Planting Garlic and The Disappearing Nine Patch!

It's time to plant the garlic!

We purchased some amazing seed garlic from a local humble grower,

Shallot Hill Farm.

This producer, James Harrison, works his fingers to the bone, 

growing shallots, amazing garlic, kale, celery root, sunchokes, a variety of onions,

and much, much more.

He supplies many high end restaurants in our area who feature locally grown produce!

Look at the size of this seed garlic!

We cracked  and planted these beauties just before the rain this morning.

I can hardly wait till next summer to harvest this deliciousness!

Another item he sent home with us was a celery root.

I have never eaten this but it is apparently very good used fresh in salads or roasted and made into a creamy fall soup (I might try that).

He also sent us some "sunchokes" aka Jerusalem Artichoke.

I have never even heard of this but apparently you can also plant this in the Fall.

It grows very tall with yellow flowers and the root can be roasted and eaten as well.

It sort of looks like ginger?

So - we planted a few of these - at the end of our strawberry patch.

(I am noting this here so that I remember what is growing there next summer - eek).

It's fun trying different things.

Perhaps, however, I should have read this article before adding this exotic vegetable

to our garden?

http://commonsensehome.com/before-you-plant-sunchokes/

Oops - too late.

On another note - 

I had the privilege this week of being part of a quilting project

at the college where I formally worked - what a great bunch of quilters!

I learn so much from these talented ladies.

The project they are working on for the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale next May is

called "The Disappearing Nine Patch".

I love the pattern and especially the colours that are being used.

Here are a few pictures I snapped as the blocks were being created ...

Nine patches are sewn together, then cut into four, rearranged and sewn back into one patch - cool!

This has me going through my own stash of fabrics and is inspiring me to recreate this pattern too.

The quilt blocks will be sewn together before Christmas and then set up in the college

library atrium for hand quilting in January and February.

Hope I will have some chances to join in on the finishing of this project.

Till next time - have you done any Fall plantings or quilting projects?