And one I'm waiting to find a copy of at a good price. I have enjoyed all of Amy Stewart's books!
Posted on 07/01/2026 5:19:22 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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I think ‘Lieutenant’ Broccoli is related to Albert Broccoli who produced all the good old James Bond movies; you just can’t kill him, LOL!
I buy bagged Broccoli Slaw once in a while as a change up from Cole Slaw or to add to my ‘Anything Goes’ Salad Mix that I make up every week. When I buy fresh Broccoli crowns I take the shortest stems - I don’t wanna pay for that extra weight. BUT - when I pull my Broccoli later, I’ll be using up their stems, for sure.
My porch plants liked the broccoli blanching water - we’ll see if they’re still alive come morning, LOL! (I let it cool thoroughly!)
I’m about ready to give up on peppers other than the (Bonnie Brand) Jalapenos that LOVE growing in my 5 gallon containers. They are already LOADED with peppers and more blooms to come. I’m going to let these go to RED for the Red Pepper Jelly I want to make. Even with all the amendments through the years, I think the soil is still too ‘clay’ for them to really thrive. I’ve had a FEW good pepper years over time, but they’re not the least bit consistent for me.
I agree with Mrs. Pete on the Okra. Other than it being a VERY beautiful plant, I have no need for the stuff. My BIL LOVES it, but I think HIS Wife said NO too, as he didn’t ask me to start a massive amount of plants for him this year. ;)
And one I'm waiting to find a copy of at a good price. I have enjoyed all of Amy Stewart's books!
From: https://arkansaslocalfoodnetwork.org/2019/02/21/okra-interesting-facts-about-the-plant/
"Seeds. The dried seeds may be roasted and ground for use as a coffee substitute. In fact, when coffee imports were impeded by the American Civil War (1861), the Austin State Gazette reported that “one hectare of okra plants is able to produce sufficient seeds to replace those of fifty coffee plants, with a product that is identical to the coffee imported from Rio”.
I do not believe them about it tasting the same, however, you know for a fact that any dwindling coffee supplies will be reserved for the Elites in their Starbucks in Madistan! So at least it provides an alternative plan!
The Books...Thanks! Mrs. Pete is the book reader and I have shared those titles with her. Daughter knew Amy Stewart, something about mixing drinks. A search provides some articles about making Okra water which some people might want to try. (I have no information on this.)
I stopped by the Walmart Garden Center clearance rack this evening. I had 2 plants with yellow flowers in the cart ($3 each), but before I walked off with them, I figured I’d better look & see what they were ..... mini sunflowers. I put them back because the deer would eat them for sure & I have no way to protect them.
Next stop: the herbs. To my surprise, there were 3-4 tarragon plants & I have been looking to add tarragon to my herb garden. The price was $5.98 but I decided to buy one anyway. When it rang up, the price was $4.68, so that was what I paid for the Bonnie jalapeños. The herb garden is ‘wild & woolly’ right now & most of the plants need a good trim.
My niece stopped by yesterday. She has a little flower business and sells at Farmers Markets. The deer got into her flowers the other night & pretty much ate everything. They also jumped the fence into her vegetable garden & destroyed a lot of what was growing. Her pepper plants in particular are decimated (I know that feeling!). Her husband has a long legged beagle he hunts deer with every fall - she may need to go out on a chain in one of the gardens at night to keep the deer away.
We have a big doe hanging around our yard. She was bedded down near the barn the other morning & I scared her up moving the car. I would suspect she’s the hosta eater. So far, either mom or I have remembered to cover the pots at night - if we forget, we won’t have hostas in the morning!
Amy Stewart also wrote ‘The Drunken Botanist’ which is the history of and recipes for alcohol/cocktails made from plants. (Agave, Juniper Berries, etc.)
https://www.amystewart.com/books/drunkenbotanist/
“This fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology, and mixology–with more than fifty drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners–will make you the most popular guest at any cocktail party.”
I also loved her book ‘Flower Confidential’ and ‘From The Ground Up’ about her very first garden.
https://www.amystewart.com/books/flower-confidential/
https://www.amystewart.com/books/from-the-ground-up/
Oh, they’re ALL good! Happy Reading! :)
Too bad about the deer ruining your Niece's flowers! How frustrating for her - and probably quite costly. :(
You know, these critters have THE ENTIRE EARTH to roam - why are they so h#llbent on destroying our gardens? Grrrr!
The same way with bugs. You've got the EARTH AND THE SKY - why do you need to be IN MY HOUSE?!? I'm takin' to YOU, Assassin Bugs! And Flying Ants! And everyday Houseflies! And Wasps!
I finally pulled that pepper that Mr. Raccoon pulls up EVERY night! I saved the peppers that I could. I suspect he'll move on to another 'something' to uproot tonight. JERK!
Don't make me go all, 'Granny With A Shotgun' on ya, LOL!
I have 4 Lieutenant plants all have beautiful heads, close to picking the first one. I still have a few packages of frozen Lieutenant from last year. Foodsaver vacuum sealed. Tastes incredible still.
It’s the Best. Broccoli. Ever. EVER! :)
And when I blanched it, it was BRIGHT green. I admit I snitched a few pieces while I was packaging it. :)
I think in my quest for a simpler garden, I’m going to go with TWO beds of Broccoli next season. 24 heads should easily see us through. And Beau LOVES to vacuum seal stuff, LOL!
I can’t hardly wait for my Green Beans to get going. They’re blooming now and climbing to the sky, so there’s hope for them, too.
Life. Is. Good. :)
Did Amy add wild lettuce to any of her concoctions for a little added effect?
(Might actually be a bit risky!)
We have wild lettuce coming up in 4 different spots. Never had it grow at our place B4. Source unknown.
Flash flood warnings are “all over” in far S. IL tonight (again). None in W. KY so far. My ditches were still recovering from last night...
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