HEGT - June 2012

A few days late but here we go....it's time for the June edition of the Harvesting Edible Garden Tour.  Every month on the 21st (supposed to be anyways) we gather together around the blog table and read what everyone is harvesting that month.  Since I started the Farmers Market I harvest herbs every week and this month the 21st landed on Market day.  But that doesn't mean I didn't take pictures of what I was harvesting.....so fresh from the Market here is what Irish Gardens harvested this week.....actually all month.

Ok so the Rhubarb I didn't harvest all month just Thursday.  From left to right the herbs are:
Sage
Mint
Dill
Rosemary
Lemon Balm
Chocolate Mint
Marjoram
Chives
Oregano
Basil
Rhubarb

So what do you have that you can harvest in your garden?  Any veggies out there?  Add your post to the link below so others can visit and see whats harvesting around the blog table.

Crazy weather means.....

.......My herbs keep growing.  Not complaining of course just worried.  I mean it's the end of November and it's 60 outside and I can spot new growth on not only my herbs but my rose bushes and some of my hydrangea's.  What is wrong with this picture.  Anyways I wanted to see how things in the Greenhouse were progressing so I took a few pictures.....so on to a tour of my still green greenhouse.

 It may not look like a lot is growing in there but there is.  Lets take if from the front left first hidden from view is some Sage and Echinacea.  Then in the back on the left that big glob of green yea that would be carrots.

The small middle row will be next.  There are two rows of herbs in there so we will start at the front left and move back.

First up would be this lovely Rosemary.  Can you see it in the big picture...don't worry it's there.

Next just behind the Rosemary would be Mint.  Not just any mint.....but Variegated mint.

See look at the colors....it smells heavenly too.

 And behind that is Apple Mint.  Yea they are a little close to each other but it forces me to prune often.

 Back at the front of the middle part again is Spearmint...not looking so good cause it is pot bound and not at all happy with me.

 That big bunch of green in the middle yea that would be my herb....lemon balm.  Growing and very very happy.

 Right behind the lemon balm is Banana Mint.  Yes there is such a thing.

 And lastly in this row comes common oregano.

 So starting at the front again but on the right side hidden out of view is Vicks plant....with some onions in the middle.  Vicks apparently doesn't like the cold...

 Just behind that and up against the side is my Greek Oregano.....man this stuff is great.

 Finally coming in view of the over all picture that green mess in the front right would be this guy Sweet Marjoram.  Oh and some more onions.

 About the middle of the right side is this to the right is Marshmallow and the left is a small pot of Echinacea.

 Along the back wall we find my favorite mint of all the ones I have.....Chocolate mint.

And to the right of Chocomint is Winter Savory.

So thats the tour of my greenhouse.  Lots still growing in there and I love it.  Hopefully Mother Nature will pick up her calendar and realize that it's late fall and drop the temp some.  Cause when she does winter can come and go and it's on to spring...time to plant again.

Harvesting Edible Garden Tour October 2011

It's the 21st!  Harvesting Edible Garden Tour day.  Whats harvesting in your edible garden today?  Here is what I have that needed some harvesting today.

 Nice fresh sage anyone?

 Lots of beautiful parsley leaves.

 Basil.  The last harvest of the season but they look great.

 Not a lot but some rosemary was ready as well.

 Lemon balm oh what a smell that was when I cut these stems off.  Lots more to harvest still this season but not today.

 These darn hot and spicy peppers are still growing and ripening.  Granted the few sweet peppers I have are still growing but much slower than these guys.
A few accidental cuts here as you can see.  There are so many that sometimes getting to the red ones is hard.

I  think this herb has to be one of my favorites I add it to everything.  My garlic chives once again needed a good trimming.  I am sure I will get at least one more harvest before they die back for winter.

So what do you have that is harvesting?  Post and add your link below.  I would love to take a tour of your edible gardens.

GBBD - October 2011

 Welcome one and all to another month where here at Irish Gardens there is still blooms.  I can't believe it.  I thought for sure that I wouldn't have any.

But alas I do.  So joining Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for another exciting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post my first bloom is one of my Hydrangea bushes.

 And of course the Marigolds are still in bloom.  I chose this picture because I loved the contrast.  First of the Marigold's them self with the red, yellow, and green but also because of how much they stand out against the signs of fall.

 A few Roses are still trying to make known that it isn't yet winter

 A pretty sight this morning was that my Basil is flowering.  I usually never get to see this as I harvest the basil often and it never gets to this stage.  But with all the rain lately it has been hard to get out to the garden to harvest.

 Another herb that is showing of some color is this Pineapple Sage.  Can't wait till it opens up.

And this stunning beauty is all alone on the fence.  A deer problem this year as well as wacky weather has kept my Morning Glory blooms at bay.  With barely any leaves left this guy stands out like a beacon.

So what do you have blooming this windy fall day?  Head over to Carol's and see what others around the world are blogging about.

Harvesting Edible Garden Tour - Thriving Thursday - KinderGARDEN update

Another month has pasted us by and brings us to the 21st where we show off what we are harvesting in our gardens.  This month the tour lands on a Thursday which means it's also Thriving Thursday and KinderGARDEN update day as well.  So today's post will contain a portion of each as today they all happen to work together.  See Aiden's Cucumber plant is Thriving to the point of harvest.

 Granted it's a little odd shaped but ready it was.

 At least according to Aiden it was.  He looks so cute trying to look at it.  But look out and look close he is armed with scissors.

 One curly prickly cucumber coming up.

 This is the inspection face.  But look out don't tell him it's funny looking he is still armed and 4 years old.

 Aiden picked his 1st cucumber so Shannon said she must pick hers as well.  Shannon's 1st cucumber was not even half the size of Aiden's but like him she declared it ready to pick.  As there are over 90 days left of the growing season and more buds ready to bloom who am I to tell her she can't pick it.

 So now it's time to watch out for the armed 8 year old.

 And this would be Shannon's inspection face....I think. But again be warned any bad statements about her cucumber could be detrimental to your health as she is also still armed.

 So on to the non kid plants that are Thriving this Thursday and also Harvesting this month.  The second round of peas is beginning to ripen this season

 Sage is also growing quite well and needed to be harvested.  Just look at those leaves.

And last but not least on my list of Thriving Harvesting plants this Thursday is one of my favorite herbs Pesto Basil.  Even if I didn't like the smell or the flavor of this herb I think I would grow it anyways for the beauty of the leaves.

So The Inadvertent Farmer hosts the weekly KinderGARDEN updates so head over there and see who else is gardening with their kids and what they have been up too.

Want to participate in Thriving Thursday?  Then add your like here - 

Or would you like to participate in the Harvesting Edible Garden Tour?  Well then just at a link to your post here - 

Quiche from the garden

So I wasn't going to post any recipes on here as my sister does that and I don't want to encroach on her thing but then I talked to my Mom and we realized that when it includes herbs from my garden that it should be ok as she is more about her veggies.  Then we thought well hey we don't share the same readers so it should be ok.  Well just in case she reads this or you all want to check out what she has cooking....cause she has a lot cooking here is her blog - My Side of Life, please don't feel bad if you follow her she has some good stuff.

Anyways on to this evenings dinner.

I picked these  lovely greens this evening then chopped them up.  Here is a list of what herbs I used:
Sage
Basil
Garlic Chives
Oregano
Green Onions
Strawberry Spinach Leaves

Not all of the cut herbs were added but I forgot to really measure so I will have to guess.  All the herbs and onions fit into a regular size dinner bowl....filled it about 3/4 full.  So lets see about 6 basil leaves, 3 stems of oregano leaves (each was about 6"), 5 strawberry spinach leaves, about 1/4 medium size onion, 3 sage leaves, and a handful of chopped chives.  For the rest of the filling it was 3 eggs, 1cup milk, pie crust, 1/4cup cheese.

 Cook the crust till lightly brown (about 10 min) at 450.  Cook the herbs and onion in a tsp of oil to keep it moist.  Beat onion herb mixture in with the eggs and milk and pour into crust and bake at 350 for  45-60 min or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  This is how it looked when it was done and it tasted wonderful.

This was the other pie that I made with herb one for my kids as they don't always like the looks of green stuff in their food.  This one was made with cheese, eggs, milk, minced onion, and minced garlic. The cheese, eggs, and milk were the same amounts.  The garlic was about 1tbsp and onion 2tbsp.

So there it is.  Give it a try or add your own spin to it.  If you do try it let me know.  Oh and as I do a lot of by sight measuring please don't quote me on the amounts of everything.

Harvest Memorial Monday

Harvest Monday this week is also Memorial Day.  Thanks to all those who have gone before and served our country to keep is safe and free.

Herbs and Rhubarb were harvested yesterday adding my Mint harvest list to well a lot.  The round basket has wilting Chocolate Mint and the Square basket has wilting Spearmint.  I say wilting as it was hot and buy the  time I took the picture they were indeed wilting making it look like there is more room in the basket than there was.

Stop on by Daphne's Dandelions and see who else is harvesting this Memorial Day.