Carol Taylor

Moringa is excellent for chickens...if it will grow in your area!

I would love to have a spineless prickly pear. I don't grow them because I don't want to deal with the spines.  I have a friend that required surgery after getting a spine in his knee.

Prickly pear and nopale cactus are not the same plant although most uses and recipes can be the same for both.  I have glochid-free nopales that I chop up in almost every soup and stew and Mexican dishes.  I use them raw in smoothies and fresh salsas.  Don't use too much in salsa, though, as it's slightly mucilaginous.

I recently purchased this one.  Wasn't sure about it at first but with a little practice it works better than the squeeze type which always had waste.  Shave the end off the bulb and rock it across the width first to break the fiber. I get little or no waste and it's easy to clean.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QT267T7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

My fav...I usually double the butter and thyme mixture.

Best-of-Both-Worlds Potatoes Anna
Vegetarian Times Issue: November 2005
Serves 8

4 T unsalted butter
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, ≈1½ lb
3 Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, ≈1½ lb
1 t dried thyme leaves
1 t salt
¼ t ground black pepper
1 med leek, trimmed, quartered and white part finely chopped, ≈1¼ c
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°

Melt 1 T butter in an 8" ovenproof non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Swirl pan to coat bottom and sides; set aside

Toss sweet potatoes with 1½ T butter, ½ t thyme, ½ t salt and ⅛ t pepper in medium bowl. Set aside

Toss Russet potatoes with remaining butter, thyme, salt and pepper in second bowl

Place one layer of Russet potatoes in overlapping circles on bottom of skillet

Sprinkle with leeks, and top with layer of sweet potatoes

Sprinkle with 1 T Parmesan

Repeat layering, ending with layer of sweet potato slices

Place skillet on burner. Cook potatoes 5 minutes over medium heat to brown bottom

Transfer skillet to oven and bake 45-50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and beginning to brown

Set 9" plate on top of skillet.  Flip upside down to unmold potatoes. Slice into wedges and serve

Here is my recipe.  They can last over a year.  I use leftover juice for purslane and other veggies bits.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

2 lb small, firm cucumbers
2 c water
¼ c + 2 T cider or white wine vinegar
1½ T non-iodized salt
1 T sugar or 2 T light clover or wildflower honey
2-4 cloves garlic
1 t whole mustard seeds
½ t black peppercorns
(2-4 small grape leaves or 3" pieces of horseradish leaf)
2-3 dill flower heads or 2 generous sprigs fresh dill leaves

Cut a thin sliver off the flower end of the cucumbers (opposite the stem end).  This will result in a crunchier pickle

Slice cucumbers lengthwise into halves or spears, or leave very small cucumbers whole

Bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar or honey to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Once it’s boiling, turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature

Put the garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and one of the grape or horseradish leaves into the bottom of a clean glass quart sized jar

Pack the cucumbers as tightly as possible into the jar.  Tuck in the dill and remaining leaves as you add the cucumbers

Pour the cooled brine over the cucumbers.  They should be completely covered by the liquid.  Cover with a lid, and put your pickles-to-be in the refrigerator

Wait 4-days for the flavor of the pickles to develop before tasting

Sounds like it may be sow thistle.

Welcome back!

Definitely check out Echo right there in Fort Myers for plants that grow well down here (echonet dot org). They have some free workshops coming up June 14th. I also highly recommend joining the the local and regional permaculture groups (meetup dot com). I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with some of the Naples group. Friendly, well informed and very knowledgeable people!