Another Summer Favorite

Little Rooster, Preshie and I spent the morning in the garden. I love the garden, it is not as weed free as it should be, but I love it! I have hoped that The Darlings would learn to love it too. My Dad always kept a beautiful garden while I was growing up and we learned to work in the garden and eat from the garden as well. The Darlings are great on the eating part...but still learning to love the working part. We cleaned out a section of the garden to prepare for our Fall garden that needs to be planted. And we picked alot of squash, okra and tomatoes. YUM!! We really love okra at out house. Again something I learned to love, growing up. Most people don't enjoy okra, usually it is in gumbo or prepared in a way that it is slimy. It is a very under appreciated vegetable if you ask me....and if prepared right...a complete joy to eat! Above is what okra looks like, freshly picked from the garden. The Darlings don't like to pick it, because it leaves you itchy, but it is worth the itch!
Here is the okra sliced and ready to cook. I dust it lightly with flour and place it into a pan with 1 T. of butter and 3-4 T. of oilve oil. Cook, stirring often until browned.
Here is the finished product! Yummy! It is crisp and wonderful. Along with garden fresh tomatoes you have a great lunch that is good for you.

Here Comes The Fun!

ARTICHOKES are ready to harvest! Can't wait for lunch today, with the Farmer and a little melted butter and lemon.
ASPARAGUS , another year into the process! Next year is the year for harvest. You need to wait three years before harvest. It has been fun to grow, it is beautiful but it is also a great temptation!

ZUCCHINI, there are flowers on the plants, about another week and we will be enjoying the first harvest. Yummy! We have several plant and will have enough to share. I will plant more seeds this week so that we can enjoy squash late into the season!

Stages of Summer

I came accross this book yesterday, and became quite intrigued by it. It is the journey of a family who moved from a large city, to a small community in an effort to become more connected to the earth. To eat what they grew, within the seasons of the plants and animals. It is basically how we live. We live out of our garden in the months we are able to and bottle the surlpus for use in winter months. It is an amazing way to live. There is comfort in being somewhat self sufficient or atleast knowing that if we had to be more so, we could.
Our community shares it harvest. One may have a surplus of sweet corn, another tomatoes, or another squash. All together we help to sustain one another. It is more than the food, it is unity of a community. This book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" will make you think and quite possibly, it may make you want to change your way of living.