Concluding 2015

As another calendar year draws to a close it is a time to reflect over the past twelve months. 2015 showcased the importance of the earth below our feet through the recognition of the International Year of Soils.Both public and private, national and international organizations alike, celebrated and brought to light the importance of this environmental resource for the health of humans and the planet as a whole. Resolutions were made; workshops and conferences were held; educational materials were distributed and videos watched. Although the year is over, the efforts from these good works are not, as more people are now aware of the need to spread the news that soil is comprised of millions of living organisms which nurture all life on the planet and must be protected and not destroyed.

Magazines, newspapers, radio stations and television stations will all be highlighting their top news stories, artists, songs and shows. The following link takes you to Eco-Watch's ten most watched eco- videos in 2015: Ecowatch.com 2015 most-watched-videos. My favorite is Prince Ea's "Sorry" rap to  future generations.





And another overview of 2015 can be viewed through the 20 Most Popular Eco-Hastags on Twitter: Enjoy and have a Happy New Year!

Happy Solstice!

As I type this, it is only minutes before the winter solstice, which in our location will occur at 11:49 PM. A great website for tracking the length of daylight is http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa. It includes lots of interesting facts regarding the sun, moon, the seasons and more. So, Happy Winter! However, if one steps outside here in New England, you could easily mistake this day for the Spring Equinox instead, as it's drizzly and 44 degrees Fahrenheit. I think I can confidently say that we will not be having a white Christmas.

I am happy that I can now look forward to incremental changes in the length of daylight. Still the short days of the next couple months will provide an opportunity to participate in some workshops and to do some research for this blog and next year's garden. The week before last I participated in a day-long Winter Botany Workshop, held at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire's Forests Conservation Center in Concord. 

The workshop was sponsored by the New Hampshire Association of Natural Resource Scientists and was taught by Dr. William E. Kuriger. The morning and late afternoon sessions were held indoors and involved learning how to identify trees and shrubs by examining their twigs and fruit. In the winter, when clues such as leaves and seeds are limited, it is still possible to identify a specific species by dissecting a branch and looking in detail at the buds and leaf scars.

After lunch we walked outside to try and identify the trees growing around the Center. I learned that it is not it is not an easy task and that, sometimes, even the experts disagree. 

At a quick glance, these tree trunks all look alike, but upon closer examination, you can see differences in the structure of the bark. Also, by examining the leaves on the ground, you  realize that they are different species. They are both oak trees, but the white oak has lighter bark and rounded lobes on its leaves and the red oak has more reddish bark and leaves with pointed lobes. Based upon this, I would say that the picture on the left is a white oak and the picture on the right is a red oak. After some discussion, the tree below was identified as a Scarlet Oak.

Although I will never be an expert, I now know how to use William Harlow's Fruit Key and Twig Key and will probably do some practice with it this winter.

My next class this winter is going to be a permaculture course in January. I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge on these principles and will report back later on the blog. In the meantime Happy Holidays to all!

Roasted Pumpkin, Potatoes and Couscous

Ingredients:
1 small sugar pumpkin
2 cups baby potatoes diced
1/2 cup red onion
1 cup cherry tomato cut in half
1 box couscous with toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
-Whisk together oil, garlic, lemon juice, syrup and thyme. Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds then cut into 8 - 12 wedges. Spread vegetables, except tomatoes in 8 x 8 pan. Pour oil mixture over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes on top and pour additional oil over top. Bake another 15-20 minutes. Cook couscous and top with vegetables, salt and pepper.

Will Snow Ever Come?

Yesterday, reached a high of 57 degrees, not a record, but definitely unseasonable.  Here is a picture of our backyard yesterday, before I finally decided it was time to put away the outdoor furniture. The fact remains is that there are only nine hours of daylight and it is well past dark when I get home after work to sit outside.

Although everyone comments on how odd it is, most people aren't complaining, People are outside, working in their yards, jogging on the streets and bike-riding with nothing more than a sweatshirt. After finishing some in-door chores, Guster and I took a walk in the woods. Sometimes he led the way...

And sometimes he waited for me.

By three O'clock, the sun was sinking in the horizon, a reminder that it is December and not March.  I picked up the pace to get home before dark.
 

I suspect that in another month, these warm days will be only a faded memory, but for now the windows are open and we are enjoying the fresh air.

Harvest Shepherd's Pie

I brought this as a side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, but it is also substantial enough to be a vegetarian meal. It's fairly easy to make, but does take a bit of time to prepare all the ingredients.

Ingredients:
Canola oil for sautéing
1 lb tempeh crumbled
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 pound small new potatoes diced
1/2 cup frozen corn 
1/2 cup frozen peas
2-3 large sweet potatoes
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon sherry
3 cups vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons sage
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sliced almonds


Grease a 3 1/2 quart casserole dish and set aside. Boil sweet potatoes with skins on until done (about 30 minutes). Drain under cool water and peel. Mash with butter and sherry and set aside. Heat about 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large pan and add tempeh, carrots and onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Add broth, new potatoes, thyme and tamari or soy sauce. Cover and simmer until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes. Add corn and peas and simmer 5 minutes. Add sage, salt and pepper to taste. Blend cornstarch with a couple tablespoons of water, then pour into dish, stirring until thickened. Transfer to casserole dish. Top with sweet potatoes and almonds. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until heated through and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Welcome December

The month that welcomes winter does not present the anticipation that March or April hold when signs of new life start to emerge outside. But December, does offer many things to look forward to. First, there is the holiday season, which basically encompass the entire month. I look forward to baking breads and cookies and trying out new recipes that will warm the kitchen with heat from casseroles in the oven and soups on the stove. The shorter days provide plenty of hours in the evening to peruse the seed catalogs, which have already started arriving. I will also have the time to read through my garden journal to recall what worked well and what didn't this past season so that I can make adjustments for next year. With Thanksgiving barely behind us, I took some time to go through my pictures from the past year and to remember all for that I am thankful.

Turnips were a tremendous success, and a vegetable that continues to provide extra flavor to our potatoes and stews. 

Horseradish which I bought at the NH Herb and Garden Day in June. I am looking forward to harvesting it next year to add some zest to sauces and spreads.
 
Asparagus which thrived this summer instead of succumbing to asparagus beetles. Perhaps this ladybug helped. 

New beginnings as  life starts over each spring.
 



Kale with its endless list of nutritional benefits.  

Fiddleheads that that will turn into lush ferns. 

Understanding that all life is to be valued and respected as each part of nature has a purpose to be fulfilled.



Lily-of-the-Valley, which is my birth flower and a sure sign that winter is over and spring is underway. 

When I look outside now, the trees are bare and the ground awaits in anticipation for the first significant snowfall which will be used as a blanket, protecting what lies underneath, until the sun and warmer days signal it is time to give birth again.