I made vegetarian moussaka (‘moose kaka’, IYKYK), roasted veggies, salad, roasted-garlic bread rolls. Laura brought linzer torte for dessert. The amount of food was just about right for the seven of us; a bit leftover but not too much. The afternoon and evening were pleasant and gentle—a great way to finish up the holiday season.
I cut open a butternut squash and discovered a garden.
Seeds started ✅
Biggest seedlings transplanted into larger pots ✅
Raised beds bought and assembled ✅
Gopher wire installed in base of beds ✅
Gazebo frame + fencing wire purchased to make deer-proof fence ✅
Soil + compost to be delivered next week!
We’re getting there!
Whenever I see a curled leaf—especially in my garden—I get curious about what’s inside the burrito. In this case, I’m pretty sure it’s a tobacco budworm or fruitworm, neither of which I want in my veggie garden. Sorry little wormie!
Okra originated in East Africa and was introduced to Europe in the 8th century CE, and to the Americas in the 17th century. Abelmoschus esculentus is cultivated throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. It is among the most heat- and drought-tolerant vegetable species in the world.
The pods of the plant are mucilaginous, resulting in the characteristic “goo” when the seed pods are cooked; the mucilage contains soluble fiber. One possible way to de-slime okra is to cook it with an acidic food, such as tomatoes.
Young okra leaves may be eaten cooked or raw. Okra seeds may be roasted and ground to form a caffeine-free substitute for coffee. Greenish-yellow oil is pressed from okra seeds; it has a pleasant taste and odor, and is high in unsaturated fats such as oleic acid and linoleic acid. A useful plant indeed!
I’d never noticed that a tomato’s seeds were arranged radially inside the fruit.
Tomato seeds are remarkably resilient, surviving the heat of the compost bin and the acids of the mammalian digestive tract. Every time I spread compost on my garden, tomato seedlings pop up, and I’m happy to let these volunteers grow*. Given the competition from other hungry critters, I usually pick the fruit at first blush and ripen it indoors.
*Squash/pumpkin seedlings, on the other hand, are plucked at first sight. I don’t have room for their sprawl.
hashiworks 