bo's blog

Sprayed peach tree

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:18:02 -0800

Sprayed the peach tree today with copper, and did some pruning. I should have prepared a half gallon, rather than a gallon.

Fig tree planted

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:16:38 -0800

Today we planted a Violette de Bordeaux fig from Dave Wilson Nursery. It is a dwarf variety, self-fruitful, with a very late crop.

New Chicks

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:02:12 -0700

On April 26, we bought three chicks: a "black sex link":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sex_Link, a gold sex link, and a "buff orpington":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpington_(chicken).

We incubated them in the living room and the mud room. Once we put them out, they got along fine with the single remaining Araucana hen. The Araucana has begun to crow, now that the rooster is gone.

Grapes ripening

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:15:01 -0700

Our grapes are abundant, and we ate the first few bunches yesterday and today. Delightful!

Horse Worming Schedule

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:14:17 -0800

Jan/Feb	fenbendazole or oxibendazole
Mar/Apr	ivermectin, moxidectin, or prazquantel
May/Jun	pyrantel pamoate
Jul/Aug	fenbendazole or oxibendazole
Sep/Oct	ivermectin, moxidectin, or prazquantel
Nov/Dec	pyrantel pamoate

King Albert's Cardoons

Sat, 26 Nov 2005 10:23:49 -0800

Wash about a pound of cardoons, strip out the fibers, cut them in 1 to 3-inch pieces.

Boil them in a mixture of water and milk (50/50) to which you have added a bit of flour (1 tablespoon per 2 pints) until they are half done. Drain the stalks and transfer them to a skillet with olive oil, smashed whole cloves of garlic, and a few bay leaves (2-3). Cook them over a brisk flame until they are tender, 10-15 minutes. Shake the skillet occasionally, and near the end stir minced anchovies into the skillet and help them dissolve by rubbing across them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add mixed spices (freshly ground pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves), and, if the contents of the skillet look dry, a little hot water.

Moved the barns!

Sun, 9 Oct 2005 19:12:59 -0700

Today we finally moved the small barns all together. Yesterday Jessie helped us move everything out of the tool barn and the grass hay barn. Today our next door neighbor Tom came over with his big hay squeeze (it can lift 8500 pounds). He picked up each of the barns and moved it aside, then we relocated the eight pier blocks and approximately leveled them. Then Tom dropped the barn back down onto the blocks. The barns are quite a bit higher off the ground now than they were (a good thing, since they will rot more slowly). Tom moved the stack of grass hay in front of the barn door for us, and Jessie loaded the hay back into the barn.

Dry Rub (for grilling meat)

Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:20:04 -0700

1/4 c. dried ancho chili peppers
1/4 c. paprika
1/4 c. cumin seeds
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. salt 1/4 c. black pepper corns
2 T. cayenne
1 t. cloves

Grind all ingredients together. Rub lavishly on meat, then barbecue at high temperature.

Luther Burbank (Japanese)

Fri, 24 Jun 2005 15:42:59 -0700

ルーサ・バーバンク 1849-1926
ルーサ・バーバンクは1849年3月7日マサチューセツ州ランカスター市に生まれました。カリフォルニア州では彼の誕生日はアーバーデーどして祝われ、その記念に樹木や草花が植えられています。
この著名な植物学者は50年以上ものあいだサンタローザ市を本拠地とし、この庭園と近隣市であるセバストポル市において植物の種類を増やす研究を続け、世界に名を広めました。研究目標は植物のクォリティの向上とそれに伴う世界のfood supplyを増やすことを研究国的とし、バーバンクは生涯をかけて800種以上の植物を導入しました。そのなかには200種を超える果物、多くの野菜、木の実、穀物、そして何百もの観用花をふくんでいます。

Asters, Rushes

Thu, 2 Jun 2005 18:31:00 -0700

I planted three California Gray Rush and two Soft Gray Rush (also Juncus Patens) in the ditch. These should tolerate full sun, no drainage,and seasonal flooding.

Also, three Deer Grass in the front yard. These are said to thrive in any environment except wet shade.

And three low asters on the roadside edge of the ditch. The Calflora man says that these are quite hardy, even bordering on scarily aggressive. Let’s see if they can take the place of Bermuda grass there (after killing grass with round-up).

Mediterranean Eggplant Salad

Sat, 14 May 2005 12:30:55 -0700

2 eggplants (the big kind, not the Asian ones)
6 cloves of garlic, diced very fine
1 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt

Peel eggplants, chop into one inch cubes, steam for 15-20 minutes until soft but not soggy.
Add olive oil to saute pan, cook tomatoes, cilantro, and cumin over medium high heat stirring occasionally until excess liquid evaporates and a chunky sauce remains.
Mash eggplant with a fork, add to saucepan with tomatoes. Add garlic and lemon juice and remaining seasonings. Simmer about 15 minutes.

Harira (lamb and chickpea soup)

Fri, 13 May 2005 19:13:57 -0700

1 small can chickpeas, drained
1/2 pound lean lamb, diced into small cubes (about 1 cup)
1 onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup chopped parsley (always use the flat parsley!)
1 pinch saffron
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 lemon
3 T flour
salt

Add drained chickpeas, lamb, onion, parsley, spices, tomatoes and juice, 2 quarts water. Boil for one hour.
Stir in juice of one lemon, cilantro, and reduce heat to low.
Mix flour with 2/3 cup water and dribble into soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Laab cauliflower

Sat, 16 Apr 2005 13:33:00 -0700

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets and steamed
2-10 anchovy fillets, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 hot thai pepper, minced
Laab spice mix

Take a whole head of cauliflower, cut up into pieces no larger than 1 1/2 inches. Steam the cauliflower.

Meanwhile, take 2 to 10 anchovy fillets, and mince. Also mince one large clove of garlic and one small Thai hot pepper. Heat up a wok to a high temperature, add some oil (perhaps the olive oil that the anchovies were packed in), and add the anchovies and garlic. Saute quickly (don't let the garlic turn brown, or it will get bitter), then add the steamed cauliflower. Still over a high flame, continue stir-frying until mainly dry. Now sprinkle about a tablespoon of Laab-namtok seasoning mix over the cauliflower, and serve.

Thai grilled eggplant

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:52:17 -0700

1 juice of one lime
1 minced jalopeno, including seeds
1 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
kosher salt
2 scallions white and light green parts, sliced thin
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

Combine lime juice, chiles, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic in small bowl; set aside to blend flavors and allow sugar to dissolve.
Meanwhile, lay eggplant on large baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt; let stand 30 minutes. Using paper towels, wipe off salt and pat eggplant dry. Brush both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-hot heat (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 3 to 4 seconds), turning once, until dark and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer eggplant to large cutting board and cool to room temperature. Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch squares.

Japanese eggs

Tue, 28 Jun 2005 13:40:20 -0700

First, prepare some dashi. You’ll only need a small amount of the dashi. Use the rest for miso soup, or chawan-mushi, or simmered things.

6 eggs
1/3 cup dashi
2 T soy sauce
2 T mirin
1 t sugar

Mix all ingredients. Heat pan (preferably but not necessarily a Japanese omlet pan, rectangular and teflon coated). Oil lightly, pour a small amount of egg to just cover the bottom of the pan. When eggs are almost set, fold into three (like a futon), and push to one end. Pour another small amount of egg mixture, lifting cooked portion so that liquid mixture flows underneath it.