First Harvests

 I am trying my hand at drying lavender.  There was more out there than I thought, but I did not want to take too much and hurt the plant.  I also probably waited too long to cut it, but it still smells good.  Not sure if I will use it in a sachet or soap.  Supposedly, once the dried buds are removed, you can burn the stems in the fire place and they will gently scent the house.

I also cut back the basil the first time tonight.  I think by the time I was done, you could smell basil through the entire neighborhood.  I was about half way through pulling leaves off when I remembered to take a picture.  

I buzzed it in the mini chopper with some olive oil.  It is amazing how that overflowing basket became one baggie of chopped basil.  There have

been so many years I have grown basil with the best of intentions. This year we are actually preserving it. This blog is helping with that. Thank you. 

It does look like basil doesn't it?  I hope so.  I really don't ever want to have to explain baggies of green stuff in my freezer.

 These are my favorite "harvest" so far.  I love daisies.  These were the ones knocked over during Friday's heavy rain storms.  They seem messy and beautiful; and just happy.

Speaking of beautiful, what do you think of this?

Yeah, I don't think it's beautiful either.  But it runs, it's ours, and it is warranted for a year.  That is a thing of beauty.

Pesto Palooza!

 My skin may turn green but I will be happy and well fed.

The farmer went to the Farmer's Market this week.  

"What should I get?" he asks.  "Scapes!" He hit the jackpot.  He found a pound and a half of garlic scapes for $2.  They filled the mini food processor 4 times.  Add to that, that it was time to prune back the basil.  Pesto heaven.  We actually wound up mixing the scape and basil pestos.  It was good.

There are a million pesto recipes out there, but they all boil down to 4 basic ingredients: green stuff (basil, scapes, or whatever), nuts (pine, almonds, walnuts...), cheese (Parmesan or Romano), and olive oil.  How much of each is really up to what tastes good to you.  Get fancy and add garlic. 

Spread it on crusty bread or 

mix with pasta and hunks of tomatoes.  We sometimes substitute spaghetti squash for the pasta.  Make sure that you lay plastic wrap directly on top of any leftovers that go in the fridge so that it does not oxidize and turn brown.  Or, freeze it and when the leaves fall from the trees, pull it out and bite into the taste of pure, green summer.  You can almost feel the sun on your shoulders.  Okay, that was really hokey, but you know what I mean.   Just make sure there is not any air in the container, 'cause freezer burn is not the flavor we are going for here.   

Trust me on this.  Just make it.  Be green, happy, and well fed..