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First Cabbage
4 Jul 2023 12:02 pmMay was really dry. A good portion of June was too. Then someone turned on the sky spigot. The drought controlled a lot of the pests we normally get, including the dreaded Mexican Brassica Beetle. If you thought cabbage worms were bad, they got nothing on this critter. The devastation is bad. They even eat horseradish to the ground. The beetles live in the ground so covering doesn't help. Sprays are ineffective. They squish nicely but ew! Right now the beetles are small. Slug damage is more evident. I did put down Sluggo Plus, on organic control. It helped.
But now that the sky is dumping rain, the slugs are prevalent. The beetles are getting bigger. I harvested one 4 pound head of NAPA cabbage. It was not pretty. I soaked it in water like five times over. I got all the beetles out and two slugs. Three more were hidden in the depths. More Sluggo was added to the bed. Tomorrow I will try Captain Jack's Dead bug brew. Organic pest control relies on bacteria to kill the pests. It won't affect bees or soil. There are three more heads of Napa in the garden. Only two are actually starting to turn into heads. I'm hoping they mature before the bugs eat the life out of them.
What does one do with 4 pounds of cabbage? I plan on making egg rolls. Chrono made a lot of chicken tonight. While she chopped up chicken for soup and for rillete, I chopped cabbage. Rillette is effectively chicken spread with honey butter with roasted almond flour to thicken. We add basil for an anise flavor. It is great hot weather food. Spread it on a baguette for a nice cool lunch on a hot day.
Meat Spread https://www.saveur.com/recipes/traditional-french-charcuterie-pork-rillettes/
Egg Rolls https://simpleseasonal.com/recipes/baked-pork-and-napa-cabbage-egg-rolls
I also shredded carrots and used the leftover cabbage for a ferment. In a couple of days, there should be sauerkraut in the fridge. Right now, it is out until fermentation starts. I use Mason fermentation lids and pucks.
In a few more hours, yesterday's yogurt will be finished. I also have plantain and calendula drying for a winter hand salve. There is so much to do at this time of year. I may not have enough time to garden, so I've outsourced that job to the squirrels. Take a look at their garden - https://youtu.be/0iKTo6ei5gI
But now that the sky is dumping rain, the slugs are prevalent. The beetles are getting bigger. I harvested one 4 pound head of NAPA cabbage. It was not pretty. I soaked it in water like five times over. I got all the beetles out and two slugs. Three more were hidden in the depths. More Sluggo was added to the bed. Tomorrow I will try Captain Jack's Dead bug brew. Organic pest control relies on bacteria to kill the pests. It won't affect bees or soil. There are three more heads of Napa in the garden. Only two are actually starting to turn into heads. I'm hoping they mature before the bugs eat the life out of them.
What does one do with 4 pounds of cabbage? I plan on making egg rolls. Chrono made a lot of chicken tonight. While she chopped up chicken for soup and for rillete, I chopped cabbage. Rillette is effectively chicken spread with honey butter with roasted almond flour to thicken. We add basil for an anise flavor. It is great hot weather food. Spread it on a baguette for a nice cool lunch on a hot day.
Meat Spread https://www.saveur.com/recipes/traditional-french-charcuterie-pork-rillettes/
Egg Rolls https://simpleseasonal.com/recipes/baked-pork-and-napa-cabbage-egg-rolls
I also shredded carrots and used the leftover cabbage for a ferment. In a couple of days, there should be sauerkraut in the fridge. Right now, it is out until fermentation starts. I use Mason fermentation lids and pucks.
In a few more hours, yesterday's yogurt will be finished. I also have plantain and calendula drying for a winter hand salve. There is so much to do at this time of year. I may not have enough time to garden, so I've outsourced that job to the squirrels. Take a look at their garden - https://youtu.be/0iKTo6ei5gI
