For many, many years, I have been an organic gardener and one thing I've really missed since moving back to Charleston is a vegetable garden. Well, I still don't have one but this summer I am figuring out ways to have small areas of plants wherever there is sun--and not too much wind. Since we live on a creek, sometimes the breeze is just too much for the plants to thrive. I have 3 tomato plants pretty close to the water and they are definitely telling me that they would much prefer to be somewhere else--but there ARE a few tomatoes on those bushes making a great effort to grow and ripen out there since they can't be moved to another location.
Anyway, I planted these basil plants near the side entrance to our house and this evening, I gave them a major haircut. I gathered up all of those leaves, took them inside and made two batches of pesto--most of it for the freezer but I saved some to eat with the plum tomatoes we had with our supper. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "nectar of the gods" but it was pretty darn good. Here's the recipe in case you're interested: 3 cups (packed) basil leaves, 3 large cloves garlic, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 1/3 cup olive oil. 1/3 cup parmesan . Put all of these ingredients into a food processor--and process. How easy can you get? It's great served on hot pasta.
While I was working outside this evening, one of the young girls in the neighborhood (who has ALL of the info on anything you want to know about your neighbors) stopped by to chat. She was really intersted in seeing how I made compost and what it meant to fertilize naturally. It was kind of fun to show her what I was doing. And like most young people, she didn't know that potatoes develop underground--not on the bush. So . . .I guess tomorrow, some of the neighbors will know that I have a compost pile and that I put my weeds into it to make good stuff for the soil. That's pretty good, as far as I'm concerned. And maybe she'll tell one of her friends about how potatoes grow.
And now, it's back to quilting my patriotic quilt.
5 comments:
I think our tomatoes this year will far surpass last year's. We do them in containers on the deck and don't plant anything else. I'm afraid the errant golf balls would do in a real garden.
Your pesto sounds great!
I miss a real garden---the weather here is really not to kind to veggies.
You make me want to try planting a few tomatoes even if only in a pot.
Will have to try that pesto.
Maureen
You're right, Maureen, the weather here can be tough. The trick is in the timing. I have seen some absolutely beyond beautiful delphinums and lupine at the Mt Pleasant Farmers' Market this year and I'm going to try to do what the grower does (planting in the fall) this year. Some of the vegetable plants I have are struggling but it's because I didn't start until late. Potted tomatoes work great. I encourage you to try it--I think Lowe's probably still has them for sale. And good luck!
OK - I've got to brag - Delmar and I are already eating tomatoes from our garden! This is the earliest we have ever had tomatoes - the previous record was June 18. The bushes have been loaded and as soon as we got those warm nights - presto! We've also had cucumbers and green peppers and sweet banana peppers and I just cooked some fresh green beans. Have a nice eggplant ready to pick. The squash however are not doing well - we have replanted twice - something seems to be wrong with the soil. Judy - when you come to the studio for class on the 24th I hope I can send you home with a basket of fresh veggies. We don't use any chemicals - I pick the nasty bugs off by hand.
And brag you should, Karen! Your garden looks great and it's so rewarding to reap the harvest of hard work--both in gardening and quilting. And congratulations on the "no chemical" policy. I'm looking forward to a sample.
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