Whirlwind

 Like most garden summers, it's been a whirlwind of activity.  Weeding is hit or miss with the recent downpours and storms here lately.  I can't complain for not having to water anything.  Somehow, in between storms, the mowing and trimming got done.

(leaves are bigger than my hand this year- woohoo to a great crop)

The Red Russian Kale I planted, did very well this year.  I harvested a pretty good lot already.  The kale we grow has a less bitter taste, and more favorable for fresh salads or topping a sandwich.  The frozen kale will be used for smoothies, soups, stews, casseroles, breakfast casseroles and anything I can add greens to add more nutrition.

However, pint freezer bags are very hard to find in our area.  Just a few places sell them.  One year, I was lucky to snag a "bulk" box of them at a nearby Menards (not available this year).

I am still getting a few more radishes, and the Swiss chard is doing great this year.  Everything else in the garden is about 2 weeks or more behind compared to last year.

I got my refund on the stainless steel tomato strainer.  I have not had any thoughts on new resources.

I mended a few pairs of pants, and ran necessary errands, and booked appointments with a new optometrist (based on recommendations).  Our current optometrist wants 6 month visits for contacts and will only write 1 year on prescriptions for glasses (my husband's work will reimburse every 2 years, like most prescriptions for glasses are generally written).  Our family physician retired, so we are having to find a new one there too.  Appointments for "new" patients have a long waitlist too. 

I exchanged 3 books for one (not a bad deal on reducing my bookshelf).  

I went to a local area Dollar Tree for some scrub brushes, and while I was there, I thought I would pick up some more tin pans for the chicken's treats.  The store raised the prices on the tin pans to $1.75 now.  I'll be buying inexpensive bowls and just washing them out over summer instead.  Besides, the ladies tend to smash up the tin after about 3 or 4 treat days.

Meanwhile. . .

Someone is going to all of the free little libraries in one nearby town, and taking out all of the books (or most of them), and replacing them with a bunch of Bibles.  I don't care what belief you have, but seriously???  It always takes one person to ruin a community project that is fun and free.  There has been a volunteer to check those free libraries now.  I have donated more books to those little libraries than to other places lately.

On a side note about little libraries . . .I found an out reach program that puts books, journals, pens, bookmarks etc inside the little libraries every once in a while at part of "service day" with their churches.  Guess who found some bookmarks in a box of misc. stuff?  Yep.  I'll be going thru all of my crafted items leftover, and sending those bookmarks into their new homes soon.  I may even have a few unfinished crocheted bookmarks too.  It's on my charity list, as well as getting back to crocheting more lap afghans this next fall.

Rain is back again this week, but the mornings are in the low 70's, making outdoor work much more comfortable.

I'm on the lookout for seeds to plant yellow cone flowers in the flower beds next year.  The type that grows 3-5 feet.  We used to have them growing here, and we do miss them.

I tried a new pumpkin pancake recipe and loved it.  It used organic Greek yogurt, pumpkin from the freezer (last year's garden), a very small bit of flour (I swapped it for Einkorn flour), and we loved them.  It was a small batch recipe too, which is a win-win for us. Oh, it used some old fashioned oats too in the recipe.

Until next time. . .

Whirlwind  ©  July 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Hot and Muggy

 

The heat remains muggy and in the 90's.  The air is very thick most days.  The rain has returned, and not left yet.  I took a look-see at the gardens, and weeding ( a lot of weeding)  will be top of the to-do list.  The tomatoes, that I tied up last Thursday, have grown another foot, and will need re-tied.

Last Thursday, while working in the tomato patch, I thinned the radishes, but that's all that we are able to harvest so far. 

One day the rain cooled the air just enough to grill burgers, but the bugs were a nuisance.  We are still enjoying pickled red onions.  I'll definitely keep a jar in the fridge on an on-going

basis.

Hot and Muggy ©  July 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Radish Hashbrowns (another version)

Do you plant radishes in your garden?   

We absolutely love diced hashbrowns made with home grown french breakfast radishes.  We didn't get to grow them last year, and we will be this spring.  We didn't get to grow any variety of radishes last year for that matter.

Hankering some radish hashbrowns, I bought a pound of regular radishes and made a different version of radish hasbrowns. 

My husband made me promise not to serve him green beans for breakfast, but he got radishes ha ha!  

I can see why the original recipe calls for 2# of radishes.  They do not amount to much after you squeeze the water out, prior to cooking them first.  I had 1# on hand, so that is what I used.  I highly recommend using 2#, as you add only one egg, and one egg to 1# vs. 2# was too much, and made the cooking time longer.

You shred/grate (a food processor speeds up the process) the radishes, squeeze the water out, cook them, cool them, add an egg, and cook them in a waffle iron.

I used pickle juice from our home canned bread and butter pickles for the dip recipe.  I used sour cream vs. mayo in the dip as well.

Results?  Delicious!  They take a lot longer to make vs. the diced version, but these were very good.  I think I will make them the day before next time, and reheat either on a skillet or in the air fryer.

Don't skip the sauce/dip for these.  It is very good.  Recipe is from gnom gnom.com (Radish Hashbrowns with grated Radishes).

(Pumpkin Oatmeal bake with home grown pumpkin, scrambled farm fresh eggs and rash hashbrowns with herb garden green onions and homemade sauce - see recipe link for hashbrowns)

I didn't realize it, until I wrote up this post, that the original recipe shows a photo with some snipped green onion on top of the radish hashbrowns.  I added some to our leftovers and we loved it.  I will be adding those to it next time as well.

Note:  If I remember, the original recipe states to make these in a mini waffle maker, but I would make several in a regular size waffle iron to speed up the time making them.  It takes about 8-10 minutes to make one in a mini waffle iron.  Unless you are busy in the kitchen with another project, the mini waffle maker will take you a long time to get all of the hashbrowns made.

Another note:  I may even try frying an entire pan full, in heated oil next time.  

Update note:  my husband re-heated his in the air fryer at his work, and said they were amazing topped with the sauce and snipped herb garden green onions. 

Radish Hashbrowns (another version) © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Keeping Radishes Fresh and other Tidbits

I went out to check on the radishes again.  

To keep them fresh, if I don't use them the same day I pick them, I cut the greens, wash them, and place them in a damp paper towel.  Then I put that inside a container or reusable plastic bag.  Works like a charm.

The ground hog who got away.  I think there are two now.  Sigh.  Gonna have to keep my eyes open now.  Can't lose my garden after all this work.

A beautiful sunrise the other day.  We are entering into a very hot week this week.  AC filters were cleaned and temps turned down for the week.  Monday we reached 93°F.

With the temps soaring, the chickens are getting treated with shaved ice this week.

Woke up to a balmy, sticky 72°F at 5am.  I had plans to wash blankets and rugs.  Hm.  Yeah, that's not happening.

Radish Hashbrowns

New for me to try - Radish Hash Browns.  Just brown the edges of some onion in butter, then add radishes.  Cook until soft on the inside. Cover if necessary, add salt and pepper, thyme and paprika.

The taste test results?

Till Man

The rain finally gave us a break and a chance for my "Till Man" to till.  I got more planting done too.  The earliest seeds we planted in May are already producing.  My hot banana pepper plants have pretty good size peppers on them now.

Check it out!  We finally have apples on one of our apple trees.  Our cherry tree died last winter, so I'll replant one next spring.  The plum looks terrible, so I'll whip up some neem spray and give that a try.  It still has fungus.  No peaches this year.  I'll have to be prudent with pruning this fall.

Calendula Cookies ~ More Peas

The title is correct -  Calendula Cookies.  I added these flower petals to salads last year, and this year I am expanding.  I found several recipes in a book from the library, regarding edible flowers.  Something new to try this year, and new to blog about. 

The cookie recipe uses about 18 flower heads.  I had flowers, and I had a hankering for cookies (when I shouldn't be eating any). 

Chickweed ~ Herb Vinaigrette ~ Roasted Radishes and Brussel Sprouts

I spent the entire day in the garden weeding, then worked in the herb garden.  It was so dry, I had to water it first to weed it.  I am so glad it rained last night.  I am forced to work indoors today.  I just need to weed the carrots and then the green beans tomorrow (or the next dry day).

Garden Goodies ~ Garage Purge

I planted a few new varieties of radishes this year.  I still planted Cherry Belle for canning radish relish.  It is delicious on burgers or what not.  I will be canning it in the smallest jars this year.  We can't seem to eat it up when we open the half-pint jars I canned it in.  Either that, or I need to be more creative.  Maybe try mixing some into peas?  Or green beans?  I guess well see when we get them on the plants soon.

These are French Breakfast Radishes.  I purchased non-gmo/organic seeds from High Mowing for these.  Hubby and I will be tasting the two that I was able to pick.  Due to the second frost we had, we planted later than usual.

Has anyone planted the black radishes?  I have been reading up on them and I find them intriguing.

New Blooms ~ Rain ~ Library Visit

Despite the weeds multiplying here this season, I am still getting some new blooms in the flower beds.  I've been dodging the rain showers (and storms) and cutting flowers to bring inside.

You can see the bees are very busy this year in the flower beds too.

Homestead Tidbits ~ Canning Radish Relish

Friday, Hubby had to get a required physical, to return to work (always some strings attached in that business), so I headed to the garden.  Lots and lots of work out there, so I took a nice big thermos of water, and covered my head with a hat and bandanna.  I went out there prepared to sweat.

It is very reassuring to know I don't have to babysit chickens this summer, while I'm running around working.

Radishes in Soups & Radish Pickle Update

Use your extra radishes for soups.  I am planning to dehydrate some here for just that reason.  My Farmer's Market neighbor told me this tip.  You could freeze them too, but she says they are great it soups.  One year I did this with my extra Kohlrabi.

Update on the Refrigerator Radish Pickles - Hot!  Joke-ster Hubby was the first to taste, and graciously gave me one, saying, "These are crunchy, but they're not hot."  

He lied.  They are hot.  

I guess the amount of "heat" they would have, will depend on the "heat" that your radishes already have too.

I do like the fact that they do last for up to 6 months in the fridge.  I can make several jars for salads, just eating, or what not.  Yum!

Refrigerator Radish Pickles

Refrigerator Radish Pickles

Garden Goodness & Homestead Updates

 

 . . . picked broccoli, radishes, and strawberries.  Sugar snap peas will soon be ready.  Picked some lettuce too.

I made a pint jar of Refrigerator Radish Pickles, using a jalapeno pepper.  I've never made these before, and I see there are many variations.  I found my recipe in a library book.

. . . potatoes are doing great!

. . . spent hours weeding, and found that half the carrots and beets did not come up, so we replanted.  Some of the heirloom green beans didn't come up, and replanted those too.

. . . got down to weeding the cauliflower and broccoli, and stopped due to a predicted storm.

. . . still need to till between the peas and then weed the lettuce.  Half of the lettuce didn't come up either.  That second frost really did affect the garden this year.

. . . all the peppers are weeded, but look at my cucumber mounds! Yikes!  That's next.

. . .zucchini is doing pretty well, and the onions need weeded.

. . .cabbage is looking good, but the arugula is bug eaten.

. . . the celery looks great.  We have never grown lettuce before.

. . .put in more tomato stakes.  

. . . goat fencing is starting - bit by bit.  My 16 year-old has been putting these t-post in by herself.  

. . . and yes, the laundry is still drying outside, despite my allergies.

. . . I still need to finish weeding the strawberry beds, but the garlic and rhubarb look pretty good.  I planted the last of the onions in the strawberry beds.  They help fight off certain bugs.

Note:  All of these photos were taken prior to the storms that came through.  I'll try to update new photos later.  Today, I woke up to find that the kids have done something to the family computer and I cannot even sign in.  Grrrr!  Luckily, I had already loaded these photos to my blog, and can access it from my laptop.  I'll try to get the recipe for the radishes too.  It's on the other computer (Hmpf!).  Kids!  I'm going to need a full pot of coffee today.  All I can say is, that someone better get out of bed and get it fixed.