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Moose Manor Farms

What Veggies to Plant this Month

3/7/2014

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Winter is a time of promise because there is so little to do — or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so.  -Stanley Crawford

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It's March, there's snow on the ground and it's COLD!  So you're probably not thinking about actually planting yet.  Or perhaps you're sitting with a pile of seed catalogs happily circling items and carefully tagging pages dreaming of spring.  But you probably already have a stash of seeds from last year languishing in a shoebox in the back of the closet.  Well get 'em out!  We're gonna get our gardening fix right now... I'm gonna tell you what you should be starting this month (in zone 7a).  Our last frost date is April 15 so adjust your schedule as necessary.

In January/February you should have started: Brussels Sprouts, Cardoons, Celeriac, Celery, Parsley Root, Stevia, Lemongrass, Eggplant, Artichokes, Cauliflower, and Leeks.  You can start another succession of many of these this month.


In February and March start these indoors:  Asparagus, Anise Hyssop (bee's love this), Fennel bulb, Savory, Peppers, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cabbage, and Kohlrabi. 

You can direct sow these hardy greens outside this month: Leaf lettuce, Kale, Green onions, Head lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Cauliflower, Beets, Carrots, Turnips
 
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 I somehow always lose the little seed-pot maps I make - arg!  I have to mark every single peat pot or by the time I transplant them I have no idea what I've got...  I simply print out the appropriate portion of my seed inventory spreadsheet to create these tags, then I dab each one with a little rubber cement and fold them over a toothpick.  It's tedious but put on a little music and it actually becomes a sort of relaxing task (I grooved to the bee gee's but whatever floats your goat).
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Then I place the newly planted seeds in a warm spot to germinate.  There's a heater vent near this table and in the daytime there's a lot of sunshine coming in this window to help warm my tiny greenhouses.

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Once I get those first little sprouts I'll move the trays down to the basement where I have the lights they'll need for good growth.  Keep the lights right on top of the starter tray until the plants start to touch the bulbs, then raise the lights bit by bit.   They'll need 12 - 16 hours of light, I have the timer turn them on over night when electricity is less expensive.  If you really want to get them off to a good start, continue to provide bottom heat also, this will make them into sturdy, stocky plants.

All the experts say cool (bluish-colored) light for sprouts and warm (yellow colored) light for full grown plants.  I split the difference this year but I see that some starts are leaning over into the cool lights so I may change out the warm bulbs in my shoplights. Don't worry about getting "grow lights" they're expensive and you'll do just fine with regular cool florescents.

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Lot's of good starts looking ready to be hardened off in the cold frame!
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Next up:  as soon as I can work the ground the seed potatoes will go in directly.  Then sometime near the end of this month I'll be starting the later varieties of tomatoes - but they can't go in the garden until it warms up a bit.  So many tomatoes, so little time!   :~)

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Old MacDonald was a Mycologist... e-eye, e-eye, O

4/4/2012

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Pretty Mushroom

There's a fungus among us: I'm branching out in my gardening endeavors this year…

I’ve decided to grow my own mushrooms!  I really enjoy eating mushrooms and would like to cook with them more often.  There are the standard fungi that I can pick up at any supermarket, but I thought it might be fun to grow a variety or two that most folks spend an entire season foraging about the woods to find.

To that end, this week I purchased some inoculated plugs for 'Chicken of the Woods' and 'Lavender Oyster Mushrooms'.  I also sprung for an easygrow 'Shiitake mushroom kit'.  I’m really excited to get started!

A Short Primer on  Mushrooms

Interestingly, having no roots, leaves, flowers or seed, mushrooms are neither plant nor animal.  about 25% of them are poisonous, they don’t synthesize their own food from the energy of the sun the way plants do, they’re sort of a fruit by way of their growth habit, but according to their DNA they’re more closely related to animals.  Odd little edibles… 

And they’re very good for you (the non-poisonous varieties anyway).  It’s a common myth that mushrooms have no nutritional value, but they have plenty.  And some are even used to prevent and fight cancer.  Mushrooms provide a good source of protein, fiber, a substantial amount of B vitamins, copper, and other minerals. They're sugar-free: one cup of raw mushrooms has only about 20 calories. They’re also are an excellent source of high quality protein with 8 essential amino acids.  The average shroom contains about 35% by dry weight; compare this to 25% for milk and 13% for wheat.

Here are descriptions of the various mushrooms I’ll be growing:


Chicken Of the Woods Mushroom
Chicken of the Woods  

One of the few edible shelf mushrooms, this unique fungus is a vivid orange-yellow color that is sometimes used to dye wool.  Not to be confused with Hen of the Woods, this variety also grows in a semi-circular form around tree trunks or stumps. It's called the "chicken of the woods" because it tastes just like chicken meat and when cooked, the flesh sort of peels apart the same way chicken does.  Eaten in its soft, velvety, fleshy stage, this is an excellent addition to your Meatless Monday dinner plate!

To prepare, clean the leafy sections thoroughly and cut away the woody core, so that you’re using only the young and tender parts. Cut these meaty lobes into 1/2-inch wide strips and cook them just like chicken. You can serve it up in any recipe that calls for poultry - rice, risotto, curry, chicken or turkey casseroles… you name it!  

Chicken of the Woods meal
Of course, it’s also wonderful sautéed in butter, garlic, and shallots, then served as a side dish. Or try it grilled! 

These also freeze really well: Chop into 1/2-inch strips, sauté or stir-fry in a wok until you get reddish brown edges (5-10 minutes on high). Chill, and freeze in 1/2 pound batches - then just re-heat when needed. It also holds its shape very well when canned.
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Lavender Oyster Mushrooms
Purple Oyster Mushrooms 

Oyster mushrooms have been used for thousands of years as a culinary and medicinal ingredient. They contain glucosamine – chondroitin which is commonly used for prevention and relief from osteoarthritis and they’re loaded with ergothioneine, a unique antioxidant that protects our cells.

Oyster mushrooms have a chewy texture and a delicate, sweet flavor which can be used as a subtle flavoring agent in many recipes.  Their sweet quality is not lost in cooking so when preparing in a baked noodle dish, its pleasant flavor mixes well with the other ingredients without losing intensity.  Oyster mushrooms are often used in stir-fried dishes, since the cap is thin and cooks quickly. Asian chefs simply tear the mushroom into desirable sizes before adding it to their woks.
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Oyster Mushroom meal
To prepare, cut off the lower part of the stems to remove any shreds of straw or wood. The stems are tough, so discard them (or dry and grind to a powder).  Use a minimum amount of water in washing, since these mushrooms are naturally pretty moist. Gently press between paper or cloth towels to remove excess liquid.

These freeze really well - briefly sauté in butter first.  Oyster mushrooms dehydrate rapidly so use your food dehydrator to dry them thoroughly . When used dry, they can be added to a dish without re-hydration. Mushroom soups made from dried mushrooms are excellent and in most cases, better than fresh mushroom soup.  Or you can add dehydrated oyster mushrooms to meat sauces for a robust flavor.

A strain of oyster mushrooms can even be used as an eco-friendly resource for oil spill cleanup – it can break down and digest oil with the ability to restore life to contaminated water or soil in as few as 6 weeks!

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Shiitake Mushrooms

In China and Japan, medicinal use of shiitake mushrooms dates back beyond 100 AD.  Today, they’re very popular all over the world and their rich, smoky flavor has endeared them to American taste buds.  Still considered somewhat exotic, this hearty specialty mushroom is as mysteriously unique as it is delicious.

Determined by food science folks to be a very good, non-animal food source of iron (which boosts your energy level and prevents fatigue) by providing 20% of our daily value, a recent preliminary study has established that the bioavailability of iron from shiitake mushrooms may be even better than we originally believed.

Ongoing research since the 1960's has discovered some anti-cancer properties in this fascinating fungus.  Compounds revealed within the shiitake mushroom are touted to work as an anti-tumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virus-inhibiting powerhouse.  Because they contain interferon, a group of natural proteins that stops viruses from multiplying, shiitakes are promoted as a super immune booster, heart disease fighter, and a treatment for infections.
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Shiitake Mushroom meal
The shiitake's texture is a bit different from that of other mushrooms. A fresh shiitake is approximately 75% water, much lower than many of its cousins, which makes shiitakes firm and gives them a chewy-texture and intense flavor. Their meaty texture and smoky flavor is great on its own or paired with other varieties. Shiitakes are an obvious choice for Asian dishes, filling out soy-based braises or stews or perking up quick stir-fries. You want the shiitakes to develop a brown, crisp outside, which will boost their flavor.

Prepare them by a gentle wipe with a damp cloth or a paper towel. Use a knife to remove the stems where they meet the cap. The stems are too fibrous to eat on their own, but they make an excellent addition to the stockpot.  They dry well so you can preserve them for later. Before using dried shiitakes in a recipe, even if it's a soup or a stew, it's best to rehydrate them in hot water. The stems tend to be woody, so trim them off and discard (or dry and ground) after soaking.
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OK… I’m ready to start growing some fungus!  I’ll try to keep you updated on the progress as well as provide you with yummy recipes while I use them.
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When You Can't Eat it All you Can

10/26/2011

3 Comments

 
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Yeah, I march to the beat of my own drum.  {shrug} meh… it makes me interesting (or weird depending on your perspective). 

As odd as it sounds to folks who buy all their veggies at the supermarket, there was a time in my life when I did a lot of canning.  I had more time in my time then… I actually did a lot of sewing and crafting and other dorkey stuff, like square dancing.  Hmmmmm… where did all my “free” time get off to? I guess the ducks ate it.

Most folks do their canning in the oppressive heat of August because that's when the biggest portion of the fruit is ripe.  It’s a cruel trick of timing to be trapped in an already steamy kitchen with 10 boiling pots on the stove and a pressure canner hissing loudly for hours on end.  This is why I would like to build a “summer kitchen” outside where I can do the everyday grilling as well as the canning.  No sense in heating up the house that you pay good money to cool, right?

So, the reason I wasn’t canning with the rest of the country is that, while I had a million blossoms in the garden, I was terribly short on pollinators this year.  That's why there's no tomato sauce or pickled peppers or salsa or green beans put up at my house for winter {sigh}.  I had just about enough to cover some of my own meals but not all the extra I had planned and planted for.  There's always next year... guess I may need to look into raising my own bees since Monsanto is doing a bang-up job of killing all the others.

Farmer Jackie
Farmer Jackie, Mooseherder
However, I do have other things that need to be put up for the winter.  My friend, George gave me a large grocery bag full of apples from his tree, which were preserved this weekend. And next month I plan to put as many chickens into Mason jars as possible so that making dinner doesn't require 24 hours of thawing a whole bird.  Some days I just can’t spare the brain bandwidth to plan more than 5 minutes in advance.  I would like  an order of convienent chicken triple grande, organic half-skinny, no-foam, low salt, without the preservatives please.

To that end, this weekend Farmer Jackie and I dusted off the old canning equipment and pulled out my boxes of jars, lids, and rings.  It was a good test run before the serious work began.  She also made 3 big pots of soups for us to freeze so that we could have healthy, hearty (and thrifty) lunches for the next couple of weeks.  MMMMMMM… made from scratch lentil, split pea, and yellow pea soups.  Yummo! 

So once the dried legumes were re-hydraded, the various soups were set on the stove to do their thing...

Lentil Soup
We got to work on cutting up George's awesome cow pasture apples
(yeah, everyone says to peel them, but I'm a peels-on kind of gal)
Local Organic Apples
Then we got the jars all sterilized and lined up to be filled
Mason jars ready for fillin'
Lids and rings also got some super hot sanitizing action
Canning Rings
Filled up and ready for a hot water bath
Apples for the winter... pie anyone?
All Done!  2 dozen+  pints of apples are yummy for my tummy...
2 dozen jars of yummy apples
Stored away in the basement pantry just askin' to be turned into apple dumplings...
Apple dumplins in the future...
Let's not forget the mucho yummo soups we (read: Jackie) made for weekday lunches...
lunch!!
Man!  We're good... LOL!
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Time to Plant Your Garlic

10/12/2011

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mmmmmm.... good!

They say that shallots are for babies and onions are for men - but garlic is for heros.  Let garlic be the hero of your garden this year... it's a great way to keep your garden productive all winter long. 

If you’re a garlic lover who’s been settling for store bought cloves of the same old variety of commercial garlic, you really don’t know what you’re missing: true gourmet garlic flavor. With just a little effort you can grow exotic varieties of gourmet type garlic that you will never find on the shelves at the local supermarket.

Grocers typically sell a single variety of garlic that’s all planted and grown in California for shipment across the country. In comparison there are probably hundreds of different strains of garlic with flavors ranging from mild, to spicy hot, to the searing type of blazing heat...

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I Heart Eliot Coleman & Barbara Damrosch

8/18/2011

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Remember that program on TLC, "Gardening Naturally"?  It was hosted by this couple who were very successfully four-season gardening in Maine (yeah... Maine): Eliot Coleman & Barbara Damrosch.  They're my hero's... I used to watch that show religiously.  It was educational and soothing at the same time.  The two of them spoke in the same quiet, lilting tones as Bob Ross and his "happy little tree's".  [I totally aged myself there, didn't I? It is in syndication... somewhere]

*sigh*... I really miss that gardening show. 

I might even put in a TV again if they'd bring it back.

Anyway, I was just thinking about how I wish I was as good as these two at four-season gardening and I saw that they got this awesome shout-out in a really good article about sustainable (i.e. Organic) gardening and how it's really hitting a good stride these days (in certain areas). 

The article is here: New Farmers Finding Their Footing.  Enjoy!



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Ducks in the Garden

7/24/2011

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Duck Dogers Welsh Harlequin Drake
Duck Dogers, my Welsh Harlequin drake

My garden is growing like gangbusters!  I would describe it as "profuse and delightful" :~)

I have glorious golden blossoms on everything and many of the climbing plants have grown into a serious jungle.  My cucumbers are an enormous mountain of green and gold vines, gourds that I never imagined would need trellising have cascaded over the fence in a colossal drift of squash leaves and tricky sticky tendrils threatening to overtake the nearby shrubs, and the melons have also escaped their corral like wild horses striking fast for the hills.  I love the jumble of cosmos that I planted to line the garden path with cheerful orange flowers to attract pollinators - but have promptly become an exuberent pile of honey colored surge spilling over the lane.  

I've really got to take the time out of my already packed schedule to get out there...

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My NEW Market Garden Plan

6/14/2011

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June Garden
Things around here have been crazy... breeding yards to manage, baby ducks and chickens hatching out every day, an upcoming meat harvest to prepare for and, of course, the market garden to tend (oh, yeah... and that pesky full time job that pays the mortgage).  If I had actually been able to wedge in the time, I probably should have put my beans, peas, and beets in the ground in March instead of April but, other than the peas, everthing seems to be doing well anyway.

June slammed down on Southern Maryland with August temperatures...

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Spring is Sprunging!

4/2/2011

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Farmer Jackie
Farmer Jackie digs worms for the Muscovy
The cherry blossoms are a bloomin’ and the Canada Geese are honking overhead… time to get those early tomatoes started!

I’m getting a better early start this year than I did last spring but I’m still two months behind.  I guess it-is-what-it-is but I do soooo disapprove of lateness.  Just this past weekend I (with the help of wonderful friends) was able to get my market garden plowed for planting and build out my duck breeding yards.  I’m way behind on my spring duck production!  I’ve currently got my Welsh Harlequins and my Black Cayuga ducks sectioned off for breeding.  At this point, it looks like my Cayuga harvest won’t be until the end of July *bleh*.  I should have had them in their yards by the first of February instead of the end of March.  *sigh*  Next year…

The Muscovy will be a staggered harvest this year since one of my hens couldn’t decide if she wanted to set that giant clutch of eggs she’d laid or not.  Little Miss Queeny went broody in December but I wouldn’t let her brood any duck eggs until February (so she wasn’t trying to raise warm weather Amazon waterfowl babies in January).  I replaced them all with infertile chicken eggs instead.  By February I think she was just tuckered out and sick of being inside all the time.  I’m crossing my fingers now… she’s gathered herself a clutch of 15 eggs in a new nesting spot and for the past two days has been more committed to them than the last batch.  If this is the real deal then I’m looking for babies in 35 days.

Big Boy Muscovy
'Big Boy' Muscovy drake is a sweetie
My Pretty Girl Muscovy has been broody since November!  Oh my, but that girl is committed to the nest… In February I ordered eight American Blue & Lavender-ice Goose eggs for her to set but it’s turned out that not a single one was fertile (sure hope I can find some more this year).  Poor Pretty Girl.  She’s been such a good little momma-wannabe that I broke down and ordered 15 Muscovy ducklings from Hoffman Hatchery in Gratz, PA for her to raise.  I’m hoping they’re able to fill my order this week so I can get them to her… she deserves to have some babies for goodness sake!  I’ll keep two girls from that hatch to add to my breeding flock and harvest the rest at 12 weeks.  Looks like a mid-June harvest.  I’ll have my Cornish chickens arrive to correspond with that harvest and do them both together.

Tomato Seedling from last year
Heirloom tomatoes are a coming!
As far as my veggie garden is concerned, I plan to get my peas in the ground and get everything else into their peat pots ASAP.  By the last week of April I should be able to get my pole and snap bean seedlings in the ground along with my short season tomatoes and beets.  Maybe even a few others depending on how much my plastic mulch and cold frames are able to raise the soil temperatures.

Permaculture is the word here at Moose Manor: chickens, ducks & geese are all welcome in the garden at the appropriate time for each of them to do their happy little jobs. 

Chickens first.  They scratch, scratch, scratch at the soil.  Dump in the spring cleaning from the poultry houses and the chickens will spread it all around for you.  They'll also scratch up weeds, eat weed seeds and bugs; all the while depositing nitrogen rich fertilizer right where you need it.  You can use a chicken tractor or just fence them in.

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Harlequin duck on the hunt for bugs
Waddle, chortle, quack! Plant your seeds or seedlings out of scratching range!  Once fully established, trade those chickens in for some ducks (I'm sending in the Indian Runners).  Those broad billed bug busters will keep all the slugs, snails, cutworms, ect. and their eggs from eating your garden before you get a chance to.  No need for chemicals or even hand picking... the ducks are more than happy to help.  You can just dump their wading pools right out on the veggies... duck poop soup is the best fertilizer around!

What's good for the goose is... good for the lazy gardener!  It's also unnecessary to weed if you bring in a few geese.  They'll eat up your weeds for you.  Careful with your cabbages and lettuce though... they'll scarf that up too.  Just herd the geese to the pasture once your strawberries start to ripen so they don't ruin your plans for pie!

I reckon the agenda for this weekend is to move the chickens into the garden plot, clean the duckbarns so I can spread all that nutrient rich composted manure and straw around for the kickin' chickin's to till in, and get my farm-stand signs made for the Moyaone Market (3rd Saturday every month at 2311 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD). 

I’m very excited about the veggie selections I’ve made.  I hope Mother Nature cooperates and that my California green-thumb has accompanied me the 3,000 miles to the mid-Atlantic!  I’ll keep you posted.



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Peppers Are Not Tomatoes...

3/24/2011

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Happy Peppers

That seems kind of obvious, but for some reason we expect them to grow the same as tomatoes, same planting time, same spacing, and same sunlight. Both tomatoes and peppers need warm daytime and nighttime temperatures but those peppers are just plain unreasonable about the consistency of the thermometer.  Silly peppers! 

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My Market Garden Plan

3/15/2011

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I'm so excited about my Market Garden!  My farm-stand at the Moyaone Market will be totally awesome! 

The software I used to plan out my gardens is a web-based application at www.plangarden.com.  It's super easy to use... you can create odd-shaped beds, container plantings, raised beds, and even square-foot garden beds.

There are drag-and-drop graphics, text labels, spacing requirements, and a journal area where you can write notes about each crop. The harvest estimator can help you stagger your harvest. You can also invite comments from other Plangarden users about your garden design.

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    Dana

    About Farmrgirl

    Small town Calif. farm-girl leaves the ranch behind for many years of adventure at sea, travels the world, then moves to Washington DC in 2007 where she finds the perfect homestead to settle down: acres of secluded Southern Maryland woods where she goes granola by raising her quality of life, Mastiffs, ducks, chickens, and tomatoes {& one Bengal kitty}... sustainably.


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