Growing mushrooms

for Jeffs birthday, I got him a mushroom growing kit. Its the regular button type mushrooms you find in every grocery store, but homegrown is so superior! Its easy to do too, basically we needed to mist the planting medium (encased in plastic inside a cardboard box) so the spores would be moist and after a few days, roll the plastic bag down so it could get air. After a week or so you could see the mycelium forming, thread like strands. Then it got even more exciting - mushrooms started growing! The first few harvests were impressive, Jeff grew so many we needed to give alot away. We couldn't keep up, and we sincerely love mushrooms. After the inital fruiting occured, we were advise dto wait a bit longer, keep misting and sure enough, we could see it happening again. Here is a picture of a huge mushroom Jeff harvested - it was a great addition sauteed in wine and served with our steaks for Valentines day. To find mushroom kits, go to Field and Forests Products, they are based in Peshtigo WI. There is a website (www.fieldforest.net) and you can order kits of all different kinds of mushrooms, button, oyster, shitake, etc. They also sell spawn if you would like to start out by inoculating wood logs. Theres tons of info in their catalog, and books etc available too. Very cool company, we plan on trying out other varieties since we are hooked!

star struck

Wicked is in town playing at the Appleton Performing Arts Center to rave reviews. Stephanie Browns agent called Kindred Spirits Organics from NYC to order a fresh bouquet for her to enjoy. I had the pleasure to design a beautiful bouquet for her, with auberine calla lilies, white snapdragons, Dutch iris, green spider mums, bright pink tulips, bear grass, purple larkspur, curly willow and gorgeous lilies. It looked lush and abundant, exquisitely fragrant, perfect for a star.

It has begun....

I know its too early. I can't help it. I will only plant a few seeds....I promise to wait till the right time. Spring is still several months away.
Today I sowed some Mamoth, Purple Ruffles and Genovese basil seeds, sweet marjoram, oregano, sage, and spearmint. Tomorrow, a day closer, I will plant thyme, summer savory, cilantro and parsley.

Jeff's chicken recipe

Jeff is an excellent cook, able to come up with great ideas just by looking in the refrigerator and pantry, sometimes using a recipe but most often just tweaking/adding/substituting. I came home to the most delicious aroma, I knew we were having "chicken" that evening but not sure how he was going to prepare it. He breaded the chicken breasts and cooked them along with thin diced carrots and set aside. Then he made tomato basil flavored pasta and placed the chicken on top, edged with the carrots. Then he made a bechamel sauce, but instead of using just milk, he used half milk half chicken broth and ladled over the chicken/pasta/carrots. Yum!!!

forcing branches, or Whoahh, Baby! I want Spring!

Ok, I am trying to keep an open mind. This morning (January 27th) Jeff told me he saw on the news yesterday that so far, the last 26 days, there has been 18 days with below zero temps. That's getting to be a bit much. Granted a few of the days were a balmy -5 or -10, but the wind chills were in the -30 to -40 range. Thats flipping cold!

Whats a gardener to do? Move to Reno? Not likely.

Instead we get tough and begin forcing things to bloom inside. Bulbs like daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, absolutely. Purchased in the fall, stored in a refrigerator crisper drawer for 6 - 8 weeks, then potted up in regular potting soil and placed in the sunshine provides us with a hint of whats to come - months from now. It only takes a couple weeks and voila! a hint of spring.
Thats great if you planned ahead and purchased bulbs and stored them. If you didn't, do not despair, there are other ways to get your garden jones...force branches.

Branches? Yes, branches from apple trees, crabapples, forsythia, willow, cherry trees...you get the idea. Even if the shrub or tree doesn't bloom, small tender green leaves are a welcome respite from the frigid temps outside.

What you need are some key ingredients, pruned branches and a container of water. Most leave and flower buds are formed in the fall. What that means to us is these pruned branches have everything they need except warmth and water - we can provide that! So place your cut branches in water, put in a fairly sunny area and stand back and enjoy! If the room they are in is a little on the cooler side, it will take a bit longer to bud out, but then they will stay longer too. Figure a good couple weeks in average room temp to get them to blossom stage.

A hint -don't ask how I know this. When you are looking for a container to display the branches, remember that a good stable base will help keep everything upright. The branches will be heavy so container sturdiness is a virtue.

Have fun!

Wedding Show Radisson Paper Valley

We had a booth at the Bridal Show this last Sunday at the Radisson Paper Valley here in Appleton. Some designs featured deep eggplant colored calla lilies and lime green hydrangea, along with Baccara roses. Others used deep orange roses and orange callas. Here are some pics

2009

Happy 2009 everyone!!!!