Great Seeds to Plant this fall©

Great Seeds to Plant this fall©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

At Home Farm Herbery we not only plant in the spring, we also plant in the fall.

We plant our False Indigo seeds in the fall because if we plant them in the spring they will not come up until the next spring. Plant these perennials in the fall!

It seems we have more time to plant in the fall and we take this opportunity to plant lots of wild flowers.

Of course we plant our bulbs in the fall and we divide our ever growing iris and other perennials to fill in other places.

Another great benefit of working the gardens in the fall is that weeds are easier to control.

Here is one of our September plant schedules:

Blueberries and fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.


Broccoli and if you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest well into November.  We love Calabrese. All these seeds are at our Home Farm Herbery store. 

If you like Garlic then Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.

You can even plant Lettuce in the fall. Sow lettuce late summer for a fall crop. Grow fast maturing varieties.

We get a second crop of Radishes by planting them in the fall as they are a quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.

You can also plant these seeds in the fall Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Rutabagas, Chives and Globe Onions.  Remember you can also plant Brussels sprouts, Cabbages, Cauliflower and Fava Beans.  All these seeds are at our HomeFarm Herbery store. 

Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in September.

If you want herbs during the winter months then grow Herbs as they are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these our five most popular herbs. Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme. All these seeds are at our Home Farm Herbery store. 

You might try your hand at raised beds.  We love them. Lots of them are only 8 or 12 inches high and several of them are waist high which works well for older gardeners.

You can make raised beds out of anything from old feed troughs to old bath tubs.  They can be made of twigs, old good wood or new wood.  How about kids old wading pools?

In the meantime…

May the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

Plants that Honey Bees Love©

Plants that Honey Bees Love©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

Let’s face it; our Honey Bees are in a critical shape.  Monsanto, big corporate farming is killing them off.

Around here at Home Farm Herbery we plant lots of flowers and especially ones that Honey Bees love such as Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula, and wild lilac provide enticing spring blooms.

Bees feast on bee balm, cosmos, Echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, and hosta in the summer and we grow lots of them here.

For fall, we know zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod are late bloomers that will tempt foragers and we oblige the bees by growing them..

Cosmos is an annual flower easily raised from seed. We plant them every spring because it’s also one of the very best for the bee. We grow it in groups, making the collection of pollen easier for the bees, which won’t have to fly as far to find their food. Cosmos grow 2-5ft tall, the majority reaching about 2ft. Cosmos are from Mexico, so it is a half hardy annual. We plant them after all danger of frost has passed, and we deadhead them to keep them flowering continuously through the summer. These open, flat flowers will delight you as well as giving the bees a feast.

We plant great beds of Sunflowers which are a great choice. These are available in many heights and colors to suit your garden space. We choose yellow or orange over red, since we know the bees don’t like red sunflowers.  We avoid the new varieties that exist for the allergic gardener because these contain no pollen. Please check the labels when you buy sunflower seeds.

We grow Lavender which is a hardy shrub and there are plenty of lavenders to choose from.  Lavender needs plenty of sun and well drained soil, but we are rewarded with plenty of fragrant flowers for cutting and drying. We love to watch them get smothered in bees when they come into flower.

We grow lots of herbs here and we know the bees love Thyme, Rosemary, Borage and Mint.

Honey bees love Sweet William, poppies, cornflowers (Echinacea) snapdragons, crocus and even sedum.

You have lots to choose from and you don’t even have to have a little farm like we do.  Container gardens help greatly.  Small plots of flower or herb gardens increase the Honey Bees chances of survival, including our own.

You can find most of these chemical-free heirloom seeds at our Home Farm Herbery shop on line and we will pay for the shipping. 

In the meantime…

May the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

How to Make Your Own Corned Beef

How to Make Your Own Corned Beef

By Arlene Wright-Correll

Truly Irish, Corned Beef is an Irish delicacy and is one of the most popular foods on St. Patrick’s Day. However, it wasn’t until the Irish came to New York in the 1700’s that they started using corned beef bought from the Jewish butchers instead of bacon.

Making your own corned beef gives one great satisfaction, it is very easy and very healthy for you because you know what is in there.

At Home Farm Herbery we have been corning beef for years and we use our own Epicurean, Gourmet Corned Beef Spices or Seasoning as some of our customers call it.

In our Home Farm Herbery Kitchen we use it for Corned Beef, brisket, pastrami and other meat.  It is easy to use.  Simply add approximately 1 tablespoon of Corned Beef Spices for each pound of meat.

Pink curing salt, or sodium nitrite, goes by many names, such as Prague Powder #1 or DQ Curing Salt #1.  If you don't have it, you can still make corned beef, but it is necessary for that vibrant pink color we associate with corned beef. And it adds flavor too. Without it the corned beef will be a dull grey color.

You can make it the slow way like Alton Brown does and here is his recipe. 

Directions

Place 2 quarts of water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with 1 cup salt, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 pkg. of Gourmet Corned Beef Spices. 

Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.

Remove from the heat and add 2 lbs of ice. Stir until the ice has melted.

If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F.

Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine.

Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days.

Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water.

Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add 1 small onion, (chopped) 1 carrot (chopped) and 1 stalk celery (chopped) and cover with water by 1-inch.

Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Or….do it the quicker way using the same ingredients..

Combine corned beef and Gourmet Corned Beef Spices contents, water, onion, carrots, celery, and salt together in a large pot or Dutch oven; bring to a simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.

Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is almost fork-tender, about 3 hours. Add potatoes and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are almost tender, about 30 minutes more.

Place cabbage pieces on top of and around meat, cover the pot, and simmer until cabbage is tender, 20 to 30 minutes more.

Remove meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut across the grain and serve in a bowl; ladle vegetables and broth over the top.

To make the best Reuben grilled sandwich here are the directions.

Spread non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing.

On 4 bread slices, layer 1 slice Swiss cheese, 2 slices corned beef, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and second slice of Swiss cheese.

Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides out.

Grill sandwiches until both sides are golden brown, about 15 minutes per side.

Or you can make hot or cold corned beef and sauerkraut sandwiches with mustard as your spread of choice.

In the meantime…

May the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery LLC

July Art Contest winner is Melissa H. Sadowsky.

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Home Farm Herbery