Finally, the Vegetable Garden is a Go!

For three years I have been trying to develop gardens on my property here in Monticello, Utah. The ground here is horrible; a mixture of dry dirt, sand and clay; and it didn't help that the previous owner abused, not just the house itself, but the land around it. Respect was not a priority to this person at all, but we've loved up the house and made it into a home. Not for anything, but the previous owner should have paid us for the house and land, considering everything we've had to do to improve it.  Now I've been trying to get top soil to build up the front and back yards; no luck so far. One construction company wants to charge an arm and a leg for each cubic foot; and then there are those who would rather dump good top soil into the local landfill than give it away to neighbors. Sorry, but that is retarded thinking on their part.

For the past two years, I've done container gardening for my vegetable plants. Nice concept for small spaces, but you don't get those large, beautiful and numerous veggies like you would with a garden. We found a rototiller on sale at the Home Depot in Durango, Colorado last year and put it to good use this year. Choosing a section of the yard that is bordered by the wooden fence and the home (also gets 8 hours of sun), my hubby cleaned it all up and loosened the dirt with the rototiller. Amazing the junk that was buried from years of neglect, but we did happen to find a silver and turquoise ring; and a gold and turquoise belt buckle. I wonder what other buried treasure is around here? Roy built barriers from 8 foot (4" x 4") cedar posts, two on top of each other and then secured with half inch rebar (steel posts). For drainage, we put down a layer of gravel in the designated areas and then filled it with organic soil. For a walkway, I laid down shredded cedar; it's rustic looking and smells great.

There is still about 3 feet of space from the initial garden area to the edge of the house. Roy is going to finish those off with more cedar posts; then I'll plant herb plants that I'll harvest and dry for storage.

Then the planting began; a beefsteak tomato, zucchini, straight neck yellow squash, bell peppers and hot peppers of various heat intensity. I plan on adding plum (Roma) and yellow tomato plants; the yellow tomatoes are less acidic then the red.

Now here in Monticello, we could get frost up to June 15; not good for a vegetable garden to thrive in. I had a roll of heavy duty plastic (the type used for winterizing windows), tented it over the plants and created a hothouse effect to help them survive just in case that cold snap does occur.

So now it's a matter of wait and see; fingers are crossed, but I've got a really, really good feeling about it all.

Mary Cokenour

The Legend of the Chipotle.

THE LEGEND OF THE CHIPOTLE

It is said that long ago there once was a Jalapeno who lived alone in the fields west of the Rio Grande. The Jalapeno kept to itself, coming into the nearby town for supplies such as herbs and spices, before returning to its resting place. The townsfolk grew curious, none could find its home; rumors of Jalapeno magic and tales of hidden treasures were told. The townsfolk tried to question the Jalapeno, but it would not speak and came into town less and less.

One day a sickness took the town, however the Jalapeno remained unaffected. The people feared a curse upon them, blaming the Jalapeno and seeking vengeance upon it.  As the Jalapeno tried to leave the town, they surrounded it and bound the Jalapeno to a Ribeye steak. Slowly they roasted it over a pit of mesquite embers, till its skin blackened and burned. Not once did it scream nor utter a single sound, that is until it began to blacken, then some say the Jalapeno laughed.

The people say that on that night a curse was truly laid upon the town. The vengeful spirit of the Jalapeno, the natives call a Chipotle, haunts the land.  Any who dare to challenge the spirit of the Chipotle will burn, burn from the inside out.  This, my friends, this is the legend of the Chipotle.

~~~~~

Now the above is a story that my husband Roy made up after he had eaten a roasted jalapeno, called a chipotle, at Tequila's.   He felt it stirring in his stomach and had a deep appreciation for the burn.  More so the next morning when I could hear him singing "Burning Ring of Fire" while in the bathroom.  Enough about that.

Roasting vegetables such as peppers is not difficult; however you can find chipotle in adobo sauce in any international section of a supermarket.

The basic methods are to first make sure the peppers being used are firm to the touch; if soft, they are old. If the stove is gas, turn the burners on low and place the peppers directly on top. Use tongs to turn the peppers as the skin blackens. The peppers can also be blackened on a barbeque grill, or under the broiler. Once blackened on all sides, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the bag; this will cause a steaming process. Once the peppers are warm to the touch, the skin will easily peel off, and the seeds can be removed. Chop, dice, slice up the peppers for salads, dressings, sauces, or added to a recipe.

Mary Cokenour