This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Sunday, 11 December 2011

Early Muscari and Veg Soup

I noticed a few Muscari bulbs blooming. They usually bloom in March/April so I was a bit surprised to see this.

Last week we had gale force wind up to 80 mile per hour in Northern Ireland. It's been quite cold too.
Today (in the rain) I gathered bits and pieces from the garden to make chunky veg soup. I put it all in a crock pot and let it simmer slowly until done.
Above Soup Ingredients:

kale (nero di toscana),
carrots (nante),
leek (musselburgh),
potatoes (maris peer),
2 parsnip,
salt, pepper, turmeric, 2 pints chicken stock.



Left: Carrots from the wheelbarrow are mostly used up now.
Frost covered kale (photo taken in November). Many of my friends have never eaten kale nor know what it looks like. Many healthy eating books recommend kale for its nutritional value. It's a great veg!



Happy Winter Gardening!
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12 comments:

  1. Mark Willis11 December 2011 at 08:25

    Wow, the photo of the Nero di Toscana is wonderful! Looks like you had a pretty severe frost, so it's a good job that kale is hardy. I bet that soup was just what you needed in your current weather conditions.

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  2. Anonymous11 December 2011 at 10:13

    Great soup for a cold damp day. I think more and more people are discovering kale.

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  3. Sue Garrett11 December 2011 at 10:42

    I was a little intrigued by the title I though you'd found a new soup ingredient - muscari! I'll have to see if ours are showing any signs.

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  4. ~TastyTravels~11 December 2011 at 12:14

    Hi Kelli! I'm behind on my blog reading but your promise of a veggie soup caught my eye!! Yummy!! I love your kale pic with the frost. It reminds me to check to see if my plant outside is surviving in our COLD weather!! Brr!! Happy Holidays!!

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  5. Jo12 December 2011 at 04:21

    I'd never eaten kale until I got my allotment, I wouldn't be without it now. My friends don't know what it is either, they're really missing out.

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  6. HolleyGarden12 December 2011 at 07:03

    Your soup looks so good! I can't believe your muscari is blooming! Very odd.

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  7. Neesie12 December 2011 at 12:48

    I feel healthier just by looking at your soup never mind eating it!

    The kale photo is great with all the 'frosticles'

    Stay cosy ;D

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  8. ann12 December 2011 at 20:49

    Happy winter gardening indeed. By the looks of it you still have plenty of greens despite your bit of snow. Your soup looks so good for these cold days. Your Muscari must be confused or giving in to global warming. Pretty none the less and a pleasant surprise, no doubt.

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  9. Malar12 December 2011 at 22:43

    The soup look good! Those carrot looks yummy and fresh!

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  10. Malay-Kadazan girl13 December 2011 at 01:21

    We will never see frost at our kale. Your soup pack with bunch of nutrients from your home-grown. Looks good. We like musselburgh leek too.

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  11. Catherine@AGardenerinProgress13 December 2011 at 14:20

    Your soup looks delicious and how nice that the veggies are all from your garden! We have kale growing, but it's so small. It's been covered in frost for days. I heard that a frost is supposed to sweeten it.

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  12. Anonymous13 December 2011 at 18:49

    Huh, that does seem odd to have muscari blooming in December! Now you have me longing for spring even more than I usually do. Winter is tough for me.

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