Red Orach - A Different Type of Green

 

Red Orach - A Different Type of Green

 

 

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds had a picture of this in their catalog and it looked soooo pretty.  We just had to try it.  Part of the fun (seriously!) of farming is growing something that you've never tried before or even seen before.  This particular vegetable fit both of the criteria. 

 

 

Its' botanical name is atriplex hortensis.  It will grow to a height of 4 - 10 feet tall.  It is in the same family as Lamb's Quarters. 

 

Eaten fresh - a pretty addition to a green salad mix.  The leaves are a bit succulent and  about the size of a poker chip.  A sweet mild taste with a bit of a tart finish.  Interesting . . . .

 

Our little bed gets a lot of splashing hence, our crop has a bit of dirt on them.  Can't wait till they get some height to them to minimize the splashing issue.

 

For more information check out Dave's Garden website  http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3692/



Komatsuna Summerfest - Asian Greens

Komatsuna Summerfest  aka Red Komatsuma

This is a new green for us.  It is so pretty with tinges of purple/red in the leaves.   It is great when picked small and incorporated into a salad mix, mild taste.

When larger, the leaves can be used in soups and in stir fries.   Try juicing them too!

A limited supply of these are available - we wanted to test it first to gauge taste, response, and production.  So far, so good.

Spring In The Desert

Spring is Here!

 

 

Roses are blooming, bearded irises are in bud, wax geraniums are loving the warmer weather.

 

I missed taking pics of the pear trees in bloom, the lily of the valley, the gopher purge . . .

 

the palette keeps changing.

 

 Looking forward to eating al fresco as soon as the winds die down.   A favorite time of year

 

for this Desert Farm Girl.

Desert Farm Girls are Back!

The Desert Farm Girls Are Back!

 

 

We are back in the garden again!  What an undertaking.  The garden has been moved from Section 40 to the AG South Field.  The new garden is on virgin soil that has never been planted before, which is great.  Not so great is that the soil here is way different than Section 40.  As you can see from the pics, the soil has a high clay content in it - so we will all be on a slight learning curve to see what type of production we get out of these fields. Crossing our fingers!

 

 

Ila and Tina are on board as part of the Desert Farm Girls Team.  Yay, so glad to have them.   We hope that our feminine touch  helps  with  growing veggies in our new location.

 

Stay tuned!  More updates to follow.  

A Room With A View - Fall Slipping Into Winter

 

The other day, I was channel surfing on NetFlix and watched one of my favorite movies, A Room With A View.  I love "Period" movies - Mike makes fun of "Period" movies - emphasizing "Period". 

 

So, after watching the movie, it inspired me to take a few pictures of the views from the family room and also outside in the backyard. 

 

Christmas is less than a month away - our yard is transitioning from fall to winter - the leaves are beginning to turn yet our bouganvillea thinks it's still summer.   I think it's the best of both seasons . . . la dolce vita

 



November 18

Sunday, November 18, 2012

 

 

What an absolutely gorgeous day!   The sky is so clear and there's just a light breeze.  Enough that it kept us comfortable while walking.  We talked about visiting the Wetlands Park on the east side of Las Vegas in the spring, but decided to wait until cooler weather and schedules permitting.

 

The new visitor center just opened about 2 weeks ago and they are still unpacking boxes.  It is a gorgeous building.  We were told that a gift shop, coffee shop and theater will open soon. 

 

More pictures to be posted and more info to be shared . . . . just had to put these up  . .

 



Thankful

 

Thankful . . . . . .

 

 

for Mike, family, friends, cats, freedom, health,

 

What are you thankful for?