Friday, May 25, 2018

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW


Old Mother Frugal recalls reading books of Mother Goose nursery rhymes to her Mother’s Little Helpers when they were little babes. 

“Mary, Mary quite contrary…how does your garden grow?”

Ah…the tale of how the garden grows!

Fast forward several decades to an area in the yard designated for gardening.  Year in and year out, futile attempts are made to grow vegetables and herbs.

And year in and year out, the neighboring deer find their way to Old Mother Frugal’s small garden patch and nibble through her garden as if it’s their own appetizer patch.

This holiday weekend another attempt will be made to plant, with the intent to reap what will be sown. Besides the standard tomato, and zucchini plants, this year may include radishes. 

Old Mother Frugal has recently rediscovered this vegetable.  A local market sells them in bunches, right from the ground – mud included. That means, the greens are still attached to the tops of the radish.

When selecting radishes, search for the bunch with the most radishes. The price is the same whether the bunch has 8 radishes or 14 radishes!

Old Mother Frugal has been reading, with much interest, about foraging.  Locally, greens are treated with “fertilizer” from animals which prevent harvesting them for consumption.  

Which cycles Old Mother Frugal back to the local market for her "greens".

When buying radishes by the bunch with greens attached, it may seem so easy to just discard the radish tops as trash.  But have you ever considered cooking them for use in a recipe?  Much like spinach, kale or any “greens”, radish tops are edible greens.

Old Mother Frugal has used them on egg sandwiches and in soups. They can be used in pasta dishes, to make pesto or as a vegetable side dish sautéed in olive oil and garlic. With a bitter taste to them, it may taste like a mustard green or broccoli rabe.  

Fifty cents is a small investment for a bunch of radish. Use the radish in a salad, or in a sandwich for added crunch or as a snack. The use the bonus radish greens for an entirely separate recipe.

The next time you are in your local market seek out these bundles of red roundness with green leafy tops.  If you really don’t like them, well…there is always compost for your garden!

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip:  Buying seasonal fruits and vegetables are good ways to save money in your food budget.  In summertime, scoop out watermelon pulp; use the rind to make relish.  Lemon, lime and orange rinds make for homemade cleaners.  Begin to use all parts of your food items before you toss your money in the trash!

                                                         RADISHES
          



ICE WATER BATH
                                                                  




SAUTE IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC 



                             SERVE ON ENGLISH MUFFIN WITH HAM AND EGG