I woke up the other day to strange sounds emanating from the back yard. I looked out the window and there was my landlady’s son, tearing up what little grass our dogs hadn’t already torn up for him. Turns out that we’re going to have a garden. A really large garden. I was told I could have a small section for myself. I told him I’d think about it, but my gut instinct was to say no thanks. I have enough going on. I don’t see myself as a gardener.
But the universe seems to have other plans for me. I started musing that it might be nice to create something. Plant it, watch it grow, eat something that I had brought into being. It would be nice to produce something positive out of the pure disaster that seems to be my life these days. (I mean, other than this blog, of course.) But what would I plant? It would have to be something unique and cool. No tomatoes or pole beans for this girl. No. I love to be different. In school I was the weird girl, and I think I often confuse my fellow bridgetenders. I don’t like to be predictable.
No sooner had I started forming these thoughts when a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she just went to the seed fair in Kansas, and she had picked up some seeds that she was willing to share. When I saw pictures of the plants she had seeds for, I basically shouted, “Ooooh! Ooooh! Me! Me!” So, without further ado, here are the veggies that I hope to grow in the back yard.
Purple Cauliflower
Romanesco Broccoli (this one appeals to the fractal artist in me.)
Wish me luck! And if you have any good recipes for these unique guys, let me know.
I think you will love it, it is strangely addicting…
Oh Jeez, the last thing I need is an addiction, on top of everything else.
That bottom one looks like a computer generated fractal…
Plant something… grow something… get into the dirt… caress mother nature’s ample bosom with your toes…
I’m supposed to plant it with my TOES? Okay, this is going to be harder than I thought.
No, you just feel the dirt with your toes… and wait till spring so you don’t frezze your feet off. You need to get down on your knees and sink your fingers into the tilled earth. Connect with nature. Watch and nurture your plants. Grow some that you can eat.
I make my own dirt ina mulch bin. I make better dirt than nature does.
Gasp! Hubris! John Lennon said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, and look what that got him? Yoko!
I’m yuku for Yokopuffs!
For Christmas, I bought my Husband, Survival Seeds, from Heirloom plants, not genetically altered seeds. These seeds have a 97% germination. And you may save the seeds from anything you grow year after year. There were every kind of veggie seed imaginable. But I like you. prefer the unusual. We also have black tomato, black bell pepper, japanese cucumber and eggplant and green cauliflower and purple potato, yellow watermelon, etc. At 70 I don’t do canning anymore, but fill containers and freeze. My Husband is the gardener, I don’t like dirt under my nails. But don’t mind grease or paint. Always a tomboy.
Oh wow, now it’s a good thing my landlord has only allotted me a limited amount of space in that garden, because I’m now dying to run out and get some of the unique seeds you mention above! Black tomato! How wonderful.