Memorial Day Random Bites
Happy Memorial Day today!
I hope you are doing something fun with your friends and families (and eating good food too).
What's in the news this May 27?
The 17 year cicadas have descended upon us here in the Northeast.
Lucky for them, I am a bug lover, because they are everywhere.
They greet me at my front door in the a.m., on my mailbox, on every tip of every flower, waking up from a 17 year sleep underground.
I am intrigued by these prehistoric, strange looking things, related to the shrimp family? (they are both arthropods, didn't you know? I wouldn't eat crawfish either), but I doubt I'll miss them when they are gone.
They are very sloppy, leaving their carcases all over the lawn. I'm tired of picking up after them and squishing them under foot.
I keep reading about how tasty these locusts are, and keep seeing chefs putting them in tacos and frying them up to serve with dipping sauces.
No thanks.
Some Memorial Weekend Highlights: Recipes to follow.
MCG Update:
Looks like our spinach has leaf minor (if you have any "organic" suggestions, I am open).
Our potatoes and broccoli are doing really well, as are the beets and onions.
Beans and carrots are taking their sweet ass time.
Haven't had any really mean emails from the Militants lately, they got rid of the garden manager, and they seem to have mellowed a bit.
Could it be? We'll see.
and let's not lose site on what Memorial Day is really all about.
Remembering and honoring the good people that serve and have served our country.
Enjoy your day.
See you tomorrow with some good recipes.
I hope you are doing something fun with your friends and families (and eating good food too).
What's in the news this May 27?
The 17 year cicadas have descended upon us here in the Northeast.
Lucky for them, I am a bug lover, because they are everywhere.
They greet me at my front door in the a.m., on my mailbox, on every tip of every flower, waking up from a 17 year sleep underground.
I am intrigued by these prehistoric, strange looking things, related to the shrimp family? (they are both arthropods, didn't you know? I wouldn't eat crawfish either), but I doubt I'll miss them when they are gone.
They are very sloppy, leaving their carcases all over the lawn. I'm tired of picking up after them and squishing them under foot.
I keep reading about how tasty these locusts are, and keep seeing chefs putting them in tacos and frying them up to serve with dipping sauces.
No thanks.
Some Memorial Weekend Highlights: Recipes to follow.
MCG Update:
Looks like our spinach has leaf minor (if you have any "organic" suggestions, I am open).
Our potatoes and broccoli are doing really well, as are the beets and onions.
Beans and carrots are taking their sweet ass time.
Haven't had any really mean emails from the Militants lately, they got rid of the garden manager, and they seem to have mellowed a bit.
Could it be? We'll see.
and let's not lose site on what Memorial Day is really all about.
Remembering and honoring the good people that serve and have served our country.
Enjoy your day.
See you tomorrow with some good recipes.
Comments
I heard that 1 minute of silence is to be observed at 3 p.m. to honor all those who have fallen serving our country.
Glad to honor the military instead of the "militants" that have retreated from your community garden. :)
All the plantings look beautiful (and months ahead) and it is a promising sight to behold from upstate NY. Even your sunshine is wistful!
Yes, we must never lose site what the meaning of "Memorial" Day is about.
Remembering and honoring the good people that serve our country!
Thank you. :)
Your garden looks awesome and so does your pickled shrimp!
"I haven't really had a problem with leafminer, but the leaves that have it should be removed and destroyed (I would probably burn them ) so the larvae don't mature into adults. I have read (but not tried) that a good idea is to also spray the crop that gets attacked THIS YEAR in following years with neem oil to kill the adults BEFORE they can produce the larvae. Spinach is often the target, so this would mean spraying the spinach with neem earlier in the season than NOW.
Just read a little about spinach leafminer. The approach I like is to look for the eggs on the underside of leaves (they are white and generally layed in small masses); when they are spotted, crush them. If it's not too big a patch, this approach is likely to make a difference once you figure out the point in the growing season that they are likely to appear. It would take some regular hunting, but could really interrupt the annual problem. Kal"
Hope this helps
Sandi
Thanks to your brother for the info.
My husband (the true gardener) showed me the little white worms underneath the white spots and I just tore that part of the leaf off, however, I am now only eating the perfect leaves because I am grossed out that I ingested some little leafminer worms!
Thanks again! I will pass on the info to the head grower (my husband).
"Another idea is to cover the row(s) with agricultural fleece when the seed is planted. Leave plenty of slack for the spinach to grow and hold the edges of the material down with rocks, soil, or lumber. If the flies can't get at the spinach due to the cover, they can't lay their eggs, so no larvae will ruin the spinach. Uncover when necessary to thin, weed, but re-cover as soon as possible. To prevent the spinach from overheating (and bolting) , only use a lightweighht version made for heat-sensitive plants. Johnny's Selected Seeds sells Agribon + AG-15 for heat-sensitive plants (about $24 for 50' x 9')"
Now you have more info than you ever dreamed you needed.
Love your blog.
Sandi