Planning Gardens & Publishing Courses

Vertical garden

Asian Long Bean

High Tunnel

We are busy at the farm planning our  organic garden for summer.  This year there will be a “cancer garden” section in addition to the fairyland look of the four kinds of runner beans growing up and up then cascading down from the top of the high tunnel.  This creates a beautiful green vertical garden that delights the soul as well as the palate.  The cucurbits and the sweet potatoes also are planted vertically adding to the ambiance and conserving space.   

Cayenne

Salsa!!!

 We have instituted companion planting throughout the garden incorporating vegetables, herbs and flowers which not only increases the  beauty of the garden but helps keep pests at bay while promoting growth and flavor to the edibles. 

Our garden plan is online   .... Be sure to check out the notes for information on the companion planting.   

In keeping with our organic way of life, our fertilizers are nettles, milk, fish and kelp.  We are trying something new this year: MUSIC in the greenhouse!!   Classical music will be played throughout the day....will our crops be bigger?  More nutritious?  There is plenty of evidence that plants love music; all I know for sure is I do so at least I will enjoy my gardening whether or not the beans are sweeter!!

Marigold

Our other big news from the farm is our ON LINE COURSES.  

Basil

The first one is ALL ABOUT BASIL and as a thank you to all our delightful customers and followers and as an introduction to our online courses it's FREE.  You may think you know basil, but I'll bet you don't!!   It's more than just a pesto.  It's medicinal prowess may surprise you.  So, CLICK THE LINK steep a cup of peppermint tea and take the course.  You'll be glad you did.

Calendula

ALL ABOUT BASIL is just the beginning of our online Rocky Creek Valley Herbal School.  There is so much herbal goodness out there, I just have to share.  And, with the issue of antibiotic resistant bacteria becoming more and more problematic YOU need to know what you can do to protect your family.   I hope you'll join us on this incredible herbal journey.

Presto Chango: Pesto!

We LOVE basil. And, my customers are pretty fond of it as well. So, I decided I was going to have plenty of basil this year. I planted it by the tomatoes in two different gardens, in the raised beds, in a flower bed and have three jars "rooting" in the green house.

Traditionally, basil--Ocimum basilicum--Treats fevers, cold and flu. Alleviates stomach cramps, vomiting and indigestion. Basil has many reputed medicinal properties, such as the ability to draw out poison from insect bites, as a sedative, for treating digestive disorders, soothing pain, promoting perspiration, and promoting production of breast milk in nursing mothers.

As a food basil is delicious whole leaf--top it on sandwiches, salads and summer soups. And, the world renown Genoa sauce famous for it's versatility, it's rich, wonderful, flavor-packed greeny goodness: pesto. It can be a sauce, a condiment, a topping or an ingredient for other recipes. Although it's quick and easy from a food processor, many folks still like the hands-on, tactile earthyness of using a mortar & pestle.

I do love a good matrix. (check out the Smoothie Matrix HERE)
It puts a lot of info in a birds eye view. I made a new one for pesto that will be on the website ( www.rockycreekvalley.com ) but here is the basics for now.

Pesto's three main ingredients are herbs, cheese and nuts. These three can be switched and swapped to suit your taste or recipe.

Herbs- 2 cups: basil, cilantro, spinach, arugula, parsley, mint, broccoli rabe
Cheese- 1/4 cup: Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Grana Padano, Manchego
Nuts- 1/2 cup: pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios

Other stuff: 1/4 cup olive oil-extra virgin, 2 Rocky Creek garlic cloves, 1/2 t sea salt, 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp lemon juice

Put all ingredients except EVOO & cheese in food processor add EVOO in a streat and pulse to desired consistency. Add cheese & pulse. Serves 8.
TIPS: Toasted nuts will UP the WOW factor. Spread on baking sheet for 7-9 minutes at 350 degrees, stir occasionally.
Freeze pesto in ice cube trays to pop into soup this winter.
Walnuts add that extra Omega-3 we all need.

For Chef Gary's more detailed description of making pesto check our website: www.rockycreekvalley.com

MMMMMmmmmm...I can taste it now. Life is good. :) e