A Mattingly - Gardens and Grace
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Exciting New Product - Dandelion Bee Tote!

4/26/2017

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 Check out this adorable tote!  This bag was designed from a photo snapped on the farm this spring of one of "our bees" collecting pollen and nectar. The wing detail is amazing. Such amazing and beautiful creatures!






Check It Out
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Herbal Oil Feta Cheese Recipe

4/24/2017

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Ingredients
8 ozs of feta cheese cut into bite size cubes
2 to 3 1-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary or other herb(s) of your choice
2 to 3 slices of red pepper
Whole pepper seeds
Olive oil


Instructions
Place a sprig of your chosen herb on the bottom of a clean jar. Now fill the jar with cheese. Place 2 to 3 sprigs of your herb in the jar with the cheese.  Now add the sliced red pepper. Drop a small pinch of pepper seeds in the jar. Pour in the olive oil until the cheese is completely covered and attach the jar lid. Place the jar in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 hours so all the flavors will infuse. The feta will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Though it is recommended to keep this in the refrigerator, my preference is not to ever put my jars in the refrigerator.  However, I'm not really sure how long it will keep stored in the pantry as mine never lasts more than a few days.

This makes a great hostess gift!  Just remember to remove from the refrigerator in enough time for the oil to warm back to room temperature before presenting as a gift.


Any oil and byproducts left in the jar when the cheese is gone can be used to make a salad dressing or added to soups and vegetables.

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Funny Story:  City Man Comes to Farm

4/23/2017

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So I was out working in my office last week when I noticed a van pull up.  A young man gets out with a package he was delivering.  As soon as I walk out the door, he tosses the box on the hood of his truck, then RUNS and JUMPS back in the truck.  He points towards my office building.  I quickly step off the porch and look back, thinking there must be a snake, skunk or some other animal that causes fear near my building.  At that point, my large Great Pyrenees mix-breed dog slowly walks out from behind my truck.  The man is now pointing at my dog.  He ask what it is.  I tell him it's a dog. He then ask why I keep it outside.  I then tell him because it's a farm dog.  Seriously, how many people keep a hundred pound dog in the house when they live on a farm?  First of all, I couldn't get Levi to go in the house if his life depended on it. Secondly, if I ever got him in the house and he successfully made the adjustment, he would HATE living in the house.  I mean, how can he frolic the fields, chase off predators like coyotes and hunt (eat) rabbits when he's locked in the house? It would just be cruel to keep him in the house! His next question was if he bites. I told him if he messed with me he would.  But just dropping off a package, no. Sometimes I think what I do out here is not really that special as anyone could do it.  Then I meet a city person who knows absolutely nothing about farm life and country living. 
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A Medley of Herbal Aromas

4/21/2017

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Just started the infusion process for three batches of herbal cooking oils. The aroma of fresh chopped rosemary, sage and lemon balm brought in from the garden fills the air!  Such an invigorating and woodsy smell! These oils will be bottled and ready for a farmer's market event I will be attending next weekend! More information on that event next week. This weekend I should make a few jars of herbal feta cheese.   Delicious!  That's a recipe I need to share with all of you guys in the future!

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April Showers Bring May Flowers

4/17/2017

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All this rain we have been getting lately is wonderful for the wildflowers in the yard and pastures.  Great food is growing for the bees!  Amazing how tall the grass is getting.  Mowers are ready when the puddles and grass dry. Time to get mowing soon, the grass and not the flowers that is.

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Update on Gardens . . .

4/11/2017

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Hay bale garden is doing wonderful!  Specially since the plants on the front row of bales were rescued from Peter Rabbit and all his friends...  We have already had several fresh bok choy and kale salads this spring.  The strawberries have a taste that is to die for!  Looking forward to fresh cabbage and broccoli later this summer.

Raised bed garden is doing well also...  Planted the three tomato plants in this garden just before the last freeze.  I was sure they were goners, but to my surprise they have recovered and are growing strong now.  The onions and sweet peas should be ready to harvest soon.  Just planted the peppers last week.  They already have blooms peeking out!  Hummm... peppers, onions, and tomatoes... guess I will have to make salsa this summer! 
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Happy Gardening and God Bless!

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The red, white & blue potatoes are going wild in their growing!!  I'm so excited to see how they turn out later this summer.   I have never had success with potatoes when I planted them directly in the ground.  You can also see some herbs and other plants here in my container garden area.  Due to the rabbits, I put all the containers in an old trough feeder we had on the farm.  So far the rabbits have not been able to reach these plants.  Originally I wanted to use this trough for the planting of greens like spinach, turnips and collards.  With all the other projects going on around the farm, I was not able to get them planted.  Maybe this fall.
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    A Mattingly
    Artist, Gardener, Writer

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  • Home
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