Recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto (via The Washington Post)

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts/pine nuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Method:
Place scapes and walnuts/pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
For ½ pound short pasta such as penne, add about 2 tablespoons of pesto to cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.

I just wanted to post this recipe sent to me by one of our CSA members, Nancy Swartz.  I had actually just been wondering this morning about another way to prepare radishes besides eating them raw in a salad...I plan on trying this out in the next few days.
 
Grilled Radishes - compliments of "All Recipes.com" - quite delicious, actually!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 6

"Sliced radishes are grilled in a foil packet with garlic and butter. It's a terrific, simple side dish!"
Ingredients:
20 ounces radishes, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cube ice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the grill for high heat.
2. Place the radishes, garlic, butter, and ice cube on a double layer of aluminum foil large enough to wrap contents. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly seal foil around contents.
3. Place foil packet on the grill, and cook 20 minutes, or until radishes are tender.

Goodies!

So much excitement to be found in a tub of bugs and a mailer full of seeds.

The Real Boss

"I think you missed some weeds over there."

Backyard Bounty

A Day of Transplanting

We transplanted over 100 sprouts to bigger digs.  5 varieties of peppers, 3 varieties of tomato, and eggplant.  We had to stop because we ran out of dirt.  There is plenty more to do!

Delicate work.

Maisy likes to help.

Maisy wondered what the dirt tasted like.

I told her not to eat it.

She explained that she liked it and would eat it again at her next opportunity, which happened to be about 10 seconds later.

Morning Sun cherry tomatoes.  This is actually round two.  The first round will be in the ground early this week.  They will probably be the first tomatoes to pop up.

Serious plant hoarder status.  No more room at the inn.

Standing in front of the newest plot, which will house all the summer goodies.  Tomatoes, summer squash, cukes, peppers, eggplant, peas, and carrots.  Tim and my brother constructed the 6ft tall deer fence this afternoon so it will all be protected.

Maisy was through with helping.

That's some crazy farm hair (on both of us) and my 21 week belly.  Its hard to believe that we will have another baby before the summer is over.  Very much looking forward to meeting our little Hank.

A fun way to end the day!

The First of May

Tomato and a few tomatillo plants just about ready to get in the ground.

Things have really picked up around here!  Between 1st Birthday parties, crazy weather, planting, visiting family, weekend weddings for dear friends, and everything else that comes along with springtime, we've found ourselves moving nonstop.  When I last posted, most of these guys were just tiny little sproutlings!  Soon they will be food.  Isn't that incredible?   

Nasturtium (edible flowers) on the right and zinnia on the left.

Young strawberry sprouts that will soon join their elders in the garden.

More tomatoes!  We're planting about 6 heirloom varieties this summer.

Clementine munching on some grass outside the Sprout House.

Hungry little hens.

Broccoli rapini looking good.

Added some row cover over the cabbages to keep the bugs out.  Seems to be doing the job.

Potatoes on top and bok choy below.

Perfect bok choy specimen.

Strings stretched for the peas to climb.

Some sugar snaps take hold.

Wild berries that border the woods.  They were pretty tasty last year, looking forward to enjoying them again.

Summer squash.

Almost ready to get in the ground.  Most likely this week. 

Maisy's anxious to get outside!

Success!  Happy first day of May, y'all.