first signs of flowers

 

It's been such a treat to watch as our bulbs bloom. We've seen some casualties of some of the shoots but what a rewarding process. I'm addicted, more bulbs next for us.

Permaculture looming...

I went to a lecture tonight given by a local organization called Kitchen Table Talk on Urban Homesteading. There were some very inspirational speakers that have 3,000 foot gardens in their yard, have lived in a tent in San Francisco for years, capture rainwater, have greywater solutions, or own 2 goats and 6 chicken in the Excelcior District. Alas, it was inspiring but a little overwhelming to imagine taking any of this on. It did get my wheels spinning, allowing myself to dream just exiting the space I thought I want 1) bees 2) a worm bin, not in that order and 3) a nice container garden 4) make yogurt, cheese, and kombucha and finally 5) host more pot-lucks.  I'm frustrated with the limitations the condo situation poses on us but I've been challenged to not be shunned from moving on my own path. What will happen next?

bulbs in before Dec 1!

finally, I got the children out to plant the bulbs I got 8 weeks ago from Sloat Garden Center. from what I remember I got 3-4 variteties of tulips, snowdrops, and my favorite grape hyacinths. when I was little I'd meander home from elementary school, taking my ole sweet time. there was a corner property on North Gate that had wild hyacinths growing all over the emabankment. I'd often pick a little nosegay for my mom, not sure how many actually made them home. last year I walked in to Bloomers, a florist across from the children's school. I picked up a familiar bunch only to find out they were $30, I laughed, shared my story and trotted promptly out of there empty-handed. I hope mine come up in the spring. i refigerated all the bulbs and now worry that only the tulips required the forced frost, time will tell.

Fava

We got our first fava beans of the season. I learned last year how much work they were when for the month they'd come in our CSA box. This year our CSA farm had an insect infestation so they had to turn-under their crop. With this news I took care to use ours judiciously. I took the beans out of the pod, blanched the shells and pealed them. I'd made a tasty lentil soup and just added the blanched beans to the top. They gave a peppery bite to the soup.

After this I found out while working at the garden with Eva, that fava leaves are quite tasty. Amy, the gardening coordinator, had read an review of a Chronicle food critic of going to a fancy restaurant and having a delicious salad that included the leaves. We'd planted the beans in a mix as a cover-crop, harvested the beans and were ready to cut and turn-under the green stems in to the ground. At this news there were a bunch of kindergarteners gathered around the plants nibbling on the leaves - a lot less work then the beans!