Category Archives: Farmers Markets

Gardening 101 Day 18 Part 2~ How to Create a Vegetable Container Garden YOUTUBE VIDEO

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“I love things that are indescribable, like the taste of an avocado or the smell of a gardenia. ” Barbra Streisand

Welcome to Day 18 of my Gardening 101 Part 2 on how-to create a container garden. In Part 1 I discussed how to create an herb container garden, today let’s look at how to incorporate veggies into containers. 

Many of the elements will be similar, especially in the types of containers, making this post a bit shorter. If you missed Part 1, just jump on over for an informative recap!

If you are a novice gardener you may be wondering how you can grow veggies in containers. You may be an experienced gardener who is considering the option of moving your veggies from a standard tillable garden to downsize or just utilize space more effectively. 

If you are a novice gardener you may be wondering how you can grow veggies in containers. You may be an experienced gardener who is considering the option of moving your veggies from a standard tillable garden to downsize or just utilize space more effectively. 

If you’ve been eyeing up container gardening lately, then you’re probably wondering what it has to offer you. After all, growing in a garden doesn’t really work like that. As you all know I am a huge advocate for container and raised bed gardening. Raised beds are in reality just another form of containers, as I showed in Part 1. You can grow herbs and vegetables in a standard tillable garden, but that type of gardening takes so much more effort and planning. With container gardening, everything becomes simpler and more accessible than it is with other methods. 

If you missed my two part series on the benefits of raised bed gardening, click these links. Part 1 and Part 2.

Have you been wondering how to get started with a vegetable garden, or just want to be able to grow your own vegetables at home? Well, a vegetable container garden might be just the answer you’re looking for. A vegetable container garden is essentially an easy way to extend the space of your yard so you can grow plants more effectively. 

With this guide, I’ll be showing you everything you need to know about creating successful container gardens as well as the many benefits they have to offer. After reading through the following tips, you will understand why having a container garden is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables all year round.

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

For Dragonflies And Me

Weekly tips & tricks for your garden and home!

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If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden! 

Added bonus: You can go to my blog at http://www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!

Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Have you checked out my NEW YouTube Channel yet?

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Jean is trying to grow her Subscriber base there, so please stop over and join her as she shares incredible content only found there! Don’t miss out friends! SUBSCRIBE HERE!

Jean Roman is a mother of six, published author, Podcaster, YouTuber, organic gardener, organizational guru, and influencer. A self-professed master gardener with over twenty years experience, she loves to write and teach about her passion and knowledge in organic gardening, the local food movement, food preparation & preservation.

Jean spent fifteen years as a Mennonite where she co-authored her cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. Selling over twenty-thousand copies throughout the US & Canada, the book is cherished by many. Roman recently started her Podcast, sister to her blog. In addition to chatting about her beloved topics including gardening, cooking, & organization she shares topics including healthy lifestyles & entrepreneurship. Jean brings experts in these fields and shares a combined knowledge with her listeners.

The NEW sister, her YouTube channel is filled with great content including recipes, easy & fun how-to projects, gardening tutorials all only seen there! You can also listen to all of her Podcasts there!

Thanks in advance friends,
Until next time remember to eat fresh, shop local, and have a happy day!
Jean

Gardening 101 Day 8: Top 10 Essential Gardening Tools for the Home Gardener ~YOUTUBE Video

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“A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them. ” Liberty Hyde Bailey

If you are a novice or experienced gardener, then you know the importance of good gardening tools. They really do play an important role in successful gardening. Good tools also have an impact on how much you may enjoy gardening. The difference between cheap, flimsy tools versus sturdy, well manufactured tools can mean the difference between a sprained wrist, unnecessary cuts, and pulled muscles!

Gardening is a wonderful hobby filled with so much fulfillment, so having the right tools for the job is essential. The last thing you want to do is get an injury because the poorly manufactured garden hoe broke or bent while you were working in the garden soil. Or, the hand trowel snaps cutting your hand because you hit a large rock under the soil where you couldn’t see it.

Let’s look at what I believe are the Top 10 Essential Tools for the Home Gardener are for both a flower and vegetable garden. Watch this YouTube Video for all the details!

In conclusion, having the right tools for gardening is essential for success. A gardener should have a good pair of gloves, a hand trowel, a garden fork, a garden hoe, a garden rake, garden shears, a garden hose, a garden sprayer, a garden wheelbarrow, and a garden trellis. With these tools, a gardener will be able to maintain a beautiful and productive flower and vegetable garden.

For Dragonflies And Me

Weekly tips & tricks for your garden and home!

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I certainly hope you are encouraged to grow your own food. Even if you start with only two or three of these things, that’s a great start! 

If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook or Instagram, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Happy Day,
Jean

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All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content.

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew with Dumplings

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“Cooking with love provides food for the soul.” – Valerie McKeehan

Cooking certainly does require a certain amount of love for those we are cooking for, wouldn’t you agree? Afterall, cooking may not be everyone’s cup of tea so to speak, but we all have to do it to a degree. 

Some of us are single, living with, or married with or without kids. Who cooks in your home?

I am very fortunate that Dave & I both love to play around in the kitchen as do my boys. We enjoy sitting around the table and creating our monthly menus and trying new dishes. Dave has definitely introduced the boys to some new stuff. I’m afraid I can get in a rut… which is why menu planning is so important. You can read more about that HERE in my Organization 101 Series.

Well, stew has been a long time favorite in my home. I remember the delicious smell of stew wafting through my home as a child. My grandmother would be busy in the kitchen making homemade dumplings, and ohhhhh the deliciousness we had for dinner that night. 

Sticking to my comfort food recipes… here it is friends. Enjoy!

Our Favorite Recipes

Ingredients:

4 cups lean beef stew chunks. You can use a round steak and cut into chunks as well.

1- 32 ounce container of Beef Stock

1/4 cup white all purpose flour OR cornstarch

1 cup carrots, cut into 2 inch lengths

1 cup potatoes, cut into quarters or chunks

1/2 red onion, minced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 fresh clove of garlic minced OR 1 tsp jarred

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tsp Montreal Steak Spice

Yields approximately 8 cups finished product.

This recipe can be found in my wonderful cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats on page 127.

I’ve altered it a bit to make it in a cropckpot!

If you still don’t own your own copy of my cookbook, click this LINK to order! Be sure to read the testimonials while you’re here!

1. Gather all your ingredients. Rinse meat off, wash veggies and prepare.

Place meat in crock pot with 1 cup of broth.

3. Sprinkle steak spice over meat & stir to blend.

4. Add cut Heirloom carrots and minced garlic.

5. Next add the potatoes. Here I’ve used Heirloom purple potatoes I purchased at the Detroit Eastern Farmers Market.

6. Cut red onions and celery, and add to meat & veggie mixture.

7. Next stir in the olive oil and mix well.

8. Cook in a crockpot on High for 6 to 7 hours.

You’ll know its done when the veggies are fork tender and meat can be easily pierced with a fork or knife.

9. Once meat and veggies are cooked, in a bowl add 1 cup of the broth with flour or cornstarch; whisk until there are no lumps.

Pour mixture along with remaining broth over meat & veggie mixture; cook for another 30 to 40 minutes on high until thickened.

10. Now, make your dumplings according to the directions. You can find this recipe in my Cookbook on page 127 with the Easy Chicken Stew recipe, or use your favorite one.

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

Get new recipes delivered to your inbox.

If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden! 

Added bonus: You can go to my blog at www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!

Happy Day,
Jean

Copyright Policy

All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.

Organization 101 Series Day 7: Menu Planning & Meal Prepping!

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“Organizing is what you do before you do something so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”— A. A. Milne

Welcome to the next article in my Organization 101 Series.  In my last entry I I shared a sample of Zonal Cleaning and how you’d been unknowingly working on creating these in your daily schedules & routines. 

I was happy to share that with all of you on my NEW Podcast. If you missed it, here’s the LINK.

As I mentioned, today’s post will focus on menu planning and some meal prepping. This can be a somewhat daunting task to those of my friends who don’t enjoy cooking, or grocery shopping. Well friends, believe me when I say if you implement this easy task, you might just change your tune about the whole process. 

Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relections” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!

I also suggested having your family help with this process. Even if you don’t have kids, ask your partner or roommate to join in the fun!

If you are not organized and structured in this area of managing your home, you can end up spending more money on things you don’t need and won’t end up using. By planning your meals and therefore your grocery shopping lists you won’t find yourself buying ingredients on a whim or wasting time thinking about what you should be shopping for.

BONUS to this task include saving TIME & MONEY! With gas prices as high as they are, you’ll even save money due to less running back to the grocery store or market because you forgot something.

I recommend using shopping apps as well.

PRO TIP: Keep your cart open all the time! As you use something or only have one of an item left in your pantry, you can quickly add that item by scanning the barcode of the item. Most shopping apps have a tab called Your Items or Your Favorites. Utilizing these saves time. You are not aimlessly walking around in the grocery store trying to remember what you need.

With Menu Planning, you will only shop for the items you need for the meals you plan to prepare that week, thereby saving money.

Menus & Grocery lists

There are a few ways you can plan your menus: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or even Annually. I’ve done about all of them. Currently I am using the Monthly menu planning as that fits my family’s lifestyle best. However I have done it for the entire year.

The process is simple!


Plan a day where you and your family can sit for about a half to a full hour. I like to do this on a Sunday afternoon as it tends to be more of a family day. I gather up my calendar and my cookbooks and we all get turns to add to the menu. I generally have a main, side, veggie and occasionally a dessert. We are not big dessert eaters, so we only plan a dessert about once a month.

Menus by the season! We attend several farmers markets throughout the season, so I adjust our menu planning according to what is growing in our area seasonally. During the market season- April through November we purchase the bulk of our vegetables from the farmers market and also grow a few ourselves. In the spring we eat a lot more salads, summer holds its bounty in just about everything, and in the fall we eat more root & squash vegetable crops.

I also purchase most of my meat and eggs from the farmers market along with a little Mennonite market up North where I used to have my farm. I very rarely purchase meat from the grocery store.

Here is an excerpt from my previous blog where I show you how to create your menus for the year just in case you’d like to be ambitious or simply knock it all out in one fell swoop.

I designed two groups of menus according to the seasons. Spring & Summer menus focus on the fresh produce we’re growing and that’s available. The second is Fall & Winter which features what we’ve canned, frozen and what’s in the root cellar along with what we’re still growing in the fall garden and winter hoop house. I created eight weeks of menus for each group. This allows me to rotate over two months. I keep that week’s menu on the fridge so we don’t have to think about meal prep, especially during our busy gardening and canning season. Having a menu helps in grocery shopping and meal prep every morning.

Now, let’s look into organizing your life with Menu Planning and Grocery Lists.

PRO TIP: Include this job in your control journal in one of your desk day jobs.

Menu

Planning

Tips &

Tricks

I love anything that will simplify my life in the everyday stuff that needs to be done like preparing meals for my family. Remember my P.M.S.? The ‘what’s for supper’ question can quickly become spaghetti all too often without menus! I’m sure many of us can relate to that! So I thought it would be nice to share a few tips in menu planning.

*First take 1-3 of your favorite cookbooks and 1-2 blank monthly calendars and a PENCIL!

*First plan some of your family’s favorite meals before you scour through the cookbooks. Think about the groceries each meal will take beforehand. Fill in one breakfast, lunch and supper for each family member with their favorite thing over the two weeks of menus- don’t duplicate any meal and don’t include any desserts… YET.

*Have any family vacations, work or school days off, sports or other activities with special dates handy so you can take those into consideration. Don’t plan a favorite meal for someone when they won’t even be home for it!

*Decide if you will include breakfast and lunch! This may depend on summer vacation for kids, etc.

*If you plan to have a night out or order-in meal, jot those down next.

*Do you want to include desserts? If so, fill those in now.

*Now go to the cookbooks. I encourage you to try a new recipe once a week. This will be fun and will help you and your family find new favorites. It’ll also help you from getting in a rut of the same old thing.

PRO TIP: Be sure to jot down what the cookbook and the page number for the recipe on the calendar. I recommend using abbreviations for cookbooks. For example I would put LS for my cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats & Treats. If you don’t think you’ll remember them, jot down a legend on the back of the calendar.

If you haven’t purchased your copy of my popular cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats, click HERE.

Some extra tips when planning your menu:

*Do you have a garden? These should all play a factor in your menu planning.

Do you shop primarily at the Farmers Market during the season? Do you have any of your own livestock that you raise? Do you have your own chickens for eggs?

*Take into consideration what season you’re in. If you do the bulk of your shopping at the grocery store, seasonal crops will be far less expensive than items shipped from across the county. Shopping at farmers markets and/or having a garden can help save money here. Spring offers more salad crops & greens. Summer will be the mother load of produce and will eliminate much grocery shopping for fresh produce. Fall provides root crops such as potatoes, carrots, onions, and squashes. If you raise your own animals, butchering time is also happening now. Do you or a family member hunt? This can be an additional source of meat.

*Have your family members help create the menu.

This can be a fun family activity and sharing time of who liked and didn’t like what!

You now have two whole months planned out and it was so much fun and so easy. If you feel adventurous try doing another month and plan it out seasonally.

Grocery Lists Tips & Tricks!

Grocery lists are really not complicated and won’t take up too much time when you have your menus to work off of. Here are some tips!

*I recommend keeping a magnetic note pad or grocery list right on the front or side of your fridge! Each time you run out of something, jot it down or tick it off the pre-made list.

*Google ‘grocery list’ and you’ll find oodles of styles to download. Keep a master in your control journal and make a copy for each week, unless you have a pre-printed notepad.

*You’ll need to go over your menu for the next week and shop accordingly.

*As I mentioned you can save a lot of money when you grow your own or at least eat seasonally. But if that’s not an option for you, shop at the farmers market which is the next best thing. There are many winter farmers markets as well that you can shop and support and still eat seasonally with root crops, storage crops and fresh greens.

*Stick to the list when you go to the grocery store. I’m sure most of you shop at several stores for different items.  Have a list for each store and coupons/ ad’s to go with each.

*If you have any returnables, be sure they’re ready to go and in the trunk.

*I always make sure I have my grocery list, coupons and shopper bags ready to go.

*Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry… you WILL buy things you normally don’t because ‘they look good’ at the time!

Keep posted for the next in the series as we look a concept I learned during a class I took. You’re going to love it.

Jump on over to my Podcast & SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss an episode!

If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Happy Day,

Jean

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All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content 

What is a Community Supported Agriculture & How do I find one?

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“Ol’ man Simon, planted a diamond. Grew hisself a garden the likes of none. Sprouts all growin’ comin’ up glowin’ Fruit of jewels all shinin’ in the sun. Colors of the rainbow. See the sun and the rain grow sapphires and rubies on ivory vines, Grapes of jade, just ripenin’ in the shade, just ready for the squeezin’ into green jade wine.” -Shel Silverstein

As many of you may remember, my past life as an Organic Farmer was filled with busy days in the greenhouses, gardens, and with the animals. There is part of me that misses it all… yet there is another part of me that is simply grateful for the experience and lessons it taught me.

One of the things I loved most about my farm was our Community Supported Agriculture program AKA CSA. This is the time of year that many people begin looking for a CSA program for next year. That may seem strange to some… thinking about getting next summer’s produce, but from a farmer’s point of view, now’s the time.

I thought now would be a great time to share some tips on choosing a CSA, and what to look for when hunting down the perfect farm for you!

Many seed, greenhouse supply and agricultural companies offer substantial discounts to farmers for getting their orders in before the end of the year. This can mean substantial savings to farmers, especially beginning farmers. Not only that, but meat and dairy producers are looking at feed costs and amounts of livestock needed for the following season.

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Most farmers plan & place seed orders by the end of November. Plans for ordering next year’s Thanksgiving turkeys are being thought out right now as well. How many meat birds and laying hens will be needed to supply the demand the following year. Quantities of feed they’ll need to secure for their livestock is also a consideration. These are all important factors being considered by farmers as I write this. 

1. Types of CSA’s. Determine what you’re looking for before you go on the hunt. This will allow you to do custom Google searches. Here are a few of the more common types you may consider when starting your search.

There are many types of CSA’s including the typical veggies but some farms have what are referred to ‘add-on’s’. These can include fruit, flower, egg, meat, milk & dairy, and even coffee! Our farm offered a Spring, Summer, and Winter share with all of the above options with the exception of coffee.

2. Questions you will need to consider when deciding on the perfect CSA program for you. Does the farm meet your individual/family needs?

  1. Do you want organic products or is that not relevant to you? Does Organic certification make a difference?
    Pro Tip: My personal note here is, that it is important to know your farmer/producer. Organic certification is not geared to small, family run farms and can be very cost prohibitive to them.
  2. Do you want home delivery? Do you want to pick up at your local farmers market?
  3. What are all the delivery options?
  4. Does the potential farm have multiple share size options to fit your individual/family size? For example: full or half share, senior or single options.
  5. Do you want to participate in a work share program if that’s an opportunity? This would entail doing labor on the farm or market location in exchange for the food or discount off the share.

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6. Do you want to help support a small-family run farm, or a large multi-member farm?
7. Does the farm allow installment, accept credit card, offer discounts for full pay or an early bird discount?
8. How many share members does the potential farm allow each season? When is the cut off date? 9. Does the farm have a web site to view their products, farm photo’s, etc.?
10. Does it have a Facebook page where members can communicate between each other and their farmers?
11. Are you picky eaters? Do you cook? Do you ‘want’ to cook?

12. Does the farm have ‘customizable’ share options? Will you be able to swap out things you don’t care for?
13. Is it a pre-pack (shares packed and ready for pick up) or a U-Pack (You get to choose between specific items for your share)?
14. Does the potential farm have an on site farm stand?
15. Does the farm allow for visits? does it have a ‘field day’ where members are invited to attend?

With regards to this last item, I’d like to defend some farmers stand on this… being I was a farmer for almost 15 years.
Farmer’s have families and lives outside of their business life and it’s not always convenient to have people ‘popping’ in. I always suggested to the ‘curious’ potential members if they allowed their clients or customers to just pop into their homes unannounced? Suddenly the reality of the request became a little bit more realistic.  Most farmers aren’t trying to ‘hide’ anything, it’s simply a matter of privacy and having a life of their own. Also, many people don’t understand the dangers on a farm, especially around equipment and with children.  Additional insurance is required when allowing people to come onto the farm. So please don’t judge a farmer harshly just because they don’t offer ‘unannounced pop-ins’.

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3. Sources to find CSA programs. Here are a few reliable sources to begin your research.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

http://www.localdirt.com/

http://www.ecovian.com/csa

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml

If you have the opportunity to visit the potential farm/er at a local farmers market they participate in, I suggest you go early in the morning. Most members try to pick up their shares earlier and this would give you an opportunity to see how the farmers relate to their members. You’d also have the chance to talk to other members, which the farmers usually love. The members will be able to give you an actual ‘review’ of how they like the share and the farm/er.  You would be able to see the produce available and the additional things they offer, like meat, eggs, flowers, etc.

Finding a Community Supported Agriculture program that will fit your families or individual needs can be a challenge, but if you go on the hunt prepared and understanding what you’re looking for, it won’t be so daunting.

If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049613212778

Happy Day,
Jean

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All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.

Dave’s Delish Bourbon Chicken

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“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.”― Thomas Wolfe

Last week I shared my Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze recipe and promised this one would be coming next… so here it is!!! You will not be disappointed!!! This is one of Dave’s recipe and our family just loves it served on a bed of Basmati rice with my veggies! Just in case you missed it, here is the link!

Farmers markets are abounding with fresh produce, farm fresh eggs, honey, maple syrup, flowers, and of course delicious grass fed meats. I like to get my meat from several farmers who participate at the markets I frequent. These delicious & meaty thighs were purchased from Vestergarrd Farms located in Ann Arbor, Michigan! They participate in the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, which is where we go most frequently due to it’s location.

Now lets get into this super yummy recipe you will all just love!

Our Favorite Recipes

Ingredients:
8 boneless chicken thighs

Marinade:
¼ cup Soy Sauce- I use Braggs
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup Jim Beam Bourbon
2 TBSP fresh minced red onion
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp herb garlic salt or regular garlic salt 
***You can use garlic powder in exchange for salt if you’d like
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Farm raised meats are so wonderfully delicious & fresh. However if you purchase your meat from a grocer, you are still supporting local!

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag combine all marinade ingredients; mix until well blended & set aside.

3. Take chicken thighs and cut into 1” strips leaving most of the skin on; put strips in the bag of marinade and place in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight if you want to plan ahead.

4. Pour both marinade and chicken strips into a 9” x 13” x 2” baking dish; cook uncovered for 1 ½ hours stirring occasionally.

This is delicious served on a bed of Basmati rice and my Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze.

If you enjoyed this recipe post, please LIKE, share, & of course follow me to receive notifications on all my posts. 

Follow me on Facebook for daily inspirations, & more tips and tricks for your garden & home!
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Added bonus: You can go to my blog at www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!

Happy day,
Jean

How-to preserve your herbs, & bonus recipes!

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“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

– Julia Child

My freshly dried basil

Growing your own veggies & herbs is a such blessing! Although having the ability to preserve them is a wonderful use of what you’ve grown & harvested. It helps save a ton of money as herbs can be very expensive, especially organic brands. Whether or not you garden organically, your home grown herbs will taste remarkably richer than any purchased from the store.

The following how-to can be used with just about any herbs you grow. Here are a few processes I want to share with all of you.

Pro tip: You don’t have to wait until the fall to preserve your delicious herbs, you can start early in the spring and work at it all season long! 

As I mentioned there are a few ways to dry your herbs. Let’s look at each one.

Pro tip: You can have herbs all year in cold weather states. In the spring when you are purchasing your seeds, save a few to plant in late summer in pots. You can keep these in your kitchen all winter long.

Pro Tip: De-stemming your herb leaves from the stem is essential for the highest quality finished product. You can see in these photo’s the original stem of basil, then plucking each leaf off. The stems will not dry well and are often times stringy.

For recipes using all your wonderful dried herbs, check out my blog post here: https://wordpress.com/post/fordragonfliesandme.com/2829

https://wordpress.com/post/fordragonfliesandme.com/2324

https://wordpress.com/post/fordragonfliesandme.com/1429

Some seeds do not have a long shelf life when kept at room temperature. If you keep the seeds in your freezer they will have a better chance of germinating. 

1. Using a dehydrator. Your dehydrator will come with instructions and is very easy to use. You can use a dehydrator for all types of herbs as well as fruit! You can even make fruit roll ups! 

2. Place herbs on a cookie sheet and dry in your oven. After you’ve de-stemmed the leaves, place them on a cookie sheet and bake in a 250 degree oven until dry. The length of time will be determined by the size of the leaves.
For example, thyme and oregano leaves will be quicker than basil or parsley as their leaves are larger

Place leaves in a single layer on the cookie sheet so they are not overlapping each other. You do not need to turn the leaves. Check every 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Hanging your herbs to dry in a shady spot works too! You can bundle your herbs with a rubber band and hang them to dry. This generally takes a bit longer to dry as the herbs are more densely packed.

This photo was taken at
Greenfield Village

Pro tip: Don’t hang these in a sunny window as the sun will fade the color of the leaves.

Once the leaves are crumbly to the touch, remove them from the cookie sheet into a shallow bowl; gently crumble the leaves, do not crumble so hard that they become dusty. Think about how herbs look purchased from the store.


4. Besides drying your herbs, you can also freeze some of them. I have found that chives and parsley both freeze well. Most others will turn black and slimy.


Storage: Once you have dried your herbs, you can store them in glass jars with tight fitting lids, freezer storage bags or I like to use half pint jars with cute labels.

Other tips!

Freeze your pesto for use year round! We use pesto for so many recipes. I will make a large batch when my basil and parsley are at their best and then freeze them in half pint jars as these are equivalent to 1 cup which most recipes call for. You can also freeze them in ice cube trays and toss in a freezer bag.

Pro tip: Remember to leave at least an inch headspace when freezing!

Herb infused oils can be rather expensive even though they are so easy to make! Simply pack 2 cups of most any fresh culinary herb with 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil.

Pro tip: Olive oil can have a strong taste so I generally only use a few herbs with it. Basil, Thyme, & oregano. I also love to add fresh minced garlic with these. Soooo yummy!

Bonus Herb Salt & Salt Free Recipes

Here are some of my yummy herb salts-less recipes!
If you are trying to watch your salt intake, here a some great salt substitutes that the whole family will enjoy and they won’t even miss the salt!

For each recipe, combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly I even use a mini food processor. Once blended, store each one in a separate airtight container; shake before using, contents will probably settle.

Salt-less Herb Blend

5 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all and store in an airtight container. Great on fish & chicken!

I had to use this pic of Aaron back on the farm after he harvested these onions!!

Italian Blend

1 Tbsp. garlic powder
5 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all and store in an airtight container. Great in ground beef when making goulash!

Basic Herb Salt

1 cup sea salt
1 Tbsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. rosemary
2 Tbsp. thyme
1/4 cup parsley
2 Tbsp. tarragon
2 Tbsp. dill week
2 Tbsp. paprika
1/4 cup basil

Blend together in a food processor; store in an airtight container. Great for grilling or putting on pork or beef roasts!

All of these are great Great sprinkled on burger patties before grilling and really adds something special to ground beef when fried.

If you enjoyed this blog & bonus recipes, please LIKE, Follow & of course Share! Let me know what you think ! I love your feedback! If you aren’t following me on Facebook go on over & give it a like & follow me for daily tips & tricks for the home and garden! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049613212778

Happy Day,
Jean

Preserving Your Fall Pumpkins!

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“… Just for one’s health… it is very necessary to work in the garden and to see the flowers growing.”
Vincent Gogh

If you’re like me, you want pumpkins from September through Thanksgiving! But how do we keep them from rotting prematurely & preventing little critters (AKA squirrels & others) from chewing them to pieces you ask? Well there are a few ways to stop them.

I’m going to discuss both a natural & chemical way to preserve your pumpkins. You choose the path you feel most comfortable with.

Cayenne Pepper

The natural way to deter critters from gnawing away at your beautiful pumpkins is by using cayenne pepper!

Please note, if you accidently purchase a pumpkin with any cuts, scratches, deep wounds, or if the stem is broken off this alternative will not work. The cayenne pepper will simply deter insects & critters from attempting to eat them, it will not prevent rotting.

Using Cayenne pepper is a natural alternative to chemical means. It is very easy & inexpensive, however you will need to reapply the pepper after each rain.

Rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks will take one taste & quickly scurry away!

It’s cute, but it will destroy your beautiful pumpkins!

The not so natural way.

An alternative way to keep those critters at bay is to simply coat each of your pumpkins, gourds & even your Indian corn with clear acrylic spray. This is also an inexpensive way to protect them, however you do not want to toss these pumpkins into your garden as compost. I happen to live on seven acres with five of those being woods. We generally toss our corn stalks, pumpkins, Christmas trees &  any other live garlands into our woods. They naturally compost, act as habitat for the wild life, and of course food for the animals as well.

Depending on how many pumpkins & gourds you have purchase 2 to 3 cans of clear acrylic spray.

Taking a damp rag or paper towel wipe down any debris and moisture on your pumpkin or gourd.

Watch my video on how to appropriately spray your pumpkin with clear acrylic spray!

How to pick the perfect pumpkins!

I wanted to share a few tips & tricks on choosing the perfect pumpkin. 

First, be sure the pumpkin or gourd has a securely connected stem. If it is loose at all, or even worse broken off DON’T buy it… no matter how cute it is, no matter how perfect it is, walk away. It will rot and attract insects & critters that will be happy to chew away at it.

This pumpkin has a securely attached stem and no wounds or knicks.

The stem of this pumpkin is broken off. It will rot much more quickly as well as attract insects & critters.

Secondly, be sure there are no cuts or wounds on your pumpkins.
Unfortunately even with our best attempts to be cautious, we can miss them. A perfect example is the pumpkin I used in my video. In this case the price tag was covering the large wound & I had no idea until I took it home and removed the sticker. I was so thankful I did as this allowed me to take care of it.

This is a very deep wound, so as you saw in the video I sprayed a lot of acrylic spray into it.

With this wound using cayenne pepper unfortunately would not work.

Lastly, support your local farmers & farmers markets with the purchase of your pumpkins and other holiday decorations. As we continue to spend our dollars locally, it naturally benefits our community.

If you enjoyed this post, please Like, Share, & of course follow me here and at my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049613212778.

Happy Day,
Jean

My Top 5 Reasons to Support Local Farmers Markets

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The Ann Arbor Farmers Market https://bit.ly/3AHViQd

One of my favorite things to do is attend area farmers markets. Whenever I travel I immediately look up any surrounding farmers markets, and you better believe if we can attend, we do! 

Here are my Top 5 reasons to support our local farmers markets.

1. Support your local economy by supporting your local farmers & entrepreneurs! 

As educated consumers we want to know where our food is coming from. We’re tired of food being mass produced on assembly lines with labels sporting names of ingredients that can’t even be pronounced. We
want clean & healthy food locally sourced & grown.
Where do you get this great stuff you ask? You get it at your local farmers market!


The Ann Arbor Farmers Market https://bit.ly/3AHViQd

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)  Released August 17, 2020,
“On an average market day, 916 households shopped across markets in the U.S. and spent $14,547 per farmers market. Farmers Market Managers served as paid employees in 4,321 markets, while in 3,162 they served as volunteers. On average, the paid Farmers Market Managers earned $18.40 per hour. Managers worked an average of 19.4 hours per week. “ Taken from https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/pz50hd694/gx41n598k/jd473j98z/nfar0820.pdf

2. Support your local farmers & entrepreneurs!

Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. Small businesses can get their product out to a fresh target market at a very reasonable cost. Markets can eliminate the need for a brick and mortar facility and all the expenses associated with it. Most importantly, it allows customers to build relationships with producers. You can see the positive impact of supporting local from this infographic for the Kalamazoo Michigan Farmers Market. 

Kalamazoo Farmers Market Metrics http://pfcmarkets.com/

3. Explore new varieties of fresh fruits & veggies, & other healthy foods!

I’ve often been asked, “What’s an Heirloom?” or told  “I’ve never seen a purple carrot!!!” Well, you’ll find a plethora of Heirloom varieties including purple carrots at most farmers markets! 

Tomatoes are by far the hottest item in the Heirloom market, but there are several varieties of eggplant, squash, carrots, beans, and so much more. 

Besides  providing a wide range of fresh fruit and veggies, you’ll be dazzled by a slew of delicious baked goods, dairy, egg and meat products, honey and maple syrup, body care products, both fresh and dried herbs, along with all types of artisan products. Some of these include handcrafted baskets, wooden bowls and cutting boards, as well as beautiful pottery, jewelry and several forms of art media. Pricing is typically very reasonable when compared to brick and mortar stores. Everything at the market is fresh from that day or the day before, unlike grocery store produce which has been shipped and transported for days.

4. Education- Kids programs, Cooking demos, & More!

Many markets incorporate kid’s programming, cooking demos, health fairs, & live music, to name just a few! The reason is simple: it is every market’s mission to provide healthy, nutritious, reasonably priced food to all people.

The farmers market is an ideal project for every community to incorporate. It promotes healthy eating, and enables community members to build relationships with their local producers.

One incredible program many farmers markets offer is The Power of Produce Club (POP Club). The POP Club provides both an educational & entertaining opportunity for children to engage in their market with the opportunity to discuss produce with the market farmers while exposing them to new & unique fruits and vegetables. ” In addition to participating in educational activities, POP Club kids receive vouchers to spend at the market, allowing them to make their own shopping decisions at the market.”

https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/programs/power-of-produce-pop/

Ask your farmers market manager if this is available, if not tell them how to participate!

5. Connect with your community!

Farmers markets provide a place where the community can come together, meet and shop locally. The market is a gathering place for friends and family.  Markets offer fresh products locally produced, face-to-face interaction with producers and artisans, live entertainment, family activities, all the while supporting the local economy. 

Infographic taken from Farmers Market Coalition

Check out this great video https://youtu.be/uUm6coaRKBQ

“According to the USDA, Farmers Markets are an integral part of the urban/farm linkage and have continued to rise in popularity, mostly due to the growing consumer interest in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm. Farmers markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh produce, enables farmers the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with their customers, and cultivate consumer loyalty with the farmers who grow the produce.

Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. USDA celebrates National Farmers Market Week, view the Proclamation (pdf), (the first full week in August) each year and as of 2019 estimates, there are 8,140 farmers markets in the US.” Taken from https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/research-publications

Dave & I at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market!

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. Please like it & leave me a comment!
Let me know what your favorite farmers market is, and where it’s located! I’d love to visit if I’m ever in the area! Maybe we can meet up for a coffee!

Please share this blog if you found it informative, and follow me on Facebook for fun & informative content!
Happy day,
Jean!