The Thrill of the Pop!

The making of bread and butter pickles

My 14 year old grandson Rory has been visiting this week and we are busy, especially now getting exhibits ready for the Heath Fair. The other day we made bread and butter pickles, but the jar seals didn’t take. You can only imagine our anticipation when we took today’s batch out of the hot water bath. Even as I lifted one jar we heard that POP!  Then we waited, and didn’t touch the jars. But soon, Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop. Rory will have pickles to exhibit!

And cookies.  Three of the other grandsons left their exhibits in my care. Now I have to concentrate on my own exhibits.  I think I have invented a maple confection to enter. Wish me luck.

With final Heath Fair preparations here at home, setting up the Heath Friends of  the Library Book Sale and the arrival of family, I cannot promise that I will be blogging until the Fair is done.  I wonder how many ribbons I’ll be able to brag about?

A Bow to Queen Anne’s Lace

Queen Anne's Lace

Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) appears on our roadsides and in the fields beginning in mid-July. I always think of it as a high summer plant. I never liked it much as a child, probably because I often saw it, or noticed it, when it was going by and curling into a cup-like shape that has given rise to another  of its names, bird’s nest flower.

Like many flowers it does have several names. Others are bishop’s lace and wild carrot. It is easy to understand the name wild carrot because the root has a carrot-y smell, and it is edible although the roots quickly become woody and not very appealing.

At first glance Queen Anne’s lace appears to be a white flower, but upon closer inspection, there is a flower in the center that can be red or purple in some varieties. The Queen Anne’s Lace in my neighborhood is pure white.  One legend has it that this colored flower is a drop of  Queen Anne’s blood from when she pricked her finger with an embroidery needle. This colored flowers attracts pollinators.

Queen Anne’s Lace is not a native or rare wildflower, but I have chosen it for Wildflower Wednesday, because, in my maturity, I find it a beautiful flower which I admire on the roadsides, and bring into the house for a bouquet.

On another note entirely, don’t forget about the Free Community Harvest Supper on Sunday, August 22 from 4:30-6:30 pm.  Good eats. Good music. And a good deed. Donations made at the Supper will go to fund Greenfield Farmers Market Vouchers for those in need.  If you cannot attend, consider making a donation to Center for Self Reliance Food Pantry, 23 Osgood Street, Greenfield, MA 01301.

A New Blog

Wild boys in the wilds of Heath picking 'wild' lowbush blueberries

Just when I was preparing a handout for my Heath Fair talk on Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants, I learned about a new group blog www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com that is being written by some of my favorite bloggers, many of whom I got to meet in Buffalo.

Beautiful Wildlife Gardens will give you lots of information about the natural world around us – in different parts of the  country. Informative and engaging. Which is what you might expect from a blog written by Helen Yoest (Gardening With Confidence), Barbara Pintozzi (Mr. McGregor’s Daughter), Chris McLaughlin (Kid Safe Landscape), Kelly Senser, (the editor of (National Wildlife Magazine), Kathy Green (All Things in Nature), Ellen Sousa (Turkey Hill Brook Farm right in in Massachusetts), Lisa Gustavson (Soil Sisters) and Gail Eichelburger (Clay and Limestone) who invented Wildflower Wednesday. They have a number of desires from the general creation of sustainable landscapes to the particular, like encouraging more bugs. Douglas Tallamy,  author of one of my favorite books, Bringing Nature Home, says we need more bugs.

Here on our hill we are surrounded by wildlife. I had a most remarkable experience this summer with a newborn fawn, and last year’s visits by a porcupine.  Once I walked down to the vegetable garden and came upon a HUGE flock of turkeys. I surprised them, and they me! – and they immediately flew into the air and down the hill to the tree line. Usually turkey sitings are not so dramatic. We hear the coyotes at night, and at noon.  The next town has a noon whistle – which must wake up the coyotes because they respond with their own howl. We wait for it when the grandchildren are visiting.

We have wildflowers, and flowers that have gone wild. Never Plant  Tansy!

Needless to say, we have our own kidsafe, wildlife safe, caterpillar safe, bird safe landscape. I’m delighted to know that I have a new place to visit that will encourage us all to be more aware of the wonders around us.

While I am talking about the wild world, I should mention my ‘colleague’ at The Recorder, Bill Danielson, who writes a fabulous column Speaking of Nature with special pages for kids. He also has a website of his own. Click here to see his columns and hear about his upcoming books.

Bloom Day August 2010

The cutting garden

I don’t think a cutting garden is really supposed to look like this. A cutting garden is supposed to give each plant room to breathe.  But here are scarlet bee balm, Hot Crayon Color zinnias from Renee’s Garden, bachelor’s buttons, gomphrena, and Hot Biscuits amaranth from Seed Savers looking like they are at a crowded cocktail party.  Golden rod and tansy and mint in the surrounding  field – all blooming.

Gomphrena

I thought Gomphrena would be great for bouquets so I bought two six packs from LaSalle’s Florist who has wonderful bedding plants in the summer. I did not realize this is also known as globe amaranth.  I stuck a couple of the plants next to the bush beans, and put one or two in planters. They have done beautifully and I plan to grow them again.

'Mothlight' hydrangea

I now have  four hydrangeas. I planted ‘Mothlight’ several years ago, and with very little help from me she is thriving, as you can see.  I only wish the weeping birch didn’t weep right on top of her.

'Limelight' hydrangea

‘Limelight’ joined a very small oakleaf hydrangea last summer. I’m happy to say that all three hydrangeas that will make up my erstwhile hydrangea hedge are doing very well and blooming, but Pinky Winky and the oakleaf are very small still.

Cosmos, 'Blue Paradise' phlox and Stargazer lilies

In the same bed with Mothlight and the weeping birch is my new ‘blue and white section.’  I took out a rampant spirea shrub and since I had no real plan for what to do next I thought I would just make sure everything was blue or white. With maybe a touch of yellow.  This is not give an excellent photo. The  new ‘Blue Paradise’ phlox is going by, but I think it will be more substantial in August next year.  You can also see a new sulphur yellow achillea and the Stargazers. I had forgotten about that  touch of pink.

Connecticut yankee delphiniums and cosmos

I didn’t expect the new ‘Connecticut Yankees’ to do much this year, but they are making a noble effort. I can always count on Renee’s cosmos to cover a lot of ground. This section is to the left of the previous photo and now we will go still further left.

Annual Veronica

The corner of this bed is filled with two varieties of cotoneaster.  I should have had faith that one type would be more than sufficient, if only I would have patience. Now they are both totally grown together and will never be separated. There was a bare spot in the corner that I filled with this pretty annual veronica from LaSalle’s.  It is very similar to the ‘Blue Eyes” veronica, an old variety, that came to me at a plant swap years ago as ‘blue eyed grass’ so I planted it in the lawn where it has spread, but rarely blooms because of the mowing. I promised myself I would dig up a little bit and put it in a more perennial spot, but I haven’t done it yet.

Achillea 'The Pearl' and Julie's dianthus

Achillea ‘The Pearl’ is such a depandable and useful plant, in the garden and in arrangements.  You can see one little pink dianthus that I had gotten at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale. Julie said it would bloom and bloom. And it has. It is a lovely little thing.  Other cheddar pinks are also still putting out a few bloom.

Champlain

I don’t know what this little Champlain (Canadian Explorer) rose is doing blooming at this time of year, especially since it is about to be eaten up by the Apart rugosa that has sent new shoots out. Right here.

Linda Campbell rugosa

I was also stunned to see this one blossom of Linda Campbell, a rose in the Sunken Garden, that I thought had died years ago – along with almost everything else in the Sunken Garden.  I will dig this up in the fall, and I think I will put it on the Rose Bank.

Rugosa alba

At the top edge of the Sunken Garden is a partial hedge of Rugosa alba.  This plant hopped down from above,

Rugosa alba

and this one looks like it is trying to make the leap.  It sure shows how tenacious rugosas and their roots are!

Pink Grootendorst rugosa

She doesn’t have a lot of blooms at this time of the year, but I really like Pink Grootendorst. She is on the new Rose Bank and has grown immensely since I planted her last year – just as I had hoped.  Double Red Knockouts are also blooming on the Rose Bank.

Sweet Peas

Saltwater Taffy Swirl sweet peas from Renee got off to a slow start, but they are beautiful right now. Fragrant, too.

Morning Glories

I love having morning glories right outside the window where we can see them in the morning. Going strong.

This ‘Terra Cotta’ achillea has been going strong too.  I have pink achilleas in the Lawn Beds and a deep pink in the Herb Bed. Of course, there is wild white yarrow growing by the roadsides.  Along with Queen Anne’s lace.

Thomas Affleck rose

Thomas Affleck, planted at the end of the Herb Bed last spring, has settled in nicely and has been in bloom all summer. The Fairy is another rose that blooms all summer dependably. I have two, one in each Lawn Bed.

Castor Bean

The Castor Bean was supposed to fill the whole circle in the middle of the lawn, but it has been slow going. Even though it has not reached a height of six or more feet as I had hoped, the color and size of the leaves still make a pretty dramatic impact.

Phlox and Cosmos

I think every perennial garden should have phlox.  This is a nameless pink phlox I got at the Bridge of Flowers last year and it is magnificent. This year I bought Blue Paradise at the Bridge of Flowers sale, and my own Miss Lingaard, a white phlox, which blooms in June, is still putting out some flowers.  I’ve already started thinking about what phlox I can add next year – and where I will find a place to put it.  This spot in the garden is very pink, which is unusual for an August garden. In addition to the pink phlox, there are two varieties of pink cosmos, pink echinacea, a few cheddar pinks, a pink achillea and the pink The Fairy rose.

'Fairy Tale Pink' daylily

Of course the daylilies are still blooming, nastursiums and Black Beauty lilies, and pots filled with petunias, Million Bells, geraniums, annual salvia, blooming mint, oregano, and circle garlic. All of a sudden I realize August is a really good month in my garden.

I thank Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for inspiring me, and so many others to keep this record for ourselves, and let us all see how seasons progress across the country.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers at the Pleasant Street Community Garden

When we think of sunflowers most of us think of tall stems with large blossoms heavy with seeds – that will be half eaten by the birds unless we protect them for our own use or display.  The Recorder and the Greenfield Garden Club will be holding their Annual Sunflower Contest on Saturday, August 21 at the Energy Park and we expect to see many of these beauties vying for attention.

The contest has several categories for youth (under age 16) and adults (16 and over). There will be bragging rights and ribbons for the tallest, most blooms on a single plant, largest blossom head, heaviest blossom head and the best arrangement which must be mostly sunflowers. Judges reserve the right to create a special category if necessary. Photos of the winners will appear in the following week’s Life & Times section.

Whether or not we grow sunflowers for a competition it is important to remember that sunflowers are heavy feeders.  A sunflower bed should be prepared and well fertilized with plenty of compost and rotted manure in the spring. These days I am happy to say that it is easy to buy good compost from Martins Farm or Bear Path Farm.

In addition to my compost, which has a good helping of rotted chicken manure for nitrogen, I keep a bag of greensand on hand to add the necessary potassium. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the three major nutrients needed by plants .

In addition to planting sunflower seed of whatever variety in a well prepared bed, watering throughout the season is important, especially during a summer like this one which has been so dry.  Please note, this is good advice no matter what you are growing, edible or ornamental.

Tall sunflowers like Russian Mammoth are easy to find, but there are many other sunflowers that are stunning in the garden and beautiful on the dining table. Johnny’s Selected Seeds sells a whole series of sunflowers developed as cutting flowers.  Pollenless sunflowers like the tall pale Buttercream, softly colored Peach Passion, and deep burgundy Moulin Rouge make life neater for the housekeeper.

Brilliantly colored sunflowers like Chocolate, Strawberry Blonde and Velvet Queen bring a new palette to these flowers, and while they may have smaller or larger centers, they have the familiar form. Double Quick Orange on the other hand  looks like a shaggy lion’s mane.  Teddy Bear, resembling the plush of that childhood toy, is one of the dwarf varieties now available and suitable for containers; Giant Sungold looks like Teddy Bear’s big brother.

The sunflower family, Helianthus, is comprised of 52 species, some of which are perennials. Perhaps the most well known is the Jerusalem artichoke, H. tuberosus.  It is a plant native to North America and has nothing to do with Jerusalem or artichokes.  One story says that Samuel Champlain first described the flavor of the edible root as similar to that of the artichoke.  New Englanders call the root, which has the crunch of a raw potato, sun chokes.

Whether you call them sun chokes or Jerusalem artichokes, they are quite nutritious and good to eat raw, roasted or steamed. Boiling them makes them mushy. They grow to heights of seven feet or more and produce sunny yellow flowers in late summer. Steve Ziglar at the New England Wildflower Society said they do not recommend planting them in the regular vegetable garden because they can quickly spread throughout the garden, either because a bit of a tuber was not harvested or because a well fed mole moved a piece from the planting bed to his dining room and didn’t finish his meal. If they are not harvested and replanted, but left to bloom in the same place year after year, the quality of the tuber for eating declines.  I know I have seen Jerusalem artichokes growing along Route 2 but I have never tried to harvest any.

I remembered seeing ‘perennial sunflowers’ in Ted Watt’s Greenfield garden on last year’s Greenfield Garden Club tour. Knowing that most perennial sunflowers are aggressive growers, I called and asked him what variety he used. Alas, he said his ‘sunflowers’ are not Helianthus at all, but Silphium perfoliatum, a native plant sometimes called cup plant because of the way the leaves grow around the stem, forming what could be called a cup.

Watt uses them as a flowery hedge at one edge of his garden, next to the sidewalk and gets many admiring comments.  The warning he had about these ‘sunfllowers’ is that they must be deadheaded.  If they are allowed to go to seed, the vital seeds will blow away and come up everywhere in the garden.

Here in Heath we have great sunflower fields. These real sunflowers, with big seed heads are being grown as a biofuel plant. The several farmers who have formed the Hilltown Farmers Biodiesel Co-op were able to get a grant to help buy the necessary seed press and mobile biodiesel processor that can travel from farm to farm as they each take their turn using the equipment. Their goal is to save money, reduce their dependence on oil, and protect the environment.

I hope to see you at the Energy Park on Saturday, August 21. We’ll be accepting entries between noon and 2 pm. Then the judging will begin. Take care of your sunflowers til then.

Between the Rows  August 7, 2010

Sunflowers in the Children's Garden at the Berkshire Botanical Garden

Two Lasagna Gardens

Kara's lasagna herb garden

My neighbor Kara read my directions for making a lasagna garden – followed them, and this is what she got. A beautiful lasagna herb garden.  She will not need to add another layer of cardboard and soil to maintain this next year.

Kara's other lasagna bed

On the other side of the grass path, wide enough for a lawn mower, Kara planted mostly annuals. After the harvest she may want to add another layer of cardboard, water it well, and add a new layer of good soil. It will be ready for planting.

My lasagna beds

I followed my directions and planted two lasagna beds. One is a small cutting garden with zinnias, ornamental amaranth (partly eaten by deer), cornflowers and scarlet bee balm.  The sweet peas did not climb the white trellis but sprawled on the ground.  The other bed is summer squash and one winter squash. Other seedlings were eaten by earwigs.

My question is, why do my gardens always look out of control?

My Garlic Harvest

Garlic Harvest

The other day when I was talking to my neighbor Bob Dane, he mentioned that he had harvested his garlic.  ”Oh, no, is it time?” I asked in a panic.  Oh, yes.  I had totally forgotten about the garlic and I did wait a little too long. The problem with waiting too long, and mid-July is a good time to check the plants, is that the garlic bulbs will break apart, and they  will be no good for storing.  You need to have that papery covering to hold the cloves together, dry and clean.  A couple of my plants did break apart as I dug them up.  I will use the this week.

One other mistake.  I did not cut off quite all the scapes in the spring.  If the scapes are not cut off the garlic bulbs will not be big and full.  Having made these two mistakes my first try – my next harvest should be much better. Unless I think of another mistake to make.

I wish I had seen this video of Farmer Tracie from Yankee Magazine online a couple of weeks ago. The harvest could have been much better.

Important Dates

All for the Belly Bus August 2009

August 13  3-5 pm  The Belly Bus will be at the Town Common in Greenfield. You can bring non-perishable foods to the Common which will then be distributed to area food pantries. Unfortunately, more and more families are suffering from food insecurity, not knowing if their own pantry will last out the week, or the next day.  Please help.

August 14 & 15   9 am-2 pm Mary Kay Hoffman of E. Hawley MA is offering  a dig in her large perennial garden  to benefit Sons and Daughters of Hawley and their capital projects:  The 1846 Meetinghouse and The Hawley Grove.  The dig is  Saturday and Sunday Aug 14 and 15, 9 am – 2 p.m. at 7 Watson Rd. Hawley.  Call for directions –  413-339-4430.  An appropriate donation to the Sons and Daughters of Hawley is requested.  I know this garden and there are MANY beautiful perennials. Bring your own shovel and containers.

August 17 & 18 – Local Hero Restaurant Days Participating restaurants will highlight dishes featuring locally grown products. Show your support for local agriculture and great food by dining out at one of the 44 participating Local Hero restaurants.

“Our Local Hero restaurants are excellent supporters of local agriculture because they are committed to buying produce and products from local farmers: this past year, Local Hero restaurants spent over $1,250,000 on local farm products and have been able to prepare menu items with the freshest ingredients of the season. In total, these restaurants serve over 39,000 people each week. When you look at those figures, it’s easy to see how much of an impact restaurants can have on our food system when they purchase locally, ” says Local Hero Membership Coordinator Devon Whitney-Deal.  click here for a list of all participating restaurants.

Waatermelon Contest 2009

August 20-22 Heath Fair The Exhibit Hall.  Ox Draw. Friends of the Heath Library Book Sale. Pie!  Fireman’s Barbecue. The best Fair ever.

Sunflowers at Berkshire Botanical Garden

August 21 – Sunflower Contest sponsored by The Recorder and the Greenfield Garden Club at the Energy Park in Greenfield. Bring your sunflower entry, tall, multiflowered, big, heavy or beautiful arrangement, to the Park between noon and 2 pm.  Then the judging will begin! There are two classes: Youth – Under 16 and Adult – 16 and over.  Ribbons! Prizes!  Winners will get their photos in the Living/Arts section of the Recorder.

Free Harvest Supper 2009

August 22 – Free Harvest Supper 4:30 to 6:30 pm in Greenfield – This fabulous meal donated and served by volunteers to lively music is totally free – but feel free to make a contribution to the Farmer’s Market Coupon Project for the Center for Self Reliance which makes it possible for those using the food pantry to buy their own favorite fresh veggies at the Farmer’s Market.

August 22  -  World Kitchen Garden Day The most local food we can eat is that grown in our own gardens. Although we don’t often think about it, an amazing amount of the food we eat around the world is grown in our own kitchen garden. Kitchen Garden International supports and encourages us all to grow some of our own food.

August 22 – 28 – Massachusetts Farmer’s Market Week Blogathon hosted at In Our Grandmother’s Kitchens - Loving Local: Celebrating the Flavors of Massachusetts  This week long celebration of local food and farmer’s markets is sponsored by the Mass Dept of Agriculture and the non-profit organization Mass Farmers Markets.

Robert Dane Loves the Blues

Robert Dane's Blueberry Bud Vases

Bob Dane loves the blueberries Heath is famous for. He also loves the blueberry fields where they are grown which is why he has donated these sweet blueberry bud vases to the Franklin Land Trust to use as a gift for all those who donate $250 or more to the FLT and ear mark that gift “The Benson Place” to support the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR)  and trail easement that has been awarded to the Benson Place Blueberry Farm in Heath. These covenants will ensure farming and passive recreation on that land for years to come.

Robert Dane's Tutti Frutti Goblets

Heath is famous for blueberries, and Bob is famous for his blown glass. His tutti frutti goblets, beautiful and whimsical, are one of his trademarks.  He sells his work, and that of the country’s most noted glass artists at the Dane Gallery on Nantucket. Hillary Clinton has shopped at the Gallery when visiting Nantucket!  His wife Jayne, is co-owner and Director of the Gallery.

But Bob is not  only an amazing  and skilled artist, and supporter of land preservation (he is on the Board of the FLT) he is a gardener! His tiny vegetable garden is right outside the back door adjacent to the stone terrace.  He needs to keep it small because of his work schedule.  It contains winter squash, kale and beets that he doesn’t have to worry about until late in the season.  On the other hand, his second planting of arugula is coming along nicely and he continues to enjoy stuffed zucchini blossoms – as well as the zucchini squash. Bob is a great cook, too.

Tiny thyme

All of us in Heath have a good time in the summer, but we can feel we are on a tight schedule. Time is always an issue.  However, Bob says he has “‘lots of thyme.” Between the stone pavers on the terrace he has wooly thyme, creeping thyme, tiny thyme and regular common thyme. I’ve been feeling the need for more time, but Bob has shown me how to have more thyme.  Thanks, Bob.

Chelsea’s Wedding Menu

Chelsea and Marc photo by Barbara Kinney

Weddings are important occasions. It is not surprising that the wedding of Chelsea Clinton, daughter of a former President, to Marc Mezvinsky  should get a lot of attention and press. I did not expect debate and controversy about the menu of the nuptial dinner.

Perhaps I should not have been surprised. The foods we eat, or do not eat, are significant elements of our culture and community, so the food served at a wedding takes on extra meaning.  Chelsea is a vegetarian and yet she served meat at her wedding. What does this say about her, and about her community? Douglas Quenqua interviewed other vegetarian brides, for the NYT Styles section yesterday, investigating their menu choices.

Cecilia Kinzie, a vegan in California, thought that her loving family and friends could go one meal without meat. Kathleen Mink, another California vegan is so opposed to using animal products that she and her husband don’t even use honey. They did not serve meat at their wedding either. They didn’t even have real flowers.

My first question when I consider this debate is – what is a wedding for?  I think a wedding is to celebrate the entry of a new family into the existing community, a community that will be called on to give their support to this new family. On one hand Chelsea and Marc’s exisiting community is American, founded on freedom of speech, religion — and diet.  She is free to be vegetarian, and free to offer meat to those in her community who are not vegetarian.   I would hope that those vegetarians and vegans at her reception would enjoy their meatless meal, without railing that Chelsea had abandoned her principles.

I would hope that the meat eaters at the reception would not mock the bride and other vegetarians present for their kooky diet.  Their place is to support the bride and her husband, as they take their place as a couple in the community.

For myself, I am glad there are vegetarians in the world because I do feel, as France Moore Lappe pointed out so many years ago in Diet for a Small Planet, that the world cannot support feeding sufficient livestock for everyone to eat a meat rich diet. There is simply not enough agricultural land to feed animals and us.  I try to eat more meatless meals than I did ten years ago, for my own health, and for the well being of others.

At the same time, I feel it is not realistic to think everyone will ultimately be vegetarian. In additon there is the problem of the animals. Vegans, of course, do not eat animals OR any animal products like milk, cheese, eggs or honey, so vegans would not object if cows, sheep, goats, etc. gradually became extinct.  However, for those won’t eat meat, but who do like milk, cheese, eggs and etc. there is the problem of the majority of male animals who are not needed. The males are needed to keep up the herds and flocks, but it is the fertilized females who actually produce the milk, cheese, eggs, and etc.  Since half the animals, and humans, born are male, what is to be done with all those bulls, rams and billy goats if the objection  to meat eating is killing animals?

Do you think brides should express their own principles in their menus, or do you think they should consider the comfort and pleasure of their guests?

A final note. I think nature, and farmers, are extravagant enough and skilled enough to provide flowers for every bride and every celebration. There is no need for them to be forbidden on ethical grounds.