Perimeter garden

Last year, I made garden beds around the perimeter of the backyard but severely underutilized the space.  I was new to the gardening game, and I didn't want to get in over my head. Last year I enjoyed a good harvest from nearly everything I planted.  This year, I was determined to get the most use out of my garden space. 

I may have gotten in over my head.

Along the north fence with the pear and peach trees is the Wall of Tomatoes.  I believe there are 25 or so tomato plants along that fence, though I've lost track of the exact number. There's a pepper or two nestled amongst the tomatoes, and two basil patches thrown in for good measure. This area gets a decent amount of sunlight which hopefully lead to bushels and bushels of tomatoes.

Along the west side of the fence, I have two sections of potatoes. This is my first time growing potatoes so I have no idea what to expect. So far, not a lot is happening.

Moving south along the west side of the backyard, you'll find the broccoli. As with the potatoes, this is my first time growing broccoli and I really don't know what's going on here.  The broccoli is green and the leaves get bigger each week, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

I planted four varieties of eggplant: Epic, Fairy Tale, Gretal and Hansel.  In that order. Which is alphabetical, you might have noticed.  Which gives me a great deal of satisfaction.

I have two strawberry patches along the west fence.  All Star is a June-bearing strawberry, and Ozark Beauty is an ever-bearing variety.  Strawberry plants can take a full year to get established, but once they are the plants will last for several years.  While I won't get nearly enough berries for freezing or jam, there have been a few to nibble on. Yum!

Turning the corner to the south side of the yard (same side as the apple trees), you'll find my beet patch.  I first tasted fresh beets at Uncle Rich's house last November. They were delicious, and I was compelled to plant some of my own this year.

To the left of the beets is the kale patch. I've been collecting kale recipes on Pinterest for quite some time...now I just need to pick this stuff and start cooking!

Next are the peas and carrots flanked by two more tomato plants.  The trellis is actually a broken baby gate I found by the side of the road. Peas don't grow very high, so I thought this support would be sufficient.

Pole beans are next.  The seeds I used were from last year, and so far only half of them have sprouted. At this point, I think that's all I'm going to get.  Soon, I'll get some trellis' up for the beans.

Trellis' are already in place for the cucumbers. For some reason, my cucumbers are not getting off to a great start.  Maybe they aren't getting enough sun?  Though last year, I did have one cucumber vine along this fence and it did just fine. Maybe they're just slow to get started.  I planted three varieties this year, and if I have a large enough yield I'll try my hand at making homemade pickles.

Finally, this last section is a mish-mash of the peppers and tomatoes I couldn't fit anywhere else.  I'm not complaining, though...there is no such thing as too many peppers or tomatoes.  Overall, I think I have 20 or so pepper plants (I'll share those pictures tomorrow) and 30 or so tomato plants. I lost count.

So that's my perimeter garden, which accounts for almost 3/4 of my total garden space. I'll share the rest of it with you tomorrow. 

Have a great day!

Homemade applesauce

Apples don't last forever, and in my house store-bought apples lose their appeal after a few days. So why I continue to buy them in five pound bags is beyond me. But I abhor waste, so the weeks-old apples, by now all shrively and soft, have to be eaten.

But what to do with these apples that no one will eat so that everyone will want to eat them?

Homemade applesauce FTW. Aw yeah!

Making homemade applesauce is a breeze. So easy, in fact, that I didn't even use a recipe.  I just made it. Here are the steps:

1. Peel, core and dice apples. How many apples? That's up to you--it depends on how much applesauce you want.
2. Put the diced apples in a saucepan, cover with water and boil until soft.
3. When the apples are fork-tender, drain the water and dump the apples into a food processor.
4. Process those apples!
5. Add some cinnamon and sugar.  How much?  That's up to you!
6. Add some lemon juice. An amount somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. Or not.  It's totally up to you.
6. Process some more.

Once the apples are smooth, it's ready to eat! Or, if you prefer warm applesauce, return it to the saucepan and heat it up for a minute or two.

It's delicious!  And so much better than the stuff that comes in the little plastic cups.  I'm looking forward to batches and batches of homemade applesauce when our apple trees start producing, but until then, I'll satisfy the craving with all of the on-the-brink-apples already in my kitchen.

Which I continue to buy.  In five pound bags.  Sigh.

Martha Monday!

Fall is a bittersweet season. Sweet because it brings such great fun and treats (Halloween, pie, cozy evenings by the fire) and bitter because an Illinois winter is right around the corner (freezing cold, no daylight and the terrible fear that you will freeze to death every time you step outside to walk the dog). In these parts, it's best to enjoy fall while you can.


So have no fear, TMI fans...I am determined to make the most of this autumn season with good food, fun activities and delightful treats. To begin, I'm perusing Martha's Pear and Apple Dessert Gallery. This Apple Crisp has caught my eye.


Doesn't it look delicious? That is on the menu for tonight. Martha has a ton of fall harvest dessert recipes, which is exactly what I need right now, and not just because of the dropping leaves and temperatures...

Behold the 10+ pounds of apples and pears, courtesy of the Big Guy's Uncle D.

I see a lot of pies, breads, muffins and applesauce in my immediate future. But not in my long-term future, because it'll all be eaten in a few short weeks.

I can live with that. Happy Columbus Day!