Slim Pickin's

Time for some true confession's from the head Gardner ( um, that'd be me ). I had big plans for my veggie garden at home this year.. Yep, I sure did. I researched, planned, and plotted. I ordered seeds, and patiently waited for the snow to melt and spring temps to rise enough to where I felt " sure " it was o.k. to plant the garden. After Gray May passed I waited until mid June then planted each seed with a little love and a lot of sweat in hopes that we'd be freezin' beans and canning mater's by now... Well, it's mid August and here's the ugly truth about my veggie garden... The beans just didn't grow, nor did the squash or cucumbers. I'm pretty sure the onions and radishes drowned in the June rain and this photo shows every last tomato ( all 12 of them ) and a handful of beans I harvested ( and I use that term very loosely ) from the garden yesterday!
What went wrong you ask? Heck if I know. Too shady, too sandy, too wet, or too weedy? Maybe it's a combination of the above garden evils. All I know is I'm moving the blasted veggie garden next year...I'm puttin' down roots in a different spot! Oh well, some days chickens some days feathers. Maybe next year I'll grow more than chicken scratch.

 Here, have a tomato!

I'm sharing this post on this weeks Homestead Barn Hop! 

Be sure to visit the hop for more homesteading adventures!

Dandelion Wishes,
Deborah Jean 

Dutch Oven Camp Cooking BEACH STYLE

Dear  friends,
I've missed you! I snuck away from the electronic world for a couple of weeks to recharge my bloggin' batteries ( and my batteries in general )  in our off grid Home Sweet Cottage by the sea. I'm still shaking sand out of everything, including our Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven! Are any of you campers or backyard cookers? I gave my man- scout one of these cast iron beauties for his birthday last year. He was inspired to try some of his own camp cookin' after some delicious outings with his Scout Troop. So along with our two kids, the dog, and our guinea pig , blankets, beach towels and bathing suites we stuffed our " virgin " dutch oven into the back of our SUV and off we went. Luckily a recipe booklet was included with the pot so once we settled on Lodge's Baked Stuffed Apples recipe we were good to go at least in the food department...

* This handy booklet tells you how to handle the coals, season the pot and it's got some great recipes to too! 

Now all we needed was the perfect evening for a bonfire on the BEACH! 

With the tide just right under a full moon, calm skies and waters on our last night we " broke in " the oven.

Before cooking 

 my proud ( and handsome ) man scout 

Baked  Stuffed Apple's 

12" Camp Dutch Oven 

6 baking apples

1/2 cup raisins ( I used craisins instead of raisins) 

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2-1/4 cups water

6 ounces orange juice concentrate, thawed

3 tablespoons honey 

 Wash and dry apples. Remove core,but do not cut all the way through the bottom of the apple. In a small bowl, combine raisins ( or craisins ) , almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg. Divide filling among apples. Using fingers, stuff apples with  filling. In a small bowl, combine water, orange juice concentrate and honey. Mix until well blended. Place apples in 12 inch Lodge Camp Dutch Oven. Carefully pour orange juice mixture over apples. Bake between 350 to 425  for 50 minutes, or until apples are tender. Spoon excess sauce over apples before serving. Serves 6. 

This recipe was delicious and would be perfect for an autumn evening under the stars in your backyard, backwoods, and on the beach! 

* The dutch oven did not include the handsome man scout. He's mine! Tell  me, do you have a favorite recipe you enjoy cooking up outdoors? 

A dutch oven in long-term storage is bad for the soul. — Blaine Nay

I'm sharing this post on this weeks Homestead Barn Hop ! 

Farmgirl Friday blog Hop # 19

Hello dear blogging friends! We've been away near the sea for some R and R and I just didn't have time to get my Farmgirl Friday hop ready to go before I packed my beach bag! Summer is in full swing  at  the " Cottage ". We've logged in plenty of beach time, good reading, visiting with family and friends and I've even harvested summer squash and plenty of cuke's from the raised beds we planted this spring! I wish I could say the same for my little veggie garden here at home. Oh, it's growing, but it's in slooooow motion!  I'm afraid that the location is the problem. Too much shade. So, I've been re-thinking the garden location for next year. I'm imagining more edible's in our front yard! I've been reading the Edible Front Yard by Ivette Soler for inspiration. It's filled with great tips on how to grow more edibles in your front yard with good design and style! Her blog The Germinatrix is great too!

We're still going to hop this week! Better late than never right? Besides, I don't want to miss seeing what all you farmgirls have been up to inside and out!

Here are the rules for the Farmgirl Friday blog hop:

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals, quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, hen house, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave a permalink in the Mr. Linky space to your Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post.

 Thanks so much for all you share and for your sweet concern! All is well here... FYI.. There will be no Farmgirl Friday blog hop Friday, August12 Th but please join me ( and all other farmgirls ) for # 20 on August 19 Th. I'll be having a give away and you won't want to miss it!

I'd love to hear about your"edible" front yard gardening experiences too! Slip me a note under the garden gate on your way out!