Whats in the Garden?

So you might think a couple of porches and a few windowsills isn't much space to grow food, and no its not!
But I do manage to grow quite a lot of things anyhow, I love variety.  Here's a rundown of all the edibles I've got growing right now, as well as a few flowers that I hope to attract beneficial insects with:

Kale - Lucinato, Red Russian, Curly (Dwarf Blue Scotch)
Chard - Fordhook Giant, Rainbow mix (Red, Yellow, White)
Spinach
Rosette Pak Choi (Tatsoi)
Sugar Snap Peas
Basil - Italian, Greek, Thai 
Purple Variegated Sage
Garden Sage
Rosemary
Oregano
Thyme
Chives
Garlic
Mint
Dill
Cilantro
Dwarf Lime Tree
Zucchini (planted it too late in the summer so its just getting blossoms now, wondering if it will produce anything - also seems to be dwarfed by being planted in a container.  Its kind of an experiment)
Tomatoes - Red Cherry (so my cherry tomatoes kept going all summer and then seemed to die back, but before I had a chance to rip them out they sent up new growth - I decided to let it be another experiment to see what happens, I know its probably too cool for any blossoms to pollinate but maybe they will overwinter in our mild climate and I'll get a head start on the growing season?  Or it will be a complete waste of time, we'll see)
Jalapenos
Orange Bell Pepper
Strawberries
Black Raspberries (although I'm not sure they're going to make it)
Lavender
White Alyssum
Freesia

The last 3 are meant to attract Pollinators.  The white allysum isn't my favorite flower for looks but it smells strongly of honey and is supposed to attract bees quite well - not sure how many would be around this time of year but we're still getting day temps in the 70s.

Well that's the rundown.  Can't wait to have more space to grow in so I can have even more variety and a lot more volume!  Oh and a compost heap would be really nice.  Maybe next year...

Getting Organized - Seeds

DIY seed storage binder (much better system than my previous method of keeping all my seed packets stuffed in a big plastic bag).  

Easy to make, just a large 3 ring binder and some plastic sleeves - the ones I used are designed to hold baseball or other trading cards and fits most seed packets if you fold them in half.  I used some white adhesive labels to make tabs for different categories to make it easy to find what I'm looking for.  I also got some small white envelopes that fit the pockets exactly so when I save my own seeds I can just pop them in the envelopes & label them with the type and year collected.

Cuteness

So this is William, my cat.  
This has nothing to do with gardening really except maybe that William likes to chew on my plants, but he is adorable and I will be posting pictures of him from time to time, so I thought you should be introduced.

Best Gluten Free Easy Banana Pancakes

So easy, so delicious!

I have tried a few versions of these and played with different ratios and ingredients, and here is the final Courtney (and husband) approved recipe.  They are sweet enough just from the banana to enjoy plain, but I like them with some maple syrup as well.  They are fluffy yet moist, and also don't need extra butter or cooking spray to keep them from sticking to the pan, I suppose because of the coconut oil in the batter and because I use a non-stick frying pan to cook them in. It also happens to be pretty easy to remember because its just 1 of each ingredient!  This recipe makes 6 small pancakes, about 1 serving for me, so just multiply the recipe by how many servings you need.

     1 Ripe Banana
     1 large Egg
     1 Tablespoon Milk (I use 2% Milk, could also substitute with unsweetened almond milk)
     1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
     1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil (I use virgin unrefined)
     a sprinkle of vanilla extract
     a dash or two of cinnamon to taste

Just mix all ingredients up in a blender, I tend to add the flour in last.
Then drop about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into a nonstick pan on medium/low heat.
Wait a few minutes til browned on the bottom, then flip, they are done once the other side is browned too and the centers are cooked through.  Easy!

I use all organic ingredients and I suggest you do the same.  Also if you serve with maple syrup make sure it is real maple syrup, not flavored corn syrup (check the ingredients label).
Also great served with fruit.

Enjoy!

   
   

A Few Pics from Today

The winter veggie garden - yes I am still harvesting jalapenos and its almost December!

Besides those its mostly herbs, kale, and chard right now. Also my strawberry plants are starting to bounce back after (barely) surviving the long hot summer, and the snap peas I planted just a few days ago are just starting to sprout.

Swiss chard, snap peas sprouting up, freshly harvested jalapenos

parsley, Italian basil, Thai basil, mint

purple & white variegated sage

A New Blog on a Rainy Day...

Hi all, I'm Courtney and among many other things I love to garden.

I focus on edibles like veggies, fruits and herbs and do my best to follow organic and natural practices.  I never use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, I just don't believe in them and avoiding them is kind of the whole point of me growing my own food, besides the fact that I enjoy it.  I'm also lucky enough to live in a climate that easily allows year round gardening, as we have very mild winters here in Southern California, so I get to garden pretty much all the time, switching from cool season plants to warm season and back.

For now I actually have a rather small garden, as I just have a couple of balconies and windowsills of my own for growing space, and friend's yard that she lets me share and plant things in when I have the time.  I make the most of the little space I have for now and dream of the day when I will have a decent sized yard, at which time I plan to go full blown backyard (and possibly front yard) urban/suburban farmstead mode.  My ultimate goal would be to grow enough produce to supply myself and my husband, my friends and family, and hopefully have a little leftover to donate to the local food bank.  But for now I practice and hone my gardening skills and learn how to make the most of small spaces.

I also love to use what I grow to cook healthy and delicious meals, so in this blog I'll be sharing recipes as well as offering gardening tips, learnings, and even disasters I'm sure - remember failures are the best way to learn and improve, and they happen to us all!  

So I hope you enjoy my blog and hopefully find it helpful and interesting, cheers!