Where did this season go? Am I the only one feeling like summer was a blink and then gone? The growing season can be like that, between the sowing, transplanting, fertilizing and harvesting mixed in among all life’s other trappings. And now we’re plowing through fall right on through to the holidays…I wish I could wind back the clock, I am so thankful. But even if I could, I doubt anyone would recognize me.
My husband has the patience of a saint. It was a crazy several months. Last fall I was contacted by a publisher and asked to write a garden book (which was beyond exciting!), so as time trotted out into spring, I thought I had this. I could write 50-60,000 words. I could supply a couple hundred photos. Appendices? Sure, no problem! Oh, and let’s not forget the most important thing, I had to actually garden! A new greenhouse was going up. And not one to turn away work, my wholesale client list for fresh cut herbs grew, I added mail-order scented geraniums and I was booked throughout the end of 2016 for speaking gigs. So let’s just agree that I may not have been at my most sane, but that could also just be from the lack of sleep.
So this is my long, drawn-out apology to my fellow gardeners out there as to why my blog sat quiet and lonely and your mailboxes might have been missing a BBF summer newsletter. I’m sure we’ve all had a year like that. Yours might have been filled with many good things or some not-so-good moments too, but eventually we all catch a breather.
What happened to the time?
Now as I take stock, I can see how some things might have been missed: the temporary hoop house never made it up this year; I was late on getting succession crops in the ground; and on more than one occasion, I was behind on my kitchen garden harvest. Aside from the dahlias and flowers that went to local brides or florists, almost none made it into the house…I just didn’t get around to it. Oh, the plans I had for landscaping? Never made it off the page. And how can I discuss the growing season and not comment on the water situation? Nine days of rain. All season. A single digit, and those nine days weren’t even dousing rain, they were more like a trickle. All my farmer friends felt it. Needless to say, I did not have warm fuzzies for the weather gods. But hey, this is the life of a grower, and at the end of the day I am so incredibly lucky to make a living doing something I love. It is hard work but I am so happy and thankful for this life.
So as we head into the holiday season, all I can think about is all that I’m thankful for (of which CJ, my hubby, is still at the top of my list!). Whether you are a farmer, florist, marketer or home gardener, we are all so lucky to find the joy in growing and sharing it with others who love it as much as we do.
Herbs for Thanksgiving Turkey
With Thanksgiving literally around the corner, it’s time to talk turkey. And by that, I mean what you use to roast your turkey. I’ve been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the past several years and I usually get a Butterball, but this year I’m stepping outside my comfort zone and ordered a locally raised Maine turkey from a neighboring farm. I love supporting local agriculture, but if I’m honest, I’m a bit concerned about how this will all turn out.
The only think I do know is how I will season (and stuff) it! Whether Butterball, local or some other brand, it’s how you cook and season the turkey that matters. So here are some things that I’ll be harvesting fresh from the field to use in our Thanksgiving dinner.
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 Tbsp. fresh French thyme
- 1-2 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 Tbsp. fresh sage (*I use sage in my stuffing instead of on the turkey, and I prefer to dry it in my food dehydrator a few days ahead so I can crush and grind it. Dried sage is more potent, so I use 1 Tsp. rather than a Tbsp. But, as my mother always reminds me, it’s important to taste as you mix!)
The above herbs can be chopped or minced and either rubbed on the turkey or mixed with butter and basted on the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving and holidays to everyone!
