Homegrown popcorn

Last year I purchased some Heirloom Pink Popcorn seeds, which due to the fact I was not on the farm full time, I decided to try and grow a few in my shadecloth veggie hut, which was under irrigation.  I also planted a few outside, which would only benefit from whatever rain fell.

Outside was a disaster.  Not one survived.  And inside - well, a few heads were produced, but the plants succumbed to ants / scale.  Nevertheless, I did keep whatever I could harvest - not only to scoff on a cold winters night in front of the telly, but also to provide seeds for this season :)

The head of corn is roughly 4.5 - 5 cms (2 inches)
long

Pink Popcorn is a darling little head of corn.  As the head dries the kernels stay plump - one could almost be tempted to pop it into a pot of boiling water in order to have a "corn on the cob" feast :)

Tiny kernels - about the size of half a lentil

Getting the kernels off the head is another story, as the kernels are quite sharp...

Sore thumb - wish I was ambidextrous LOL

My thumb definitely suffered during this task.  But, I kept with it as I had a reward in sight.

RMan could smell it - so he came investigating.
One handful meant half the bowl was empty.

The popped corn is smaller than normal, but, oh, so delicious!  And the best thing is that it's home grown with no chemicals added.

Popped in a dab of melted butter and sprinkled with
a sprinkling of salt - delicious :)

And the surplus has been planted... :)

Last of the harvesting

Another veritable feast awaited our arrival on the farm.

I had, in desperation to harvest however many that grew, planted some mealie (corn) seeds both outside and inside the veggie hut - I had no other option, as I didn't have an irrigated spot outside where I could sow the seeds.  So - I was pleasantly surprised to score roughly 14 mealie and 24 popcorn husks.

Wonder upon wonder, mealies actually grew inside
the veggie patch

(FYI, the mealies I planted outside didn't handle the heat... and drought. And, they were planted too late, methinks.  So I'm very pleased that I planted some inside.)

MKids favourite vegetable - and so he had one on his first night there. Actually, they are the first ever home-grown mealies he's ever eaten.  And, slathered in butter, it went down in a flash.

MKid with his favourite vegetable

The red popcorn generally produced 3 - 4 husks at each point.  The husk is much smaller than normal mealies - just under half the size I estimate.  The kernel is also much rounder than a normal mealie which, I find, tends to distort and "wither" when it dries.

Red popcorn kernels

So most will be shucked, popped and eaten on a cold miserable night this winter - to remind us that spring always follows winter.  And a couple of husks will be saved for their seeds next year.  

Red popcorn husks - 3 or 4 at a point

The spinach performed as always - actually - thanks to Julianne, and the investigation she encourage me to undertake, I now know that they are swiss chard plants - I bought them in a seedling tray.  But they provided me with another 8 blanched 250gm bags in my freezer.

Swiss chard and a rouge tomato - who
knows where that came from...

Then, of course, the trusty tomatoes had been producing en masse.  I know of some neighbours who had helped themselves, but there were more than enough to go around - and to ground.  I probably have a nightmare start next season with all the tomato seedlings which are going to pop their heads above ground LOL.

I can't remember planting these tomatoes - they
are red and have a green stripe. They also have
quite a tough skin.

Small "plum" tomatoes

Medium sized plum tomatoes

Golden yellow tomatoes - slightly larger
than cocktail size

Cocktail tomtoes

And, hidden away were a couple of heirloom (heritage, I think they're called in the US of A) tomatoes.  Gorgeous deep red specimens, fleshy and juicy. Definitely my favourite tomato.  And I'm fascinated at how much deeper the red of these tomatoes are, compared to the others.

Heirloom tomatoes

I think that those were also the favourite tomatoes as far as all my neighbours were concerned, as there weren't many ripe ones in the veggie hut.

35lts of tomatoes - I don't have a scale to weigh them

I spent Monday and Tuesday preserving this 35lt container full of tomatoes.  I should have more than enough for winter.  Sun dried, tomato soup, whole preserved cocktail tomatoes, tomato pulp for adding to stews and casseroles - busy, busy, busy...  I loved it :)

Finding space in the car to bring these back wasn't
easy - but I couldn't leave them behind.

I couldn't leave my one and only, first pumpkin behind either.  It's not the biggest, but I'm very proud of it LOL

1st ever pumpkin!

The eggplants are chock-a-block with flowers - if only half of them still set some fruit, then I'll be more than happy.

At least 22 flowers on these two bushes...

And one yellow eggplant which I left in situ and which has hidden itself underneath the bush - it will be perfect for using for seed next year.  And, if it disappears, then I have another one "going to seed" in my town garden.

Eggplant going to seed.

Finally, the only two of the three fruit bushes survived - a gooseberry and a raspberry.  I have left the fruit on for this year.  I'm amazed that they grew any fruit - they have only been in the ground for just over a month.

Gooseberry bush with fruit pods

Raspberry bush - only 5 berries this time
- but next year will be better...

All in all I really can't complain about the amount that grew on the plot and which I was able to harvest, especially given that it had to fend for itself whilst I was away in town, with only the porous pipe to babysit!  More on their trials and tribulations in my next posting...


And I hope the sight of all these yummy veggies is giving all those in the northern hemisphere encouragement to go out and plant those seeds... :)

Lemon orchard progress

I was looking through photo's we had taken during our December / January visit and realized that I hadn't shared our lemon orchard progress with you yet.


The digger / loader had previously cleared all the renosterbos from the area, and we got John, our part-time helper to dig us a couple of holes. The locals have devised a way of digging holes in that hard ground which is amazing.  They thump the ground with a pointed metal pole (I don't know what it is called, but it is available at our local Co-Op) and every so often they scoop the loosened sand / rock out with a can.  Defies belief, but it works, and works better than a pickax!


I say a couple - well, actually, 15 holes LOL


Then we laid down a row of weedguard.

Preparing the site for more lemon trees

RMan got busy attaching the porous pipe to the irrigation hose connectors - not an easy task because, although the porous pipe is relatively flexible, the ends are quite a tight fit for the connectors.  Too tight for a mere female to do  - well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)

I'm very grateful for the strength in RMan's hands
and arms

To soften the porous pipe, we placed the ends in boiling water.  This definitely does help - but strength of fingers and arms is imperative for this task.  And it's just up RMan's street :)

Porous pipe ready to be installed on the timed
irrigation hose

With the size of the diameter of the circle we have allowed for growing space for the lemon tree trunk.  Also, bear in mind that the porous pipe will supply water to the ground for a distance of 500mm to either side of it.  So I anticipate good coverage of the future tree root system.

The rocks are there as support for the young
lemon sapling, and to close the X we made
in the weedguard in order to plant the trees

We have put this irrigation on the timer as well.  So it will get 10 minutes of water every 2 days.  Given that the water is being applied under the weedguard, there will be minimal evapouration, no wastage / run off, nor drying of the soil surface through the action of strong wind, and no blocked pin pricks in the irrigation pipe as we had in the first orchard section last year :)

You can see the outline of the porous pipe
below the weedguard

A sight to please anyone's eyes :)  And orchard in progress...

The trees we planted last year are in the
foreground - the latest trees are in the
background

Hard to believe the trees next to the
closest  shadecloth were only planted last January.
You can also see the position to which we have
moved the caravan.

The new section in the orchard - 15 more
trees to add to the 15 which were planted last year.

1st orchard on the left - new orchard on the right

I took a chance and planted some really small saplings (the baby row).  One of the five I know didn't make it, but the others seemed fine when last we were there.

From left - the smallest lemon saplings,
slightly bigger in the centre, and the
sturdier new ones on the very right/

Do you remember I wrote about forgetting a whole lot of dried out looking lemon pips in my fridge last August and which I "reconstituted" in a bowl of water overnight?  Well, on the off chance that they were still viable, I shoved them into a pot of soil, place the pot in a sunny spot and kept the soil damp.


This is what happened...

A whole pot of trees waiting to be set free

Looks like I'm going to be busy...

And, Mr H, thanks for the tip.  I have also dropped two different types of apple pips into a pot of soil.  They are also popping their heads above ground.  I guess I'm going to have to find a spot for them too :)

In addition to all the veggies, I will also have a pomegranate, grape, lemon, apple and naartjie (mandarin), strawberry, raspberry and gooseberry harvest at some stage in the future.  It surely can't get much better than that!

I am so very grateful for all of this.  The future harvests, the opportunity of being able to become more self-sufficient, and for the wonderful, exciting, exhausting and the mentally, spiritually and physically enriching journey that RMan and I are on, even if it is at an advanced stage in our lives.  I guess you could say that we are living proof of never being too old to try something new.

And, happily, one of the most important reasons for our purchasing our smallholding and travelling along our eco-friendly path (and documenting it, firstly, on my web page, and, secondly, through this blog) has culminated in an absolutely wonderful result and action. Beyond my wildest dreams :)  I have big news to share with you - but not yet...

And, finally, this photo is to give you an idea of the "growing" area on the farm - as it now stands.

In the foreground, potatoes in their tyres,
veggies in the shadecloth veggie hut behind the tyres,
strawberry, gooseberry and raspberry bushes are further
down behind, and below, the veggie hut,
and the lemon tree orchard on the right.
And, just out of view to the left - the future
root cellar, as well as the pomegranate orchard
which is situated in front of the house :).

And, that is what we have accomplished in our garden in the past year... Reckon the next year could be even more interesting :)  I'm so impatient I can barely handle the wait... (you gather that I am not a patient person - so I've learnt that too! LOL)

Veggie patch progress - in more ways than one...

It was frustrating trying to blog via my cell phone whilst we were at the farm.  The one entry I posted took me over an hour and four separate connections / attempts before my phone / laptop allowed it.  And as for commenting on those blogs that I follow - each comment was given two chances, if it failed, well, that was it.  But, rest assured, I did read your blogs :)


Also, taking loads and loads of photo's was fun - but now I have to sift through them and pick the ones I need, reduce them all in size, and then get them onto my blog.  Quite a task - so please bear with me as I collate and organize everything...

My shadecloth veggie patch - overflowing with
growth and produce :)

With that said, my mission today is to fill you in on more veggie patch news :)


I have so many tomatoes planted in the veggie patch - I was anticipating failures, but they have all survived to be viable plants, so I foresee plenty of preserving taking place in the months ahead.


And one of my nicest surprises was to finally see an heirloom tomato - my first ever.  They are amazing, and the plant is overflowing with fruit which will no doubt ripen in the next couple of weeks.  I do so hope that I am able to pick some, and that the locals don't discover my treasure trove before we return and clean it out before I have that opportunity.

My first heirloom tomato

(Here in Hout Bay I returned to find that only a couple of cocktail tomato plants are bearing fruit - the heirlooms didn't make it.  With our house having been built on a reclaimed sand dune, no matter how much compost I add to the soil, it sinks down deep below the surface level - similar to loosing your keys in the sand when you're out for a day on the beach.  How anyone thinks they can take back land from the sea is beyond me - it just doesn't work...  In a way, I am thrilled with this comparison, because previously I had thought I was at fault.  Now I have proof that it is the soil, location and climatic conditions which are determining the outcome.  We averaged 36oC temperatures daily on the farm - again, here in Hout Bay, we are achieving mid to late 20's - with plenty of cloud cover too - a very strange summer thus far.)


I have not been on the farm to pinch out the side shoots of my tomato plants, so they are all growing madly (and bearing loads of fruit) to the point of running along the ground.  Where they touch the soil, those side shoots are sending out their own roots - thereby creating another completely new plant.  My paths inside the veggie patch were completely blocked with growth.  I had to both stake the plants on bamboo poles, and also suspend twine down from the "roof beams" and tie tomato branches to that too, in order to be able to get inside.  Well, I didn't want to squash the plants LOL

Tomato plant rooting one of it's side shoots

Here in Cape Town I have been pinching off those side shoots, as always.  And the fruit production seems to be severely hampered.   Guess I now know better for next year... :)


My aubergine plants on the farm are also full of flowers - many more and much larger than those on the plants in my garden in Hout Bay.

I had a box of potatoes whose eye's were sprouting.  They had been hidden under the kitchen counter - patiently waiting until I had enough time to sort them out.  This was their time :)

I planted them in the tyres from a lot that RMan had scored at the auction he went to. The lower tyre was half filled with soil, the potatoes were planted (5 - 6 per tyre), and then the balance of the lower and the top tyre was filled with well composted soil. They have been well watered, twice, and the next bit of TLC they get will be when we return to the farm in 2 - 3 weeks time.  Mr H gave me this idea for growing potatoes on this posting of his - if it works for him, why shouldn't it work for me?  I won't be there to hill the potatoes anyway, so might as well give it a try.. :)


I also placed the tyres on Weedguard to prevent the veld grass growing up inside the tyres.

Some of the potato filled tyres

But, I also discovered a few rogue potatoes which had escaped my previous harvesting and which are growing inside the shadecloth veggie patch.  They are doing extremely well.  The flowers of these plants are blue...

... compared to potatoes which I planted in a berm outside the next veggie patch at the beginning of November 2011.  Those flowers are white.  I'm not too sure why there is a difference - guess I'll have to wait until harvest time to discover.  I'm not aware of having planted different types of potatoes.  But I'm not complaining - as long as they are growing I'm happy :)

But, you can see that the one's growing inside are doing exceptionally well when compared to the plants outside which were planted a whole month earlier!


Finally, I harvested 5 complete armfuls of spinach - 3 were given to neighbours, one we converted to creamed spinach for dinner and the last one I snipped just as we were leaving.  That one I am planning on using for dinner tonight :)

To give you an idea of how big the leaves are, Teach asked me to take this photo of one of the leaves she went home with...

I am so chuffed - thankfully things are going really well in that veggie patch :)

Oh, and for the best news of all, RMan is so blown away with the success of our vegetable patch that he is planning a second one :)  Yeehah!

The start of our holiday...

We left on Saturday 17th December at 6.00a.m.  We were going to leave on the Friday, but it was the start of a long weekend (and, in some instances [like us] the start of the Capetonians Christmas get away), so we figured that the road traffic would be heavy.  In addition we spent the entire Friday cleaning our house as we had a show day booked for Sunday 18th.  So it made complete sense to wait another day.  


Clever plan - no traffic at all :)  We were taking our dog, Scallywag, with us, and naturally that entailed (with or without the pun LOL) a couple of pit-stops - as he's not that used to long-distance travelling, we really didn't want him getting car sick.  So all in we had a trip of 3 1/2 hours arriving at the farm at 9.30a.m.   A stunningly beautiful day - the perfect start of our three week break.  Whilst we were driving, RMan and I were discussing the last time we went on holiday - and apart from 2-3 days here and there every month to month-and-a-half, or the occasional week, we last had a full length holiday about 16 years ago.  Long overdue...


Arriving at the farm, the first thing I saw was my shadecloth veggie hut...

The comparison to a month previously just blew me away for there was growth - luxuriant growth - everywhere LOL  The rocket plants were head high, the tomatoes full of flowers, radish the size of golf balls, lettuce, basil, beetroot - everything was growing stupendously.


And my gorgeous Franchi Sementi purple beans - they seem to love it there...

The plants were full of beans...

... and flowers.

I am besotted with these beans.  Firstly, they are so unusual - they look so good, they seem to be pest free, and being dwarf plants, the beans are easy to harvest.

They are about the size of normal string beans, without the string.  And when you slice them open, they are green inside.  Completely delicious raw in salads too :)

And the rocket.  As I said the plants were head height, and the leaves...

Rocket leaves with a length of 30cms (a foot)

... they are enormous.  We just had to have a fresh farm a salad with our first night's barbecue... :)

Radish, tomatoes, lettuce, rocket, spring onion
and caramelized onion pieces - t'was yummy :)

Perfect proof that soil preparation is key, and the porous pipe works, and works well!  These plants had absolutely no fussing / TLC for a month and performed at least 500% (if not more) better than the vegetables in my town garden :)

More in a couple of days (too many photo's to go through LOL)...