hey fatty, get outta here

Back up 2 weeks. Let's sum it up by saying I haven't been home much... the past week I was out of town for work. Fast forward to today. 

I went to check on the plants as soon as I wheeled my suitcase in the door, kissed my man and gave mica a squeeze. In the garden I pulled 20+ caterpillars off my vegetables, but not before they DEVOURED my kale and collard greens. The aphid situation is still a disaster - I squished close to a million. I did see ladybird hanging around the aphid feast which made me happy!

So, my months of gardening have resulted in some fat caterpillars and some green stalks. At least someone enjoyed the green goodness!!

herbal armor & dirt lines

I haven't been updating the urban garden blog as much as I would like, but it's growing like crazy! Ben (my neighbor) built 2 new boxes!! We are experimenting with sizes. The big one is split in half and really tall because I order sweet potato tubers and then like deep soil. We spit that in half to cut down the need for tons of dirt, but I think we are a little shallow on the non-potato planting side. Oh well, I threw in the "Husky Cherry Tomato" plant I picked up at Lowes and planted the parsley that I started indoors a couple weeks ago. The were living on the edge being outside while I was away camping over Memorial Day weekend. I'm glad they pulled through! 

Pictured above: My dirty-ass feet coming in from working in the garden - my all time FAVORITE thing about gardening is getting a little dirty!! Any excuse to get dirty is fine by me!; my best friend - bug repellent, this is not a sponsored post, but if you want to sponsor me I could buy this stuff by the gallon! We have an army of mosquitoes in the backyard; Shots of the garden from my porch.

thinning the herd

Babies Pak, Mustard, Kale & Escargot

Baby Pak, which sounds like a rapper name, was my very first mini harvest! I have been holding off thinning my pak choy because it seemed like such a waste to just toss little seedlings in the compost pile. Tonight I went out to look at the garden after being gone camping all weekend and the baby pak's looked like actual vegetables! I snipped a few, lightly sautéd and drizzled a little toasted sesame oil on top. Delish! 

I also have some chinese mustard greens that appear to be bolting. I tore some leaves and added that to my bean, kale and brown rice macrobiotic meal for some mustardy spice. Not sure what's up with the bolting, better do some research.

Pictured above is my first harvest of baby pak choy; the harvest of babies kale, mustard and pak; freshly rained on leaves, complete with fresh escargot; beautiful, artsy rain-makers that my cousin/big sister Alycia gave me for my birthday - a great way to water your plants while you're gone for a few days or a week depending on the plant's watering needs

mad hatter

Rose picked me up for the bus station Friday night and we arrived back at the Curtis House, aka "the Farm" as I like to refer to it, to the smell of homemade lemon tarts. Aren't they just gooey devine little pastry creations? Gloria made these from scratch. Rose is doing her apprenticeship with Gloria, who owns the Curtis House and Gloriosa & Co. Gloriosa & Co, among her other projects and talents, is a one-stop-shop for sustainable events. She can house a wedding or even, hold the reception in the garden at the Curtis House, catering the event with food procured with food grown locally and/or straight from her garden, flowers from the same beds - it's amazing.

I helped out with one of these events on Saturday - an afternoon high tea. 'Twas a jolly good time. 

Pictured is the lemon tart; the Curtis House; the menu for high tea; tea party set; one of the garden's at the Curtis House; Flower arrangements on each table, from the garden; Johnny Jump Ups, an edible flower that made all the little tea sandwiches seem so fancy and formal; maple scones; sugared lilacs; Rose taking out the china; Me, Gloria and Rose, photographed by the sweetest, smartest 7-year old Elias; Rose enjoying Hibiscus iced tea