All sorts of things are happening this time of the year at the farm. I’ve been spending all my free time in the garden, transplanting seedlings and direct sowing seeds. The peas are about a foot high and have finally all been trellised and mulched. Mulch is your best friend if you are an organic (certified or not) grower. It inhibits weed growth, moderates soil temperature, and helps conserve water. In addition, using straw, grass clippings, leaves or wood chips helps by adding organic materials to the soil.
In the rest of the garden, the first batch of lettuce is thriving along with the spinach, which I should have definitely planted more of. I’ve set out broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, head lettuce, and some celery. I’ve direct sown two types of radishes, green onions, three types of beets, three types of carrots, rutabagas, rainbow chard, kohlrabi, pak choy, and some other greens. The full moon is this Thursday, which according to agricultural lore, means it will be safe to plant more or less everything else. The will keep me busy for the next few weeks!
Yesterday I started a batch of chive blossom vinegar. It is very simple – in a glass container combine chive blossoms and white distilled vinegar. It should be stored out of direct sunlight. Overnight the vinegar will take on a pink tinge which will darken over time. The more blossoms you use and how long you let it set will dictate the color and the flavor. I usually leave mine for a few weeks because I like a stronger chive flavor and a dark pink color. When you are happy with it (no more than a few weeks) strain out the blossoms and store like regular vinegar. It makes phenomenal vinaigrette for spring salads – combine with a little oil and toss over spring greens, peas, radish, green onion and a little crumbled goat cheese. To die for!
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- Chive Blossoms & White vinegar
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- After 10 Hours
Don’t you just love spring? So much going on! I made chive vinegar a few days ago for the first time. I used apple cider vinegar for the health benefits, so mine’s a pretty salmon color, but the flavor of the vinegar (so far) is a little overpowering. I’m thinking I’ll try a white wine vinegar next. Yours is so pretty.
Sounds like the garden is going good, I’m having troubles with the beets, carrots and lettuce to sprout this year.
The vinegar is so pretty I wish someone here would actually eat it.
not much of an onion eating family…
Have a wonderful holiday weekend its is going to be a hot one I hear.
Karyn