Author Archives: diary of a tomato

7.8.12 Baby beets, fennel and drying herbs

Posted on July 9, 2012 by diary of a tomato

The row of Bull’s Blood beets needed thinning, and yielded a handful of baby beets clinging to a harvest of edible greens. While the leaves will go into an erbazzone, we plan to roast or saute the baby beets with some equally … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged | 14 Comments

Local Food Report: Barker’s Farm, Stratham

Posted on July 8, 2012 by diary of a tomato

As part of our local food system, farm stands play an important role, especially for those times when we’re between farmers’ markets. Located on Route 33 in Stratham, NH, Barker’s Farm, now in its fourth generation, has long been a source … Continue reading →

Posted in local food | 1 Comment

Quick Summer Pickles

Posted on July 6, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Preserving a bit of summer really doesn’t get any easier than this. I’ve been pickling for some years now, but usually the canned or lacto-fermented versions. I’d shied away from making refrigerator pickles with the fear that they wouldn’t store … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking, preserving | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Shelling Peas, Independence Day, and Lobster Salad

Posted on July 4, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Few farmers bother to grow shelling peas any longer. The ones that still do, grow them for an older relative or for customers like me that don’t consider them too much work. Sugar snaps and snow peas have their own … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking, preserving | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

7.2.12 Pests and other garden afflictions

Posted on July 3, 2012 by diary of a tomato

The garden is beginning to resemble a nursing ward. It’s almost fully planted, and with that comes a host of garden afflictions. These include pests, disease, vagaries of weather, and the gardener inflicted, such as over- or under-watering, and lack … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Local Food: Dover Farmers’ Market

Posted on June 29, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Seacoast farmers’ markets are filling up with summer’s colorful bounty — here’s just a sampling from this week’s Dover Farmers’ Market. Above: turnips, beets, radishes and scallions from Connolly’s Gardens. Sunflowers, summer squash and cucumbers from Wake Robin Farm. Beet greens from Riverside Farm, … Continue reading →

Posted in local food | Tagged | 5 Comments

Murmuration

Posted on June 28, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Murmuration: A flock of starlings; the manifestion of swarm intelligence. Murmuration from Islands & Rivers on Vimeo.

Posted in interlude | 4 Comments