Raised tomato planter update

Remember this project? In May, we gave a heavy wooden bookshelf a new life as a raised tomato planter. Six Pole Black Krim heirloom tomato plants planted from seed in a 15oz cans made their home in the organic soil in the tomato planter. I think it’s time for an update....

Raised Tomato Planter

Last Sunday I worked on a super amazing project that I am excited to share with you - a 6'x1'x1' tomato planter. This project began with an old solid wood bookshelf that was sitting in the garage. We tipped it on its side, added a bottom and two ends from scrap wood that was also found in our garage.

We drilled holes in the bottom of each section for water drainage and added three planks along the bottom to raise the planter a couple of inches off the ground.

We put the planter in the middle of the yard to maximize sun exposure. Then picked up 4 bags of organic soil and distributed them evenly along the six planter squares.

And finally, we planted tomatoes that I started 4-6 weeks ago from seeds in cans.

This tomato plant looks pretty happy in her new home:)

The cost of this project was about $25 which is what it cost us to buy 4 bags of organic soil. We had tape measure, scrap wood, wood screws, electric drill and electric saw on hand.

We spent the rest of the morning decorating the planter with positive messages:)

Allium

Allium sativum, which in most homes goes by plain old garlic, has so many culinary and medicinal properties. Today's post will be a showcase of my home-grown-supremely-pungent-freshly-picked-and-hung-to-dry garlic! Oh, also I am going to discuss those culinary and medicinal properties.

Back in the fall I bought a head of garlic at my local farmer's market, divided it into individual cloves and planted the cloves 6 inches apart in my home garden. In the early spring each clove produced lots and lots of garlic greens. I used these aromatic scallion-like garlic tops in everything from soups to salads.

Over the last couple of week, the greens began to wilt and dry. This was my sign to harvest the garlic. Over the course of the winter with only a weekly watering, each little clove turned into a full head of garlic. After washing and drying the garlic bulbs, I braided and hung them to dry as my grandmother used to do. And voila ... Allium sativum in a braid!

Let's talk about the culinary properties of this lovely and supremely aromatic member of the onion mishpocha. Soups, stews, and roasted goodies just don't taste the same without a hint of garlic. Did you know that you can place a bulb of garlic in the oven while baking bread; then squeeze the bulb and spread the softened garlic on the freshly baked bread?

Allium's medicinal properties range from antibiotic, stimulation of perspiration, lowering of blood pressure, easing of tension, speeding up healing, balancing blood sugar and reducing cholesterol. Did you know that a clove of fresh pressed garlic can be mixed in an ounce of warmed olive oil to be used as drops for ear infections?

What is your favorite use of garlic?

Garlicky Black Bean Soup

This black bean soup was super easy to prepare and super tasty!

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

4 stalks of celery, finely diced

1 large bunch of garlic greens, chopped

1 large bunch of cilantro leaves and stalks, chopped

3 medium potatoes, diced

2 12oz cans or equivalent of black beans, with cooking fluid

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 Tbsp cumin

1/2 Tbsp paprika

1/2 Tbsp achiote (optional)

juice of 1/2 lemon

4-6 cups of water or vegetable broth

olive oil

salt

pepper

{Garlic greens in my home garden}

Directions:

Coat the bottom of a stainless steel or ceramic soup pot with olive oil

Add cayenne, cumin, paprika, and achiote and let cook on medium-low for 2 minutes

Add onion and saute until golden brown

Add celery and saute until it wilts and softens, about 3-5 minutes

Add potatoes, cilantro, and most of the garlic greens (reserve a little bit for garnish) and saute about 3-5 more minutes

De-glaze with 1 cup of broth or water, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pot

Add black beans with cooking fluid

Add the rest of the broth or water

Let simmer covered on low heat for 45-60 minutes

Before serving add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with chopped garlic greens

Enjoy!