This week's haul

For the second time this week we'll be enjoying green beans from the garden with our dinner. That is the third cucumber we've harvested so far. I think we might have waited a hair too long on the broccoli but we'll see. I also picked a bunch of catnip that I think I am going to try drying in the stove.

Also the watermelon grew a lot this week!

Drying Basil (and Catnip)

I harvested some basil last night and decided to try drying it in the oven.

I preheated the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. I cut the basil into small pieces and placed it on a baking sheet.

After six minutes in the oven it looked pretty dried out. There were a few pieces that I didn't cut small enough so they felt a little damp still, but I didn't want to burn the rest so I am leaving the tray in the oven overnight to dry more before putting into a little jar.

I also hung some Catnip in the basement to dry.

Pic Update June 20

Our garden is officially out of control! Our beefsteak tomato plants are about six feet tall. The cucumbers have passed them. We are eating the first cucumber out of our garden now! We have jalapenos and tomatoes growing. We've been cooking with the oregano, basil, and sage. I took the first bunch of catnip down in the basement to dry tonight. Lots going on!

Small Garden Bed

Phil put up some netting around the small bed.

view of the Beefsteaks - they have flowers but no tomatoes yet

Cucumbers

Catnip

Jalapenos 

Cucumber

Big bed

Roma tomatoes

Yellow Pear Tomatoes

Watermelon

Zucchini 

Geen beans

broccoli  

baby watermelon

Herbs! Cilantro and Basil

I decided to try my hand at perserving some basil and cilantro this past weekend. But I didn't think to take any pics until after I had preserved the cilantro. For the cilantro I just washed it and then chopped it, added it to ice cub trays and poured a little water in each cube section.

 

Next I decided to do some basil. I dipped the leaves into a bowl of water and swished it around.

Then I laid it on paper towels to try. I blotted with another paper towel on top. 

 I then added the leaves and some olive oil to my magic bullet blender and pulsed it. 

Then added it to the tray!

I then placed the tray in the freezer. Once they were frozen I placed the cilantro into one freezer bag, and the basil into another. I'll let you know how they are once I use them.

Photo Update: June 5

Small bed - our of control?

Tomatoes in the small bed.

Cucumbers between tomatoes!

Carrots

Cilantro!

Phil next to tomatoes to add perspective.

Tomatoes in small bed. 

Onions

Zucchini 

Watermelon! I think it has grown since Sunday.

Broccoli 

Some little critter who is nomming on our
lettuce and spinach keeps breaking the grid!