Green Thumb Sunday: Sunflower Followup and Carrot Hole Edition

Green Thumb Sunday: Sunflower Followup and Carrot Hole Edition

(I took this on the high-res setting again and strongly suggest you click on it.)


Also, I love carrot holes.

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Cooking with Bounty

Last night, I had a craving for spring rolls and a Vietnamese dish for which I have no name. And so I asked myself, "Self, What Would Archie Do?" Luckily, I decided Archie would call Anonymous K to find out how one might go about making such a meal. Archie, clearly, is a very smart guy. Once I got home from the store, Dr. J had a craving to take Maisy for a run. Actually, she might have just had a craving for me to stop whining about Maisy's poor behavior. Either way, I said I'd trade her a run with my dog for dinner, and she agreed. And what was born? Free-spirited fellowship. Spur of the moment, completely unplanned, impromptu fellowship. And we didn't even freak out about it. Or if we did, we totally made it seem like we didn't.

Anyway, what, you ask does this have to do with the farm blog and farming? Well, it has everything to do with the farm because a lot of this meal was made with food from the farm or the CSA share (aka Farm Box). A few things came from SuperTarget (gasp) or the Asian grocery store, Shuang Hur. I even marked where the food came from for you in the picture (FG = Farmer Gower, of course).

Those are some good lookin carrots.

Rice paper in water.

My spring roll technique needs work.

Dr J., humoring me re: the ridiculous bowl situation.

Me, eating out of, yep, Corning Ware. But I'm still proud enough to display the meal in my signature pose, naturally.

In the end, everything turned out to be pretty tasty. The sauce was definitely not right (at least not at first. After a second, it got close to the right flavor...), and my lack of large bowls was definitely a difficult problem. But, you know, we're free spirits, so we just rolled with it.

Ode to State Fair Food

Big Fat Bacon. 1/3lb of caramelized bacon with maple glaze. Verdict = pretty good, but not enough maple syrup for me.

Apple cider freeze pop--my new Fair beverage favorite.

Strawberry sundae (berries from MN) from the Dairy Barn.

World's best french fries. No really, that's what they're called.

Eating corn with Dr. Corncobb and Dr. J.

And don't worry, I had the chocolate chip cookies. I was just so excited to eat them that I forgot to take the picture.

The Less-Than-Great State of the Tomatoes

Remember when the tomatoes looked like this? Nice and symmetrical, just how my farmer free spirit likes life.

Well, have a look at what we're talking about now. Remember when the plants were taller than me? They still are, they just got themselves all tangled up with one another, and it's turning into a disaster...
Luckily, the tomatoes are still ripening like crazy, so it seems to be alright since frost is on its way in the next few weeks...

Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 79F
Yesterday's low: 59F
Warnings: It's getting hot again this weekend
Mood of the farm: tired
Reason to consider a new career: I miss Archie.

Archie and Me

Well folks, I officially accomplished everything on my state fair list, including seeing 4 piglets and a calf (!!) being born. It was really something. Tomorrow I'll post the food roundup of all the deliciousness, but today I'd like to introduce you to Archie.

As you know, next on my priorities list after seeing animals being born was talking to a real farmer/gardener and asking my question about what you actually cover your crops with during Threat of Frost. Sadly, with lows in the 40s and the first frost already having happened in northern Minnesota last week, this question is a little more pressing than I'd like it to be.
Here's Archie in action. This lady had questions about squash, and Archie hopped right up from behind is his booth, and walked her over to the vegetable display area to demonstrate some particular squash features he was talking about. Guys, Archie is about 87 years old and relies heavily on a cane, so this is really quite a lot of dedication to squash.

Anyway, Archie looked at me skeptically at first--a young whipper-snapper trying to give the Master Gardener a hard time. But after I started asking my questions, he quickly realized he was dealing with a serious, if inexperienced, farmer.

Question #1:
When they say "cover your crops" under threat of frost, what exactly do you cover them with?
Archie's expert advice:
Cheesecloth, or an old sheet. Basically, anything other than plastic.

Question #2:
I'm growing watermelons (Archie: "Good for you!") and the melons are small and the leaves are starting to get a little yellow. What am I doing wrong?
Archie's follow up:
What kind of seeds did you plant?
Me, embarrassed:
That's the only thing I didn't plant from seed, and Linder's didn't know.
Archie:
Well, it's probably a small melon. There's a variety that gets between the size of a softball and a little smaller than a soccer ball (that fits with what I have), so you're probably growing those. Also, don't worry about the leaves--it's late in the summer, and the plants are getting tired.
[Note: Archie's advice is just like the giant lesson I've learned over and over again this summer: Mother Nature knows what she's doing, so simmer down and find some patience.]

Question #3:
My cucumber plants have produced a ton of cucumber all summer (Archie: "Well that's impressive!" Clearly, he was catching on to just what a novice I am...), but now there are only female flowers and no male flowers. What's the deal?
Archie's expert advice:
Mother Nature has had enough, young lady. The plants are done.

Well, I must get off to school for the first official thing of the school year. Another activity that relies highly on routines and changes with the seasons, just like farming. Yes! Food report tomorrow. Oh, and maybe I'll actually talk about the farm too, which doesn't know what to do with itself after 3.06" of rain yesterday(!)--so much for that drought.

Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 75F
Yesterday's low: 60F
Warnings: Back to school alert
Mood of the farm: Waterlogged, but happy about it
Reason to consider a new career: I want to be like Archie when I'm old and retired.

You Didn't Think I'd Forget, Did You?

Hey it's Wednesday! And I have a smorgasboard of pictures for you. I may be busy with school- and fair-related activities, but I'm not going to neglect my Farm Blog duties, fear not.

First, how bout a MiniChuck's Eye View of the Farm? It's rapidly changing. You can't fully tell in this picture, but the tomatoes are a real situation. Not the yellow ones--they're growing small and fine. But the Sweet 100s grew WAY taller than the cages, and then started to fall over. Those branches then got tangled with the branches of their neighbors, and now they're all pulling each other down. There's a larger social message there. But anyway. I'm hoping those plants can make it through the summer--they still have amazing amounts of green tomatoes on them. Also, see how the zucchini looks a little naked? The squash borers really got busy this week, and about half of the plant died. The cukes as well, though relatively healthy, seem to have decided that producing male flowers is highly overrated, which is annoying because there are a lot of female flowers on there waiting to be pollinated...


And now for some Fair-related pics. How about a little liberal political crop art? That's right people, it's made out of seeds, and it hates on Republicans.



And finally, how bout a picture of the farmer and the farm consumers, eagerly anticipating the Brandi Carlile show?


Okay, must get ready for the Fair (again!!) with Dr. J and Dr. Corncobb. Report to follow.


Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 80F
Yesterday's low: 55F
Warnings: It actually rained last night. As in water, real life water, fell out of the sky. That's supposed to happen again tonight.
Mood of the farm: Enjoying life without the parched feeling
Reason to consider a new career: Unless there's a career involving full-time-fair-goer-and-miracle-of-birth-center-watcher, I'll stick with what I have, thanks.

Naturists

Tonight, Guatemala K (who, for the record, can heckle me all she pleases about all my worrying about her being in a plane crash just so long as she doesn't actually get herself into one)'s husband Joe and I hung out. We drank beer, ate cinnamon bun ice cream and peaches (don't worry K, we poured a spoonful on the hardwoods for you ;), and dreamed up the greatest roadtrip of all time for Summer 2009, all while heckling, I mean engaging in critical discourse regarding, the Democratic National Convention.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I learned about a farm called Rising Sun Farm in Wisconsin, and I thought you should know about it too. Folks, the farm is run by naturists. No my psych friends, not nativists. Naturists. They advocate for such things as: organic and sustainable farming, skin cancer being caused by lack of sun rather than exposure to it, and getting 8 hours of sleep a night. Oh yeah, and not wearing any clothes.

To each their own, people. But I'm just saying. The next time you think to yourself, "Farmer Gower has really gone off the deep end," you best be glad I did it with my clothes on...

In other news, here are some prize winning vegetables, etc. from the Fair (click for bigger pics):

Fair Report Part 1

So many thing happened at the Great Minnesota Get Together (aka Minnesota State Fair), I'm going to have to spread them out over two posts. Seriously people, it was amazing. Below are the Most Exciting parts of the Fair.

1.) Getting my picture on this tractor. You might think I look upset, but I'm not. That's just a face farmers make. If you haven't noticed by reading this blog already, farming involves furrowed brows. Furrowed brows from worrying about your crops, worrying about whether there will be bounty or shortage, worrying about pests, insects, and those damn squash vine borers, and a million other Worries. Farmers, I feel confident, have many Farmer Wrinkles.

2.) PEOPLE, I SAW ANIMALS BEING BORN! This, as I posted about last weekend, was my number one goal at the State Fair this year. And if I didn't see any animals arrive in the Miracle of Birth center, I was going to be very upset about it. Well not to worry, because I saw three piglets arrive into the world, and then two of them almost got killed when the mama pig laid down on top of them. Much squealing ensued, six people jumped into the farrowing pen and lifted the back end of the mama up, and the piglets were rescued. It was the life cycle from both sides. Also, in case you were wondering, the first three piglets popped into the world of their own accord, then I went and ate Big Fat Bacon (ironic, I know) and wandered around the agricultural building while 6 more piglets arrived, and then I came back in time to see a veterinarian, um, "pull a pig" as she explained that it's called, which is exactly what it sounds like, and the placenta came with it. All in all, I think I saw a lot of the process, so I'm a happy farmer. Though I do think I might peek in on my other trip to the farm just in case a cow is in labor...

Here are 8 of the piglets trying to get some dinner (the older ones are WAY more successful than the younger ones, who still think you can get food from your sibling's ear).

Oh, and in case you don't care in the slightest about the state fair (really? you people exist?), here's what I harvested this morning! And yes, that's the giant sized yogurt container for perspective...



Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 79F
Yesterday's low: 47F
Warnings: The days feel like summer, but the nights feel like fall.
Mood of the farm: Wondering if the farmer has any sleeping bags available
Reason to consider a new career: None. I am considering entering any future things I might grow into the state fair...

Fair Predictives

Here's what I need to get done at the State Fair this week, in case you were wondering:

Food:
-french fries
-Dairy Barn ice cream (this could conceivably be replaced by vanilla ice cream with lingonberry sauce if necessary due to location constraints)
-corn on the cob x at least 2
-Sweet Martha's cookies
-Big Fat Bacon (if you don't know, this is 1/3 lb of bacon that is caramelized, fried, and drizzled with maple syrup. on a stick.)

Farming:
-admire the seeds and crop art
-get my picture taken on a tractor (I don't know if this is possible, but I'd like to try)
-have a look at the prize winning vegetables
-admire and contemplate the possibility of preserves
-learn all there is to learn in the Agricultural Building
-talk to a real farmer
-check for advice about how to prepare crops when there is a threat of frost (practical application coming soon, unfortunately)

Livestock:
-WATCH SOMETHING BEING BORN. The fair will be a complete waste if I do not accomplish this objective.
-see the fattest pig
-figure out if there really is a dog building, or if N was just giving me a hard time

Other:
-visit the MPR booth and acquire stickers
-not get trampled in a sea of white people with blond hair
-visit the DFL booth and be smart enough to give them a fake phone number if I need to sign up for something
-pace myself on the food front so I do not actually explode
-send picture messages to all the people missing out on the Great Minnesota Get Together
-heckle the disgusting things Minnesotans eat (Scotch egg, anyone?)
-see Brandi C.


It's a lot to do in only two trips, but I'm very determined.


Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 73F
Yesterday's low: 57F
Warnings: Low tonight in the 40s!
Mood of the farm: Bundling up.

Green Thumb Sunday: Sunflower Hosts 80s Bug Edition

Green Thumb Sunday: Sunflower Hosts 80s Bug Edition

(I took this on the high-res setting and strongly suggest you click on it. That bug is something else. Fuscia and teal? Really, Mother Nature? Really?)

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Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Long Awaited Day

Folks. Before I get on with the bragging and self-congratulatory business, I'll start with the normal business. Have a look at what I dropped off (sort of dirt-covered) for H & N today. Not a bad haul, I think.

Okay, now on to the prize.
FINALLY. Really, I thought it might never happen, but it did. The first lemon boy is officially ripe, and ready for eating. Here it is showing its muscles on the farm:


And here it is taking advantage of the natural light in the living room. I think it looks just as lovely indoors as out, I'm not going to lie. And versatility is a good thing in a model--have you seen what they make those contestants do on America's Next Top Model? You really have to be versatile to model wearing raw meat.


All in all, I'd say the Lemon Boy has a lot of modeling potential. Flavor potential will be discussed when I return from another wedding.

Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 85F
Yesterday's low: 67F
Warnings: Thunderstorm warning while I'm gone tomorrow. Hopefully the farm won't be too scared without me.
Mood of the farm: Hoping to get some attention now that the yellow tomato is gone.
Reason to consider a new career: I'm kind of liking my current career at the moment, to tell you the truth.

PhantomMiniChuck's Eye View

The MiniChuck family has been gone long enough that it appears they may be gone for the summer. Funny how you can miss something that once instilled so much fear in this farmer (remember the hissing and staring down?)...

Anyway, changes on the farm this week: One fewer zucchini plant, the rest of the lettuce pulled, watermelon taking over, tomato plants about to fall down they're so tall and full of tomatoes. Also, the sunflower is growing like gangbusters so the angle of this picture is slightly different in order to get a full view of the farm. And if you look really closely, you just might see the yellow tomato.
Like your peep shows to involve less work? Here you go:



Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 88F
Yesterday's low: 65F
Warnings: The tomatoes are starting to wrestle with each other. No really.
Mood of the farm: Cheering on that yellow tomato!
Reason to consider a new career: If that Lemon Boy tomato tastes as good as I think it will, not a single one...

ATTENTION.

A LEMON BOY IS TURNING YELLOW. FOR REAL.
(Not just in my imagination)


That is all.



Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 90F
Yesterday's low: 68F
Warnings: Heat wave.
Mood of the farm: Falling all over itself with tomato growth
Reason to consider a new career: Compared to how well my other career is going, I'd have to say none.

It Just Feels Like Years...

I know I've complained ad nauseum about how long the Lemon Boys are taking to ripen. So I thought I would see just how long it really is taking. Turns out, not very long at all...

On July 18th:

On July 23rd:

On August 1st:

On August 17th:

Is it just me, or are these really starting to look yellow?

Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 88F
Yesterday's low: 68F

Green Thumb Sunday: Bees, and Tomatoes, and Watermelons Oh My! Edition

Green Thumb Sunday: Bees, and Tomatoes, and Watermelons Oh My! Edition

On first glance, this looks like a jumble of watermelon and tomato plant leaves,

But upon closer inspection, I found this bee in the process of pollinating the watermelon flower that was growing up the tomato plant and its cage.

And also this watermelon, about tennis ball size, right at the base of the tomato plant.

Here are the other two watermelons that are growing, in case lack of information about watermelon growth has been keeping you up nights...

The big one I've blogged about before:
The new miniMelon on the scene:

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Farm Vitals
Yesterday's high: 86F
Yesterday's low: 61F
Warnings: The last gasp of summer is on its way. Prepare for a week-ish long heatwave.
Mood of the farm: Surprisingly prosocial. This might be a bit of a hitch for Darwin's whole survival of the fittest thing...
Reason to consider a new career: None. However, I am working on my list of things I'm looking forward to (excited is too strong of a word--farmers are stoic people) at the Great Minnesota Get Together. I am planning two trips, and you know they will be copiously photographed.