7/1/2015 Update of My Garden

Hyssop, give me reason not to plant this? DH is suffering from mucus and congestion at night. I will sure try making tea tonight for him.

Indian/flint corn. Hopefully I can eat some this year. I can't wait.

Broccoli, I'm hoping to finally harvest some this year.

Loving my spinach that took forever to grow, but look at them now.

The same goes to my sweet basil. I thought I will be looking at them with a magnifying glass all year.

Onions, I put onions on everything, hahaha. I bought a $0.50 worth of onions. Hopefully they flowers and drop on the ground for an early start next year. I planted them in-between everything. Where-ever there's a space.

Starting to Green (6/9/15)

Indian corn

Okra

Peanut, I wanted my children to see how they grow.

Cayenne pepper

Sweet bell peppers, will try canning these.

Cherry tomato, only one kind this year.

Sweet potato. I will cover this with fall leaves. I'm hoping I can harvest bigger sweet potatoes next year.

 Broccoli, second year planting them. The first one did not made it during very wet spring and early winter.

Sweet peas, I didn't realize I only got 12 seeds left. Hoping they all fruit for my next year batch.

Two kinds of lavender and rosemary.

The Veggies

Still not planted yet. I am waiting for DH to buy me some fencing. However, I think I am going out today to pick some sort of fencing. I grew very impatient. Yes, he will do it, but there is a chance I will be planting these on the ground around June.

The above photos are bought from my local farmers market. None of them are heirlooms. Last year I was able to buy a few heirlooms, but no luck this year.

Indian corns.

Okra, long beans, spinach, & peas.

Cooking with Broccoli Raab and Relatives

There are many variations of these members of the Brassica, or cabbage, family, and various names are sometimes used interchangeably. It can get pretty confusing. The different types may or may not be interchangeable in recipes, depending upon the plant part that's called for in the recipe. You'll have to experiment by growing your own and tasting each in different stages of growth. Broccoli raab is a Brassica, but it is not a true broccoli. It is also known as rapini and rapine, and has a flavor similar to broccoli, but is usually more bitter. Rather than forming a large central head, it is grown for its leaves, shoots, and small florets. There are several different types of rape, another Brassica. Some are grown as a vegetable, including some which are similar to broccoli raab and are called flowering rape. (This may be what you are referring to by Chinese rape.) Some types are grown for their high oil content--the term canola oil is used to describe oil pressed from edible oilseed rape.