November 17, 2009 – Three Sisters, Squash and Turkey

Three Sisters Garden

Pumpkins, runner beans and corn are the three sisters of Native American three sisters gardens. These three plants composed some of the original companion plantings. Before the book Carrots Love Tomatoes was a glimmer in the eye of its author, or its author was even a glimmer in the eye of recorded history, Corn, Beans and Squash grew together in some of the first gardens of North America.

The three plants in the three sisters garden, corn, beans and squash, work together in a kind of synergy. Planted together, they can produce more than as individuals. Beans provide a natural fertilizer for the garden. Beans are legumes, and live with a type of bacteria around their roots which fix nitrogen into a form that can be easily taken up by plants. Beans grow up the corn plants, using the plants for support.

Squash grows out around the corn and bean plants, taking up space in between, cooling the soil, shading out weeds, and conserving water.
Plant a three sisters garden in hills, or mounds of soil with corn in the center, beans ringing the corn, and squash plants in-between. Beans and squash do best when directly planted into the ground as seeds. Corn can be direct-sown, or transplanted. If you live in an area with cool, wet springs and early summers, growing corn indoors to transplant outside might be a better bet, to avoid damping off.

Indoor Worm Composting

This winter, try indoor worm composting to digest your kitchen scraps and create some nutrient-dense soil for your garden. You can generally feed one pound of worms one pound of garbage and they’ll produce one pound of compost a day. (By garbage, we mean "things we don’t need, but that worms will eat.) You can purchase an indoor worm bin, or make your own form a small trash can with holes in it. Either way, you will follow the same procedure for the worm bedding…

• Read on about indoor worm composting

Thanksgiving Centerpieces from the Garden

Leave the tissue-paper turkey on the shelf at the craft store this year, and adorn the center of your Thanksgiving table with one of these centerpieces, instead.

Tree of Thanks

Go outside and find interesting branches and twigs. Fill a vase with them, and string a garland of small red beads throughout your "tree." Make little tags by cutting off-white card stock into two inch squares, punch a hole in the top and thread a cranberry-colored ribbon through the hole. Place one at each table setting with a golf pencil. Before the meal, ask everyone to write something they are thankful for on their tag and tie it to the tree. During dessert, ask everyone to share their gratitudes.

• Continue with more centerpieces…

Fresh Herbs all Year – The Aerogarden

The Aerogarden is a fantastic household garden "appliance." The easiest hydroponics system for homeowners to use, the Aerogarden is designed to work with a variety of plant growth capsules, including vegetables, herbs, lettuce and others. Simply place it on a countertop in your kitchen, and you can pick herbs and vegetables all year long!

Hydroponics systems grow plants in a soil-less medium – in this case, pre-formed plant and seed capsules. Plants receive water, nutrients and oxygen in their root system by taking in aerated water from the base of the system. Unlike other hydroponics systems, the Aerogarden requires no measuring, soil, or mess. Simply pop the plant growth capsules into the base, fill with water, and add nutrient tablets.

In addition to growing herbs and greens for easy use, the Aerogarden also provides an easy way to start transplants for the outdoor garden.

• You can purchase the Aerogarden kit, seed packs, replacement bulbs and fertilizer refills all at Amazon.com.

Roasted Squash with Apples

Winter squash is one of those superfoods you hear about. Packed with anti-oxidants, vitamins and fiber, there are few other vegetables that are as good for you (though, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit). Now’s the time to stock up and add squash to your menu. (Coincidentally, my seven month old will be having winter squash for the first time this week!)

Here’s an easy roasted squash recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 whole acorn squash
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• One apple, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup of pecans, chopped

Directions:

Wash the squash. Cut it in half and remove the seeds. Place both halves, cut-side down in a baking pan with about ½ inch of water.
Bake on 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients.

After 40 minutes baking, remove the squash from the pan and divide the filling mix evenly between the two halves. Replace in oven, with cut side up and continue baking until the sugar starts to caramelize. Yum!

Katie’s Fantastic Thanksgiving Turkey with Herbs

I got this recipe from watching the Today Show about six years ago. I didn’t write it down, I just remembered it, and ever since, this is how I cook it. I believe it is a recipe from the chef Jamie Oliver, but it isn’t exact — a hybrid of his recipe and my own changes. So, do with it what you will.

The recipe is DARN good, producing moist white meat and flavorful drumsticks.

Ingredients:

• Whole Turkey
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt (less sodium than table salt, all the flavor)
• Fresh herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme
• Garlic cloves, peeled and cut into quarters, unless small
• One orange
• Stuffing, prepared (box stuffing punched up with a few sautéed celery stalks and onions is good or you can make your own.)
• Six large whole carrots
• Three onions, halved
• One bunch celery, washed and separated

Directions:

In large roasting pan, build a "rack" out of the carrots, onions and celery by criss-crossing them in the pan.

Wash off the Turkey.

Then, very carefully, stuff the stuffing into the turkey BETWEEN the breast and the skin. Be VERY CAREFUL not to tear the skin.

Snip 2 inch long pieces of herbs and bundle them together. Then, cut several slits in the turkey legs and stuff the herbs into the slits, with about ½ inch hanging out.

Cut more slits into the turkey legs and stuff pieces of garlic in the legs.

Then, place the turkey in the roasting pan and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Right before you place the turkey in the oven, microwave the orange on high for two minutes and place it in the turkey cavity. Stuff the opening with the remaining herbs.

Cook until finished. (There will be guidelines on the turkey wrapping for checking the temperature with a meat thermometer.)

Putting the stuffing between the breast and the skin keeps the white meat moist while the rest of the turkey finishes cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Get Ready for Christmas!

Woodland Cabin Advent Calendar	Greenway Glass Cottage

• More Christmas gifts at Gardener’s