Category Archives: Fall

Fall is here, 2015!

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Dallas Garden Buzz

October is here and we’ve been fortunate to have  some sunny days, cooler weather, and an opportunity to garden at Raincatcher’s.  It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we moved from our Joe Field location.

We are blessed to be able to partner with Midway Hills Christian Church. The winter was filled with planning, building, composting and planting trees.

Spring brought much-needed and bountiful rain and the beginnings of our gardens, the transition of the courtyard,  as well as some opportunities to cook for others and share our new location.  

Summer came and the rain slowed, but our plantings were starting to take root and we have had our first harvests. So now it’s Fall, and it feels like Fall  with the buzzing of bees, the flutter of butterflies, the chatter of students on field trips,  and vegetable crops transitioning from summer to winter.

Episcopal School of Dallas field trip studying pumpkins

Episcopal School of Dallas field trip studying pumpkins

The demonstration grasses are coming through, the wildflowers have been prepared and planted and we are setting up the color wheel and planning for the “Under the Powerline” possibilities.  

The Color Wheel is Beginning to Take Shape

The Color Wheel is Beginning to Take Shape

The monumental task of the irrigation is almost complete and the water tanks have arrived and will be installed next week.  Oh what a busy year it has been; many hours have been logged by the Master Gardeners who call Raincatcher’s home.

 I wanted to take time to thank the amazing leadership team who has made this happen in one short year, (or at times very long). Your leadership has inspired us to dream big and then plan to make it a reality, to not be afraid to ask, to join with others in the community, and to share our gifts.  

The teamwork of all who work at this garden has been phenomenal.  We all have had opportunities to be challenged to make this the best demonstration garden that we can offer to the residents of Dallas County.

Starla's Serendipitous Ladybug Picture

Starla’s Serendipitous Ladybug Picture

 The ladybug nailed it!  We love Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills.  Come and see what’s going on for yourself.

Starla 

Details about our Rainwater Harvesting Class on Thursday morning, October 15th will be on the blog tomorrow.

 

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Chow Chow

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Dallas Garden Buzz

This is the Monday family’s ‘best guess’ recipe for the relish served at an old cat fish place near Oil City, Louisiana.

 I’m not sure why, but  we call it “B and B Relish”.

Tomatoes and Onions on the Stove!

Tomatoes and Onions on the Stove!

B and B Chow Chow

(Also known as Cool Point Relish)

2 Gallons quartered green tomatoes

1/2 Gallon quartered (or smaller) onions

1 Pint hot peppers ( or less)

1/2 Gallons white vinegar

6 Cups sugar

1/2 cup salt

In large pan, add the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a large pan.  Bring it to boil and add tomatoes, onions, and peppers.  Bring it back to a boil, and remove from heat.

Pack in jars, cover with liquid and seal.

Dorothy

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Harvesting Before the Freeze

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Dallas Garden Buzz

For a whole summer I have watched the beautiful, vining sweet potato plant in my garden and wondered what was happening below ground.  Sweet potatoes can be dug as soon as the tubers reach suitable size but farmer friends like Tim say the flavor and quality improves with colder weather. They can even be left in ground until after the first freeze  and leaves blacken, but you don’t want to leave them in too long and have rotten potatoes.  So today was my  day to pick!

Sweet Potatoes from Ann's Garden

Sweet Potatoes from Ann’s Garden

Of course, Tim had more. He has a nice big plot at The Farmer’s Branch Community Garden.

Tim's Sweet Potatoes

Tim’s Sweet Potatoes

I also picked my green tomatoes.  Dorothy  picked 70 pounds from her garden last week and made the most delicious Chow Chow.

Chow Chow is a southern favorite made from pickled green tomatoes and other veggies. It is served alongside  black eyed peas to hamburgers to cornbread, almost anything and hers was the best I have ever tasted.

Green Tomato ChowChow

Her recipe will be shared tomorrow!

Ann

 

 

 

 

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Farewell to the Field Fall Luncheon, We are Moving in November!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Dallas Garden Buzz

“

Farewell to the Field Fall Luncheon Reservations

Come bid the Joe Field Road Earth-Kind® WaterWise Demonstration Garden a fond good-bye at “Farewell to the Field,” 11 a.m., Tuesday, November 4th.  Your $35 reservation will treat you to our most fabulous fall luncheon yet and a last stroll of the Joe Field location. All proceeds from the luncheon go to help in relocating the garden.

As always, photos and recipes will be posted after the event  on our blog. You might come away inspired to make some delicious additions to your own Thanksgiving menu.

Your check is your reservation.  Sorry, no refunds.  For more information, please contact dallasgardenbuzz@gmail.com or reply in our comment section to find out where to send your check.

Proceeds will be used to help with relocation expenses

Menu

Welcome wassail bowl

Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce and Walnuts

Swiss chard Turnovers

Smoked turkey breast with cranberry spice chutney

Roasted Vegetables with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Bibb lettuce salad tossed with raspberry maple dressing

Sweet potato crescent rolls & sour cream yeast rolls

Cranberry pear crisp with flavored cream or  Pumpkin cheesecake topped with cinnamon whipped cream

Sparkling water, orange infused iced tea, Texas pecan coffee

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Fall Clean Up in Your Wildlife Garden-Don’t!

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

There’s a discussion going on in our garden.  How tidy do we want to be?Should we dead head and prune all our perennials and rake our leaves ? Maybe not, our fine feathered friends are looking for food all winter.

“If you’re not careful, you can yank the welcome mat right outfrom under all the birds, insects and small mammals your garden has been home to throughout the rest of the year.”

Debbie Roberts, Fall Clean Up in the Wildlife Garden.

Above: A view into our Wildlife Garden looking through PInk Muhly Grass. Grasses provide cover for wildlife and their seed heads provide food.

Above: A view into our Wildlife Garden looking through Pink Muhly Grass.
Grasses provide cover for wildlife and their seed heads provide food.

Less work? I am all for it. Look at some of the blog titles written on this subject:  Drop Your Rake and Look to the Skies and Fall Wildlife Garden Chores.

Above: Seedheads will be left unpruned to provide winter food in our garden for wildlife.

Above:  Rudbeckia Seedheads

Looking for other ways to accomodate wildlife in your garden? Birds feast on Berries like Beauty Berry and Yaupon Holly in winter months.

A View of our Wildlife Habitat at The Demonstration Garden, looking North.

Yaupon Holly berries on the right, maize on the left under a bird feeder

So less work equals a more friendly wildlife garden; we can handle that!

Ann

Pictures by Starla and Ann

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Volunteering at The Demonstration Garden on Joe Field Rd.

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

The Class of 2013, as preceding classes have, was offered the opportunity to taste volunteering at a variety of sites during the Jump Start portion of our training.  With great trepidation and much innocence, I purchase some pruning tools to begin my adventure in publicly putting class learning into action.

So, one morning as scheduled, I got into my car and drove to the Joe Field Demonstration Garden.

Demo Garden Fall 2013

It was not difficult to locate the gardens on a map or to navigate the streets.  When I got out of the car, I was greeted and welcomed by several experienced Master Gardeners who were very attached to the site and glad to see me.  Is attached the correct word?  Devoted to?  Enamored by?  In love with?  I have discovered that the passion exhibited by those involved with the various sites is communicated with relish and joy.  This was easily seen and felt as the Joe Field ladies divided me and my classmates into groups and took us on a tour of the variety of areas before assigning us tasks to perform.

Was I interested in composting?  Did I want to learn about drip irrigation?  How about pruning?  (Anyone know the difference between pruning and shearing?  I can now tell you what the difference is.)  Mulching?  Transplanting?  Sun plants?  Shade plants?  Vegetables?  Raised beds?  The color wheel was amazing as were the roses.  Truthfully, roses usually don’t do anything for me but even I was impressed with the variety, vibrancy, and size of the rose bushes.  (Many of the bushes were the size of some trees I’ve seen.  I’ve got two scrawny rose bushes in my front yard that haven’t grown much in three years so how did Joe Field do this magic with theirs?)

I recognized plants that live in my own garden but darned if I could name them.  Voila!  The Master Gardener leading my small group easily gave me the name of those plants and told me about their needs.  I kept asking, “How’d she know that?  How can she keep all this knowledge in her head and come up with it on a moment’s notice?” I wonder if I will ever be that familiar with plants.

I was very aware of the phenomenal use of space.  The areas were not particularly overplanted but were, nevertheless, packed with plants and more plants and provided inspiration and ideas to take home to my own garden and beds.

There is so much going on in terms of what is growing that it is impossible to take it in with just one visit.  Maybe that is a lure—come back and learn some more.  Not a bad idea.  Between that chance to learn (and to serve) and the camaraderie of the seasoned volunteers, Joe Field Demonstration Gardens is a smart and happy choice for Master Gardeners.  I’m glad I can visit and revisit this rich site.  Tuesdays are the targeted day of the week for volunteering just in case you want to try it out.  Maybe we will see each other and learn together.

Zelene

Picture by Starla

Map to our gardens here.

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Green Tomato Primer

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Green tomatoes are usually seen at the beginning and the end of tomato season.  Sometimes they get harvested at the beginning when you just can’t wait another minute to have a tomato, and when the weatherman announces the first frost of the year, the rest of the harvest comes inside in a hurry.

If it’s been a good year, that leaves you with lots of tart green balls; some may continue to ripen, but they usually don’t have the depth of flavor and sweetness of those that finish on the vine.  But it’s a pity to compost all that hard work and potential goodness.  So what do you do?

Above: 13 cups of green tomatoes were harvested for Green Tomato Recipes. The ripe tomatoes were eaten.

Above: 13 cups of green tomatoes were harvested for Green Tomato Recipes. The ripe tomatoes were eaten.

This primer will hopefully help you better understand your green harvest and give you some ideas – along with some recipes – to help you use it all up deliciously! Green tomatoes are tart and hard.  If you have green cherry tomatoes, you may even find them a little bitter (I think that’s from the greater amount of skin to pulp than you have on a larger tomato.)  To mellow the flavor of the tomato, you could cut, dice or slice it (you want to expose the interior), salt it, cover it and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.  The next day (or the day after that) when you go to use it, drain and rinse it, and it will still be tart, but it won’t turn your face inside out. Green tomatoes can be substituted reasonably easily in recipes that call for:

  • tart apple
  • lemon
  • kumquat
  • tamarind
  • fresh cranberries

Cherry green tomatoes would work especially well as substitutes for kumquats and cranberries if the shape is important.  So if you already have a recipe you enjoy that uses one of these ingredients, go ahead and substitute green tomatoes for it! Below is a list of flavors that would complement green tomatoes, if you enjoy improvising:

  • almonds
  • walnuts
  • hazelnut
  • coconut
  • coconut cream
  • sesame oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • tea
  • vanilla
  • rose water
  • ginger
  • sugar (brown, white)
  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • coriander
  • allspice
  • cardamom
  • cloves
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • mustard
  • caraway
  • bay leaf
  • chile pepper
  • garlic
  • onion
  • bitter greens
  • corn
  • butter
  • cheese (ricotta, parmesean, cream)
  • chicken
  • turkey
  • duck
  • beef
  • game (venison)

A flavor combination:

  • beef + coconut milk + green tomato 

Other recipe ideas:

  • cornbread with green tomatoes and jalapenos
  • almond thumbprint cookies with candied green tomatoes (or green tomato jam)
  • coconut pie/tart crust with a green tomato filling
  • green tomato jam and coconut milk in your favorite vanilla ice cream recipe (substitute the coconut milk for some or all of the milk and cream)
  • dehydrate and powder the tomatoes to add to any recipe for a little extra tartness
  • added to soups or stews
  • the classic: fried green tomatoes! 

The following recipes were designed for a small batch of green cherry tomatoes, where 1 cup weighed approximately 5 ounces.

Above: Green Tomato Recipe Sampling at The Demonstration Garden

Above: Green Tomato Recipe Sampling at The Demonstration Garden

If your tomatoes are full-sized, you may choose to dice or slice them, and in addition, you have the option of peeling the skins to reduce the acidity, and some of the bitterness.

Hungry for Lila  Rose’s Green Tomato Recipes? Click Here.

Lila Rose

Pictures by Starla

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Basil Harvest

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Today at the garden we harvested buckets full of sweet basil.  With winter’s chill at our doorstep it’s the perfect time to fill our freezers with basil pesto. Basil Harvest

 Here is  Classic Pesto hidden in our Tomato Tart Recipe!

Basil ready for the freezer

Before bedtime and  the freeze tomorrow, review

 Basic Facts About Basil Here!

Sweet Dreams, I will be dreaming about basil and hope you will, too!

Linda

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Celebrating Our Harvest Lunch

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

imageThere is an old hymn that begins with the words “Come, ye thankful people come, Raise the song of harvest home!”  Yesterday at the Joe Field Demonstration Garden as we gathered around the harvest table, our spirits were indeed lifted with gratitude and thanks.

It was an especially joyful experience for our team of volunteers to serve over 46 guests the foods that had been gathered and prepared by our own hands.  For weeks we had planned every detail of the day and watching it unfold was a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.

Here is a closer look at the recipes, the setting and decor that made the day so special for a lovely group of Master Gardeners and their friends.

image

Will we host a similar event in the spring?  Stay posted – we’re as”busy as bees” at the Demonstration Garden!

image

Linda

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Fall Seed Sowing For Spring Flowering

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

There is so much possibility in a seed, except if you leave your seeds sitting on a counter, or in the garage, or in your imagination.

Poppy seeds should be planted now. At the Demonstration Garden ours flourished  in the less tended, driest soil. Poppy advice from the Dallas Morning News here.

may 7 2013 068 (Large)

And don’t forget to sow Bluebonnet seeds.   You may recall  we promised to prompt you to plant  Bluebonnets.

Bluebonnets April 2013 013 (Large)

larkspur-Aggie HortLikewise Larkspur seed should be planted now.

Oh dear, some of my dried Larkspur stalks from last spring are still sitting in my garage with viable seed.  This is a reminder to me as well!

Time is of the essence.

Ann

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