Thursday, November 22, 2007

Fall Vegetables


After the heat of this past summer some of you are surely enjoying the cool fall weather and good rains we have been experiencing. Vegetables are also very happy. Garlic and elephant garlic are up and growing happily in my vegetable garden. Carrots are not happy and I don't even think they are growing at all (maybe just a little). Arugula is up and beginning to get large. It is probably too late to start much of anything else this fall, but I do plan to sow some lettuce seeds soon. I wanted to share another common fall crop growing in my friend's garden.

These Brussels sprouts are growing in Gerianne's garden. I think she likes to grow vegetables just for the challenge of growing them because she doesn't seem to eat them! These Brussels sprouts are ready to be picked and eaten and I was thrilled to see such a good crop. I personally have a problem timing the growth of Brussels sprouts and other cool season crops like broccoli, so I rarely get a good crop. Spring crops bring worms to my Brussels sprouts and fall crops bring frozen plants. Brussels sprouts are members of the brassica family, which also includes cabbage, and require cool weather to grow. But if you will notice the date on the picture is October 1st. It was not cool at any time before this picture was taken, so I am not sure how these Brussels sprouts did so well-but the proof is in the picture. Don't they grow in a cool way? You have to actually either cut or twist off the little sprouts from the stem. In my family we like to eat Brussels sprouts with vinegar on them. I am not sure if anyone else eats them this way but the tartness of the vinegar and dull taste of the sprouts works very well together and Brussels sprouts are very good for you. Even Jimmy eats them this way.


Good news, Gerianne tells me she and her family will be eating Brussels sprouts today for Thanksgiving. She also says the stems are now twice as big as they were when this picture was taken and she has a good crop to pick. Ahhh, nothing better than fresh picked vegetables you grow yourself (or pick from a friend's garden). I hope if you don't have some veggies in your garden to pick, that you will plan to grow some next year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


in the garden....

10 comments:

  1. Yum! I also love em but NOT with vinegar. Where did you get that idea from. Vinegar is for cukes, although I don't like it on em. Butter on brussel sprouts for me. Love...Mom

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  2. Yuck to brussel sprouts but yum to cabbage! You would think they would taste the same to me but they dont....

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  3. Mom, I thought you always ate vinegar on those types of veggies? I put vinegar on spinach, cabbage and brussel sprouts. I think it drowns the taste so I can tolerate it!:) Anyhow, seems like New Englanders eat vinegar on everything-like the English, and I just carried it over to brussel sprouts. I got the blog article today-it was very educational and I am trying to follow the tips.

    Skeeter, Do you like cabbage in cole slaw? Or have you ever made cabbage rolls? I think cabbage rolls might be a northern thing but you may have heard of them and maybe others too. They are SO good and my mother always made them in the winter (I think). Did you finish the house completely?? I am so jeaulous because now I have to get started on mine-too overwhelming!

    I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We did but happy to be home again!

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  4. I had cabbage rolls in Germany at times. I have never made any but am sure I could and may try them one day.... I like cabbage in slaw and also steamed southern style but not those strange little cabbages called brussel sprouts!

    Yep, got the entire house decorated and all in place in a record breaking and back breaking 5 days! We even hung lights on the house and in a crepe myrtle tree outside! The place sparkles and today the Saint and I took down the fall display and got up leaves for over 3 hours! Still leaves on the trees so this is not the end to them....

    The Saints parents and new puppy (8 9 months old) were here for Thanksgiving. I will post about shy Minnie on the Pet People when I get a chance… She loved the leaves!

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  5. I am so glad to hear you have had cabbage rolls! You mentioning cabbage makes me want to make some. They are a comfort food that takes alot of time to make but yummy.

    Send me some pictures of the house when you get a chance. I haven't seen any pictures from you in a while and it is time to talk about Christmas decorations and I know yours are great!

    I too spent the day raking leaves. OMG. Am I ever sore now. I already took a motrin and hope it will kick in soon-but not before Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. I love those two shows but am afraid I will fall asleep. It rained all day here so the dogs stayed in but they don't like the leaves. I check out Pet People so I will for sure be looking for shy Minnie....

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  6. Not all cabbage rolls call for lemon but that is what makes them GREAT. Just enough to give em a bit of bite. LOL

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  7. Oh, just thought. with all the talk of food maybe we should do a food blog. LOL

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  8. A food blog would be good. There are so many things you can do with blogging but I learned that most people think blogs are cripe sessions. I will do a post on blogs very soon. They are interesting.

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  9. And just think of the new friendships I have gained from the Leaf Blogs!

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  10. That is an added bonus I think most people do not think about. I plan to blog about blogs-probably tomorrow. Stay tuned it should be fun as I have learned the word blog is a not so nice word in some circles. Weird....they are very nice but maybe it is just the Leaf's format.

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