A Response to Cultivating Friendships

Inspired by the blog article this morning on the Art of Simple about cultivating friendships and the perfect timing of the need in my own life, I thought about this example:

I want to take the time to cultivate a garden. 
But the thing about gardens is that they are not self seeding, self weeding or even self harvesting. 
The work has to be done every season and sometimes weekly & daily. Same goes for our precious friendships that we cultivated seasons, even decades ago.
We can't walk away and leave them hoping for the same state as last year's crop. 
Otherwise, in it, we will find quack-grass, dandelions, and weeds of all sorts where lush strawberries used to abound.

In this harried season (hence the last post), it is important to carve out time even if it seems as if there is none.

Thank you friends for being patient and urging me to remember what matters most.

capture that mint (this one is chocolate), basil, cilantro, in jars to use fresh and have at hand

when in doubt, roast!

this fall, wow 'em with the simple and extraordinary tastes of the unadulturated process of roasting roots. it brings out the sweetness and texture that even little mouths with adore.

what i did:

pressure cooked beets, parsnips, and carrots until fork tender (follow cooking time according to pressure directions) you will have to take out carrots & parsnips before beets.

then toss in olive oil, rosemary, salt & pepper, place in single layer on cookie sheet in 475degree oven until edges brown slightly. make sure to use your nose to wait for that aromatic smell!

veggie tales

what to do with those excessively large zucchinis and bulbous carrots from your garden? sure you could make bread or cakes, but you could also make.... PUPPETS!

Pirate Captian and his creator

bounty

ok, i know your kitchen counters probably looked like this too, but i couldn't resist capturing their beauty. with the late dry sun, for once, our normally wet climate allowed the tomatoes to ripen. favorite tomato varieties? Black Krim (a gift from my dad), Cherokee Purple and Sweet 100. Yours?

a post with an agenda

so spring is around the corner, so along with my renewed vigor for all things gardening related, my food justice bone has been flexed. (can you flex your bones?) while the topic is so vast and filled with politics, conspiracy theories, dirty lobbyists, and points and counterpoints, i plan to share some resources with you and my view from a humble theoligical perspective.

To Garden With God, by Christine Sine

my dad recently had a plesant fellowship day at his church where member Grahm Kerr shared a flavorful root soup with a coconut milk base and they hosted author & speaker Christine Sine. as my dad shared with me her principles, i couldn't help finishing his sentences and get excited. as i see on the page here, her love for dirt, community, vegetables and God echo my heart's passions. the bright side of our conversation included yummy recipes, their church's plans for their community garden & heirloom veggies.

as with many things i felt compelled to open my mouth and share my passionate distain for the corrupt & greedy side of gardening. in a word it could be summarized by saying Montsano .  while i wouldn't go so far as to call it the Halliburton or Enron of agriculture... some would. whether you object to the scientific practice of genetically modifying seeds, or the slew of ecosystems that have been altered and/or killed due to the harsh chemicals, this monolith has also oppressed many small time famers that do not have the backing to fight against such giants. an article in Vanity Fair addresses one aspect of their evil here:

Most Americans know Monsanto because of what it sells to put on our lawns— the ubiquitous weed killer Roundup. What they may not know is that the company now profoundly influences—and one day may virtually control—what we put on our tables. For most of its history Monsanto was a chemical giant, producing some of the most toxic substances ever created, residues from which have left us with some of the most polluted sites on earth. Yet in a little more than a decade, the company has sought to shed its polluted past and morph into something much different and more far-reaching—an “agricultural company” dedicated to making the world “a better place for future generations.” Still, more than one Web log claims to see similarities between Monsanto and the fictional company “U-North” in the movie Michael Clayton, an agribusiness giant accused in a multibillion-dollar lawsuit of selling an herbicide that causes cancer.

another giant still that threatens the american people and health is none other than another media favorite, (que the duh duh duh) Corn Sugar... formerly known as High Fructose Corn Syrup. yay, smart source groups have changed the name to a more palatable name. while many say the jury is still out on its health and medical detriments- one thing is for sure, the mega crop used not necessarily for corn consumption, but the fructose counterpart is a threat to the earth. its effects of planting the crops (also soy has the same effects in the U.S.) as a "monocrop" is not natural to the environment thus rendering the soil depleted of its nutrients and relying more and more on fertilizers and pesticides.

the toil that our overconsumption takes on the earth (ok, some call it a 'global footprint') to me is less of a political and 'green' concern persay, but one of stewardship. so often the very people that scoff at the mention of using less, more sustainability and any hint that our fast paced lifestyle is affecting the environment are sometimes very often the people who keep meticiculously green & manicured lawns, a balance bank account, and a well running car... as fellow Christians, they do this in name of "stewardship". my only plea to both sides would be that we would see our stewardship on this earth would ring out further than our mailboxes. be it CAFOs (chicken factories), obliterating ecosystems with the use of pesticides, or animals treated with antibiotics and fed questionable meals they were never meant to eat- there is a trickle down effect to the farmer and their hancuffed obligation to the "man" and the voracious consumer who wants more more more and cheap cheap cheap.

i end all of this with the hugest disclosure that i am a hypocrite- i ate fried chicken from Safeway the other day (assuredly it is not free-range, local and sustainably raised), i have shopped at mega-marts that sell cheap goods by means of oppressing the makers of that good. the list goes on. it'd be hard to live in america and not have a Liz Lemon moment on 30 Rock when she she realizes the ec0-friendly "butt-minimizing" jeans she's in love with are not really made in USA but the leftovers from Halliburton and made by orphans on a prison island name Usa... Ok, that's a colorful example, but I am not dellusional to think that my day to day spendatures don't affect someone. and that's perhaps all i am asking of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. that would would be aware of our careless actions. we should take account of such verses as Zech. 7:10, Jeremiah 5:28, Jere 7:6...

"Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.''

I believe we have a responsibility as followers of Jesus that we would reflect Him as we go about our day. to think of our actions and be aware of the consequences. to seek justice for the oppressed. to not opress and prostitute ourselves in the name of convenience. to take in less as a choice- not because its easy but because our focus is not comfort but our goal is to make disciples of all nations and show people the love of Christ.

i am a bunny and i live in a hollow tree...

 there is a season for everything and that especially means all things in the art and creative realm. my wonderful husband helped me realize this inclination that i had, and now it removes the "creative guilt" that sometimes overtakes me when i have left one endeavor for another. it also reminds me of my favorite book growing up as a kid, where the bunny basks in each picturesque setting of the seasons and describes each activity. i mirrored that style in regards to my creating seasons...

• in the summer i spend time sketching plans for the garden, getting my fingers in the soil and letting them be stained by the green of the grass and letting them dance over the grill or skillet as i saute fresh green beans or swiss chard. this season i let my inside passions go and walk barefoot.

• in the fall my mood changes to an energetic melancholy- what this looks like i can't explain. only that suddenly i want to read milan kundera, wear a skirt with a tweed blazer and walk the 'quad'. my canvas starts to look more like a real canvas with acrylic paint and charcoal on it. there is also a bounty of harvest and that leads me to milk all i can with the season's highlights. (i also learned to crochet and began to write more.)                        

• in the winter, for some odd reason becomes my deepest longing and need to experience a serious rendering of art. less in this time to i reach out for inspiration, but instead i dig deep and pour out. if i chronicle the past 5 years i see a history of this. standing out in my garage/studio with fingerless gloves huddling over the heat lamp, watching my breath as i sing at the top of my lungs a Bon Iver song (aptly named, too as it means 'Good Winter') and step back and sigh. it is in this season i received my first easel, showed my first pieces at a gallery and a festival, i sought out an amazingly talented encaustic mentor, and framed one of my biggest pieces to date. in this season, i come alive, i am ready- the cold brings out something in me. it affirms my hunch that cold cities produce true art and artists. (think Russia and Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Nabokov, think Seattle and all the amazing musicians, think Paris and A Movable Feast, painters and musicians alike, etc, etc, etc) this also becomes a cozy and perfect time to sew and create functional pieces for myself and loved ones.

• i like to lump spring in with winter somewhat in that we have a very non-distinct break from the storms and wet gray. but this is okay as the symbol of spring matters more to me and my art in that the birth and renewal of foliage reminds me of this life and how i am most alive when i have put to death the things of this world. ("for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." romans 8:13)

as always, here's some music that is inspiring me at the moment: the National

Fresh

So far this summer we have enjoyed little samplings of produce from our garden. While last year was a wonderful year for the tomato, our summer (if you call it that around here) has been unseasonably cold so we have had to rely on more cold tolerant crops. Carrots have been a choice favorie, along with peas, chiggioa beets , rainbow swiss chard, and of course the easy, quick growing radish. Here are a few snapshots of our modest, but choice bounty. What have been your best producers this summer?

~also, green beans are on the rise and I can't wait for winter and summer squash! my garden is filled with them!

Fresh Swiss Chard+ Peas + Broccoli= Dinner

i went out to the garden this evening with Reed to see what we could conjure up... the three below came fresh from the dirt... i added a few other things from the fridge and pantry.

add the above to a hot saute pan plus onions, diced carrots, scallions, 2tbsp brown sugar, 1/4c soy sauce and rice vinegar. then serve over brown rice...

Lots of green, little flowering

thanks to our very wet and cold summer, I have had much greenery and no flowering buds... wonder if it will be a horrible year for tomatoes. fyi- don't put a fertilizer on your garden with too much nitrogen! you prob don't need much more green leafage if you live in the pac northwest!

Ready Made

one of my vices is magazines. i feel like i can never have enough. i use them up, read them, cut them, file them... i pulled out a Sunset magazine the other day that was from Summer '04 and found a wonderful salmon recipe. when i was at the grocery store the other day, i walked down the long magazine isle and my eye browsed over all of the topics that i gravitate towards: crafts, gardening, fashion, organic living, cooking, chickens (yes, there are a few chicken publications that you can subscribe to via "Hobby Farms"), etc. i thought to myself, "i wish there was a cool version of Martha Stewart and Sunset combined..." maybe i should clarify to all you Martha & Sunset fans- i think those are actually cool, but some of the ideas, lets admit are for a little more 'well to do' or with much more time on their hands- say retirees. (Sunset, i don't necessarily need ideas for the chicest B&B to stay in Napa, or do i actually want to collect pricey china from around the world, Martha) SO! just as i was thinking this to myself, i came across Ready Made: "Instructions for Everyday Life". it was pretty on the cover with a picture of a Strawberry Rhubarb Ricotta Tart on a cute little antique dish.

here were some of the other topics they cover:

• interior design
• home design
• art
• food
• diy
• bedroom ideas
• home and garden
• lighting
• home organization
• sewing
• crafts
• hobbies

 basically everything i love! Kendall and Brittany, this seems like you, too... ;)

out out, darn chickens!

beginning Jackson garden spring 2010...
this year seemed to have so many open ended questions as to the details of my garden. more so than other years for some reason. my kind neighbor offered to use his CAT to turn the dirt over as opposed to me having to till it all by hand. instead of keeping the rows in tact, i told him to blend them together as one and i would sort them out later. this led to a gardener's existential conundrum. to raise or not to raise? that was the question. typical french potagers(see past "potager" blog) seemed to maximize the most garden room as possible, thereby filling beds with eye-catching vegetables blending into one-another. after all, one of the most sucessful gardeners that i have ever known, Joel Meckstroth, (ok, he is my dad, but that doesn't mean I am biased) has a plot of earth, level with the ground around it and it is a very productive garden.... alas, i decided to keep the raised beds all one, and will let the garden flow into itself. whatever that means, we will see come August.

i have also tried a new idea (new to me, not to experienced gardeners out there) and that is "Weed Block mulch paper". it comes in rolls and is eco-friendly, recylcled and biodegradeable... it keeps the weeds down, and hopefully might even warm the soil a bit. (what's the difference between this and newspaper, you ask? nothing, i came to find out as the paper bag-like tarp eventually melted in the rain, as newspaper does also. i was just a sucker. after all, newspaper is free. this special mulch paper had an extra special price tag.)

here is how it looked on a patch on my garden(below):

another pressing question was how, oh how, do i keep the stinkin (literally) chickens out of my garden?! most gardeners that i have spoke to that also raised hens have told me it is impossible to simply "tell them" to stay out. last year i fought and fought with them, looking like a mad housewife running out in my bathrobe with a broom yelling "shoo! shoo! GET OUT OF MY GARDEN!" "STOP EATING MY SQUASH BLOSSOMS!" ok. so maybe i wasn't in my bathrobe or using a broom, but i thought that visual picture conjured up the image of how i felt when i was doing said action. this spring was no different. yesterday i was able to steal one hour of gardening time while the kids were asleep and i could lay down my mulch paper and begin plotting. i gingerly tucked the cabbage and broccoli starts into carefully cut holes in the paper and eased them into the soil. here's what the chickens thought of that after i left them alone with my hard work:

with a deep and vindictive sigh, i went back out and replanted my (severely chewn) broccoli and cabbage, and added more paper mulch to specific areas. i found it very hard to plant seedlings in it, as i cut long rectangular rows out of the paper, wondering if the cuts and holes in the mulch with render it useless in the long run. but, i made the investment, i will follow it through to the end at least to say "been there, done that." the tiny lettuce seeds were of especially high concern as those little guys drifted every which way along my line of dirt under the paper... also, as i plugged the peas into their little slots, i hoped they could find their way up through the punctures to the top when they plan to sprout. only time will tell. maybe i will have to replant it all again in a few weeks anyway. very eeyore like thinking on my part, i know.

on the bright side, i feel such a sense of accomplishment (by my own standards, i know most everyone else is leaps and bounds further along than i am) in just getting a few seeds/starts in the ground. they are as follows:

• 
  
  walla walla sweet onion starts
• 
  
  cabbage and broccoli starts (whats left of them, at least
• 
  
  Danvers Carrots (they were all out of Scarlet Nantes)
• 
  
  Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage
• 
  
  Grandpa Admirer's Lettuce
• 
  
  Red Leaf Lettuce
• 
  
  Forellenschuss Lettuce
• 
  
  Chiggoia Beets

I have much more seeds to set out, but there's always tomorrow. does anyone know when you can set out tomato starts in the Northwest? i invested in a fun selection of heirloom tomatoes and want to make sure i give them what they want- so as not to make them wither or get blight. here's the nonfinal, final project from today:

P.S. other little soil preps I did were: soil pH test kit. apparently my soil is "just right". couldda fooled me. (i also tested the P-N-P:phos.,nitrogen, and potash, and i didn't understand the color coded results, so who cares) i added two bags of an organic vegetable fertilizer and 3 big bags of Olympic Fish Compost- grown locally! oh, and don't forget the random chicken droppings- usually you are supposed to age the potent stuff so it doesn't burn your crops, but i am not about to go and pick out every little pile left by Blondie, Dusty, Mary, Gidget or Diana. (there are 2 other hens, but they never got names- they're boring)

sorry for such a long and uninformative blog- i am sure you were bored a long time ago and never made it to this sentence. :)

a night's spring harvest

a late warm spring evening we closed the hen house, picked cherry blossoms and pulled some rhubarb