While We Wait

Patience may not always be my strong suit of mine, and it's even tougher when you are past your due date. Projects to pass the time are a must, even if they are manual labor. The Saturday morning farmer's market was full of Spring garden seedlings, the weather was begging for us to be outside, and it was hopeful that a little yard work would prompt some labor. While we weren't successful in the latter, we did get the garden tilled with fresh soil and Spring veggies in the ground. And our biggest commitment: Asparagus. That little row of lettuce may not look like much, but surrounding it are asparagus crowns. Since you can't harvest the first year it's not an immediate gratification, instead a long-term play that will hopefully have delicious payoffs.

The Chicken And A Tomato

Watching the chickens find a bug or morsel that excites them can be pure entertainment. We had a tomato that was a little over-ripe and Annie got a hold of it. Running around the yard, flinging it side to side, and rolling it in the dirt; the other chicken dare not mess with her when she has a prize like this.

Welcome Home

We came home from a week vacation to a garden ready to be picked. The eggplants are the survivor of the garden, seemingly un-phased by lack of water or too much heat. Some of our tomato plants aren't happy with the soil so we're hoping transferring to pots will help. I picked our rainbow carrots and pulled up the 'running man'. There's a few jokes in there...
The first okra of the season was ready and the final strawberry was bright red. I think that means summer is officially here.

April Garden

This Spring has been a busy one at 765. It hasn't allowed much time for projects around the house,  though we have managed to keep up with the garden. Back in February we planted rows of seeds and crossed our fingers the heavy rains and volatile temperatures wouldn't crush our garden dreams. Thanks to our potent compost, far more than what we planted actually sprouted. We have 25 tomato plants (where we'll find space for them all I'm not quite sure), one of which managed to last through the Winter and is giving us an early supply of fruit. So far it's looking to be a productive season.

Preparing the Spring Garden

February is a slow month for projects at 765. Between work, travel, parades and the almost constant rain, there's little time or energy to sand the windows or work in the yard. (I think I said the same thing last year.) Last weekend we had a day of much needed sun which prompted the beginning of our Spring garden. We (Travis, me and the chickens) tilled up the dirt, added plenty of compost and created some rows for seeds. A few snow pea and tomato seedlings from the farmer's market are getting a head start in pots. But the best part of the garden right now? The strawberry plants. We may only get a couple at a time, but picking a strawberry when I get home from work is a welcomed treat.

Farm to Kitchen / 2 / Red Cabbage

Cabbage is one of those traditional foods for New Year's Day - supposedly for money, though I'm certain it's partially because that's when they are ready to be picked.
We had plenty of red cabbage in the front yard so I opted for a less traditional approach than the boiled greens: Chinese Chicken Salad. Next up, red cabbage glumpkies?!
If we're still putting our garden to use in January I'm liking the prospects for 2013.

2012 - A Look Back

The past few years we've enjoyed a Blue Moon and our oranges on New Year's eve as we review everything we accomplished at 765 that year. Sadly the odd weather at the end of Winter last year confused our orange trees and left them with fruit at the wrong time. The fruit didn't last, and instead the trees spent the year growing like crazy. Hopefully that means next year will be that much more fruitful.
Here's a look back at what we did at 765 in 2012:

I got a new peep hole in my stocking.

We began a walkway project as soon as it wasn't freezing outside

The front door got a makeover.

We celebrated TWO whole years at 765 and the chickens helped us pour some concrete.

  All of our basil was put to good use for the winter months.

 The backyard walkway was completed!

Hurricane Isaac forced Travis to return home early, but luckily 765 came out damage-free.



The front window got a makeover since the door looked so good.

We (mostly Travis) installed lights above our dining table. I still get excited when I turn them on.

 Our winter garden turned out much more successful than our spring crop.

We already have some electrical projects under way to begin the new year, and a crop of cabbage ready to pick for good luck.
Cheers to a happy, healthy and FRUITFUL 2013!

Winter Garden

It finally feels like Winter here at 765. There was a freeze warning last night and you can see the steam coming off the coffee inside the house this morning. In the garden our broccoli and red cabbage is just about ready to pick, the basil is still going strong, and our tomato plants are full of big green tomatoes. I'm hoping they can hang on long enough to get a little red on them before picking. By far the most enjoyed part of our crops right now is the arugula. It's been added to salads and sandwiches daily, and still continues to keep getting bigger. Fresh veggies from the garden through December are certainly a plus for the locale.

Annie

Annie is the lone chicken at 765 right now. This little speckled lady got her name after we saved her from wandering the streets of Spanish Town. She proved to be a fighter when we went on vacation and she survived two raccoons and a dog. Thanks to a neighbor who kept her in his kitchen, she's still around. It took a few months of recovering, but she finally got back to scratching for bugs and egg producing. Annie has now taken to hopping the fence during the day to scratch around the neighbors yard, and when I pull up from work she comes running up to be let back into the yard. Her and Juliet certainly make a cute duo in the backyard.

Fall Garden

Our Fall garden is anxiously awaiting a bit more cool weather so it can really take off. This time around I've tried a few new things to see what will grow best in the front yard. So far we have: red cabbage, butternut squash, spinach mustard greens, leeks, broccoli, arugula, tomatoes and one bell pepper. And of course a whole lawn full of basil. (Please come take some before we mow it!) There are a bunch of tomato plants, though we only bought two. The rest pop right out of the compost, like the one happily growing beside the leek. Hopefully it will be a successful season!

What's growing in your fall garden?

Avocado

While some of our veggies haven't fared well with the heat, we do have one that just keeps on growing: our avocado tree. A neighbor passed this challenge on to us when it was only a foot tall. We accepted, though unsure being that Louisiana is not prime avocado climate and the only one we knew of died two winters ago from frost. Travis has transferred it from pot to pot as it outgrows each, and it is safely tucked away in the shed whenever frost might be eminent. (Though it has almost outgrown that option!) Our hopes for homegrown avocados get a little closer everyday.

Yellow

Yellow seems to be the color of our garden right now. (Aside from the yellowing tomato plants caused by the overbearing heat). Turns out one of our bell pepper plants wasn't the standard green/red combo. And the other veggie? A lemon cucumber. I spent a good while thinking there was something wrong with it until I finally put 'yellow cucumber' into Google. Not sure how that one got in our yard, but I'll take it. It made a colorful salad mixed with green cucumbers and tomatoes.

Pesto

We have loads of basil.  Nearly any passer-by gets an offer of basil and every now and then you see some sneak up to grab a pinch, as if worried we weren't serious. Please. Take some!
I lopped off enough to make a batch of frozen pesto (though you couldn't tell), in hopes of preserving some for the winter. Melt a couple cubes and throw it in some pasta or add it to a pizza - easiest meal every.

Pesto (adapted from Sprouted Kitchen)
4 Cups Basil Leaves
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Lemon Juice
1/3 Cup Toasted Pine nuts (I had none, so I threw in a some pecans for texture)
1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Large Cloves Garlic
1 tbsp. Black Pepper

Friday Flowers

The Zinnias are growing like wildflowers in the front yard, but it's so much better when they're in the house.

Happy Friday!

Harvest / 2

What's left of our garden after the heat took it's toll has finally started ripening. Tomatoes are becoming more abundant, and we've got almost too many red bell peppers.
A bit of good mozzarella and the chance to use just a smidge of our basil bushes made this Caprese salad the perfect evening dinner.

First Harvest

We got our first harvest of the season yesterday!
The bell peppers had toppled the plant there were so many of them, and the zucchini amazed me at how quickly it grew. Chopped up and thrown on the bbq for dinner- it doesn't get much fresher than that.

May Flowers

Our garden is getting fuller and fuller every day.
The bell peppers are almost bigger than the plant they are on.
Tomatoes are becoming tarantulas again.
Basil sprouted from seed and has now taken over the front corner.
A squash plant that made it through frost has taken over, though all of the squash get to about the size of a golf ball then turn yellow and wilt. Any squash experts out there?
So far the most exciting though, is this Zinnia. I had planted from seed a slew of white ones for the wedding last year. They all came back up from the seeds on their own this year, some still white, some bright fuchsia, and this one a perfect mix... The Spanish Town Zinnia.

Spring Planting

While 765 hasn't seen much as far as projects go, the front garden has been busy re-sprouting from last years crop without any effort from us. Letting some of the vegetables drop or go to seed has proven the best (and easiest) method for gardening this Spring.
Tomatoes are sprouting up stronger than my babied seeds.
Basil has come up in between the cracks of the bricks.
One squash came back and battled through two frosts.
Zinnias. If you would like a seedling please stop by, we have more than enough.
And one bell pepper is still going from last year. Stud.
We filled in the gaps with even more tomatoes, every color bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers. Along with a test run of peas.
Let the battle with the Tomato Hornworms begin.

Cheers to 2011

If you remember last year, we toasted to the end of the year with a glass of Blue Moon and our freshly picked oranges. All 2 of them. I figured this year we would continue the tradition since our trees were a bit more fruitful, nearly bent to the ground with the weight of the citrus.

It has been a good year at 765.

 

We dug up our front yard to make room for a vegetable garden and hopeful wedding flowers. In the process we found treasures that dated our house.

Travis and I sanded and sanded and sanded to get the years of paint off our cabinets. I still stand back and just look at them sometimes. They sure are pretty.

We got MARRIED. I'm so glad we had the wedding blog, because you quickly forget how much time, energy and emotion went into the whole day. But it we perfect.

The shed got a pair of beautiful doors to finish it off, but not without a few losses. Thanks again Mitch!

Chickens found a home in our yard once again.

We had a bountiful front yard. So many cucumbers we had a to find new recipes for them.

Travis (and his supervisor) dabbled in some plumbing.

And we realized we have the best dog EVER.

Cheers to one memorable year, and an even better 2012!