Clearing Out My Allotment

I took some time and cleared out my allotment a few weeks ago.  Pulling potatoes is the most theraputic!  I also think it would be the greatest for kids to help with–digging holes and planting seed potatoes in the spring and summer, constantly piling up soil around the potatoes during the year, and digging them up when they're ready!  What fun! I also cut some of the proliferating calendula blooms for tea as well as a few pattypan squash

 As I was clearing out my plot I pulled some dandelion root to dry for tea, as well as some more plantain spears to dry for grain.

Lastly I found some mint roots hiding out underground, which I pulled and will plant under my tree to add to my mint/lemon balm/peppermint forest :)

Bean and Squash Seed Saving

So I know this isn't really the way you're supposed to do it, but I had picked some overgrown beans from my community plot the other day and they didn't taste very good so I shelled them and left them to dry. Who knows if they'll grow next year but I figure, it's worth trying! I have some tendergreen and some royal burgundy. I don't really have a mesh type thing so I'll just turn them every once in a while.  It's how I dried my chamomile flowers and it worked pretty well.  I also saved some seeds from my overgrown pattypan squash and am drying them in the same way.  Again, big experiment! But one worth doing when the alternative is the compost bin! Crossing my fingers!

Fresh Bean Salad Recipe

A surprise! The tastiest bean salad I ever remember making!

I BBQ'd 2 ears of Ontario corn and a half of my overgrown pattypan squash, brushed with oil

I steamed approx. 3/4 cup of my own green beans in a shallow layer of water in a covered pan

In the same water I steamed approx. 3/4 cup of Ontario romano beans in water until tender (approx. 5 mins)

As that was all cooking, I diced a small white onion from Derick.

Dressing:

Into the bean steaming water I added

Lemon juice (approx. 2 tbsp)

Sunflower oil (approx. 4 tbsp)

Crushed whole coriander seed (approx. 2 tsp)

Minced fresh ginger (approx. 2 tbsp)

Minced fresh garlic (approx. 2 tbsp)

A pinch of cayenne Pepper

Paprika (approx. 1 tsp)

YUM

Pattypan Squash

So this happened to my squash....  I didn't have time to go to my community plot and they turned this big!  Oops!  You technically should be able to eat the skin of summer squash but I just ended up peeling these and dicing them up–to eat with hummus and to put in a pilaf. Delicious!

My Second Plot!

Planted out my amish paste tomato seedlings today and lay down some mulch to keep in moisture when I water. I have about 8 tendergreen bush beans coming up in the back, not everything survived germination (maybe squirrels? There were some empty seedpods lying about...) so I'll plant a few more soon.

My pattypan squash don't seem to be coming up, though...  And I'm out of seeds...  Need zucchini!  Plan B may have to start soon...