Friday, September 30, 2011

Beetles, Corn Stalks and ATTACK OF THE KILLER JULIET TOMATOES!!!

The victory garden is home to many creatures from super tiny organisms to the size of you or I.  While getting ready for work, my father called out from the backyard.  He wanted me to visit the victory garden with the camera.  I walked out to the garden, my father pointed to the ground, and there were two Fig beetles mating in the victory garden.  By the time I arrived the beetles were post-coitus but I could still see they were "connected." 

My father and I have also seen lots of larva in the compost.  We often find large fat grubs in the compost too.  We throw them into the main garden and they bury themselves into the ground.  However, some do get eaten by the many feathers in the area.

Larva in compost

With animals comes the corn.  I recently realized the dual function of planting corn.  First, the stalks produce ears of sweet yummy corn.  Second, they are also home to many animals in the garden.  However, these are temporary shelters and the fall skies has brought corn production to a halt.  So now is the time to say goodbye to the temporary stalk shelters with a simple cut, chip and compost.  Many of the stalks were still green when I cut down the seven rows of corn.  I laid all of the stalks against the fence to dry out.  From experience, my father mentioned that green stalks get caught up in our chipper.  Additionally, it would take more time to clean out the green stalks from a chipper then it would to chip up an entire pile of dried stalks.  After a few days of baking in the sun, I noticed most of the stalks were turning brown.  By this weekend I will have all of the corn stalks chipped and ready for use in the compost or as mulch.  Either way it breaks down and help with maintaining weeds during the winter or keeping roots warm on cold nights.

HOLY SPICY JALAPENO!  THE TOMATO INVASION IS BACK!  We did not think it was possible and truly believed the tomato invasion had been wiped clean from the victory garden this season.  However, one plant tricked us all and grew into the largest growing and producing plant in the victory garden.

My family and I have filled bowls of inch long grape sized tomatoes produce by the Juliet tomato plant.  The plant stood three inches when transplanted into the victory garden.  Now the plant hangs over the fence into our neighbor's backyard.  I believe this size plant could feed up to four families, at least.  If my calculations are correct, each family would receive a huge bowl of tomatoes each month.  The Juliet tomato plant has produced over 200 tomatoes and is currently in the continual harvest phase.  In other words, the plant is producing ripe fruit that needs to be harvested every few days.  

Juliet tomatoes and radish from the Morrison Victory Garden!

The tomatoes are so sweet and taste tarty when eaten green.  We eat the ripe dark-red tomtoes like cherries.  Just pop them in our mouths and chew.  Mmmmmm!  But the challenge with having a large producing plant is the harvesting, preparation, and cooking times.  I spend about 20 minutes picking tomatoes each time I harvest the plant.  It takes this long or sometimes longer because the branches of the plant have grown into, around, and in between each other.  I would have to lift up a limb of the tomato tree, push various branches aside when trying to grab a handful of overly ripe tomatoes near the trunk.


Juliet Tomato plant - May 2011
Juliet Tomato plant - Sept. 28, 2011

In previous years, our tomato plants have grown so big that we cut water to the plants all together... and they still produce and grow huge amounts of tomatoes.  Our climate and the location of the plants makes all of the difference.  Tomatoes just love the victory garden.  We love them too just as long as the invasion does not knock out any of the other veggie contenders in the garden. 



Sunday, September 18, 2011

2011 Harvest Feast

Winter is coming.  The cooler evenings and the brisk mornings bring a tear to my eye.  The corn stalks are turning brown and the green bean leaves are drying out.  The victory garden is slowly coming to slow halt this season.  Not all is bad though.  There is always time to cook and eat the fruits of our labor and that is what happened during the 2011 Harvest Feast.

This year I was able to share the victory garden's culinary delights with friends as well as family.  Now you may be wondering, "what's on the menu?"  I tried to incorporate as much of the victory garden into each recipe without tarnishing the integrity of each dish.  Remembering that I only have a garden, and not a farm, to contribute to the meal I found myself adding in a few key ingredients here and there to help bring flavor and enjoyment to each dish.  This is what we munched on during this year's harvest feast:

stuffed peppers
Elote (aka Horn corn, Mexican corn on the cob) - steamed/BBQ/boiled corn on the cob, covered in mayo and lime, rolled in cotija cheese and sprinkled with hot sauce

Stuffed bell peppers - red and green bell peppers filled with stuffing and barbequed for 20 minutes; stuffing is made with white rice, portabella mushrooms, chives, and pepperoncini peppers

Yellow neck squash bread - our large harvest of yellow neck squash this year has allowed me to experiment with bread.  I love to make zucchini bread and found yellow neck squash is a yummier alternative when zucchini is not available.  I personally prefer the yellow squash over the green zucchini any day. 
veggie casserole

Salad - this dish utilized the lettuce, cucumber, basil and tomatoes from the garden

Dill pickles, salsa & chips - pickles and salsa were canned during the 2010 season

Spiced Ginger and Mom's pickled cucumbers - see my July 29, 2011 blog for recipe

Veggie casserole - egg plant, yellow neck squash, zucchini, green beans, chives, cheese, mushroom soup, and topped with bread crumbs

Veggie and animal burgers - Boca spicy chicken burgers and beef patties on whole wheat buns;  cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onion were available to add to each burger


Victory Garden Alert!  Victory Garden Alert!  The garden has produced the largest zucchini the garden has ever grown.  The zucchini measures 20 inches in length.  Large zucchini, like this one, is great for stuffing and baking.