Napa Garden to table

Exploring, transforming and consuming my garden and the farms of Napa Valley, California. I use common sense, biodynamic and organic knowledge, weather and moon patterns and observation.

[napagardentotable]

Combining weak hives and bee art.

It’s better to go into the winter with strong bee colonies; they have a far better chance of making it through the stressful cold months than do weak ones. If you have a weak hive, you can combine it with a stronger colony. If you have two weak hives, you can combine them to create a robust colony.

But you can’t just dump the bees from one hive into another. If you do, all hell will break loose. Two colonies must be combined slowly and systematically so that the hive odors merge gradually. This is best done late in the summer or early in the autumn (it isn’t a good idea to merge two colonies in the middle of the active swarming season).

A good method for merging two colonies is the so-called newspaper method. A single sheet of newspaper separates the two hives that you’ll combine. Follow these steps in the order they are given:

Identify the stronger of the two colonies.

Smoke and open the weaker colony.

Manipulate the frames so that you wind up with a single deep hive body containing eight frames of bees, brood, and honey. In other words, consolidate the bees and the eight best frames into one single deep. The “best” frames are those with the most capped brood, eggs, and/or honey.

Smoke and open the stronger hive.

Remove the outer and inner covers and put a single sheet of newspaper on the top bars. Make a small slit, or poke a few holes in the newspaper with a small nail. This helps hive odors pass back and forth between the strong colony and the weak one that you’re about to place on top.

Take the hive body from the weak colony (it now contains eight consolidated frames of bees and brood) and place it directly on top of the stronger colony’s hive.

Only the perforated sheet of newspaper separates the two colonies.

Add a hive-top feeder and fill it with sugar syrup.

The outer cover goes on top of the feeder. No inner cover is used when using a hive-top feeder.

Check the hive in a week.

The newspaper will have been chewed away, and the two colonies will have happily joined into one whacking strong colony. The weaker queen is now history, and only the stronger queen remains.

Now you have the task of consolidating the three deeps back into two.

Go through all the frames, selecting the 16 best frames of honey, pollen, and brood. Arrange these in the lower two deeps. Frames with mostly brood go into the bottom deep, and frames with mostly honey go into the upper deep. Shake the bees off the eight surplus frames and into the lower two deeps (save these frames and the third hive body as spares).

As a weird twist I used a map of napa valley as my divider sheet. Sitting out side of the hive one day I noticed a wedge of paper being dragged out by some girls. To aid the process I grabbed the edge and pulled it out. Amazingly they chewed all about the outside of the paper leaving the map of their home, Napa unmarked. So weird. It’s hanging on my wall as bee art.

[beekinder]

I spent all my life as a wine consultant, tasting, buying and selling wine and spirits. Teaching people a lifestyle, how to live well. I was very good at this job, so much it drained my soul especially during the holiday season. It took years of shedding my soul of marketing and public relations to see what life was about. Not until I became a beekeeper did I achieve my inner peace. Bees came into my life six years ago as a swarm, and with this gift I became a beekeeper. Not the honey for money guy you see at the market but the passionate advocate of my winged friends. Teaching responsible beekeeping consumed my life. Finding a balance between helping them and allowing them to find there own way. Only in the past few years have bees given me honey, wax and propolis. I received these gifts with awe and incorporated them into my life. Toothpaste, mouthwashes, creams, hair pomade, wood wax, mead, and candles to name a few. You name it and I make it. What I learned from these products is the simplicity of life, how I wasn’t an inventor, but just exploring techniques and ingredients that were in use by common house holds less than a few hundred years ago. Where you made what you needed without a carbon footprint, preservatives and marketing machines. Beekeeping has changed the way I live. I far from being granola but I have a learned a respect for the planet, its inhabitants and my small part I play here. I never thought much about legacy and what it means to have the gift of life. But I can tell you I am a better person for taking a step back and looking at life from the eyes of a selfless insect.

Lip balm and rough spot suave 1/4 cup bees wax 1/4 coconut oil 1/4 Shea butter One or two drops of lanolin 4 vitamin E gel tabs squeezed of the contents 10 - 15 drops of essential oil

Melt everything except the E and essential oil in a double boiler. I use an old espresso milk frother dedicated for my wax melting and mixing. Add the Vit E and essential oil of you choice at the last minute to preserve its potency.

I use only vanilla, propolis or lemongrass for my oil. You can buy metal tins, lip balm containers or use used Altoid Smalls containers.

Enjoy and live life well.

[napagardentotable]

Garden Study

Fava Leaf, Fava Bean, Artichoke

In the second dish from the spring garden using Fava Plant, we again explore the simplicity, ease of using the whole Fava Plant.

Freshness is the key. Leaves must be used same day picked as well as beans. A good Sauvignon Blanc wine will enhance the acidity of this dish.

Nutrition of Fava Beans

A 1-cup serving of fava beans boiled without salt provides 187 calories, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and no cholesterol. Additionally, this serving offers the benefit of 177 micrograms of folate, or 44 percent of the daily value, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Potassium, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus are also key nutrients present in fava beans.

Nutrition of Fava Leaves

A 1-cup serving of fava leaves boiled without salt provides 7 calories, 1.09 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of fiber, .86 grams of protein, .12 gram of fat and no cholesterol. Additionally, this serving offers the benefit of 206 micrograms of folate, or 47 percent of the daily value, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Potassium, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus are also key nutrients present in fava leaves.

Green Risotto with  Fava Beans (vegetarian) 

Ingredients: 

1/2 pound fresh, unshelled fava beans

4 oz Fava Leaf Pesto 4 cups Vegtable Broth 3 tablespoons butter, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, or 2 leeks finely chopped 1 cup Arborio rice 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese or soya cheese salt to taste

Directions:  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, shell the favas and discard the pods. Boil the Fava's for 2 minutes, strain and then immediately plunge into ice water. Let cool for 2 minutes then pierce the favas and squeeze them out of their skins

In a separate large saucepan bring the broth to a simmer, and keep it hot. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1.5 tablespoons of the butter and add the onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes; do not brown the onions. Add the rice and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium, and stir constantly. When the wine has been absorbed, add a little of the hot stock. Once the stock is absorbed, add a little more; repeat this process, stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked through.

To the cooked rice add the Fava Leaf Pesto, the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of butter, the Fava's and the cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter and cheese melt and the puree is incorporated evenly. Season with salt.

The meal above is presented with sautéed garlic shrimp. Grilled whole Artichokes with the reserved Garlic oil from the sautéed shrimp for dipping.

[robertawalker]

Gardening 101: Building a raised Garden Bed - Solana Center for Environmental Innovation

[thegreencityinitiative-blog]

Aquaponics & Earth Sustainable Living

Last Saturday, April 19th, we got to take some pictures of Aquaponics & Earth’s Sanctuary 32 aquaponics system at their Dallas Bee Day. One day, our tilapia are going to get this big! The event was co-hosted by BeeWeaver Apiaries and offered a day of free chicken keeping, beekeeping, and aquaponics classes. 

We’d like to take the time to spotlight AESL (Aquaponics and Earth Sustainable Living). The Green City Initiative is so thankful to be learning from the best of the best. Their professionalism, passion, and unparalleled knowledge in the area makes them a dream to work with.

John and Teresa Musser, the founders of AESL, have been feeding children since 1977. They started AESL as a non-profit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization dedicated to help make orphanages and children’s homes self-sustaining and food secure. They’ve spent their lives teaching people how to use very small portions of land to provide abundant, nutritious crops and proteins by utilizing techniques that are more cost-effective and low-maintenance than traditional farming. The good AESL has done can be seen both domestically and internationally; just last September, AESL installed two solar-powered aquaponics units 33 miles back in the rainforests of Belize! Please check out their website: https://www.aquaponicsandearth.org/ 

Organizations like Aquaponics and Earth are making the world a better place. Whether they are feeding orphans in third world countries, installing systems in schools to educate younger generations on sustainability, or helping people become self-sufficient and food secure, AESL inspires everyone they come into contact with to get up and actively make a difference in the world.  

[napagardentotable]

Amazing integration!

[napagardentotable]

Garden to table Fava Plant, Lettuce and Artichoke. two ways

Garden Ingredients Fava Leaves, Fava Beans, Fava Flowers. Artichoke whole, artichoke hearts Tomato purée Lettuce Strawberries

Table presentation - Fava bean toast crisps with garlic rub, pesto leaf paste, Fava beans, Fava bean flowers.

- Baby salad mix, tomato dressing, strawberries, grilled artichoke hearts.

- Fava Leaf Presto on Ghonicci, with a baked artichoke heart ball in tomato sauce.

Fava beans and leaves are dense with nutrition. Also known as broad beans, fava beans have no saturated fat or cholesterol and contain a high concentration of thiamin, vitamin K, vitamin B-6, potassium, copper, selenium, zinc and magnesium. They are also an inexpensive source of lean protein. Fava beans can be served raw or cooked, though the bean pods must first be blanched and the mature seeds shelled before eating. A serving of cooked or fresh fava beans can significantly increase your intake of folate, iron, manganese and dietary fiber, all nutrients that can benefit your health in a variety of ways. Fava Beans are wonder plants, not only do they grow delicious fat meaty beans, they fix nitrogen, essentially fertilizing your garden for you!

[napagardentotable]

First garden appie of the year. Garlic toast crisps, topped with fava bean leaf pesto, blanched baby Fava beans, Fava bean Flowers and olive oil.

[napagardentotable]

Winter garden is moving along. Fava's have been proving us with Fava leaves for pesto. Asparagus is starting to spring forth. Carrots and lettuce as well as herbs abound. Cloned rosemary, mint, lavender Spanish and English, various flowering bushes for the bees. Seedling are busting. Pushing 40 Roma tomato's, 4 heirloom, half dozen, zuccini, cucumber and squash. Jalipeno, ghost peppers, padron, Thai dragon and cayenne peppers are ready to go. Garbage pan potatoes have white, russet and purple spuds. Gourds, blue pumpkins and orange are under cloth to aid in sprouting. I will rip out most of the existing fava's this week and brush off the nitrogen balls clustered on the roots to make the soil super rich for growth of the summer garden. April 15 is our last possible frost day. Coastal weather reports call for a deceit amount of rain so no possibility of freezing weather is upon us. Let the planting begin.

[napagardentotable]

The fermented arts that was the standard for the average family, has gone by the wayside in the name of convenience. Less than 80 years ago families made their own cheeses, yogurt, wine, beer and fermented produce.

It is a sad statement today when people buy these products with the thought that they are good for them. Far from the truth, there are so many preservatives and additives to make them safe. They just become a delivery system for fats, salts and sugars. Not to mention the pile of packaging that fills up your garbage bin each week. 

By making one simple item like yogurt you can eliminate up to 10 plastic containers, the fuel to make and transport these items and assuring yourself that your yogurt is healthier than store-bought yogurt because it has more probiotics. Probiotics live longer the fresher they are. Store-bought yogurt can sit on shelves for weeks before it goes bad, and then the probiotics slowly die off. Homemade yogurt is also healthier than store-bought yogurt because you control what goes in it. 

Being lactose intolerant I make my yogurt from lactose free milk ensuing I can enjoy all the benefits of it with out the upset stomach.

First choose your milk product, whole, 2%, fat free. You can even use goat milk. Here’s my method. I usually use half a gallon of milk at a time. so adjust your heating time accordingly. All other steps are the same.

Place milk in a microwaveable bowl, microwave on high for 13-16 minutes. the milk needs to come to 180 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer dip a washed finger into the milk. If its too hot to leave it in for a second, chances are its 180.

Remove bowl to the counter and allow to cool about 10 minutes, to 110 degrees. Finger test if needed again. If its hot but not too hot for your finger for at least 4 seconds then it should be 110.

Draw off 1 cup of hot milk into another bowl. Add to this a couple Tablespoons of left over yogurt or a freeze dried yogurt starter. Blend well and pour back into the large milk bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place on a heating source.

In the summer a counter with a towel is warm enough, an oven with the pilot light on or even a heating pad on the bottom. I use an old black bag and a heating pad set on low on the bottom. You need to maintain a temperature of around 100 degrees.

Leave undisturbed for 8 to 10 hours. You want a firm custard consistency with very little whey (cloudy liquid). At this stage place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.

I like a thicker consistency in my yogurt called Greek style, so I put it in a cotton bag or cheesecloth and set in a colander to drain. This usually takes a couple hours for a good creamy yogurt.

You can also take some of your finished yogurt for a sour cream drain for an hour longer and add a half lemon juice for more of a tang. For cream cheese leave for another hour, till very firm. You can always add some whey back in to loosen it up.

One taste and you will never buy, yogurt, cream cheese or sour cream again.

[napagardentotable]

Spring has sprung. Well at least in Napa

My first full meal from the garden! I have been pulling green, spinach and lettuce for weeks now. But this is the first complete meal. Garden items include. Potatoes, Fava leaves, young green garlic, artichokes, carrots, turnips, honey

Fresh potato gnocchi, cream of Fava Bean Leaf Pesto,topped with a parmesan crisp, baked artichoke ball, blanched turnip and carrots with fall harvest honey and black sea salt.

Fava Bean Leaf Pesto

3 cups tops of Fava leaves, washed

3 cloves of garlic or 1 young green garlic 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated

1/4 olive oil

salt and pepper.

Optional - 1/4 cup pine, walnut, or sunflower seeds.

Pulse all items in a food processor until creamy. You can spoon this on top of warmed gnocchi or polenta. I wanted something creamier to dip my artichoke ball into so I made a flour, butter, and soya Milk roux. 

To keep the baby carrot tops from wilting, i wrapped the leaves in a cold wet towel and held them above the water while blanching the root. Then submersing the whole veggie in to cold water to refresh.

[the-collegecrafter]

Easy to do home garden

[nthuog]

Noted vào đây. Bạn đang planning làm một cái vườn con con.

[lesliegale-deactivated20160422]

Love using recycled materials!

[lost-lungs]

Dear Earthlings, Bees keep us alive by pollinating pretty much all the crops we eat.. It’s time we start to appreciate these amazing creations of insects more.

[beekinder]

Sweet honey but for a sad reason.

Hive # 4

NV2013 - Golden Italian 

In late November I suspected a lost hive. Very little visual activity, no cleansing flights, observation board had a wisp of white wax which is an indication of uncapping honey for consumption. Being a natural beekeeper I cannot aid this weak colony and must allow nature to take its course.

First part of December brought Napa two weeks of MAJOR freezes, unheard of, along with a drought which was last seen in 1977. All these factors do not fair well for a weak hive. 

The last week of December, and first of January. Still no rain and temperatures in the high 60’s I decided to make an inspection. The small cluster trying to survive had succumbed to the cold. Dead bees were found scatter across the bottom tray. A few bees died with theirs heads buried deep into comb. An indication of starving due to not being able to reach the honey reserves due to the cold. A queen cell could be seen pertruding from one frame.

The lost of a hive is always devastating but a lesson well learned. In this case the hive did not build up stores sufficient to keep them going till spring. They got a late May start and just never caught up with the lack of pollen and honey due to drought. At some point I suspect early November the queen and most of the hive swarmed to parish. Perhaps they sensed immient doom or could be a result of CCD.

In response the remaining brood tried in vein to produce a new queen, but it was too late. She perished with the remainder of the hive. I am forced to harvest this honey as it started to attract ants and raider bees. I could let bees feed off of the honey, but without a direct answer to why the colony collapsed it would risk a pathogen or infection to reach a healthy hive.

The sticky processed begins. There are many extractors out there, but allowing the honey to naturally drain from the wax is easiest if you just have a few frames.

Since the hive wood frames are solid they will be cleaned and then scorched with flame to sterilize the wood before reuse. I will hope for a spring swarm or make a new queen from my strongest hive to restart this hive.

[questionall]

SCIENTIFIC CONCERN ABOUT GMO SAFETY IS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY. Worldwide, nearly 300 scientists have signed on to a statement citing serious safety concerns with GMOs. THE PARTY’S OVER, MONSANTO. Without a label there is no traceability, no accountability and no liability. We’re going to label it… and you know what comes next. GMO FREE USA! READ: http://www.ensser.org/fileadmin/user_upload/signatories_as_of_131210_lv.pdf READ: http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/10/30/growing-scientific-consensus-on-gmo-safety-fears-breaking-news/

[napagardentotable]

Using fireplace ashes in your garden

Wood ash has been recognized as a useful amendment to the soil. So how does burnt ash help thee soil? Since wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil must have for good plant growth and health.

When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element compounds remain. The remaining carbonates and oxides are valuable liming agents, raising pH, thus neutralizing acid soils. Soils that are acid and low in potassium benefit from wood ash. However, acid-loving plants such as blueberries, cranberries, rhododendrons and azaleas would not do well at all with an application of wood ash.

Wood ash has a very fine particle size, so it reacts rapidly and completely in the soil. Although small amounts of nutrients are applied with wood ash, the main effect is that it is a liming agent. The average ash is equivalent to a 0-1-3 (N-P-K). The chemical makeup varies with the type of wood burned. Hardwoods produce three times as much ash per cord as do softwoods.

Calcium and potassium are both essential to plant growth. Calcium is needed for root development, strong cell walls and protein formation in the plant. Potassium is an important catalyst in photosynthesis and is essential for the movement of sugars, seed formation, protein synthesis and the use of nitrogen in plants.

Wood ash should never be applied to areas where potatoes will be planted as ash can promote potato scab. For most garden soil, 20 pounds (about a 5-gallon pail) per 1,000 square feet can be applied safely each year. That equals about 6 pounds of ground limestone applied to the same area.

The best time to apply wood ash is in the spring when the soil is dry and before tilling. In compost piles wood ash can be used to maintain a neutral condition, the best environment for microorganisms to break down organic materials. Sprinkle ash on each layer of compost. This is especially good if you have oak leaves or pine needles in your compost heap.

Wood ash can be used to repel insects, slugs and snails because it draws water out of these invertebrates. Sprinkle ash around the base of your plants to discourage surface-feeding insects. Once ash gets wet, it loses its deterring properties. Too much ash can increase pH or accumulate high levels of salts that can be harmful to some plants, so use ashes carefully.

Note: Never leave wood ash in lumps or piles. Concentrated piles of wood ash causes excessive salt build-up in the soil through leaching and can create a harmful environment for plants.

[beekinder]

Scientists Discover Key Molecule Linking Neonicotinoids to Honey Bee Viruses

A team of scientists in Italy believe they have found the molecular mechanism through which neonicotinoid pesticides adversely impacts the immune system of honey bees. The team’s experiments suggest that exposure to neonicotinoids results in increased levels of a particular protein in bees that inhibits a key molecule involved in the immune response, making the insects more susceptible to attack by harmful viruses.

Though previous studies have indicated that exposure to minute amount of neurotoxic pesticides like neonicotinoids severely impair the immune systems of bees, making them more susceptible to pathogens, the underlying mechanism has was not yet been fully understood. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, is the latest of several studies to add weight to the urgency of repeated calls from U.S. beekeeper and environmental groups for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, as the European Commission decided this past April.

Neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides that includes clothianidin and imidicloprid, are taken up by a plant’s vascular system and expressed through pollen, nectar and gutation droplets from which bees forage and drink. They are particularly dangerous because-in addition to being acutely toxic in high doses-they also result in serious sublethal effects when insects are exposed to chronic low doses, as they are through pollen and water droplets laced with the chemical, and dust that is released into the air when coated seeds are planted with automated vacuum seed planters. These effects cause significant problems for the health of individual honey bees as well as the overall health of honey bee colonies. Effects include disruptions in bee mobility, navigation, feeding behavior, foraging activity, memory and learning, and overall hive activity.

Up until now, the causal link between insecticide exposure and immune alteration has been unclear. Francesco Pennacchio, Ph.D. of the University of Naples Federico II, and his colleagues identified a gene in insects similar to that found in other animals that is known to regulate the immune response. This gene codes for a leucine-rich repeat protein family (LRR) which has been shown to suppress the activity of a key protein involved in immune signaling, called NF-

[napagardentotable]

We all have a stake in the planet. The die off of bees is directly related to our respect for the planet. Please stop.

[napagardentotable]

WASTE AT THE MOST BASIC LEVEL

40 TONS OF BREAD ARE WASTED EVERY YR.

32% OF EVERY LOAF OF BREAD IS WASTED

This is hidden distressing fact since it is far to easy to pluck down some change and pick up a loaf of bread. Less than 100 years ago the majority of most homes made their own breads. Mixing, kneading, raising, and baking is the process. This process consumed most of a day. So bread was cherished, a staple that was of worth and never wasted.

Today we don’t give a single thought about throwing away the last slices of bread. It represents little value to us than a few pennies.

But there is a better way. Make bread crumbs and take that unused bread and put a value back into it by recycling it and saving you not only the cost of bread but the cost of buying bread crumbs.

If this is not enough incentive how about your health?

I still remember how shocked I was when I first discovered the extensive ingredient list on the side of a standard container of plain breadcrumbs.  Here is an example from Progresso:

Enriched Flour  (Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup,Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Cottonseed Oil, Corn, Canola), Water, Contains 2% or Less of the Following Yeast, Salt, Brown Sugar, Honey, Molasses, Sugar, Wheat Gluten, Whey, Soy Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Rye Flour, Corn Flour, Oat Bran, Corn Meal, Rice Flour, Potato Flour, Butter, Dough Conditioners (Mono And Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, and/or Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Soy Lecithin, Calcium Carbonate], Yeast Nutrients [Ammonium Sulfate, Calcium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Vinegar,Nonfat Milk, Buttermilk, Lactic Acid, Calcium Propionate, and Potassium Sorbate  (Preservatives), Sesame Seeds.

Shouldn’t breadcrumbs just include, well, bread?

Not only is this list incredibly long (over 30 ingredients), but it includes six types of sugar including high fructose corn syrup (a tactic food companies love to use to keep sugar from being listed higher up on the ingredient list), partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats which increase your risk of heart disease and stroke), several dairy products, and at least 10 ingredients unidentifiable (and unpronounceable) to the average consumer.

A standard bread recipe typically includes flour, yeast, water, salt and honey or sugar.  Aside from the preservatives used to keep these crumbs shelf stable, the rest of the ingredients listed are completely unnecessary.

Making your own breadcrumbs is incredibly simple, cheap, and results in a much tastier and healthier product. Plus it is a great way to use up stale bread that might otherwise be thrown out.

Keep in mind that commercial bread found in grocery stores can have just as many needless ingredients as listed above.  Try and choose bread with as few ingredients as possible; make sure you recognize all of the ingredients; and avoid enriched flour, which has been stripped of the wheat germ, thus causing a reaction in your body similar to sugar.

Average cost of one loaf of bread $ 2.50

Average cost of bread wasted  .80 cents

Average cost of Bread Crumbs $ 2.59

Average cost of making crumbs with 8 slices of stale bread     ZERO you save $ 1.60 

DA