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D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Experimental Crop
Mon Jul 26 2010

So I took a notion to plant some lentils this year. I just planted some from the bags you buy in the grocery store. I have two short rows of them. They are rather nice looking plants, though I would say slow growing.
They are just now starting to show their pods.

I think if I wanted a real crop of them, I would have to plant a LOT more plants... but on the other hand, they don't seem particularly picky about their growing conditions which might work out just fine.

Here they are:

[album 65561 Lentil 1.jpg]

Here's a pod:

[album 65561 Lentil 2.jpg]

And here's what's in it:

[album 65561 Lentil 3.jpg]

Right after I took the picture, I ate the lentil. It's still soft, and tastes a bit like a green pea. I'll wait till the pods are dry and the plants sort of dry up. That's what I do with other dry beans. Speaking of which, the Dutch Brown beans are ripening too. If I'm lucky, I'll end up with a cup or so to cook up and see how we like them.

Also picked a bowl full of tomatoes this morning, but truly, it's slim pickin's out there for tomatoes. I'm bummed about it too. But for now, I have enough to make fresh tomato soup.

It's a lowering thought to realize that I really am a hobby gardener. Because if we were depending on that garden for some serious food, there would be some empty stomachs around here pretty often.

But I'm keeping my hand in, so I don't forget my post-apocalyptic skills.

(Oh brother. Are you still on that kick?)

Don't worry, we will make a place for you in the shelter ( ). Right next to the porta-potty. Trust me, if I ever DO need my post-apocalyptic skills, you will be a beliver by then. We'll let you in.

Honest.

[album 65561 Little Miss Sunshine.JPG]

Will there be cookies after the apockolifts?

(Yeah kid, there will most likely be cookies. Probably made out of lentils
and no one will want to eat them.)

Skeptic.

(Lord knows somebody has to keep their head around here.)

6 Comments
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 26 2010
    Great lentil crop! I will try planting some here next year and see how they do in the mountains. Wish I would have tried this year. Dang.

    I don't know about lentil cookies, but lentil crackers might be good, ( ). There are all kinds of veggie crackers on the market. Write that down, SIL. (o;
    Hugs!
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 26 2010
    Somehow I expected to see something bigger; longer pods maybe with more lentils per pod. I'm thinking it is going to be a bit of work to get a pot of soup. Perhaps () will help........ if you offer up a cookie that is.
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 26 2010
    So *that's* what pre-packaged lentils look like.

    I'm sure that you'd be ready for the apokolifts if it comes. The signs, doncha know. But it is disappointing when the crop doesn't come in. I do love tomatoes, but I don't know if I'm going to have a crop of Sun Drops. Oh! I do love those sweet little yellow tomatoes!!


    Bless
  • From:
    404Error (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 27 2010
    I'm extremely unhappy with our weak, listless garden this year, too. It's like it's got consumption and is barely hanging on. I've had four ripe tomatoes this year, and that's from six vines. One of them has a bunch of green ones and some of those might be thinking of ripening, but nobody knows when.

    I blame the Icelandic volcano for throwing so much ash into the air in the spring. It's blocked enough light that it has cooled the climate a few degrees. Between the cool temps and the lack of light our gardens are very confused about what to do.

    If you want a decent haul of tomatoes you'll have to do what I've finally given in and done: go to your local Farmer's Market or find a roadside fruit/vegetable stand. I found a guy outside of town near my vet's office that is selling "salad" sized (three to four inches in diameter) tomatoes for fifty cents per pound. He has a lot of other fruits and vegetables, too, and his wife makes little pot pie-sized fruit pies from scratch. I haven't tried the pies yet, but I'm sure I will.
  • From:
    Salamander (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 27 2010
    The plants remind me of sweet peas.
  • From:
    404Error (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 27 2010
    Yes, little pies are a pretty fair consolation for a lack of tomatoes on our own vines.

    If you really do buy plants next year I would like to suggest Abraham Lincolns. They are just nice little three-inch(ish) salad tomatoes, but there are a LOT of them! The kid and I could hardly keep up with them last year. Also, they grow on compact little bushes, quite unusual for non-determinants. I would think they'd be quite nice for canning as their size would permit a large number of fruit in each jar-- as long as it doesn't matter if the end result is a bit soft.