Posts Tagged ‘Root Vegetables’

Planting for spring

and so it begins…

It the middle of February, technically still the dead of winter, but our unseasonably mild winter has every gardener itching to get outside and into the dirt. This weekend marks the official start to our growing season for cool weather crops, but we’ve had lettuces and spinach in the patio pot garden for weeks and they are now ready to harvest. Seems odd to be eating fresh greens this time of year when root crops and squash are the mainstay of any menu.

Seeds of other cool season crops and ones I know I want to grow are planted in pony-packs, peat pellets and flats and are incubating inside the farmhouse. Tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers and cucumbers are sitting inside on warming mats and in a few days we’ll have the beginnings of a summer full of fresh organic food.

The farm already has a huge garden complete with compost pile, raised beds, fencing for vine crops, berry patch, fruit trees, a chicken coop and a rain collection barrel. Whoever lived here before had no interest in living a sustainable life or even gardening for that matter. It has taken me years to clear out the debris, trim or remove overgrown and useless trees and rejuvenate the soil to the point where it could sustain life. But, we did it. The soil is rich and friable, crawling with earthworms in every spade that is turned. This is a huge accomplishment – soil that is alive!!

In a few weeks the soil will be over 45 degrees; dry enough that I can till and work in the mulch and compost that was laid on top during the winter months; warm enough to plant the first seedlings outdoors. I’m excited. Along with the seedlings, root vegetables like beets, carrots, radishes and turnips will be directly sown. Read the rest of the story »

Vermont Inspired Chicken Pot Pie

Friday, December 9, 2011

I have always been a huge fan of Chicken Pot Pies. As a child it was the only thing I would order when my family went out to dinner at Marie Callender’s. There’s nothing better on a cold weekend than the aroma of chicken, vegetables and herbs simmering in savory gravy. When I traveled to Vermont a few years ago I enjoyed several versions of this down home comfort food along with copious amounts of apple cider and Vermont cheddar cheese. But, those are stories yet untold.

Unable to decide on which version I liked the best I fiddled around with recipes, incorporating parts of each into a recipe that is now a favorite at our home. The main difference in my version versus those I’ve had in the past is the consistency. I love hearty winter dishes that are chock full of root vegetables in a thick sauce or gravy. And, this one has it all…veggies, herbs, and gravy, topped with a flakey pie crust. The only challenge is… I haven’t figured out how to assemble the pie so there is enough crust to top every bite of the filling. And let’s be honest – pot pie is all about the crust to filling ratio. Isn’t it?

The recipe is versatile, too. Any combination of roots from turnips to parsnips to potatoes along with the standard carrots, onions, mushrooms, peas and celery will work. It’s also a great way to use up leftover chicken. It’s amazing how much meat you can get from a carcass when it’s simmered down. And, the broth you get is nothing like anything you ever tasted. Each batch will be different because it takes on the flavors of the baked or roasted chicken.

Pot pies are also a great way to use the occasional stewing hen after her egg production years are over. That may sound gross or sad, but we are homesteaders after all, and everything on the farm has a use. And, what better use than a savory cold weather meal to take the chill off a hungry family. Read the rest of the story »

A Life Lived in Grace

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Winding Down
This beginning of a New Year is like a bend in a winding mountain road. It fades in my rearview as we move farther and farther from its starting point. I’ve been reflecting lately on all that can be accomplished on a small suburban homestead such as ours and feeling rather – well – contented and secure.

On just a third of an acre we are able to raise lambs and chickens to put meat in our freezer and eggs for breakfast and baking. An extra lamb we butchered is being parceled out to friends and neighbors who don’t want a whole or half lamb. And, at $9 to $15 per pound for organic lamb, I think this may turn out to be a very good thing.

The broilers we raised from day old chicks were butchered last week. Our original plan was to butcher before Christmas, but the bad weather and family obligations forced us to push back a few weeks. With the extra time on feed most of the birds were in the 7 to 8 pound range, with a few pushing over 9 pounds. At those weights the birds are too big for a family of two, so most were cut in half and a few quartered, giving us enough chicken for about 30 weeks, assuming we eat chicken once a week. Not bad, folks! Not bad at all!

The hens are laying 5 to 7 eggs a day now, not quite at full stride yet, but, that’s 3-1/2 dozen a week, enough to keep us in omelets with a few dozen left over to sell to cover feed costs.

Our berries and fruit trees are coming into their own and give us plenty of fresh seasonal fruit for eating and a little extra for freezing or canning or cooking; the garden gives us plenty of greens and root vegetables; tomatoes and cucumbers; squash and pumpkins, even with the occasional crop failure.

Thanks to some great sales in November and December our pantry is brimming with staple goods. And, the added savings from coupons meant most were “free” or nearly “free”. It’s so nice to be able to just walk over, open a cupboard and pull out what you need for an evening meal. No treks to the store after dark. No drives during inclement weather.

We picked up another load of firewood from the grandparents’ place, our second of the winter. With the colder temperatures we are burning more wood than in years past and it’s a blessing to have such a ready source. Loading split wood on a cool afternoon makes for a robust workout. I love it.

I think these reflections were brought on by a morning news story on the inflationary period coming our way. Read the rest of the story »

Suburban Root Cellar

Thursday, December 2, 2010

root-cellar

Long before the first icebox was put into use or the first refrigerator was invented families used root cellars to keep their harvest fresh through the cold and bleak winter months. Cellars kept apples, carrots, turnips, potatoes and squash, even salt pork and smoked meats, milk, cream, butter and cheese were kept in the root cellar to stay cool and fresh, ready to sustain the family until spring crops could be harvested.

Root cellars are low-tech natural choices for keeping your harvest fresh for months without depending on ozone-depleting refrigeration, or electricity. Canned fruits and vegetables can also be stored at the optimum temperature in root cellars.

Unfortunately, most root cellars are large walk-in structures dug into the ground or the side of a hill, built with stone and beams and wooden roofs, piled high with dirt. Above ground cellars are covered with thick layers of sod to keep them cool inside. These are hardly conducive to a homestead on a suburban lot.

So, how can the suburban homesteader benefit from centuries of free refrigeration?

Using lidded plastic storage bins is one way (like the picture above). Storage bins come in several sizes measuring two feet to three or four feet in length and most are barely two feet deep, making them easier to reach the bottom than the more commonly used 55-gallon drum. They can be dug into the ground or into a small sloped area. Bins can even be placed in the ground at an angle half way with the excavated dirt used under the front of the bin to bury them up to their lids. Sloping the bins means that water will drain away better. These bins have a curled lip around the edge, allowing for small holes to be drilled all around for a bit of air circulation without letting in any water or mice.

To store root vegetables, first put down a layer of straw in the bottom of the bin, then a layer of vegetable, then more straw and another layer of vegetable, and so on until the bin is full. Ripe, unblemished fruit can be individually wrapped and placed in a padded cardboard box before placing into the bin. When each bin is full, autumn leaves or more straw can be piled on top a foot or so for added insulation. Normal winter conditions in different areas will determine how deep the bins need to be placed and how much they need to be covered. When it’s time to use your stores simply push aside the snow and leaves and lift the lid to get what you need. Be sure to check for softening or spoilage. If this occurs remove the affected fruits or vegetables and use quickly. Remember the old saying – “One bad apple can spoil the whole bushel”.

That’s all there is to it. What could be a simpler, more secure food supply? Even if the electricity goes off, your buried treasure will be safe, able to feed your family, which is more than you can say about gold.

APPROXIMATE STORAGE TIMES:
1 to 2 Weeks: Broccoli, Eggplant
2 to 4 Weeks: Cauliflower
3 to 5 Weeks: Brussel Sprouts
1 to 2 Months: Jerusalem Artichokes, Tomatoes, Chinese Cabbage, Parsnips
2 to 3 Months: Radishes, Rutabagas
3 to 4 Months: Cabbage, Squash
4 to 6 Months: Beets, Carrots, Potatoes, Turnips
5 to 6 Months: Pumpkins

Grow Fresh Greens Throughout the Winter

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

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Just starting out on your journey to a more self-reliant life? Live in a home with very limited growing space? Or, looking for a fall and winter garden closer to the backdoor? How about trying a salad box?

Read more about these compact, easy to make mini gardens that will produce a bounty of salad greens and root vegetables throughout the cooler fall and winter months.

If carpentry isn’t your forte try using plastic storage boxes or recycled wooden boxes. For extra creativity any container will suffice (wagon, wheelbarrow, old bath tub) as long as it has drainage holes in the bottom and is large enough for the amount of greens you want to grow.

I use an old livestock watering trough with holes punched in the bottom. (For areas with harsher climates try adding hoops and greenhouse plastic to make mini hot houses.)

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Creative Commons License photo credit: Foto Iervolino