Summer In Florida

 It was and is a brutal summer this year and probably in future summers to come.  The heat was so bad I couldn’t bear working outside in the garden.  But we had a great deal of rain for three months, the weeds and grasses had a field day growing in the gardens.

I’ve been spending the last two weeks trying to get the gardens in shape for planting.  Last week we had the effects of hurricane Helene.  The wind didn’t do too much damage, but we spent the week without electricity.  In Florida that’s a very bad, no good thing.

Physically, the heat played havoc with my arthritis and I am still recovering.  However, I got out into the garden today, I’m paying for it, but it needs doing.

Hurricane Helene was a big storm, so its winds pushed water into my county’s shoreline causing massive flooding.  I live on top of a bluff, so we weren’t affected, but waterfront and beach communities were flooded badly.

The small beach city (Treasure Island) I lived in during my teens and early twenties was literally wiped off the map.  What didn’t get inundated with water was covered in sand.  It’s heartbreaking to see.

Here’s hoping and praying for more cheerful posts in the future.  Hurricane season ends in November.  

God bless,

Pam

Growing Lettuce Indoors

 Since I live in Florida it is very difficult to grow lettuce outdoors, especially during the summer.  The heat forces the lettuce to bolt, which makes the lettuce bitter.  I started growing lettuce indoors in an Aerogarden Farm and it works really well for my small family.

You can use any hydroponic system from kratky jars to automated hydroponic systems.  For me, the Aerogarden is the easiest.  I suggest watching their website for sales.  The sales are particularly good when they are about to release a new or upgraded edition.

I am still making YouTube videos to accompany my blog posts.  It’s easier than taking multiple photos to explain the process.  It would definitely help if you subscribe to my YouTube channel and like the posts.  Commenting on the video boosts the YouTube algorithm.

I hope you enjoy watching the videos.

God bless,

Pam

Harvesting Onions

 I had a bumper crop of onions this year.  I used them to fill in any spaces between plants and a couple of regular rows.  I ordered the slips from Hoss Tools and they grew beautifully.  I’m impressed by the quality of the seeds and plants I’ve purchased from them.  They are all developed to do well in hot, humid conditions, so perfect for Florida.

You can tell onions are ready for harvest when the green tops fall over.  After harvest I cured them by using some old clothes pins to hang them on my wire fencing.  This works better for me as I don’t need to worry about moisture in the ground causing the onions to rot.

I finished them by weaving a couple of onion braids and decided to dry the rest in my dehydrator.  I sliced them into 1/4 inch pieces and it took about two days for the onions to be completely dried.  Now they are stored away in 1/2 gallon jars.

This may sound strange, but dried onions make a tasty snack.  Onions naturally have a lot of sugar, which concentrates when they are dried.

I hope you enjoy my short video.

God bless,

Pam

Harvesting Mulberries

 The mulberry trees are producing and, normally, I go out every day to hand pick them.  We had already lost some to a rain storm and another storm was approaching.  My husband and I decided to try to do a bulk harvest before the storm knocked down all the ripe mulberries.

The bulk harvest using a tarp was successful and we managed to save two gallons of mulberries.

Enjoy the video and God bless,

Pam

Pigeon Peas

 Easy to start from seed, virtually disease free, and nutritious, pigeon peas are a great plant for thefood forest.  They thrive in hot, humid weather and are a staple in the islands.  Use them as you would any bean, but they are traditionally served with rice.

I hope you enjoy this new video.

God bless,

Pam

Garden Tour On YouTube

 I decided to start a YouTube channel to enable me to post content that is difficult to represent with photos.  

This video is a tour of my Spring garden here on the west coast of Florida.  Please excuse my nasal voice and throat clearing.  It’s caused by allergies and rheumatoid arthritis has affected my vocal cords.

I hope you enjoy and God bless,

Pam

The Frugal Kitchen: Step By Step Granola Recipe

 My favorite breakfast consists of a bowl of yogurt, either honey or jam, and finished with a topping of homemade granola.  I make granola once a month.  Here is my process:

Use a half sheet pan.  It allows the granola to toast evenly and quickens the browning.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pour a quarter cup of oil into the pan, trying to distribute it evenly.  Use the oil of your choice.

Add around 32 ounces of rolled oats to the pan and mix thoroughly with the oil.

Add a half cup of honey to the oats and stir thoroughly.  You could also use maple syrup, but I would increase the amount to 3/4 cups.

Here is where you can get creative by adding any combination of nuts and seeds to the mixture.  This is a good way to use any small amount of nuts that you have leftover.

Mix thoroughly and spread evenly in your sheet pan.  Bake at 5 minute intervals, stirring between each 5 minutes until the granola has toasted thoroughly.  It should be a golden brown color.

Now add the dried fruit, cut into bite sized pieces, that you prefer.  I don’t toast the granola any further after adding the fruit, because the fruit can get hard.

Mix thoroughly and allow to cool completely before storing in a container or ziplock bag.  

I hope you enjoy this granola recipe.  My family loves it and I like being able to control the amount of sweetness and oil.  Commercially made granola is high in fat and sugar.

God bless,

Pam