Monday, November 8, 2010

Weekend in the garden

The sweet potatoes are on the left, under the weeds. The black beans are on the right.

The weather was beautiful this weekend. I spent both afternoons working outside in our bigger garden. It had been months since I did anything to it. You can see all the healthy weeds.


First, I harvested the black beans. They are very important for us because we don't eat meat or fish at home. I cut the plants and left the roots in the ground. (The nitrogen attached to the roots of the beans will help the next crop grow.) I will hang these beans on our fence to dry. They will last us a year and we can plant the extra to grow more.

Forget the sports car, I just wish my legs would fit into a k-truck. 


The first one!
Next, I harvested the sweet potatoes. There was a little over 25 kg total. These will probably last us until April or May. Sweet potatoes are my favorite vegetable. I can't wait to eat them.

Onions still waiting to be eaten from last year's harvest.
On Sunday afternoon, I went back. After digging up sweet potatoes, the dirt was soft and weed-free. I put down a sheet of plastic, poked some holes with a stick and planted onions. I put in about 200 yellow onions and 50 red onions. The red onions don't keep very long, but the yellow onions will feed us for a year.

It felt really nice to be outside. I saw a lot of really cool bugs in the dirt, too. There is a lot of life beneath our feet.

What should I make with all these vegetables?

5 comments:

  1. I didn't know that you have this big garden!!
    How do you cook the sweet potatoes?
    I like roasting them with stones(ishiyaki-imo).

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  2. Your suggestion sounds interesting. Do you use a real stone?

    My favorite way to cook sweet potatoes is to shred them with a cheese shredder, rinse them and cook them on a hot plate, like hash browns. Then, I like to put sour cream and jam on top. It is so good, especially with a fried egg on the side.

    Add a smoothie and this is my favorite breakfast.

    I have to wait a few weeks before the sweet potatoes will be ready to eat, but I will post a photo next time we make this.

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  3. Those sweet potato hash browns sound good...

    As to the ISHIYAKI-IMO, just wrap those sweet potatoes in some wet newspaper and put them on the grill over hot coals. You don't want flames, just hot coals. Bring over a batch and I will fire up the grill and roast up some for you. ;^)

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  4. Sounds good. The potatoes need a few weeks to let the natural sugars do their thing, but I will be bring a few over when they are ready. Since the grill will be hot, do you think the potatoes would go better with burgers or steak?

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  5. do you think the potatoes would go better with burgers or steak?

    Burgers, if I am buying, or steak if you are buying. ;^P

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