It's Berry Time - How to Beat the Birds to the Fruit

It's time for the wonderful taste of fresh berries...strawberries are just done, or almost there in most of the country. But,raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries and all the other wonderful berries are getting into full swing.

There's nothing more frustrating, however, than heading out to pick a few, only to find that the birds and other berry munching wildlife have beat you to them! This photo shows one berry with just a small section left after the birds were finished!

Foil them
Birds can be skittish, so if you hang strips of aluminum foil or a cut up mylar balloon in the bush or around the canes, the light that reflects off the strips will startle them and send them away. If you have fruit trees, like cherry trees for instance, hanging some foil pie tins in the tree will also help keep the birds from having a feast.

Try Tricking Them
Place a short length of old garden hose on the ground near the bushes, but in plain site. Birds arelikely to mistake the hose for a snake and stay away.

Cover Them
A slightly pricier, but more certain method of protecting the fruit in you yard, is to cover it with netting that's specifically made to keep birds from eating the berries. For less than $10 you can purchase a 7 foot x 20 foot net and there are larger mesh nets available.

Depending upon the size of your berry patch, you might be able to cut the larger size down to cover fruits in different locations in your yard. The best thing about this investment, is that it is reusable each year as long is it is carefully removed, folded and stored once the fruit is gone. I like to store these sort of items in a 2 gallon plastic zipper bag, which helps protect them from snagging on something and tearing.

Do you have other methods of keeping the birds from stealing the berries from your yard?

Bees Are A Gardener's Friend... Or So I Thought

This gardener is a little irritated because she's been stung twice in as many days. Both times on the right ankle, just above the sock line. The stings are wonderfully symmetrical,too. One on the front and one on the back. It's like a grand plan or something. I might even believe there was a master plan, but it happened in two different yards. Fortunately I am not allergic, so while I'm whining that "it hurts" at least I'm not swelling up like a balloon.
So, now I'm on the prowl for sage advice about avoiding stings and what to do for the pain. I wanted to share a couple of great resources that I've come across, and remind you (and me) that bees are wonderful creatures, and without them we'd have a much more difficult time growing fruits and vegetables.
First is site that's devoted to bees, the link here goes to the page about stings, but I encourage you to check out the rest of the site as well because there's some great information there.
The second link is to a blog that has a great article about Natural Remedies for bee stings.
As for me, I'm going to try a remedy or two, right now.

Grow Italian Parsley in the Garden or In a Container You Can Move Indoors

The Italian Parsley planted in our garden (pictured here) has come into it's own and we're enjoying the fresh flavor it adds foods. It is far superior to dried parsley from the spice section of the store; in fact, they're not even in the same league. I used some just this week in the cheese filling for stuffed shells and it was out of this world delicious.

Italian Parsley is very easy to grow from seed and does well in the garden as well as in a container. The advantage to having it in a container is that you can take it into the kitchen when the weather gets too cold, and you'll have fresh Italian Parsley all winter long.

It's very easy to harvest, just cut the stems below the leaves. You can keep fresh Parsley in the refrigerator for about a week just by wrapping it in a damp paper towel and putting it into a plastic bag. I then store mine with other leafy vegetables in the crisper.

Italian Parsley is a very versatile herb for recipes. Chop a handful and add it to soups or stews in the last few minutes before serving (overcooked Parsley loses it's flavor fast). Add some to a green salad, pasta salad, and even fruit salads. Chop some with some Cilantro to add to fresh salsa. Toss some chopped leaves onto fresh garden beans just before serving.

What are some of your favorite ways to use this all-star herb?

Check out the following recipe from Epicurious.com for a fabulous side dish. It's not low-fat, but it is a delicious treat.

Mashed Potatoes with Fontina & Italian Parsley

2 pounds medium-size russet potatoes
3/4 cup half and half
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 1/4 cups (packed) grated Fontina cheese (about 6 ounces)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pierce potatoes in several places. Place potatoes on small baking sheet. Bake until tender when pierced, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Bring half and half to simmer in small, heavy saucepan. Scrape potatoes from skin into large bowl. Mash potatoes. Mix in half and half. Add butter; stir vigorously until butter melts and potatoes are smooth. Stir in 2/3 of cheese and 3 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake potatoes until heated through and cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Go Mediterranean with Rosemary

Photo from delhiseeds.org
Rosemary is a fragrant and flavorful herb that is an evergreen perennial in Zones 8-10. For the rest of us, however, it’s best to grow rosemary in a container that can be move indoors when the temperatures dip too low. You can keep a small planter in a sunny window and have access to fresh rosemary all year long.

The flavor or rosemary reminds me a bit of lemon and a bit of pine, but an altogether pleasing taste that makes taste buds dance. Leaves, stems, and flowers can all be used to season vegetables, meats, fish, soups, salads soups, dressings, and stuffing. Less is more with rosemary, so chop it finely and add sparingly to taste. Too much rosemary can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Rosemary is found frequently in Mediterranean- and Italian-style cooking, including roasted meats, sauces, and fish. It is best to use a full sprig that can easily be removed before serving because rosemary does not soften during cooking. A very popular Mediterranean use is for roasting lamb. Sprigs are added to the roaster along with garlic and lemon.

Rosemary is terrific used when grilling.
1. Just put a sprig or too over the coals to “smoke” the meat.
2. Strip the leaves from the sprig and use it as a skewer for grilling meats or potatoes use rosemary
3. Use as a basting brush to add just a touch of flavor. Simply tip the rosemary sprig into olive oil and brush the meat. Rosemary releases its scent and flavor quite readily when touched.

Here’s an absolutely fabulous recipe I found from Whole Foods for
Mediterranean Style Hamburgers with Rosemary Mayonnaise
4 hamburger patties
3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (about 1 large sprig) finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 hamburger buns
3 ounces feta cheese crumbles
1 cup (about 2 ounce) baby arugula leaves
sliced red onion (optional)
2 tomatoes, sliced
Prepare grill and cook burgers.* In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and rosemary. Lightly toast buns, spread with rosemary mayonnaise, then top with burgers, feta cheese, arugula, red onion and tomato slices.
*According to the US-FDA, hamburger should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) in order to be safe for consumption. Internal temperature is important because when meat is ground, the bacteria that was on the outside can end up on the inside of the burger.

For more grilling ideas check out Mario Bitali's book, Italian Grill

More Uses for Rosemary
I love adding finely chopped rosemary to vegetables when grilling and it’s also a flavorful addition to poultry stuffing. My family enjoys strong flavors, and we sprinkle a bit onto homemade garlic bread or focaccia to “kick it up a notch.”
The little blue flowers that appear in winter or early spring are also delicious and are fantastic when added to salads, especially when topped with a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Rosemary is terrific to experiment with. It compliments so many flavors that the sky is pretty much the limit in how you can use it. In fact, some even like its sweet, savory flavor with dessert! Here are a few books you might be interested in to learn more about cooking regional specialties from the Mediterranean area:

The Mediterranean Prescription: Meal Plans and Recipes to Help You Stay Slim and Healthy for the Rest of Your Life by Angelo Acquista

Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Giada De Laurentiis

The Foods of the Greek Islands: Cooking and Culture at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean by Aglaia Kremezi




What are some of your favorite recipes using fresh rosemary?

Bunches of Basil

Basil has tons of uses, so if you’re growing it in your garden and you’re not quite sure what to do with your bounty here are a few ideas. There are a lot of different varieties of basil, but today's post was written with sweet basil in mind.

Make a tomato salad—Put chopped fresh basil on sliced fresh tomatoes, drizzled with vinaigrette made of good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper. You can add fresh mozzarella to this as well.

Make Your Own Pesto

¹/₃ c. toasted pine nuts (could also use walnuts or pecans)

1 ¼ c. (stuffed) chopped basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 c. Grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. olive oil

Blend the pine nuts, basil, garlic and Parmesan cheese until smooth in a food processor or blender. Add the oil slowly and blend.

Some ways to enjoy your fresh pesto:

· Mix pesto into cooked and drained pasta

· Use as a sandwich spread on grilled chicken

· Mix into mashed potatoes

· Use as a dressing for a pasta salad that includes fresh tomatoes and cucumbers as well.

In sauces—Add chopped leaves to marinara or any tomato sauce. The fresh flavor beats dried every time!

On pizza—Add basil leaves to a cheese pizza and bake

Replace the lettuce—Use on hamburgers and sandwiches instead of lettuce.

Use in salads—Add torn basil leaves to tossed salads. This is particularly good when the salad has toasted pecans or walnuts, too.

Once the basil blooms, you can use the flowers in salads, too.

For breakfast—Top an omelet with chopped fresh basil and chopped fresh tomatoes

Before you can try any of these suggestions for using fresh basil, you’ll want to pick leaves when they are young, and pick from the top of the plant to encourage new growth. Cut some stems from the plant and put them in a glass or vase of water and keep it where the basil will be within easy reach for cooking. An added bonus of storing basil in this way is that some of the stems may produce roots. If they do, you can start a new plant indoors in a sunny window. Then you’ll have fresh basil even through the winter months!

Photo from Garden-Supply-Resources.com

What to do with all the Thyme on Your Hands

Thyme is one of my favorite herbs for an edible landscape. It is a terrific groundcover because it quickly fills in and it smells fantastic! Thyme is an evergreen, and hardy to -20F degrees, but it needs protection in winter from cold winds, wet wintery conditions and hard winters in general. Be sure to trim the plants after flowing to promote new growth and prevent the plant from becoming woody.

Harvest thyme after the morning dew has dried, but before the heat of the day sets in to preserve maximum flavor. Just cut as needed by snipping 4-5 inches off the top of the stem. Thyme can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. As the growing season draws to a close, you might want to preserve some of your thyme for winter use. It can be frozen- just put the cuttings in the freezer on a cookie sheet, once frozen you can easily strip off the leaves, then put in a freezer bag or plastic containers and freeze for later use. Frozen thyme has a better flavor than dried thyme, so it’s worth the little effort it takes.

Thyme also thrives in containers, so you can easily start a pot outdoors and enjoy it all season long, then when the winter months approach take the container inside to a sunny window, to enjoy even when the snow if flying for those of us in Northern climes. If you’re lucky enough to live in a mild climate, you can harvest thyme all year long, right from your garden.

Some great uses for thyme:

• Thyme is a great flavoring for fish like salmon and trout.
• Add 2 or 3 sprigs to your next batch of homemade chicken noodle soup or beef stew
  
• Make a creole flavor blend with 3 tablespoons paprika; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1-1/2 tablespoons cayenne powder; 1 tablespoon oregano; and 1 tablespoon thyme
  Mix these herbs and spices together and store in an airtight container in a cabinet away from heat and light. Use to add a bit of Creole flavor to meats, seafoods and vegetables.
• Make a Chicken Marinade using minced thyme, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and low sodium soy sauce.
• Use a tablespoon or so in a fresh vinegrette .
• Make Thyme Butter, just mince the leaves and blend with softened butter. The amount of thyme added depends upon your taste.
• Thyme can be substituted for basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary and savory in recipes.

These are just a few ideas for using thyme. I'd love to hear how you like to use Thyme, whether it's one of these ideas or your own specialty. Thanks in advance for sharing!

Over the Garden Fence - Growing Plants & Great Friendships

One of the best things about gardening is the community of great people who share their passion. I've forged more great friendships over the garden fence so to speak.

A perfect case in point is the box of "sticks" I found at my door when I got home last night. I opened it up and it was actually blackberry canes from my next door neighbor. She ended up with extra and just dropped them off to add to my edible landscape.

Actually, she and I have had many wonderful conversations literally over the fence that divides our yards. We both love to work outside in the yard and trade updates, neighborhood news, and the latest thing happening in our gardens. Lately, her raspberries have been creeping under the fence and establishing new canes in my yard. As much as my family loves raspberries, they are more than welcome to come on over; but now I need to find new homes for the perennials that they're squeezing out. Maybe she'd like something new for her yard. I'll have to check tonight, over the fence.