Cucumber Vodka

1. Peel, seed, and roughly chop 1 large garden or English (hothouse) cucumber.
2. Put chopped cucumber in a large glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Pour 1 750-ml bottle of vodka over the cucumber. Seal and let sit at least three days and up to two weeks (any longer and the vodka will take on the slight bitter taste of even peeled cucumber).
4. Strain vodka back into its original bottle (I suggest clearly labeling the bottle to avoid cocktail confusion). Discard or eat the "pickled" cucumber.

From:

http://localfoods.about.com/od/drinks/qt/cucumbervodka.htm

Gardening

Spring 2013

3/17/2013:  Planted Blackhawk Lettuce Mix in Row 1, Five Color Silverbeet Botanical Interests Swiss Chard from Blackhawk (one row), Yukon Gold, Red Norland and Adirondack Blue Potatoes (2 rows).

Beans Apr 15
Cucumbers Apr 20
Eggplant May 1
Lettuce Mar 1 - Apr 1
Okra May 1-31
Peppers May 1
Potatoes Feb 1 - Apr 1
Squash Apr 15 - May 15
Swiss Chard Mar 15 - May 1
Tomatoes Apr 20 - Jul 15


Fall 2012
Row 1 - Ferry-Morse Red Sails Leaf Lettuce (9/2 or so)
Row 2 - Blackhawk Hardware Bulk Seed: Mesclun (9/2 or so)
Rows 3 thru 5 - Ferry-Morse Detroit Dark Red (Morse's Strain) Beet (9/2 or so)
Rows 6 thru 7 - Ferry-Morse Tall Top Early Wonder Beet (9/2 or so)
Rows 8 thru 9 - Burpee Red Cord Chantenay Carrots (9/10)
Rows 10 thru 11 - Burpee Nantes Champion Hybrid Carrots (9/10)
Rows 12 thru 13 - Burpee Granex Hybrid Onion (9/10)
Rows 14 thru 15 - Ferry-Morse Evergreen Bunching Onion (behind tomato cage area running parallel to fence.  These seeds are not fall certified.) (9/10)

Carrrots:  Nantes and Carnival Blend are good.

Lettuce: Red Sail is great, Black Seeded Simpson is good.

Beet: Detroit Dark Red is good.

Eggplant: Dusky is great.  Very prolific.  Regular, boring variety.

Cucumber:  Marketmore is good.  Basic, salad style cucumber.  Good for sandwiches.


Fall Crop

Asparagus (crowns)....................Nov. 15-Mar. 15
Garlic................................After First Frost, October/November 
Beets.................................July 15-Aug. 1-15
Broccoli..............................July 15-Aug. 1-15
Cabbage (plants)......................Aug 1-15
Collards..............................July 15-Aug. 15
Cucumbers, pickling...................Aug. 1-15
Cucumbers, slicing....................Aug. 1-15
Kale..................................Aug. 15-Sept. 1
Lettuce (leaf)........................Aug. 1-Sept. 1
Lettuce (head)........................Aug. 15-31
Onions (seed).........................Sept. 1-30
Onions (sets or plants)...............Sept. 1-15
Radishes..............................Aug. 15-Sept. 15
Radish, Diakon........................Aug. 15-Sept. 15
Spinach...............................Aug. 1-15
Squash, summer........................Aug. 1-15
Squash, winter........................Aug. 1-15
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8103.pdf

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag-06.html

Shrub Problems
Our Camelias (and other shrubs) have aphids, scale, and sooty mold.
Ferti-lome Tree & Shrub Systemic Insect Drench used at base and  Bonide System Insect Control spray.
Used 3oz/Gallon ratio for the Ferti-loam and a 2 TSP./Gallon ratio for the Bonide.
Used Ferti-lome on the Camelias only from left clockwise until next to last one, which we skipped.
Used the Bonide with all shrubs (except the very back area near the Rhododendrons which was hard to reach).

Wine

Some good ones Wendy had on her iPhone:

Banshee GSM
St. M Reisling
Trapiche Malbec


Also the guegenenheim malice at brixx is good.

Trader joes cab pretty good for the price.



Jan 26 2012:  Bodega Norton Reserva 2008 Malbec was quite smooth.

Jan. 6 2012:  Brennan brought over a very nice Alterra Howell Mountain Cab 2006.  About $17-20 and very smooth.  Also we finished off the Montes Classic Series Cab 2009 that was almost it's equal.  Not sure where that one came from.

Step Rd 2006 Shriraz - Awesome!  (As good as Blue Eyed Boy but less than half the price, recommended by a manager at Total Wine over Blue Eyed Boy)