Turning Soil on Cinco de Mayo

This evening was beautiful weather for working in the garden. It was sunny and breezy, probably in the high seventies, just gorgeous! We came tonight to turn in the bags of organic soil that has some hummus and chicken manure in it to enrich the topsoil there.

We had originally bought 3 bags for the whole plot, but probably should have had about 25 bags. Once we saw how pitiful one bag looked dumped out on one row, we decided to mix in 3 bags per row, so after working on the first row, we left and went down the road to the old Depot and bought 6 more bags.

It was hard work. We raked out the fresh topsoil into an even layer and then went around each row, turning the soil, mixing the natural soil with the new. It's supposed to be well mixed so that there isn't just a layer of the nutrient-rich stuff sitting on top of lesser soil.

The turning of the soil was hard work, and I could really feel my muscles working! By the end, I went down a whole row, turning the soil without stopping, and my back muscles felt like they were about to give out - it was kind of awesome. I'm going to be so strong by the end of this. Kurt and I were talking about how we're going to miss this soil digging, and I said we should section off a corner of the plot that's just dirt so that we can dig it up for fun and exercise!

Friday my transplants are coming (12 pepper and tomato seedlings), and we're planning on planting them and the home-grown seedlings and direct-seeding the rest of the plants that we haven't started. Saturday we're going to mulch and put up fencing of some sort - to keep out those bun-buns!

Speaking of bunnies, my pup-bunny has discovered a great new napping location - in the dirty laundry basket! She goes in there when Kurt and I aren't on the sofa and she's sleepy at night. Here are two of the cutest views I captured.

What a cutie!

Some trouble, but also some progress!

So who knew shoveling dirt was very tiring?!

Kurt and I went over to the garden plot yesterday to view our plot. This past week the Department of Recreation roped out all of the plots, and I saw online that they were ready for planting May 1st. So today we went over and dug our beds and paths. We have a path all the way around the 20' x 20' square, and 2 paths down the middle, so it's going to be 3 rows of 4' x 20'.

We started this morning at about 10:15, and left by 11:30. It was super hot, humid, and sunny, and we were working like crazy! I seriously haven't exercised since high school, and it was like jumping back in. My body is so tired!!!

But we got a lot done in that little bit of time.  Later tonight we're planning on going back over (once the sun starts to wane a bit) to mix in some organic soil we purchased yesterday.  If we have time we'll plant some of the seeds as well. Hopefully Kurt will be up to it - he's at an outdoor picnic for work this afternoon and I don't know how excited he'll be to go BACK outside tonight!

Two things that have been worrying me about my seedlings are that the kale is looking too leggy and they are falling over, and the cucumber leaves are turing yellowish. One is really bad and might die (see the left side of the picture).

From my researching online and in my organic gardening book tells me that the cucumbers are going through one of the following:

• 
  
  
  Over-watering
• 
  
  
  Under-watering
• 
  
  
  Too much nutrients
• 
  
  
  Too few nutrients

My guess is that they are big and over-crowding their little peat pots and have sucked up all of the nutrients that the soil provided. Tonight I'm going to conduct an experiment and use the organic plant food I bought, and see if one or two of them turn around.

Regarding the kale, I feel that they probably somehow needed more (or REAL) sunlight, and that they strained themselves to get closer to the light. I'm going to plant more from seed directly into my garden anyway, so I'm not too worried. It will be interesting to see the differences once the garden-planted ones grow.

Our garden plot "neighbors" are nice. One side is a couple with two young children who seemed like they've got some experience - they have the narrow rows with the black paper covering them for weed control, and were already planting seeds today. I think that they have 2 plots. The other side is a nice man named Gary who talked with us about how his tomatoes didn't come in last year because of all the rain. He complimented us on our rows, which was nice.

Hopefully we'll have everything in the ground by the end of this week, tomato and pepper transplants included!! They're shipping tomorrow, I think, from Wisconsin.

In just a few days time...

My seedlings have really gone crazy lately! I can see how they've grown more and more each day. The kale, which were the first to show themselves, are kind of in a holding pattern - they're not getting much taller, but they seem to be ready to mature soon. The cucumbers are getting bigger each day - I know it's time to thin them out, but I just can't yet! they all look so healthy! Basil are short and squatty, but are growing steadily, and parsley have just sprouted! I started to get nervous when the parsley were taking so long to sprout, and I looked up their germination time online. I found a forum where someone said that parsley has to go to the devil and back 7 times before it sprouts! (I guess that means it takes a while!)

I still check on my little guys about 10 times each day. The lamps seem to be working well, which I'm glad for. In the morning when it is sunny and I haven't turned the lamps on, everyone is leaning toward the window. Once I turn on the lamps, the all face upwards.

Here's a visual of the progress I've seen in the last few days.

Wednesday, April 14th:

Thursday, April 15th:

Saturday morning, April 17th:

That is some crazy growth!

I love the look of the kale leaves - when they first sprouted, they were that deep grassy green, but the edges of the leaves had a purple-ish tinge to them.

The cucumber seedlings are so full and sturdy, though. They amaze me! Yesterday I noticed that their stems looked a bit spiney, soI touched one of them to see, and it was - what a good deterrant to being eaten!

What a bunch of winners these guys will be!

On a side note, Kurt and I had been going to a certain chain hamburger joint because they had veggie burgers. Last night, after we ate we talked about how we both didn't really even like the place, and how we were going just because they had these veggie burgers that are kind of gross (grain-based with cheese mixed in for flavor, and seem to be fried in peanut oil). It is almost like eating a hash brown, but in a gross way.

So we decided to not go there anymore, and on the way out, we went a couple doors down and got a menu from an Indian restaurant that looks really good! Two of our friends have gone there and loved it, and the menu is quite reasonable. So we're excited to delve into the world of Indian food, where they actually have an appreciation for vegetarian options! I'll let you know how we like it!

Oh tiny seedlings, I see you!

Seedlings have sprouted! I noticed them last night, and then today they really popped! They are all 4 kale pots, each one with 3 or so little green guys. I'm really excited, since the other pots have basil and parsley, which I grew last summer so I know their "process". (Cucumber would be exciting too, but they are big seeds, and I don't expect them to sprout for a few more days).

Since they sprouted, and I'm worried that they won't get enough "sunlight", we went out and bought another full spectrum lamp. I figure that we'll use them as matching table lamps eventually, so it's not a waste.

Who are these cuties?!

Happy Gardening!

Indoor Sowing Day

On the 16th of March I signed up for my garden plot - section 89! There was a long line at the Department of Recreation at the Municipal building that morning. I showed up at 8:36am (they opened at 8:30), and there were only a few spots left once I got to the front of the line. I think I got a good spot - near the center aisle, and with good sunlight.

The past few days, Kurt and I have been gathering soil, peat pots, a watering can, buckets, tools (from his dad), and other necessities from some garden stores in the area in preparation for my seeds that were scheduled to arrive from the Seed Savers Exchange. Several days ago I had placed the order online for seeds and transplants. The transplants are coming around May 7th or so - in time for Zone 6's last frost.

I ordered:
Seeds -
Red Russian Kale (organic)
Provider Beans (organic)
Early Blood Turnip Beets (organic)
Scarlet Nantes Carrots
Five Color Silverbeet Chard (organic)
Early Fortune Cucumber (organic)
Black Beauty Zucchini Squash (organic)
Lettuce Leaf Basil
Triple Curled Parsley (organic)
Lettuce Mixture (Amish Deer Tongue, Australian Yellowleaf, Bronze Arrowhead, Forellenschuss, Lollo Rossa, Pablo, Red Velvet, and Reine des Glaces)

Kurt and I planned out our garden plot - 20' by 20' with 2' pathways, marigolds interspersed for (hopefully) pest control (keepin' it real - organic style!)

So today, when the seeds arrived, we decided to sow them indoors right away (though being a new gardener, I didn't realize that many of the seeds can be sown directly into the soil and don't require starting indoors). The ones that can be started indoors are kale, cucumber, basil and parsley.

I planted 3 seeds of each into 4 peat pots per veggie/herb.  Once I determine the strongest seedling, I'll thin the rest and leave one plant to grow.

We bought a "full spectrum" light (which Kurt will use as a reading lamp once we no longer need it for the seedlings) to help with the germination. Our apartment has a nice little balcony, but unfortunately it faces north and doesn't get any real direct sunlight until about 3 or 4pm in the summer. Our south facing windows are ok for some plants, but I'm hoping that the lamp will work until it's time to transplant.

Speaking of transplants, the ones we chose are:

Tomatoes -

Brandywine (large for slicing)

Stuppice (2", extremely early, good yields)

Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry (yellow, small cherry-size)

Mexico Midget (red, small cherry-size)

Peppers (all sweet) -

Sweet Chocolate (brown, but "red" flavor)

King of the North (best variety red)

Orange Bell (great flavor)

More on the transplants once they arrive.

We're waiting for the "rules and regulations" of the community garden to arrive any day now - tonight when we drove by, we saw that they had plowed the land (tilled the soil? plowed under the ground cover? I don't know farmer-terminology!), so I know that we'll be able to get on to the land soon and start planting!

By the way, we bought a 5-gallon bucket with a lid that I want to use for composting our vegetable scraps. I think I just need to drill or punch some holes into it, maybe throw in some worms or something - I need to research it more, but I'm excited about it!

A Garden is a Possibility!

This afternoon, our community's Recreation Department brochure came in the mail. I glanced through it, looking for classes or any interesting things, and there it was on page 22:

COMMUNITY GARDENS

I couldn't believe it - I've been trying to find out where/how/when to sign up for a community garden plot for about 3/4 of a year now. I saw some garden plots off to the side of the main road last summer, but couldn't find any information online. Finally I have the info! For just $20 for the season, you get a 20' x 20' plot of earth. That's 400 square feet! It's first come, first served for newbies after the people who did it last year sign up and they have 120 plots - so I'm hoping that I will get a plot. Tuesday the 16th is the day... wish me luck!

Here's what I want to grow in my garden, using all organic growing techniques, of course: tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, spring onions, zucchini, swiss chard, lettuce, beets, carrots, basil, parsley, broccoli, onions, potatoes, and more! I don't know what I would start with, being a new gardener.

Any suggestions? What do you think are the easier things to grow?

Happy New Year! 2010 will be the greatest year ever.

Hi everyone, just a quick post to say Happy New Year to all. I plan on making 2010 the best year ever by committing to the choice to be creative, healthy and happy.

I got a new sewing machine today (big sale at JoAnn's) and I made 2 tote bags tonight! One was based on a tote we use for shopping, and the other I made from no pattern - it is a gift for my friend Lauren who is visiting tomorrow. I can't find my camera, but I'll try to find it and take pictures of them tomorrow to show you.

Note: don't try to put your dog in the new tote bag you made like it's a Baby Bjorn (sp?) when you know she'll try to chew her way out and not be too pleased...and your fiance will ask you what you think you're doing. This totally didn't happen to me. It was some other person.

Hope you're starting the new year in your own great way!

Something Original

I thought I'd do something different with my artwork this past week...just kidding - it's another self portrait.

Anyhow, what do you think?

Pup Whisperer

As you may or may not know, my sister Aimee has recently been identified as having some kind of magical powers over Saba. Whenever Aimee is near, Saba basically melts and gets very sweet and gentle and clingy towards her.

Here, I have captured the stages of this phenomenon:


The approach (Could whispering be occuring here? It appears so!):

Great joy in knowing that Aunt Aimee has approached; Aimee is pleased with the results so far:

Wobbly-kneed love. Hugs abound!

And finally, Aimee's hypnotic gaze is met with Saba's own - just look at those smiles! You can tell that they are auntie and niece!

Vegetable Soup and Rye Bread

Tonight Kurt and I made a delicious vegetable soup that we just threw together. We started with a vegetable stock base and went from there.

Ingredients included garlic, onion, carrots, blue, red, and white potatoes, green beans, acorn squash (which we baked for about 15 minutes prior to adding it in to the soup), barley, and swiss chard.

It was good.
And our rye bread looks like bunnies, right?

Open-Faced Artichoke and Tomato Layer Sandwiches!

Back in the good old days of college, I used to get some amazing sandwiches from (believe it or not) the student cafeteria. The sandwich was a huge mess of ingredients squashed between a toasted bagel. If I remember correctly, the filling was oil and vinegar, 3 types of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and roasted red pepper. They were tall and you really had to put your elbows into it.

Today I created this sandwich, which kind of reminds me of the cheesy one from college. I call it my "Open-Faced Artichoke and Tomato Layer Sandwich":

I love this sandwich for many reasons. The balsalmic vinegar gives a little sweetness, the marinated artichokes add a bit of a pickled quality, and the avocado is earthy and creamy. You need a good bread or bagel for this sandwich - I used a fresh bagel from my local bagel shop, but you could use a couple of slices of Italian or French bread cut lengthwise too.

Open-Faced Artichoke and Tomato Layer Sandwiches
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 Bagels (or Italian or French Bread)
4 tsp Olive Oil
4 tsp Balsalmic Vinegar
1 Avocado
2 tsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
1 Medium Tomato
4 quarters of Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Directions:
Slice bagels or Italian/French bread length-wise. Sprinkle each half with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp balsalmic vinegar.

Slice open avocado around the pit and scoop out flesh into a bowl. Smash avocado with a fork to desired texture (I like mine a bit chunky).  Squeeze in the 2 tsp of lemon juice into the mixture, and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix and spread onto each bagel half.

Rinse tomato and cut 4 slices. Cut each tomato slice into half-moons and then arrange on top of the avocado mixture. Sprinkle with pepper.

Cut each marinated avocado quarter into 4 slices, lengthwise. Place on top of each tomato half-moon.

Eat and enjoy!

Hello and Welcome!

Hi everyone, this is my first post for this blog. I'm very excited about starting this up and posting as often as I can. I will be talking about my vegetarian/vegan/raw vegan quest for health as well as my artistic and creative endeavors and daily life.

Some things you should know about me are that I have a Lovie (AKA Kurt):

And I have a Pup (AKA Saba):

And here's me (AKA Sara), with Pup:

My little family lives in an apartment in the suburbs in central NJ. We're in a transition phase - figuring out what we really want to do with our lives (be artists/writers/small business owners?), where we want to live (NJ/NC/OR/CA?), and how we want to live (in an RV/on a homestead/in a regular house?) (be vegetarians/vegans/raw vegans?). 

I hope you'll follow along as I share my thoughts and ideas with you!