Garden Harvest of 2019

Summer has come and gone, and now is the time to reap the rewards from the seeds planted in spring.

This summer was the best growing season I have yet to experience!

The biggest Zucchini I have grown yet!!!! This made 10 loaves of bread!

With the creation of the above ground garden beds , we were able to double our production rate and have convenient place to continuously grow herbs!

Our tomato plants did very well! We planted cherry, ground cherry and heirloom tomatoes.

Our Carrots were big this year!!! In the past I had always planted them too close together, but this year I spaced them out properly and they were able to grow to their full potential!

Onions and leeks are still growing into the fall!

This year I wanted to plant cabbage because my mother in law loves to cook with it. I brought her a cabbage a week for August and September! She makes the best soups!

She also adds zucchini, tomatoes, onions, kale and carrots (All from the garden of course) I Feel like I have been absolutely spoiled with the incredible food that has come straight from the soil this summer.

The Herb garden was what impressed me most this year. I was able to grow sage (Successfully) for the first time in 3 years!

Along with the sage, my peppermint, rosemary, licorice, thyme, chamomile, dill, oregano, chives and lavender all grew into decent sized plants!

This summer was an incredible, abundant season. I have learned so much about the crops, I am looking forward to finishing up harvesting into late fall, and then preparing for spring!

Backyard herbs

Since moving to the island i’ve been very interested in the natural habitat and what herbs grow here.

The first things to grow this spring were the Dandelions and Horsetail. It’s been a very wet and rainy season so far, and the plants are beyond happy.

Napoleon, the stick monster laying next to the horsetail herbs.

Horsetail is a perennial plant that grows across much of North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Also known as puzzle plant or scouring rush, horsetail is easy to recognize by its reedy, jointed stems. Many people enjoy picking horsetail herbs for its nutrient content. A horsetail plant’s taproots can reportedly reach depths of up to 150 feet (45.5 m.), which may explain why the plant is so rich in silica and other minerals found deep within the earth.

Horsetail herbs are 35 percent silica, one of the most abundant minerals on the planet. Silica may strengthen bones, nails, hair, skin and teeth, as well as bodily tissues, membranes and cell walls. It may also help the body absorb calcium and restore a healthy balance between calcium and magnesium. Herbalists believe horsetail may strengthen lungs, kidneys and the bladder. It is valued for its diuretic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is used to treat bronchitis, chronic urinary tract infections.

Harvest the stems as soon as they emerge in early spring, before they become tough and fibrous. The stems aren’t used for medicinal purposes, but they can be eaten raw.

Green tops: Harvest the green tops of horsetails plants a little later in spring when the leaves are bright green and pointing either straight up or out. Pinch the stems a few inches above the ground. Don’t remove the entire plant; leave some in place for next year’s growth. Remove the papery brown covering and the top cone from the stems. Herbalists recommend that tea is the best way to use the herb. Otherwise, you can sauté the shoots or add them to soup.

Fall harvest: You can also harvest horsetail in fall. The silica content is very high, but the shoots are too tough for any use other than tea.

Horsetail contains large amounts of water so the key is getting it adequately dried for storing it.  You can use a food dehydrator set to the lowest temperature setting or you can bundle the horsetail up, tie the bundles, and hang them upside down in a cool, dark place with adequate circulation until they’re dried.  At that point they’ll come apart pretty easily in your hands, you can also chop them up and then store them in a dark place in airtight containers, preferably glass.  Dried horsetail will keep for a year.

It’s best to wash the horsetail first to rinse off dirt particles.  Then you can let it dry for a little while in the sun before hanging it up to dry.

Once you have dried the Horsetail, you can make face and hair tonics or rinses to improve the health of your skin and hair.  Ingesting it in the form of a tea will do the same thing plus provide many other health benefits such as the ones mentioned above.

To make a strong infusion you use a good handful of chopped dried horsetail per 2-3 cups of water.  Pour the hot water over the herbs and let the tea steep for at least 15 minutes or up to several hours.  This tea can also be used as a skin tonic.

Horsetail has a mild grass-like flavor and combines really well with other herbs for a pleasant-tasting tea.  Combine it with any other herb of your choice.

To make a hair rinse steep a generous cup of dried horsetail in about 6 cups of hot water for up to several hours.  Let it cool completely and then pour it over your hair over a large bowl.  Then collect what’s in the bowl and rinse again a few more times.   With horsetail’s high silica content, your hair will be silky and shiny.

Harvest dandelion roots from late fall through early spring, when the plant is dormant and has stored up energy in the root.  This is because the levels of inulin (insoluble fiber) are higher and the fructose levels are lower.

The freezing of winter converts the inulin to fructose, which makes spring roots more palatable for eating. Spring roots are less bitter and chewy – just make sure you dig them before the plants start to blossom. Spring roots are also higher in taraxacin, which stimulates bile production.

What's the Best Way to Harvest Dandelion Roots?

To dig roots, use a weed fork. You want to break/damage the root as little as possible so you don't lose much sap, which is where the medicinal properties lie. Deep, rich soil will produce the thickest, easiest to harvest roots. I always let a few dandelions go in the garden, as they are great for reaching deep into the soil to bring up nutrients. Make sure to harvest from areas that have not been sprayed/treated with anything noxious. Select large, vigorous plants – small, spindly plants will have small roots that are not really worth harvesting.

How should I Preserve Dandelion Roots?

You can use dandelion roots fresh for cooking and medicine, or preserve them for later use. For long term storage, drying works best. Scrub roots well before cutting. Slice thick roots lengthwise into strips of uniform thickness to decrease drying time and encourage uniform drying.

How do I Use Dandelion Root?

Dandelion root is well known as a detoxifying agent, but has also been used to treat everything from arthritis to hangovers. To extract the medicinal compounds from the roots, use a decoction or tincture. Decoctions are water based, while tinctures are generally alcohol based.

Make a Dandelion Root Tincture

To make a tincture, place dandelion root in a jar and cover with 80 proof (40%) vodka. Cover tightly and allow to steep 4-6 weeks, shaking daily. Strain out plant material and store in a dark glass bottle. Label and date.

Make a Dandelion Leaf Infusion

Herbal infusions are steeped for a longer time at lower temperatures, and are typically used for leaves and flowers. To make a strong herbal infusion tea, use 1/2 ounce by weight of dried leaves or one ounce by weight of fresh leaves per cup of water. Place the ingredients in a glass canning jar. Cover with freshly boiled water. Put the lid on and steep overnight. Strain and compost solids. For medicinal purposes, drink 3-4 cups per day. Alternatively, use a french press, or steep (covered) for at least 20 minutes before straining.

Spring is here!

After a very long winter, we can finally say that spring has arrived in Canada!

The Tulips are out, and the apple tree is blooming. Spring is my favorite season because I love being able to see the plants come back to life. Flowers are blooming and bees are buzzing around.

Our Apple tree is currently in full bloom!

This weekend we celebrated my Mothers birthday, with a healthy harvest of Rhubarb!

Something interesting about these plants, they originated from my Grandfathers rhubarb! And they came all the way from deep river. They have been with us through three moves, and are the first thing to grow in our garden each spring. This rhubarb plant is apart of our families history.

While cleaning up the yard, I came across my first Morel Mushroom of the season! Such a blessing. Morels are one of the most desired wild mushrooms in the world. They are not farmed like most grocery store mushrooms, Cremini, Portobello, Oyster, etc. but gathered in the wild.

The part that we eat is the fruiting body of the underground organism called mycelium that has a complex symbiotic relationship with trees. Every spring mushroom enthusiasts, foraging chefs, and an ever growing group of commercial harvesters hunt these little forest treasures. .. and I was lucky enough to have one growing right in my yard!

With a fresh Morel Mushroom and a plan, I decided to make mushroom Risotto for my mothers birthday!

I followed this recipe here : http://wallflowerkitchen.com/creamy-mushroom-risotto-vegan-gf/

The Risotto turned out perfectly, added some chicken on the side and some shallots from the garden on top!

The day ended off with a little project I had been dreaming of all winter.

We have a big beautiful willow tree right by the water front, and I really wanted to create a big two person swing handing on one of the lower branches.

Using all recycled materials, I created my dream swing!

The board was left over from a renovation project, the ropes are old boat ropes and the hardware was also used!

An awesome waste-free addition to our garden.

I hope that everyone enjoyed the beautiful sunny weekend as much as I did!

The 2017 Growing Season - Starting things off with just a Seed.

2017 Was the year We moved into our new home on the island!
The property was beautiful, however there was one thing missing.. a big garden!

So my family and I got to work, creating our own garden of abundance.

We dug out the in ground garden, planted some herbs and vegetables and hoped for the best.

Thankfully the growing season was equally sunny as it was rainy, a perfect year for zucchini and squash!

Feeling very thankful for the wonderful year, looking forward as to what 2018 would bring .