Winter is here.

So we obviously haven't done anything outside in the gardens since there is snow on the ground but we do plan on purchasing some seeds to begin our seedlings in the basement. I did some research and think we will be ordering seeds from dominion seed house. They are a Canadian company and are tried and true since 1928. I know we are going to be starting planting once the seeds arrive and plan on ordering them within the next week or so. Since it is our first year we aren't wanted to do anything too crazy so I think we will be starting with some tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, other greens and some onions. Depending on space (if we get the side garden ready in the early spring) we would like to also have broccoli, asparagus, beets, carrots, potatoes and squash. Also, dare I even mention, if we get the garden up against the house ready in time (doubtful) we could even grow some fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, watermelons and other melons.
There will of course be the herb garden which we aren't sure where to put this year since Owen is taking over its old spot for some plants of his own to take care of (some fast growing veg/herbs).

Flower garden: Fall cleanup

Aaron and I worked outside a bit this weekend since the whether was beautiful! We swept the back patio and cleaned up the garden around the pool. Aaron cut back all the grasses and I pruned the hedges. I leave most small plants (perennials such as a hosta or astilbe) to use the dead matter as a shelter for new growth in the spring. It isn't until the new plant looks large enough and the whether is nice enough that I cut/pull it away.
The front flower garden needs nothing done to it since there is still only 2 plants in it. Next year will be a great year for gardening at the Lock house... lots to do!

Vegetable garden: Quick update

We have decided not to turn over the garden or add the compost until next spring once the ground thaws a bit. Upon second thought we decided not to give the dogs a big mud pile to run in every time it rains or the snow thaws. Once the garden is complete next spring it will have proper fencing to keep all animals out so it won't be a concern. I am looking forward to getting seedlings going over this winter and we plan on ordering from a catalogue... not sure which one yet, have to research a bit more first.

Greens, Greens and more Greens

Beet greens, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, arugula, spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens are a few of what I am talking about. These wonderful greens are some of the worlds most healthy foods along with their price being more than reasonable, they are a great bang for your buck. Loaded with vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, and K, folate, iron and calcium. They are versatile and a wonderful addition to your grocery list. You can use them for a salad, steam them, fry them, wrap them, and simply substitute them for head lettuce which is lacking in nutritional value.

Vegetable Garden: some progress is better than none

Our up and coming vegetable garden is now a pile of dirt in the back of our yard. We have yet to turn over the dirt or add any compost but we hope to get that done before the ground gets too hard... which will need to be very soon.

Our very small garden of tomatoes and peppers served us well this summer and we got many tomatoes and we were even able to can some peppers. We now have banana peppers for sandwiches, soups and stews for the winter.

Ultimate Sausage Cheese Pizza

Another recipe from 'Cook Yourself Thin'. Pretty good! Not the best pizza I've ever had, but for a healthy alternative it was worth the sacrifice. To me nothing beats a greasy pepperoni pizza from Capri or Little Caesars, but this was quite good. Recipe can be found HERE. It wasn't difficult to make, although I had a difficult time coming across Chicken Basil Sausage but I think any chicken or turkey sausage will work with this recipe. I used a regular turkey sausage and it was fine. This is a recipe that can be modified to suit your tastes as well. I like broccoli on my pizza so I added that to half (since I wanted to also try it by the recipe). You could add mushrooms, regular bell peppers (which would be an even healthier alternative to the roasted), or any other fresh vegetable that you enjoy. Its very versatile and is definitely a keeper for a starting point to a healthy pizza the whole family will enjoy. You could also split the dough and make small individual pizzas for the entire family (may need to double the recipe for a family of 4).

Calories per serving 475

Opimian Society

The Opimian Society is a wine group in Canada. They offer cellar offerings from small vineyards around the world. They send out offerings 8 times each year, and each offering is from different regions. They also offer a select program which sends you 6 bottles automatically from each offering. We have been members of the select program for 3 years now and have recently canceled. We found that they send from the same wineries each year and often the same wines. Also, sometimes each offering comes with 6 bottles from the same winery. It is a good program to do for one year to get your cellar going but once you have a good starting point, it is my advice to just order when you see something you like. Another downside to the society is that you have to order 6-12 bottles of each wine you select. This means if by chance you don't like it you are stuck with 6-12 bottles. Therefore, it is nice to have a group of people to share the wine with and split the cost. Only down side to this is if you really like the wine, you now have to give some away. Either way is a risk, but so is purchasing any wine. They also send you Tidings Magazine (free) which is a nice magazine primarily about food and wine and offer tastings in major cities of most provinces (extra cost). We do enjoy the society and plan to continuing our membership.