Editor’s note: Karen Harris Tully is a writer who lives in Raymond and has agreed to keep a journal to share with Daily World readers during the odd and uncertain time we’re all navigating.^
The kids and I planted two raised beds, okay it was mostly me, back in March. My 7-year-old son had fun throwing seeds up in the air, completely ignoring my lesson on seed spacing. Later, when they came up in clumps and bunches, and a large Z design for the lettuce, he admitted he just didn’t believe me. And he laughed, that boyish giggle that is now missing his top two front teeth, and I couldn’t be mad.
So, I did a lot of thinning and transplanting to empty spots. Puttering in the garden is calming, so I do it a lot. My 5-year-old daughter didn’t take much interest in planting, but she loves to see how it’s all growing, and to water. Maybe because she loves to spray her brother with the hose. Shrugs.
One bed has mostly potatoes, organic reds and yellows from the store since I couldn’t find seed potatoes at the time. Also green onions and garlic, and carrots separating the sugar snap peas that are popping up at the sunniest end. I found that where I chose to build beds maybe wasn’t the smartest for sunlight, so no strawberries or tomatoes in there. But we have spinach and beets, a collection of herbs, and by far the easiest vegetable I’ve never grown before, radishes.
They were the first up and the fastest growing in a bright, happy green square. I had to thin it twice because they were too close together, and probably still are, and got a big batch of adorable baby radishes. My son loves pulling the biggest ones and showing them off. But what to do with all those radish greens? I hate throwing things out, especially things I’ve taken time and effort to grow. Tiny, thinned greens were washed and eaten in salad. Mmmm, baby greens. But radish greens, I’ve found, can be chopped and sautéed (in butter) like spinach, kale, or chard. Add a bit of chicken or veggie stock, some salt-free seasoning, and a good drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Side dish done! (No my kids don’t eat it, but I’m hoping someday….)
And pesto. Basil pesto is not my favorite, but carrot top pesto is an amazing dip or spread. Google the recipe from Yup… It’s Vegan if you want to try it. (I personally skip the mint and add nutritional yeast. Or cheese. No, I’m not vegan.) And it turns out you can do the same thing with radish tops, or so the interwebs say. I’m pretty excited to try it, because we’re going to have radish top pesto in the freezer for years. Fingers crossed!
Song of the day: Here Comes the Sun, The Beatles
Karen Harris Tully is a novelist living in Raymond with her husband and two small children. She writes sci-fi/fantasy for teens and adults and can be found at www.karenharristully.com.
