Kates Garden Journal » Radio Show

Foraging with Sam Thayer

Kate — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:11:07 +0000

Sam Thayer has been foraging since a child and now teachers others how to forage too. He defines foraging as food that has not been specifically grown for eating – edible wild flowers, nuts and wild berries are all good sources of nutrients. We talk about where you can legaly forage and how to learn how to differential between things that are edible and those that are not good for you.

The nutrients in nature’s food are generally higher than those in supermarket equivalents and although they cannot be gathered everywhere in winter, Sam processed nuts all through the winter and gathers pods from the Kentucky Coffeetree – Gymnocladus dioicus – which can be used to make a very coffee tasting drink. Raw food diets and paleodiets that are now becoming popular are also discussed.

Sam has a couple of books that help you become aquainted with nature and the food that you can safely forage. Head to Sam’s website : www.foragersharvest.com

The show airs Saturday January 21st at 10am and can be found on here after January 23rd here

Urban Gardening

Kate — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:02:48 +0000

I Garden – Urban Style

Last Saturday we had Michael Nolan on the show talking about his new book I Garden:Urban Style. Michael shared his stories of color in urban gardens, and the problems with very limited space. We also talked about the importance of self watering containers or drip system so that you can keep your plants healthy when you go out for the weekend, or get too many to conveniently water by hand every evening. The pictures in this book are terrific and show everything from a pretty balcony to plants overflowing onto a fire escape. Creative people find places to grow everywhere! Click the link below to listen to the show.

I Garden: Urban Style with Michael Nolan

Other shows can be heard by clicking the podcast button on the right.

A New Year on America’s Home Grown Veggie Show

Kate — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:19:15 +0000

2011 kicks of a new year on my weekly radio show. America’s Home Grown Veggie Show talks about growing vegetables every week at 10am (eastern) and airs from Atlanta Ga. on www.americaswebradio.com

The first show was Doreen Howard who has a new book coming onto the market on growing heirloom vegetables and we talk about the importance of good soil, innoculants and other ways to get a good harvest from your garden.

Doreen Howard talks about growing Heirloom Vegetables

Doreen new book is available on Amazon

Beet Jelly

Kate — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:46:47 +0000

On America’s Home Grown Veggie Show last Saturday, I interviewed Sheila Watson Kraklow. Sheila is a gardener from Denver, and enjoys cooking. Currently she is writing a cook book that is a collection of recipes from her parents, grandparents, aunts etc. that have been passed down through the kitchen table, rather than written down. One recipe is for Beet Jelly which an elderly relative gave to her, saying you make it like elderberry jelly.

For more fun shows and recipes, join us at 10am (eastern) Saturday morning for America’s Home Grown Veggie Show on www.americaswebradio.com and keep up to date with the show by joining us on Facebook at America’s Home Grown Veggies

Here is the recipe:

This is the recipe (from the booklet included in the pectin) for Sure-Jel Elderberry Jelly

In place of the elderberry juice called for in this recipe use beet juice. Boil 6-8 fresh beets in 10 cups of water. Remove beets when they are tender, reserve to eat later. Then strain the juice in the pot and save.

6 cups prepared juice Add one 6 oz. (big) box of Raspberry Jell-o to the sugar and stir it in (I didnt have Raspberry jello so I used and use Strawberry Banana but the original recipe called for Raspberry, and it’s great!)

1/4 cup lemon juice

7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

2 boxes of Sure-Jel pectin, pour both into a bowl and reserve til needed.

1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional)

BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

Measure exactly 6 cups juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.

STIR sugar (jell-o misture) into juice in saucepot and add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. (Reduce heat and slow boil 7 minutes.)

Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops.

Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly.

Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.)

Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

That’s the recipe I used, keep in mind ladies that I lived at almost 7000 ft elevation so this is what worked for me, then.

Sheila Watson Kraklow

Today on the Radio

Kate — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:48:22 +0000

Well today is the real test of whether I can hold down two radio shows. The first show, at 10 this morning, is the Master Gardener Hour and my guest is a local landscaper. Unfortunately, she had a few problems, and will be phoning in rather than coming into the station. Then I get an hour break before the America’s Home Grown Veggie Show at noon. After much frantic searching this week, I hit gold yesterday. Today I have Ellen Zachos, a New York author who is going to talk about veggies in containers, and next week we are going to have Doug Green, who has a new vegetable book coming out this spring. Then we get local CSA and market gardeners. The whole show will take a week or two to settle into some sort of order and rhythm, but we are off to a good start.

Check out the show and phone in, www/radiosandysprings.com

Spring is almost here!

Kate — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:56:07 +0000

Yes indeed, it is officially March and that means Spring! Outside is looking like spring too with daffodils in bloom everywhere, the trees are slowly putting out blossom and the forecast is …….. SNOW???????? Apparently the rain from yesterday has turned to drizzle this morning and is going to degenerate into snow by this afternoon. I am sure it will be just a bit of the damp wet sort of snow, but darn it, I am ready for spring. If the snow arrives, look for a picture this afternoon.

Until then I am watching my little seedlings. I finally sowed the first batch last Thursday, and some of them are already showing signs of germination. Mainly the lettuces and basil. I realised when I was looking at them that I do not have a purple basil. I will just have to order a bunch more seeds because just one packet, plus postage is a waste. I wonder what else I will feel compelled to order?

Yesterday on the new radio show (www.radiosandysprings.com Americas Home Grown Veggie Show ) we talked about sowing seeds, average first frost, and getting way too many seedlings – one of my failings. The show was great fun, so take a listen when it is online.