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Caramonie Field Peas

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  In this post I will tell you why I love field peas in particular the Caramonie variety. I will share the story of how we were introduced to this amazing plant, how they grow, and how to cook them. You can purchase seeds to grow your own from us at the Artisan Alley Farmers Market in downtown Deland.  GOOD FOR THE SOUL AND SOIL Gardeners and farmers alike love how easily field peas grow and how good they are for building soil. Field peas have spreading vines that cover the earth quickly shading out weeds and strong roots which gather and store nitrogen. When the plants  die, their stems and leaves decompose providing copious amounts of organic matter. Small root nodules in which the plants store nitrogen eventually break down recycling this important plant nutrient back into the soil for the next crop grown. When it comes to eating, however, the field pea is seems elusive. Some field peas taste good enough to eat and others do not. Years back we grew the well know Iron and Clay variet
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Good Bye Greens, Hello Tomatoes and Summer Squash!

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June has arrived in Central Florida. Time to fill your kitchens with young tender zucchinis and tomatoes before the humid summertime air sets in. One nice thing about farming here in the south is that we get to grow squash and tomatoes again in the fall! So, we get a second harvest before we get our fall greens going. The mornings are still nice enough to do clean up around the farm. There are drip tapes to pull out, vines to cut away from our deer fence, wild primrose to pull and use for compost building. We just finished planting out all our hibiscus sabdariffa plants. It feels great to have that done, all those holes dug and filled with sifted compost, and then setting in the plants with care so they transition with as little stress as possible. The last of the hibiscus plants actually get set in the old lettuce beds in between lettuces going to seed.
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Bringing our products to you!

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There are several ways to buy our farm fresh veggies and specialty produce all carefully grown on our tiny farm using organic inputs and methods! SHOP FOR IT LOCALLY AT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES: LOVE WHOLE FOODS in Ormond Beach or Port Orange.....or BON GOURMET WINE AND CHEESES in Ormond Beach BUY DIRRECTLY FROM US AT A FARMER'S MARKET: DELAND ARTISAN ALLEY FARMERS MARKET held every Friday 6-9 pm in Artisan Alley DeLand
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Small Batch Hibiscus Flower Jam

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Cook up a small batch of hibiscus jam in less than an hour with this recipe. Makes about 6 oz INGREDIENTS: 4 cups fresh, whole hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Method: Separate the red hibiscus sepals from the green inner seedpods. Discard the seed pods. You will be left with about 2 cups of red sepals. Rinse and place in a medium sized pot. Add the sugar and water. Heat gently, stir to prevent scorching. Cook for 20 minutes until the hibiscus sepals are soft and the liquid is reduced, thickened and no longer saucy. Cool enough to ladel into a clean glass jar. Store in the refrigerator. Keeps for weeks!
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Clear, Cold Bok Choy Weather & a Soup Recipe to Chase the Chill

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  Happy New Year! Just like that, winter blew in with a very cool week!  Very large agricultural covers protect all our crops from killing frost  Sweater weather is here and we have all of our veggies snuggled under very large agricultural blankets. I heard there were snow flurries in Pierson but none on our farm. Yesterday I peeked under the covers and saw healthy crops. There could be a little tip burn on leaves that touch the frozen material. Sometimes frost damage is not obvious for a few days.  With crossed fingers we are hoping nothing took a big hit. We experience freezing temperatures every winter, so we take pains to prepare. It is extra work but it can be a difference of having 1-2 diminished  harvests as compared to nothing to cut for weeks . Easy decision there! Once in place and held down with sand bags, most of the work is done. That's what you have to do to have fresh veggies on the table this month! And that leads me to share another seasonal recipe
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Welcome November Greens!

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Spring Mix  hand cut &triple rinsed We have just begun to harvest our fall lettuce & greens mix so get your salad bowls ready all you greens starved southerners!  Our lettuce and greens mix which we have always called "spring mix" is a customers favorite farm product. The harvest window for it generally runs from Thanksgiving through Mother's Day so we are just a bit earlier than usual. How nice! We really enjoy it with a simple dressing made with fresh garlic, oil and lemon juice. For instructions click on our recipe & tips tab at the top of this page. Look for "Mediterranean lemon dresssing" Some things early, some things late. We just seeded our tatsoi and turnips are still about 30 days away. Peas and radishes are very late as well but the healthy sweet potato vines look promising and we have every hope of having  lots of sweet potatoes in time for thanksgiving feasts. Hibiscus flowers are tapering off quickly. Last chance to get them may
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Pauline's Lucky Market Garden: T'is Hibiscus Flower Season Again!

Pauline's Lucky Market Garden: T'is Hibiscus Flower Season Again! : Eye catching hibiscus sabdariffa calyces (often called "hibiscus flowers")  PLEASINGLY TART TASTING...WE HAVE HEAPS OF THEM!!!...
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