Shiitake Revisited...

Time had passed it had been over a year with no development on the fungi front.  Enough time passed that the sting of failure wasn't going to be an issue, sure the inoculation process was a laborious one but that was over a year ago.  There were no signs of Shiitake mushrooms sprouting from my logs but I wasn't heartbroken. Not every backyard venture is going to prove fruitful.    

Then one day in August I happened to wander over to the dark corner of the yard where I had my stack of oak logs setting, sure enough there was progress.  It was plenty exciting to have two whole mushrooms sprouting from the one of the eleven logs I had mostly given up on. With the time, labor and money inputs, these mushrooms may have been the two most expensive ones I'd ever had a chance to eat.  

08/07/13

A month and a half later another cropping of the tasty mushroom appeared.  This time 11 mushrooms, not nearly the 'I shall have more mushrooms than I'll know what to do with', that I proclaimed in my first post on mushrooms. They found their way into my my next three meals: Egg Scrabble, Homemade Pasta Sauce, and Eggs with Fried Mushrooms and Onions. Finally this may have been enough mushrooms to write home about.

09/28/13

One last mushroom appeared two weeks ago, larger than my cereal bowl.  This one ended up being a two meal-er in it's self.

10/29/13

Since this was minimal input hobby, I half expected failure.  There are additional steps that can be taken to ensure a greater crop, some people even water their logs, I stacked them and left them lay.  The integrity of the logs is still intact, so it's my understanding I shall be reaping benefits of this project for years to come. 

An Oral Recipe...Kusa

This meal was a long time coming.  At the farm we grow a special variety of summer squash; it is a white zucchini called Kusa/Cusa.  Spelling depends on where you look it up, we've been growing this variety for a segment of the Lebanese population in the area for at least two decades.  We don't nearly sell as much of it as we did ten years ago but we still plant a few for the remaining customers who still cherish the vegetable.

For years I have been explaining this odd colored zucchini to other customers, how it can be used interchangeably with other summer squash and adds another color to your dishes.  I would go on to describe the dish that it is used for by the descendents of immigrants that we started growing it for years ago. "They hollow out the zucchini and stuff it with a lamb and rice mix, and cook it in a tomato sauce." Yet this week is the first time I or anyone in my family have ever prepared the dish. 

I have never been one who needs much of a recipe to cook a meal.  Most often the meals I prepare are an ever evolving process in the kitchen. This meal was no different, I asked one of our customers to send me a copy of the recipe they use, he said why don't I just tell you.  This is what I ended up with:

 No measurements or proportions but I had somewhere to start from, and often I feel vague directions gives me a desired freedom to play in the kitchen. One time I was chatting with the grand-daughter of one of our main kusa buyers and I told her that I really wanted to try to make the dish sometime.  She quickly asked if I had a corer to hollow out the zucchini, because you can't make it without the right tool.  I had thought to myself that I would be able to figure something out, I've always considered myself pretty good at problem solving.  

With the zucchini hollowed out with the aid of my drill and a 3/4" bit and the handle of a dinner spoon, the creation of the stuffing was next.  Lamb, Rice, salt and pepper and a touch of cinnamon, I also added some of my tomato sauce for moisture in the stuffing. (I used 3/4 cup of rice to a pound of lamb, which next time I would cut back on the rice.)  The tomato sauce was a few tomatoes and peppers run through the blender with a few cloves of garlic and oregano and chili powder. 

 I was cooking down the sauce for a while before the stuffed zucchini was ready, placed the kusa stuffed with lamb and rice in a soft boil and preceded to let them cook for probably twenty-five minutes.  After making sure the meat was cooked through and the rice was ready, the dish was ready to eat. 

I chose to go with a stuffed theme and also prepared cream cheese, bacon, and chive filled sweet banana peppers.  It was a mighty tasty meal, those fortunate to share the meal with me, said the recipe was one I should make again.  I was honored that this man agreed to share his recipe with me and the fun of this spoken recipe is there will be plenty of room to tweak and play when I try again. 

Fish bowl

This spring has been full of trials, I can't imagine one that has had as many stressors weighing on my mind. The spring  weather was difficult, mentally and fiscally.
There has been relief in the summer heat, the absent rays in May added to my dismay.

I've had many posts just swimming around my mind, but as the weeks progressed into summer these goldfish have been forgotten or found floating belly up.  Others remain, waiting to be transformed from scattered thoughts and into some form of linear prose.

There's been some mighty good; this winter was full of great adventures. West coast visits, mountain heights, broomball in the rain, and an escape to an air mattress in NYC.

I dedicated quite a bit of time into having a functioning garage. I've continued to bike to work, something I started in the fall. It's a short ride, but one can always take the long way home. My kitchen continues to make me happy, though it doesn't always make me dinner. The barstools were added a year after construction completion and are a stool you can truly sit on. I still enjoying the occasional home brew, even though I haven't ventured past the first batch. Judging by the growth of the hops this season, there will be more than enough for a couple of batches this fall.
The yard is a work inprogress, I just try and keep it a forward progress, though that's not always in my control.

I need to make more time to jot my thoughts down.  The process of writing it out is like catching one of those fishies from the crowded tank and letting it go... Free up some space and clean the waters.

Nature's Columns; Redwoods

I entered the woods with a high level of naivety and wonder.

The only goal was to see some Redwoods, which ones and where we didn't know.  At the info center, being closed that early in the morning, we made our decision off of a kiosk map to find 'the tall ones' first.  We had been told of 'Fern Valley' by our hotel clerk but opted for the alluring title of 'the tall ones'... I figured they'd be as good as any and hopefully tall.  Looking at the scale on the map I assumed it was around two miles of trail to get us into the woods where we'd find the trees, a 4 mile trip or so. Easy enough, leaving more time in this short winter day for other sights. Once at the trail head the sign said 5 miles one way, with a much unaccounted for change in elevation. For two Minnesota farm boys this had just become our one activity of the day.  Since we were traveling off season the option of taking an automobile path much closer to the site was not an option, not that we'd have considered before we arrived at our trail head.

Here we were on the top of the valley over-looking Dolason's Prairie Trail leading us down into the forested valley below, with five miles of trail ahead of us, ten if we planned on making it back out of the forest.  We had our cameras, a few bottles of Gatorade, a packet of dried cranberries, street shoes and our leather jackets.  Probably not your typical hikers, but who was to know, we were the only two on the mountain. 

For those six hours in the Redwood National Park that mountain was ours, at no point did we pass anyone else on the trail.  The only evidence of people was the narrow foot path that wound in and out of the prairie leading us down the the valley and deeper into the forest.  On this walk I marveled in Nature's beauty and acknowledged the greatness in man.  I have always been drawn to the Greek and Roman histories. I've dreamed of visiting the land of stone columns and here in the wilderness amongst these massive columns of virgin timber, it was not man's ability to create that inspired me. Here in the woods it was the foresight to allow these natural temples to stand, untarnished by man's innovation.

 

I recalled something I read of John Steinbeck just two days prior in a cafe on Cannery Row in Monterey: 'Man himself has become our greatest hazard and our only hope'.  As there is a proliferation of man and his creations, we must employ a conscientious effort to allow Nature's majesty to flourish. Allow may give illusions of grandeur to mankind, rather we must limit our interference and indifference of the natural world.  I am grateful for the members of world that have found worth in what some would call underutilized land.  These pockets of wilderness throughout the world have an important role, and must grow for generations to come. 

Spending any amount of time in the forest you begin to see that death is just a platform for life.  A fallen tree left where it lays, becomes a welcoming host to a multitude of life.  Each as important as the behemoth trees.  There is no true end in the forest, in its design there is a natural re-purposing.  Death itself is not the end, it is just one more beauty of the forest, a continuance of life.
 

 
I set out on a West Coast pilgrimage to see the the tall trees; truly I have never felt more reverence amongst these Giants. I felt a bit silly proclaiming awe over a different tree every few steps, but it was sincere.  The adventure was limited by day-length and other seasonal limitations, that comes with the territory of a traveling farmer. For our time in the woods with the rain clouds scattered and the sun's filtered rays finding their way amidst the cool damp air of the forest canopy, I have never been filled with more energy and life.

First Draft Pick.

My vision of a brew room had started long before my kitchen remodel and got it's jump start when I tore my kitchen apart.  The first step to the kitchen project was to move the range into one of the utility rooms in the basement, we rerouted the power so I could us the stove in the interim.  After moving the water softener and cleaning out some things left behind by the previous owners, a coat of
paint on the walls and a few pieces of salvaged linoleum my basement brother got from work, the room was a space clean enough to prepare food in while the kitchen was no longer in a condition to do such things.

At this point I began watching the Auction Master's site looking for the right stainless steel washing sink with a drying rack.  After a few bidding losses I got an idea of exactly what I wanted in a sink and what I was willing to pay.  There the sink was, a thing of beauty.  A deep basin for washing carboys and kettles with a drying rack that drains directly back into the sink. It completed my basement kitchen, well after a series of plumbing projects that totaled as much as the actual sink cost me the kitchen in my basement was complete.

The space was ready for brewing but with the actual kitchen had not been finished and my greenhouse season consumes my schedule through the summer, there was no brewing.  Life seemed to be keeping me from making my first batch. Which is quite alright, sometimes life has a way of filling the days without one actively looking for new projects and adventures.  It's when there is a break in the action or shift in pressures that give us a chance to experience new things.  This October I had that opportunity, the arrival of my first hop harvest was just the incentive I needed.  Finally the perishable crop of Cascade hops, created an urgency to get brewing. 

Cascade Hops from my backyard trellis. 

I recruited a more experienced brewing friend to guide me through the initial process.  Having the equipment and experience of making Mead much of the skills transfer over, though its always nice to have someone around who knows a bit more than you do.   Much like my style in the kitchen, we followed the recipe more like a guideline. With an outline of correct temperatures and timing we played around a little.  Using the supplied grains and malt extract for a Double IPA, we used the hops I grew myself and added a touch of the Farm's honey.

The grains get added.

Using fresh hops, it was hard to know how much to use. 
We went by handfuls, many handfuls.

Adding the malt extract to the wort. 

The new sink and additional plumbing works awesomely for cooling down the batch of beer before pitching the yeast.

I dry hopped during the second fermentation and added another half cup of honey for good measure. 
After the second fermentation I racked the beer with a priming sugar and bottled into recycled brown bottles I'd been saving for years.  Being well aware of my hoarding tendencies, I've been limiting my accumulation of unnecessary things.  I don't want to be one of those old farmer's piles of broken equipment and miscellaneous rubbish about, instead there only be reusable bottles, reclaimed lumber, belt buckles and vinyl records filling my many outbuildings. 

Floating science stick in the tube told me the beer sits at about 8.5%.

Pre- priming sugar samples.

Bottling, from start to finish a three and a half week process for beer. 
Another three weeks of waiting while the priming sugar and yeast find balance.

I ended up with a high alcohol count at 8.5%, a tasty auburn color with a mild carbonation which works really nice with it's sweet honey finish.  The hops came across more mild than initially expected, which can be explained by the young age of the vines they grew from.  Turned out to be a very enjoyable beer, one for casual sipping. Perhaps my next batch would be strictly from a kit to take out the variables from experimentation and to refine my skills, but I am really happy with my first draft pick. 

Darkness Consumes the Day

  Its Autumn, each day there is less and less light to get things done.  The sun is already on the western horizon each day as my work hours finish.  There is a seasonal urgency in the crisp air.  Every passing day more leaves pass through nature's hour glass as they fall to the ground.  We see the passing of light with more reverence, and the night grasps harder as each day passes.    
  As the loss of summer can weigh heavy on our minds, there can be a many great wonders in the coming of autumn.  Through the change in temperature and light brings on a world of changes we experience in the north that just don't happen nearly as drastic in the tropics or even the southern states. The biological triggers; the shorting length of day signals many cues to the natural world around us.
  Light affects us physically and emotionally, it affects plants too.  The science world calls light's affect on plants Phototropism.  Leaves in the presence of light can orientate themselves to achieve higher photosynthesis efficiencies.  Plants grown in the absence of light uses etiolation continue to grow while conserving energy and searching out a light source.  These plants grow pale and thin in hopes of light, and as soon as a source of light is returned the plant begins to green and flourish. Even in the absence of light, a plant knows which way is up.  Gravity, the natural pull of the Earth drives a plant up.  And if the plant can grow against gravity, the only direction is up and light comes from above. 
  In the scope of whole trees, days shorten from the summer solstice through to the winter solstice and the trees take their cues to prepare for winter and bring the wonder of their shows of color.  The oaks around the farm were speaking to me today, perhaps because their leaves tend to persist longer while many other leaves have already hit the ground or that there is enough variety in and texture amongst the oaks to please. 

 

  With all the lessening of the day, a cool fall can come on earlier than a tree is ready for.  A few quick frosts, or one deep freeze can stall the tree's preparation for winter.  Instead of a brilliant show of yellows, oranges and reds a tree's leaves are frosted, green, crispy and left holding on.  The shock of the frost will not kill the tree, the tree will survive, though it just may be a longer winter than expected.

  If anything, with the days shortening... there isn't as much time to wait from the time we wake until the chance to take in the wonder and beauty of a sunset. 

State of the Fields (July 18th)

 I am sure its much like most people, I have troubles drawing the lines between my work and the rest of my life.  I even tell people my job isn't a career its a lifestyle.  Even when I get a the occasional day of from the farm, if I don't leave town I'll end up there a couple times that day.  With the best intentions to focus on me and the things I would like to get accomplished in my yard, work beckons. 
Yesterday, started as a rain day, which can truly be glorious.  We received some much needed rain and I got a chance to sleep in.  Goals for the day were simple... write, garden and take some pictures in the yard.  Time allowing, go to the gym (didn't happen) and then dinner in the Cities.  I needed to tend to my tomato plants, they look the best that they've ever looked in my backyard.  Is it appropriate to look to plants with pride?  They've all been caged but needed some additional tomato clips to reign in some stray branches (this required a drive to the farm for supplies).  I also had to work on a "new" grape arbor that I just added to the yard (will share more details another time).  And through this process I brought along my stills camera to document the Joy in the Garden. 

Indigo Rose Tomato: Purple on the outside, will be red on the inside.
Bred for having the highest concentration of anthocyanins which have great antioxidant capabilities.

 

Red Zebra Tomatoes: Still green but looking pretty.

Striped Caverns: When the show some red, I'll be ready to stuff them for a delicious dinner.

More fruit to come.

 

 

 

 

 

Redbor Kale: Tasty and Beautiful.

Alma Paprika: I started growing this one for an appetizer dish involving cream cheese and bacon bits.... mmm.

Garlic: Hung out to dry, in a good way.

 This is where my walk around my back yard came to an end, and work blurs with play.  When your backyard over looks this, its hard not to take a stroll.  Through the deer gates, I continued my photo survey and decided to document it as a State of the Fields: July 18th.

Through the gates we can see low ground fields, a place mother spent most of her childhood summers and where we grow the best cucumbers for pickles around.

Kohlrabi: a tasty treat.  Hard to believe that his sister is a cabbage. 

There is dill in many stages timed out for season long pickling.

Bees can be found all throughout the farm, with thirty-six hives we know someone is always tending the crops.

One of our apiaries overlooking the a wildflower meadow and a cucumber patch,
I sure hope all that clover doesn't distract them from those cucumber blossoms.

 

Pumpkins growing for fall.

This one seems to be running a bit early?!

There is wagon-fulls of pumpkins out there!  Just beneath the green canopies.

Seems the 10 foot fence wasn't enough, this six inch one should keep them out. 
Electrified to keep the raccoons from harvesting the sweet corn before we can.

Four varieties of corn to ripen throughout the summer and fall.... I could eat it for every meal.

The rain has transitioned to overcast leaving a moist breeze in the air and lasting droplets on most everything. 

Squash.  Squash leaves, hope there's tasties beneath those.

This is a good sign, the curly-q marks the ripening melon.  Three dry pig tails and the right vibrations after a tap will let us know when to pick them.

Red hot chilli peppers: I hear they're hot and red.

Banana peppers can be both hot and sweet, both tasty.

Eggplant; blossoms present, and fruit coming along nicely.

A sea of peppers. 

Tomatoes. Staked and growing nicely.

Looks like a field of corn... but the Corn Maze is taking shape and is taller than me in places.

There is red and ripe tomatoes at the stand from the High Tunnel providing us all with delicious tomatoes. 

Many beautiful plants throughout the Garden Center.

Foliage plants can bring some of the tropics right to our Northern part of the world. 

The fresh rain has left it's mark in the soil.  And my day.

This concludes my State of the Fields walk, apparently the pull of the fields drew me out of my own yard once again.