Step 1. Marry someone strong who will do all the heavy lifting in the project.
Step 2. Download Lynn Gillespie’s e-book Cinder Block Gardens for $19.95. Read the book.
Step 3. Make a list and head to Home Depot, Lowe’s or your local garden shop. A pickup truck is handy for this trip. The supplies weigh in total almost 1500 pounds.
Basic supplies include: • 24 cinder blocks ($0.79 each) • 2 bales 3.8 c.f. peat moss ($12.00 each) • 10 50-lb. bags all-purpose sand ($2.80 each) • 3 bags 2 c.f. compost ($6.00 each) • 1 roll commercial-grade weed barrier ($11.00)
If you are a novice gardener, consider these additional items: • garden hose • spray nozzle • sink adapter if you don’t have an outside water source • shovel and rake • rebar stakes and sledgehammer if building on a slope
Related Post: Garden Update and Garden Update II
Step 4. Find a flat space and follow instructions in the e-book for garden construction.
Step 5. Consult the “Vegetable Reference Guide” chapter to decide what and how much to plant. Buy seeds or starter plants from a local garden shop. Be sure to buy the tomato plants that come with the lady with the red foot. Plant accordingly.
Step 6: Watch your garden grow.
Step 7. Consider starting a compost pile. Purchase a compost container on-line or from your home-garden center, or construct one following Ms. Gillespie’s instructions. This is the one I have my eye on. It only costs $500.
Pictured above is garlic. I planted each of these cloves in its own cinder-block hole. Each one will grow into a full bulb.
I also planted two bunches of basil, two bunches of cilantro and one bunch of oregano. Each of these grows in its own cinder-block hole as well.
So, I am happy to report that the American Tuna I recently smothered with cheese and wedged between two pieces of buttered bread tastes just as delectable when prepared in a healthy manner. These open-faced sandwiches, made with the same tarragon-tuna salad prepared for the tuna melt plus a couple tablespoons of capers, make a very tasty, light lunch or dinner. Toasted olive bread is an especially nice base.
Additionally, I must report my latest egg preparation: soft-boiled. Yum. The recipe I followed produced perfectly colored and textured soft-boiled eggs. I’m not sure I’m crazy about the method, however, which calls for submerging the eggs in cold water, which makes the eggs, as expected, cold. In any case, soft-boiled eggs atop asparagus, prosciutto and mascarpone-slathered toasts make another great open-faced sandwich.
Lastly, down below, you’ll see another batch of the whole-grain muffins I made several weeks ago. In this batch, mashed bananas and pecans have replaced the Fuji apples.
Asparagus Toasts with Mascarpone, Prosciutto & Soft-Boiled Eggs. To make these toasts, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice a loaf of french bread into four 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toast until golden. Meanwhile, place four eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Plunge the eggs into cold water. After three minutes, peel and slice the eggs. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch one bunch of asparagus for 30 seconds. Spread the toasts with a spoonful of mascarpone cheese. Top each with a slice of prosciutto, a few pieces of asparagus and the sliced eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Open-Face Tuna Salad Sandwiches Serves 4
1 loaf of olive bread extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustar d juice of half a large lemon (about 1½ tablespoons) kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 1 6-ounce can American Tuna ¼ cup finely diced red onion ¼ cup chopped tarragon 2 tablespoons capers 1 tomato , thinly sliced 1 small bunch lettuce
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Slice the olive bread into four thin rounds. Place on a cookie sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise with the mustard and lemon juice. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Dressing will be thin. Taste, adjusting seasoning as necessary.
Place tuna in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, tarragon and capers. Pour dressing over top and combine mixture gently with a fork. Set aside.
Assemble sandwiches: Line bread rounds with tomatoes. Top each with a small handful of lettuce. Top each with a mound of the tuna salad. Cut in half, if desired. Serve.
The 100% whole-grain muffins pictured below are filled with mashed ripe bananas and crunchy pecans. As FarmGirl promised, this recipe can be adapted in countless ways.
