A Re-cap of This Years Garden

This year we made our beds 30" wide with 24"walk ways.  To prep the beds we turned in all our compost from the year before as well as peat moss and composted steer manure. 

We planted 900 onion sets early in the spring and enjoyed harvesting them at all stages of growth throughout the season, even into late fall when we pulled them all up to dry and store for the winter.

The broccoli was one our big winners this year. We only wish we had planted more. After the first harvest; which is when you get the large crowns that you typically see in the grocery store, the plants will produce smaller florets that can be harvested all summer long.  These smaller florets are very tender and freeze quite well by simply blanching them is salted boiling water for 1 minute. Remove the broccoli from the water to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain them well and spread them out on a plastic wrap-lined cookie sheet and freezing them for at least 6 hours. When completely frozen remove from the tray and seal them in zip-lock freezer bags.  Enjoy all winter long.

The cauliflower was another one we wish we would have planted more of. Just like broccoli it freezes very well. We love it in soups or just roasted in the oven. 

In early spring while thinning the beats and Swiss chard these baby green are great in a salad or saute them with garlic and olive oil. 

The cabbage did very well this year and as you can see I plant them staggered about 18" apart.  As they grow they crowd out any weeds and I will cut off the outer leaves and feed them to the chickens.

Another beautiful cauliflower head. 

Green bush beans

This year we did Yukon Gold and Red Pontiac potatoes

The sugar snap peas never make it inside the house because I eat most of them when I'm out in the garden.

Swiss chard is one of my favorites. 

I only planted 2 mounds of Zucchini this year and one mound of yellow summer squash and we were still swimming in the stuff.

This year the tomatoes came on late.  We only had maybe two good months of production. Next year I will plant earlier and cover them to extend the season.

This was the last of the summer tomatoes. Here is a great recipe for tomato soup. 

Cut 24 or so tomatoes in half and toss them with olive oil and salt and pepper and chopped basil. Quarter one large onion and 2 cloves of garlic.  Spread them out on a foil lined cookie sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and puree everything in a blender.

Transfer mixture to the stove and add 3 tbs. of sugar and 2 cups of heavy cream.  

Check seasoning and have a grilled cheese sandwich near by for dunking.

Yum!

Mid-summer harvest. Zucchini getting the better of us.

This was the last of the kale for the season.  Kale can be harvested all season long and into the late fall.  It also freezes very well and here is how I like to cook it.  I wash it thoroughly and remover the thick stems. I chop the kale into 1" pieces.

In a large heavy bottom stock pot add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and half a sick of butter. Crush 2 cloves of garlic through a garlic press and add to the oil.  saute the the garlic for a few seconds and then fill the pot with the chopped kale.  Add a little more oil to the pile of kale and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the kale as it cooks down for about 2 minutes.    

 
Remove from heat and pack into freezer bags.

We had a bumper crop of beets this year.

This monster was amazing. 

We put up 24 quarts and 10 pints of pickled beets.

We harvested 4 cuttings of parsley this year.

We copped it up real fine and spread it out on a cookie sheet to dry.

We packed it into clean jars and use it throughout the year. 

Last harvest of the season.

Found another use for zucchini this year. Zucchini bread and butter pickles.

Well that about sums up the garden for 2016.  Next year we hope to be on our new property putting in a huge market garden.  2017 will be our biggest garden yet.

So how do you help to heal the bitterness of the last presidential campaign. My friend Sherrie has the right idea.  Make a giant batch of shortbread and a cup of herbal tea. Remember; "Butter makes everything better".

Sherrie is a master baker and has mastered the art of the perfect shortbread.

It may seem a little OCD but she uses a ruler to cut them all the same size. That way you can easily justify just one more small piece.  

Ah Perfection. Feeling much better now.

Some fun facts about Shortbread.

The story of shortbread begins with the medieval "biscuit bread". Any leftover dough from bread making was dried out in a low oven until it hardened into a type of rusk: the word "biscuit" means "twice cooked". Gradually the yeast in the bread was replaced by butter, and biscuit bread developed into shortbread.

The History of Scottish Shortbread. - Historic UK

www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Scottish-Shortbread/

http://preparednesstips.blogspot.com/

Hey all,

My wife's cousin Jarolynn Stout of Hurricane Utah publishes a preparedness newsletter each month. I have posted the link above and hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

To set the record straight I am not a blogger. Heck, I'm not even a good speller.  This is the beginning of what I hope will be a place to share ideas and information for like minded people who want to learn more of the practical arts that are rapidly disappearing.  So as I learn and share I hope all who read this will know that I am not an expert but what do know and experience I will share with you.
 Here is my background.

 Aaron Diamond

5111 Mountain View Circle Enoch, UT 84721 ·  Phone: 435-256-5612

 e-mail: aarondiamond@msn.com

Originally from Orem, Utah, I first visited the Pacific Northwest while touring with my high school choir.  A few years later I returned there to serve a mission for my church. Three years later I moved back and spent twenty years in the Seattle area.

As a third generation florist, I was in the retail floral industry for twenty-five years. My passion for flowers and interiors inspired me to create beautiful designs as well as an exclusive flower business.  Together, my wife Avis and I owned and operated Aaron Diamond's Floral Masters for fourteen years.  Specializing in European design, I established a reputation among my peers and clients as one of the Northwest's leading designers.

In June of 1991, my diversified talents earned me an induction into the prestigious American Institute of Floral Designers (A.I.F.D.), the floral industry's top design credentials.

In addition to hundreds of weddings and parties, my unique designs have been seen at Bill Gates’ (Microsoft) class reunion, the National Governors Convention, Northwest Wine Auction, Nintendo's corporate Christmas party, Boeing events and airplane deliveries, and the opening gala event of the Super Mall of the Great Northwest. My clients represented a broad spectrum of companies of every size.  In addition to floral creations, set designs and home interiors my corporate holiday decor clients included First Interstate Bank building, Fifth Avenue Plaza, Continental Plaza, Bank of America Tower and Gary Manuel Salon, along with many other private residences in the Seattle area.

In 1992, I was hired as a consultant by Pacific Rim Import Corp., a Seattle based importer of home furnishing and accessories.  I traveled extensively in Asia as well as all the major furniture marts in the U.S.  As a result of my efforts, the company saw a 45% increase in sales.

In 2002, I sold my floral business and joined forces with long time friend and customer, Pacific Rim Import Corp., with my main focus on product development, visual merchandising and sales.

I re-designed their retail store and set up a silk floral and plant department that resulted in a 90% increase in sales.

In 2005, I was asked to open a new showroom for Pacific Rim Imports at The World Market Center in Las Vegas.  In June of that same year I sold my home in Seattle and moved my family to Las Vegas. The Las Vegas showroom grew to be one of the most profitable showrooms in the company.  Despite the success of our showroom, Pacific Rim Imports had been struggling financially and on February 7, 2007 they announced that they were closing all 16 showrooms nationwide.

In April of 2007 I was hired as Store Director by Tai Pan Trading, a growing retail chain specializing in seasonal merchandise and home décor.  I oversaw the construction of the building and set up of the new 94,000 sq. ft. St. George Utah store.  I helped with the design and build-out of architectural elements including a gourmet kitchen, garden walls and trellises, artistic interiors, window treatments, and beautiful seasonal displays.  Within The store I created The Garden Court Wedding and Reception Center.  This was a 5,000 sq. ft. event center that hosted a broad range of events and weddings.

In July of 2012 the Tai Pan Trading Building was purchased by C-A-L Ranch Stores; a growing chain of Farm and Ranch stores in the inter-mountain west.  I was recruited by C-A-L Ranch to produce a line of western home décor for their new store.  I helped with the demo of the St. George store and the rebuild of the new C-A-L Ranch.   I added rough cut lumber accents to the interior and built out the new home décor section as well as the general design and décor of the store. I started as a Manager-in-Training, but with the success of the new Home Décor area I was offered a buyer position at their corporate offices and relocated my family to Idaho Falls.  After 2 years in Idaho we had the opportunity to move back to Utah with CAL RANCH Stores and be closer to family and we jumped at the chance.

 This brings me to my current venture; Heather Hill Farm and gardens.  The concept has been a long-time dream of mine in a way is a culmination of all my life experiences and passions. I have partnered with some dear friends to create this 15 acre working farm and gardens that will provide the public with a beautiful venue for weddings, receptions and community events.  The event center will promote the expansion of the practical arts such as cooking, canning, spinning, weaving, pottery, floral design, animal husbandry, gardening, food production and small-scale farming. It is our hope that Heather Hill Farms will be a respite from the world and become a place of refuge, a place of learning, a place to gather and a place to love.

We hope to break ground soon.  In the meantime I will be posting the progress and well and events and updates on my garden and chickens and whatever else I am doing.