Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Image source

Have you experienced the joys of spending a teenie weenie, itsy bitsy amount of time here and there on Pinterest?  (Did I just hear a chuckle?)  I’m a newbie Pinterest enthusiast/addict and I had no idea how enjoyable “pinning” can be!  Sure, Pinterest can be a time sucker, but a time sucker in a good way.  What is Pinterest you may ask?

Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

Instead of being a time waster I view Pinterest as great place to learn and organize.  One of my favorite “pinning” buddies, Theresa Loe, honors her Pinterest addiction with a weekly Pinterest Wednesday post so I’ve decided join in the fun because Pinterest is a GREAT place for gardeners!  Theresa Loe is the co-Executive producer and canning expert on Growing A Greener World TV and she blogs about Living Homegrown®, local and fresh-from-the-garden.  You can follow Theresa’s  boards on Pinterest HERE and check her latest Pinterest Wednesday find HERE.

My Pinterest Wednesday find is one that can be made with next to no money and will add an extra special touch to my garden shed. I think it’s so cute…a pine cone rain chain.

Pine Cone Rain Chain

 This image was found on Pinterest here thanks to The Burbs and the Bees.  Original link can be found here.  

HAPPY PINTEREST WEDNESDAY!

Oh yeah, here’s my Pinterest page..

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

The red-shafted flicker woodpecker in my garden.

Now that the temperatures are starting to drop and a lot of the work has come to a hault in my garden, I’ve turned my attention to attracting feathered critters into my landscape with the use of bird feeders.  Birdwatching may sound mundane and boring but once you start attracting birds into your cold weather garden it is far from dull and is often called a free ticket to the theater of nature.  Once you add fresh water and some bird seed you are guaranteed to always have a show. 

With the cooling temperatures birds need an extra addition of fat to help them survive so adding suet cakes is an important accompaniment to their fall and winter diet.  I am  so happy to have the ilusive red-shafted flicker woodpecker (shown above) frequently visit my garden since I’ve set out out the fatty suet cakes and bird seed.   If you’re not one to use animal products (most suet is beef kidney fat) you can easily make a big batch of vegetarian suet cakes and store them in the freezer for future use.  I found an easy recipe at www.suetbirdfeeder.net:

Wintertime Vegan “Suet”
The birds won’t miss the meat and your kitties will love to watch the action!

2 cups peanut butter
2 cups vegetable shortening
2 cups flour
6 cups cornmeal

Melt peanut butter and shortening in a large pot.
Stir in flour and cornmeal.
Turn dough onto a waxed paper lined 13×9″ pan.
Cut into rectangles for use in a suet feeder.
Suet can be stored in a freezer.

Here’s another easy project that I’m going to try soon.  All you need is a toilet paper roll, some peanut butter and bird seed!  Easy right? I’m sure the birds will love it.

Have you heard of peanut butter bird seed balls?  I made a bunch last year and they were gone in no time.  Hopefully I kept a lot of birds alive with all the fat I fed them! Click on the image for the Bird Seed Balls recipe…

 I hope these recipes and tips have inspired you to attract birds to your fall and winter garden.  What birds to you attract to your yard in the colder  months? I’d love to hear from you and even see photos.  You can share them with over on my Facebook page or via Twitter.  Tweet tweet!

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

As I type it is still dark outside and the thermometer is reading 27°F.  Today my compost heap is going to get an extremely large addition of plants that were frozen overnight.  Before the frost hit I dug up and repotted some herbs and brought them indoors, did one last final harvest of green tomatoes, tiny squash, sugar snap peas and said goodbye to the nasturtiums and borage.  It’s always sad to see the gardening season end but, on the other hand, it’s also a good time of year to start planning next years garden.

tiny harvest before the freeze

Still trying to figure out what kind of squash that is...

goodbye nameless squash...

goodbye yummy dill...

Goodbye borage. I enjoyed you in cocktails. Sorry you're frozen solid right about now.

Well, it’s time to have some coffee and wait for the sun to rise before ripping out frost-bitten plants.  Enjoy your Wednesday everyone!

this will make me feel better

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

I used to be discourage with all the green tomatoes I had on my hands as soon as Fall hit and because of that frustration all my green tomatoes ended up in the compost heap.  Yes, I was composting perfectly good tomatoes that would  have been ideal for many dishes that call for green unripened tomatoes.  Live and learn, right?.  Sure, there’s nothing like the taste and smell of a fresh summer tomato, but since the Fall harvest is here I celebrate the green tomato by making batches and batches of luscious, sweet and savory sauce know as green tomato chutney.

My first canning experience was in the Fall of 2010 that resulted in several half pints of green tomato chutney.  Unfortunately, I lost the recipe, but it included green tomatoes, onion, apple, red bell pepper and a little pickled ginger. Once I find it, (and I need too because I’m harvesting green tomatoes today), I will share it with you.  If you have a favorite green tomato chutney recipe please feel free to share it by commenting on this post or over on my Facebook page.

My green tomato chutney and fresh peach sauce recipe is an excellent accompaniment to a cheese and cracker platter or equally delicious spooned over grilled fish and roasted meats.  With the addition of diced peach, a little jalapeno and cilantro this sauce takes on a surprisingly mango-peach salsa flavor. 

Green Tomato Chutney and Fresh Peach Sauce

• 1/2 pint or 8 ounces of green tomato chutney
• 1-peach peeled and diced
• 1/2 a jalapeno, diced (optional)
• 1 TBSP chopped cilantro
• red pepper flakes for garnish if you want more heat (optional)

Directions: Mix green tomato chutney, peach, jalapeno, and cilantro together and put it in a bowl…It’s that easy and takes just a few minutes to prepare.

Mix a half pint of green tomato chutney...

...with one peeled and diced peach, some fresh cilantro and chili...

...and there you have a nice dish of green tomato chutney with fresh peach sauce. Dig in!

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Happy Fall everyone! 

I have something very exciting to share with my readers.  I grew potatoes for the first time this year and am happy to announce I just made my first harvest of beautiful red potatoes!  If you have grown potatoes before you know that there is nothing more captivating then scraping the soil back only to find big beautiful taters that almost look like they came out of nowhere!  I will now forever be a potato farmer. 

Hello beautiful

You can guarantee I’m already making plans on growing many different varieties of potatoes next year which means more planting beds for growing these nutricious tubers.  Also on the list is to make sure I label what I plant!  Unfortunately, I spaced on labeling what kind of red potatoes these are so next time I’m going to make my label first…then plant.  For now, we’ll just call this a Belly Button Potato 

The Dirt & Martinis Belly Button Tater!

Since my harvest was very small I won’t be storing them for winter eating, not to mention I’m not sure if this is a type of potato that would store well.  These babies are going to get eaten right away by myself, friends and family over the next week.  The first meal I made was a small mountain of simply prepared mashed potatoes.  The secret to perfect mashed potatoes are two things: 1) Add a bay leaf to the cooking water.  2) Do not boil but simmer the potatoes.  I learned this from a tweet made by Ron Zimmerman of the famous Herbfarm in Woodinville, WA and it really does make a huge difference in the flavor and texture of the mashed potatoes.  Second up on the potato harvest menu was cooking up a big pot of steaming potato-leek soup.  This recipe is not only simple but it can be made in short period of time.  Hopefully you’ll give this a recipe a try for your next lunch or prepare it for light lazy night supper.

Enjoy!

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Not junky bad, but junky good!

I realize it is appalling for some people to use junk in the garden but not to me.  Most of my garden “art” is aged, rusty, and weird but in my eyes it’s interesting to look at and the BEST part- most of it was free!  I admit and confess I’m a junk junky .

Recently I had a chat with someone that was down in the dumps because her garden was blah and boring.  She procrastinated doing anything to update it because she thought it would take wads of cash to even get her garden space comfy and inviting. This made me sad. 

For those with little money my garden is living proof that you don’t need a bunch a cash to create a unique garden of your own.  Here are some “dumpster diver” tips that I gave to the lady I mentioned before:

 Use splashes of color throughout your garden.  Here’s a couple of battered rusty chairs that a couple of nice guys dropped off for me.  Since they’re non-functioning I thought they’d add some interest and color in my flower bed…

Use similar found items and group them together.  As you know, I heart rocks…

Create flower/vegetable beds and borders out of bottles from your recycle bin or do what I did…put the word out on Facebook and you’ll have bottles in no time!

Make your own garden art by thinking outside the dumpster…literally.  Here’s some metal pieces that got a new lease on life.  The round metal rings were off a wine barrel planter that fell apart and the metal candlesticks were found at a second hand store for a few bucks…

Before you throw something out ask yourself if you can plant in it.  Here’s a couple vertical planters, one made from a heater that was salvaged from a house demo and the other from a rice bag…

So, I hope this has given you some junkalicious inspiration to get in the garden and be creative with found objects and items headed to the dump.  Gardening with reused materials sometimes is a better and prettier way to go,  especially,  when you don’t have a lot of money in your pocket. 

What sort of fun ways do YOU garden?  I’d love to hear from you!!!!

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Now, here’s the cocktail recipes that are sure to cool down any hot day… 

Cucumber-Tomato Water Martini 

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 teaspoon dry white vermouth
• Ice
• 3 ounces cucumber-tomato water
• garnish: cocktail onion and cucumber slices

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the gin, vermouth, cucumber-tomato water. Shake until cold, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Cucumber-Tomato Water 

• 6 cups chopped tomatoes (the ripes juiciest you can find), chopped
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp salt (optional)

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely pureed. working in batches, process the tomatoes, pulsing on and off, to create a very course puree. Pour puree in a cheesecloth or coffee filter lined colander with a bowl underneath to catch the liquid.  Refrigerate overnight.Cucumber-tomato water will be clear and not a tomato red color.

Cantaloupe and Watermelon Cocktail

This cocktail is a party pleaser!  As with all drinks, fresh is best so this drink entails the use of veggie juicer which is so worth the extra effort.  Juice up one cantaloupe and one small watermelon separately and pour juice into it’s own individual container .

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 3/4 ounces of tripe sec or Cointreau
• 1 ounce cantaloupe juice
• 1ounce watermelon juice
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• ice
• garnish: cantaloupe and a lemon wheel.

Make cantaloupe and watermelon juice with a vegetable juicer and store juice separately in its own container. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and shake until icy cold.  Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with melon and lemon.

Campari Spritzer

• 2 ounces Campari
• 2 ounces orange juice
• 6 ounces sparkling water
• ice
• Garnish with orange, or in  my case I used what I  had on hand…borage.

In a highball glass add the Campari, orange juice, and sparkling water.  Garnish.

 I’d love to hear what your favorite summertime hydration libation is?  Enjoy and stay cool!

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

This post originally appeared on the #gardenchat blog.  You can follow #gardenchat on Twitter and on Facebook.

Reduce, reuse, recycle are words we hear everyday and sometimes several times a day. Specifically in the area of reuse, gardeners all around the world, from all walks of life and economic status have taken the incentive to use items that were headed to the landfill to create unique gardens.

Not only does reusing items help the environment but it allows us to get very creative in our garden spaces with little or no money. There are several ways to use junk and trash in our gardens .  For example instead of recycling, why not reuse cardboard egg cartons, toilet paper rolls and newspaper for seed starting? Mini blinds can be cut up for for plant labels, old windows can be turned into cold frames, veggie scraps and yard waste can be composted to create nutrient rich soil.

Another way to turn trash-into-treasure and reusing found objects is by creating funky planters. Here’s a peek of trash and junkyard finds that I’ve turned into planters.  My motto is if it has a vessel or receptacle you may as well grow in it!  The three materials I look for when proverbial dumpster diving are metal, wood and straw. 

Metal

Galvanized metal stock tanks and cattle troughs make excellent container and water gardens.  I love Pam’s article, on her blog Digging, No Bull!  Cattle troughs make great containers.  Keep your eye open for these cool containers at yard sales, second hand stores and flea markets.  I recently picked up two of these containers that a friend of mine was going to take to the dump.  Score!  Another fun way to use metal is by planting in cut-off pieces of metal pipe. 

Wood

Wood is another material that gets wasted and thrown into the landfill.  A vertical garden can be made out of a pallet, mini raised garden beds can be achieved from wooden wine boxes, a salvage door can be turned into a potting bench and an old toolbox can be transformed into a planter.  Here is a toolbox I rescued from the trash and planted with herbs…

Note:  Do not use railroad ties or other treated lumber in your garden because of chemicals thay may leach into the soil.

Straw

Straw you may ask?  Yup, I specifically look for those fabulous kitchy vintage Hawaiian straw tote bags .  Often found at second hand stores and estate sales these bags make great containers for planting not mention a playful conversation piece in the garden.  Yes, I’m a bag lady and proud of it!  Here’s my latest straw bag planter project that I created from bags purchased at a local second hand store for $2.

Do you use junk in your garden? 

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Authentic Haven Brand Manure Tea is what I am going to be fertilizing my garden with this summer. No more chemicals or synthetically produced fertilizers are going to be used and no more storing or lugging around heavy bags of fertilizer .  That’s right, my garden is going green with a little tea bag I affectionately call moo poo tea.

After using moo poo tea on my indoor plants all winter I was sold.  My plants are healthier than before and growing lush and beautiful.

Are you skeptical about using manure teas on your houseplants and in your gardens? Annie Haven answers all those questions you may be wondering about, especially if this is the first time you’ve heard of manure tea:

Myth #1 – Manure tea will have a bad odor.
Authentic Haven Brand manure teas do not have a bad odor. After the sun-dried, composting procedure is completed, neither the tea bag nor the tea itself contain an offensive smell like raw manure would. In fact, our manure teas hardly have a smell at all. At best, it may have a very slight “barn-like” scent that is vaguely noticeable.

Myth #2 – Manure teas are difficult to brew.
Our manure teas are packaged in an all-natural cotton tea bag, which makes brewing a snap. Simply place a tea bag in five gallons of water and allow it to steep for one to three days. In most cases, the manure tea can be ready to use after just a few hours of brewing. It’s just that simple.

Myth #3 – Using manure tea may burn my plants.
While it is true that raw manures can burn plants, well-aged manures will not if used in the appropriate amounts. Authentic Haven Brand uses nothing but well-aged manures that are composted in the sun over the course of several months.

The manure tea provides a great balance of nutrients and minerals that will never burn your plants. You can water plants with manure tea every day without worry of damaging plants. You can overwater your plants, so maintain a proper watering schedule.

Myth #4 – Manures contain harmful pathogens.
In recent years, there has been increased cases of E.coli and salmonella in the beef and produce industries. These cases have been directly linked to unsanitary livestock husbandry and produce handling. Instances of E.coli can increase with grain-fed cattle because their digestive systems are not “built” for grains such as corn.

Seriously, these make great gift for gardeners

It's just that easy. Throw the bag in and fill with water. No smell or measuring.

Let steep for 1-3 days

Thanks for letting me talk poo with you today.  For more information on Authentic Haven Brand products check out their websites at http://www.manuretea.com/   http://www.ahavenbrand.com/index.html, on Facebook and on Twitter.

Note: I purchased the products myself and was not asked or influenced by Authentic Haven Brand to write this review. 

Continue reading »]]> Share the love

Being a lover of repurposed and green products I was very happy to come  across a company that makes baskets from old tire scraps. 

 When I received my basket via UPS I opened the box and my first impression of it was how well it is constructed. 

 Not only is it very sturdy in also looks A LOT like leather!  These baskets not only have a variety of uses in the home and garden but would also appeal to a large clientele such as those that prefer environmentally friendly products or those that purchase non-leather goods and completely animal-free products.

Here are some examples of how to use a Flat Tire Decor basket:

Use for chilling beer! Photo courtesy of GardenKim

Baskets with trays underneath to catch the water

Or you could use the basket for holding plants.

Cute bike, huh? Photo courtesy of GardenKim

Fruit basket

Please note:  Flat Tire Decor provided a complimentary basket for me to review. The content of this review is entirely of  my own, and is not, in any way, influenced by Flat Tire Decor.  For more information on their products they can be found at http://flattiredecor.com/ , on Facebook on Twitter.