tomatoes & Landis Valley goodies

This photo is of the last harvest of tomatoes from 2008! Last year I has sun sweet, plum and brandywine plants.

The brandywine was more than I bargained for (it was my first year growing tomatoes). The fruits were huge and I did not prepare the proper supports for the plant. The regular wire cage was not enough for this beast.

This year a friend encouraged me to visit the Landis Valley Garden Festival held in May, http://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/index.php. I was also unprepared for what I found there. Heirloom plants galore, herbs, veggies and garden widgets. I found many vendors that I adored! Check into it next year and take a radio flyer or cart if you can, I thought my friend was kidding but it would have saved me loads of hassle carrying items back and forth to the car.

As an FYI, if you have a shade garden and are tired of the run of the mill items there is a fab vendor that sells the run of the mill items and then some. I picked up a trillium lutem and chinese wild ginger (asarum splendens). I have a tolerable relationship with the yard bunnies unless one touches either of these plants.

You will have to visit the Cloverleaf Herb Farm stand and check out their blog site, http://cloverleafherbs.blogspot.com/ . They are located in Mt. Joy and enjoy educating their customers. The Herbal Springs Farmstead also had some wonderful goodies. They are located at 447 Brossman Rd in Ephrata and they host classes about using teas for health, making homemade hand lotion and so on.


My other favorites (all were my favorites) were the Manheim Central High School teens. All of the students seems knowledgeable and passionate about the tomatoes that they started from seed. They were eager to answer any questions and had a wonderful selection of tomato plants and a handy brochure that details about each variety. http://manheimag.org/

I saved the best for last.... happy cat organics farm!!! Come on they have a great logo, wonderful variety of garden veggies, photos of what you can expect the fruits to look like and great tips for the use of the veggies! http://www.happycatorganics.com/ I picked up some a green sausage tomato plant and tollies sweet peppers (which will grow in happy colors) from happy cat farms. The owner made himself available to answer and advise the public on his items. It sounds like local restaurants buy his goods as well! Follow this punk rock farmer's blog (and mine if you are not already, good grief folks) http://happycatorganics.blogspot.com/ just remember you heard of him here 1st!

so without further ado (drum roll) here are the heirloom tomato plants I picked up from the Landis Valley fair:

• opalaka - not ompalompa... from poland with red plum shape & few seeds, sauce perfect
• amish paste - large, meaty, heart shaped fruit with little juice. ideal for sauce!!!
• german strawberry - fruits resemble strawberries, both in color & shape. low in seeds & juice
• garden pearl - pink cherry tomatoes that are very prolific, great for hanging baskets
• orange fleshed purple smudge - unique tomato stunning in vibrant orange and purple colors
• thessaloniki - and the greeks have it...the perfect tomato...need I say more
• japanese black trifele - 8 oz pear shaped mahogany-black tomato. can't wait for this one!!
• isis candy - gorgeous fruits marbled with red. rich flavor and complex blend of sweetness. yum!
• green sausage - this one will be fun. Sausage shaped with pointy tip, great in salads
• green grape - very juicy and sweet 1" fruits
• riesentraube - A.K.A the "giant grape" that will produce 'til frost
• hartmen yellow gooseberry - cherry type that is mildly acid and tart

how does my garden grow..

• with red onions
• peppers (hot Hungarian and Italian)
• at least 8 varieties of heirloom tomatoes
• Armenian and regular cucumbers
• Lacinto kale (some from seed and the others from B&H organics via the West Reading Farmers market...visit Erica at the market on Sundays)
• spaghetti and buttercup squash
• basil happily companion planted with the tomatoes, dill and cilantro too
• Scotland leeks (only a few made it)
• Rosa Bianca & Ichiban eggplant
• Oregon giant snow peas
• Shirofumi soybeans

... and I'll just update the list later. I was just so excited about a sunny day to share the tiny garden's progress!

father's day asian grilled salmon kabobs

Wish I had pictures of this dish because it was beautiful prepared. Instead there is a photo of my super dad with baby brother Philemon! Wish I could visit my dad more often!!

I made lemon, pepper & garlic chicken kabobs for father's day, per John's request (Dan's father), but wanted to do something a tad more special (I forgot to make baklava, a favorite dessert of his). The chicken kabobs are killer though! I used 4" skewers and this made about10 when all was said and done.

2 salmon steaks, cubed in 2" pieces
1 red or yellow pepper, cubed in 1 inch pieces
1 med onion, cubed
6 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2" disks

marinade

2 inches fresh ginger root, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced or diced

1T honey

1Tsp sesame oil

3T soy sauce

red pepper flakes optional

I spooned (you can strain) some of the marinade and reserved it to drizzle over the grilled kabobs, I'm glad I did as it made a nice finish. Doll it up with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds after drizzling with marinade...all this after cooking, of course! Let's not give dad food poisoning.

I like to mix my marinade and protein in a Ziploc bag. This way I can mush it around from time to time as it is macerating in the fridge. Let the salmon macerate for about 2 hours. Soak the kabob skewers for at least 20 minutes, before loading up, in an effort to prevent burn on the grill. Spray the grill grates, if you remember, to prevent the salmon from sticking. Assemble and grill for about 4 minutes then flip. Make sure not to overcook!

2 ladies baking . . .one chick overindulged

I am compelled to share the photos of the sweets and breads these gals make! See those sticky buns at the bottom of the photo? The bars next to the mint are honey bars with cheesy bread to the right. There were several breads offered. I tasted a sliver of each of the 3, before I prepared them for freezing, and all were wonderful. The no knead was my favorite. It is similar to the NY Times recipe. I will attempt that recipe ... someday. I did not purchase the olive loaf, I have something to look forward to next time. Click here for the no knead http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=1


At the present moment, I have Jamie Oliver on in the back ground to inspire me to the back breaking work needed in the garden. We had field stone delivered and mounds of mushroom soil. I have a new flower garden, at the front of the house, that must be laid out and a new herb garden to create out back. Jamie has beautiful gardens. Suppose I need to get crackin' because it is not going to happen on its own!

farmer's market soup

There are no photos here but the soup is good none the less. This soup is a base and perfect to serve with nearly any fresh veggies you can get your hands on this time of year. I served mine with thin slices of soppressata, picked up at Russo Market in West Reading. http://www.russofoodmarket.com/ They have a fabulous selection of imported items hard to find in the grocery store. Their olive bar ... mmmm...need I say more. It recalls to heart and mind my Italian friend. She would serve a light lunch of thin meats and cheese with olive oil and bread. Very Mediterranean and ideal for a warm summer night.

1 cup spring onions, chopped**reserve some of the greens for serving**

3 T garlic, chopped (less if you like but i love more)

2 cups asparagus, 1/2" pieces

1 c sweet peas/string peas/peas in the pod (you get the idea use what is local)

1 sweet bell pepper

1 cups baby red potatoes (mine were so small I only had to halve them)

1 handful of whole wheat couscous ( to thicken the broth, preference of mine)

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

splash of soy sauce

2T thyme

salt and pepper to taste

grated parm cheese

1 box of organic chicken broth (or whatever broth you prefer)

saute the green onions and garlic

add the broth, bring to boil and add potatoes

reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes then add the veggies

-I prefer mine with a bit of bite and that is why I add at the last minute.

simmer until desired tenderness of veggies

serve with grated cheese and reserved green onions

farmer's market feast

Saturday night sweets... I was lucky enough to find time on Friday to stop by one of the local Lancaster county roadside stands to pick up seasonal veggies and even more fortunate to visit the Lititz F.M. Saturday. Dan's first craft show of the season (a success) was the Lititz park.

Saturday I had such a great time with each of the dozen vendors in Lititz. Needless to say, my favorite was the "2 women baking." http://www.lititzpa.com/farmersmarket/index.html If you are able, you must stop by the Lititz FM on a Saturday morning. Try the sticky buns (more buttery than sweet but stupid good..) and some of the breads the 2 gals bake.

There are also some wonderful shops to visit after the farmer's market. My favorite is Cafe Chocolate http://www.chocolatelititz.com/. They have a fabulous menu. I enjoy the coffee, especially the mocha turbo. The owner takes care to be social conscience, her coffee is fair trade and freshly roasted. The coffee, sold in whole bean, is shameless marked with the roasted date. Once you are hooked on freshly roasted coffee you will never go back! I am enjoying the decaf Sumatra with a strawberry rhubarb tart from the 2 ladies. Perfect evening to enjoy dinner and my fab dessert on the patio with me local finds!

companion planting

some plants are better in pairs. kinda like people. . .then there are those people that suck the life, love and light from your soul, if you let them! that said, I want to share how to build a team in your garden that will work for you and bring out the best in each other. I have picked up some great tips from reading Rodale books http://www.amazon.com/Rodales-All-New-Encyclopedia-Organic-Gardening/dp/0875965997 and flyers from Penn State ttp://backyardcompost.cas.psu.edu/countiespages/berks.html

the premise behind companion planting follows:

• create a natural barrier between the good guys and bad guys (soul suckers)
• enhance the flavor of some of your veggies
• the mix is beautiful and adds some character to your beds (photo of nasturtium & squash)
• wonderful variety of spices available for cooking purposes. pretty up your plate and eat your nasturtiums.
• maximize your space and growing potential - pack'm in there!

your garden can be one big party! it's so symbiotic. isn't harmony what we all need more of? so here are some plants we can take cue from... and what I planted in my garden.

pumpkin: nasturtiums
tomato : dill, basil (flavor & growth enhancer)
peas : chives (deter aphids)
brussels sprouts/beets/chard/kale : sage, thyme (deter cabbage moths) and garlic (flavor enhancer as well)
peppers : chives & sage
cucumber : oregano (for pests) & thyme
eggplant : hot peppers & marigolds
squash : oregano & nasturtium

keep in mind this is just the beginning of companion plantings!

insert stove here

the vision of phoebe's pure food is being realized, slow and steady. remember those orange walls? well, the orange walls were replaced with a soft, fresh blue. the backsplash and new door fronts are up. the original counter and cabinets with a great scallop pattern are still in place. trim will go up, floors will go down. a little choir of cookie loving fairies will sing and dance when the glorious 3 basin sink is installed!

community garden

here is a photo of my fabulous friend cheryl and her plot at the community
garden. We stopped by this past saturday and she was glad we did because there was a large crop of radishes to harvest. she has some tomatoes on the vine and lettuce to start clipping. she planted an asian lettuce that has a beautiful purple coloring and has a distinct spicy flavor.

cheryl has 2 plots and hopes to harvest kale and beans later this season. she and her husband are also winemakers in their spare time!

the harvest is has begun

and how sweet it is!

my neighbor suggested a local farm for strawberries so I was out early this morning. I usually head to Weavers but this time I took the long road and drove deeper into Lancaster County. we had several rainy days this week and I was hesitant about picking. next week will also be rainy and the strawberry season is coming to a close. no time better than the present to pick!

no recipe here, just a beautiful pail of berries! I plan on making some freezer jam using a recipe that is Dan's favorite... his mother makes the Sure-Jell freezer recipe.

2 cups crushed berries
4 cups sugar :( but this is the way Dan likes it.
3/4 water
1 pack sure-jell
mix the berries and sugar and let it sit for 10 min
bring the water and jell to a boil and stir for 1 minute. add the berries and cook for for approx 3 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
put into little containers, cover and let sit out at room temp for 24 hours. freeze.