Modern Daisy Hippee

I don’t believe “Happy Memorial Day” appropriately conveys the sentiment of the “holiday”.  I’ve heard people say that though, including at least one television station.  That just makes me wonder if many people understand what the day is really about.  The topic came up with a 14 year old family friend, so I asked if she knew what it was about.  She said she did, however it turned out that she didn’t so I explained.

Memorial Day is about remembering those who have died serving our country.

Regardless of the political motivations behind anything someone in our military is asked to do and regardless of your beliefs about any particular actions, the men and women who serve are doing so with the intention of preserving our freedom.

This day is in memory of those who have fallen while doing so.

Actually, it’s been planted for a while now.  I got a pretty good start this year.  Still, I’m realizing I can plant the cool weather plants much earlier here.  It rarely freezes!

I’ve gotten a bunch of radishes already.  I’m letting some of them go to seed, just to see how it works.  I’ll still have to do a little research on that.  I made some radish green pesto, which was delicious.  I also used the radishes to make a modified version of my Grandma’s potato salad for a family get together last weekend.  My modifications did not do it justice.  It was pretty bland.  It was my first attempt though.

Anyway, most everything in the garden is doing fairly well.  The tomatoes and peppers are not doing as well as I’d like, although one tomato plant is starting to get one or two small tomatoes.  All the plants are still very small.  The peas and beans are a bit sparse.  That’s something I probably need to plant earlier.  I’m also not getting much spinach very quickly.  I think that also does not do well in the heat.  So far, those things are doing alright though.  It’s been a little cooler than normal lately though, so I’m sure that’s why.  I’m working out a way to make some shade structures for those plots.  Maybe that will give me a little more time.

It even looks like my potatoes are starting to grow.  I did it the lazy way because I’ve heard it’s worked for other people.  I just buried the seed chunks and let them grow instead of filling in the dirt on top as they grow.  I dug around in there the other day to see if there were any new potatoes to harvest and after that, the sprouts started coming up like crazy.  I’m not sure if it’s related or coincidental.

I definitely need to stagger the plantings more next time.  It seems like all the root crops are about ready now.  Well, except the onions.  Those seem to be taking forever.  I guess they are a bit slower.  So, really it’s just radishes, beets and turnips.  The greens are mad crazy.  I don’t know what I’m going to do with all of them!

At least I’ll be getting a decent harvest this year.  I need to start digging up some recipes to use everything though.  Hopefully it won’t all be ready at the same time.  I might have to do some freezing!

It’s still a learning experience.  This is the best way for me though…  hands on.  Besides it’s more fun that way

I’m growing radishes and while I was looking up recipes for how to use them, I came across one for radish leaf pesto.  I was wondering if the greens were edible anyway, so it was cool to find this recipe.  I was skeptical about how it would taste because pesto is usually made with basil and I LOVE basil.  I couldn’t imagine radish leaves could compete.

Well, I was sure wrong.  I used pine nuts and grapeseed oil with a bit of salt, blended it together with some radish leaves and presto…  pesto!  (I know, that was totally corny.  I just couldn’t help myself.)  The original recipe I came across used hazelnuts and some other things I didn’t use.  It’s plenty yummy the way I did it.  Grapeseed oil was suggested to avoid the bitterness of olive oil when it’s put in the blender.

I was just happy to know I can use the greens from the radishes.  I don’t like to waste things.  And, the garden can be a bit of work.  It’s awesome to find ways to use what I grow that are so great!  Now I just need to find something as wonderful to do with the radishes!