cleavers coffee

So I found this plant growing in my sideyard this spring, which I learned is Galium aparine, also knows as cleavers or bedstraw or a ton of other common names. I also learned that not only is it edible, but highly nutritious. The first few articles I found talked about pulping it into smoothies or making tinctures, neither of which interested me. But then I discovered you can make a coffee-like drink out of it, and that intrigued me. As an experiment, I let it continue to grow- you have to harvest the seeds when they are matured and dried out.

Perhaps a mistake. I have not been out to the sideyard much this summer, and when I finally did check on things, it was all an overgrown mess. A lot of my joe pye weed had flopped over, black-and-blue salvia smothering the gladiolas again, lamb's ears seem to have died out. Not only that, but the cleavers was winding up and through other plants, tangling along with some bindweed or morning glory, and what looks like a weedy grape? I spent a few hours out there pulling the vines out, trimming things, propping up some of the pye stems, pulling weeds. While doing that I noticed that the dried cleavers stems had seeds hanging on them. So I stuffed all those in a bucket.

A few days later I went out and plucked a bunch of cleavers seed off the ground with tweezers. Yes, I do senseless things sometimes. Rubbing them around against each other and between my fingers knocks off most of the dirt. Then I methodically went through all the matter in the bucket. Holding little clumps of stem up against the light made it easy to see the seeds, which have fine hairs that give them a sort of halo. No problem if I dropped any, as they readily stuck to my clothes!

But it was super tedious. When I got to the bottom of the bucket I found far more seeds, however mixed in with broken chaff and fine dirt. I found it easiest to separate the seeds by putting little piles on the table, sifting and spreading it out, and then feeling for the seeds with my fingers, rolling them off to the side, rubbing them together to loosen off any remaining dirt. 

Hours. I would not recommend doing it this way. If I ever do this again, would make more conscious effort to go out there sooner and pluck the seeds straight off the plant before they fall. They are very small.

Next step was to roast them, I used a dry cast iron skillet. A nice coffee-like smell. (Unlike the roasting dandelion roots which smell more nutty).

Then pulverized them in a grinder. (A mortar and pestle would also work, but mine is full of eggshells right now).

Then steeped in hot water. I did a pour-over method, as they ground up so fine I was afraid it might clog the sieve part of my french press. 

How was the drink? Underwhelming. Mild coffee taste, very similar to the dandelion concoction actually. Not nearly so strong as I expected. I used one tablespoon and one teaspoon per the single mug-worth of water (about 8oz I think)- because that's all I had! After all that work. I think it would be stronger if I used a bit more roasted cleavers, or if I used the french press and steeped it longer. As is, it felt not worth all the effort.

short and divided

Most of my carrots have had nice straight roots. This one must've hit a rock!

herbs and tomatoes

Finally have a few large tomatoes to pick- I get them early and let finish ripening on the windowsill (otherwise the squirrels eat holes out of them). Some are oddly shaped this year! 

There is also an oddity in one of my basil pots. A seed came up looking the same as all the rest, but grew tiny leaves. They have the same flavor (maybe a little sharper) just small for some reason.

As for the other herbs, well some have failed me. Dill is pretty much done- gone to flower and now dying off. That's usual. But my pot of summer savory on the deck, only has two surviving plants out of the six or eight I stuck in there. The pot of dill never did well either, and the parsley is only a few small leaves, really struggling. These did so much better when in planters on the deck railing.

Chives, thyme, basil and mint are doing well. Tarragon is sprawling in the herb bed (this French type doesn't seem to grow upright like the Russian one did I had before), sculpit is putting out its balloon flowers, and green onions continue growing. I hope to eat more of those soon.

green onions

First cutting. Not many- I only have three onions growing there. But cutting them is supposed to encourage the bunching growth, and this was just enough to sprinkle over some portabellas cooked in a tamari sauce for dinner.

We're continuing to eat carrots from the garden almost every other day- because that's what I have the most of, that's doing well out there. Beets once or twice a week, chard about as often now. Their regrowth has slowed down, I think because of the heat. I somehow lost half my swiss chard patch last week- there are only three plants on that side remaining. Were a bit smothered by some of the carrot foliage falling over- did the shade and heat do them in? or bugs got it, I don't know. 

The peas are done. The tomatoes are slowly coming on- my sweet 100's completely died (dunno why) but I have a handful of cherokee purple cherry tomatoes every few days, and larger ones too- beefsteak and others. I pick them when they are just starting to turn color and then finish ripening on windowsill, otherwise the animals/bugs get them.

Had a second helping of turnips, once again cooked with peas and salmon. My husband really likes that dish so I definitely have to grow more turnips next year. Seems like such a homely vegetable, but it does so well without any care! Cut the first lot of collard greens to eat tonight- the leaves are on the small side, and not great-looking. I've read that the purplish hue is probably from potassium deficiency in the soil, though they're still fine to eat. Funny, I planted more blue collards than yellow this year- because in the past I have preferred the blue ones. But the yellow ones are looking much healthier, so I should have done it the other way around!

A few purple podded green beans. I picked a small handful (enough for just one serving) last week, and only two ready-sized beans today. Missed half a dozen the first time around that are now too fat with seed maturing- so I will leave those to dry on the vine and be my seed next year. But now there are no new beans forming. I'm not sure if this is because of heat stress, or because my leaving some pods to ripen made the plant think its job is done.

Lost one small asparagus plant. Two others are doing great (so far as I can tell) and the third is half the size of the others. 

Nothing else to report. We're having hot days in the upper nineties again. On the days where I happen to wake up too early- at five or six am- instead of trying to go back to sleep I get up (even though still tired) and go out to the garden before it is hot. I have just enough time to put out the compost, weed a few beds, harvest food for the day and water the garden with the hose, before temperatures rise and the sweat starts rolling down my back just standing still.

first turnips

a few days ago, actually. They are small- little bigger than golf ball I think. But I didn't pull them too early- the texture was smooth, the flavor mild even sweet. I liked them better than turnips in the past. Couldn't find my recipe notes but remember how to cook them- diced small, sauteed in butter with peas and dill. Served with rice and salmon. Even the greens were pretty good. So easy to grow. I should do an entire bed of just turnips next year.

Have also been pulling more carrots. I have to say, the short ones that come up so stubby and feel a pain to prep with the peeling- at least they pull easy! The ones in the middle section have nice long straight roots but some of them the tops break off and even digging around exposing half of it I can't get a grip and I broke a few in half, the lower end is still in the ground. 

We're having a terrible heat wave- over a hundred degrees the past few days- and I've been out watering the garden with hose every morning at 7 or 8am. Gathering food for the day same time- but when the soil is damp those carrots cling.

Pulled beets today for dinner. They were great. The greens also, cooked in avocado oil with garlic.

My first purple green beans are forming- but I have to keep my cat from chewing on them. The stems grew all up the deck railings and she sees it as free salad! I propped up some acrylic panels to actually barricade off the green bean leaves- don't care if she nibbles a few of those but if she bites through a stem everything above it will die. It looks silly.

first carrots

These are the short'n'sweet variety. About twice the size of my thumb. Mild flavor. So nice to just walk out and yank food out of the ground! 

Ate the first few tomatoes today, too. Still pulling beets every week, and cutting chard every other day. There are a few peas as well. Turnips look ready but I haven't eaten those yet. Have yet to use the collards- yellow chard looks fine (not great) but the blue collards a lot of leaves are purple and I'm not sure why.

beets!

I've been thinking how good they look, and yes, they were.

Especially because gave us lots of nice greens. I do like fresh beet greens.