Saturday Gardening Thread: Eats Shoots and Leaves [Y-not, WeirdDave, and KT]

Good morning, gardeners! Today's thread is brought to you by The Green Giant:

This famous advertising icon debuted in 1928, but he did not start out as a success. As you can see from that early advertisement, he was kind of creepy. So changes had to be made:

Giant's transformation was tackled by none other than young Leo Burnett, who improved the Giant's hunched posture, turned his scary scowl into a sunny smile and clothed him in a light, leafy outfit.
He also gave the tender tall guy a new backdrop -- a valley of crops that highlight the Giant's height.
When Mr. Burnett opened his own agency in 1935, Minnesota Valley was one of its first clients. The Burnett agency soon added the word "Jolly" to the giant's name, and by 1950, Minnesota Valley changed its name to Green Giant Co.
The Giant's early TV appearances, in 1958, however, were not as stellar. Bob Noel, a writer at Burnett, once made these comments about the Giant's early TV appearances: "They tried men painted green," a puppet figure and animation. The problem is "when you try to move the Giant around and really show what he looks like, he comes off a monster. The baby cries and the dog goes under the bed."

Some years later, the Jolly Green Giant was given a pal, Little Green Sprout:

In 1973 the Sprout character was introduced as an apprentice to the Green Giant. He helps the Giant tend to the valley and was created to represent the voice of the consumer. In advertising, he is curious, enthusiastic and well-taught by the Giant.
Throughout the years, the Giant has always been popular with the public, and merchandise has been available since the beginning of his career. There is even a 55-foot fiberglass statue of the Jolly Green Giant, erected in 1979, presiding over his birthplace in Blue Earth, Minnesota!
The Jolly Green Giant is one of the most recognized advertising icons of all time. Advertising Age magazine ranked him as the third most recognizable advertising character of the 20th century, behind only Ronald McDonald and the Marlboro Man.

Do you know why the Jolly Green Giant wears a red scarf? Well, it was added when the company came out with a line of frozen vegetables, which brings us to our mini-topic: preserving your garden produce by freezing.

I found an excellent resource on the science of freezing at the University of Minnesota extension website. It's quite extensive, including having separate instructions for vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Here's a sample:

Fresh produce contains chemical compounds called enzymes which cause the loss of color, loss of nutrients, flavor changes, and color changes in frozen fruits and vegetables. These enzymes must be inactivated to prevent such reactions from taking place.
Enzymes in vegetables are inactivated by the blanching process. Blanching is the exposure of the vegetables to boiling water or steam for a brief period of time. The vegetable must then be rapidly cooled in ice water to prevent it from cooking. Contrary to statements in some publications on home freezing, in most cases blanching is absolutely essential for producing quality frozen vegetables. Blanching also helps to destroy microorganisms on the surface of the vegetable and to make some vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, more compact.
The major problem associated with enzymes in fruits is the development of brown colors and loss of vitamin C. Because fruits are usually served raw, they are not blanched like vegetables. Instead, enzymes in frozen fruit are controlled by using chemical compounds which interfere with deteriorative chemical reactions. The most common control chemical is ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Ascorbic acid may be used in its pure form or in commercial mixtures with sugars.

Last year I didn't read before I froze my herbs and it showed. They became discolored and really not very appealing for any type of use. I'm going to try to do it right this year! Swearsies!

Take it away, KT!

Sprouts, Shoots and Micro-Greens

Some hard-core gardeners (including some of the people who comment on the Saturday Gardening Thread) get a little depressed in winter. Maybe some of us could allay our winter blues by growing some sprouts, shoots or micro-greens indoors. There are a few other things you can grow indoors in winter, too.

Sprouts for munching raw are harder to find in stores than they used to be. That's because of multiple deaths from E-coli contamination of organic sprouts in Europe a few years ago. If you want to sprout seeds to eat raw, get seeds certified to be pathogen-tested. Several catalogs sell pathogen-tested sprouting seeds. For you preppers out there, it is also possible to kill potential pathogens on seeds for sprouting by a variety of methods.

Shoots and micro-greens go a step beyond sprouting in plant growth. More leaves are allowed to form. The roots are not eaten. They are generally grown on soil-less planting mixes or artificial mediums. Because they are not kept constantly moist, pathogen contamination is not the same concern it might be with raw sprouts. As far as I can tell, the difference between "shoots" and "micro-greens" is mainly the size of the seeds you start with. They need less light than seeds you intend to grow into big plants outdoors, because much of their energy comes from the seed at this early stage.

Johnny's Selected Seeds is my go-to source for information on micro-greens, and they offer a tech sheet on growing shoots. Tech sheet? That's because Johnny's core customers are market growers for high-end restaurants and specialty markets, including organic growers.

Johnny's paper catalog (and their website) categorizes micro-greens into herbs and veggies, then into "fast-growing" and "slow-growing" categories. "Slow" for a micro-green means 16 to 25 days. There are photos of all the little micro-greens. The next one I will likely try is "Persian Cress".

Their paper catalog also qualifies as a Dreamy Winter Catalog for home gardeners. Some commercial catalogs discourage orders from home growers, but Johnny's does not. Nice photos, though not as big or lush as those in the Burpee catalog. Johnny's offers much better information on plants, plus cultural tips. Prices are high for a commercial catalog, but often a little lower than Burpee's prices.

Johnny’s selects their veggie seed varieties carefully. They sell the superlative summer turnip "Hakurei" (does not do well in really cold, wet weather) and a red one called "Scarlet Queen". The hairless leaves can be used in salads. One wild arugula is named "Wasabi", for those who like that sort of thing in their salads. There are always a few surprises in Johnny's product line, worth checking out. They also do some breeding, like the distinctive summer squash "Zephyr", bred from summer squashes and a winter squash. It is fun for kids to grow.

Y-not: Thanks for that, KT!

Some of you might recall that last weekend WeirdDave shared with us an interesting "business deal" he had made. Well, I'm not sure how it's turning out for him, but here is some exclusive surveillance footage taken of WeirdDave last week:

Hmmm...

To close things up, keeping with the theme of young greens, here is Joni Mitchell's "Little Green"

I didn't know that this song was about Mitchell's daughter, whom she gave up for adoption. You can read a little bit about the circumstances, here. Joni Mitchell is a very troubled person with a lot of anger that she directs at people and places that have not earned her wrath, imho. However, her album Blue is pretty much a masterpiece. It and Dylan's Blood on the Tracks were very important to me when I was growing up. And I think her voice is beautiful.

What's happening in your gardens this week?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 03:04 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 About this Little Green Sprout.....

Posted by: Hairy Reid at November 15, 2014 03:04 PM (l3vZN)

2 Ho ho ho.

Posted by: Mama AJ at November 15, 2014 03:05 PM (0xTsz)

3 Some years later, the Jolly Green Giant was given a ~~pal~~ catamite, Little Green Sprout

Posted by: toby928(C) at November 15, 2014 03:10 PM (rwI+c)

4 About this Little Green Sprout.....

Giant, do you and Sprout...you know...

Posted by: Batman at November 15, 2014 03:12 PM (Ua6T/)

5 I cannot grow in most of my house. Too much or not enough sunlight however I DO get my flowers and green in the winter lol, I buy cheap orchids (sale rack) and stick them in the bathroom window.
Last winter when I showered I had 4 plants blooming, looks like I will have at least that this year plus a keiki on one! They were stunning when it snowed outside!

Posted by: FCF at November 15, 2014 03:14 PM (kejii)

6 Giant, do you and Sprout...you know...

Ho ho ho.

Posted by: Green Giant at November 15, 2014 03:15 PM (rwI+c)

7 "Bender," the most fitting name given in modern animation.

Posted by: DM at November 15, 2014 03:16 PM (7EyuQ)

8 JGG looks sorta like the Amazing Colossal Man in that commercial -- i.e., half-naked and kind of disturbing.

http://tinyurl.com/ooluffp

Posted by: All Hail Eris at November 15, 2014 03:17 PM (QBm1P)

9

Green Giant for VP!

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 03:19 PM (IXrOn)

10
What am I planting in my garden?

A pipeline.

Posted by: Mary Landrieu at November 15, 2014 03:20 PM (Xv7f/)

11
JGG looks sorta like the Amazing Colossal Man in that commercial -- i.e., half-naked and kind of disturbing.
---------
Before or after he fell off the dam an poked out his eye?

Posted by: Old Blue - Freezing his butt off in CO at November 15, 2014 03:21 PM (vVSOO)

12 All that work on a good post and I open things up with a cheap pederast joke. I'm just no good.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at November 15, 2014 03:21 PM (l3vZN)

13 I've been picking "summer turnips" planted in September. The seed for Hakurei was old, and either because of that or because of weather, the roots look kinda funny. One was split, probably due to our one rain storm. I think Hakurei would like a constant temperature of 68 to 72 degrees, in case anybody wants to grow turnips indoors. They need temps in the 70s for best germination.

Oasis looks beautiful. It has thicker skin and virtually hairless leaves. Hakurei leaves have very scant hairs compared to other turnips. We've had temperatures in the 80s recently, and the leaves of both kinds taste slightly "turnipy". Nothing approaching the strong flavor of a regular turnip, though. Oasis has slightly milder leaves than Hakurei.

The roots of Hakurei are sweeter than Oasis so far. Both are tender and juicy. I'm not much on cooking turnips, but one catalog recommends mashing this type with a little pear baby food.

Hakurei seems like a strange name for a turnip, at least in English.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 03:21 PM (qahv/)

14

I found an excellent resource on the science of freezing at the University of Minnesota extension website. It's quite extensive, including having separate instructions for vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

Very nice.
Thanks

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 03:22 PM (IXrOn)

15 We came near to freezing here on the gulf coast in the last few days. It looks like it ended my second sweet potato crop but the lettuce and Irish potatoes continue to look good.

Posted by: toby928(C) at November 15, 2014 03:24 PM (rwI+c)

16 Mickey Rooney had his own show?
And it was sponsored by The Jolly Green Giant?

See, even black and white TV was designed to break your irony meter.

Posted by: DaveA at November 15, 2014 03:25 PM (DL2i+)

17 I was out of town for a couple of nights. It friggin' snowed down here before I'd had a chance to bring in my ceramic-potted plants, finished trimming low-hanging evergreen boughs, or raked a single leaf.

*shakes fist at sky*

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 03:25 PM (9BRsg)

18 Last year I didn't read before I froze my herbs and it showed.

I use my Spinner to make sure they dry completely. Works great!

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 03:26 PM (IXrOn)

19 The Green Giant's relationship with Little Green Sprout has never been adequately inquired into, IMO.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at November 15, 2014 03:27 PM (8ZskC)

20 Thanks for the info about Johnnies. I enjoy sprouts but haven't risked them for several years but if I can grow what I need, it would be worth trying.

Turns out this is going to be bulb week. Jung Seeds had a year end special on daffodils. For $50 we got about $140 worth of bulbs. I was shocked at how many there were. I believe the technical farming term is : a shitload. Have to get the area dug up before the ground freezes. Also planting some Silver Rose garlic but they are going in a container.

With luck we'll see some greenery poking up when winter seems endless.

Posted by: JTB at November 15, 2014 03:28 PM (FvdPb)

21 new modem, woot!

I wonder if that reset the hash . . .

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 03:29 PM (AVEe1)

22 . . . nope. Ah well.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 03:30 PM (AVEe1)

23 Fantastic idea, FCF.

Most sprouts don't need much light. Some don't need any. Micro greens need some light.

One year I made a sort of primitive, slow-baked bread from barely-sprouted wheat, coarsely ground. Only bread I ever tasted that was decent with no salt. Salt helps, but it is possible to make bread with only one ingredient.

If you let the ground sprouts sit before baking, the bread will be sweeter. Good with cinnamon and raisins in it. The cinnamon masks a slightly grassy flavor which develops if you let the sprouts get too big. Light is a disadvantage in this case, as it makes the sprouts taste "green".

Have you ever tasted wheat grass? It's a "shoot".

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 03:30 PM (qahv/)

24 Early JGG was kinda weird. At least that video.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 15, 2014 03:30 PM (2GTy1)

25 Wal*Mart has Libby's cut green beans, corn, and French cut green beans for .50 a can. We bought 20 of each for a friends food storage shelf.

Posted by: Thin veneer of civility at November 15, 2014 03:30 PM (XzRw1)

26 All that work on a good post and I open things up with a cheap pederast joke. I'm just no good.
Posted by: Jinx the Cat at November 15, 2014 03:21 PM (l3vZN)

You're just spending too much time close to the DC area!

Posted by: Hrothgar at November 15, 2014 03:32 PM (/GgDU)

27 "Wal*Mart has Libby's cut green beans, corn, and French cut green beans
for .50 a can. We bought 20 of each for a friends food storage shelf."

Gots the SuperCenter close by. May have to visit.

Not that I'm hoarding or anything like that.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 15, 2014 03:34 PM (2GTy1)

28 Other product icons had their initial failures also. Witness the Pillsbury Dough Arachnid, which was quickly pulled.

Prince Charles the Talking Tampon has yet to catch on in test markets.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at November 15, 2014 03:35 PM (8ZskC)

29 Forgot to mention we picked the last carrots (grown in an old wheelbarrow) before the dirt froze. We've had a few nights below freezing. We planted WAY too close together and some are the size of a BB or marble bit some got to 5". Unexpectedly sweet. I snack on them like they were peanuts. A nice late season treat.

BTW, the wheelbarrow will be used for beets next spring.

Posted by: JTB at November 15, 2014 03:37 PM (FvdPb)

30 "Other product icons had their initial failures also. Witness the Pillsbury Dough Arachnid, which was quickly pulled."

Heh. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was a total failure when initially launched.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 15, 2014 03:38 PM (2GTy1)

31

Yeah, Joni Mitchell's good.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 03:39 PM (IXrOn)

32 This Jolly Green Giant?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSlUq2dCOEA

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 03:40 PM (7MWCL)

33 Started stock, calendula and ornamental kale from seed 2 months ago. Put them in the ground few days ago. Fingers crossed hoping they will thrive. All supposed to do well in our winters.

Posted by: Coasting at November 15, 2014 03:40 PM (93bH6)

34 JTB,
I haven't sprouted much in recent years for raw munching, either. I really don't like alfalfa sprouts much. I prefer red clover. But a lot of sprouts have some toxic elements when eaten in quantity, raw. Aside from the issue of microbial contamination.

An old study in young apes showed impaired brain development with lots and lots of raw alfalfa sprouts.

I have lightly cooked some sprouts normally eaten raw, in stir-fries and such. And I sometimes barely sprout beans for chili. Barely.

I've grown sunflower shoots. They're nice.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 03:42 PM (qahv/)

35 >>Prince Charles the Talking Tampon has yet to catch on in test markets.

That's because of the evil Rethuglicans!

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 03:42 PM (9BRsg)

36

Raked leaves for about the 4th time, done until the spring.

Using the patio heater in the mornings now. Other than that, everything is hibernating around here already.

Sipping some of the fruits of those heavenly grape fields in those sunny warm climates. The "bonus" from making homemade beef stock...

An open wine bottle.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 03:44 PM (IXrOn)

37 Prince Charles the Talking Tampon has yet to catch on in test markets.

Yeah. the sales charts? a total bloodbath

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 03:45 PM (AVEe1)

38 >>The "bonus" from making homemade beef stock... An open wine bottle.

Great philosophy!

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 03:45 PM (9BRsg)

39 "Raked leaves for about the 4th time, done until the spring."

We had Summer up until Monday. Then, bang, Winter hit. Everything is still green.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 15, 2014 03:51 PM (2GTy1)

40 So you roast the beef bones? I was looking at the broth recipe on one of the online cookbooks.
That may turn out better than just cooking in a pressure cooker with a 1/4 cup of vinegar and water to cover.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 03:51 PM (t//F+)

41 It's been below freezing, supposed to get down to 23 on Monday night.

But the trees are still mostly green! I guess they will change color quickly now and land in the yard with a big thump.

I guess I should throw a tarp over my pansies on Monday night.

Posted by: Mama AJ at November 15, 2014 03:54 PM (0xTsz)

42 Holy crap. That commercial is downright frightening.

Posted by: rickl at November 15, 2014 03:55 PM (sdi6R)

43 Prince Charles the Talking Tampon has yet to catch on in test markets.

There was also Brittany, the very youngish, blondish spokesperson for the Pillsbury Poppin' Fresh dough. She was a touch heavy for those tight jeans and that short halter top. But the cowboy hat almost sold it.
(but she did say "Buiscuits and Gravy" like no-one else)

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 03:56 PM (t//F+)

44 KT ... Thanks for the heads up about sprouts. I don't eat a lot at a time, mostly sprinkled on a salad or, especially, on a roast beef sammich. I'll have to check out the other types you mentioned. Some sprouts or microgreens while snow is on the ground would be a fun diversion. I'm already eager for the new seed catalogs to arrive although that's about a month or so away.

Posted by: JTB at November 15, 2014 03:56 PM (FvdPb)

45 I wonder what the prototype Keebler Elves were like.

Posted by: eman at November 15, 2014 03:57 PM (MQEz6)

46 The only thing more disgusting than creamed corn is creamed corn-on-the-cob.

Posted by: Fritz at November 15, 2014 03:58 PM (dVmLD)

47 You know why the Jolly Green Giant got kicked out of the valley?

He took a pea.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at November 15, 2014 03:59 PM (V70Uh)

48 over at the WSJ, a techie piece (not sure if this is behind the subscriber walls -- apologies in advance).

Great Apps for a Greener Thumb
Tech help for the gardening enthusiast, from when to plant your bulbs to how to protect your begonias

http://tinyurl.com/nfsrnv7

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 04:00 PM (IXrOn)

49
What's happening in your gardens this week?

*******

It's DEAD, alright? Can I go now?

Posted by: Bob's House of Freezing Temperatures and Aliens Quotes at November 15, 2014 04:01 PM (yxw0r)

50

Something I never thought about.

10 Tips on Dividing Perennial Plants
Divide to make healthier plants--and more of them

http://www.finegardening.com/10-tips-dividing-perennial-plants

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 04:01 PM (IXrOn)

51 I wonder what the prototype Keebler Elves were like.

http://tinyurl.com/mzj8qef

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at November 15, 2014 04:02 PM (8ZskC)

52 The only thing more disgusting than creamed corn is creamed corn-on-the-cob.
Posted by: Fritz at November 15, 2014 03:58 PM (dVmLD)

Creamed corn is a great ingredient for some cornbreads.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 04:03 PM (IXrOn)

53 45 I wonder what the prototype Keebler Elves were like.

Posted by: eman at November 15, 2014 03:57 PM (MQEz6)

Ever watch "The Gate?"

Posted by: Bob's House of Freezing Temperatures and Aliens Quotes at November 15, 2014 04:04 PM (yxw0r)

54 "Wal*Mart has Libby's cut green beans, corn, and French cut green beans for .50 a can. We bought 20 of each for a friends food storage shelf."

That's wonderful. Also sounds like a great time to try Pioneer Woman's Spanish Green Beans. I prefer it with stewed tomatoes. Use home-grown onions, cayenne and bacon if you have them. Heh

You can also use fresh or home-frozen green beans. Recommended for Thanksgiving weekend. A double recipe fills a 6-quart slow cooker or a big electric skillet. Cook it for a long time for best flavor.

http://tinyurl.com/PWbeans

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 04:05 PM (qahv/)

55 "http://tinyurl.com/mzj8qef"

Heh.

No doubt, they were some creepy '50s sum bitches.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 15, 2014 04:06 PM (2GTy1)

56 Geeze..., I must have listened to the 'Blue' album a hundred times and never knew....

I always found that tune a little mystifying.

Heartbreaking really. The ethos of the 60's destroyed a lot of people...., and still is, vicariously.

I always figured that many of her tunes were highly autobiographical, and mostly poignant..., but I never connected the dots on that one.

Here 'For Free' : http://tinyurl.com/kvoe4uv

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 15, 2014 04:07 PM (vPh3W)

57 JTB,
My first 2015 catalog came this week. Twilley's. It's a commercial catalog, discourages home growers. No online catalog.

More kinds of pumpkins than any catalog I've ever seen.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 04:08 PM (qahv/)

58 I've got my fingers crossed for growing garlic for the first time. I ordered hardneck varieties from Italy and Spain and got them in just before the 1st hard frost. I bought a bail of hay or straw (not sure which) from the local plant guys to cover it and my herbs for the winter.

Posted by: dartist at November 15, 2014 04:08 PM (ahBY0)

59 So you roast the beef bones? I was looking at the broth recipe on one of the online cookbooks.
That may turn out better than just cooking in a pressure cooker with a 1/4 cup of vinegar and water to cover.
Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 03:51 PM (t//F+)

me?

6 lbs of beef shanks and an onion cut in half
browned in oil, removed;
then reduce some red wine (1/2 cup) for a minute or two;
then sweat the beef shanks and onion to release the juices 20 mins (covered at low heat);
then simmered for a couple hours with 2 quarts of water and 1/2 tsp salt

strain
save the meat for something else

from The New Best Recipe cookbook. "Rich Beef Stock"

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 15, 2014 04:09 PM (IXrOn)

60 Keebler elves were originally the Swartalfr of the Norse myths, and of course the Dark Elves of the Ring cycle.
After being boned on every project they ran on contract with the Vanr and Vasr, including the Sampo, the plenty mill, the creation of Gulinbursti, Sleipnr and Mjollnr (the last three cancelled projects that were not paid because of imagined failure to achieve Min. Quals) and then the final failure to pay on the project to create the rope to bind Fafnr (Ok, we get paid on the proof of concept of an unbreakable rope; we are supposed to wait for Gottedammerung for the first installment?), and then frankly being extorted for the gold to pay off the blood debt of Ottar, the Swartalfr left a poison pill in place for the eventual hostile takeover (thank you Mimr, Siegfreid etc) said "bag it" and went on to start a boy-band. Only after three failed albums and losing the contract, was the leader picked up for a solo project.

You know him of course, since of the Swartalfr, Elvis was the King.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 04:11 PM (t//F+)

61 And the only thing more disgusting that creamed corn is working in the stinking canneries where it is made. Gah. disgusting. You wear blue bandaids so they can be spotted by QC.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 04:13 PM (t//F+)

62 * scratches creamed corn off the shopping list *

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 15, 2014 04:15 PM (vPh3W)

63 In the mid 60's my mom was a coupon queen and she sent it for all kinds of Green Giant merchandise. We had JGG bowls and kites. Always loved that innocent idea of America back then.
I want to live in the valley of the Jolly Green Giant.

Posted by: The mayor of candor at November 15, 2014 04:16 PM (JT2ZF)

64 Geeze..., I must have listened to the 'Blue' album a hundred times and never knew....

I always found that tune a little mystifying.

Heartbreaking really. The ethos of the 60's destroyed a lot of people...., and still is, vicariously.
---

Same reaction here.

She's a very angry lady with a lot of "issues," but I give her props for not aborting her kid and for trying to make a home for her (hence the marriage she made that did not last) and for, ultimately, giving her daughter up so she could have a chance at a normal life. That shows some character.

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 04:21 PM (9BRsg)

65 New post up.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at November 15, 2014 04:22 PM (KK+mC)

66 In 1951 the state legislature for Oregon allowed the sale of colored Oleomargarine, but maintained penalties for restaurants serving it without notice that it was not butter.

Prior to this, my mom used to tell me, you bought margarine the color of lard, and it came with a dye capsule that you could break and work into it for the correct color.

Mom considered colored margarine to be one of the wonders of the modern world.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 04:22 PM (t//F+)

67 Wheat grass is a shoot. Wheat grass juice is really nasty if it sits for a few minutes after it is made. In case someone offers you some. Takes your breath away.

I wouldn't make corn shoots my first experiment growing shoots, either. If the pros blanch them, they're nasty if not blanched.

We're not talking "blanch" like Y-not's frozen vegetables. We're talking "blanch" like "growing in the absence of light for a while".

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 04:24 PM (qahv/)

68
The only thing more disgusting than creamed corn is creamed corn-on-the-cob.
Posted by: Fritz at November 15, 2014 03:58 PM (dVmLD)

*hides collection of Albanian midget creamed corn wrestling pron DVDs*

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 15, 2014 04:30 PM (TIIx5)

69 I love creamed corn.

That is all.

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 04:35 PM (9BRsg)

70 You can grow wheat grass (wheat shoots) for pets if you like. Just pick up some wheat at Winco or a health food store.

Catalogs also sell "cat grass" - 2 species of grass seed mixed together, one pale, for kittehs to munch on indoors.

Speaking of kittehs, our second kitten of the year showed up in the garden. Probably a sibling of the one that showed up last week. Reported (by a neighbor) to have been abandoned by the canal, which is some distance from the garden. They're used to people.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 04:42 PM (qahv/)

71 What's happening in my garden? Not a thing!

Thanks to gorebull worming, not only is it too cold for yardwork-- the freeze happened so suddenly that leaves (mostly) haven't fallen!

Mmmm, creamed corn...starting at 7:10--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S9VPWDzB4Q

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at November 15, 2014 04:57 PM (82lr7)

72 Garden season is officially over for me this year. The carrots and kohlrabi I planted back in August did pretty well. I'll pickle most of the kohlrabi, and both will make good soup.

I've given away as as many onions as I can, but still have a lot left because the tomato crop,was mjserable and we couldn't make much sauce. These Spanish onions averaged over a pound each, and one weighed in at 1.76lb.

The last rose for this year is Ingrid Berman.

The Red Shouldered Hawk is still here keeping an eye on things.

http://tinyurl.com/omvvj6l

Posted by: bergerbilder at November 15, 2014 05:01 PM (8MjqI)

73 How sad about Joni Mitchell. The only constant in her life seems to be instability. She's made some great music though.

Posted by: Pot-8-Os at November 15, 2014 05:33 PM (/SZA1)

74 I always loved Joni Mitchell's music. I'm the guy who can separate the artist's views or madness from the product. She is one of those who prove that creativity loves madness. That explains why the media is a bunch of crazy lefties.

Posted by: Joe Bar at November 15, 2014 05:45 PM (9dgBp)

75 I had something I waited all week to ask about on the Gardening Thread. Now I can't remember what it was.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at November 15, 2014 06:36 PM (GDulk)

76 Cold and drizzly here in Central Texas. I am picking kale and collards. The broccoli is starting to make little heads, but still nothing from the cauliflower. I guess we won't be eating any on Thanksgiving! I received a great catalogue from "High Mowing Seeds" today and they have a bunch of sprouting seeds which are tested for Ecoli, Salmonella and Listeria. They are a little pricey but they have a lot of cool seeds-if you can close your eyes to the Lefty politics.

Posted by: dreadpirateroberta at November 15, 2014 06:40 PM (eB2N0)

77 HAH, my gardening season continues apace because I have 3 tomato plant starts I found growing wild over by my mulch pile where I evidently had missed when I tossed them. I also yanked up a pair of jalapeno plants and stuck all of them in clay pots with Rapid Grow potting soil.

I'm still contemplating if I want to drop cash on a 600 watt grow lamp to keep them going or just sticking them in a window that gets some afternoon sun so I can keep them growing till March when they'll get replanted.

In other news the Polar Express rolled through and killed damn everything. Gotta pull pepper plants out and run over everything with the lawn mower.

Posted by: Gmac- Pondering...something involving rope and a tree at November 15, 2014 07:47 PM (baiNQ)

78 Dreadpirateroberta,

I've seen worse politics in seed catalogs than High Mowing. I see them in searches sometimes, but never received a print catalog from them. Wonder why?

They seem to sell seeds to health food stores and such.

Their "Red Swan" snap bean may be a good one for people in cool-summer climates who like "beany" beans. It's a cross between a purple snap bean and pinto beans. My inlaws grew pintos for snap beans when they lived near San Diego.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 08:24 PM (qahv/)

79 Gmac - Don't know if I would try to keep a tomato plant alive over winter, unless you want to try to produce fruit indoors. They tend to do best their first year. Pepper plants are pretty, though. Chiles tend to do well in containers.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 08:29 PM (qahv/)

80 Pea shoot salad recipes here. With fresh-shelled peas, radishes and pickled onion OR apples, celeriac and hazelnuts:
http://tinyurl.com/PSsalad

Or, try Thai pea shoot salad with chiles and sesame vinaigrette.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 08:35 PM (qahv/)

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