Chicken Treat Pop Blocks and Frozen Pesto

It was sooo hot yesterday!  The high was 97 degrees with a heat index of 114.  So, after harvesting, fertilizing, and general gardening, I hunkered down in my kitchen for several hours.  I made very special treats for the girls, and a lot of pesto to freeze.

Chicken Pops
The chickens love juicy fruits like watermelon and tomato, so I thought they might want to peck at a block of frozen delights.

I made one pop block with cucumbers, cantaloupe, and tomato.  The other (back) is full of strawberries, cucumbers, and peaches.

I filled plastic containers with water and treats, put them in the deep freezer, and ta-dah!

The ladies LOVE these.  They're like chicken crack and methamphetamine all in one.  I gave them two today, and I've already put another one in the freezer for them.  If this doesn't entice them to make eggs, I don't know what will.

Round 1: Morning

Round 2: Afternoon

Hen Party

The best thing about the chicken pops is that all the ladies share them nicely.  I'm so lucky to have such a great group of girls.  Yes, they're bossy little princesses, but they've created a peacefull community amongst themselves.

Frozen Pesto Pucks
Yesterday, I posted about the pound of basil I that I had harvested that morning.  This is what came of it:

 I washed and dried all of the basil in the salad spinner.

These basil stems will be used later in vegetable stock. 

To the basil/olive oil blend, I added parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts. 

I lined a muffin pan with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. 

 Just like little pesto hockey pucks.

I wrapped each puck individually in plastic wrap and put them in freezer bags.  

They'll keep a really long time like this.  Maybe a year?  But I always use them up pretty quickly.  I've frozen two dozen of theses so far this season.  I'm aiming for fifty.

Putting Up Herbs

I love herbs.  You can make anything taste fancy-schmancy by tossing in some aromatic herbs.  Not much in the fridge?  Got a couple of potatoes?  Roast them up with some herbs.  Got eggs and flour?  Whip up a crust, mix up some filling, and throw in some herbs for a delicious quiche.

Freshly-picked sage and lavender

This all sounds good and well, but herbs are just too expensive at the grocery store.  It's a pricey addiction.  Our local grocery has no bulk section.  Five dollars for a tiny bottle of thyme just ain't hittin' it.  After this summer, I will never buy herbs again.  

 I've never smelled anything more heavenly.

So far, I have dried some sage, dill, lavender, and parsley.  I'll get into the thyme, rosemary, and oregano later.  I plan on freezing most of my basil in pesto.  I'll be drying herbs all summer.  I'd like to have at least one quart jar of each herb, several smudge sticks of sage, and a little dried lavender to keep around the house.

Smudge sticks, here we come!

It's going to take a ton of fresh herbs to meet my dried quota, but I find the whole process very relaxing and enjoyable.  In the meantime, we have all the fresh herbs we ever want to eat all spring and summer long.

I really like using brown paper bags with holes punched in them.  It keeps the leaves clean, and there is plenty of air flow.  I have them hung up in the old chicken room/new office, which is the only dog-free zone in the house (besides the basement) so that the herbs will remain fur-free.  

The Herb Circle is Almost Full

It's that time of year again.  There never seems to  be enough hours in the day.  The weather is spectacular, and there is always something to do.  I finally got to do two things that can only be done when it's truly spring.

Basil, thyme, and oregano

Most of the herbs are now in the Herb Circle.  I have some rosemary and some more lavender in the greenhouse.  They aren't quite big enough to transplant yet.  I'm proud to say that each and every one of the plants in the Herb Circle was started from seed in the greenhouse.  (See the sidebar for a full list of what's in the Herb Circle.)

The cardinals love the bird bath. 

In addition to planting herbs, I also got to put out the hummingbird feeders.  I love watching them eat. 

One thing I haven't had any time to do is sit in my favorite chair and watch the cows.

Greenhouse Haiku

When it is snowing

I can always count on you

To be warm inside

I wasn't going to write today.  I had it in my mind that if I dodn't upload it, then it never happened.  I had awakened to the first (and I hope the only) spring snow.  But I changed my mind after a trip with Miles up to the greenhouse.  That place is always full of inspiration, and it just makes me feel good.  Here are some of the highlights:

My big, strong heirloom tomatoes

The artichokes have come out of their cold treatment and are happy to be back in the greenhouse.

I love this Ruby Moon hyacinth bean.

The eggplants are alive and well.

Hops

This nasturtium popped up over the weekend.

The parsley will be ready to set out soon.

I'm a firm believer that you can never grow too much basil.  I've got about fifty seedlings going.

Baby thyme

The poppies are doing a lot better than I had expected.

Get a load of these blueberries!

 

So while things are all hunky-dory in the greenhouse, let's take a look outside.

As I write this, the snow has stopped falling and it's already beginning to melt.  Yes!  It isn't too awfully cold out, and I'm not really worried about the greens and root vegetables in the kitchen garden.  Things are often more resilient than we think.  If they to subcome to the harsh weather, I'll just have to sow some more.  I love sowing seeds, I'll shed no tears.  The asparagus and blueberries are going to be alright.  This snow is just a minor annoyance.

Back inside, the girls are doing well.  It's so hard to get a good picture of them.  They're always fluttering about when I enter their room, and the red heat lamp doesn't help.  In addition to "Judith," "Iris," and "Eunice," we now have a "Big Beulah," and "Large Marge."  Big Beulah and Large Marge are the big bosses.  They're also loudmouths.  I admire their spunk and attitude.