Weekend Gardening: Corn

   Summer truly starts for me when corn stalks stretch their tassels toward the sky- majestically waving against the blue. Childhood memories unfold as shoes slip from my feet allowing my toes the freedom to wiggle down in the hearty soil between the rows. Slipping into the field, a treasured hymn signs in my heart be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart.
    Planting corn requires vision. Vision and faith, for it is no small feat. Corn needs space for at least four rows, otherwise pollination may be incomplete resulting in misshapen ears and lack luster taste. To prevent mass harvest, succession planting is our plan. This keeps corn coming every couple weeks; perfect for weekend grilling. Southern gardeners are greatly blessed with long seasons for corn..spring and fall. We have planted and harvested from both with great success.
    A few terms to know- dent and sweet. Dent corns are primarily for drying or grinding into meal. These corns yield dense kernels on long ears, dry well, and have a good storage life. We have grown the Texas Gourdseed, and Navajo Dent. Ours were harvested and dried 'open air' style for use in our feed. Sweet corns are primarily eating corn yielding tender, plump kernels on shorter ears. Excellent for canning and freezing, we have grown large plots of Texas Honey June, Super Sweet 100, and Bodacious/Silver Queen. Ears were quickly cleaned and frozen after harvest to ensure their fresh taste was preserved and maintained. Many end up on the grill or the skillet for a spicy saute.

     The bare facts:

Corn is planted no less than four rows seeding 12" apart. 

Being tall with shallow roots, it benefits well to tied it for support. 

Regular applications of fertilizer required as this is a heavy feeder.

Corn is wind pollinated- without wind, walking through brushing a hand across stirs the stalks to distribute the pollen. 

Dent varieties:

Texas Gourdseed

black Aztec

Navajo

Louis Miller

Sweet varieties:

Texas Honey June

Super Sweet 100

Silver queen

Bodacious

    On a homestead, no part of corn is ever wasted. Stalks are fodder for the herd, silks and husks are enjoyed by the flock..even the space between the rows is put to use. Our family grows our corn 'three sisters' style, placing runner beans along the stalks and melons, pumpkins, or squash between the rows. Next week we will take a closer look at the three sisters history and method. Have a blessed weekend, and let's grow something wonderful!

Busy Hands in the Classroom

source


     In the classroom, every inch of space is important..and every moment a teachable moment. The dread of every teacher is dead time..that lag in events or activities. Such laps in creative, productive energy give way to chaos and madness. To prevent laps and lags in time, especially if you end up with some 'extra' time on you hands..I keep a few tricks in my bag.
Join me at Simply Serving for the rest of the post.

Pinned It- Tried It- Results?

Pinterest link here

    Well, it happened..I became on of those people who saw something on Pinterest and tried it. If I were to be honest, that is only half true..I saw it on Pinterest, but re-vamped it a bit, but isn't that what Pinterest is for? Inspiring you to try and test and tweek? I hope so, because that's why I pinned it.

 In my kitchen..our version.

     The original recipe called for the basic filling of a pot pie- chicken, carrot, celery, onion..creamy gravy made with a shelf brand broth- as well as canned biscuits. I didn't have the shelf brand broth or any canned biscuits, so it was time to improvise. There's the twist.

      Using leftover roast chicken from last night's dinner and the broth from it, I worked up the basic onion, garlic, carrot, celery with a few shreds of fresh spinach for extra color and nutrition. Thickened with flour and a touch of cream, the home made broth turned out quite nice. The biscuits were our recipe, using fresh milled wheat flour with butter and baking powder. Results? Delicious!
    

         The bonus: I had extra biscuit dough left over. Since nothing fills a farm boy for more than five minutes..and nothing goes to waste in this kitchen..a little fresh fruit, a sprinkle of cinnamon..boom! Free form apple pie-ish dessert. Being related to his mama, the farm boy saw this tasty treat and added his own twist: melted caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream. Results? Delicious!

Eating in the Green: Kale

    One of my many spring loves is the appearance of fresh greens in the kitchen; among them, kale is a favorite. If I were to be honest, I would have to say kale intimidated me at first. As a relative of collards and mustard greens, memories of my grandmother's vinegary wilted greens made me leery. Test and trial are the friends of every cook, and after some yeahs and nays kale has found its place at our table.

    Cooked or fresh, kale does require a healthy dose of acidity for best results. I prep my kale with a good washing, patting it dry, and removing the tough midrib. Tender leaves are chopped or slivered before tossing in a gentle dose of fresh citrus (lemon, lime or orange), or balsamic and a dash of salt. Using my hands I work the juice and salt into the leaves..rubbing and massaging until every bit is well coated. On the counter it sits to 'work' while other elements are prepared.
    The density of kale lends well to saute. I love mine with fresh garlic, some crushed red peppers and a drizzle of olive oil. Just a dash in the pan offers a bright color and tender leaf. My teens love kale dressed only in lemon and salt baked at 400 degrees for five to seven minutes, yielding a crisp chip-like result. Both are great with roasted meat or baked fish.
     Fresh kale makes for a hearty, nutrient dense salad with body and flavor. Prepared kale holds up to any dressing- vinaigrette, mustard or cream based. I love adding a few shredded carrots, toasted nuts, or even a boiled egg or two. The latest favorite is Caesar style with tangy dressing, toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan. Farm boy is partial to our spicy Creole and lime Ranch with Julianne peppers and tortilla crisps.
     As the country's food supply becomes more controversial and questionable, we take responsibility for ourselves as much as possible; growing and producing as we are able. Kale is a hearty food source that should produce through most of the growing season; perfect for my region and fresh greens are an easy and nutritious addition to the table.

Stall News Update

    March gave way to April with hail and high winds..stirring the pollen and tossing a few tree limbs. The push of spring kidding brings a rush of activity as we separate the herd and isolate the mamas. Stalls were designated for birthing mothers while the kidding supplies came out of the supply closet just in time. Morning strolls to the barn brought with them wonderful surprises we welcomed with great enthusiasm.

    This little 'not-so-shy-guy' arrived setting our morning out of whack; I was rushing out the door when his mama proudly showed her surprise. Joaz is an energetic buckling full of life and vitality. Already prone to chasing the rooster and leaping over logs, Joaz keeps us laughing. His pretty blue eyes just make our hearts melt.

    While Joaz is always game for attention and a picture, his mama, Naomi, is not as enthusiastic. She would rather nibble her afternoon greens and be left in peace. This first time mother is taking to task very well, proving her value as a herd leader.

    Sometime after morning chores and breakfast these two little beauties popped into the world. Salome and Veronica arrived together..twins completely different. One has long Boar ears, brown eyes and a soft brown coat; when she perks up she looks just like a miniature donkey. The other has Nigerian style ears, one blue and one brown eye, and a unique spotted coat. Both spent the day heartily nursing and napping.

    Days were spent fussing over their mama, Ruth. Her first kidding was difficult, needing assistance as she panicked and struggled to push through. This time around she delivered unassisted, having those two girls up and nursing before I even found her. Way to go, Ruth.

      The yearling pen is down to two. Earlier issues with large predators put a terrible dent in our herd size. Mattie, our buck, and Jubilee, our littlest doe, make up the yearling herd and are not sure how they like being away from the others. We lost our only dairy doe after a terrible attack; she had still born twins before her death. As of yet, I have been unable to replace her..leaving us buying milk..not a fun thing.

      High protector and head security officer, Doc, remains ever vigil at his post. Sniffing over the fence at new arrivals; pacing the perimeter for signs of 'enemy activity'. Arrangements of fencing paired with more diligent herd rotation seem to have helped barnyard security keep things better protected.

     All this busy activity leaves little time for Ms Kitty and I to smell the beautiful roses that have also burst forth this weekend. Nevertheless, a glass of tea on the step did offer us a chance to watch butterflies flutter by and a few bumble bees whiz by.