Rain Rain Go Away

It's amazing I know but I actually prayed for the rain to stop this summer. Well not really, but, the weather in the Springs has been most unkind to our tomatoes, lot's of rain and cooler temps, as you can see, we got lots of green but very few ripe red tomatoes. We also had several storms that included hail and the tomatoes we have been able to harvest have all been scarred by hail. It seems though that trend has stopped and we are experiencing some nice warm sunny days and warm nights. Of course it's already the beginning of September so more than likely this will change. I am hoping that we will be able to harvest at least half of the tomatoes before the fall frosts set in.

This summers experiment with gardening in CO has led me to the conclusion that we must build a greenhouse once this years growing season is over. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on the progress of that project.

Inch by Inch Row by Row

Well the garden is finally all the way in 24 tomato plants of various types, 15 pepper plants of various types, a few tomatillos and a few goodeberries. Tomorrow I stop by Lowes to pick up some lumber for the trellises for the peas and beans and some stakes for the tomatoes. I was hoping to get some greens in as well but alas the tomatoes and peppers took up to much room. Those will have to go in to garden boxes, I have the perfect spot for them.


It's only been a few days now so I can't be completely sure what plants are going to thrive and which will give up the ghost. A few of the tomatoes are struggling. I think that once they get their roots firmly established though they will do well enough. One of the trials of living in Colorado Springs is the arid climate. Water is crucial, and at this stage of the game I find myself spending a good deal of time outside with a hose in my hand. Tomorrow I'll get an oscillating sprinkler. That should get rid of the waterers thumb I've developed.

Well that's it for now I'll keep you all posted.

Wake and Bake

One of the other ways I decided to save some money was to bake my own bread. Now I've always enjoyed working in the kitchen and I love to bake. It's just that bread always seemed so daunting, that is until one day when I ran across a new recipe. It required none of the labor that regular bread baking does. All you need is a desire for fresh baked bread, a dutch oven and about 24 hours. Of course most of that time you will be doing something else while the yeast and the flour get together and dance.

Now, I've gotten to the point where I bake 4-5 loaves at a time, keeps me from having to spend all my time in the kitchen. You may want to start out with one loaf at first until you get a feel for the way things work. If you time it right and you don't mind getting up early your family can have fresh baked bread for breakfast. Here's my recipe, feel free to give it a try and don't hesitate to ask questions if you have them.

Artisan Peasant Loaf

4 cups all purpose unbleached flour (17 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (regular table salt works too.)

1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons warm water (110 -115)

In a large bowl (this is the bowl you'll be rising dough in so it should about 6-8 qt) combine flour, salt and yeast.

Add warm water and stir the dough together until all the dry flour is incorporated, a good stiff wooden spoon works great for this.

Now cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm spot for 14 - 20 hrs.

After the dough has risen for the above amount of time dump it out onto a well floured surface. Place a dishtowel, I really like flour sack towels for this job, on the counter and sprinkle some cornmeal in the center. With floured hands pick up the dough and form it into a ball by turning the edges under.







Set the ball of dough on the prepared towel, sprinkle a little more cornmeal on top of dough and fold towel over dough. Set your timer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. When timer goes off put dutch oven on middle rack of oven set temp to 450F, set timer for 30 minutes. After timer goes take dutch oven out of oven, careful it's hot, slide hand under towel and turn dough into dutch oven bottom side up. Put lid on dutch oven and put back on middle rack of oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered after 30 minutes uncover and bake for anothe 12-15 minutes. Turn bread out onto cooling rack, and as hard as it is going to be wait 30 minutes or so before cutting into your masterpiece.

Can You Dig It?

Well I reckon the first post should coincide with breaking ground for the new garden so here it is.

One of the things I insisted on when we started looking for a place to live here in the Springs was a backyard. I knew that I was going to want a small garden to putter around in on the weekends and during the week after work. Who knew that I'd be laid off a week after I started my new job? I guess it's a good thing I insisted.

At first I thought "Oh well I'll find another job soon enough." Well soon enough turned into months and money got tight and now I needed to start looking for ways to make ends meet. What was a person to do? Plant a a garden that's what!! And seeing as how I have a backyard for it here we are.

We started our plants at the beginning of April and it seems like it's taken forever for planting time to get here. This years garden is going to be mostly for vegetables that can be canned. Tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers for sauces and salsas. Cucumbers, carrots and lettuce for salads and a perennial favorite with my kids, green beans.

I've so much to write but for now the garden calls.