Timey Wimey Yard Farmer

RIP Saturday letter service….   :(  Dear USPS, Please stay alive.  Love, your ever-devoted patron ~ The Timey Wimey Yard Farmer

Really, in a way.  Its like I am meek and mild Diana Prince of the Institute, and Wonder Woman of the yardfarm!  Dispensing justice on the weeds and garden fauna…  reclaiming order of a lost secret garden (in the interest of justice!!!)

Really….in a way…

(Where did my lasso of truth go?…. I know I left it around here somewhere….)

So after taking a job at the local institute of higher learning and science researce ~ which conveniently is just down the street from the Chateau ~ I am now in need of a new bike to ride in to work.  Next week I am getting my new beauty.  Linus Dutchi 8 speed.  Will get a basket on front for veggies, and lunch bag - and saddle bags for the back for files and groceries. 

Although I do lament the time my new job takes me away from my yardfarm. And, every single morning I just want to stay out there and water and dig.  I now will be able to afford to put in some irrigation, build pathways, buy more plants, and build the small patio for our outside dining, etc.

It will be a crepuscular garden and a yardfarm for the weekend warrior in me….

This week is the beginning week for harvesting Aunt Ginny’s Purple tomato.  It is an heirloom variety that grew really well this year in the back kitchen garden.  Even with not having the ideal light conditions because more volunteer trees need to be cut from that area…. it performed magnificently.  Big and heavy, meaty, warm and juicy.  Eat it fresh and don’t you dare store it in the fridge!!!!    Dear Aunt Ginny, I love you. Signed, your ever devoted yardfarmer. 

Huh. No wonder I like it so much.  Hello, made of awesome! Just found this article on it’s origin:

“A productive heirloom beefsteak tomato of German origin that was brought into circulation by Rick Burkhart if Indiana whose family has raised it for 25 years.”

note to self: growing these again next year.

The Great Carrot Harvest of 2012!  “Hot time, summer in the city….”

So this past weekend we harvested the carrots out of the wine rack contraption that I made. (See earlier postings).  The largest one you can see on the left side of the picture was about 2” wide at the top and about 17” long.  I just about flipped out.  Carrot madness. 

So all of the carrots got blanched and frozen for later use…. and some were added to a corn chowder soup that my person made. 

Time to re-plant the wine rack! I need a second wine rack…..

So this is the time of year, as we all know, when zucchini starts taking over every inch of the garden, every crevice in the fridge, every gift basket to a friend….. what more to make, what to do, what to do?!!?

I made a nice batch of Zucchini Bread and Zucchini Bread Muffins last week and froze portions for later toastings on a busy weekday morning.

Zucchini Bread

• 3 eggs
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 2 c. grated raw zucchini
• 3 t. vanilla
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 3 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter 2 one-pound loaf pans, or 1 loaf pan and a 12 portion muffin tin.  Beat eggs until light and foamy.  Add sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla.  Do not overmix.  Combine dry ingredients and stir into zucchini mixture.  Bake for 60 minutes.  (I turned the pans halfway through the baking.) Cool on a wire rack.

After cooled, the loaves can be slices, and along with the muffins - individual portions can be double wrapped in plastic cling wrap and put in a large freezer baggie to be frozen for later use.  Perfect toasted with butter.  YUUUUUM!!!!

This recipe was found in the “A Taste of Aloha” cookbook by The Junior League of Honolulu.