There's Always Something New To Learn

Two seasons ago I harvested leeks from the garden as late as I dared and left a few in the ground to see just how long they would last once we started getting serious frost. I also put a bunch down in the cold room in a pile on bubble wrap and then covered the top of the pile with bubble wrap as well.
I harvested leeks from the garden until November some time and the leeks in the cold room lasted until early January. (more or less. I still had to peel quite a few layers from the leeks before I could use them .)
This past season I didn't bother leaving any in the ground but rather dug them all up and 'planted' them in a pot of dampened potting soil and stored them in the cold room.
They held on much better than they had on the plastic and I was thrilled as we entered February and they still looked great.
Until. . .
One day about a week and a half ago and discovered the leeks just covered in a fuzzy mold!

Ugghh.


Of course the big problem with that, was the fact that mold is one of my big asthma triggers.
I took a deep breath, grabbed the pot and rushed it upstairs and out the door.
As I let my breath out and put the pot on the driveway I took a closer look at the leeks and was astonished to see this. . .

Aphids!
It never fails to amaze me how quickly bugs can multiply.
A week before I had seen nothing and now. . .
An infestation!

Well, they still lasted nearly a month longer than the year before and I have learned something new again.
Even in storage you have to keep a close eye on your produce. 
Nothing lasts forever.

Farmer's Markets



Local Food

 I promised Tamara that I would be posting today and I've been out so much that I hadn't had time to sit with the computer.
This evening though, Ev and I went to a little Farmer's Market on the north end of the city.
It was very tiny, but quite fun because most of the vendors were very happy to chat with you and let you know all about their products.
 At the bakery booth, I had a chance to sample some really nice rye bread made with locally grown rye as well as bringing home a baby brioche.  I've been wanting to try my hand with those but had never actually tasted it, so now I'll know how it's supposed to come out.
I bought some freshly milled wheat from a local farmer who is growing heritage grains (used by the bread baker) and if I like it I'm going to buy a big bag of wheat grains and mill it myself at Ev's house. I do love my bread!
Other local stuff I took home was whipped honey (Yum!) an elk garlic sausage (Henry's going to be sooo happy!) and some cranberry breakfast sausage. Since I'm going to be making deer sausage one day soon I'm looking for ideas.
You'd think I would have stopped there but I also brought home two dozen homemade pirogi, a chicken pot pie and a Cornish pastie (which I'm going to have to share with someone. It's HUGE!!)
 All that should have been more than enough, but I couldn't resist one last thing. Cheddar shortbread with a touch of cayenne pepper. It was quite pricey but I have tried to make cheddar shortbread a few times and it's never quite turned out. I figured this was a good way to find out how it's supposed to taste. You know so mine will be better next time!
Just don't tell Henry, because I'm not going to share!
And now that I've made you all hungry and drooly I'm going to say goodnight.
5:30 comes early. . .

*Hmmmm. . . Looks like I may not have done anything wrong when I made the shortbread. I can't say I like this stuff either. Jesse  tried it and didn't like the taste. Sigh. . . Oh well, you can't win them all. I guess I'll share with Henry now. . .