Pantry Challenge: On the Menu this Week

Last week I shared that I have embarked on a Pantry Challenge in which I intend to be intentional about using up what I preserved from my garden and have stocked up in my pantry over the last year.  If you want to know more details about how I plan to accomplish this, check out my post from last week.

Here is what I have on the menu this week:

1) Crockpot Corned Beef & Baked Cabbage (The cabbage is from my mom's garden & needs using by now)
2) Pork Carnitas with chips and zucchini/tomato salsa (I trial canned a small amount of this salsa last fall to see what we think.  The jury is still out.)
3) Lasagna - (I will use spaghetti sauce I canned last fall.)

Rhubarb Bread for breakfast and snacks (frozen rhubarb) - This is a deviation from my menu but has been on my mind recently and I'm so excited to enjoy it! :)

Take time to make notes & review

The unseasonably warm temps we have had the late fall and early winter have had me fighting with the feeling that spring was already here until just a few days ago.  January has finally decided to show up for those of us in the northern Great Plains and has now confined many of us inside our homes for the time being.  Unfortunately, just because the cold has arrived doesn't mean that I am not itching to be outside and getting ready for another growing season.  So what can a itchy green thumb do on a cold January day?


1.  Start or update your garden journal/log.  I don't know about you, but my memory gets fuzzy after a few months let alone years & I truly appreciate the little notes & reminders I have in my spreadsheet turned journal!
-record what you planted and how many
-note any disease issues or other problems you encountered
-note successes
-note things you would like to repeat or try different

2.  Do an inventory.
-this is my inventory for last season
-remove seed you won't reuse & pass them on to someone else
-note any seeds you know you need and start a 'Need to Purchase' list
-note any tools you need to replace if you feel like venturing into your storage shed

3.  Make a preliminary 'Plant This Year' list.
-this is my plant list for last season
-make note of any plants that you will need to either started indoors or purchase started from a greenhouse
-again note any seeds to be added to your 'Need to Purchase' list

4.  Review Seed and Nursery catalogs. Check out my post from last year about garden catalogs and what to think about if your thinking about purchasing from one.
-get inspired! ;) 
-check out new varieties or new plants that you might like to try

5.  Research new techniques and/or tools to try in the coming season.
-cold frames? (I want to try out one or two these sometime!)
-new irrigation methods?
-starting a compost pile?
-vertical gardening?
-organic gardening?
-the possibilities are endless!!!!!

Is there anything else you do in January to keep your green thumb busy?

Happy Garden Planning! :)

Plant of the Week: Green Beans

Bush Green Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Green beans are an easy to grow staple in many backyard gardens.  They are also sometimes known as string beans, snap beans or French beans.  No matter what you call them, they are a good addition to your garden and your table.  As a legume they are known to have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria that puts nitrogen back into the soil, and to be higher in protein than most other vegetables.  Green beans come in bush and pole varieties.  Bush beans usually grow no more than two feet tall and do not require support, while pole beans can grow over 8ft tall and require a pole or trellis for support.  Often pole bean trellises form a teepee that is at least 6ft tall and 4ft in diameter with several beans planted around each leg of the teepee.  Pole beans would be a perfect candidate for vertical gardening, and both bush and pole beans make good companion plants for high nitrogen users.

Plant green beans in well drained soil and full sun after the soil has warmed up in the spring.  They can be planted in rows or squares, but should be space 3-4 inches apart and one inch deep.  Maintain even moisture and watch for pests like beetles or slugs.  (I have observed that the slugs in my garden have a liking for my purple green beans and are not willing to share if given the chance to populate.)  Harvest green beans when they are firm and crisp.  Be sure to hold onto the plant at the top of the bean when removing in order to prevent ripping off whole branches accidentally.

Happy Gardening!

A Pantry Challenge

My pantry is full of the fruits of my labors.

A couple of weeks ago I started receiving seed catalogs in the mail & I began dreaming of this season's garden.  Recently my good friend and frugal blogger, Sheila at FMCheapskate, posted that she was taking on a Pantry Challenge in which she was going to eat from her pantry for the next month.  I thought of my overflowing pantry and freezers that are stacked with grocery store deals and garden produce I preserved last fall.  I garden because I love it and I love being able to provide fresh, healthy food for my family, but all my time and energy are wasted if I don't use what I raised and preserved, so I decided to join Sheila in her pantry challenge.  Here is how I will attack my challenge and make room in my pantry for this year's produce.

1. I surveyed my pantry and freezer and made a mental record of what I have in my stockpile.

2. I created a meal plan for 3 days a week for the next two months.
          Over the last several years I have done several month long meal plans.  I keep them stored away in my freezer cooking cookbook for future reference.  I also have a list of favorite family meals.  I took these two lists and my mental notes from the pantry survey I did and used that information to create a meal plan.

Here are a few pointers in creating a meal plan.

-Be flexible. The plan is not meant to create more work & stress in my life; it is meant to give guidance and ideas to help me use up what I have on hand.  It took me HOURS to create my first ever one month meal plan because I stressed about the perfect timing of each dish on the calendar... the reality is I don't know what the details of my life may look like by Friday let alone three Fridays from now!  Be flexible in creating and using the plan.

-Put the plan on a calendar. (Google 'free printable calendars' for a blank calendar to write on if you don't have one or check out this free editable calendar I recently found.)  The calendar will include days I know we will not eat at home (holidays, birthdays, traveling, etc.), days we will/may have guests, AND days to eat leftovers.  For me, it works best if I schedule a fresh, home cooked meal Monday, Wednesday and Friday that may occur either at noon or in the evening depending on my day.  Weekends I leave open to chance as we don't have a regular schedule on those days.

-Search out just one or two new recipes to try out during the challenge... variety adds a little spice to life if it is done in moderation, but I am sure to include lots of well loved, tried and true family favorites! 

-Don't forget the goal is to use up what is in the pantry!  Shop only for dairy, fresh produce and missing ingredients needed to create the meals in my plan.  This being said, I won't walk past a stock-up priced grocery store deal just because I'm in the middle of a pantry challenge!  In all things I try to use my best judgement, and will do my best to clear some room in the pantry for the produce that I will bring in this summer by the time my pantry challenge is done.

3.  Make a list of items in the pantry and freezer that can be used for snacks, treats or other 'meals'.  All the apples, pumpkins and squash I froze this fall will make some great quick breads and muffins for breakfasts and afternoon snack time.  I also don't want to forget about the crust ready apple pies I have in the freezer!

I challenge you to join me in my pantry challenge and make the most out of all the energy you put in last year's garden before you start planning this year's garden.

Happy Garden Eating!!! :D

In the mail...

 

I started getting seed catalogs in the mail last week.  I haven't had a chance to sit down and look at them but come January I'll spend many hours dreaming about my garden as I thumb through them if history hold true again this year!  ;)  How about you?  Have you gotten your first seed catalogs in the mail?  When do you typically start getting the gardening bug?

Flowering for Christmas?

 

I rescued this cactus in a clearance section after Christmas over 5 years ago and it has flowered for me every year, but I'm never sure when that will be.  It has flowered anytime from Thanksgiving to Easter for me!  I'll take flowers in my house over the long winter at any point, so I'm happy whenever it chooses to flower.  It looks like I'll get flowers for Christmas this year.  :D

If you would like more information about the "Christmas Cactus" check out my Plant of the Week post from a couple of weeks ago.  Do you have a Christmas Cactus? Is it going to flower for Christmas this year?

Happy Holiday Gardening! :)

Plant of the Week: Poinsettia

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) photo credit

If there is one houseplant that has become identified with Christmas, it is the poinsettia.  A native of Mexico's Pacific coast where it grows as a shrub or small tree, it has been associated with Christmas since the 1500s.  Poinsettia was introduced to the US by Joel Poinsett (namesake) in 1825 and Dec 12 was designated as National Poinsettia Day by Congress several years ago.  Over 85% of potted plants sold over the holiday season in the US are poinsettia according to the University of Illinois Extension.

Traditional poinsettia are bright red in color but white and pink are common as well, and many new varieties are appearing each year.  The color in a poinsettia is not from the flowers, but instead from modified leaves called bracts.  The small flowers are yellow and located in the center of a cluster of bracts.  The colored bracts are stimulated by day length & require 14 hours of complete darkness (including electric light) for about 6 weeks to form, making it very hard to get the plants to re-flower at home, but it can be done with a little effort.  One source suggested putting your plant in a dark closet each night and bringing it back out to a bright window each day during the color setting period.

Poinsettia plants are very cold sensitive, so be sure to enclose them in a plastic bag if they need to be transported outside.  In your home, place potted plants so they will receive full sun and are away from cold drafts.  They prefer temps of about 70F during the day & 55-65F at night according to the NDSU Cass County extension.

As a member of the Euphorbia family, the poinsettia has a milky sap that may cause irritation to those with sensitive skin, but it should be noted that it is not deadly if consumed as some would believe.  According to the University of Illinois Extension, "A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50 pound child who ate 500 bracts might have a slight tummy ache."

I hope you celebrated National Poinsettia Day this week by bringing into your home. :)

Happy Holiday Gardening! :)

Plant of the Week: Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera sp.)

Commonly called a 'Christmas' or Holiday' cactus, this succulent plant is native to the tropical rainforest and not a desert like most cacti.  Like the Amaryllis, the Christmas cactus mostly makes it's home in the rain forest treetops in Brazil, and obtains its nutrients and water in crevices filled with decaying vegetation.

When we bring this tropical plant into our homes we must remember that it is a cacti.  It should be planted in a well drained pot that is about half the height of the plant and filled with soil that is rich with organic matter.  Though a cactus and fairly drought tolerant, the Christmas cactus prefers to maintain even moisture.  Water when the soil is dry to the touch, and do not keep the soil continually saturated or the roots and stem may rot.  Add a liquid houseplant fertilizer to the water every two or three weeks during growing periods to meet it's nutrient needs.  This cactus typically grows it the shade of dense trees in it's native setting and prefers to not find itself sitting in direct sunlight so choose a location that has an abundance of indirect light to set it.

Keep in mind if you purchase a holiday cactus that it has been grown in specific conditions to facilitate a specific flowering time and it may not flower at the same time in the conditions surrounding it in your home.  It will take a full year to determine it's likely flower time in your home, but experience has taught me that conditions change in my home some years and it may flower at 'odd' times (like Easter!).  Darkness is the key to flowering for this plant.  It requires at least 12 hours of complete darkness for more than a week to stimulate flower bud setting.  This is easier to provide in our northern latitudes, but can be emulated by covering the plant or moving it into a closet if necessary.  For more details on stimulating flowers check out this article on the National Gardening Associations website.

Happy Houseplant Gardening! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for so many things.  God again this year, granted me with an abundant harvest even though the beginning was questionable.  Not only that, but where my garden fell short, He placed family and friends around me who had abundance to share, so my cupboards and freezers are full of garden produce that will feed my family for another year.

Thankful my husband helps me!

Thankful I get to share gardening with my kids through home schooling!

Thankful I can preserve summer's bounty for this winter!

Thankful for fresh bounty in early season!

Thankful for fresh bounty in late season!

Thankful for friends who share abundance!

Thankful for unexpected bountiful harvest!

Thankful for a full freezer!

Thankful for surprise harvests!

Thankful to use the garden to encourage my kids' faith

From a gardener's perspective, I had a blessed year and have much to be thankful for!  How about you?  What are you thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving! :D

Plant of the Week: Amaryllis

Amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna) (photo credit)

Amaryllis kits start showing up on store shelves about this time of year.  These colorful early winter favorites are native to the tropical forests of Central & South America.  They have found their niche in the leaf filled crevices in the trees where they get their nutrients from decaying leaves and water from the abundant rainfall.

Amaryllis have developed a need to grow semi- root bound so plant them in a container that is only 1/2 - 1 inch larger than the bulb with 1/2 - 2/3 of the bulb above the soil line.  The soil should be high in organic content (remember they grow natively in leaf filled crevices) which holds moisture well.  Water your newly potted bulb well and place it in a warm, sunny location.  Soon leaves and a flowering stalk will sprout.  The bulb will produce from 1 - 3 flowers per stalk.  A large plant can produce several stalks, but not always.

It will take 6 - 12 weeks for the plants to reach full flower.  To keep the flowers fresh, move the plant out of the direct sunlight and to a cooler location.  Also clip the stamen (pollen producing organs) before the flowers are able to fertilize themselves.  After the flowers have faded, remove the withering flower stalk with a sharp knife or scissors, but not the leaves.  During the remainder of the season, the plant will require consistent watering, frequent fertilizer and lots of sunlight so that it can store enough energy in the bulb for flowering again the next year.

About nine months after your bulb started its growing season, stop watering it and allow it to go into a drought induced dormancy for the next three or so months.  Start watering again 6-12 weeks before you desire it to flower.  If it does not flower a second year, it was not able to store up enough energy the previous year.  You then have to decide if you wish to try and give it the some exta tender loving care or scrap it and buy a new one.


Happy Indoor Gardening! :)