Damn, my Arugula is spicy! And the other 44 crops

Damn, my Arugula is spicy! And the other 44 crops...

I really enjoy arugula, I have been seeking it out in salads and sandwiches over the last year. My interest in arugula is a reaction against a Lamont and Tonelli radio skit that went on for 2 hours across one morning where they complained endlessly about arugula. Intrigued I sought out this leafy green.

I like Virgil’s take on Eruca Sativa much more than the morning show: “the rocket excites the sexual desire of drowsy people”, Moretum.

Besides being giving your sex drive a kick, it is also a great source of so much good stuff: Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese.

Kaiwen cooked for dinner some great grass fed beef burgers, and I dressed it with mustard, a slab of cheddar, tomatoes, and tons of arugula.

And the arugula is spicy - almost hot like a very fresh radish. Which makes me realize that this is the first time I have had fresh arugula. Store bought arugula in comparison is vague and is simply another green leaf.

Also finally this week our dwarf Satsuma orange trees have ripened fruit - and just in time as we are getting our first < 32 degree nights. And the Satsuma was so sweet - it was an extremely satisfying dessert by itself.

I have had a great time with the garden and chickens this first year in Austin, but it doesn’t feel like we have been very productive or useful with our garden. We always have stuff growing, but it is not very organized and we just have different stuff at different times, and sometimes we have way too much - like the basil and mint were off the hook.

I stopped tonight and with the recollection of my mother in law it turns out we have grown 45 varieties of food here on our house in Austin - Here are all of the things we have grown since we moved in last year:

Vegetables and Root Crops

(4) Tomatoes: roma, cherry, and a couple of heirloom - we even have 12 self-pollinated tomatoes that have sprung up late this fall. I am hoping they will make it through the winter like the tomatoes did last year.

(3) Peppers: sweet, jalapeno, and chinese

Arugula

Basil

Swiss Chard

(3) Cabbage: Napa, normal green, and a chinese variant

(2) Lettuce: green and red leafy

Green Onions

Bok Choy

Broccoli

Broccolini

Carrots

(2) Beans: Snap Beans & an heirloom Purple Bean

Summer squash

Watermelon

Pumpkin

(2) Eggplant: Japanese, and a long american

(2) Cucumbers

Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes

Okra

Asian Raddish

(2) Sweet Corn

Herbs:

Mint

Rosemary

Thyme

Ginger

Lemon Grass

Fruiting Trees:

Apple

Plum

Pear

Lemons

Satsuma Orange

Acorn

Grapes

Pecan

- and last, but certainly not least -

Chicken Eggs!

Now I am doing our 2014 Garden Plan!

Originally posted on Facebook on November 24, 2013.