As you can see from the photos I have an excellent helper today.  He has been asking me almost daily when we are going to plant something in the garden.  I keep telling him we need to get closer to the frost date or things might freeze and die.  His response was “It is going to be 80 tomorrow”.  I guess that it good enough for me.

My farmers’ almanac is a six year old.

Last year I think I had to much going on.  This early spring planting will consist of only cabbage and broccoli.  Two of my all time favorites.  I did throw some Black Beauty Zucchini seeds out as well.  That is it though.  Going for quality over quantity.  I seem to always struggle with broccoli, so if I am able to concentrate on taking care of only a few varieties maybe I will have better luck.

Time to get started.

Posing with the hole.

Showing off the produce.

Placing some broccoli in its new home.

Love the glove-to-boy proportion.

Giving it some TLC.

Pat Pat Pat.  Tuck Tuck Tuck.

Complete!

He told me watering was his favorite part because digging is “hard work”.  Tell me about it.  That is why I have him doing it.  I have found it much easier this year taking photos from my lounge chair.  Ah, these kids are finally paying off.

Now what do you think the odds are of me convincing him to wash his hands before we eat?

This weekend we had a major snowstorm.  Out of curiosity I went ahead and looked up the chance of snow on March 24 in my city.  The answer:  Snow is exceptionally unlikely to fall at this location on March 24th.

Really?  Exceptionally unlikely?

Then why when I step in what should be my “awakening from a winter slumber lawn” I lose the ability to see my shin bone and my knee cap becomes cold and wet?

We should be talking about the spring garden, but alas we shall discuss chips instead.

I recently stumbled on these crunchy discs of glory.  They are ooh so good.  I get to praise them on Seed To Salad because they contain nothing artificial.  They are not organic per say, but close enough for me.  If you have to eat a chip, you must try the Jalapeno flavored one they offer.  Did I just say “have” to eat a chip?  It’s not a punishment.

The older I get the more I like spicy foods.  The taste of spicy foods, not so much the heat.  That is why these chips delight me.  They taste like jalapenos but are not super hot.  Just enough to tickle the taste buds.

I have also tried the BBQ, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Just Plain Sea Salt.  All get my 5 potato seal of approval.

Go get ya some.

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 63,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Lets just say, I am happy with year #1.

Click here to see the complete report.

To do what?

Glad you asked.  To start (from seed of course) some of the tasty things I will be harvesting this fall / winter.

I have started cabbage and broccoli.  Mid August I will be adding lettuce and in early September I will sow the spinach directly into the garden.

I think those four crops will suffice for this fall.  I’m going to take it easy.

The 3 rows on the left are cabbage and the 3 on the right are broccoli.  You sure wouldn’t know it by the look of the plant.  That is why you must label them, especially at this young age.

Yes.  They are leggy.  Thanks for noticing.  Poor things.

I am super excited about the cabbage this year.  I chose the Premium Late Flat Dutch Cabbage from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.  This cabbage should be massive in size.  The heads can weigh as much as 15 pounds.  Thats a lot of sauerkraut baby!  Did someone say Corned Beef and Cabbage?  Don’t mind if I do.

My wonderful helper, helping.

There are still things happening in my current garden and we can’t forget to celebrate that.  **Or they will die on me.**

Like for instance the cute Mini Red Pepper.  Great for dipping.

Anyone need any parsley?

This has grown well all season and could care less about the 100+ temps.  Though it is starting to get little yellow tips on the leaves.

The zucchini has also done very well this year.  The produce has been outstanding even though the leaves in the picture are looking a little lackluster.

You know what?  Who cares about all that garden chatter when I get to tell you about my newest toy.  I finally was able (thanks to my wife) to put in an irrigation system.  No more late nights wandering aimlessly around with the hose.  No more squirting myself in the face while I try to adjust the arc of the sprinkler.  Is it even possible to use a hose without having to walk the length of it to pull out the kinks?!!

More time with the family, I think that is money well spent.

It looks so simple (because it is), but your taste buds will explode and beg you for more!

Ingredients

• 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Coarse salt and pepper

Directions

How embarrassing for the neighbors.

Actually he had permission and it was a leek, not a leak.  Shooo.  Awkwardness avoided.

That is about the hand size limit of leeks for a 5 year old.

As leeks mature you can pull soil or mulch up around the the plants to produce a longer blanched stem. I didnt do that this year.

He might have gotten the leek part right, but when I asked him to water the garden I am sure this wasn’t what I had in mind.

Though, it is 105 outside.  Why not?  Maybe I will join them.

Have I ever let you down?  Don’t answer that.

I’ll be honest and say this is not some family recipe passed down from generation to generation.  It is from Food Network.  I can say though I have tested it thoroughly and give it the Seed To Salad seal of approval.

This recipe uses a ton of basil which actually was really helpful because I needed a place to use the large bounty I have this year.

Try it and let me know what you think.  My first response was “molto deliziosa”.  *sharp kiss to fingertips*  And I don’t even speak Italian.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Go here for a printable recipe.

My garden is…  

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down

Never gonna run around and desert you

Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Here is the song if you want to reminisce.

Being most of the cucumber plant was nibbled off by deer, having the opportunity to show you this photo is a relief.

Even without most of the stems, the plant is still going to produce for me.  We have quite a few now, so it looks like we will make it after all.

An elf shoe, plain and simple.

This is more like it.  I expect many more where this came from.

The basil is my garden leader, setting the bar high and leading me to garden victory.

What are we going to do with all this basil?

Basil Pesto!  There will be a future post on how to make it.

For those that like to add a slice of spice to their food, hopefully you have some jalapenos growing in your garden.  So tasty!

In my house, the whole handful is mine!

I am not sure if you can see this in the photo but the zucchini flower is full of water.

I’m thinking about casting the flower out of concrete and selling it as the worlds first beebath.

Healthy and vibrant zucchini.

The leek is really thickening up.

I would have had a much larger eggplant to show you, but last week my 3 year old son decided it was ready to pick.

How can you argue with him, the eggplant was egg sized. Makes sense.

Where I live the temperatures are on the rise.  Think hot!  Big toe stuck in the gate of hell kind of hot!  This week they are talking about 103+.  So, these might be the last pretty pictures I post for awhile.

I better get out and appreciate it now while I have the chance.

Here is a family favorite recipe of ours using several things from the garden.  It is a easy and tasty way to cram in quite a few veggies making it a complete meal.  It makes a lot so we can all have leftovers the next day or it is a good meal to take to someone. My wife has even made two 8×8 pans of this, one to eat, and one to freeze for later.   It only requires a few dishes so clean-up is quick which is a big bonus!

My wife found the taco seasoning recipe via Pinterest.  Read the labels on those store bought packets of seasonings and mixes…gross.  The blog Deals to Meals has made it easy to make not only taco seasoning but Italian Dressing, Ranch Dressing or Dip and lots more.  It is a big time and money saver to make a big batch of them, store them in a glass jar, and even write the recipe on the jar in a sharpie and you won’t have to hunt it down when you run out.

Taco Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 cup  chopped yellow squash and/or zucchini squash

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 can rinsed and drained black beans

1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chiles

1/3 cup of water

4-5 tbs. taco seasoning, less or more to taste.  Find the homemade recipe we use here

8 flour tortillas

1-2 cups sour cream

2-3 cups shredded mexican blend or Monterey Jack Cheese

fresh cilantro

I’ll give you a quick read today because you have things to do, like pulling weeds.

I know I do.

I am surprised I have these tomatoes.  When I have a lot of…

this going on.  The deer are biting off the tomato tops.

I can’t even show you what they did to the cucumber plants.  Hurts to much.

Does anyone else feel a bit disturbed that it looks like little yellow fingers are reaching out of the eggplant flower?  They even have fingernails.

My summer squash is wearing his hat today.  What?  You can’t see it?  Let me help.

There he is.

No…I did not pay him to say that.  Ok, yes I did.

I am just realizing I did not put pants on him.  Well if Donald Duck can get away with it, why not a squash.

I found this kind of odd.  The ants are swarming the squash flowers.  Only the squash flowers.

Anyone know why this is?  I assume they are harmless and they are just after something sweet.

Talk to you again soon,