We got our first weekly box from our CSA

With the crazy weather there hasn't been much gardening to do yet. The plants in the basement are growing very tall and would like to go outside - if only the weather would cooperate!

The plants that are outside are doing well. The lettuce is bouncing back - slowly, but it is bouncing back. The cabbage, brocolli and brussells sprouts are all thriving. The onions and garlic are growing nicely. The strawberries are blooming. The plum tree is about to break out in bloom soon. The apple tree is leafing out but no flowers. The peach is looking healthy and the lilacs will be blooming soon. Hopefully the weather will improve soon and I will be able to get out and get my hands dirty.

In the meantime I have my veggies from my CSA. I couldn't be happier with my new CSA - it is like night and day difference from the one we belonged to last year. We eat a ton of veggies around here so I really hope that between the garden and the CSA I will not have to buy veggies this summer - that would so totally help the grocery bill.

Here is a pic of what was in the box this week. Pussy Willows, rhubarb, parsnips, horseradish, ramps, sunchokes, chives and spinach. I have never had sunchokes or ramps before so I am excited about that. We have already eaten the sunchokes and parsnips - made oven roasted root veggies for dinner last night - yum! And I used the chives in a sour cream/chives dip - again yum!

For those of you local here in the Twin Cities, the CSA I joined this year is Harmony Valley and they still have openings - they are in Wisconsin and make deliveries in Madison and probably other towns as well - so my Wisconsin friends and relatives can check them out also.

Spring is coming slowly

We've had a couple of nice days with highs in the 50s. Now it is supposed to go back to being colder and rainy. Rain I can handle - that makes the garden grow - as long as it's not snow!


The lettuce hasn't bounced back yet. We'll see what the rain does for it. If it doesn't bounce back, I will just plant more. I also get my first box from the CSA next week so hopefully they will be able to keep me in lettuce (we eat a lot of salads in my house).


The Brocolli is looking great - it likes the cold weather.


I transplanted brussels sprouts yesterday and they look nice.

I am going to start setting my cabbage plants out next.

Today's harvest Wednesday 9/19/07

Things might be slowing down now that it is mid September - but the garden is still producing a little every day. I know I should probably pull up the cucumbers, tomatoes and green beans, but I hate to do that when they are still producing. Winter will catch me with things not taken care of - but I will continue to enjoy garden goodness until the last minute. Actually we have had some frost warnings already this year - but my plants survived just fine - and I did not cover them. The CSA I get veggies from did lose most of their warm weather crops to frost last week.

Look what you can make from your garden

Not all of the ingredients came from my garden. I joined a CSA and some of the veggies were in this week's box. I wish I grew enough veggies so I didn't have to buy any, but sadly my suburban lot won't allow that - so a CSA is the next best thing.

Kathi’s July Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons gfcf margarine (or butter if you are not gfcf)
½ cup minced onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)
2 cups water
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 kohlrabies
1 head broccoli
½ teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
Fresh herbs from the garden – I used parsley, cilantro, oregano and basil – I didn’t measure, just a small amount of each
Salt and pepper
2 ounces bean threads, softened (if you aren’t gfcf you could use vermicelli)

Sautee onions and garlic in margarine until soft

Add the rest of the ingredients except the bean threads. Bring to boil and then turn down and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add softened bean threads and cook another 10 minutes.