Kids in the Garden

Kids in the garden gain analytical skills,
will build environmental stewardship
and may find a life-long hobby!

As a parent, I have always encouraged my kids to spend time in the garden with me. It's how I grew up too. I'll never forget the taste of a warm, ripe berry directly from grandma's garden. Brushing the dirt from a just pulled carrot, or the wonder of pulling up new potatoes was amazing.

I am grateful too that my grandparents taught me to harvest and preserve garden goods too. It's something I have even begin teaching my own children. My son LOVES to make his yearly specialty - Pepper jelly! He even won an award at the local fair for his jelly.

"When I go into the garden with a spade, and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beyond the simple pleasure derived from kids in the garden, there are many benefits from having kids in the garden. Gardening provides a positive bonding experiences, increases their respect and love of nature and perhaps creates a lifelong love. Kids in the garden get the following benefits too:

• They build positive social and interpersonal skills 
• Get a better understanding of healthy eating and nutrition 
• Better understand the farm to fork concept 
• Create environmental stewardship attitudes 

I love the time they are with me, but I have also read that gardening could improve the reasoning and analytical skills of my kids. Will there be enough light? How much space will each plant need? What grows well together? How much water will be needed? And so much more!

A couple years ago, my children surprised me with planting part of the garden. I didn't think their garden would thrive but they grew amazing veggies for me. My son has even decided to take on the gardening merit badge in Boy Scouts!

So what will YOU plant this year? Will you get your kids in the garden?

Product Review: Badger Anti-Bug Balm

Today I was wanting to go on a walk in the natural area near my house and I realized that my kids had all of the bug-spray at camp with them. I am outdoors a lot with my scouts and certainly with my garden, so we have several bottles, but they were gone. I have been carrying Badger Anti-Bug Balm in my purse though since last July when I purchased it. I figured it was for those emergency picnics outdoors or otherwise. It smells awesome and is in a small, convenient container. While I have used it a handful of times, I have not truly tested it in the woods. No time like the present eh?

I applied it on my exposed skin areas and wiped mostly dry hands across my hair. I also applied it to my jeans at the ankles. For a walk in  the woods, I was pretty un-prepared, as I had even forgotten my hat, but I wanted to get the walk in before it got really hot! At least I had sunglasses, my map and a water bottle.

Badger Anti-Bug Balm claims are that it is a "USDA Certified Organic - All Natural Mosquito Repellent." I guess I should have looked at that first. It repels MOSQUITOES. Doesn't say anything about other biting insects. If you can picture this, then you will get a pretty accurate idea of how I felt...

Only it wasn't dirt, it was deer flies dive-bombing my head!

I did try opening the tin and walk with it on my head, which proves tricky, so instead, my leisurely 45 minute walk on the path was done in 22 minutes as I mostly jogged the path dodging and weaving the bugs.

Honestly I should consider that I only got bit by deer flies three times, I did not see ANY mosquitoes AND the deer flies mostly buzzed my head and did not actually land on me. So they were more of an annoyance than anything. I would also add that at some point the oils in the product would break down and become less effective.

Would I recommend Badger Anti-Bug Balm? It is a certified organic and 100% natural DEET-free bug repellent that uses all-natural citronella, cedar, and lemongrass, and essential oils. I would recommend it for casual back-yard use or picnics, but NOT for walking in the woods. Running from deer flies was not an ideal way to start my morning.

I do appreciate using natural items to deter insects though, what do you use when spending time in the outdoors?

Companion Planting Guidelines [Chart]

Has the planting itch begun yet for the year? It sure has here. The seed catalogs have been arriving, I've been checking out many new ideas on Pinterest and the spring-like weather is starting. Even though I'm busy making maple syrup right now, I know there is so much to get started for my spring gardening.

Of course the first step is always to decide "what" to plant. I suppose that's why this image struck me as a good one to share. I always consider moving my plants around the garden, but sometimes forget about the companion plants. This easy to read chart covers many of the basic garden veggies that I am likely to plant.

Do you ever consider what to plant and where? Companion planting
can improve yield, prevent pests and more!

Food From The Scrap Pile: A Tasty Science Experiment

Regrowing food from what might otherwise end up in the scrap-pile
can be fun, educational and may feed you many times over!

As a child I enjoyed growing an avocado tree from seed, potatoes from the eyes of an already potato (and even got several pounds of potatoes as a result) and even tried growing the tops of a pineapple. Although sadly I didn’t end up with more pineapples – Go figure our environment  It was part science experiment and part recycling of food scraps. More recently I have re-grown green onions from cut off ends I wasn't using and have also tried to plant the garlic that was growing in my pantry. Probably at one time or another I have tossed the seeds from whatever I was eating into dirt to see if it would grow.

It gets a little trickier now-a-days with anti-growth agents being added to food in grocery stores, but if you eat organically grown foods it becomes an option for sure! 

Carrot Tops (I have read that other root crops would work well for this too, like beets, turnips and rutabagas)
Celery
Garlic
Ginger Root 
Green Onions/Leeks
Lemongrass

Tomatoes from fresh seeds (Oddly I let several late season non-ripened tomatoes stay right in the garden and each spring I have several ‘volunteers” growing!)
Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes

Whole seed spices


Think of the possibilities use whole seeds from your spice or herb bottles, seeds from fresh fruits and veggies. Certainly some of these options allow the items to be started from seed then planted, others allow for the scrap to go right into the ground, and still others can be started in water. It's an endless way to re-used what Mother Nature has gifted us!

It would be an excellent way for my children to learn a little more about the garden. They watched with awe as the green scallions regrew on the window sill. So what's next? Waste not, want not.

Have you ever tried this? What are your success stories of food you have grown from scraps?

What's Blooming?

There's a lot that's green in my garden, and I'm thinking that it would be a perfect weekend to plant a few more items as well as getting out there for "the BIG weeding". In some ways I suppose the spring-weed is cathardic. You pull and pull all of those unwanted plants and overgrown areas to expose beautiful, black, rich soil only to later have it fill in with bits of color, fragrance and delight!

I stepped out this afternoon and realized how badly I need to weed, but also took stock of a few things.

I knew the one gooseberry plant was coming along quite nicely. It's snuggled up to the house and already has berries the size of my pinky finger. Bet we'll be eating gooseberries by early June!

Next I went to check on the current bush and found it pretty loaded.

Of course there are plenty of flowers blooming including the chive blossoms. I LOVE making chive blossom vinegar in the spring and love topping salads with the beautiful leaves as well. This area is in front of our fence along a path. It was an area that my husband didn't like to mow and I didn't care what was planted there so long as it didn't look overgrown and unkempt. It finally looks filled in and full of several goodies including gooseberries, raspberries, chives, alpine strawberries and many types of flowers.

My spouse always complains that several of my gardens are too "jungle-like" but I actually don't mind them being filled in. This is part of my herb garden which has many types of gourmet and medicinal herbs. It came along quite nicely this year with the mild winter. Originally we filled it in with some flowers, but i may move them out for more herb space!

How does your spouse feel about your gardens? 

Composting Class: Ann Arbor

Mom, Dad and the whole family can get down and dirty with a little composting at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens during a green thumbs program. On Saturday, May 12 10:00 a.m. - noon, learn about the secret to making the most of your vegetable scraps and leaves by creating "super soil" for the garden.

The program cost just $5/person and you even get to decorate and take home your own counter-top compost bin. This is a great course for the kids to learn about contributing to a beautiful, healthy garden.

For more information or to register, call 734-647-7600 or visit the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum website.

Early Spring Finds and Easy Violet Blossom Jam

While the garden is just starting to pop up with some of the early spring plantings beneath my hoop house, I've been searching for springs bounty. So far I've come home with ramps for cooking and pickling, garlic mustard for pesto, wild onions and garlic, and violets for jam. I know there is a lot more out there starting to burst forth, I just have to find the time to go and get it!

Each year, I've been learning more about foraging too. I really do enjoy learning about what you can eat for free in nature. It's produced some wonderful foods and beverages, and my children enjoy heading out with mom to see what she can find.

My new favorite though is violet blossom jam. We made violet jelly last year, straining the violet blossoms out after they soaked overnight. This year though, I left them in, and made a freezer jam recipe. Maybe it was the laziness of not wanting to pull the canning items out of the basement, but it ended up being pure genius! I actually think I prefer the violet blossom jam to the jelly we made last year. If you can imagine a cross between a kiwi, melon and strawberry flavor with a hint of light floral as an aftertaste, then you can imagine how wonderful the violet blossom jam is.

The jam takes very little time to make too. In fact this year it took me even less time, since I bribed my daughter to pick the flowers initially. Picking the stems off the violets was the most consuming part of the process for me.

It's wonderful though, and I encourage anyone out there to try it and let me know how it turns out. Hurry though, violets are the gems of spring and won'tr be here in this abundance for long.

Violet blossom freezer jam is like spring in a jar!

Violet Blossom Jam Ingredients:
2 cups, loosely packed violet blossoms. Remove their stems.
The juice from 1 lemon
1-1/2 cup water
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 pkg. pectin

Place the violet blossoms and 3/4 cups of the water into a blender and blend well. Next add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to the blender and notice that the liquid turns from purple to fuchsia. Next the sugar and blend until the sugar is dissolved.

Next add the remaining 3/4 cups of water and a package of pectin into a non-reactive pot and bring it to a boil. Continuing to boil hard for 1 minute. Pour the hot pectin mixture into the blender with the pulverized violet blossoms and sugar and blend until thoroughly smooth.

The "jam" may now be poured into small jars or small storage containers. Once it is cool, add lids to cover and store in the freezer.

This recipe makes approximately 4 pints of violet blossom jam.

What's Popping Up?

I've been out in the yard inspecting the various beds. Most are still sleepy but the crocus, daffodils and tulips are all starting to wake up. Love spring blooming flowers. I have to remember though to snap photos of what is where so I can add  colors for next spring!

What's coming up in your gardens?

Spring crocus flowers are a sure sign of favorable weather!

Spring Has Sprung!

I found this image on Facebook yesterday and just about spit my coffee out. Gotta love some good gardening humor!

So how many of you have begun preparing your garden? I'm lucky to have raised beds located between the houses that warm up rather quickly so I amended the soil, pulled anything that shouldn't be there, watered then draped the lastic over the hoops we installed later year. It's warm enough to do without BUT the nights are sure chilly! I even dropped in some lettuce, spinach, radish seeds, peas and am taking a chance on swiss chard! Mother Nature is sure being awesome this (early) spring.

Will The Change in Hardiness Zones Alter Your Garden Planning?

Like many Michigan gardeners the especially mild winter has raised hope for starting the garden early this year. The trouble is though, that I KNOW we're still likely to have a hard freeze, some snow and possibly a lot more winter. I was interested however when a friend on Michigan's west coast mentioned that her area changed planting zones. Did mine? So I set out to discover and answer to my query.

Gardeners throughout Michigan will notice a change in their planting zones in 2012.
Source: USDA Agricultural Research

Sure enough, my zone has changed from Zone 5 to Zone 6a. An altered planting zone...  What???  What does that mean?  What new plants can I add to my collection that I don't already have, or that I have been dreaming of... I don't know the answer to that just yet, but it is interesting to notice the shift in zones throughout the United States. Changing our hardiness zones is nothing new though, as recently as 2006 there was a big shift in hardiness zones from the 1990's.

So how will our gardens change? Will you try something new in your garden planning that you may not have been able to plant in years past? To find out your current USDA planting zone based upon zip code information, be sure to visit the USDA website.

Michigan Winter Farmer's Markets Are a Big Deal!

Did you know that Michigan is in the top 10 states with the most winter farmer's markets? We have 33 this year, which is a 58% increase over last year. Hopefully that means that more folks are feeding their families and eating healthier.

Where do you go to buy produce in the winter? Do you visit any local farmer's markets year round?

To find a Michigan Farmer's Market that runs through the winter please be sure to visit the Michigan Farmer's Market Association website.

I'm Baaaackk

I'll admit, it's sometimes difficult to keep up with blogging, especially when the kids keep me busy or I have been busy with other blogs. I am going to be blogging more on this platform now though, since I have been picked up as a gardening contributor for the Prime Parents Club! So sit tight fellow Michigan gardeners and let's see what pop-up.  I promise to have plenty of great content and engaging conversation!

Mushroom Hunting Is On!

With the rain and the cooler weather the kids and I have begun watching one of our favorite spots for puffball mushrooms. Last week we found many that were the size of my thumbnail, so we waited it out a week and headed back out. That's when we immediately found 2 giant puffball mushrooms approximately 20 feet apart and dozens of golf ball sized ones!

What does one do with puffball mushrooms - Well eat them! Just be sure to slice them open and verify that they are solid white flesh with no gills! I'm making soup now and will cook some more with a seafood recipe I found.

Puffballs don't dehydrate as well, so I'll likely cook it all up and freeze them for use in recipes later! That is if there is any left over to cook and freeze...

We'll start looking for Hen of the Woods now too...

Sorry Folks...

I'll admit it, this summer has been a complete blur. Sadly this one blog suffered as a result since I picked up a several good size client contracts. Combine that with being home with the kids and something has to fall through the cracks...

I promise to post lost of great content at appropriate times throughout the winter and also into the coming seasons! Happy hunting, gardening, canning, preserving and eating!

Farmers Market Resource

In the spring and summer months the kids and I try to get to one of the area farmers markets at least weekly. In doing so, we have found some excellent and healthy local favorites as well as discoverd new and unusual plants and food.  I ran across a couple of great websites that include information on South East Michigan area farmers markets that I thought I would include:

• Real Time Farms includes a market report for Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Canton and Ypsilanti that includes what one might expect in-season that week. 
• Michigan State University also offers a great site for Michigan Farmers Markets.
• Farmers Markets online.

Stop by and visit a local farmers market - it supports the local community, is a great way to introduce kids to all kinds of foods, has the freshest foods and often provides a few surprises. If you have a favorite site that should be included please let me know, I would be happy to add it!

Try A Few Gardening Perennials For Food To Remember!

My grandparents on both side of the family really fostered my love of gardening - it was nothing to head out, at any time of the summer, and snack own way through picking. Radishes. Carrots. Rhubarb. Asparagus. Horseradish. Corn. Berries. Grapes. Fruits of all kinds! We ate and then either froze or canned the produce for eating during the winter months. I found it amazing to watch seeds grow to become food, but I was even more amazed to watch some things come back year after year!

If you haven't tried growing garden perennials, I highly recommend it. They are simple to grow and often produce some of the most delicious results! Here are some of my top garden perennials for you to try:

Asparagus: Find a full-sun place to grow the rhizomes in your garden and watch out. It will take a few years for them to get to the size you can harvest, however buying 2-3 year old root crops can speed that up a bit! We eat them all spring, harvesting them until July 4 - My grandparents taught us to allow them to go to seed after that! I like to grill them tossed in olive oil and serve them with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Garlic: It's not a true perennial, however Michigan gardeners can over winter several varieties or even use a cold frame to make it happen further. I like to cut the tops off full bulbs, brush on olive oil and roast them until the bulbs can be squeezed out onto toasted breads or crackers.

Horseradish: This was one of the must-haves in my family. While I do not like it straight from the jar, I do like it mixed into an applesauce mix or made into other types of sauces! As long as you harvest just the side roots, horseradish taproots will continue to produce a new harvest every year.

Kale and Collard Greens: A few years back while visiting my best friend I picked up a type of Collard Green - Sure enough it comes back yearly and adds beautiful green foliage with red stems. To eat them I like to wilt them in a pan with olive oil and serve up salted to taste or dress them with butter/olive oil, vinegar/lemon juice and salt or feta cheese. YUMM-O!

Rhubarb: This was another family staple in my grandparent's garden. As a child I really didn't care for it, but have now eaten a rhubarb crisp that is to die for - sweet and tart in one bite with a hint of crunch! I also had a tasty rhubarb jam that my kids devour.

What is your favorite garden perennial and how do you serve it to your family? Try planting just one of these options for your family memories and wonderful meals!

The Perfect Spring Dinner With Asparagus Pesto?

I mentioned harvesting roadside asparagus a week ago...  The kids and I have certainly gotten a kick out of doing so since our asparagus bed isn't doing much of anything this year! We haven't hit the mother-load however we've gotten enough for side dishes or making a fritatta. I'm going have to look really hard for some more though and try out this realy easy, yummy sounding recipe.  How 'bout Asparagus Pesto served over a big pile of whole wheat pasta?

Ingredients:
A good bunch of asparagus
Pine nuts
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Garlic

Discard the woody ends of the spears then steam or boil the asparagus until tender when pierced with a knife. Next frain it and let it cool, then purée it with the typical pesto ingredients with: garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan.

Can't imagine anything more simple or a better representation of a perfect spring meal!

Making Wine From a Bounty of Dandelions

I recently read an article posted on AnnArbor.com about making dandelion wine. While I thought that was an insane idea, I happened to casually glanced across the street into my neighbors "dandelion garden" and changed my mind.  Why not try this recipe? The ingredients are mostly free with the exception of wine stoppers and yeast...

So I set out to pluck a gallon of dandelion flowers with my daughter in tow.

The writer said it would take approximately 2 hours to collect enough dandelions. I think we got lucky though in getting all that we needed within 40 or so minutes!  I suppose my only complaint about the entire process is that I have to wait so syinkin' long before sampling my endeavors!

If you want to make your own batch of dandelion wine, following is your basic recipe:

Ingredients and materials
Just over one gallon of dandelion flowers.

Day 1: (two hours)

• 1 gallon of dandelion flowers picked on a dry day. (It is wise to stay away from roadways or areas that could be sprays however.)
• 1 gallon of boiling water.
• A clean 2-gallon container that can hold the flowers and water.
• A cloth to cover the container.

Day 4: (two hours)

• A 2-gallon non-reactive soup pot - Possibly stainless steel.
• 3 oranges.
• 1 lemon.
• 1 small ginger root.
• ½ cake of yeast (or a half package of dry yeast).
• A jelly cloth (Whenever I strain I use an old t-shirt).
• A fermentation container.
• A cloth to cover the container.

Day 10: (one hour)

• Coffee filters (or clean, old dish towels).
• Colander.
• Funnel.
• Bottles.
• Cotton balls.

I have a neighbor who is into beer brewing and he's lending me much of the necessary equiptment for this part of the process...  Ask around, you never know what you can borrow!
Day 31: (5 minutes)

• A trash can.

Directions

Euell Gibbons Dandelion Wine Recipe:

1. Gather 1 gallon of dandelion flowers on a dry day. Collect the flower heads only. The stems will add a bitter flavor to the brew.

2. Put these in a 2-gallon crock and pour 1 gallon of boiling water over them.

3. Cover the jar and allow the flowers to steep for 3 days. Don’t go more than a day or two after the 3-day period. The flowers will rot, and you’ll have to start over.

4. Strain through a jelly cloth so you can squeeze all the liquid from the flowers - As I mentioned I strain most of my homemades through an old t-shirt.  Works well enough... Whatever fabric you use, it will get permanently stained yellow.

5. Put the liquid in a kettle, add 1 small ginger root, the thinly pared peels and the juice of 3 oranges and 1 lemon.

6. Stir in 3 pounds of sugar and boil gently for 20 minutes.

7. Return the liquid to the crock and allow it to cool until barely lukewarm. It should take about an hour to cool. Don’t wait too long before moving onto the next step, so as to avoid bacterial growth.

8. Spread ½ cake of yeast on a piece of toasted rye bread and float it on top.

9. Cover the crock with a cloth and keep in a warm room for 6 days.

10. Then strain off the wine into a gallon jug, corking it loosely with a wad of cotton.

11. Keep in a dark place for 3 weeks, then carefully decant into a bottle and cap or cork tightly.

12. Don’t touch it until Christmas or later - Many of the websites I found said the wine is best after a full year!

13. Enjoy!!!

For more information on wild edibles, check the local library. I took out a few books including "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" and found them quite interesting...

Let the Currant Carry You Away

A couple of years ago while at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market the kids and I discovered red currants. Actually my son did. Samples were set out to try and when he tried them he insisted that I "needed" to buy them for him.

I couldn't figure out why he needed them, they sure tasted TART to me, but I indulged him. Within the next day and a half, he ate the entire quart. The next week I bought more and made some jam, which he also liked...

While currants aren't my favorite, I did plant a red currant bush in the yard. We didn't get any last year, as the birds ate them all, however I'm going to get them this year. I noticed too that the bush is laden with the flowers. It was those flowers that helped me to recognize the flowers. So where am I going with this post... Right now currants are in flower, so if you are out and about, walking in the woods be sure to look for them. I found an entire patch of wild currant bushes that I intend to keep an eye on as they blossom and ripen.

I believe the plants that I found today were black currant bushes...

Encourage Your Kids to Love Gardening

I posted this on my other blog, however it also merits mention here...Parents in the Ann Arbor area who would like their children to join in on children's gardening classes should check out my post about children's gardening classes at The Produce Station.