Lagers..the gentlemenly fermentation…well almost

Ok, who invited the rhino…and what the heck have you been feeding him?

Why hello there.

Two new additions to the family

Bocker and Chicky Clucker in their temporary pen

Minuteman Red Lager

Just about ready for some yeast

Garden shots

Over wintered turnips

Over wintered kale

Peas poppin

HOPS

HOPS

HOPS

HOPS

Indoor Shelf 1 Cabbage, Kohlrabi, marigolds

Indoor Shelf 2 luffa, tomatoes, lavender, forget me nots, kohlrabi, cabbage, celeriac

Indoor Shelf 3 Asparagus, tomatoes, eggplant, cayenne pepper, cabbage

Just hours after swimming

Something this fresh requires a light hand in the kitchen. We broiled the pickerel. I generously drizzled apfelwein over it and pats of butter. Then I sprinkled it lightly with seasoned salt and a nice coating of romano cheese. Mmmmm.

Thar she blows!

Today my oldest boy caught a State Pin worthy pickerel on our first fishing trip of 2011. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it for a return to her home so we will honor her by eating a tasty pickerel meal tonight.

26", 3# 6.88oz 10" girth

Garden Expansion

Before

Expanded the garden significantly today. I built 4 new lasagna beds, one set for pole beans. A few more areas to spread the leaf compost and some new chicken wire fencing to go up and we should be set for the garden season.

A thick layer of newspaper goes down first.

The secret: seaweed

Pile the seaweed onto the newspaper

Cover the seaweed with leaf litter

Complete!

Aerial view

Garden 2011

HOPS

Things are starting to perk up garden wise. The hops are starting to poke through. The turnips that overwintered are starting to green up. And the seedlings are starting to take form. Tonight I start my tomatoes, eggplant, cayenne peppers, and stevia. A few straggler seedlings are in my coffee filter germinators will go to soiless medium tonight too.

HOPS

Peas are sprouting

Turnips overwintered

Under the bright lights

Under the bright lights