The Garden Thread - November, 2024

November 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Spankalib; I can see it being used on popcorn. I have used it on noodles with butter and cheese.

Link to info on British and Aussie creations Marmite and Vegemite.

marmite-vs-vegemite"

I know where I can get these, but I am not sure they look that appealing! (When I see the names I think Marmot and Vegetable mites. Not positive!)

[Augie]

Unseasonably warm weather here in Central Missouri this past week. Rain this morning. Looks like it's going to be wet most of the day.

I spent a good part of the weekend grooming the driveway. it's not perfect but it's in plenty good shape to head into winter. Based on what's left of my gravel heap I spread 30-35 ton this time.

I put Bambi's mom on the hook yesterday morning. I'll butcher the carcass after work today. Mrs. Augie is sitting in her tree this morning. Would be nice to put one or two more down before the season ends.

Didn't do much of anything with the garden over the weekend aside from think about it. lol

[Augie]

Pondmeisters are quite fond of black soldier flies. On my “short list” of things to do is to set up a larvae generator bin out on the fishing dock.

After the larvae pupate they need to get into the ground for the next stage of development. The larvae generator boxes have a ramp the pupae climb to escape the box. When they reach the top of the ramp they fall into the water where they get gobbled up by the fish.

[spankalib]

I think Marmot and Vegetable mites.

*chuckles*

[spankalib]

When they reach the top of the ramp they fall into the water where they get gobbled up by the fish.

Yes! I've seen a similar contraption on youtoob, but the larvae drop into a bucket...

...from which they're transported to attentive chickens.

Good source of cheap protein. (cheep protein? *sigh*)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

2 bins from Walmart and you have it!

People can do the same with black soldier flies and Chickens. But they are great at reducing kitchen waste into something approximating cow flop, at least in my compost tumbler. Its late in the year and I need to unload the contents to side dress next years plantings of garlic and multiplier onions.

Overwintering BSF pupae. Too much water and they freeze when the ground freezes. Need to keep the developing pupae somewhere where they are up out of water and dry. They will live through the winter. I dug some into the soil on a raised bed along with compost and rice hulls and covered them with a large pot. They will get some water but not much.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

How about, ‘No Thank You!’ ?

I don’t even want a Worm Bin. I used to, but I grew out of that phase. ;)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Aw, so polite!

Well, you would have been on the ground floor and all set to profit from all that insect protein when the WEF mandates came down and the police starting enforcing the new "equality in food" laws, especially as close to Madison as you live!

My Seed Savers catalogue just arrived. I also had an email from Peaceful valley with some interesting looking heritage apple trees.

https://www.groworganic.com/collections/felix-gillet-institute-rare-historic-trees

I will not be planting any but some other readers might be interested in some of the offerings.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Catalogs are arriving earlier every year - and that's A Good Thing! I'm going through my stack from last year and making notes. I don't need to buy too many things, but I want to have the basics on hand early, and then I'll leave some room to try whatever new AAS winners are available for 2025.

Also started organizing clippings and pictures for additional pages in my Garden Journal, which I work on in the winter months.

Who has more fun than Gardeners? Nobody!

If next spring is puppy free (and it should be!) I'm going to go NUTS based on how limited/fruitless some of my usual pursuits were this past growing season. Silly to waste money planting things when they just dig it all up, anyway!

The Art:

The Artists:

[Diana in Wisconsin]

All-American Selection Winners for 2025:

https://www.greenhousegrower.com/crops/10-new-all-america-selections-winners-announced-for-2025/

Also:

https://www.greenhousegrower.com/crops/all-america-selections-announces-its-first-5-winners-for-2025/

AAS YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/AllAmericaSelectionsFlowersVegetables

[Diana in Wisconsin]

All the winners since AAS began:

https://all-americaselections.org/winners/

[Qiviut]

Thursday, we are getting the “S” word ... sneux (aka snow). Along with the snow is a high wind alert (35 mph). The snow is supposed to be in squalls, with no accumulation. I guess we’ll find out if the weather folks are accurate or not.

Today, a mild day with rain sprinkles, was the day I washed down the (large) front porch with a commercial cleaner & then power washed it off. The porch concrete has never been sealed & I daresay, it likely has never been power washed, either. The goal was to seal it tomorrow, but after much discussion & consultation with the little bro who has some experience with concrete sealing/painting (he has a pool deck & took care of concrete spaces at our lake cabin), the porch project as far as painting (what was decided) will be put on hold until spring. Mom wants rails & that can still happen, even if the porch isn’t painted & the weather turns colder. Now I just have to get the rail guy out here to give us a quote.

Also, talked to the paving contractor - paving is over until Spring. He’ll come look at our situation & give us a ballpark quote (subject to change next year), put us on his list for next year. One thing I found out - he’s got to go ‘over the mountain’ to get asphalt - nothing on this side of the mountain. Hauling is about an hour once he picks up a load. It’s going to be a pricey project.

Tomorrow will still be fairly mild temps, but more rain. It will be a good day to take stuff to the thrift store & take care of battening down the last hatches for Winter’s arrival.

[Qiviut]

Oh great .... looks like the weather is escalating not all that far to the west of us, on the border with WVA.

Winter Storm Watch

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible with locally higher amounts along the ridgetops. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. *

[Qiviut]

This recipe looks so good & it’s great for gifting ... can’t wait to have an herb garden again!

Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts
https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/spiced-rosemary-and-thyme-nuts-recipe/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Great catch! I love her website.

I make the sugary Spiced Nuts at Christmastime. Farm & Fleet is having a sale on the 24th, so I will stock up on nuts for those when I can get 10%+ off.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230159/sweet-salty-spicy-party-nuts/

These make nice gifts, to eat straight or chopped up and added to Winter greens salads. Also, when you’re getting to the end of the jar, keep all the ‘leftovers’ that have rubbed off and those are really good sprinkled on Vanilla ice cream. ;)

[Liz]

bkmk

[Pollard]

We've officially reached that, "It wouldn't be so bad without the wind" time of year.

[Liz]

Italian Egg-Drop Soup (Stracciatella)
Great recipe when the cupboard's bare. Nice served w/ Swiss puff pastry twists.

Ing 4 cups strong chicken broth 2 eggs 2 Tbl grated Parm 1 Tbl chp italian parsley, sea salt/pepper

Preparation Bring broth to simmer. Offheat, add mixture of beaten eggs, Parm and parsley. Return to burner, bring to simmer; stir gently to disperse eggs. Pour into bowls. Garnish w/ fave herbs. Serve hot.

Swiss puff pastry twists

Just add Swiss cheese to squares of thawed puff pastry, rollup, twist, and bake.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’re having our first Slush Storm, today! Yippee!

“Light snow chances are possible by Wednesday, and there is an Alert Day Thursday morning for slushy accumulation of snow, too.”

Guess the rest of the garden chores will have to wait until that first warm, sunny day in March when I can’t take it anymore.

Gee! I hope my Kale survives. Kale, Cockroaches and Keith Richards are going to be the last things standing. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oh, Yum! I made chicken stock yesterday and today I made ‘Saint Basil Soup’ - which contains no Basil, LOL!

We’re having Soup, Chicken Salad Salads and hot biscuits for supper. Perfect for a wet, windy, cold, slush-filled day. :)