You might remember that back in March, a neighbor posted on Nextdoor about some free seeds to give away. I jumped at the chance, and came home with maybe three dozen seed packs. I was thrilled. Those seed packs have become the pollinator garden that my bees visit every day, all the cosmos, nictotiana, and forget-me-nots, a bunch of other stuff. It was such a gift.
Yesterday I noticed the neighbor had posted again! this time with even more seed packets. I was volunteering at the middle school, I couldn't go check it out, and today was busy too - but I made a moment to stop by this afternoon when he posted there were some left. I wasn't hopeful because folks are fast here, damn they are fast!
Well, I pulled up to his house and on his front porch was a Rubbermaid bin FULL of packets. I came home with hundreds of dollars worth of seeds, all from Renee's, my favorite seed house.
I dumped my booty on the table and went straight to the canning shelf, pulled out our last 4 ounce jar of homegrown honey, and went back and rang the neighbor's doorbell. I thanked him profusely and told him that the honey (which we harvested by accident back in July) had come from the flowers that came from the seeds he gave me back in March, and I was so grateful. He was glad to have the honey and promised to let me know when the next batch of seeds arrives. Apparently his mom runs a public garden in Southern CA, and always has too many seeds to use, and brings a batch a couple times a year. Oh, my. I hope I can score some next time as well!!!
Here's some of the haul.
It's mostly flower seeds, but there are some winter vegetables as well as some herbs. I could not be more delighted!!!! Some of the flowers seeds will get planted right away, like the zinnias, but others will wait until late winter, early spring. Winter seeds will go in in November. The herbs will wait until spring as well. So my storage box in the fridge is nice and fat. I separated out about a third of the seeds to share with friends and family, but if they don't want 'em, my box'll be even fatter.
Charlie Brown never said it, but I do believe happiness is a full seed box.
I also wanted to share with you a recipe I made tonight that could not be simpler. I don't know why I haven't tried this before, because as you know everything tastes better roasted with olive oil and salt, but thank goodness inspiration struck, because this recipe will be in regular rotation here from now on.
I harvested a couple of delicata squash early this morning (along with a good ten pounds of tomatoes, a good pound of ancho poblano (or pasilla) peppers, six cucumbers of which only 3 are still edible). I just learned that some folks call delicata "sweet potato squash' because it tastes, well, like sweet potatoes. It never has to me, but tonight it definitely did. In fact my kids liked it better than sweet potatoes, which they don't particularly enjoy. But they both ate and liked this squash recipe.
Ok, so wash the squash well, because you're gonna eat the skin. Preheat oven to 425. Slice off the ends, slice the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (and feed them to your chickens :) or plant them!), then slice the halves into half-moons. Place on a cookie sheet, brush liberally with oil and salt lavishly, then roast for 15 minutes. Turn them over, roast another 15. Or so. You'll know when they're done because they are golden and crispy.
They tasted like sweet potato fries! oh my goodness. delicious.
So, a happy day, also my first day back at work, a sort of meet-your-teachers-and-see-your-classroom thing. One of the kids from last year saw me in the crowd, walked straight to me, and threw himself into my arms. !!! He held me for a solid minute. I must say, that made it worth going back, for sure!
Yesterday I noticed the neighbor had posted again! this time with even more seed packets. I was volunteering at the middle school, I couldn't go check it out, and today was busy too - but I made a moment to stop by this afternoon when he posted there were some left. I wasn't hopeful because folks are fast here, damn they are fast!
Well, I pulled up to his house and on his front porch was a Rubbermaid bin FULL of packets. I came home with hundreds of dollars worth of seeds, all from Renee's, my favorite seed house.
I dumped my booty on the table and went straight to the canning shelf, pulled out our last 4 ounce jar of homegrown honey, and went back and rang the neighbor's doorbell. I thanked him profusely and told him that the honey (which we harvested by accident back in July) had come from the flowers that came from the seeds he gave me back in March, and I was so grateful. He was glad to have the honey and promised to let me know when the next batch of seeds arrives. Apparently his mom runs a public garden in Southern CA, and always has too many seeds to use, and brings a batch a couple times a year. Oh, my. I hope I can score some next time as well!!!
Here's some of the haul.
It's mostly flower seeds, but there are some winter vegetables as well as some herbs. I could not be more delighted!!!! Some of the flowers seeds will get planted right away, like the zinnias, but others will wait until late winter, early spring. Winter seeds will go in in November. The herbs will wait until spring as well. So my storage box in the fridge is nice and fat. I separated out about a third of the seeds to share with friends and family, but if they don't want 'em, my box'll be even fatter.
Charlie Brown never said it, but I do believe happiness is a full seed box.
I also wanted to share with you a recipe I made tonight that could not be simpler. I don't know why I haven't tried this before, because as you know everything tastes better roasted with olive oil and salt, but thank goodness inspiration struck, because this recipe will be in regular rotation here from now on.
I harvested a couple of delicata squash early this morning (along with a good ten pounds of tomatoes, a good pound of ancho poblano (or pasilla) peppers, six cucumbers of which only 3 are still edible). I just learned that some folks call delicata "sweet potato squash' because it tastes, well, like sweet potatoes. It never has to me, but tonight it definitely did. In fact my kids liked it better than sweet potatoes, which they don't particularly enjoy. But they both ate and liked this squash recipe.
Ok, so wash the squash well, because you're gonna eat the skin. Preheat oven to 425. Slice off the ends, slice the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (and feed them to your chickens :) or plant them!), then slice the halves into half-moons. Place on a cookie sheet, brush liberally with oil and salt lavishly, then roast for 15 minutes. Turn them over, roast another 15. Or so. You'll know when they're done because they are golden and crispy.
They tasted like sweet potato fries! oh my goodness. delicious.
So, a happy day, also my first day back at work, a sort of meet-your-teachers-and-see-your-classroom thing. One of the kids from last year saw me in the crowd, walked straight to me, and threw himself into my arms. !!! He held me for a solid minute. I must say, that made it worth going back, for sure!