I truly can barely believe, I have lettuce growing in my office.
@allie120 I have some in the aero garden, but also just in pots. Without getting extreme, the aerogarden throws off enough light for now. When it's insufficient, there are tabletop grow lights or clip on, or lights on a stand, that are very inexpensive. I'm talking about being set up, permanently, for our personal used, for $30 or so.
What took me so long?
I had to buy lettuce today. I bitched about this to the produce manager, who commiserated. She said she just gave up on her garden this year, which doubly pissed her off. She's getting older and only planted what they would eat (no or minimal canning). Got very little from it.
I told her I got hundreds of tomatoes, and even cukes and squash eaten this year. She told me, according to local yore, old wives tales, this means the animals are fattening up for a long winter.
She also mentioned wooly caterpillars, but couldn't remember, exactly.
I love living here.
Edit to add, she also said her husband collects seeds and stuff... no seeds and no acorns, anywhere.
@elsa I love the lore, the wisdom, and the self sufficiency.
My mother loved to garden. She would rather be out there than anything. I gave her a grow lamp (like a floor lamp with a small tray. It also folds up. Quite versatile) and seeds, flowers, herbs. I think she used it once? When she moved there 20 years ago (it’s a condo with tiny balcony), she had a few plants on her balcony, would tend to flowers in the common area, and I told her there was a community garden she could check out. She didn’t but she had fun with her own stuff until she couldn’t get around easily. She doesn’t seem to lament too much so, that seems better than not
I picked over 5 lbs of beans today at the community garden, and gave them to some ladies that walked over from the assisted living facility across the street. Super nice guy who works there brings them over every day to tend the one accessible raised bed that we had built this year. It was perfect timing for me to chat with them and give them the goods. The guy said he could help build the compost bins that I want. I’m drowning in beans right now. Also got news that we are receiving funding to expand the accessible raised beds. We want to add 3 more and now we can do that. The community garden looks so great this year. Since we refreshed the space with a new fence and a new plot layout, more people are participating and everything is thriving.
My garden at home is doing pretty good, but not great… I think my soil is depleted, maybe lacking some minerals. I should probably have it tested. I planted some fall crops this week. It was down to 36 the other night, but it’s going to be mid 80s this weekend. We shall see!
I’m picking all my basil this week and making a big batch of pesto to freeze in small ice tray quantities. Great to drop in soups, sauces or roasted vegetables!
I’ve already made some pesto using pistachios. The rest I am making in this Sicilian version. My Grandfather was from Tripani!
https://www.billyparisi.com/pesto-trapanese/
@bar-in-the-sky I would like to try this. Like if you made it, I'd just show up at your door, like a dog, come dinnertime.
@elsa it brings me immense joy to cook for people and watching them go for seconds is eternal bliss.
I’m @allie120 pine nuts are expensive around my neck of the woods and my Cancer husband’s stomach can’t really handle them well enough for me to make a big batch. You can pretty much make pesto from any combination of nuts and greens. Parsley, mint, nettles, carrot greens.. etc. carrot top greens and walnuts would be excellent. I highly recommend the Trapanese recipe, it’s delicious!
@bar-in-the-sky I like classic pesto with walnuts over pine nuts and I mean, I prefer them by a large margin. If you've ever wondered, give it a try.
@elsa I have a ton of walnuts left over from the zucchini bread I made last week and a ton of basil still in the garden. It’s happening!
@bar-in-the-sky I’m thinking pine nuts are very expensive here, too. A pound bag of pistachios is about $9 whereas a tiny container of pine nuts … just checking…is $9 for 4 oz.
I’m so glad you posted your dish. I’ll definitely try it!
I bought these. It's an top notch brand. Crazy low sale price and no tax or shipping.
30W LED Grow Light With Tripod Stand(US ONLY) (2 Pack Bundle) (sansiled.com)
WOW! I was thinking about getting my son and/or his gf, an aerogarden. The one I bought is $159! I paid $38, last year. Yes, on sale, but still! Outrageous.