I have been vegetable gardening since 1976. That first garden I still think was the best I ever had. It was not very large, but a friend brought in some sheep manure for us and I had some spoiled hay and used that on top of newspapers for mulch. I had so few green bean plants that I knew them individually. Truly. I picked green beans every day, Monday through Saturday, and if I had 1 quart to can, I canned 1 quart. I kept it up until the day we actually moved from that house and I had canned 90 quarts! That lasted us for 2 years. Money was very tight during those years. I remember snapping beans, nursing the baby and watching the pressure gauge on the canner all at the same time.
Through the years of raising our family, of course we did eat some fresh things from the garden, but I think my main focus was on putting food by. Now my thinking goes more like this.... "Hmmm... what should we have for supper? What is out in the garden that I could use?" And I start there.
I'll be gone this evening, so when I brought in today's vegetables, I just went ahead and fixed our normal supper for lunch.
Here is what I had. See the little bowl of mung bean sprouts? I had sprouted those a few days ago and needed to use them. Then you can see some green onions, Swiss chard, and some carrots peaking out behind the chard.
We also had a little bowl of radishes.
Here is my marvelous big cast iron wok that I actually bought for $10 on sale several years ago. I heated that up on medium high and added about a Tablespoon of kettle lard.
Then I put in sliced green onions, sliced carrots, and the bean sprouts and stirred it while it cooked for a few minutes. Last, I added the Swiss chard and stirred and cooked until it was nicely wilted.
Here is lunch on my plate: Stir fry over rice with Soy Sauce, and some liver 'n onions.
Yum!
You had your first garden the year I graduated high school. Bicentennial year. I got to vote in the presidential election.
ReplyDeleteI remember the tough times. Time makes them sweet memories.
I didnt begin gardening until I was in my 30's. Wish I had done more things earlier.
I love to put food by too.
Hello! I came to your blog by way of GNOWFGLINS. :) My name is Robin. I really enjoyed reading this entry. My mom used a pressure canner in the '70's and this reminded me of that. Those summer days in the hot kitchen and seeing that steam come out of the top while I was doing something like cutting up potatoes over the sink.
ReplyDeleteI will now read some of your other entries. I hope you drop by and say hello on my blog - Whole Foods and Heartfelt Conversations. Have a wonderful day, Robin
yum, so jealous! Can't wait until my CSA starts in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love stir fry? So many options, it just never tastes the same way twice!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about that. It is a wonderful way to use all sorts of things!
ReplyDeleteThat looks so good! I can make good fried chicken liver but I have yet to make any good beef liver and onions. Maybe you can show me sometime.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! We have our first garden THIS year... and i just LOVE going out to pick veggies for dinner, snipping enough lettuce for a salad, pulling a few radishes, grabbing some squash. It's the best feeling.
ReplyDeleteAnd the kids are eating lots of veggies since they watched them grow.
OWL MOMMA... how exciting! And that is wonderful about your kids. "Get 'em young and train 'em right!" they used to say. :) I would love to see pictures of your garden...and your veggies!
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