Organic. Period.

These statistics are from the University of Iowa, where modern agriculture and agribusiness are understood.

A warm spell these past few days has brought out my planting instincts. In an earlier post, I planted lettuce on the snow, a technique that usually works. There was so much ice and snow for so long that some hungry juncos picked most of the seed off the ice and ate it before it got a chance to grow.

So one day last week I planted more lettuce, and this time I planted spinach and radishes along with it. I used a small raised bed that is my starting bed, and as I mixed in some compost and stirred it all together, I caught a whiff of basil that was the last thing I had started in the bed last summer. There were some basil roots in the mix…and what a breath of fresh air!

So I used some dried basil to make my youngest son’s favorite soup. He uses a can of condensed cream of tomato soup, adds a can of milk, one can of diced tomatoes with all the juice, then he stirs in about 2 Tablespoons dried basil and 3/4 cup instant rice. Stir often over medium heat until the rice is tender, and serve with your favorite grated cheese on top.

Note: If using home canned tomatoes, use one pint of tomatoes with all the juice, and  rice equal to the amount of tomato juice. i.e. one cup of juice, use one cup of rice.

Spring Salad with Bleu or Gorgonzola Cheese

Dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon or brown mustard
3 tablespoons light colored organic vinegar (not balsamic or dark vinegar)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Lemon juice is ok.
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar or tight-lidded container and shake well. When it thickens and becomes creamy, store it in the fridge until ready to use. This dressing will keep for several days.

Salad:
8 cups mesclun lettuces, or your favorite lettuce
8 oz Gorgonzola or bleu cheese crumbled into small bits
1 cup chopped almonds (or pecans or walnuts)
            1 apple or 1 pear, sliced or cut into chunks

Place all salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour just enough dressing to coat, toss and serve immediately.

 Variations:
This salad is delicious made with buttercrunch lettuce and spinach fresh from the garden. If you buy lettuce at the supermarket, look for romaine or tender leaf lettuce.

Grapes are also a fine addition with the apple or pear. A few raisins or dried cranberries work, too.
 

OK, I’m talking about a grapefruit tree indoors here in the north. I had some of these several years ago, and they were great. When fall came, I gave away all but one, and when I brought it indoors for the winter, my cat liked the large pot. Enough said.

So I’m starting more grapefruit trees. You can do this with any citrus, lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines. Just get old fashioned seedy varieties of fruit at your market, and save some seeds. Our local FFA sells Florida citrus every year, and I buy casesof it. It comes straight from the groves.

I plant the seeds immediately, and don’t let them dry out. I’ve had the best luck using a large pot and planting them about two inches deep. It takes a bit longer for them to sprout and reach the top of the soil, but the roots develop deeper in the soil and the trees are sturdier than shallow-planted seeds. I put lots of seeds in a large, deep pot and wait to see how many sprout. Not all will. Some will be scrawny, so thin them out. I like to end up with about 3 good seedlings in a 12 inch pot. The taproot is quite long, so use a deep pot.

It takes 10 days or more for the seedlings to appear. Keep the pot warm and watered. I don’t cover it for fear of mold growth over the long germination time. Alternatively, you can keep citrus seeds moist and warm in a paper towel until they sprout, and then carefully plant the strongest seeds in pots, but I have had limited success with this.

Here is one of the sprouts about 5 days after it appeared. As the days grow longer, it will grow faster. Late winter is the best time to plant citrus seeds in the north. Just keep them warm, away from cold drafts, and give them plenty of light.

There are many factors that affect bloom and fruit production, but here in the north the trees make beautiful houseplants that thrive on a summer patio.

Victory gardens fed the citizens during World War II, and made it possible for farm commodities to be used to feed American troops. Growing a plot of food was seen as every citizen’s patriotic duty during the war years. Front yards and balconies were filled with vegetables, and gardening became a productive pastime for many people that they carried with them throughout their lives.

This year, when you plan your garden, plan an extra row or two so you can have extra vegetables to give away. Many food banks will be happy to distribute home grown foods to needy families. If you need other sources, contact other service organizations or local churches. They may also be able to help distribute your produce to people who will appreciate it.

For a hearty side dish, try making Corn Pudding.

This recipe is the best I’ve tried. It bakes into a lovely custard.

I’ve made it with butter and whole milk or half and half, and also with olive oil margarine and skim milk. Either way, it’s really good.

Get the recipe for Corn Pudding here.

Picture by bella_domanie www.morguefile.com

How many of us have one of the small, one gallon aquariums tucked away in a closet or cabinet? Each of my grown children had one of these at one time or another, and I recently found one when I was cleaning out a closet.

There is an inherent problem with these small aquariums. The manufacturers tell you that you can stock it with a couple of tiny fish like neon tetras or zebra danios or guppies. Yet even these small fish need more room to swim than these small tanks provide. These are also schooling fish, and they are happiest and healthiest when they are living in large groups of their own kind. Often these small fish become lonely and will not eat, literally starving themselves to death.

Two interesting species that will thrive in a tank this size are brine shrimp and ghost shrimp. Brine shrimp are native to inland salt water lakes and can live in various degrees of salinity. They are often sold as “Sea Monkeys” and they are quite entertaining to watch. Ghost shrimp are transluscent scavengers that will clean up an aquarium. They, too, are interesting to watch, as they look for food on the bottom or swim upside down eating from the surface. Small particles of flake food will keep either of these nourished. Both tiny shrimp species are food for larger fish. They like normal room temperatures of 65 – 80 degrees.

Another way to use a small aquarium is for a water plant display. You don’t even need to include fish. There are many beautiful aquatic plants available, and you can create a lovely arrangement to brighten up a room.

Well, if you haven’t prepared your analog TV for the big day on February 17, 2009, you’re not alone. I just read that there were 3 million homes still not ready. Of course, most of those might be here in the areas where the winter storms have taken out power. There are still over 600,000 homes in Kentucky alone without electricity, and the prospect of restoring power is dim. Maybe within a couple of weeks they will be able to make a dent in that number.

And the Northeast is bracing for another round of this stuff.

Anyway, if you are one of the lucky warm people with unfrozen water pipes, and you DO have power, here is something you might benefit from reading.

If you watch any TV, of course.

Anyone Can Install a TV Converter Box
Follow the connection sequence to install your DTV converter box quickly and easily.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1402068/anyone_can_install_a_tv_converter_box.html

Although we love asparagus, we do not grow our own. This will change this year. So much of our yard is shaded at least part of the day by the woods around us, that there hasn’t been a good open spot to establish an asparagus bed. With the loss of a huge old oak tree recently, some new planting opportunities have “opened up”.

So besides some fruit trees, I am planning a nice big asparagus bed.

Asparagus Bundles
Asparagus is one of those nutrition-packed foods that lends itself to elegant presentation. Try this recipe for something a little different.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1420101/asparagus_bundles.html

If you like the ease of spraying pesky weeds to eradicate them, but you don’t want to use chemicals and poisons, this product is for you. Made by the Perfectly Natural company, it is called Perfectly Natural Weed ‘n’ Grass Killer.

This is a safe and 100% organic herbicide. It is non-selective, which means that it will kill any plant it lands on, so you need to be careful where any mist might drift. You can use this anywhere without worry of chemicals. The active ingredients in this product are clove and citrus oils, so it leaves a lovely scent. Children and pets can play near the sprayed area with absolutely no worry of contamination.

For annuals, this generally works in one application; perennial weeds and tougher plants may require two or more. In only one hour you will notice visible results (withering leaves). Plant knockdown usually occurs within 24 hours. Runoff of the substance will not upset soil balance.

Other organic herbicides use vinegars, and while these work and are safe for your family and the environment, they are not fast-acting and not exactly pleasant smelling.

Perfectly Natural Weed ‘n’ Grass Killer is available in a hand-held ready to use sprayer and a gallon size ready to use with a hose and sprayer attached.

Look for this product at garden centers.