasturtium
Bachelors Button
Marigold
Chrysanthemum

Playroom

I realized I never posted pics of the completed playroom. Of course, I didnt get any when I had it all nice and organized, but you get the idea:)