A Garden Grew Here

WE Garden Plot in Winter, Capitol Park

It's not much to look at right now -- in the dead of winter -- but at one time a great garden bloomed in this very spot to your right.

This is the site of the "WE Garden" effort in Capitol Park east of the State Capitol in downtown Sacramento. Former First Lady Maria Shriver borrowed the idea from First Lady Michelle Obama, who started her own garden outside the White House.

Children came to this very spot in May, 2009. They planted seeds. Tomato starter plants went into this ground by the dozen. The children returned in May, 2010 to plant anew. Although the "inside" joke at the time was that the First Lady's gardening efforts kept the squirrels and homeless well fed -- I must admit -- I was quite envious of the patches of basil that grew around the outside of this circle.

It was perfect for Heirloom Tomato Martinis you understand.

I'm not sure if the children will return in 2011. The Schwarzeneggers have officially departed Sacramento. A new team is in charge. The photos of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver that once dotted State Capitol hallways have been removed. The only reminder that "Arnold" (as the children called him) was here was the bear that sits outside the Governor's Office. It's still there.

State Capitol Bear

But the garden? That was Maria Shriver's effort. That was her contribution. I'm not sure if the new First Lady will continue with gardening tradtion -- but then again -- spring is still a few months away.

A lot has been written about Governor Schwarznegger and his legacy -- written by reporters that I know, work with and respect very much. Some of the stories they've written touched on the Governor's legislative agenda, which was filled with equal parts success and failure. They've also touched on his work with the budget.

The general consensus of these reports is that "Arnold" didn't leave much of a legacy.

I still can't believe how many of them missed the target so completely. Schwarzenegger left a tremendous legacy that is awfully hard to measure -- and will probably never be matched. Perhaps you had to work inside the State Capitol day in and day out to realize the impact he had -- and still has to this day. He was larger than life -- bigger than the Governor himself -- even though he was the Governor.

Sign at the We Garden Plot at Capitol Park

If you want to know the Governor's true legacy -- his true impact on California -- ask the children. Ask the schoolchildren who visit the State Capitol nearly every single day of the year. Ask the children who planted seeds and starter plants (and a fruit tree or two) in the WE Garden plot.

They'll tell you about the Schwarzenegger Legacy. But first, you have to listen. Secondly, you have to understand.

To truly understand Arnold Schwarzenegger's impact on Sacramento and the larger-than-life legacy he leaves behind -- you must first take a trip back in time to what I call "BA." That's "Before Arnold." This is long before anyone ever envisioned The Terminator in the Goveror's Office. He was still a major Hollywood star. The thought of him in Sacramento simply hadn't crossed anyone's mind.

Field trips to the State Capitol during this time -- for most children -- registered below zero on an excitement scale of 1-10. They were as dull as used dishwater. Oh sure -- looking at the restored Capitol Rotunda brought some interest. But after 30-seconds of staring up at the top of the Capitol Dome -- the fifth graders were asking teacher, "when's lunch?"

Field trips to the dentist provided more excitement.

School children in the State Capitol Rotunda

The only time any child or teenager got excited about a field trip to the State Capitol is when a group of overanxious 15-and-a-half year old teenagers came to the building looking to tar and feather anyone who supported any legislative effort to raise the legal driving age from age 16 to age 18.

Other than that? The kids were bored to TEARS. You could see it in their eyes. You could see it as they moved from aisle to aisle, wondering why any of this was important and asking the tired question of, "will this be on a test?" The usual retort from an annoyed teacher was a loud "YES!" That got their attention -- for a little while at least.

But that changed overnight when the movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped through the doors of the Governor's Office following the recall of Governor Gray Davis. Suddenly -- field trips to the State Capitol were COOL. Not just cool -- but WAY COOL. Arnold was there. Kids sat up and took notice.

Tens of thousands of children -- classrooms from all over the world -- visited the State Capitol during this period. It was tough to move through the main hallways on the first floor of the restored section of the State Capitol on many days simply because there were so many visitors -- so many children.

They had come to visit their star. They had come to see Arnold. They didn't come to see the Governor. You see -- "Arnold" was bigger than the Governor. They came to see Arnold. And they came by the thousands. Day after day -- year after year -- visitors from every corner of the globe came to walk the same halls that Arnold walked. They posed for pictures by the bear in front of his office. They asked the CHP officer posted outside if "Arnold was inside." The response was "maybe, I don't know." That was inevitably followed by the question, "can we go inside and look?"

On those rare occassions when Governor Schwarzenegger actually came out of his office? If you were a lowly staffer like me -- you got caught up in a maelstrom. If you were lucky -- you could back out of the throng of children and other visitors who were quickly assembling. If not? You were stuck in one place until the Governor passed.

That was life in the State Capitol. Day after day. Year after year.

Field trips to the State Capitol were suddenly -- overnight -- the hottest ticket in town. If you've ever done any sort of time in a legislative office, you've normally drawn the assignment of meeting with a group of students from a school that is located in the district that a particular legislator represents.

A typical class visit to the Office of Senator X (no disrespect intended here, because this happened in every office, both Republican and Democrat) went like this: The teacher would lead a group of 20-30 students into the Office of Senator X. She would explain that Senator X represents them in the State Legislature -- and do they (the students) have any questions for Senator X's assistant (that would be me on those unlucky days).

Almost immediately -- 20 hands shot up in the air like they were fired from some sort of air gun. It was my job to pick someone -- so I would do my best to pick the first hand that went up. "Yes," I said, "what's your question?

Legislative Aide Sandra Trevino meets with students

Student: "Do you know Arnold?"

Me: "No, I don't know Arnold." That was the truth actually. I'd spoken to the man on occassion -- but so had thousands of others and I'm sure he didn't know me from Jack. "Next question," I said.

Another Student: "Have you ever seen Arnold?"

Me: "Yes, I have. Quite often actually." That answer was true. I did see him from time to time -- usually pressed against a wall by his security unit as "Arnold" moved from one hallway to another.

That answer -- by the way -- earned kudos with the kids -- who exchanged knowing glances. I had actually SEEN Arnold. Therefore -- I was in the VERY COOL category. Another round of hands suddenly shot out of an airgun into the air.

Student: "What's Arnold like?"

Me: "He's like the Arnold you see in The Terminator," I replied, which was also true. Hey -- it was ARNOLD. He sort of lit up a room anytime he walked in.

Student: "Where's Arnold now?"

Me: "Well -- I don't know really. He might be in his smoking tent which is located outside (pointing) this window, three stories down."

THAT -- was a BIG mistake. Suddenly, without warning, 30 sets of hands and 30 noses were scrunched against the glass as children peered down at the Governor's smoking tent below (I was fortunate enough to work in a Capitol Office that offered a view of the famous "smoking tent," and yes, you could plainly smell it when the Governor was holding court below).

"Is the Arnold down there," asked one excited student. "Can we go down there," another student positively screamed. Other students stood guard near Senator X's couch, ready to rip the fabric to shreds that would serve as a rope to climb down to the tent below.

"No, you can't go down there," was my usual response. And -- it was usually at this point when the teacher leading this class would intervene.

"Class," she said impatiently as the children moved away from the window. "You're in the Office of Senator X," she said with emphasis. "Don't you have any questions about Senator X?"

The children were silent for the most part. But then, finally, a girl in the corner bravely raised her hand with a question about the Senator I worked for. "Yes," I answered. "What's your question?"

Student: "How well does the Senator know Arnold?"

This was a scene repeated time and time again during the years that Arnold Schwarzenegger served as Governor of California. Not a day went by when children lined up for photos in front of the bear that adorned the outside of his office. Not a day went by when packs of schoolchildren wandered the halls, hoping to catch just a glimpse of their hero.

Governor Schwarzenegger ignited a passionate fire in the minds of schoolchildren from one end of the state to another -- from one end of the country to another. He was bigger than Disneyland and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk combined. He was Arnold. And nobody was bigger than Arnold.

Just as President John F. Kennedy once ignited a divided generation when he proclaimed "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country," there is no doubt that Governor Schwarzenegger planted the seeds of public service and serving others in the minds of tens of thousands of children.

Some of those children will most certainly return in the future to serve -- as I have been fortunate enough to serve -- in the office of a State Legislator. Others may seek higher office themselves -- looking to return to the building that generated the excitement and wonder they felt as children.

It's a legacy that cannot be measured in words or numbers. But it's a legacy that cannot be ignored.

Happy, Happy Joy, Joy!!!

Only the BEST Christmas gift EVAR!

Riddle me this?

What's better than a shopping trip to the man's toy store -- also known as the Home Depot?

We'll -- I'll tell you.

It's a shopping trip to the man's toy store -- with a $200 gift card in Bill Bird's grubby little hands. Now that children -- is a slice of heaven! It's free cash! It's free stuff! It's one of the very few chances to spring on something that I WANT -- rather than what I really NEED.

As my dear old mother taught me years ago, there is a difference between the two. Although -- I must admit -- I do try to blur the lines as much as possible.

So -- on the first day of a three-day weekend -- our Master of All Things Gardening Errors found himself at the North Natomas Home Depot -- looking to pick up what he really needed and also a few things that he really WANTED.

Loading Up at the Depot

NEED: Light bulbs of all shapes and sizes. These goofy, new cookie-cutter homes in cookie-cutter developments are outfitted with every kind of light bulb conceivable to mankind. Remember when light bulbs came with four or five different choices? Were you shopping for 60 watt, 75 watt, or the dreaded 100 watt eye atomizer? A few years later -- a new choice entered the shopping realm -- regular blinding white or "soft white." But still -- choices were few and far between.

My friends -- those days are LONG gone. It's getting to the point now where someone could open a new store dedicated to light bulbs and light bulbs only. There's a reason why Home Depot dedicates an entire aisle to all things light bulbs. They come in an array of shapes, sizes, colors and tints now. Plug in or screw in? Saucer shaped or straight? Ceiling fan bulb or appliance bulb? Oh -- they might look the same -- but apparently -- there's a difference. Read label directions!

Bare Root Fruit Trees!

WANT: When it comes to a store like Home Depot I just can't confine myself to the areas that sell the products that Bill & Venus Bird really NEED. There's got to be that inevitable tour to the garden area where BARE ROOT season is in full swing this year.

There's nothing like row of neatly lined bare-root fruit trees to get the heart muscle pumping. Peaches here and plums there -- all of them promising a lip-smacking payoff. All you have to do is purchase -- take them home -- dig a hole and plant.

Or -- if you're not in the market for a fruit tree -- how about a fruit bush? Table grapes anyone? Blackberry vines? Raspberries? Boysenberries. They're all boxed up in an array of shapes and sizes -- just waiting for someone to take them home.

Bare Root Raspberry

But this time -- I would not allow my natural instinct of gluttony to take over. I learned a hard lesson last year when I followed some advice that may have not been all that good -- planting four bare-root blueberry bushes underneath our peach and cherry tree plantings. We were assured the pairing would work -- as would planting strawberry plants under said trees.

Unfortunately -- it didn't work. Three of the blueberry bushes gave up the ghost with the onset of summer. The fourth and final bush is still alive. Unfortunately -- the Lapin Cherry tree it was planted under? It died from what I strongly suspect to be brown rot. At least -- I think it's dead. I'll know more this spring when it should flower with abundance. If it doesn't? DEAD!

But -- back to the subject at hand -- I was actually looking for something specific. I would not find them at Home Depot on this day -- but I did find them later somewhere else.

But that is a blog subject for another day and time. As of right now? I have light bulbs to replace!

It's an Orange New Year!!!

Precious the cat being "precious."

...and a Happy 2011 to you as well! I tell you -- it's been a busy start to what promises to be an even busier New Year. 2011 brings all sorts of challenges to the Bird Household -- which includes a new job -- which deals with a LOT of writing.

Writing about VEGETABLE GARDENING matters you ask? Hah! No -- that would be my dream job. I'll do that in retirement -- along with my other dream job -- selling Steer Manure Compost at my local Home Depot. Us Birds can never retire you know. We have some sort of wacky gene that shuts off the heart muscle at any moment retirement plans are made.

From L-R: Deborah, Andy & Mary Bird

So -- we don't use the word "retire." We use the term; "moving onto the next career," instead. Hopefully, that terrible Bird Family gene will be satisfied and not give the dreaded Final Order. My older sister -- who is quite the vegetable gardener and gourmet chef herself (she's to the left in the family photo) -- is currently preparing for her next career as "Horse Whisperer."

I figure she can supply me with plenty of horse apples with this new profession. But I digress...

Don't you just love this weather? I loved the handy-dandy gardening guide that appeared in last Saturday's Home and Garden section of the Sacramento Bee. It contained lots of colorful suggestions for each month out of the gardening year. You can find it right here if you missed it. It made me want to run right outside and put what was in print into practice -- until I realized it was POURING BUCKETS OF RAIN.

There's nothing like an inch of rain or two to -- uh -- dampen that gardening spirit. Put away the trowel son. Turn on the Mud Bowl instead -- featuring two college nobodies that you've never heard of. Mother Nature has since shut off the spigot -- and given us a blast of icy cold arctic air.

Yet another gardening downer.

Dancy Tangerine tree in November

But -- despite the flooded backyard and muddy gardening areas -- the wonderful wife that is Venus and I have been happily harvesting during this cold weather period. The Dancy Tangerines that were ripening on ye olde citrus tree during October and November are now ready for harvest. This is the third year for my Dancy -- and I must say -- it's been the best ever.

The frosty mornings that kissed our backyards during the months of November and December did not take the terrible toll that I had feared it might. We're not quite out of frost danger yet -- not hardly -- and although a solitary leaf took a freeze hit here and there -- most of our citrus trees are undamaged.

Indeed -- my Bearss Lime tree continues to grow -- as does the Improved Meyer Lemon. In fact -- as I type this -- the Meyer Lemon is actually FLOWERING.

Dancy Tangerines

But -- it's the Dancy that is the real star of this show. It's the oldest citrus tree in our young backyard. It's been -- by far -- the most productive. If I'm brave enough to slip on a pair of mud shoes and traverse through what seems to be a long stretch of brown clay slop -- I'm rewarded with a bowl of 15-20 tangerines.

My initial fear was that the frost had sucked out every last remaining bit of moisture from these tangerines. This has happened in the past. There's nothing quite like the downer of chewing on a tangerine that is as dry as dust. It's sort of like chewing on a well-used mud shoe.

But -- my fears were put to rest during the first harvest. I came back from the mud adventure with a bowl of juicy -- sweet and sour citrus. Better yet? If I let the tangerines sit for a day or two and come to room temperature? The sweetness factor jumped X 10.

I've always been a fan of mixing different kinds of fruit to see "what happens," and I didn't stop with the Dancy Tangerines. I'd like to tell you that I have a Pineapple Tree in the backyard. But that would be -- in fact -- a LIE. However -- pineapples were on sale that week at my local Bel-Air Grocery Store...

Tangerine & Pineapple Breakfast!!! YUM!!!

And who can resist a big, fat pineapple for a $1.99? I can't. So -- two pineapples came home with me on that day. And they found there way into this breakfast bowl of tangerines and pineapples that I prepared for the wonderful wife and I this past weekend.

So -- gardeners -- I share your frustrations. It's wet. It's cold. Conditions just aren't conduicive to stepping outside and digging in the dirt right now. But there's still lots to be done. It's BARE ROOT season people! It's time to order seeds (if you haven't already)! Time to set up the seed rack! Get the grow lights ready!

The 2011 gardening season -- and harvest -- is now -- officially -- underway.

It's Winter Solstice Day!!!

Old Man Winter!

A Happy Winter Solstice to you! As well as a Happy First Day of Winter. And why not throw in a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays while I'm at it?

Ah -- the time you have when you're unemployed. I suppose I'd better enjoy it before the honeymoon ends. And it will end -- trust me.

It better!

This day is an important event for many gardeners. It's time to put 2010 behind us. It's the shortest day of the year (for certain parts of the world) -- and it also means that -- from this day forward -- we'll start to see more sunlight.

Those long days of summer are closer than you think.

So what exactly is the Winter Solstice? For that answer -- we turn to people who are much smarter than me (anyone and everyone). This fine bit of information is provided by www.timeanddate.com:

"The December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, the December solstice occurs annually on a day between December 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south receive 24 hours of daylight.

...for an observer in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight for those living north of the Tropic of Cancer. Those living or traveling north of the Arctic Circle towards the North Pole will not be able to see the sun during this time of the year."

For gardening FANATICS like me and the wonderful Wife that is Venus? It means the official kickoff to planning next year's spring and summer gardens. It's a time to place an order for certain -- selected -- varieties of seed. It's time to drag out and piece together ye olde seed starting rack.

In other words? There's lots to do.

Pit River Bridge at Shasta Lake

It's also a time to reflect. We've been incredibly fortunate so far this winter season in Northern California thanks to an early series of storms that have dropped a near-record amount of rainfall in the valley and boatloads of snow in the Sierra Nevada. Reservoirs that hold this bounty -- like the bathtub known as Lake Shasta -- are nearly full as the picture to the left indicates.

Water inflow is so strong at other storage facilities like Folsom Lake -- for example -- that dam operators are releasing record amounts of water into the American River below. River levels on the Sacramento -- American and Feather Rivers are at or near all-time highs.

Recently Transplanted Artichoke Plants

The rainstorms we've received so far have been so strong and so furious that they've overwhelmed the drainage system in the front and backyards. I have a series of small lakes to prove it -- and water flow from that drainage system has been strong enough to blow off the plastic drain caps in the front yard.

Merry Freaking Christmas!

Despite all of that good news -- we're not out of the woods just yet. But we're off to a mighty fine start in the wet weather season.

Although I don't personally enjoy this time of year (who enjoys getting pelted with rain?) -- there is one plant in the Bird backyard that can not only "take it" -- it absolutely cries out for more.

You might remember that this was the state of my poor artichoke garden (pictured above) last month when I decided to transplant some new plants from one overcrowded bed to another that wasn't so crowded. How do artichoke plants react when they are dug up and planted somewhere else? They flop down like they're dead.

One Month Old Artichoke Transplants

But they're not -- not really. This is the same bed about five weeks later. All of those plants that had FLOPPED have suddenly sprung back to life and are soaking up this cold and rainy weather. Artichokes do best in coastal weather conditions -- and we've had a lot of that in Northern California during the past couple of weeks -- with a lot more yet to come.

By this spring? It will be Artichoke City in the Backyard of Bird. And there is nothing quite like the nutty flavor of home-grown artichokes.

But -- don't worry -- all of those artichokes will find a good home. The phone just rang while I was typing this blog posting.

My days of "House Boy" for the Wife that is Venus are coming to an end. Unemployment is over. As of next week? It's back to the daily grind.

I hope the new boss likes home-grown artichokes and other home-grown goodies from our backyard. She has most certainly earned them.

It's Great Straight! (Or -- With Vodka)

Fresh Squeezed Pomegranate Lemonade

Ah yes -- time for another glass of Juice from the Gods...

Our newest -- and most favorite mixer I might add -- comes straight out of our own backyard -- with an assist from from Roseville Gardener/Blogger Greg Damitz. After all -- it was his generous donations of lemons -- combined with our own modest production -- that make the magic happen.

That magic is located to your immediate right. It's a half gallon of lip-smacking Pomegranate Lemonade -- and let me tell you -- this is one FINE combined taste.

Bird Pomegranate Tree

But it does require a bit of work -- careful work at that. Let us not forget that pomegranates can be messy -- and we don't want any fresh stains in the kitchen of the wife that is Venus.

I've been reading up a bit on squeezing fresh juice out of pomegranates -- and much to my chagrin -- it appears that a normal juicer does too much of a good job. The idea is to get the juice out of the pomegranate seeds only - not the pith that surrounds them -- as that can be quite bitter.

Unfortunately -- the normal juicer not only gets the juice out of the seeds -- it also squeezes some of that bitter tasting juice out the pith.

Not a good thing.

Simple Juicer

The reccommended product then? A simple juicer like the one you see to your right. There are fancier varieties of course -- which carry a price tag far higher than the simple juicer than the one I used. But -- the bottom line is this: It doesn't matter which juicer is used. It still results in a bit of a mess if you're not careful.

You'd like for those streams of pomegranate juice to head straight down. But -- sometimes -- that doesn't always happen. And there's nothing quite like taking a squirt of pomegranate juice in the eyeball!

I learned -- through experience I might add -- by breaking the pomegranate into seven or eight chunks -- and placing the seed side down with the rind facing up -- you experience far less in the way of "mistakes."

This is the third year of production from the Sweet or Wonderful Pomegranate variety we have planted in the side yard (we're not really quite sure which variety we have). Last year our small tree churned out about 25 pieces of fruit. This year it was closer to 100. I wonder what next year will bring?

Pomegranate overload anyone?

The process of making Pomegranate Lemonade is fairly simple. Once you've finished squeezing the juice out of three pomegranates (and hopefully getting most of that juice into a bowl) -- your strain the finished product into a half -gallon container. I then fill said container with enough freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice to just below the one-quart mark.

Combine one cup of sugar (or less depending upon your likes) with the juice mixture -- stir vigorously for about two minutes -- and allow the mixture to sit until the sugar is fully disolved. At that point? Add enough water to make a half gallon (two quarts) of juice.

Improved Meyer Lemons

The next step is the absolute most difficult. Ignore the temptation to drink a half gallon of Pomegranate Lemonade on the spot -- and stick that wonderful concotion into your refrigerator.

It really best to serve it chilled -- if you can ignore the temptation...

Christmas Punch anyone???

Merry Christmas to ME!!! Merry Christmas to ME!!!

The Bird Casa

Everyone knows that the best Christmas gifts in the whole wide world are those that you buy for yourself.

That's a Bill Bird rule. I just made it up. Live with it.

I always overdo it at Christmas. That's especially true when it comes to the Christmas light display outside. Like Clark Griswold -- my feeling is -- you can never have too many lights. It may take the better part of a Sunday afternoon to set it up and string out miles of extension cords -- but it's a house that Santa Claus cannot possibly ignore come Christmas Eve.

This is also the time of year to look for specific gardening "deals." I've already explained my love for all things citrus in a previous post. Although I've got two Improved Meyer Lemons and a Bearss Lime growing in the Bird Back 40 -- I'm always looking to expand upon my citrus plantings.

When it comes to citrus -- there are deals to be had in the month of December -- if you know where and when to find them.

Dancy Tangerine Tree

I figured this out -- quite by accident - three years ago. That's when I stumbled upon this gorgeous Dancy Tangerine sitting in a neglected aisle of a very wet -- and very empty I might add -- Home Depot garden section. It stood four feet high and was loaded with bright orange tangerines.

The price? $20. I couldn't buy it fast enough. Sure enough -- as I swooped in on what would be the citrus deal of that year -- so did about three other shoppers who attempted to beat me to the punch.

They weren't fast enough on that night three years ago.

Today -- that Dancy Tangerine is planted in one of my wide side yards. It's now about eight feet tall and is once again loaded with about 40-50 bright orange tangerines. They are ripening a tad quicker this year than last -- which means three or four just might be ready for harvest on Christmas Day.

Dancy Tangerines

A Mimosa for the wonderful wife that is Venus on Christmas morning? I think so! And -- perhaps her husband as well.

My point is -- this tree was a steal of a deal. I don't often shop for fruit or citrus trees at Big Box stores like Home Depot or Lowes. Not that I'm a snob or anything like that -- but you tend to get better quality fruit and citrus trees at nurseries like Don Shor's Redwood Barn or even Capital Nursery.

Are they more expensive? Of course! Better quality trees cost a few extra bucks. But they tend to be better quality fruit and citrus trees -- and don't come with the myriad of problems that the "$14.99 Big Box Deal" can bring. Trust me -- I've lost a few of those trees to disease. I've learned my lesson. From now on -- it's nursery stock and nursery stock only.

The one exception to this rule? Citrus. If you know what you're looking for -- you can get a STEAL OF A DEAL. But this is only true if you know where to shop -- what to look for -- and when to buy.

Improved Meyer Lemon

Case in point: the month of December.

I know -- from experience -- that for some odd reason -- the North Natomas Home Depot ALWAYS gets a shipment of citrus trees in from Four Winds Growers -- the premiere supplier of citrus trees to Northern California. But -- much of that stock that you find at your local Big Box store isn't worth a second look.

In other words -- it just isn't worth it. Many of them are dwarf varieties. Nothing against dwarf fruit or citrus trees mind you -- but I've come to discover that small trees = small harvests. If you do happen to find a full-size tree -- it's often priced to the point where it's better to shop for your desires at a local nursery.

Owari Satsuma Mandarin

But if you arrive at just the right time -- right after the truck has been unloaded -- you're going to find a little gem like this one to your right. That -- Ladies and Germs -- is a citrus tree that I've been trying to get into my backyard for the past two years. It's an Owari Satsuma Mandarin -- the absolute best tasting mandarin you can find anywhere on the planet. But -- I'm not alone in this opinion.

Farmer Fred Hoffman -- of KFBK Garden Show fame on NewsTalk 1530 KFBK and Get Growing on Talk 650 KSTE -- has proclaimed the Owari Satsuma as one of his personal favorites. I've been looking for the right kind of tree for a very long time now. But everything I've found just wasn't what I was looking for -- or it presented too much of a hit on ye olde wallet.

Wet North Natomas Home Depot

Until now. I spotted it yesterday during a heavy downpour in the very back of the North Natomas Home Depot. It had just been delivered the previous day. It just stood out from the rest. It was a thing of beauty. And it's now in my backyard. As I wheeled it inside (dripping wet I might add) -- many a customer asked where I'd found it. Sure enough -- despite the heavy rain falling outside -- many of them beat a path to where I had just been.

Of course -- I failed to tell them that this was the best looking tree of the lot by a MILE.

It is six feet tall. It has been meticulously pruned and cared for. This will eventually grow into a full size mandarin citrus tree that can grow to a height of 20 feet or more and will yield hundreds of tasty Satsuma Mandarins once it reaches full maturity.

Purchased at a local nursery -- a tree like this would run anywhere from $100-$125.

I didn't even come close to paying half that amount.

I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

Merry Freaking Christmas to ME! 

Winter Means It's Time to Say Goodbye

A Charlie Brown Christmas

This is probably my least favorite time of the year. Despite the holiday madness -- Thanksgiving turkey with far too much stuffing (not to speak of the butter) and the task of setting up Christmas lights and the Christmas tree -- it's also a melancholy time for me.

I'm a gardener. I like to see things grow and nourish. And you just don't get much of that during the months of December, January and February. Oh -- sure -- the break does give you some time to start thinking about next year's garden. But it's a wait that is far too long for me.

Perhaps we need a new law? Perish the thought!

The wonderful wife that is Venus and I always wait far too long to tear out the summer garden. Here it is -- December 4th -- and I'm not too proud to admit that we still have a couple of dead and dying tomato plants that I still haven't stuffed into the Green Waste can yet (hey -- it can only hold so much).

Heirloom Tomato Plant Monsters

It wasn't the greatest year in terms of tomatoes -- for anyone that I know of. It started poorly with sickly starter plants in the spring -- we never did get the Sacramento summer heat needed to produce a bumper crop of heirloom tomatoes and then ended a lot quicker than I imagined with a couple of frozen nights in early November.

Heirloom Tomato Season: Exit Stage Left!

Don't be fooled by the extra large heirloom tomato plant crop to your left. It may look big -- but this was one disappointing year. This one bed produced one tomato blunder after another -- ranging from poor production to a nasty run of Blossom End Rot (BER). Nearly every German Orange Strawberry that came off the vine this year was stricken with BER.

Yet -- the Black tomato to the left -- Evil Seed -- and the Brandywine planted to the right suffered no such BER problem. They were not overwhelmingly productive -- no tomato plant was this year with the exception of the Reliable Reds -- but why just one plant would suffer from BER problems while others planted a foot away did not continues to vex me.

There are no answers here -- just questions.

So -- the goal this one fine, fall day was to move these plants into that Green Waste can pictured to the immediate right of the tomato jungle. This was easier said than done. A gallon of water cannot contain five quarts. It can hold four. And I had far more plant material than space. And this was just one of THREE beds that had reached the "end of the life cycle."

You can see why we're still tearing out portions of the summer garden.

I'm certainly not going to repeat the same mistake I made three years ago -- when I was told by a certain, high-ranking, Sacramento City employee that I could order a "special pickup" from a Green Waste Truck. I thought that was a wonderful idea -- so I spent an entire weekend day piling up my entire summer garden in the street.

Imagine my "chagrin," when I called for a "special pickup" and was informed on the other end of the line that these "pickups" were limited to three to four times per year. "So, when's the next pickup," I asked. "We'll be there in six months," the cheery voice on the other end of the phone replied.

Great...My neighbors were just THRILLED with that pile of garden waste that slowly vanished over the course of six to eight weeks. As soon as that Green Waste truck emptied my Green Waste can -- I packed it full again.

My method of removing tomato plants is fairly simple. I attack the outer edges with a long-handled pair of garden shears (which are also used for cutting back roses). Once the growth around the PVC cages has been cut away -- I employ the "tug and rip" method -- which removes the vines from inside most of the cage (you'd be surprised how far these vines can travel). At that point -- I remove the cage from around the still-visible base of the plant -- toss it aiside -- and dig up the root system with a well-used shovel.

Rip, Tug, Shred!

Removing the eight plants from this bed -- plus the numerous volunteers that sprung up around it (they kept the Vole population well fed) -- took about four hours.

Getting all of those tomato plants out of the backyard and into a Sacramento City Green Waste truck is a process that may last well into 2011.

So -- why go through all this trouble and effort? I thought you would have figured it out by now.

It's because we're gardeners. Which means -- we're quite insane...

No Thyme Left for Youuuuu....

"On My Way to Better Things...

I Found Myself Some Wings!

Distant Roads Are Calling Me..."

Please forgive the blatant pun if you will. It's the Thanksgiving Holiday. The trytophan-laced turkey still hasn't quite worn off yet. It is nice to see though -- that the "old guys" can still get the job done. And heck -- if anything -- they sound a lot better today than they did 40-something years ago...

Add “The Guess Who” to the “I’ve got to see these guys in concert” list – one of many I’d like to see (I did finally get to see Fleetwood Mac a few summers ago at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre).

I put this song up because the tune kept playing and playing through my head while I was out hunting for fresh thyme and other herbs for our always popular – and always in demand – Best Way Brined Turkey. It’s fast become a Thanksgiving tradition – and always draws a big crowd to our North Natomas home for the holiday.

Fresh herbs turkey base

In fact – as I write this – the wonderful wife that is Venus is busy boiling what remains of the carcass to be used as stock for traditional soups like turkey noodle soup and the non-traditional dishes such as “Turkey Pho.”

I’m really looking forward to that one.

The smell of fresh thyme still fills the household from the brining session we undertook earlier in the week – and the fresh herbs that Venus has put into the stock pot pictured above. There’s nothing quite like having a fresh herb garden in the backyard – which we raid with impunity for holiday occasions like this.

 

Although the recipe that we use for Best Way Brined Turkey calls for only one fresh herb (thyme) – why not more? We had more – a lot more at the moment – thanks to a spurt of Sage growth that took place earlier this fall.

Fresh herbs from the backyard herb garden!

The small rosemary starter plant that Venus came home with earlier this summer – the very same plant that had suffered through the indignity of getting dug up time and again by That Damn Dog – had produced enough fall growth to yield two fat stems for our brining adventure. Add in large handfuls of marjoram, oregano, rau rum, garlic chives and yes – thyme – and you have a brine concoction that comes out looking just a tad green.

Green turkey for the holidays anyone?

There’s a strange satisfaction I get from using fresh herbs for any kitchen creation we concoct – whether it be just for us or a holiday gathering. Perhaps it’s looking at the price that supermarkets get away with charging for what I’m growing in my own backyard? Perhaps it’s looking at said bowl of fresh herbs and realizing that I would have spent a small fortune for the same thing at my local store?

Herbs Ready for Grinding!

Perhaps it’s the cornucopia of tastes and smells that result when grinding up the mixture of home-grown herbs in our food processor? Most herbs grow extremely well in our Sacramento climate and survive in thrive in the hottest of summer sizzlers or the coldest and darkest of winter seasons.

Or – perhaps it’s just that indescribable taste that results from the combination of fresh herbs, and home-grown garlic and onions that combines with salt and sugar and is allowed to marinate and permeate a Thanksgiving turkey for 24-48 hours.

Whatever the answer is – the end result is an oven-baked turkey that tastes nothing like the Uncle or Aunt or whatever family member hosted Thanksgiving “back in the day.” Yes – it’s the same old turkey. Yes – it’s the same old way of cooking said turkey. But the results after brining are dazzling. You can keep the deep-fried turkey for yourself. Brined bird beats the deep-fried game every time.

Plus – it’s a tad healthier.

Best Way Brined Turkey

As for what herbs work best in a brine like this – the answer would be – “what do you have?” Although the recipe in question calls for fresh thyme and bay leaves – we use that and whatever we have growing in the backyard garden. Two years ago? French Sorrel had taken over the herb garden – which made our choice for the dominant herb rather easy. This year? Three different types of fresh sage were ready for plucking.

Nothing beats the backyard herb garden. You can get a lot out of a very small space. All you need is a little determination – and the desire for experimentation.