Satelite Garden doing just fine

Now that we have two gardens, we have been weeding and mulching much more!  The top photo is our satellite garden just after weeding and mulching with hay.  Two rows of tomatoes, one  row of squash, zucchini and summer, two rows of carrots, one row of beets and one row of winter squash and melons.
This year we tried growing tomatillos for the first time.  How interesting and beautiful they are.  The plants look like tomatoes, many tiny yellow blossoms appear, like dots on fabric.
 Then  Japanese lanterns appear, hovering just below the bright green canopy of leaves.  They grow bigger and more opaque.  The fruit will grow in them.  So cool and pretty!  Like their own protection from pets.
The last photo is of one garlic bulb I dug out to see how big they were.  The two red ions were left over from last years and got lost in the weeds. Little surprises.  The garlic will be ready soon.  Now that we have some sun, the onions are really taking off. 
The last part of the weekend was spent digging out nasty hay in the duck stall and laying new fresh bedding for them.  They are very happy now.  While I was working one of the hens came in to see what I was doing.  She quickly disappeared under the huge pile of fresh hay.  As I scooped up a bunch with my rake, she came with me, got a quick ride,  then hopped and ran off.  She left me a gift though, a bright blue egg!

Next Garden Project - we are building an ARK

Drought last year in Missouri devastated many crops and farmers had a very rough year.  This year we have so much rain, our fields are flooding.  Can we get a bit of a break without extremes please?
This past week we received so much rain, our tomato plants were turning yellow.  This past weekend, we dug up all the tomato plants, engineered bigger and higher raised beds and replanted all the tomato plants.  A lot of work, but we hope to at least get half the yield we hoped for.
The squash and cucumber plants all look really good but if they don't get sun now, the blossoms will whither and drop off.  Two days of sun between rain days would be ideal.  I'll keep praying for that.
At least I have an excuse not to be out there weeding.  Much too muddy, my boots weight 50 lbs after walking 10 feet! Great work out for the legs though.
I have to say the ducks are in heaven.  They don't know where the pond ends and yard begins because its all under water! Ha Ha!

Summer has arrived early

This is my usual morning pick before I go off to work.  With the weather less wet and a lot more warm now, we have 90 degrees in the afternoons, my strawberries are ripening as fast as we can eat them. I have never had strawberry shortcake 3 times in one week before. I am NOT complaining.  Now I will save the rest for Jam!
Asparagus is coming in nicely, although it was slowed down with the drought last year.  Its like we are back to picking for the first year instead of the second full spring of picking. I will freeze a bit too, to have for the winter.  Especially since I have found a fantastic and delicious way to make Quiche that has been one of my favorites this spring.  It would be great in winter too.

French Herb Cheese & Asparagus Quiche:
1 pastry crust, cooked in a 9 inch pie pan
1/2 cup French Herb cheese (see recipe below)
1/2 pound of asparagus, cut in 2" pieces and blanched until soft  .
6 eggs
1 cup cream
salt & pepper to taste
Place cooked asparagus pieces in bottom of crust.
Combine eggs in a bowl and whip by hand while counting to 80. Add salt & pepper to taste.  Pour eggs into pan, over asparagus.  Drop small dollops of French herb cheese (about 1 tbsp. in size) in  egg mixture until distributed evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Check that crust does not get too brown, cover with foil if needed.
The French herb cheese gets bubbly and delicious.  I serve this with a mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette.  Outstanding but light. Oh and a glass of chardonnay too, of course.

French Herb Cheese (borrowed from one of my favorite cookbooks) Beyond Parsley by KC Junior League. Fabulous book.  If you ever see a copy, pick it up. Timeless and classy recipes.
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
6 tbsp. softened butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 dash of Tabasco or other hot sauce.
(I add 1 tbsp. minced fresh chives as well)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Chill remaining cheese for another time.