Friday, July 25, 2008

First Potato Harvest w/ a few nature shots

I was flipping through a magazine and read about a recipe for new potatoes cooked on the grill. It looked really good so I thought I am going to investigate weather I have any potatoes under the massive potato plants. I crouched down and started digging with my hands, low and behold I found some. I then fired up the new grill and proceed to the kitchen to get these puppies going.

The recipe was for Parmesan New Potatoes and called for tin foil, olive oil, seasoning, new potatoes and parmesan cheese. I started by making a tin foil pouch, then add a few table spoons of olive oil and proceed with the new potatoes, halved/quartered if needed. Once this is done season with what ever you prefer and place them on the grill with an opening left in the foil pouch for the stem to escape. When you have about 10 minutes of grilling time left added the parm to the potatoes leaving just enough time for the cheese to melt and just start to get a little brown and crusty. They tasted great, are easy to make and defiantly worth sneaking a few potatoes from the garden.

Asides from harvesting the first few potatoes, I have also been busy with fall crops. I have started broccoli transplants for the third time, I really don't want to get into it but lets just say it was a combination of mother nature and my laziness. This time they are growing to grow and I have also mail ordered row cover to keep the cabbage butterflies off them once they are in the ground. I also direct seeded turnips yesterday and sprayed the cabbage butterfly larvae that are on my brussel sprouts. Aren't bugs fun?

I have also been out with the camera again so here are a few more shots I have taken:


A Native Bee pollinating one of the cucumber flowers


I saw this huge wasp on the Veronicastrum out front of the house. My first instinked was the run into the house. I then found the courage to venture outside on the porch, 1 foot from the door and take this picture with a zoom lens. I'm so brave! The picture is a little diseving because this wasp is over 3" long with has a body thickness of 1/2".

Updated: I have done a little research and found out that this wasp is most likely a Sphex pennsylvanicus- Great Black Wasp. It even has a mean name.

This is a Cedar Waxwing that I got a shot of in a Mulberry Tree. It was on the bike trail about 5 blocks from our home.


This is a Fledgling Robin that was eating some berries. This birds was in the treed lot behind our yard.

6 comments:

  1. That last photo is georgeous! My DH grills my veggies for me. I still haven't checked my potatoes. I keep forgetting about them. I am grwong them in an old bathtub and they are outside the garden.
    I am starting my fall garden next week or the next and starting with seeding turnips. I have put in tomata and squash plants already for fall....nice blog

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  2. Potatoes look yum!
    Wasp looks neat but sounds scary with its size!
    Waxwing is one that stops by in small groups for visits going to and from migration each year. Beautiful bird!
    And the Robin is just so darn cute with those baby freckles! We normally dont have Robin or Mocking birds in our yard for some strange reason but this year we have them both! Good year for birds I reckon..

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  3. The robin is so pretty. Those potatoes look delicious, and the recipe seems to easy! And the wasp-you were truly brave. I would have run away!

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  4. Eve - I wish I could grow fall tomatoes and squash! Good luck with your planting

    Skeeter - I have seen cedar waxwings in this area a few times but every time is was when I was without the camera. I finally had the camera this time but they was only one around this time. They are a really nice bird, I think this particular one is this years off spring as well, doesn't seem to have the rich colour they usually have.

    DP - I did run at first and yes it is pretty scary, I have never seen a wasp like this before. It is back today on the same plant so I shot some more images of it, this time a little closer. I will posted them soon.

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  5. Dan, you're an amazing photographer! And I'd venture your equipment is better than my camera phone, hehe.

    I love that recipie for new potatoes. I don't have the courage to dig into my potato bins for new potatoes but that recipie is very similar to how I cook my baked potatoes (minus the parm).

    You're much farther along with your fall planting. I've been lazy.

    Oh and I sure hope bees aren't necessary for cucumber polination. I haven't seen many bees lately, and none near my garden!

    Lastly, we have a bird bath right outside our back door and we love seeing the birds use it. We're never quick enough with the camera though. Bravo!

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  6. Sin- Glade you like my photos. I use a Nikon D40, it is a great quality camera for a photography enthusiast, like my self, that is not formally trained.

    Cucumbers do need to be pollinated but not necessarily by bee's. There are many insects that will pollinate. For example, beetles, moths, butterflies, ants as well as native bees & wasps. There are also some cucumber variety's that only have female flowers so do not need to be pollinated.

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