Thursday, June 25, 2015

Around the Garden


















We have settled into a nice rhythm with Mother Nature in the garden, rain every third or fourth day, usually in the evening, just enough to give every thing a good soak, but not too much to leave everything sitting in too much water. It is perfect, and the gardens are thriving because of it. My unwelcome guest, the leafminer, has been stopped in its tracks, for now. I have been keeping a very close eye on the beets and Swiss chard, and so far all my extra attention is paying off, and I am pretty pleased about that.

After a few weeks of heavy duty work in the garden, we had a definite change in pace this week. There was more time spent weeding, walking around, and just enjoying our space. I intended to do some mulching, but with our summer solstice celebrations taking up a bit of my extra time, it didn't get done. I have moved it to the to do list for this week.

I gave the tomatoes a little extra attention this week, removing suckers, and tying them up for support. The garlic scapes are ready, and I have been harvesting a few every day to add to our meals. A large amount was harvested on Monday, turned into pesto, and added to the freezer. Tomorrow I will harvest the rest, and more pesto will be made.

Along with garlic scarpes we are eating salad greens, kale, Swiss chard, basil, parsley, rosemary, chives, calendula flowers, and borage flowers. The first planting of snow peas are producing many flowers, and I spied a few pods ripening on the vines. They will be ready soon, and I can't wait.

Many medicinal herbs were harvested this week for tinctures, and oil infusions, and to dry for teas. Catnip, yarrow, heal-all, and comfrey all have a place in my kitchen at this moment as they are being prepared for medicinal use. The St. John's wort is flowering, and the bee balm is reaching for the sky. My calendula from seed is finally flowering, and goodness seeing those beautiful orange and yellow blooms makes my heart sing. This week will see the harvesting of lemon balm, for tincturing, and to dry for tea. The power of plant medicine never ceases to amaze me, and it makes me so very happy to be able to prepare them for my family.

I walk around the gardens a few times every day. The morning walk is slow and meditative, with tea in hand. During the day my walks are more about searching out work to be done, and getting it done. There is harvesting for meals, and sometimes a moment or two of stillness as I look around and take it all in. Before dinner I walk, sipping home brewed kombucha, and just relaxing into the beauty of the garden. And in the evening, as the sun sets on the day, I take another walk, usually with a cup of tea, and just soak up the goodness of it all. It really is a pleasure, growing our own food. It feels good, it feels right, for us.

How are things around your garden?

41 comments:

  1. Right now my poor heat stroked garden is flooded from the 40 minute thunderstorm that just moved out of here. Wow, it was a drencher!
    Our tomatoes are doing very well, along with the herbs. A few more weeks and then I get a break before it's time to plant for the fall. There will be a lot of green beans in my future.
    Happy gardening.

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    1. Oh no, I hope it has dried out by now. I am hoping for lots of beans...my little man loves dilly green beans, and I never seem to can enough. I have plans this year to can as much as possible so we don't run out :)

      Thanks Tracey.

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  2. Looks wonderful Kim! Snow peas are the best, aren't they? Our are gone and I miss them already! A quick question-- we also have lemon balm, which I love to use (but I only use a relatively small amount). It has taken over our yard! Do you have any good tips for keeping it in check. I enjoy it, but not everywhere. I have had trouble removing it once it invades an area. That said, I would love any recipes you have that use it. I mainly infuse it in oil for my salves, but at least if I had more ways to use it I may not get so annoyed with it! ;) I know that it can do amazing things.

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    1. Thanks Taryn. Yes, we love snow peas, and most times they don't even make it into the house :)

      Ah, yes, it will do that. The best way to keep it in check...harvest it :) And grow it in a spot you don't mind it taking over. Medicinally I tincture it, and dry it. Lemon Balm is a nervine and a tonic. Being a nervine it can help to calm, ease anxiety and stress, and help promote sleep and as a tonic is has a strengthening effect on the nervous system. It also functions as an antiviral and can also help with fever.

      I tincture it in alcohol and store it, ready to use when we have fevers. Dried, I use it for teas, a cup before bed for the little man after a busy day, or a cup for me if I am feeling like I need it. It has a nice flavour, and it also a nice addition to other herbal teas.

      Fresh, it can also be infused in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, keep covered while infusing, and enjoy hot or cold. I also use the fresh leaves with some peppermint, and red raspberry leaf to make a herbal sun tea...gather the herbs, add to a mason jar, fill with fresh water, and let it sit in the sun all day. Then enjoy as the sun sets :) So good.

      Hope that helps, if you have further questions, let me know. Always happy to share.

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  3. jaw-droppingly gorgeous. something to aspire to. and I wish we weren't having this damn drought.
    SO BEAUTIFUL Kim. it's a dream of mine....
    xo

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    1. Thank you so much Cory, you just made me smile.

      xo

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  4. If I lived by I would sneak in and pull that pea pod right off and pop it into my mouth! You would never now....maybe! Your garden is growing so much since last week!

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    1. Aw Karen, you wouldn't have to sneak, I would gladly share with you :)

      It is growing like crazy, I expect the next few weeks will see it go from lovely, calm garden, to wild and crazy garden. Can't wait!

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  5. Your garden makes me instantly smile :D

    So pretty and so few weeds! Ours looks like a mad jungle, I weed the the garden bed themselves but our rocky mountainside and the fact that we're renting has made for weed pathways in many places. We're building a chicken run within the garden fence to put our girls to work soon!

    I love all your medicinal herbs. I feel like I've mastered food production and now I'm learning lots about medicinal herbs and making our own medicine :)

    Happy garden eating x

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    1. Aw, thanks Isis, that means a lot coming from you :)

      Yes, the weeds have yet to invade, a few here and there, but nothing too crazy...yet. Great idea with the chickens, they will have the weeds gone in no time.

      My medicinal herbs are my love. Growing food to feed us is one thing, but growing the medicine to keep us healthy and heal us when we are sick, nothing quite describes it. I feel blessed to have had this knowledge passed down to me from others, and will do all I can to share what I know. Plants are amazing.

      Thanks, you too! xo

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  6. Kim your garden has turned out so nice with those gravel paths. Everything looks so neat and tidy.

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    1. Thanks Beth. We are so pleased with it, and I have to admit my walks around the garden are filled with much joy, and always a big smile.

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  7. That is such an amazing thing that here the plants began earlier and then "wait" for yours to be grown like them... oh borage flowers here also, collected every day (I want to make so herbal tea with them too, along with Chamomilla, mint, vervena and rose...). No time for the blog these days... I'm so sad about it, but you know (time and solo parenting again...). Your garden looks fabulous, and so powerful... thanks a lot for sharing, kim.

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    1. Oh that herbal tea sounds just lovely Sandra.

      I do know, life happens, and there isn't always time to blog. You have lots going on right now...kids, new home, life, enjoy it, and soak up every minute. Your blog will always be there, and you can update when you have time :)

      Thank you. Powerful, wow, that is a strong word, and I kinda like it :)

      xo

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  8. I'm glad the weeds are being kept at bay for you. Those times between weddings are so rewarding. I don't know if I can catch up on the weeds at this point. My belly makes it so hard to bend right now and Panda is usually getting into something so I have to constantly chase after him.. Sad when a two year old can out run his mamma ;)

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    1. You are so right, rewarding in a big way. I can imagine it must be difficult to maintain the garden in the way you want right now. I was pregnant with Reece during the summer, and there were definitely some days when my belly got in the way :)

      Ha, he sounds like a fast one. Good luck trying to catch him. xo

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  9. Oh wow your garden looks great, I love the gravel path, I still need to finish mine, but need to set up more raised bed before I do that (Here is my update http://www.tollerado.blogspot.de/2015/06/garden-update-june-26th.html)

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    1. Thank you. The gravel paths are new this year, we just finished them over the last few weeks. Big job but so worth it.

      Thanks for stopping by, popping over to see your gardens now. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  10. What a lovely space! My garden looks like an unruly jungle compared to your lovely beds :) Your st. John's wart looks beautiful. We are harvesting tons of calendula over here too...what wonderful flowers!

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    1. Thank you. Have no doubt, in another month it will be a little unruly here too, just give it time :) Aren't they a beautiful flower, so delicate. Enjoy the calendula, one of my favourite herbs and flowers.

      Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend.

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  11. oh my! kim! it is all sooo beautiful! i am in love with your garden... with your entire space. your work has certainly paid off. i hope to hear more details about your tinctures and how you use them in the future :)

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    1. Aw, thank you Jenny. I have to admit being very pleased with how it has turned out. This has been years of work and planning, and to see it finally coming together, well it feels pretty good.

      Of course, I can share more as the season moves along :)

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  12. Your Garden is looking great.
    We managed to have some lettuce the other day from our garden and everything else we planted seems to be growing well. Almost raspberry time!

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    1. Thank you! I know, although our raspberries have a late season ripening, and the new canes we planted this year we won't harvest from this year. Enjoy your raspberries.

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  13. such a beautiful garden. i am looking forward to our evening thunderstorms/rain. fingers crossed it starts soon. :)

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    1. Thank you. We have rain in the forecast for the weekend too, which is perfect timing, they are just starting to fully dry out after our last rainfall earlier in the week.

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  14. Oh your garden is just so beautiful, both because it's so lush and green and also there's such beauty in things being grown with intention; everything has it's purpose and it's place and I find I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been up to each week!

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    1. Oh Carie, you just warmed my heart, thank you for those very kind words. We try to live a life with intention, being mindful and attentive, and our garden is much the same. To know that those things come across in this space just makes me so very happy.

      I look forward to sharing with you each week.

      Happy weekend!

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  15. I totally could live in your gardens. So peaceful and abundant!

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  16. its looking great, so beautiful and productive all at once

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    1. Thanks Aimee. I have to tell you that I tucked your seeds away and totally forgot about them until I found them the other day. I have plans to get them planted in the fall garden. Can't wait!

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  17. Your garden is beautiful! I love the pea gravel-lined walkways. My paths in between my raised beds are woodchips. I have major issues with weeds - thistle and morning glories. I feel half my time is spent weeding the pathways! How do you control weeds on your lovely walkways?

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    1. Thank you! Those walkways look as good as they do because we just finished them last week :) But we did put down black plastic in hopes that that will keep the weeds down for a few years. Fingers crossed.

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  18. Sounds all so wonderful. :) I would love to come to your kitchen and learn to make salves with fresh herbs! :)

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    1. Thanks KC. You are welcome anytime my friend. I would love to share these skills with you :) Our kiddos could play, we could drink tea, and make medicine...one day.

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  19. Just beautiful Kim! I especially love your last paragraph. Take care my friend. xo

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    1. Thank you Julie. Those walks around the gardens throughout the day are so grounding for me, and create such a deep connection to this land and the food we grow.

      You too. xo

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  20. Wow! Now that is a sight... Your garden looks amazing. I'm still waiting on my calendula and I'm starting to get worried. This was my first year direct sowing and I don't think I'll do it again. Last year, we had started seeds indoors 4 weeks prior and I was picking flowers by mid-June. I just keep reminding myself that they are cold resistant so if ever it takes all summer, I'll still get plenty of blooms in fall. :-)

    We are getting little pea pods as well. although our plants are about half your height. We've been getting the same rain pattern as you, just not as much heat in between. But it has been nice to not have to water by hand.

    May I ask how you prepare Borage flowers for meals? We have so much blooming and I'm not quite sure how to serve them up. :-)

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    1. Thanks Yanic! It is coming along nicely, and I am pleased so far with how everything is growing. The calendula does take awhile, I started some indoors, and also direct sowed some. Those that were direct sowed are quite a ways from flowering. But they will flower, and like you said, they will keep going right on into the fall.

      I agree, I haven't had to water in weeks, and it has been lovely, more time for tending and nurturing in other ways. I harvested the first snow peas for dinner this evening, we can't wait to eat them. There aren't many, but we just couldn't wait any longer :)

      The only thing I do is remove the five original green petals, behind the flower petals, and then I just toss them into my salad. They have a slight cucumber taste. The leaves are also edible, but you would have to get the young leaves, the older leaves are a bit tough. They also taste like cucumber. Enjoy!

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  21. My weekly dose of inspiration and motivation, looking more beautiful than ever! The sight of that pea must be pretty exciting! We've just had a few days of really hot weather, and now today it's tipping down with rain, perfect! I do love the rain so much more this year, especially when it comes in the night mind you :)

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    1. Aw, thank you Sally. It was pretty exciting, and even more exciting, we are now eating peas :) So good!

      Enjoy that rain my friend.

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