Pallet Garden

I saw the idea on Pinterest a while ago, and slowly began to gather materials.

I found a wooden pallet at a construction site across the street.

I got some landscape fabric from the Joshua Farm when I was back east one weekend.

I intended to staple the fabric around the edges of the pallet and then fill with compost and soil, but then I had the great idea to simply sew it into bags and fill with compost, then slide them into the pallet. So I sewed the bags, and drove to the farm here on campus to pick up some free compost. Alas, there was none, so I had to wait until the next time I drove back east, and I got some from my brother. Here are the bags, ready to slide into the channels. This required some jumping around and flattening, but was feasible.

After I had gotten all the bags in the pallet, I turned it on its edge. I have a black plastic tray underneath (again, compliments of Joshua Farm).

I poked an upside down plastic bottle, with the bottom cut off and holes poked into the sides for a drip irrigation system, into the top of each bag.

And then last night I transplanted my first few babies into the fabric, cutting a slice with a utility knife at each place I wanted to plant. Parsley, garlic chives, lettuce, bok choy, and mint.

We'll see how these things fare when the sun hits them today. I'm a bit nervous. I gave them a good watering last night, and again this morning, just to try to keep things moist.
I have a few other planters that I soon hope to fill- I just need to figure out some drainage issues.
But here's my balcony garden in progress.

And a quick glimpse at my back porch garden- in various states of assembly. The peas look great, I'm just waiting for them to burst forth into bloom. And I hope to start harvesting my first few radishes in a week or so. I'm already enjoying the mint and chives, and of course feasting my eyes on the beauty of the green.

I'm thankful for the little bit of space that I have- I so desperately need an active, nurturing outlet for my creativity!

Just a quick hello!

I don't have much excuse for not blogging over the past two months, but I thought I'd just put up a quick post.

I found out about an opportunity to blog weekly for a West Virginia farm to consumer blog, and my first post went up on that this morning. Feel free to check it out at wvfarm2u.

On another note, it's SNOWING here in Morgantown. I clothespinned some landscape fabric to my trellis in an attempt to protect my delicate little peas, but I'm not sure what else I can do.

I hope to put up a few pictures of my little garden in a few days, but I can offer no solid promises.

Lubia Polo

A group of friends was coming over tonight for our weekly dinner followed by Bible study, and I signed up to make a "mystery main dish" (so named because I couldn't decide what I wanted to make!)

I stumbled upon a pound of ground beef in the freezer from my dad/brother's farm. I don't often cook meat for myself, so I decided to make it to share. I also had a decent amount of frozen green beans from last summer, and I had just bought a bag of brown Jasmine rice from the middle eastern grocer down the street.

So, per usual, I just googled: "ground beef green beans rice recipe".

And I think I stumbled upon a future staple for a filling weeknight dinner. Not to mention that it's a bit exotic.

Here's to my first attempt at Persian cuisine.

Please meet:

Lubia Polo

Not the most visual appeal, but the flavor is exemplary. The group I was cooking for has quite varied palates, so I was pleased with the unanimous positive feedback.

The following is the recipe as I made it:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 cups uncooked brown jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 
  
• 1. In a large pot over high heat, brown the ground beef and onion. Season with pepper flakes and curry powder. Stir in chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, and stir in green beans. Cook for 5 minutes for frozen beens or 15 minutes for fresh beans, until they are tender.
• 2. Stir in rice, and cover pot. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until much of the liquid is absorbed.
• 3. Remove entire contents to another container, and return pot to the stove.
• 4. Heat oil in the bottom of pot over medium heat.
• 5. Dump rice mixture back into pot.
• 6. Wrap a clean dish towel around the inside of the pot's lid (the ends of the dish towel will be folded over the edges on top of the lid,) and put the lid on the pot.
• 7. Cook for 1 hour on low, without uncovering or stirring.
• 8. Remove lid and place a large plate on top of the pot, then carefully flip it over.
• 9. The rice should hold the shape of pot with a nice crust on top called 'tah digh.'

Suggested modifications for future attempt:

• Double the amount of green beans.
• Either use a non-stick pot, or skip the step of removing the rice mixture and returning to the pot with oil on the bottom. Mine semi-held its shape, but in an attempt to improve the nutritional profile of the recipe, I think skipping the extra oil would be just as good, not to mention save 2 extra dishes if you just serve it right out of the pot!

Themes

Often, I choose verse or song or phrase to focus on during various seasons of life: a trip abroad, a year, or some other such experience.

For 2012, the phrase I chose comes from Hebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."

My eyes. These little orbs from which I gain sensory insight into the world around me.

Fixed. Unwavering, steady.

On Jesus. The only one who can save.

A simple phrase, and perhaps a seemingly simple task. But in all reality, it's difficult.

There have been multiple times over the past month where this theme was reinforced, through a sermon at church, a card from a friend, or simply in my own reading.

And, as I was flipping through one of my old journals, I came across these lyrics:

"Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong and perfect plea,

A great high priest whose name is love,

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heaven He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there,

Who made an end to all my sin.

Because my sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the just is satisfied,

To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb

My perfect spotless righteousness

The great unchangeable I Am,

The King of Glory and of grace.

One with himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My soul is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God."

~Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863.

Such powerful words. I hope that you are encouraged as you consider the incredible reality of a God who has taken our sins on himself.

Turnip Souffle

Sometimes, before I go to sleep at night, I read cookbooks. I guess it comes with studying nutrition and dietetics.
This is one of my favorites to flip through- it is a bit too fragile to inhabit my kitchen, but resides in my bedroom.


This particular copy was given to my grandmother by her sister in 1951. Over sixty years of greasy fingerprints and splatters of cake, make this a book with sentimental value.

As I create dishes from this book, when I stumble across a recipe with notes, or take a moment to gaze at the bookmarks that litter the pages, reminders for prayer and thank-you notes from friends, I feel close to my grandmother.

Age has obscured the clarity of her mind, so the only way to really commune with her is through song. But memories of her are very much alive in this cookbook. Not just her ability to cook, but the care and love for her family that this demonstrated.

Last night I decided to do something with my turnips that were a bit past their prime.
I'm not sure if this is quite a "souffle" as the title indicates, but I'm not very familiar with souffles.

Here's the dish before it went in the oven.



And here's the recipe, as I modified it:

1 cup cooked turnips
2 tablespoons cream
1 cup bread crumbs (divided)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter

Mash turnips and add 1/2 cup crumbs, egg, cream, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix together.
Add milk gradually.
Place in a greased baking dish (I used an 7 inch round casserole) and cover with remaining crumbs and dots of butter.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Serve at once.
Serves 6.



This is a great way to dress up turnips that are too bitter to eat raw. Or rather, to just disguise turnips by mixing them with bread crumbs!

Friendship: Cozy and Sturdy

I had a delightful Thanksgiving break, and in addition to spending a lot of time with the family and friends that I hold dear, I spent a lot of time crafting. Not blogging, obviously. Sorry about that!
Hopefully I will get a few pictures of my craft projects up before too long. Although some of them are top secret, since they are destined as Christmas gifts.
But I just wanted to take a moment to brag on my friends. A few years ago, 6 of us took an afternoon and evening to make a denim comfort (like a quilt, but it's knotted, not quilted) together. We started with a big pile of old jeans, and ended up with a sturdy, cozy comfort with flannel backing. Each of us embroidered our name on a patch, and we have lots of pockets in the quilt. We pass it around, and each person gets to fill the pockets with little gifts for the next girl.
Here's a snapshot of the quilt on my bed:



And here's a photo of my loot. One of my favorite things is a notebook where we all write down something that God was teaching us during the time when we had the quilt- it's fun to look back over the past 2 or 3 years and see where we were and what we were learning.



So tonight, as I fall asleep beneath this cozy quilt of friendship, I will be reminded of the sweetness of dear friends.

Old Time Music

After a lifetime (okay, since I was in 3rd grade) of playing the violin, I attempted to play the fiddle tonight. Same instrument, but a COMPLETELY different style of playing.
My roommate, a banjo player, took me to a... a... I don't know what the specific term is, but a group of people sitting in a circle just playing music. Simple, beautiful, Appalachian Folk music.
I only recognized one song, out of the whole 2 1/2 hours, but I have a feeling that I'm going to be learning a good number of these songs.

I felt so much more comfortable with this style of music than I've ever felt with classical. There is an earthy freedom, a lilting joy, in these tunes.

Reason #92 that God placed me in West Virginia.