We have officially had our first garden harvest of the year! Spinach and arugula. Yummy, yummy greens!
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| Oh I am so happy to be picking the arugula. Can't you tell?! |
We even weighed it so that we can get a real handle on how much our wee garden actually produces. It feels like a lot, but it would be nice to have some numbers to compare.
Spinach is far and away our favorite leafy green. We've grown it every year since we started gardening. This was our first year of growing arugula though and I think we will do it again. It matures quite quickly which we are keen on. We are also trying to increase both the variety and quantity of leaves we eat. It was a tad bitter the first time we prepared it (Matt said "it tastes like dandelion leaves"), but the next time we blended it with some spinach and it was absolutely delightful. I think that is the way to go for us, at least for now. (I can remember a time when neither of us liked greens! Then we'd only eat them finely chopped and now we eat them roughly torn and in everything. Tastes and food preferences can be cultivated just as spinach can be!)
It feels so great to be eating the fruits...errr vegetables... of our labors again instead of heading to the co-op to purchase yet one more bunch of greens. I know it is a small thing, but that also means I will not be acquiring the twist ties used to bunch the greens as well. I am so pleased. I really don't need any more twist ties, but I sure always need more greens!!!
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| Our new favorite pizza: garlic-olive oil sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, marinated artichoke hearts, and (home grown) spinach. |
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| Spicy Teriyaki tofu and garlicky arugula with rice. |
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Now here is hoping we can produce enough both for our current demands as well as to freeze for our enjoyment over the winter.
The first harvest of a season is truly an event worthy of celebration!
ReplyDeleteOh it really, really is! I am glad you agree! We are also planning to start a new tradition this year with a Harvest Celebration meal with friends sometime near the peak of harvest. We've been feeling called to create more "traditions" at our household and a Harvest celebration feels like a natural fit for our lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteJust out of sheer morbid curiousity, couldn't you bypass the twisty-ties by just tying the bag at the top? Perhaps there's a reason why you don't do this already? Is there? Should I not be tying my baggies?! Oh Lord....
ReplyDeleteNo, Sarah, I think you are quite safe tying the bags : ) and kudos to you for skipping the tie.
ReplyDeleteAt both our co-op and health food stores the greens come in a pre-made bunch held together with a twist tie. I use a produce bag. I just throw the bunch in the basket to counter to canvas bag to fridge. But, the twist tie is apparently the packaging for greens and comes home with me each time.
Do your greens come loose? That would be great! They do that at the co-op with cauliflower and carrots and peas and things...but not greens. Hmmmm....I'll have to ask about this. I think the answer will be: The supplier. All the loose bulk veggies are from Wholesome Foods (near Bridger, MT) and I don't think they do greens.
In any case, I do appreciate your suggestion. It wouldn't be totally out of the question for me to miss something so simple and seemingly obvious.