Musings

Agriculture is an integrated biological production system, in which several crops are grown in combination (variously called polyculture, intercropping, or associated cropping), in succession (crop rotation), or in a combination of both approaches.*

That phrase, “integrated biological production system,” caught my eye. What if it’s just a few plants, like I have? Is that agriculture or some version of horticultural dilettantism?

The first sentence of a 2009 article by M. Kwak, J.A. Kami, and P. Gepts, titled “The Putative Mesoamerican Domestication Center of Phaseolus vulgaris Is Located in the Lerma–Santiago Basin of Mexico”, and published in the journal Crop Science (49:554–563). And, yeah, I realize that Phaseolus vulgaris is the bean, and the photo is maize—you work with what you have….

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on IBPS = agriculture

In honor of our recent UP houseguests and because it seemed like the thing to do (blueberry special at store), I made blueberry pancakes for b’fast. That’ll either get you fired up or weigh you down. Seemed like the former for both of us….

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Quick cakes

Today was the Fourth of July party of our year. We raided the five rhubarb plants that Dad planted years ago for these skinny stems, which K extended with a few frozen strawberries and fresh (domestic) blueberries—creating what we decided should be called a Patriotic Crumble.

Later, I consulted with D and C about rejuvenating the rhubarb plants. Conclusion—they need more light (cherry tree and shrubs encroach above), less competition (they’re overrun with tall grasses), and more nutrients (I’m to find aged horse, cattle, something manure…). I can see that my autumn has a new chore….

Still, we were so very happy we could make at least a small harvest, and share it!

Posted at 10:22 PM | 3 Comments »

The fennel is hanging in there, as leggy as always. The Thai basil successfully reseeded itself. The pear tomatoes—I haven’t found a-one. Either the conditions weren’t right (I doubt it), or they just had two years of self-seeding in them…. I’ll miss them.

Posted at 10:22 AM | Comments Off on Haphazard gardening

This morning, before the heat of the day, I found this loverly brilliant yellow…potential-antibiotic* on my compost. The afternoon rains turned it dead black. And probably dead.

Next to it: a very young avocado tree.

I know that can be edible!

* Remembering not just the Fleming/penicillin story….

Posted at 8:21 PM | Comments Off on Compost tale

Used the first picking of the Thai basil of the year in this quickie Thai Tofu (red curry sauce courtesy of TJs), perhaps our favorite short-cut meal….

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Harvest begins

A little crunchy, but we got the tortillas to lunch today (subverting the fuzzy phase), and had them as quesadillas—with green, as K’s kids would have said. We like the green; they didn’t. It’s the unfamiliar epazote, Dysphania ambrosioides, once Chenopodium ambrosioides.

I also used a few leaves of the epazote in the herb/plant mix I used in the rice. It wasn’t “Spanish” rice, and it wasn’t green rice; it was both! I pureed green onions, cilantro, poblano pepper, a meaty tomato, and two big epazote leaves, and added the green mix to the rice when it was half cooked. Came out great!

Perfect with the chicken with tomatillo sauce, and a simple sautéed chard.

Going for an assortment of plant foods, along with strong-colored or strong-flavored plants.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Lotsa dirty pots

I love black beans cooked like this, with epazote, onion, garlic, and cilantro added to the stew. I really only use epazote in two dishes, the black beans and in quesadillas, so I usually can’t use the whole bunch before it goes bad. Sadly.

Epazote doesn’t sound very tasty in the WikiPee description, but I love what it does to the beans and cheese….

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »

TJs offers assorted products that I’d call almost veggies and almost fruit. We opted for the mini-zucchinis (skillet roasted in a bit of olive oil, salted) and a tossed salad. Real veggies, no grinding, reconstituting, or bathing in sugar.

Note that someone I was around recently loved to reheat a can of peas and eat them as a snack, spoonful after spoonful.

Posted at 10:22 PM | 2 Comments »

Twice pizzas surfaced in my day.

The first was normal. We went to Pizza Antico for lunch. The internet said the place opened at 11:30. We found a line outdoors at 11:30, and a sign on the door that said noon. Thankfully, at 11:55, they came around with squares of hot margherita to thank us for waiting…. Just delightful, hot-hot from the oven. Flavors fantastic, nothing like the still tasty Savage or Mellow Mushroom pies.

Later, we communed through the hot afternoon in the AC with a few stray Jon’s and Colbert’s, and came across this…growing pizza graphic.

So, did you have a red or white sauce day?

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Red sauce day