Saturday Gardening Thread: Go Nuts! [Y-not and KT]

Greetings, gardeners!

Today's thread will be a little abbreviated as your hostess is tied up most of today with college athletics, specifically men's and women's hoops.

Of course, there is still a lot of college football to be had, which inspired me to tell you a little bit about this tree:

Yes, that's the Buckeye, which was a candidate for National Tree in a contest run by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Buckeyes are distinctive trees, known for their early spring flowers and for the seeds that have inspired the name of this unique family of trees. The nut-like seeds are shiny and dark brown, with a light-colored spot that gives them the appearance of a deer's eye. These seeds are popularly believed to bring good luck, and school children especially still carry them in their pockets as a charm. And while highly poisonous, buckeye seeds contain much protein and were used as a food source by Native Americans who boiled and leached them to remove their toxins.

Buckeyes are often small trees, with a spread nearly equal to their height. Ohio and yellow buckeyes are some of the larger species in this family, with heights of 50 feet or more. What makes buckeyes especially unique is their early spring flowers, which bloom as early as many woodland wildflowers.

Here's another picture of a Buckeye from the campus of Ohio State:

(When I was working at Purdue (during the Drew Brees era), I hated the Buckeyes. But nowadays I always root for the B1G (Ten) teams, especially when they have a shot at the National Championship. I may be behind enemy lines in SEC territory, but my college football loyalty is in the B1G.)

Don't worry, Ohio State haters, the Buckeye didn't win. Here's the winning tree:

Oh, and speaking of trees, I didn't have a chance to confirm the tree from last week, but I think it's a member of the genus Amelanchier, possibly the Downy Serviceberry. I'll see if I can get confirmation from the town where I photographed it and let you know next week.

Now, heeeeere's KT:

We had a light frost this week. It killed my little cucumber plant, so we ate the two little pickling cucumbers, raw and unpeeled. Pretty good. "County Fair" is a bitter-free cultivar with resistance to some cucumber diseases. The skin was a little tough, but it is not a slicer, so you can't expect tender skin. It was growing out of season, so it was a nice surprise to get two cucumbers from it.

We also picked some "summer turnips". They were spicier than normal, probably due to irregular watering, but still very sweet. The hairless leaves were nice cooked without their midribs. They don't take as long to cook as traditional turnip greens.

I pulled, cooked and ate some lambs quarters this week. They were growing as weeds among the turnips. Knowing that they were high in oxalates, I followed the cooking recommendation for celosia from last week's thread and boiled, rather than steamed the leaves. They cooked very quickly and were very tender, with a mild flavor and a nice green color when cooked. I could still taste a little oxalate, though. I think boiling (and discarding the cooking water) is a good idea for lambs quarters and its relatives.

Incidentally, lambs quarters, like celosia, is a host plant for the caterpillars of the Common Sooty Wing Butterfly. I really do not know what species of Chenopodium I ate, but it looked like other edible lambs quarters and other people in the neighborhood have survived eating it. I don't think I will be making anything like Lambs Quarter Filo Pie, from Modern Beet, soon. Though if the drought persists, who knows?

This brings me to the topic of pigweeds that we might enjoy eating during the Zombie Apocalypse, and some of their relatives. The drought has limited our planting this year, so I am already eating weeds, at least once in a while.

Pigweeds, Quinoa and Epazote

I grew up calling wild portulaca "pigweed". Mr. Bar-the-Door's family calls mallow "pigweed". Some amaranths are called "pigweed". Pigs eat them. People eat them. But the Eat the Weeds Guy identifies pigweed as Chenopodium album, also called Lambs Quarters or Fat Hen. It is related to beets, chard and spinach. He tells a story about his neighbor, who had a degree in agriculture, gathering large amounts of pigweed for dinner. There are several similar Chenopidium species with edible leaves.

We have talked about Magenta Spreen (Tree Spinach) in a previous thread. Good King Henry (Lincolnshire Spinach) has been moved from Chenopodium to another genus, Blitum. It is related to Strawberry Blite (strawberry spinach), also discussed in the thread above. The flavor of Good King Henry is best in spring, when young shoots can also be eaten as a substitute for asparagus.

QUINOA

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), sometimes touted as a "superfood", also has edible leaves that can serve as a spinach substitute, but the main attraction with this plant is the seeds. Until this week, I had never cooked quinoa before, but since I learned that some of us can grow it in the garden, it became a gardening topic. I decided to take out my 7 year old package of quinoa from Trader Joe's and see if I could come up with a Thanksgiving dish for family members with gluten intolerance.

CBD's Food Thread gave me this idea. He started preparing members of The Horde for Thanksgiving back in October (be sure to check out the Food Thread tomorrow.) One subject that has come up is how to handle foods for Thanksgiving guests with dietary restrictions. I certainly have not become an expert in quinoa, but I have learned a lot.

Shelf life: You can store quinoa for a long time. My 7 year old quinoa did not have off-flavors, as would brown rice that old. I could still cook it, unlike beans that old.
History: Quinoa originated in the Andes, where it was a very important food crop for thousands of years. Seeds of Lambs Quarters were used by Native Americans in the eastern USA much like quinoa was used in the Andes, but quinoa is more productive. " The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to it as chisaya mama or "mother of all grains", and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using "golden implements" (from the Wiki). Its cultivation was suppressed for a time by the conquistadors because of its use in religious ceremonies.

Political correctness: You can never be sure that your righteous plans to help indigenous peoples will remain righteous. Supporting the economies of poor regions in the Andes by buying quinoa used to make people feel good. Now they must worry that exports have raised the price of quinoa so much that locals in the growing areas cannot afford it.

US cultivation: Quinoa is grown commercially at high altitudes in Colorado, with a few other western states also getting in on the action. It takes drought and alkaline soil. There are cultivars suited to very high altitudes and others suited to sea level. Its susceptibility to leaf miners limit its success in the East. Lambs Quarters are also susceptible, but much less so. Per Sunset, quinoa will not produce if the weather is really hot during bloom or seed setting.

Tricks for Preparation: If you grow your own quinoa, you must wash it before cooking to remove saponins, bitter compounds that foam like soap. Most commercial quinoa is pre-washed or milled to remove saponins, but you might want to wash yours, just in case. Directions for washing and toasting here. I tried toasting some and did not like the results much. I think it is easy to over-toast quinoa. But if you want to try a low-moisture pilaf with toasted quinoa that still has "bite and snap", here you go.

I like the stuff cooked with the "incorrect" 2:1 water:quinoa ratio just fine, untoasted. I did not want excess chewiness for the recipe below, which I adapted from a recipe using bulgur wheat. I wanted it to be different from traditional dressing, but not too different. I might even try germinating the quinoa first before cooking. It is reported to start germinating remarkably quickly -- in just two to four hours (wash first). They say you can eat the sprouted seeds raw, but some people report tummy upsets with the raw sprouts.

I think I will use more cranberries to the recipe below next time. Anybody have some other tips for me?

Quinoa Thanksgiving Dressing (Serves 4 to 5 as a side dish)

Part 1
Cook over medium heat:
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery with some leaves, in
2 Tablespoons oil and/or unsalted butter
until onions are translucent.
Add 1 cup washed or pre-washed quinoa and 1 3/4 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, cover tightly, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Let sit off heat for 5 minutes. Taste and carefully adjust salt if necessary. It probably will not need any additional salt if you used salted broth.

Part 2
Microwave 1/3 cup packed sweetened dried cranberries in 2 Tablespoons orange or apple juice or water, until water simmers. Stir, cover and allow to stand until liquid is absorbed.
Shortly before serving, fluff warm quinoa with a fork and add softened cranberries, 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley and 4 finely minced young scallions with some of the tender green parts, or some minced chives.
If there is a no-sugar purist coming to dinner, you can leave out the cranberries and garnish the finished dressing with pomegranate arils.

Original bulgur wheat recipe

Anybody growing wheat this winter?

Substitute a cup of medium to coarse bulgur wheat for the washed quinoa. Add some black pepper with the onions and celery. The original recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning, but I leave it out because I want this dressing to taste different from the more traditional dressing on the table.

If you will be eating with a crowd where the kitchen will be busy, a quadruple batch of the bulgur wheat version (Part 1) holds nicely for a few hours in a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker or big covered electric skillet set to "warm". I don't know how well the quinoa version holds. Add cranberries, parsley and green onion shortly before serving.

Leftovers are great reheated.

EPAZOTE

Thinking of having something made with dried beans for Thanksgiving? The Eat the Weeds Guy, a pretty flexible person when it comes to food flavors, does not like an herb that is traditional with beans, Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides). It resembles Lambs Quarters and was previously classified as a Chenopodium. To avoid eating a Chenopodium species that is not really edible, he recommends that we not eat it if it smells like varnish, "but in some countries they manage to get around Epazote's odor and use it as a green as well as flavoring and medicine."

A piece in the Chicago Tribune called epazote, "Mexican Magic". It is reputed to reduce the gassiness of beans and is often used in black bean dishes. Has anyone in The Horde developed a taste for it? I have met seemingly rational people who really like it.

According to Sunset, my climate zone is at the hardiness limit for this plant to survive the winter as a perennial, but it can be grown as an annual in most parts of the country. It is also known as Jesuit Tea, Mexican Tea and Wormseed (used to expel intestinal hookworms).

Intestinal hookworms. Yuk. Maybe it is time to change the subject to flowers. Sorry I did not get around to telling you what your statice was. Next week.

Y-not: Thanks, KT!

To close things up, how about a song?

KT's mention of Modern Beet got me thinking about one of my favorite groups, the English Beat. I love this scene:

Bonus song in honor of the Buckeyes:

What's happening in YOUR gardens this week?

Link to the Saturday Gardening Thread archives here.

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Foist?

Posted by: ManWithNoParty at November 21, 2015 02:20 PM (DsazE)

2 Where there're gardens... there should be goats. Just sayin'.....

Posted by: goatexchange at November 21, 2015 02:22 PM (Nd4YY)

3 Caught me napping

Posted by: Skip at November 21, 2015 02:22 PM (KSdzX)

4 The return of the giant hogweed.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at November 21, 2015 02:22 PM (FkBIv)

5 Leaves and more leaves to be chopped up into future compost

Posted by: Skip at November 21, 2015 02:23 PM (KSdzX)

6 Nood!

Eating Lambsquarters? Wow. We spray them with Round-up.

Just why I frequent the HQ.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 02:24 PM (48QDY)

7 Hello, Horde!
I saw some gardenng comments in the EMT this morning. Must be too cold to work outdoors in the morning now.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:24 PM (qahv/)

8 We stole all the goats

Posted by: International goat syndicate at November 21, 2015 02:25 PM (KSdzX)

9 Yes, Golfman.

The lambsquarters were more tender than spinach, but they were from young plants. They start to fall apart if you cook them more than a few minutes.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:26 PM (qahv/)

10 All the deciduous trees are bare except the row of Corkscrew Willows behind my office building, which have barely just started turning yellow.

Corkscrew Willow's aren't native to the US. They're a variety of a Chinese Willow. But they win Last Leaves Standing in my neck of the woods.

From here on in, with the deciduous trees all bare, I can spot every pine, spruce and hemlock for at least a mile around out my window.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:27 PM (HMt16)

11 Happy Gardening all ...

The DIY flower box made from 12 x 2 terra cotta brick from Home Depot is on hold until we can get the water heater installed ...

Hope other people's projects are going OK.

Posted by: Adriane the Agricultural Critic ... at November 21, 2015 02:28 PM (jnAIZ)

12 If you have epazote you can make Colombian Ajiaco, a type of chicken and potato stew, made with three types of potatoes, and garnished with a cooked ear of corn, sour cream and capers.

Nom nom.

(I like the Buckeyes that are made out of chocolate and that toffee stuff by the way - and the pigweed around here is a type of amaranth)

Posted by: Kindltot at November 21, 2015 02:29 PM (q2o38)

13 Buckeyes are peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate and are represented by a great marching band.
Michigan hates these things and is therefore sentenced to Detroit and must be destroyed.

Or so the Ohio branch of the family tells me.

Posted by: Ragamuffin at November 21, 2015 02:29 PM (/J2kU)

14 Lambs-Quarters are an excellent foraged green. Mild tasting and loaded with vitamins.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:29 PM (HMt16)

15 Garden is done for the winter (other than some potatoes) so my focus has shifted to the birds in the backyard. I've got 2 colonies of Chickadees that have been hanging out all year but with last nights snow, some robins and a few others have found my feeders and birdbath. Fun watching the spring hatchlings having their first encounter with snow as they danced and pranced in the mounds. Squirrels also seem to be very happy i refilled their tray with peanuts

Posted by: The Dude at November 21, 2015 02:29 PM (SyKbw)

16 Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:26 PM (qahv/)

Unbelievable. And Pigweed is a big problem for those evil GMA farmers. Locals have to send crews out to hoe Round-Up resistant Pigweed out of the soybean and cotton fields.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 02:30 PM (48QDY)

17 Some of my maple trees have no leaves, some almost all still on

Posted by: Skip at November 21, 2015 02:30 PM (KSdzX)

18 I did not need to plant lambsquarters. I planted a little wheat for the dogs, too. They dug up the cat grass.

I prefer the bulgur wheat dressing to the quinoa dressing, but the latter is more interesting, and I think that gluten-intolerant people would really like it. Both kinds both seem to taste better the second day after reheating in the microwave. A good breakfast item for the day after Thanksgiving, does not need gravy.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:31 PM (qahv/)

19 I plowed the big bed before the torrential rains started, and spread my feed oats for the cover crop.
I dug out my Jerusalem artichokes too. What do you do with them? I understand you boil them with vinegar.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 21, 2015 02:32 PM (q2o38)

20 Just watched an informative series of videos on YouTube about identifying tress in winter, which can be quite challenging.

The vids are hosted by Dave Canterbury, one of the original Duel Survivor guys along with Cody Lundin.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:33 PM (HMt16)

21 And be careful with Quinoa for those of y'all with allergies. The only packages I've seen, warn of processing exposure to peanuts.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 02:33 PM (48QDY)

22 Kindltot,
Where do you get Epazote? Do you think it smells like varnish?

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:36 PM (qahv/)

23 Oak is the national tree?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 21, 2015 02:37 PM (0xLZu)

24 Kindltot,

I have only eaten Jerusalem Artichokes raw, right after peeling. I think the acid in your directions is to keep them from turning dark.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:39 PM (qahv/)

25 >>What's happening in YOUR gardens this week?

Mud.

And today's cooler weather and wind have made the leaves decide Today. Is. The. Day. To. Fall.

Posted by: Mama AJ at November 21, 2015 02:39 PM (nXeSu)

26 Mowed lawn yesterday.
Blowing snow this afternoon.

Novembers? - how do they work.

Posted by: DaveA at November 21, 2015 02:40 PM (DL2i+)

27 Oak is also the national dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=332SqqV-buk

Posted by: Rsluty at November 21, 2015 02:41 PM (ShSae)

28 All the survival books mention spruce tea. Because I like to try these kinds of things hands-on, I tried it out last winter. Sure, spruces smell nice, but they sure don't smell like something you'd want to drink. You'd think it would taste like liquid air freshener.

But the results were...not bad. Pretty darn good, actually. No caffeine of course, but it does have a "bracing" effect that really hits the spot on a cold day.

You want to try and use new-growth needles, which are the bluish-green sections that stand out against the darker green old growth.

Just pinch off or snip off a little pile, give 'em a quick wash, and steep a teaball-full in hot (but not boiling) water for about 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with sugar or honey (I use honey.)

The row of spruces behind my apartment building provides the ingredients whenever I want to indulge. It's loaded with vitamin C too.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:41 PM (HMt16)

29 Supposed to start snowing hard here late this afternoon. I need to get my ass to Mega-Lo Mart before it starts. And I just got a tire pressure light on in the Jeep. Nice timing.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:44 PM (HMt16)

30 Has anyone tried using radish greens in salad? I know radish sprouts are great, real snap to them but I doubt the leaves are as spicy.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 21, 2015 02:46 PM (39g3+)

31 Posted by: Mama AJ at November 21, 2015 02:39 PM (nXeSu)

Mud. Heh.

I LOL'd.

October and November are historically the driest months here in NC, averaging about 4 inches of rain.

We've had about more than 2 feet since Labor Day.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 02:46 PM (48QDY)

32 Never tried buckeye but buckwheat pancakes are really good. Because my dad has diabetes we didn't get them very often so they were a real special treat when mom made them.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 21, 2015 02:47 PM (39g3+)

33 Squirrels also seem to be very happy i refilled their tray with peanuts
Posted by: The Dude
----------------
You actually feed the squirrels? On purpose? I hate those things with a passion.
They are the reason I stopped feeding the birds a few years back. Well, them and the 'coons & possums...

Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 02:49 PM (GmBB1)

34 Still need to mow the yard one last time. It'll grow for a bit after the freeze.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 21, 2015 02:50 PM (0xLZu)

35 Yeah, feeding squirrels, that's like adding flea bait to a rat. The town I live in is a squirrel preserve, its illegal to hurt or kill them, and they swarm like flies here. They chew on our walls, run all over the roof sounding like cows rather than little rats, and are generally a nuisance. I used to think they were cute.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 21, 2015 02:51 PM (39g3+)

36 Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 02:49 PM (GmBB1)

Got tired of fighting them and said fuck it. They don't mess with the birds & feeders anymore after I started to feed them. They have the front yard and the birds have the back

Posted by: The Dude at November 21, 2015 02:52 PM (SyKbw)

37 Adriane the Agricultural Critic ... at November 21, 2015 02:28 PM

The brick flower box sounds like a great project. Around here, we would need a building permit for a large one.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:54 PM (qahv/)

38 Ok, in the second picture, on the far left, doesn't that leaf look like marijuana? Shinier and without serrated edges, but still looks like marijuana.

Posted by: Bruce Boehner at November 21, 2015 02:55 PM (xU0ng)

39 Finished cleaning off the garden yesterday as a storm was predicted w/ 6 inches of snow.
Damn, they were right. Visibility on the way to work was about 1-2 blocks.
Only garden things growing are some chives I brought inside and a large pot of potatoes I planted late. We'll see if a south window has enough light to produce any tubers, this is an experiment.

Posted by: Farmer at November 21, 2015 02:58 PM (3hlFs)

40 Methinks Bruce ain't smoked a lot of weed.

Now John on the other hand.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 02:58 PM (48QDY)

41 "Ok, in the second picture, on the far left, doesn't that leaf look like marijuana?"

You're high.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 21, 2015 02:59 PM (0xLZu)

42 I got lamb's quarters growing essentially wild all around my property.

It's actually a funny story.

I was at a farmers' market about three or four years ago, and a guy was selling little sprouts in pots. I asked him was this one sprout was, and he said it was some plant called "lamb's quarters" that I'd never heard of. I shrugged and was about to move on and he said, "Here, look how small its seeds are!" And he took out a little packet marked "lamb's quarters seeds" and carefully extracted on and dropped it into my hand. It was about one-tenth the size of a poppy seed -- almost invisible to the human eye. A teeny tiny black dot. he told me that lamb's quarters were an easy-to-grow spinach substitute.

I somehow had the presence of mind to drop the seed into a napkin and put it into my pocket. Later, when I got home, I was about to throw away the napkin when I remembered the seed and carefully unraveled it and actually found the nearly microscopic seed inside.

I put it into a little plant pot with some dirt, stuck it randomly somewhere int he garden, and forget about it.

A month or so later I noticed a little sprout coming up that looked just like the sprouts the guy had been selling. "Must be lamb's quarters!" i thoguht to myself, and transplanted it into the garden dirt.

Six months later, it had grown and grown and was by now about 3 or four feet tall and had bolted and "gone to seed" itself, and I foolish just continued ignoring it. Then the wind and then rain knocked all the jillions of microscopic seeds off the bolted plant and the next spring -- AY CARAMBA!! There were now hundred -- nay, thousands -- of lamb's quarters sprouts all over the place.

From that moment onward, I have not been able to contain it. One pant can made a million of those little seeds if you don't uproot it in time.

So, basically, it has become a weed. BUT ... a tasty edible weed! A beneficial weed. Even when everything else in the garden fails, there's always lamb's quarters growing somewhere. So I always have something to harvest.

And it's pretty tasty -- very similar to spinach.

Its main drawback (which spinach shares) is that the leaves really shrink down when cooked, so you harvest a ton of it, and end up with one cup of cooked lamb's quarters.

Anyway, this has then the tale of how a single seed almost too small to see has fed an entire family for years!

Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 03:01 PM (jBuUi)

43 Christopher Taylor at November 21, 2015 02:46 PM

Radish greens can be spicy. You can buy seed for special hairless types.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8644-radish-hong-vit.aspx

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:01 PM (qahv/)

44 Kindltot,
Where do you get Epazote? Do you think it smells like varnish?
Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 02:36 PM (qahv/)

I am told that you can get it in Mexican grocers that sell spices, or online.
I got it when I was in Colombia, oh, so many years ago.'

Try Walmart.


Beyond that I got nothing. It was used in a lot of soups, I remember. It was a nice break from lentils and rice.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 21, 2015 03:01 PM (q2o38)

45 This is the headquarters for goats quarters.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at November 21, 2015 03:03 PM (FkBIv)

46 WhatWhatWhat? at November 21, 2015 02:27 PM

I kept a little dwarf corkscrew willow in a pot when I lived in an apartment, for flower arranging.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:04 PM (qahv/)

47 38 Ok, in the second picture, on the far left, doesn't that leaf look like marijuana?
----------------------
You're smokin' the wrong shit, man. But, obviously, it's good stuff.
That looks like Virginia Creeper to me.

Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 03:05 PM (GmBB1)

48 Anyone have any experience growing hazelnuts? Recommended varieties?

Posted by: DJ Jazzy Mel at November 21, 2015 03:07 PM (22uju)

49 I dug out my Jerusalem artichokes too. What do you do with them? I understand you boil them with vinegar.
Posted by: Kindltot

Try Zombie's Super-Secret jerusalem Artichoke Anti-Gas Recipe!

I researched this extensively and IT WORKS!

Step one: Slice the chokes into medium-thicks slices, then BOIL them until SOFT in LEMON JUICE. Not vinegar, but fresh-squeezed lemon juice -- maybe 50% mixed with water.

It really helps if you have a big lemon tree with more lemons than you know what to do with anyway. Otherwise, you'll have to buy a lot of them.

But gol-durn it, the technique works! Almost completely removes the gas-producing problem of Jerusalem artichokes. And it even makes them taste better!

Oh, and there is no step 2. Boil in lemon juice. That's it. Afterward, you can further cook or season them however you like.

Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 03:08 PM (jBuUi)

50 Squirrels are yummy with a lot of butter and onions sautéed in the pan. Salt and pepper to taste with a bit of worschester sauce.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at November 21, 2015 03:08 PM (hy5nE)

51 Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 03:05 PM (GmBB1)

This week in a seminar, a prof was bragging on VC as a desirable native plant.

Man, he loves his job.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at November 21, 2015 03:08 PM (48QDY)

52 zombie at November 21, 2015 03:01 PM

Great story. Many plants in the same family as lambs quarters will concentrate nitrates over the life of the plant, so leaves from young plants are probably preferable from a health standpoint. You want to go light on nitrate fertilizers.

I have never actually looked for lambs quarter seeds. Since they are so tiny, it makes me wonder how Native Americans harvested them.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:11 PM (qahv/)

53 Gardening has been over for about 4 weeks. We had a blizzard last Tuesday. For the first time in about 10 years, I had to get the little loader tractor out and move snow. I used to enjoy moving the snow. Not so much any more.

Posted by: Ronster at November 21, 2015 03:13 PM (mUa7N)

54 I don't have much to contribute to the gardening thread, so I'll just leave this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIYg2AJKNo

Posted by: rickl at November 21, 2015 03:14 PM (sdi6R)

55 DJ Jazzy Mel at November 21, 2015 03:07 PM

What region do you live in? Makes a difference to hazelnuts.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:16 PM (qahv/)

56 I thought the garden was done but the last week the Brussels sprouts have taken off. The stalks are getting longer and there are baby sprouts all along them. I thought I would be lucky to get a half dozen individual sprouts. If this keeps up, there will be enough for several meals. This all began as we had some nights near or below freezing. No idea if this is normal. I knew they needed freezing to sweeten up but didn't think they would continue to grow.

Gardening is full of surprises.

Now I wonder if we plant some very early, like peas and leaf lettuce, if we might get an early summer crop before the heat and humidity kick in.

Posted by: JTB at November 21, 2015 03:18 PM (FvdPb)

57 #55 Looking to move to the Reno area. It's at the 4,500 foot elevation with very dry weather conditions with cold winters.

Posted by: DJ Jazzy Mel at November 21, 2015 03:22 PM (22uju)

58 Yeah my oak tree is pretty much barren now, gonna devote Tuesday to leaf day, temps should be in the 50's then

Posted by: chemjeff at November 21, 2015 03:27 PM (uZNvH)

59 " Looking to move to the Reno area. :

Western Pine and whatever you can get to grow.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 21, 2015 03:31 PM (0xLZu)

60 Looking to move to the Reno area...
----------------------
Watch out for those Johnny Cash types.

Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 03:33 PM (GmBB1)

61 Kraut made the easy way is done. Not bad, but probably not as good as the old fashioned way.

Posted by: Ronster at November 21, 2015 03:38 PM (mUa7N)

62 32 ... I have relatively mild diabetes so I make all buckwheat pancakes, no regular flour. They are closer to crepes than pancakes. The carbs are considerably lower so I don't get a spike in the readings. I miss the maple syrup but I butter them well and top them with over easy fried eggs. There is a slight natural sweetness to the buckwheat so they aren't as bland as unsweetened pancakes.

Did I mention I miss my maple syrup? (SIGH!!)

Posted by: JTB at November 21, 2015 03:38 PM (FvdPb)

63 The brick flower box sounds like a great project. Around here, we would need a building permit for a large one.

Not that big ...

It's 4 foot by 4 foot, with the upper left corner raised by 1 brick height (12 inches) for an upper level.

Posted by: Adriane the Agricultural Critic ... at November 21, 2015 03:48 PM (jnAIZ)

64 I never knew that epazote had anti-flatulent properties, but it is commonly used in Mexican restaurants at least as far north as Dallas and Fort Worth. I also see it when Mrs. Hobbit and I go to Mexican grocery stores.

I still use Beano, just in case.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 03:51 PM (dPpmC)

65 Posted by: JTB at November 21, 2015 03:38 PM (FvdPb)

You can get sugar-free maple syrup

Posted by: chemjeff at November 21, 2015 03:51 PM (uZNvH)

66 #57 Reno area: I have relatives in Susanville. They have a short season there. Frost can occur on almost any day of the year, it seems. But there is a garlic cultivar named for the town.

Regular hazelnuts are grown commercially in Oregon and Washington. A blight has changed availability of varieties. The grow into really tall bushes if you don't remove the suckers frequently.

It sound like you are in cold Sunset Zone 1. You may want to try "Filhazels" or "Trazels". "Filhazels" are hybrids between hazelnuts and a native filbert which has pretty catkins and pointy nuts, as I recall.

A Trazel is a hybrid between a hazelnut and a Turkish species that grows into a tall tree. I think that the Turkish tree has small, sweet nuts. Trazels grow into 20 or 30 foot upright trees.

Try to get named varieties. You will need two Trazels or two Filhazels for cross-pollination.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:51 PM (qahv/)

67 Just about everything's bare here at casa RMBS. Just finishing what's probably my next-to-last round of leaf raking/mulching. *glares at the evil Norway maple that always has leaves in December* The garden's mostly put to bed, bar some kale and a tough sage plant, so I'm probably just throwing some grass seed down in areas of the yard, dressing with a little soil, and calling it a season. And test starting my snowblower engine. *sigh*

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 21, 2015 03:51 PM (pLwjI)

68 Thanks for the kraut update, Ronster.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:53 PM (qahv/)

69 We're supposed to have the first freeze of the season in North Texas. I'm kissing my summer annuals goodbye.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 03:54 PM (dPpmC)

70 Neighbor just came to the door for help with tiny, cute, fluffy puppy with something in his paw. It was a goat head. I hate those things.

Puppy trauma did not last long, though. He quit crying.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:55 PM (qahv/)

71 Ricardo Kill,

I forgot to mention that Quinoa will take light frost.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 03:59 PM (qahv/)

72 #66 Thanks KT!!! Grew up in Anderson, CA and we used to play Lassen High back in the late 60s, early 70s. Remember the High School basketball tournament hosted by Lassen in 1970. Lots of snow but a great time. Been through Susanville at lot over the years. One morning while driving through we saw George Peppard walking up the sidewalk to go to the local donut shop. Almost stopped to talk with him but thought he might be annoyed. Years later I learned he loved it when fans stopped by to talk with him.

Posted by: DJ Jazzy Mel at November 21, 2015 03:59 PM (22uju)

73 Squirrels also seem to be very happy i refilled their tray with peanuts
Posted by: The Dude

I don't know where you live, but in Texas we refill squirrels with BB pellets or worse.

Mrs. Hobbit and I employed a company last spring to squirrel-proof our house and they gave us a transferable, lifetime guarantee. Even though it was pricey, I predict that they will lose money over the years.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 04:02 PM (dPpmC)

74 Still need to mow the yard one last time. It'll grow for a bit after the freeze.
Posted by: Ricardo Kill at November 21, 2015 02:50 PM (0xLZu)

Yep. The freeze should be pretty mild.

I've kissed my tender summer annuals goodbye, though some of the more protected ones may survive for a little while. My tropical hibiscus are blooming like crazy, so I'll be sad to lose them.

Are you keeping Tarrant County safe? I'm watching over Dallas County but it's tough going.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 04:07 PM (dPpmC)

75 Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 21, 2015 03:51 PM (pLwjI)

wait you plant grass seed in November?

Posted by: chemjeff at November 21, 2015 04:08 PM (uZNvH)

76 Buckeyes make really good candy, too.

Posted by: Barb the Evil Genius at November 21, 2015 04:08 PM (0MJkC)

77 Anyway, this has then the tale of how a single seed almost too small to see has fed an entire family for years!
Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 03:01 PM (jBuUi)

Great story, Zombie.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 04:10 PM (dPpmC)

78 65 ... Thanks Chemjeff, I'll check out the sugar free syrup. Careful eating, basically low carb, lets me use minimal medicine and the A1C numbers are improving. With luck I may be off the pills in a year or so. Anything that helps the process is appreciated.

Posted by: JTB at November 21, 2015 04:11 PM (FvdPb)

79 Completely OT:

Miami Vice - Brian Dennehy: As Reverend Shiny Jacket.
"I thought it was all fixed when we had your blood changed in Switzerland".

Posted by: DaveA at November 21, 2015 04:17 PM (DL2i+)

80 DJ Jazzy Mel

There is some really beautiful country around Reno. Where you grew up seems to have its share of great scenery nearby, too.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 04:18 PM (qahv/)

81 I'm a die-hard Ohio State fan, but I don't really like the buckeye candies - peanut butter's usually waaaay too sweet. I like the juxtaposition of the salty peanut butter w/ chocolate. Often, the chocolate used to make those isn't the best quality. Of course, there's hundreds of different versions as they are a tailgate/game party staple here.

Posted by: ghost of hallelujah at November 21, 2015 04:23 PM (7RXcs)

82 Grosse Point Blank was a good movie and that was an excellent fight scene.
The music was a nice touch too.

Posted by: Tilikum Killer Assault Whale at November 21, 2015 04:24 PM (hVdx9)

83 Kindltot,

I had a coworker from Colombia once. She raved about all the potato varieties that were sold in the markets.

I guess in Mexico, they sometimes pick Epazote from the side of the road to cook with. A young woman from Mexico City told me they use it in "everything", mentioning beans and meat dishes. She will be returning to Mexico shortly after Thanksgiving, so she will probably get to taste it again.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 04:24 PM (qahv/)

84 Quinoa sounds like another made up food like "parsnips". I don't think they exist in real life yet I'm being told they do.

Posted by: L, Elle at November 21, 2015 04:24 PM (2x3L+)

85 #54
Thanks for the song, rickl. Wild thyme, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 04:26 PM (qahv/)

86 like another made up food like "parsnips". I don't think they exist in real life yet I'm being

I assure you, they are quite real.

Posted by: Peggy Seuss at November 21, 2015 04:30 PM (AfsKp)

87 L, Elle at November 21, 2015 04:24 PM

I can't buy quinoa in our town, either. Parsnips they have just during the holidays. Sometimes.

They ran out of radishes (for menudo and pozole) last year. Still haven't seen epazote sold. Maybe they don't eat it is Michoacan, where a lot of our immigrants come from.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 04:32 PM (qahv/)

88 84 Quinoa sounds like another made up food like "parsnips". I don't think they exist in real life yet I'm being told they do.

Posted by: L, Elle/i]

Quinoa is real -- and extremely tasty and useful!

it's extremely commonplace here in California -- I can buy it in the bulk section of a local supermarket for like $2.19/pound. There also plenty of boxed and bagged quinoa brands on the shelves.

It's dead-simple to cook -- even easier than rice. Just put any amount of quinoa in a pot with about 1.5 that amount of water, and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes. Boom. Done.

What you get is a tasty new miracle grain you never knew existed.

Imagine discovering (after living your whole life without it and having no awareness of it) wheat, or corn, for the first time, as an adult. You'd be like, "Holy god -- how come I never encountered this stuff before! It's not just a new plant I discovered -- it's an entire new category of food!" That's what discovering quinoa is like.

Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 04:55 PM (jBuUi)

89 Ugh. unitalic.

Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 04:55 PM (jBuUi)

90 Okay, you guys, I'll take your word for it that quinoa is not a mythological, urban legend type food but I still think you're trolling me.

Epazote sounds like mind-altering, psychedelic drug like the stuff Jim Morrison used to do.

Posted by: L, Elle at November 21, 2015 05:01 PM (/IMJl)

91 Zombie,

I like the little "tail" that wraps around each grain of quinoa. Have you ever tried toasting it?

I do think "quinoa" and "parsnip" are sort of like fantasy words, though.

Say this fast:
Parsnip, parsnip, parsnip

I like 'em with carrots. And butter.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 05:01 PM (qahv/)

92 Always thought the helmet attaboys on the Ohio State helmets looked like mary jane.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 21, 2015 05:02 PM (ej1L0)

93 I just finished walking my feed fields and couldn't find anything that survived all the rain except rye grass and crimson clover. There were an acre and a half of little plants. I'm going to throw out some oats tomorrow, I don't know anything else that will survive freezing when it's just getting started.

Posted by: traye at November 21, 2015 05:04 PM (JdMbg)

94 I have a friend whose husband's mother is a quinoa freak. She makes it everytime I vist there, and gives the whole "It's a super food!" thing. I think she thinks it could help end world hunger if it were grown everywhere. It's like that cartoon where the guru told people to reject kale and accept coconuts afew weeks ago.

She's not a liberal nutbag, a really nice person, but secularish. I think Chesterton was on to something that secularism causes people to have a tendency for people to believe weird sh*t. Doesn't make religion true. Just got to resist that tendency, like master Ewok.

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at November 21, 2015 05:04 PM (xU0ng)

95 We eat quinoa, plain and red, it's sort of like rice with a nutty flavor

Posted by: Skip at November 21, 2015 05:05 PM (KSdzX)

96 #90: "Epazote sounds like mind-altering, psychedelic drug like the stuff Jim Morrison used to do."

Jesuit tea: I wonder if they gave Jerry Brown some?

I think I might like that spruce tea better (#2.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 05:08 PM (qahv/)

97 #28 for the spruce tea. Don't know where that little face came from.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 05:11 PM (qahv/)

98 >>>30 Has anyone tried using radish greens in salad? I know radish sprouts are great, real snap to them but I doubt the leaves are as spicy.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 21, 2015 02:46 PM (39g3+)

I usually plant twice the daikon radishes that I expect to eat and pull half of them early for greens. They're really good dipped in a little soy sauce.
The radishes get pickled with carrots in a sweet and sour mix. I harvested mine last week.
Just pulled all my pepper plants in. It's getting close to freezing tonight (central TX) and I don't want to lose everything like I did last year.

Posted by: gingeroni at November 21, 2015 05:12 PM (baKy9)

99 Don't know where that little face came from.
Posted by: KT

http://smilies.mee.nu/light/15_yellow/use.html

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at November 21, 2015 05:12 PM (FkBIv)

100 I use dried epazote in pinto beans. I like the taste of it (but I don't like cumin though).

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 21, 2015 05:14 PM (Lqy/e)

101 I have a friend whose husband's mother is a quinoa freak. She makes it everytime I vist there, and gives the whole "It's a super food!" thing.

Interesting. I alternated between quinoa and other uncommon grains back around 1990 when I was seeing a doctor for some pretty severe allergies.

Quinoa is tasty, and it's a lot cheaper and easier to find than it was in 1990, but I don't think that it has any special super-properties.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at November 21, 2015 05:15 PM (dPpmC)

102 #94:

Saw an article that pointed out that plain old rice and beans had more protein that quinoa. The "superfood" thing is mostly marketing. There is some stuff out there about health benefits of quinoa that is traceable to a "social media personality" who makes stuff up.

I still like quinoa, though. Nice that there is something that will grow high in the Rocky Mountains, too.

Has anybody ever run across quinoa in a supermarket that hadn't been washed to remove the saponins?

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 05:16 PM (qahv/)

103 Posted by: zombie at November 21, 2015 04:55 PM

Totally with you there, zombie. Quinoa rocks. Definitely one of my favorite grains.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 21, 2015 05:17 PM (pLwjI)

104 Notsothoreau at November 21, 2015 05:14 PM

I am going to look for some dried epazote. I am not wild about cumin, either. I generally reduce the amount in chili, even.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 05:19 PM (qahv/)

105 Our previous Australian shepherd was named Kenoh. We had to be careful with pronunciation around the five-year-old granddaughter. I can imagine her consternation if we said "We're having quinoa for supper."

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at November 21, 2015 05:20 PM (NeFrd)

106 What about super beets?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at November 21, 2015 05:22 PM (FkBIv)

107 Oh, and I'm trying not to be a nuisance, but you can buy my book on Kindle for FREE, FREE, FREE through Monday.

To Save Us All From Ruin

http://tinyurl.com/og5pcpe

Sample chapter available at link in my nick.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at November 21, 2015 05:23 PM (NeFrd)

108 For gardening and weed control I have your answer.......Go find a blue painted 55 gallon drum with some kind of printing on it about don't have contact with skin..,.....spray over the weed affected area........It's all good and the son a bitch like gangbusters. LMFAO.

Posted by: QUAN TRI 1971 at November 21, 2015 05:26 PM (2xbUR)

109 100 I use dried epazote in pinto beans. I like the taste of it (but I don't like cumin though).
Posted by: Notsothoreau
----------------
I really don't like cumin. Chilli, pork roast, whatever. It's like cilantro to me - small doses only.

Posted by: Chi at November 21, 2015 05:26 PM (GmBB1)

110 Back to the football post....LMAO

Posted by: QUAN TRI 1971 at November 21, 2015 05:27 PM (2xbUR)

111 Is a buckeye the same as a horse chestnut? Big 10 used to be Big 2 and Little 8.

Posted by: BignJames at November 21, 2015 05:28 PM (j7iSn)

112 And the pro quinoa faction are all like, "It's KEE-know", and I'm like, "It's kwin-KNOW-uh".

Posted by: Bruce Boehner at November 21, 2015 05:39 PM (xU0ng)

113 When we moved from Central Ohio to NW Indiana I brought a little Buckeye tree with us. My Hoisier neighbors were only slightly amused. As I recall Buckeyes are a part of the Chestnut family.
And, yes, the leaves look like mj. In fact, that's how I learned to recognize mj plants, cuz they look like buckeye leaves. As opposed to poison ivy leaves. Ha!

BEAT SPARTY! GO BUCKEYES!

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at November 21, 2015 05:54 PM (1M/xn)

114 I intend to plant a couple of trees in the front yard to replace two largish Dogwoods that succumbed to fungus.

I've looked at 'Paper Bark Elms', which I kind of like. Anyone have experience with them?

Posted by: Mike Hammer,etc., etc. at November 21, 2015 05:55 PM (9mTYi)

115 Hoiser = Hoosier. Sheesh.
Where's my beer?

Posted by: Buckeye Katie at November 21, 2015 05:56 PM (1M/xn)

116 I have red salvias and yellow marigolds along the back wall of the garden, still brilliant after six months of nonstop blooms. How the hell did that happen? Can that be normal?

I got 12-packs of each back in May for maybe $10 total at the Depot as they were clearong out leftovers.

Posted by: Spellcheck at November 21, 2015 05:58 PM (j+aWk)

117 'Quinoa'

Just goes to show how out of touch I am, I've never heard of it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer,etc., etc. at November 21, 2015 05:58 PM (9mTYi)

118 In a few days the last Brussels sprouts will be eaten up. Still a few pounds of Nantes carrots to go.

The garden got buried under snow last night / today, but we finished harvesting weeks ago and threw all the summer's compost on it, then covered it with hay. Still drying herbs on the porch.

The cider vinegar is just about ready to decant - so strong it clears the sinuses to sniff at the mouth of the jug(s). Probably about 3 gallons; we won't have to buy any vinegar for pickling next year.

Dozens of birds at the feeders today, even in the snow .... lots of little finches, a pair of cardinals, several mourning doves. Threw some birdseed out on cleared pavement to accommodate the overflow. Squirrels clearing up what gets dropped. We don't have a lot of squirrel trouble because the black walnut trees keep them pretty well fed. For our own use I collected about a bushel of walnuts. Pure hell to get the nut-meat out, but so tasty when you do !
Pending the acquisition of one of those big steel lever-action nutcrackers we are still using a foot long piece of railroad iron and a hammer, with small diagonal cutters for the fine work.

Waiting for wintersown.org to get the free tomato seeds online - the seeds I got last year were excellent, though we didn't use them ourselves .... gave them away to friends with a greenhouse and some Wisconsin Amish we know. Got some San Marzanos for free out of the deal which went into an excellent batch of tomato sauce we canned (over 50 pints canned this year ! spag heaven !).
OK, well into tl:dr territory, so all best to gardeners and the Horde generally; more next week !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at November 21, 2015 06:00 PM (erRNA)

119 Oh, and I pronounce it "kwy-no-ah" just to piss off the kind of purists who say "pock-ee-stan" and so forth.
This is America, I pronounce things like an American.
Deal with it.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at November 21, 2015 06:06 PM (erRNA)

120 Wow SRT you rock the gardening and canning.

I'll by Seamus's book. I'm usually cheap but I like to support the horde. I enjoyed his writing in the book about his FIL's disappearance.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 21, 2015 06:19 PM (1OLmv)

121 This is America, I pronounce things like an American.
Deal with it.
Posted by: sock
--------------

Same way with me, I call 'Myanmar', 'Burma', just to piss them off. When someone snobbishly informs me that it is now 'Myanmar', I point out that I call a place by a name that I find convenient.

Just to tweak them, I'll throw in a 'Ceylon' and a 'Siam'. Probably the funnest thing, though, is to refer to Peking.

Posted by: Mike Hammer,etc., etc. at November 21, 2015 06:20 PM (9mTYi)

122 Everyone must be out doing winter prep on their gardens or shopping for holiday feasting.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 21, 2015 06:20 PM (1OLmv)

123 Four hours and 119 comments, I would say this post has been composted. Let's see if I can stir some shit- Did anyone else see the Putin is going to 150,000 ground troops in Syria?

Posted by: Ben Had at November 21, 2015 06:25 PM (7AenT)

124 Nood on the candidates.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 21, 2015 06:27 PM (1OLmv)

125 It all comes down to the FG now

Posted by: chemjeff at November 21, 2015 06:40 PM (uZNvH)

126 oops wrong thread

Posted by: chemjeff at November 21, 2015 06:42 PM (uZNvH)

127 I would say this post
has been composted. Let's see if I can stir some shit- Did anyone else
see the Putin is going to 150,000 ground troops in Syria?

Posted by: Ben Had at November 21, 2015 06:25 PM (7AenT)

Hate to be the one to say it......But he has the balls and is right. You know Jug Ears won't do shit.....Carter is going all....O M F G....There is someone dumber than me.Back in the day it was well known that if you pissed the Russians of or the IS...your shit was going to be very loose..............................................................now it's only Russians ... we have no standing.

Posted by: QUAN TRI 1971 at November 21, 2015 07:30 PM (2xbUR)

128 I spent the afternoon planting pansies and snapdragons, stock and a few herbs from 4" pots. Most of the seeds that I planted in the last two weeks have come up and look pretty healthy. I have to thin the daikon and the bokchoy which I hate to do. Maybe I can eat the little plants so they won't go to waste. I bought some onion sets at the nursery today, too many as usual and not enough room for all of them, but the little bunches are hard to resist and there are so many cool varieties!

Posted by: dreadpirateroberta at November 21, 2015 07:31 PM (z1kKI)

129 My bad...screwed up typing....................... Hey, I just made it to 66 no thanks to the Government....I'm just that mean........anyway let me correct my post, for historical reasons..................Back in the day it was well known that if you pissed the Russians of or
the US...your shit was going to be very
loose..............................................................now
it's only the Russians ... we have no standing as a world power / threat to bad guys anymore.....Jug Ears will talk them to death........or lick their asses, which he is doing right now. HE is signing your death warrant I type this.

Posted by: QUAN TRI 1971 at November 21, 2015 07:57 PM (2xbUR)

130 What about super beets?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at November 21, 2015 05:22 PM (FkBIv)

Um, super beets are used to make super bourbon, and that is pretty good with a sandwich made of super cow.

- Stephen Silk, Terran Federation ambassador to New Texas

Posted by: Kindltot at November 21, 2015 08:05 PM (q2o38)

131 ock_rat_eez
Your garden sounds wonderful.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 08:12 PM (qahv/)

132 They had an election for national tree and didn't tell me? I'VE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED...by racism or something.

Seriously, the Sequoias are THE American trees - grows nowhere else and are the biggest and the tallest in the world!

They did find a patch of what is called "dwarf sequoia" in Mongolia, so-called because they only grow to 200 feet.

Actually, I think the hickory is another good candidate. It is the strongest and hardest of all American woods. Even nicknamed an American president after it.

Here in Korea, they use the ginkgo widely as street trees. Very pretty when the leaves change but the females leave lots and lots of messy fruit on the side walks.

Posted by: Whitehall at November 21, 2015 08:16 PM (8cL7s)

133 Mike Hammer:

Do you mean "Lacebark Elm"? AKA Chinese Elm?

Ulmus parvifolia is the scientific name.

What region do you live in?

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 08:20 PM (qahv/)

134 Traye,

So sorry your seedlings got washed out. Hope you have better luck with your re-plant.

Posted by: KT at November 21, 2015 08:21 PM (qahv/)

135
Black beans without gas is like a day without sunshine.

Posted by: Levin at November 22, 2015 01:21 PM (9TS9J)

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