We're so excited about our new program! Next Tuesday will be our first Farm-To-You event! We will be bringing products from the farm to a neighborhood in Fate. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello. We would love to meet you! 
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 Oxalis can be found growing in most any yard or garden. Many people try to kill this "ugly" weed. I like to think of it as a food I didn't need to plant. As we all know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This beauty is good to eat. Backpackers use it as a refreshing drink along the trail. The flowers, leaves, stems, seed buds and tuber roots can all be eaten. How do you identify Oxalis? It can have yellow, white or pink flowers. There are 850 different species of Oxalises. All have flowers with five petals. The "clover like" leaf has three heart-shaped leaflets. Even though it looks like a clover, it's not related at all! So how do they differ? They both have three leaves. Both have pink, yellow or white flowers. The three leaves differ in that the true clover leaves are more rounded. The clover leaf has a tiny toothed edge. A full or partial white chevron design can be found on the green leaflets of the clover as well. The easiest way to tell them apart is to wait until they bloom. Oxalis will always have a five petal flower. The clover bloom will be round in shape and some can be sort of spiky.
More Recipes Now that's what I call hiding the evidence. While enjoying a nice soup and salad on the patio with guest, just keep smiling as you pull up another spoonful of soup to your mouth when you hear them complement you on a weed-free garden! (Read the consumption warnings below.) 
Oxalis has been said to reduce fever and increase appetite. When applied as a topical, it can reduce inflammation. Consumption Warnings: As with many things, eating in excess is not a good thing. Oxalis contains oxalic acid. This acid can bind dietary calcium, resulting in a loss of calcium in your bones. When eaten in excess, it can also cause kidney disease. One can find this warning in most articles on eating Oxalis. However, these same warnings are not found on other items such as black tea, parsley, rhubarb, spinach, chard, beets, cocoa, nuts, berries, black pepper and beans which also contain oxalic acid.
Got some seeds with a story? Dallas Public Library would love to hear your story and share some of your seeds! I'm proud to share my story and seeds with the Seed Library in Dallas. Not only the seeds, but also the story behind the seeds will continue to live on. The seeds I shared have been passed down for at least 150 years. Click the link below to read the whole story.
If you live in an urban area and are interested in raising your own meat or animal products. there are more options than what you might think. Before investing in the animals, housing and other supplies, be sure to check with your city ordinances! Doing so could save you a lot of trouble and money down the road. If you are wanting to be a breeder, you will also need to check regulations before raising and selling. The intent here is to provide information on small animals suitable for raising in backyards. Our focus will be on meat and other animal products. WARNING: Keep your distance and don't become too attached!
Ducks & Geese One's first thought would be to raise ducks and geese for their meat. Another product would be their eggs. Duck and goose eggs are great for eating. Some people prefer to use duck eggs over chicken eggs for baking. Another use of the eggs would be to blow out the insides and decorate the shells.
Now for a couple animals I have never been around or raised... Quail and cattle. I will share what I do know.
Minature Cattle
Exercise caution before breeding! Due to their small size I would be concerned about breeding and the ability to give birth naturally. To avoid the stress and expenses associated with problem deliveries, do you research first. I hope the information above has been helpful and inspired you to raise a few backyard animals. But watch out, before you know it you will be moving to the country in search of larger pasture!
What a bitterly cold start to our week here in Texas! We had to light a fire in the fireplace to chase away the winter chill last night. Today, the sun managed to come out. It was a beautiful site to see all the ice on the trees glistening in the sunlight. I almost missed it! When I left the house for the short walk out to my office this morning, I narrowly escaped slipping on ice. A couple of hours later, while heading out to the post office, the sun was beginning to show it's face. You could see the drip-drops falling to the ground as the ice began to melt. It was so beautiful. One of those sights missed all to often. It amazes me how bone-chilling cold and depressing winter can be when the sun hides behind the clouds and overcast sky. Then just as soon as the sun peeks out, all is bright and cheerful again, as instantly as flipping on a light switch in the house. Walking out to feed the chickens, I had another reminder winter would soon be over. The daffodils have began popping up out of the ground. Yes, spring is on the way. But for now we will continue to bundle up in our winter clothes. Cheers and stay warm everyone!
Yes, pun intended. 1. Size Matters - The thicker stalks are good for roasting and grilling. The thin stalks can be eaten raw, blanched or in a stir-fry 2. Did you know asparagus is in the lily family? That's why it's best to store it standing in a jar of water in the refrigerator. 3. Cut off the woody bottom part of the stalks and toss in the compost pile. Chop, eat raw or cook the upper part of the stalk.  |
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