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Service Berries and early Lavender...mystery white mulberries, too.

Well, it has sure been a while since I was getting all amped up on there being half-thawed slushy nonsense filling up my swale. I'll have to put up pictures of the clover/gooseberry mini-forest that has populated nicely on said swale. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), crazy.

Today, Jared met up with me to watch the soccer game (go Germany!), and surprised me with a handful of service berries! I have never had these deliciously tiny little berries...and was pleasantly surprised. What was even better, is that they were collected very, very, nearby. We filled up a good part of my purse with these little guys, and I can't wait to make mini pies tomorrow morning (pix or it didn't happen).

THENNNNNNNN we found a lavender bush almost ready to bloom! I impatiently picked some, and although they won't dry as straight as they should, they will still smell wonderful.

THENNNNNNNN we found a mulberry tree...but the twist is - WHITE BERRIES! I felt like I had discovered a new thing. I wasn't adventurous enough to try one, but I was told by my traveling companion that they tasted 'fermented'. He may dispute this one.

So that's the impromptu fun forage party that happened today, I can't wait to get baking and show all y'all what I'm up to.

OH- and 3/4 of the crew (with special honorable guests) were at the Farmer's Market last week- maybe they'd like to tell you about it? Right?

Over and out, pat a pig on the snout.

Sourdough bread, Transition Oakland County, and Swales!

The other week, I successfully baked my first two loaves of sourdough bread. This is especially tricky to do in the winter, as the yiddle yeasties (technical term) that are responsible for the leavening of the bread don't like the cold dry weather. Really, they're just sluggish and sleepy. Hopefully I'll get a good feel for building (yes, building) bread, and it will be available this summer for purchase. Bread CSA, anyone?

From Abundant Succession

On Feb. 28th, our friend Pam Bytner from Transition Oakland County gave a workshop on the basics of the transition movement. Jared wrapped it up with a quick little ditty on the basics of Permaculture. Although it wasn't as attended as I thought it was going to be, the people who came were absolutely fantastic! No workshop is complete without snacks, so I made malted chocolate chip cookies.

From Abundant Succession

From Abundant Succession

From Abundant Succession

Finally, with all this warm weather the arctic tundra of my backyard has started to thaw, and even my compost piles are mostly fluffy and turnable! Yay!

Back to the thawing snow, though. Where does all the excess water go!? Well, since I live in town, a lot of it does go back into the sewers. Bummer. So, last year I dug a swale in my back yard so that I could keep some of that water all to myself. What is a swale, one may ask? Well, it's basically a trench dug along a contour line, so that it slows down and spreads out water. Sorry if that's not the best explanation, I had to see one to really understand what they do.

From Abundant Succession

It may not look special, but it's my first swale. Look at it, doing it's job, trapping water in it's little crevice. Go swale, go!

Making Kombucha Tea: Part Two

and now for PART II:

Add that sugar!  Give it a good stir until it is completely dissolved.  (May I suggest that you add a quarter-cup of brown sugar too if you're using just green tea ... it helps it ferment faster)

VERY IMPORTANT:  Let the sugar-tea cool to room temperature before the next step!

The culture is a living organism (actually about 30 distinct species) and will die on contact with hot liquid.  Depending on the volume of your sugar-tea, it could take many hours to cool down.  You can take a shortcut by adding a bag of ice (if you add ice directly, make sure it's made from filtered water).

Once cooled, it's time to add the culture.  Make sure your hands are clean, but you don't have to be delicate - it's a tough, resilient symbiotic structure.

You should have received your culture in an acidic solution (from its original batch).  Add this too - it will kick-start your ferment.  If you weren't so lucky, you can add a tablespoon or two of organic apple cider vinegar.

Cover your containers with cheese cloth and secure with a rubberband.  This serves several very imperative functions: 1) it keeps fruit flies and other unsanitary pests out; and 2) it prevents condensation from occurring, which could lead to mold and other unsavory issues.

Keep the containers out of direct sunlight (UV rays kill the microorganisms) in a warm place.  The warmer, the better.  The culture likes to hang out in temperatures around 80F.  I keep mine on top of seedling heat mats (when I'm not using them to start my veggies in the greenhouse), but you could put yours near the stove or wrap a cozy around it.

Let it go for about a week, but this can vary drastically depending on the conditions.  It is ready when it tastes sour, not sweet.  You will notice some carbonation, but to get it really fuzzy, you will have to send it on a second ferment.  Here's how:

Sterilize old glass drink bottles and their lids.  Fill with the kombucha and add a pinch of granulated sugar.  Seal tightly ... very tightly.  Keep in a warm, dark place for 2-4 days.  Essentially, you have created anaerobic conditions, and the CO2 has no place to go.  

One more thing: If you're going to add flavor, do it when you bottle it.  Stick to organic fruit juices and herbs or teas.  

ENJOY!

Making Kombucha Tea: Part One

My father is from Russia and recalls drinking "tea-kvass" as a boy.  He distinctly remembers which of his friends' mothers had the best and worst tea-kvass, a traditional fermented brew that has been a folk remedy there for centuries.  When he moved to the States he couldn't find the drink any where ... until recently when it started showing up in markets labeled "kombucha" - and going for a pricey $3-4 per 16 ounce bottle.

Kombucha is magic: it has superhero-like effects, stimulating a whole complex of health benefits for humans and animals alike.  It is a probiotic that encourages the growth of healthy intestinal flora, specifically lactobacillus, making for good digestion.  In addition to a range of vital organic acids the culture produces, it creates novel nutrients: B vitamins (B1, B2, B4, and B12) and Vitamin C.  Biochemists would call it an "adaptogen," a substance that normalizes the body's metabolism, which prefers an alkaline environment to function properly.  Its detoxifying effects are incredible - it will help out your liver, kidneys and blood.  Perhaps its least quantifiable effect is the zing! of energy that inevitably follows a glass.  But be warned: this is not a cure-all, miracle substance.  It should be consumed in moderation (daily is fine)!

The fermented drink is composed of at least three ingredients: fresh brewed green or black tea; granulated sugar; and a culture.  Although often refered to as a "mushroom," the culture is actually a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY).  The culture is like a cellulose pancake - tough, slippery and rubbery.  More on that later ... 

GETTING STARTED

 You will need:

- 10 cups boiling water

- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar

- 3 bags of organic, high-quality green or black tea

- a 3 inch or larger piece of culture in its natural acidic liquid 

- a large, wide-mouth glass container

- cheese cloth & rubber band

Making the Drink:
Cleanliness is key in this process, so wash your hands and clean all of your equipment and utensils before you begin.

Start by bringing the water to the boil.  I'm making a BIG batch, so I've quadrupled everything.  Let the water boil for a few minutes, which will kill any pathogens and evaporate any volatiles (like chlorine, if you're using tap water).





Turn off the water and let it calm down.  Once it is still, add the tea bags.  I prefer to use green tea, for it's EGCGs and flavor.  You can use black or oolong, fermented black tea.  Unfermented green tea is especially nutritious and has anti-carcinogenic properties.  The tea supports the growth of the microorganisms and cellular construction of the culture.  Organic, high-quality teas are best. Skip the herbal and fruit teas - for a reason that nobody seems to know, they just don't work. 



 
Next, measure out the sugar: 3/4 cup.  Set aside and let the tea brew for 15 minutes, then remove the bags.
The sugar provides nutrients to the culture and helps to activate the microorganisms.  The bacteria metabolize the sugar into acetic acid and carbon dioxide.



 A healthy culture (below) is beige/brown (black tea) or pale cream (green tea).  A 3 inch piece is enough if it is thick and tough.  Avoid stringy, thin cultures.  Pictured is my "mother" culture - it's about 14 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.  The culture will grow to the shape of your container if it is fed well and kept happy.  Within a week or two, you will notice that it will produce "offspring" from its underside ... more cultures!

Part two is on its way !!!

Good Weekend

As we welcome Monday with a snow storm, looking back at those four beautiful days of what felt like spring, we have to stay positive and be patient that the snow will soon be gone and the gardens will be growing again. The beautiful days were also home to some good events that were held this weekend.

First, UM Dearborn held a Summit on Urban Farming on Friday. The urban farming and local food movements have been growing rapidly here in Michigan. More and more people are looking to revive their communities, economies, health and spirits through organic and local food production and the monumental benefits that come with it. Small farms, businesses, community gardens and greenhouses have been popping up everywhere in response to these movements, shining hope onto Michigan's economy.

The summit was also a response to these rapidly growing movements, and here the educational community is catching on, trying to learn how to help. There were so many great people, so many great conversations going on there, it's going to be great to see how this event unfolds in the urban farming community.

The panel discussion had leaders from the booming Detroit scene address many issues surrounding urban farming and its future in Detroit and Michigan. Panelists included: Ashley Atkinson, The Greening of Detroit; Oran Hesterman, Fair Food Network; Susan Schmidt, The Henry Ford; Kami Pothukuchi, SEED Wayne; Malik Yakini, Detroit Black Community Food Security.

Robert Kenner, the filmmaker behind the hit Food Inc., was the keynote speaker at lunch. He provided many great insights into the film, including much of the behind the scenes conversations and events that were going on during the making of the film. Robert was so impressed by what he saw that day that he is considering coming back and doing another film about Detroit, and hopefully the rest of Michigan!



Lastly, our friend Mikey Formisano held a Season Extension and Cold-Frame Workshop at the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center. Mikey is a recent horticulture graduate from Michigan State University and spent his years there working at the Student Organic Farm. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon (that helped my greenhouse radishes germinate while I was gone!), with about 20 enthusiastic gardeners and farmers coming out to learn about season extension and its myriad of benefits. The workshop was a lot of fun, and before we know it, we'll all be Four Season Growers here in Michigan!

My New Room Mates

Yarrow Seedlings
showing first true leaves



This member of the Asteraceae family blooms from summer to early fall. Yarrow's botanical name is Achillea millefolium where the genus name Achillea is said to be derived from the mythical Greek character, Achilles, who would carry it with him into battle to treat wounded soldiers.

Yarrow is helpful in the garden for fixing poor soil and especially for attracting beneficial insects (hoverfly and parastitic wasps).

Hoverfly
Syrphid flies

Many of them look like bees but cannot sting. The larva of the hoverfly eats aphids, mealbugs, leafhoppers, and scale. The adult form feeds on nectar and pollen so a consistent bloom of flowers will keep them around the garden.

Parasitic Wasps

3 maingroups: Braconids, Chalcids, Ichneumonids

Braconids
Tiny, often brightly colored wasps that lay their eggs on or in cabbageworms, tomato hornworms, and other caterpillars.

Chalcids
Tiny wasps,(1/32 in.) whose hosts are mealybugs, aphids, and larvae of moths, beetles and butterflies. They can be golden or black in color.

Ichneumonids
The wasp that is characterized by its long ovipositor which deposits eggs into moth and butterfly larvae.

For a list of host plants for beneficial insects (and other indispensable gardening information) check out Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture.

Seeds, part deux!

I just got my seed order from Baker Creek today! I just really wanted to share my excitement in this respect, and express that they have the best seed envelopes I have seen yet. They even threw in a free pack of Henderson's Pink Ponderosa tomato! Wheeeeeee!

Seeds

We're back! The 2010 growing season is on it's way. What's been on your mind? Late winter and early spring are busy times for garden planning, and that's exactly what we've been doing. We've been getting our seed catalogs, ordering and inventorying seeds, mapping our gardens and getting ready for a great year. We'll be frequently posting narratives and tips on what we're up to throughout the year. We hope our blog will help guide you through a successful growing season.
We've been feverishly looking through dozens of seed and plant catalogs for the past month looking for all those gems, deals and hard finds. It is both the most exciting and the most painstaking process one can go through in the late winter. Our imaginations have been running wild with all the possibilities, until we are brought back down to earth and have to make those hard decisions on what must be ordered.



Above are some of the catalogs that we've been fingering through. Here is a rundown on some of my favorites.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds: Loaded with the most beautiful pictures, this catalog is for the gardener looking for those rare, hard to find varieties of a lost time. Great prices and the best variety of seeds offered.
High Mowing Organic Seeds: 100% certified organic seeds for the home and market grower. Great selection of the latest varieties, great growing information, excellent seed quality and competitive prices.
Johnny's Selected Seeds: The classic "go to seed company" of many organic growers around the country. Johnny's offers seeds of great quality of the latest varieties, organic seeds, tools and equipment and top tier plant breeding.
Turtletree: An excellent biodynamic seed catalog. Offers 100% certified biodynamic seeds of top quality. A little pricey, but those seeds sure do have good energy!
Oikos Tree Crops: This nursery is hands down my favorite. The catelog is beautiful and informative, the prices are great and the nursery is located outside Kalamazoo, MI. The catalog is geared towards forest gardening, offering diverse trees, tubers, shrubs, flowers, and groundcovers with a native and edible focus.

When looking through the catalogs, it is helpful to start a spreadsheet by hand or on the computer to organize the seed information. You can compare seed counts, prices, sizes, etc. We organize our spreadsheets by: Crop, Variety, Species, Genus, Family, Packet Size, Seed Count, Price, Days to Maturity, Source and Product Number. All of these are not necessary, but learning the Latin names of all those vegetables and plants will be convenient when planning for crop rotations, interplanting and bio-intensive growing. Use the seed company's information to calculate how much seed to order. A scaled garden map is useful when doing your calculations.

The other day, it felt like Christmas. We ordered quite a bit of our seeds for the season, and the mailman dropped off a box of goodies. The Johnny's box is seen above. Order your seeds fast! Seed companies always seem to have the best seeds on back order or sold out now a days.

Also, take inventory of all of your seeds. This includes seeds from last year, saved seeds, and traded seeds. Some of my saved seeds are above. Seed saving is one of the most important practices of sustainable agriculture, and I'm learning that it's also an art. Flower seeds are the easiest seeds to save, and I have quite a bit of tomato and bean seed. Next year, no more plastic bags! Those nasty, convenient little things.

Black Raspberry (Rubus Occidentalis) Pruning

Black raspberries! These tasty, prolific and pesky berries have been growing through my neighbor's (these are the same neighbors with the quince tree) fence for years, and in the past year I persuaded my mother to stop cutting them back. During the early summer when that decision was made, their growth was slow. It wasn't until I turned my back for a minute (I swear, a whole minute), the were out of control! There are many a story about black raspberries wreaking havoc on people's yards, and I was determined to not let that happen to mine.

(Blackberries before the pruning)

It may not look like much, but the canes were starting to reach outward and spread low as opposed to a more structured and vertical growth that I desired. So, I put on my leather gloves, pruners, and got in there. I'm not entirely sure if what I did was 'by the book', but it worked well for me. (Blackberries after the pruning) It does look like I took a lot out, however I am confident that they will grow back next season, and hopefully I will be able to maintain some kind of order. Also, I saved the roots, washed them and they are currently drying in my basement. I am coming to understand that they have certain medicinal qualities, although I am not in the position to speak confidently about their uses at this time. Above is the ball of raspberry roots after I rinsed them off. That is not a single root system, but many roots from the smaller canes all bundled together. After they are thoroughly dried, I plan on cutting them into more uniform sizes, and storing in mason jars.

December Sheet Mulching

Winter is coming and freezing temperatures are creeping in. I decided to try and finish my sheet mulching around my trees and shrubs (almost done). Sheet mulching is a no-dig garden method that builds soil quickly in layers. Some gardeners may know it as "lasagna gardening". Instead of piling organic matter into piles for composting, the organic matter is laid out into to the garden beds to compost in place. My finished sheet mulched beds took about 6 months to break down fully, becoming a beautifully rich loam. Freshly sheet mulched beds, if done well, can be home to very productive plants. Tomatoes and cucurbits sure do love it.
Here is a step-by-step process for quick sheet mulching. The process is forgiving, so if everything is not perfect, don't worry.
Step 1
Moisten and loosen soil in the future garden beds. I use a digging fork and loosen as deep as possible. Many soils are compacted, and could use the extra help before the worms come in to devour the mulch. This is a bare root beach plum (Prunus maritima) I planted in October. Tree roots typically spread 1 1/2 times the crown diameter or more, so on this future 6 foot tree I will sheet mulch to at least the diameter of the mature crown.

Step 2
Spread soil amendments on the sod around the future garden beds. Knowing your soil is very important in this step, so contact your local garden store or garden association to get a soil test if you haven't already gotten one.
Step 3
Place sheets of cardboard or several layers of newspaper on top of the sod, and moisten it. This layer will act as a light barrier to smother out grass and weeds. Eventually the sod will rot and become humus, feeding the plants. This is a 1 year old gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) cutting I planted in October.

Step 4
Add organic matter, about 6-12 inches, and spread evenly. I like to spread down some composted manure first, and then bulk organic matter. Fall is a great time to acquire organic matter, and my strategy is to mow the grass and fallen leaves together to make a finer textured C/N mix. The ideal C:N ratio is around 25:1. Spoiled hay is also a great bulk organic matter source.

Step 5
Top the pile off with evenly spread finished compost or topsoil, about 1-2 inches and add mulch. Remember to always mulch, so cover the pile with leaves, straw, woodchips, etc.

Fall is a great time to sheet mulch and mulch in general. Trees' and other woody plants' roots are very active in the fall when the plants go dormant. Mulching before winter allows the roots more time to grow and build up reserves for the long winter. This is especially important in newly planted plants whose roots are not yet well established. Winter soil erosion is also common, so mulching will ensure that all your hard work stays in place.

More Lacto Fermentation: Kim Chi

Lacto Fermentation: Preparing Dosa/Idli Batter

Dosas are traditional south Indian "flatbreads or pancakes" that are typically eaten for breakfast. The same batter, at a thicker viscosity, is used to make idli, a steamed version of the dish. This grain fermentation is super easy and the results are fantastically delicious. The only required ingredients are basmati rice and split lentils; use only organic products.  you can imagine what a filling and healthy dish this is, packed with quality carbs and protein. This is a three-day lacto ferment, plus the overnight soak. Learn more about lacto fermentation and its health benefits.

To begin, measure out 1 cup of dry split lentils (urad) and 2 cups of basmati rice into separate quart or larger jars (these seed-sprouting jars work really well). Soak them overnight in filtered or spring water to soften them up. Using non-chlorinated water is important - the ferment is dependent on the lactic acid bacteria that are naturally present in and on the lentils and rice; chlorinated water will kill them and the fermentation process will be slow or not happen at all.

Drain the rice and lentils. You can rinse them a few times with spring water. Next, process each ingredient separately with as much spring water as it takes to get a smooth, even consistency. The lentils will turn out a bit lumpy unless you process them with a lot of water for a long time.

In a large mixing bowl, stir the two mixtures well. The consistency should be that of a pancake batter. Add spring water if you need too.

Once the batter is mixed well, you're ready to scoop it into glass quart jars with lids. Here's a secret: the lactic acid bacteria convert the starches to lactic acid and carbon dioxide, so leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of the jar empty for the batter to expand. (I should re-distribute the jars pictured below).

Leave the jars in a warm place for up to three days, or whenever they smell as sour as you'd like them to get. Once they smell right to you, stick them in the refrigerator where you can keep them for several months. The batter will continue to ferment, but at a much slower pace, as the bacteria's activity levels are moderated by temperature.

To prepare dosas, mix the batter with water to get the consistency of a thin pancake batter. Add some spices and kosher salt at this point - garam masala and curry make a wonderfully savory version. Heat olive oil or ghee on a hot cast iron skillet. Using a circular motion, spread a thin layer of batter with a spoon along the entire surface. Here's another secret: drizzle a few rounds of olive oil over the topside before you flip it over. Once the batter is set, flip it over to brown the otherside. Serve with dal and, well, anything really. More on this soon!

Quince Jam/Marmalade

My neighbors have a quince tree in their yard! Luckily for me, a good portion of the fruit falls onto my property. So I decided to make Marmalade. Although typically marmalade is now made with oranges, it is believed that the original was made with Quinces. Interestingly enough, NPR's Kitchen Window just featured Quince and has some good information on the fruits origins as well as some tasty recipes!

This is the bowl of the Quince after I trimmed off the bruised and pest-damaged parts. If you notice, some of the Quince's white fuzz is still visible on the fruits even after handling. Through most of the growing season, the quince will have a peach-like fuzz, and it only starts to shed when they are ready to pick. Another indicator of ripeness is their strong perfume smell.

As you can see, they have quite a few pips (seeds), and there is a thick gel surround each pip which I can only assume is part of the natural pectin.

So, I took the quinces inside, rinsed them quite well, making sure to leave most of the pips intact. I then put them in a tall pot, covered with water, and let cook down until the fruit were soft.

I then added some lavender water, honey, and about a quarter cup of sugar. Unfortunately I did not measure amounts of the ingredients or how much of quince I used, but with periodic tasting you can determine for yourself how sweet you would like your marmalade.

After cooking some more, mashing with a potato masher, I let the mixture strain through a colander. You could also use a cheese cloth or any other straining device. You may have to force them through with a spoon or ladle. A few seeds may sneak through.

After straining, I packed the mixture into sterilized jars and processed in a boiling water canner for about 10 to 20 minutes. If you're new to canning, a good resource is the USDA canning guide web site.

Finished product! It didn't turn the rosy pink color described elsewhere, but it still tastes good!

I also saved one jar in the fridge for immediate consumption. I'm planning on making a Sachertorte this week and will be using the quince jam as the filling (instead of the traditional apricot).