Killer Articles about Unexpected Edibles

Hello Kyle,

Last summer I had a tremendous squash failure. My zuchinni squash grew into monstrosities that nearly choked the life out of some other plants. I was excited when I saw them flower, but then…..no fruit. None. Zero Zuchinni. I was an unhappy gardener.

Note: This is apparently because squash plants have genders! Go figure! I either had all gals or all guys but either way, I was left out of the party.

If only I had read this article on eating Squash Blossoms! I see them now for sale at farmer’s markets and hope that even if he squash fail in the fruit again, the flowers will see me through!

Check out this lovely NPR article on edible flora, especially squash blossoms.

And Kyle, I’m frightened of some forms of foraging in a city of both dogs and people peeing in public, but I simply have to also pass along this article on some wild edibles to you who live in a much more abundant and not so scary greenery.

Eating Dandelions! Next time I’m in town we should weed your yard for lunch!

Hope you are getting a wonderful harvest, my friend. Are you tracking your goods in any way?

-SuperKasey

MAINE Part Three: THE LOCAL FEAST! (Vegans Beware)

Bracekyle,

Sorry for the suspense, but this was just too big an event for one letter.

Here is how to cook a Maine Shore Dinner.

MAINE Part Two: Local Food Extravaganza!!!

Alright BraceKyle,

Vacations are supposed to be a break, but how can I let go of what I love so much! Food of course! FRESH FOOD! Like the kind I grow in my backyard.

The last time I went to Maine, we ate out and tried everything. This time, we ate in and cooked it all!

MAINERS eat the strangest things!

Greeting from Vacationland!

This comes to you from the great Northwest and my friends Mr. and Ms. Cleaver. Ms. Cleaver has her own lovely blog is growing some of her own herbs in the kitchen.

The Cleavers have another greenthumb secret in their kitchen. Worms!!! Thats right they vermicompost!

But that is all initial business. The truly fantastic thing about Maine is that they make it so easy to eat local.

Free Day Day Two: Tomatoes and Peppers are planted!

Hello BraceKyle!

So we are on to the recap of day two with no dayjob. The weather cooled quite a bit, and I got to spend even more time out of doors. I weeded and I planted and I planted some more.

Free Day Number One: Planted the Salad Bed

Hey BraceKyle,

As said in my last post, I had two days of freedom from work before my trip to Maine (stay tuned). Day One was HOT! So hot that after 30 minutes outside, I got dizzy. I took many breaks, but still managed to get my salad plot planted.

Pruning tomatoes: look for the “Y”

Hey there, SuperKasey!  How the hell is life?  It’s nice to hear from you about your strawberries, but we’re missing you!  I’m missing you, I mean.  I know life gets busy, but…Come back, Shane, come back!

Now to tomatoes.

Tomatoes are very important to me.  I use them in sauces and dishes all the time.  I’ve considered getting a dehydrator to make sun-dried tomatoes, too.  I love them in salads, pastas or as a solo snack.

I have two varieties of tomatoes in my garden.  I have one beefeater and one mortgage lifter.  Both are heirloom tomato plants, which means that they come from a long line of successful plants, like a produce dynasty or something.

My sister and brother-in-law visited this past weekend, and they had some advice for maintaining and pruning tomatoes.  They are both wildlife biologists and have a very large garden in their back yard in Kentucky.  Their soil is mostly clay, but they grow LOTS and do a lot of canning and jarring and all that stuff that seems like far too much work to me.

Deer are the scourge of the forest and my garden

You’re back, SuperKasey!  Your strawberries look great.  I’ve heard you can make tea out of them.  And also ice cream.  Delicious.

I have some scary news, SuperKasey.  They’ve come.  The Deer.  Cue horror music.

Do you know what deer are?  Deer are what happened when a rat and a pigeon cross-bred.  They are just big vermin that eat everything in sight.  Oh, sure, they are cute to look at, with their big eyes and bushy tails and running from forest fires, but then they come out of the woods and get all territorial and try to trample people and eat every bushy green thing or colorful flower they can find.  They also eat bark and trash and cigarette butts.

Like I said: vermin.

I’m Back! Now to Talk about My Mobile Strawberry Patch

Hey bud,

I have missed you, BraceKyle. Sorry I’ve been such a blog bum. A short life update before the garden update. I have officially left my job, taken a week off, gone to Maine and started a new job. Its been crazy, but I was very dutiful in taking pictures and now I can fill you in on all of it!

In between the last job and Maine, I got a couple days to play in my garden. It was very welcome after staying late in the office to tie up loose ends. But when I went back to my yard to see what had happened when I was away, I saw that some restructuring was necessary on my strawberries.

A thorough update and overview of my efforts so far

SUPERKASEY!  We are now nearly two months into our little competition, and I hope you are feeling as good about this as I am.  Because, uh, you know.  They say it’s my year.

Whatever that means.

I wanted to drop you a general update on the goings-on in my garden.  Here is how things are looking now: