Only 500 Calories! Well...mostly!

Here is a recipe that I recently came up with as part of the diet I've been trying this spring. It's called the South Beach Diet and it does work. A doctor wrote the book and his ideas make a lot of sense. Just a while ago, I've gotten away from the diet. This may be to my eventual detriment but I digress. The recipe is simple goes together fast. Best of all, it's filling while still within bounds in the calorie department. Instead of chili, you can try any of a number of pasta combinations that suit you taste. I used a George Foreman Grill to quickly grill the chicken breast and since I had made the chili and pasta ahead of time I was able to throw this on the table in just minutes.

Hint: Click on the picture at right to enlarge it for viewing or printing.

Rain, rain, go away…

Yes, welcome to Water World, formerly known as Forsyth Missouri! It’s a Saturday and as I sit here, the rain is gently fall outside. Actually its been falling a lot lately. I can’t help but think that perhaps we may not have to worry about a nasty old drought this year after all! It’s only the end of March and this area has had over fourteen inches of rain with more forecast over the next few days. Average rainfall through March ( for Branson Mo. would be 8.2 inches so we are some 6 inches ahead (the actual figures for today, March 29 at 12 noon, are 14.30” – 8.2” = 6.1” ahead). As a result, the local rivers are often out of their banks and the dam system is struggling to get a handle on all the runoff. All this water does have some good effects not the least of which is the replenishment of the local water table.

On days like this when I'm couped up in the house and I have a choice between housework and goofing off. Well you know how that works. I went out into my garage and prepared a new 35 cell tray of starter cells for the reception of seeds that are to be announced. I also prepared a small 12 seed starter set and planted some Four Seasons lettuce in them. These red tinged lettuce plants will add some color to my spring salads when they are mature in about 45 days. The seed starters I use quite often are made by Park Seed and are called Park Starts. I order most of my garden supplies from either Burpee Seed or Park Seed and have never been let down.

A Nifty Storage Container

As I anticipate my vegetable harvests to come, I would like to share what a great storage container I’ve found little butter container to be. Last summer I was just about to throw one of these out (it was a Parkay margarine container) when it struck me that it might make a good container to freeze the many soups and sauces I like to make. I was looking, at that time, for a way to freeze up small portions of my vegetable beef soup and spaghetti sauce that traditionally went bad after a short time in the fridge. In the case of the Parkay container, I found each would hold about 7 ounces of soup or sauce. This turned out to be just about right for the diet I was on at the time. In the case of the soup, each serving had about 150 calories, was low in cholesterol and saturated fat and (because I did not use any) was reasonably low in sodium. As time went on, I began to collect these little guys rather than throwing them away. I made sure to clean them well (they survive the dishwasher) and then make up large batches of a sauce or soup that gets placed into the deep freeze while the contents are still hot. So far, I have never been sick as a result and feel like I’m doing a little to recycle.

Broadleaf Italian Parsley

Parsley is a must around my home. Above is a picture of broadleaf or Italian parsley that was recently transplanted into the garden and that is known for its flavor. I grow at least a couple of bunches each season to decorate dishes and to use in some of my recipes. Back in ancient Greece, it was used in funeral ceremonies long before it found its way to the table as a decoration. Later on in pre-history it was used in the Middle Ages as a herbal medicine principally for ailments of the liver and kidneys. In modern times, while not used in mainstream medicine, some doctors prescribe a parsley tea for young female patients with bladder problems. A good source of information concerning herbs can be found in 'Rodale's Illustrated Enclclopedia of Herbs'.

It's All About the Soil

“So why is the condition of your garden soil so darn important when it comes to growing stuff? Hey, aren’t all soils basically nothing more than weathered, decomposed rock and mineral fragments mixed with air and water?”

Yes, that’s a good definition of sterile soil alright. However, fertile soil (the kind you must have to grow stuff) contains a whole slew of nutrients that are in a readily available form which plants require to flourish. The roots of a plant act as little miners moving through the soil and bringing needed minerals into the plant roots. However, by themselves the roots are not able to transport the nutrients through their cell walls. They require a number of environmental factors be present in order for everything to work. Chief among these factors is the soil pH which is a measure of acidity and alkalinity. The closer the soil is to a neutral pH (about 7.0), the better the uptake of minerals for plant growth will be all things considered. Other factors that need to be presence in a proper balance are; air, humus (organic matter), water and microbes. The clay and sand particles supply what is know as ‘crumb’ structure which supplies tiny spaces that allow for the containment of air and water in close proximity to the humus organic matter. If all these factors are ‘in balance’ you have a soil that will be able to ‘feed’ your plants and a healthy garden will result.

However, please remember that if things get out of balance, the plant will suffer. For example, one of the things that can go wrong in the garden is soil that becomes too compacted either by foot traffic or improper tillage. This action removes those tiny spaces which decrease the amount of air and water the soil can hold. So tread lightly.

Another common problem is caused when improper soil amendments are added which may change the pH to either too acid or too alkaline. If the pH is not close to neutral, the nutrients which are in the form of anions (negatively charged particles) or cations (positively charged particles) become tied up and therefore not available to the plant roots. Still other things that can go wrong involve the use of so-called fertilizers that contain high amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK). In high concentrations, they can also upset the overall balance you are trying to achieve. In addition to this, they tend to leach quickly from the soil, after a rain, to go on and pollute waters downstream.

It is far better to use natural compost in your garden as this material acts as both a nutrient buffer and reservoir for the plants to draw substance from as they need them. If you do not have a compost pile already, you should go ahead and start one today. They are easy to setup and more importantly you can supply them with all of your vegetable peelings and leftovers (anything but meats which tend to attract animals) rather than throwing them into the trash where they will end up in some landfill.

A Spring Morning in the Park

Spring is Here!

It’s now 5 days into the spring of 2008 and you can tell that Mother Nature is beginning to wake up from her winters nap. I’ve noticed that the Bradford pear trees and Forsythia bushes are in bloom with their distinctive white and yellow blooms. Also, the daffodils are making their appearance around the neighborhood. I mention these because, more than anything else, this tells me to get busy in the garden. In addition to all the blooming going on, it is also great to report that the temperatures seem to be now moderating into more tolerable levels. I took a moment during my lunch break to put a tray of Little Caesar Romaine plants out into one of the raised beds. They are still tiny and look defenseless but with some conscientious watering on my part they should do OK. Yes, they have been hardened off over the last week and will be able to withstand the still cold nights we are getting. I hope. Right next to these are a few early broccoli plants I purchased at a local nursery. They have been in place for about a week now, as transplants, and look raring to go. Likewise, my five or so head lettuce starts are perking right along. These guys represent my early test plantings and if they can tolerate the climate for the next week to come, I will be ready to begin planting in earnest.

You Want How Much for That Pepper?

Only recently it seems to have become me (the shopper) against (them) the grocery store. Hey, I go in for a green pepper that sold at the outrageous price of $.89 one day only to find they are at $1.29 the next. What gives with dat bro? And what’s the story with the cost of bread? It now takes more of my bread to get any bread, if you get my drift.

Well, I’ve decided that one of the ways I can fight back will be to get out and grow my own this summer. I’ve got myself a little old garden out back. It’s been tilled and prepped and is raring to go, but like most of us I have only limited resources in terms of space, time and (ahem) ability when it comes to actual production. You see, my past efforts have always been to grow stuff for the fun of it. I’ve never been in a position, like I now find myself. Now it’s serious and time for the tough to get going (Ah, I sense a new challenge coming my way).

So that’s the way it’s going to be for this growing season. I have promised myself to come up with a plan that will produce vegetables that will actually make a dent in the grocery bill. To that end, I plan to keep track and report my actual savings as time goes along. Should be fun. Stay tuned to this channel for my grand vegetable plan.

Chives

One of the plants I love to grow and consume is the herb known as chives. The name is thought to be derived from the French cive. The botanical species name of schoenoprasum means essentially “rush-like leek”. By whatever ‘nom-des-plume’ (my bad French), the herb has a wonderful taste that I like to use, freshly chopped, in soups and salads. The purplish flowers are also edible and really add interest to a dish(just make sure to wash them well before use). Another interesting aspect of the plant is its ability to drive away insect pests. If you have a plant in your garden that is routinely bothered by insects, just make sure to have a bunch of chives planted next to them. The little buggers will magically disappear in no time at all, I promise! Chives grow best in full sun in a fairly rich, moist soil, which is high in organic matter, and has a pH of 6 to 8. Chives will, however, tolerate partial shade and most soil types. Chives should be fertilized several times during the growing season with a balanced commercial fertilizer or bone meal and manure. Although specific recommendations are not available for chives, a general recommendation is to incorporate 50 to 75 pounds each of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash per acre at planting if you are a commercial grower. If not, just side dress with a little blood meal two or three times during the growing season. You also should keep these guys well watered and weeded. After a season or two when they are well established, feel free to divide them up into clumps to give to friends. They'll thank you!

Taney County Missouri Soil

For those of you that live down here in southwest Missouri you might have noticed that our soil often has a reddish tinge to it. Thats largely due to the high iron content. In my area by Forsyth Missouri our soil is classified as Ocie-Gatewood which is a type of gravely, silty loam. This means its basically good for making mud pies and needs all the fresh organic matter you can possible add to make it good garden soil. I made the mistake one time of ordering a truckload of soil to be delivered to my home when I was starting a new raised bed area. The truck arrived with what appeared to be river bottom muck. Stuff that had the consistency of concrete and was about as useful. Since it was there, I went ahead and incorporated some of it into my beds but made sure to add a lot of amendments in the for of bags and bags of composted manure and sand. I think the total number of 50 pound bags for each of two four by eight foot beds was something like 12 bags of compost and 6 bags of sand. That same year I also started a compost pile of my kitchen scraps and those went into the beds the following spring. (I was always amazed at how all that material went into such a small space and seemed to disappear). Anyway, after a couple of growing seasons the soil went from ugly to sort of good as it began to take on a darker appearance and more importantly held onto water for longer periods of time.

A Free Market Square

Just recently the town I live in is nearing completion of a new and expanded court building slash jail. While it is very pretty to look at I can't help feeling its only going to be of use to the criminal element among us. So, when do the rest of us get something we can use and benefit from? I'm not all that sure of how the funding is done to put up stuff like that but I do have a suggestion that I think makes some sense. First, let me digress a little.

I'm sure that by now everyone has associated the rising cost of living with problems associated with the dollars fall relative to foreign currencies. As of this writing I think the US dollar is now something like forty percent of the Euro. So that means for everything we buy that is an import (like some gasoline) we have to pay forty percent more than our European and Asian friends. That increased fuel cost also directly impacts other markets like plastics, transportation and fertilizer costs, for instance. Pretty soon this all trickles down to the good old supermarket and opps there goes another rubber tree plant. Ahem.

OK, so it doesn't take a genus to see that prices of a lot of things (including groceries) will be going to rise for some time to come. While most of us cannot do anything about the price of meat or how much we're going to pay for TP we can get out there and grow some of our own vegetables in our own backyards. While this is a good thing in the short term, it also generates some difficulties. One of the big problems has to do with diversity. No one family can grow all the vegetables needed to round out the dinner table. Some crops like corn need large plants in order to germinate properly. Other crops like melons, just require a lot of space.

Mind Your Taters

Of all the vegetables that are commonly grown at home, I would rank the humble potato as one of the most useful. Not only are they multi-talented in the kitchen, but they are also a breeze to grow. If you can make a trench in the ground you can grow tubers. Most nurseries and local markets have starter spuds ready to plant during the springtime. Just take them home and plant each piece about six inches apart in a row of any convenient length. Cover with some earth, then as they begin to send up shoots, just add a little more earth until you have a mound or hill established. The tuber will grow along the buried shoot. A few months later, you are ready for the harvest and the best part is that once dug up and cured, potatoes can last a long time before going bad. If you’re really lazy like me or a little tight for space consider using a plastic garbage can. Sometime in the spring just cut some circular holes in it big enough to admit your hand and then locate it in a sunny spot elevated on some paving stones. Next fill the bottom third with dirt, add a few starter potatoes with their eyes intact then cover with about three inches of soil mixed with straw or even shredded newspaper. After a week or so the tubers will sprout and break the surface at which point you will continue to add more dirt and paper or straw until they are just covered. Keep this up until the foliage has reached the top of the trashcan. Come fall reach in a hole with your hand to grab a potato or two for the dinner table. What could be easier?

Onions - Not Just for Breakfast

Onions have been around for just about forever, I think. I know they are one of the oldest cultivated plants in existence. I like them for a couple of reasons; they taste good and they can hang out in the garden long after other crops have bolted or withered away. Every spring season, they are among the very first guys planted in my garden, usually in the form of onion sets. After only a few weeks, they send a set of slender green stalks that, if harvested at that point, are called green or spring onions. I love to dice these up and add them to my salads. Later in the season, assuming you have thinned them to stand a few inches apart, you may see them bulb up into regular onions that can be pulled, cured and then used throughout the fall.

Did you know that the regular consumption of onions has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure? Two problems common to many of us. I’m told these beneficial effects are likely due to onions' sulfur compounds, its chromium and its vitamin B6. The studies are still on-going but early results have been very encouraging. Now if I could just figure out what to do about the bad breath!

Start Your '4 by Whatever' Garden Today!

An excellent size small garden can be created easily and quickly by taking 2 lengths of 2x4x8 lumber (non-treated) and cutting each in half to create four 4 foot lengths. Simply nail the pieces together to for a box and lay this somewhere close to your house where it will get at least eight hours of full sun each day during the summer months. (Make sure you dig up and turn over any grass that may be growing inside the box). I like to use wood that has not been treated even though I know it will last only a few seasons before rotting away. That’s fine with me because construction of a new replacement box is relatively easy and I do not have to worry about arsenic or mercury leaching from treated lumber into the garden soil. Of course, you can just berm up some soil and forget about the lumber all together. I just feel that the box structure looks really nice and professional.

What’s really nice about such a small area is the amount of veggies you can grow in this space. You can feed a family of three with no problem from just one of these. In order to do this, however, you must consider using three very important techniques; inter-cropping, succession and companion planting. Oh, and yes, you must water if things get too dry.

Intercropping is nothing more than having the knowledge as to what plants grow at what rates so you can take advantage of every bit of space. For instance, if you plant out lettuce starts in neatly staggered rows, you will initially have a lot of space between the plants. Lettuce will take 45-55 days to mature and fill up this space so, why not strategically plant a fast growing crop like radishes in these spaces that will be up and harvested in about 30 days. This is the way that you can keep every bit of garden space up and in high production.

Coupled with this concept is succession planting that as the name implies helps you to fill a space vacated by a harvested planted with another in its place. The seedling may a younger version of the same plant that was there before or it may be another species that will do better later in the season. For instance, I will grow a run of lettuce plants that are immediately followed by pepper transplants that were started a month earlier. Or, I may just go ahead and put in a heat resistant variety of lettuce to harvest during the summer months. In order to pull this type of activity off, you must become aware of germination times, temperature preferences and even whether or not the different plants which end up next to each other will be happy. That last point is what companion planting technique is all about. Fortunately, there are many books that offer this information in table form to allow you to quickly and efficiently draw up your own unique show. For my part I first list the types of veggies I want to grow that season and then organize a plan around them that allows me to max out the crop yields, keep the garden full of plants while doing little or no weeding. If you make this plan correctly, you will find you have relatively little work to do while harvesting up to 100 pounds of produce from a 4x4 foot area. The only thing you must worry about is making sure you keep you little plot well furnished with compost and other amendments to keep the soil healthy and happy.

One note concerning the soil is that you really do not fertilize the plants with amendments; you actually are feeding the microorganisms in the soil that make nutrient ions available to the plants. This topic alone could fill a book and if you are interested certainly read up on the subject. The bottom line is that healthy, fertile soil has literally billions and billions of micro-organisms living it while unhealthy soil does not. Healthy soil will make you healthy plants whereas dead soil will not – no matter how must fertilizer you throw on it. If you experience problems growing stuff, make sure you get a sample sent in for analysis (soil test locations are listed in the tallow pages or you can go to your local extension office) and then make the needed corrections. Oftentimes, it is just a case of the pH being too high (alkaline) or to low (acidic). In order for effective exchange of ions and cations to occur between to soil and the plants roots, you must have the pH somewhere close to 7.0 (neutral) or perhaps a little on the acidic side. Once again any good gardening book will list the proper pH range for stuff you want to grow.

So let me summarize why 4x4’s are so wonderful; 1) they are easy to create, 2) they don’t take up a lot of space, 3) you can get gobs of food out of them and 4) because of the way you plant, you rarely have to weed them. Not too shabby a state of affairs is it? They also make a perfect area for any young gardeners you might have around the house. Just build one for each future master gardener and let that become their special area. You would be amazed at how creative some kids are when challenged in this way. One child I know of planted a different seed (actually a combination of peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and radishes) randomly across the entire 4x4 surface. Surprisingly, everything germinated and grew really well. As a bonus, because there was not much of any one plant located anywhere in the garden, the little tykes garden did not suffer any of the usual pests that summer. My carefully planned gardens which were located just next door however were subjected to wave after wave of chewing insects. Yes, you can learn a lot from a child.

How Much is Enough?

One of the first questions I’ve been asked when discussing raised beds is the space question. Just how much space do you need to support a family of four anyway? That’s a good question and the answer I always give is, ‘It depends.’ The variables to consider are the nature and type of produce you want to grow and how much of it you will realistically consume. Many garden veggies do not lend themselves to storage (lettuce for instance) and you really want to take a hard look at what you will need week to week. I’ve always used the gallon baggie method for measurement purposes here. I know, for instance that three lettuce plants, after they’ve been cut, washed and drained will fill the average gallon sized plastic baggie. I also know from experience that I generally have at least one salad per day (sometimes two as I’m on a constant diet). That bag will last me about one week as I like to mix a lot of other stuff in each salad. So, going by this method, you will need to grow enough lettuce to fill one to two bags per week per person. A family of four would (assuming everyone loves salads) would need to harvest eight plants per week. Using that rule of thumb, I would plant twelve new starts every week or so starting in early March for this region (zone 6). The Cole crop can be a combination of leaf, romaine, spinach or even chard depending on your tastes. One of the really fun things about growing your own is the natural variety that you have as one plant or another becomes available for harvest. More times than not, I find myself planting way more than I can consume, but that’s OK too as I always have neighbors that will take the excess or be happy to trade what they have too much of. Other vegetable can be treated in much the same way. Over time you will get a good feel as to the amount of plants that will work for you.

So What's the Deal with Raised Beds?

After many false starts in the home gardening business I came to realize that for all the rewards of growing your own stuff there was a dark side to it all. Garden, once established require a lot of work. My first effort (way back in '91') was little more than a twelve foot square of ground in the backyard that took me all of one hour to create. I used a shovel to remove the layer of grass and then roughed up the ground a little and spread some seeds. No big deal, I thought at the time. Yes, it was no big deal. Nothing actually grew in the pitiful square but weeds. It was at some point while I was standing over this 'garden' watering the weeds that it come to me there might be more than meets the eye to the business of wrestling large succulent carrots, peppers and lettuce from old mother Nature. I then did what I should have done much earlier. I went and asked a neighbor who was known in the neighborhood for her audacious harvests. She came over and eyed my little piece of disaster and suggested I get a book or two on the subject of square foot gardening and then start slow and work up gradually. A much more humble man now, I followed up her suggestion by a visit to the library where I came across a book by someone named Mel Bartholomew. It was titled, fittingly enough, 'Square Foot Gardening' and it did get my attention. For one thing, the author promised a great deal of vegetable from a small space with little or no weeding involved! After reading that I was hooked and went home with my new mentor tucked under my arm. Years later I am still amazed at how quickly success came once I shifted mental gears and went with a raised bed. More on this to come.