Urban Farm Hub

Brining Grape Leaves

July 7, 2018 by admin

Brining grape leaves is best done in the spring or early summer when the leaves are more supple. These leaves are used to make a Greek dish called dolmades and can also be used as a decorative accent under cheeses. They have an earthy, salty taste that is complementary to savory foods.

Fresh grape leaves

First pick your leaves, wash them and put them in stacks of about ten leaves.

Pickling salt

Next make up your brining solution with 1/4 cup brining salt to 4 cups of water and 2 1/2 teaspoons of citric acid. The citric acid is important to acidify the brining solution and prevent botulism.

Citric acid

Once your brining solution has simmered for at least five minutes pack the stacked and rolled leaves in a sterile jar and fill to within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

All ready!

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Fennel

June 30, 2018 by admin

The herb fennel is so plentiful and grows so well in the Pacific Northwest that some people think of it as a weed and do their best to eradicate it. Horrors! This plant is useful from its seeds to its roots and should be cherished!

According to Wikipedia this herb was well known to the ancients:

The word “fennel” developed from the Middle English fenel or fenyl. This came from the Old English fenol or finol, which in turn came from the Latin feniculum or foeniculum. As Old English finule, it is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, recorded in the 10th century.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus used the stalk of a fennel plant to steal fire from the gods. Also, it was from the giant fennel, Ferula communis, that the Bacchanalian wands of the god Dionysus and his followers were said to have come.

Florence fennel has a wide bulbous base and is used sliced in salads, Bronze fennel is a decorative garden plant and common fennel is what is commonly found in local gardens.

Bronze fennel

Here are my six favorite uses of this versatile herb.

I like to put the tips of the leaves in salads. If you use too much they can overpower more delicately flavored lettuces but a few sprigs give a nice anise flavor.
The full leaves are good for garnishing dishes; they look especially pretty with salmon.
The fennel flowers or “pollen” can be collected and the bright yellow powder can be dusted on pasta.
The hollow stems can be cut into lengths and used as straws to add a slight licorice flavor to cocktails.
Fennel seeds are a key ingredient in both Chinese Five Spice and in French Herb de Provence. The seeds should be collected when green then dried and either ground for Five Spice or sprinkled into the Herb de Provence.
I love the flavor of toasted fennel seeds. To make them gather green seeds and over a slow heat in an iron frying pan roast them until they are fragrant and crisp. They can be added to granola, eaten to freshen the breath after a garlicky meal or used in cookies.

Seed pods from last year – what a waste!

How do you like to use this wonderful plant?

Fennel with Feverfew in front.

Posted in Cooking, Growing | Tagged Fennel, herbs | 3 Comments »

Currant Jelly

June 20, 2018 by admin

Ruby glowing tart currant jelly is one of my favorites. This year we had enough berries to make a bit of this luscious treat.

How are your bushes this year? Have you had any issue with disease or bugs? What did you do about it?

Currants

Cook berries over low heat, mashing to extract juice.

Done

Put berry mash on a tea towel suspended over a bowl and let juice drip through for at least 8 hours. Resist the temptation to squeeze the bag as this will cloud the jelly.

Measure the juice then put the liquid and an equal amount of sugar in a pot and cook until it thickens. It’s important to stir constantly or it will quickly burn.

Cook the liquid until it reaches jell point. Here’s how to know when you’re there.

Pour into jars. Jelly will set as it cools.

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Lavender Sachets

June 20, 2018 by admin

Opening up a drawer and smelling lavender always brings me back to visits to my aunt and uncle’s Montana ranch. Making these sachets is quick and easy and they last for months.
All you need is dried lavender and squares of pretty fabric. If you want a sachet with a stronger smell then you can add a few drops of essential oil but this isn’t necessary.

Strip dried flower buds from stalks.

Cut fabric to size of sachet desired then turn over edges and sew with the right sides together.

Turn right side out, fill with dried lavender then stitch or tie the open side.

All set!

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Focus on Rhubarb

June 19, 2018 by admin

A rhubarb plant in its fourth year.

From being a humble plant that outlasts everything else planted in a garden, rhubarb has become fashionable; it now takes a center role in zingy cocktails, is partnered with various fruits in jams and is a favorite for desserts.

Happily it still is very easy to grow. Find a spot in your yard that gets some good sun and won’t be disturbed then buy a plant at the nursery or get one from a neighbor dividing their abundant crop. Be careful to get a plant that has nice ruby red stalks as some types have pale green stems that taste ok but don’t look very appetizing. These plants do last forever and can grow really large so make sure the spot you pick has plenty of room for growth.

Don’t harvest any stalks the first year and if it looks kind of peaked then hold off for the second year as well. By the third year you should be all set to harvest a good amount of tart stems. When you are ready to harvest, grasp the stalk firmly and pull and twist so it breaks off at or near the crown. Trim off the large leaf and the inch at the base.

Here are some tasty things to do with rhubarb:

Rhubarb Soda

Bubbly rhubarb soda.

To make a sparkling, spicy soda take several stalks of rhubarb and slice them up. Put them in a pot with sugar and water and cook the mixture on low heat for 30 minutes. The mixture should taste quite sweet. Strain the liquid and let it cool. Put the liquid in a bottle and add about 1/2 cup of ginger bug starter. Let sit for three days or until desired balance of bubbles and sweetness is achieved; the longer it sits the less sweet it will become. Refrigerate your brew at this point to slow down the fermentation.

If you want an instant soda then you can add seltzer water to the rhubarb syrup.

Rhubarb Jam

There are lots of jams you can make using rhubarb. You can use it straight up, add ginger, mix with early strawberries or even blend it with raspberries. Here’s a good recipe for freezer jam and here’s one to can up.

Crisp!

Rhubarb Crisp

This is my absolute favorite way to use rhubarb. The crunchy sweet topping combined with the tangy fruit and a bit of whipped cream is really good. Here’s how to make it!

Tangy Cocktails

Want to try rhubarb in a cocktail? Here’s a recipe for a strawberry-rhubarb margarita that is refreshing and new.

What do you like to use rhubarb for? Share your favorite recipe!

Posted in Cooking | Tagged rhubarb, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb soda | 2 Comments »

Focus on Arugula

June 16, 2018 by admin

This week I think my arugula plants have grown about three inches. This spicy plant can be eaten in salads with an oil and vinegar dressing or used as a zesty garnish. We really like to top a just baked pizza with this richly flavored plant.

Yum

Arugula likes cool weather and a nitrogen rich soil. You can plant it when soil temperatures are between 45 and 60 degrees. Scatter the seed then cover with 1/4 inch of soil. It likes to be moist but not soggy. Because this plant grows so quickly I like to plant some about every two weeks to keep a good supply on hand.

A zesty arugula plant.

Here’s a tasty recipe for a quick summer dish:

Arugula with Pasta and Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

One package of pasta, (I like to use whole wheat)
About 8-10 cups arugula
Olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved, (you can also use dried tomatoes that have been soaked for 20 minutes in boiling water to soften them up)
2-3 ounces goat or feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta and drain it. Chop the arugula if the leaves are big. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat and add a little olive oil. When it is hot, cook the arugula, letting the first few handfuls wilt completely, and leaving the last few just barely cooked.

Add the basil, tomatoes, cheese, and pasta with the last handful of arugula. Turn the heat to high and cook for another minute or two – until everything is hot. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

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Spring in the Garden

April 6, 2018 by admin

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Seed Starting

February 26, 2018 by admin

Here’s some more information on starting seeds. Right now is a great time to get seeds going for warm season crops like tomatoes and for cool season crops that need a little boost like collards. While cool season crops can be direct sowed soon I find that doing starts let’s me get a bit of a jump on the season and beat the slugs too.

I put a lot of seeds in one pan to start with then plant them out.

I have started sowing a lot of seeds in a cake pan with holes in the bottom then prick these out into larger cells once they have sprouted. This way I can pick the strongest plants and know that each cell will be filled.

Dampened start mix.

To prefill the cells I add water to the soil mix and shake it up until the soil is damp. Wetting seed starting mixes can be a real pain but this seems to help.

I pour the mix down the middle then sweep it into the cells.

Once the mix is damp I dump a lot down the middle of the cells then use my hand or a board to sweep the mix into the cells. Next I lightly tamp the soil down with the bottom of another seed tray.

Chopsticks are just the right size for making a seedling hole.

To plant out the seedlings I make a hole with a chopstick then carefully separate out the seedling touching only the early leaves and not the stem.

All set!

Once the seedlings are replanted place them in a bright window under a grow light. Here is a good way to set this light up using what you can find at the local hardware store.

Posted in Growing | Tagged seed starting | 2 Comments »

Gearing Up to Grow Starts

February 18, 2018 by admin

To really make use of our short growing season using starts is a great way to go. It’s easy to grow your own from seed. This weekend I am going to get out my supplies and plant some Dino kale and collards to put under cloches mid-March. Once those go in I will start squash and tomato seeds. (I always want to start tomatoes earlier but unless you have a lot of room, good grow lights and patience to repot, these plants can get really leggy.)

I use two mini greenhouses that I fill with newspaper pots planted with seeds. While you can use dirt from the garden I usually use sterile potting soil to cut down on mold and other organisms that can kill off young seedlings. Once everything is planted I water it, put the plastic cover on top and mist as needed until the seeds begin to sprout. Once this happens I take off the cover and put them in a west facing window.

Here’s how to set up a Grow Light system as the light from the window is not really strong enough for good healthy plants. First I’ll need the following supplies:

– A T8 Florescent light fixture from the hardware store. T8’s are a good and less expensive option than T5’s. This fixture comes with a chain and power cord and costs about 18 dollars per fixture.

– One 6500 k, T8 bulb and one 4000‑5000 k, T8 bulb

– Power strip

– Light timer – find one that takes 15 watts and can be set to the time of day. The power strip plugs directly into the timer. The cost for the timer is about 15 dollars.

Once I get these supplies I will hang them from the top of the window on adjustable chains so I can keep the light about an inch above the level of the growing plants.

For more information on growing your own starts with a Grow Light system, click here.

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Building a Raised Bed

February 15, 2018 by admin

I dashed out in between rainy days to prep the raised beds and found one in serious need of replacing. Happily building beds is pretty quick and easy.

The first step is a trip to the lumber store to get three 8 foot long by one foot high boards. I usually ask the staff to cut one of the boards in two; the first cut is free at most places.

You can use scrap wood but be sure it’s not painted or treated in any way. Scrap wood can save you money in the short term but it doesn’t last very long. To make this bed with new wood, hardware, screws and four bags of compost cost me about 70 dollars.

Next figure out where you want to put the bed.

Lay the boards out first.

Next get out your power screw driver and charge it up. This is one job that I can’t imagine doing without a power tool.

Decide how you’re going to join the boards together.

I have tried screwing one board into another and they come apart pretty quickly. Using this kind of fastener works well.

Line your boards up and screw them together. Having a friend help at this point makes it easier.

Finished bed all ready to fill and plant!

Once the bed is done wiggle it around to the place you want it to be then fill and plant. With help it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to put a bed together.

Posted in Growing | Tagged building raised beds, gardening, raised beds | Leave a Comment »

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