Almost vegetarian…
Just so as my father doesn’t leap into the car and hot foot it back here from Brisbane, I would like to clarify that we are NOT actually about to become completely vegetarian. That was just a little hook I used to tease readers with the possibility of a beef producer going vego – Hold the Front Page! I actually have some very sweet vegetarian readers and hey my sister went over to that tribe for around a decade. But I really don’t wish to give my ‘must-eat-meat-three-times-a-day’ Pater a total heart attack. He’s rabidly meat-eating and the possibility of having two offspring go to the ‘other side’ would probably do him in.
OK?
OK.
Good-oh.
…
That said, I actually adore my veges.
Didn’t always, used to buck at cauliflower and brussel spouts especially, but I love my green stuff now. I even grow veges– an outrageous claim, if you knew the city version of Bush Babe. But necessity is the mother of all (gardening) incentive -fresh crispy veges are not always available at our local (50km away) grocery stores – and last year Mr Incredible built me my very own vegetable patch.
…
I have grown accustomed to picking my very own, non-insecticided, non-waxed, non-chlorinated produce. And no, I am not wearing an apron with a rag bonnet. Yet.
…
Please meet my vege garden.
From front to back:
Spinach (not silverbeet!)
Peas (supposed to be snow peas, but apparently a brindle mix!)
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Assorted Lettuce (hidden from sight)
I never fail to be astounded that something I plant actually SURVIVES and GROWS and sometimes even FRUITS. It’s a miracle of epic proportions, given the sporadic nature of my gardening. So bear with me as I show off my veges this ‘spring’ (said she sweating away in 34 degree heat)…
I never fail to be astounded that something I plant actually SURVIVES and GROWS and sometimes even FRUITS. It’s a miracle of epic proportions, given the sporadic nature of my gardening. So bear with me as I show off my veges this ‘spring’ (said she sweating away in 34 degree heat)…
Hello spinach – how I adore thee.
All deep green and lush and fabulous in my spinach and feta pies.
And wilted in butter with my steaks.
And stir-fried gorgeously with some chicken (sorry dad).
Ahhhh… peas.
So crispy and delicate and full of sweet crunchy goodness.
Even if I don’t know whether these plants are supposed to be snow, or peas-in-a-pod kinda peas… I am so excited just to have them spilling lushly out through the netting.
I feel positively GREEN and EARTH-MOTHERY.
(Jeanie, stop laughing this instant!)
And broccoli… oh broccoli… what can I say?
Just that there is nothing in this world like a head of broccoli lopped from the plant and consumed almost immediately… fresh and crunchy and sweet.
Mr Incredible doesn’t even wait for me to steam it….
Crunch, crunch, crunch…
…
Of course I have had a failure – while my cauliflower plants are enormous and leafy and green, they have not fruited (veggied?) at all. I have fertilised and watered to no avail. Why? Anyone have any advice here? But I am not too badly disheartened, with my peas more than making up for the lack of white vegetable on our plates…
Speaking of which…
Speaking of which…
I had better go pop the sprinkler on, so my sweet peas are crunchy and ready for picking first thing in the morning! If they are anything like Axel and I, they will be wilted in this heatwave…
…
But before I go…I need to know:
Do you own a vege patch?
If so, what’s in it at the moment?
If not, what WOULD you grow if you could?
My comments section is awaiting your report/ideas/suggestions!
17 Comments
Debby
What?!!!! No zucchini?
Do you all eat broccoli salad over there? Fresh crisp broccoli salad with bacon and cheddar cheese and a delicious, delicious dressing. I guarantee that Mr. I will love this stuff. Let me know if you need an recipe.
traceelements
Are they sugar snap peas?
I wish I had a veggie garden. Had one once – in our old place. I was interested in permaculture, and an old school friend of the husband's was into it, and offered to help. My 1 acre permaculture plot dream became a small veggie garden reality.
And then we moved. And I haven't grown a thing since. We get an occasional lemon on the lemon tree, which never does very well.
Maybe, once our renovations are done, I can turn over a completely new leaf domestically, inside and out.
Anyway, take it as read that I'm very impressed with your veggies BB!!!
Bill of Wasilla Ak
When I saw the title of your blog, I wondered if you were a fellow Alaskan, so I came to check.
You're not, but I understand Australia to be a good place and I would love to go there one day.
dykewife
up here, if a gardener doesn't have netting over cauliflower, broccoli or cabbage the cabbage butterflies will lay their eggs on them and the larva (being a lovely shade of green to match the veg) will eat the plants leaving nothing but fat caterpillars…just, ewww.
i love your spinach. mine never looks like that. swiss chard grows beautifully for me, but spinach is never that lush for me.
Deb
We love our veggies right along with our meat on this farm 🙂 Last night we picked our first harvest of fresh corn……also cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, zuchinni, cabbage and banana peppers.
We have a farmstand that is open on saturdays and we sell veggies to the public. I have three big gardens 🙂
Not sure anyone will show up today as it raining AGAIN…..
I'm quite envious of your spinich – looks fantastic and I agree with Mr. I, who needs to cook broccoli? 🙂
Anonymous
Oh what LOVELY looking peas! Mine were a flop this year, too cool here in Alberta, Canada for them. what peas DID grow my Irish setter dog snacked on. Potatoes, carrots and yellow beans. Babe have you every tried hubbard squash? Delish. mine will be very small this year but there is nothing like steamed squash with butter to keep the red meat company on the dinner plate 🙂
signed
Theresa in Alberta
Deb
Nice veggie patch! My patch is quickly coming to a close. I also harvested 4 beautiful heads of broccoli and it was delish. So much better than store bought. I planted zucchini and while they grew huge, I didn't get very many. I suspect our cooler than normal summer here in Michigan is the reason. I have managed to harvest a few tomatoes but we need a warm spell to ripen all the green beauties sitting on the vine right now! I don't have any sunny land of my own but grow in a shared community plot in a 10×10 area, not nearly as much room as I would like but it will have to do until I can someday move and have a larger plot of land. I'm really hoping I can harvest my corn soon. I only have about 10 stalks but I'm hoping for a nice weekend bar-b-que soon including some lovely roasted corn from the garden! Since it will be winter here soon I will have to live vicariously through your garden and your summer!
Mom L
I haven't had a garden in 20 years – how I envy you! My favorites (lived in California then) were zucchini and swiss chard. Potatoes and carrots didn't make it – something ate them from the bottom up!
Heather
I have always had a garden, except for two years I lived in an apartment.
This year was a tough one. I moved last fall, so I had to turn a nice patch of lawn into garden. And without motorized support. Pulled grass all season.
And then, we had a really cooold spring. Nothing came up from my original plantings… So I had to replant most of it, late. And I didn't get everything replanted that I had planted originally.
Anyway, I ended up with lettuce, basil, parsley, chives, cabbages, (which did wonderfully), broccoli,(also wonderful), cauliflower,(not wonderful), String beans, wax beans, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, green peppers, and sweet onion.
Whew, that sounds like alot. And to think, I actually had about 5 other veges that didn't come up!
Oh, and of course I have marigolds and sunflowers. Somehow I can't just have a vege garden- there has to be some flowers in there!
So far the tomatoes are the only thing that's struggling… not enough sun. This is Aug, usually one of the hottest months, and we are going down to 6 degrees at night! Too darn cold.
~Heather in Southwestern Ontario
Kelly
What a beautiful garden!! I love veggies, especially spinach (can I have a piece of that spinach & feta pie?) Fortunately my entire family has always liked their veggies so we've always had well-rounded meals at our house.
That said… I spent 8 years as a vegetarian and just gave it up a few months ago. What made it interesting was that we raise cattle and I love to hunt and fish. Still, I continued to prepare it for my family even when I wasn't partaking myself.
I just woke up one morning last spring with cravings and realized there wasn't any reason I had to remain a vegetarian if I didn't want to. I jumped right back in and haven't looked back.
Tami
I'm a vegetarian….been completely grass fed for about 21 years. I married a dairy farmer….I'm allergic to milk. My Mum is married to a dairy farmer. And my brother raises beef.
They say if we are every all stranded on a deserted island somewhere….that I'm the first to go…..cause grass feed meat's the way to go.
Oh well they all got over it….I still hear about it at big family diners but they know better than to try to convert me.
Vege patch….I'm to lazy the neighboring farms on both said both grow organic. And we rarely even have to pay….they usually just drive and drop a crate of fresh veg every week or so.
There's perks to being a vegetarian farm girl!
d/iowa
only you can make a pea look good to me!
when you do start wearing a rag bonnet, please take a pic for me 🙂
jeanie
My comment is turning into a blog. Will link you with it…
The Weaver of Grass
Hi BB Thanks for visiting me. This is a return call. Yes we have a veggie garden – at present giving us potatoes, peas, runner beans, turnips broad beans leeks and lettuce. Strawberries and raspberries are finished now. Wouldn't be with out it – although I must say I don't personally do all the hard digging. Call and see me again.
Reddirt Woman
I am learning to veg garden. What we have now are tomatoes going strong, blackeyed peas, red potatoes, onions, some garlic, okra hopefully will still make… got it planted late. Yellow crook neck squash was only okay and they are done now. Zucchini did pretty good but it also is done. Bush beans didn't make it and about half of the pole green beans are producing. Our cucumbers were a failure. We had radishes earlier and I need to plant some more. It's a learning process.
That's about it… Oh, yes, corn.planted late but I'm going to get enough ears on a few plants for a mess or two.
Helen
A Novel Woman
Nice veggie garden! I'm impressed. I won't even attempt one because we have too many deer, hares and groundhogs. How do you avoid the critters?
I did grow a container of beans on my deck though, and I eat a handful raw for breakfast every day.
Bush Babe
A couple of things:
1. I have netting over the whole garden. This is intended to discourage: rabbits, wallabies, kangaroos, goannas, horses and Great Danes. It works most of the time.
2. My cauliflower STILL has not flowered (veggied?)… any ideas?
3. Tami – I am still giggling!! "Grass fed meat is the way to go"… ohhhhhh. That is sooo wrong. But awfully funny!!
4. Diane – there is pretty much NO chance you'll ever see me in a rag bonnet. Or even an apron. I own the camera, remember!!
🙂
BB
PS Jeanie – you win!!!