Spring Bounty

Editor’s Note: This column was submitted to us on June 7. Due to space in the past few issues of the Courier, this column was held.

I’m still enjoying fresh rhubarb and asparagus, but not together of course! I still haven’t made a rhubarb pie, but I did make a sugar-free, wheat flour-free rhubarb crisp, so as to be compliant with the Whole Life Challenge nutritional plan. I used almond flour and coconut palm sugar. That sweetener is dark, like brown sugar, so the dessert wasn’t as pretty as other rhubarb crisps, but it was tasty. I’ll try a different sugar substitution next time, probably monk fruit.

Rhubarb Crisp

6 C rhubarb, diced

1 1/2 C xylitol OR splenda, divided

3 Tbl water

1 C almond flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C butter, room temperature

In Dutch oven, combine rhubarb, 1 C splenda, and water. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 C splenda, cinnamon, and salt. Work in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of rhubarb. Bake at 350° for an hour, until bubbly.

I made mine in a buttered 9x13” glass dish. I think having the butter cold and cut into small pieces would work up a better crumbly topping. Mine was goopy, and sank through the rhubarb while baking, so it was more like a bottom crust than a crispy topping.

Now that the weather is more spring-like, we’re getting very windy Sundays instead of snowy ones. This past weekend was no exception. It’s adding to my pile of downed tree limbs. But I’ll take wind over snow with wind. Dennis did buy me a wood chipper for our anniversary, which I wanted.

The plan is to anchor cardboard under the tree out front where the roots are raised, making mowing under it a challenge. The cardboard will stay in place until it rots away. That should kill the grass underneath it, so I don’t have to try digging it up. I’ll cover the unsightly cardboard with wood chips and hope they don’t blow away. Next summer I’ll plant shade-loving perennials under that tree. It’s always good to have a plan.

I had a few houseplants that were getting root-bound, so they got split. I now have several new aloe veras, snake plants, and zebra succulents in small starter pots. The agave cactus and the no-name cactus, both from Arizona, were also split. I’d put a couple succulents into coffee cups, but set them too close to the garage, in the shade, to start. Unfortunately, the deluge of rain we had a few nights ago poured off the garage roof into the bucket those cups were in. Some of the soil floated out, and the plants were in standing water for about 36 hours before I noticed. They’re draining now and I hope to save them.

Flea beetles are attacking the radishes. The leaves are full of small holes. I’ll have to find my container of Sevin and dust those leaves to deter the pests. I don’t like using chemicals on my food, but sometimes it’s necessary.

The leaf lettuces are coming along nicely. A few days ago, needing a break from weeding, I munched on some of them. I followed that by grazing on a few leaves of Swiss chard, then some beet greens, and a bit of cilantro. A nice salad will be enjoyed soon, with fresh chives chopped into it, maybe a couple of garlic scapes. Fresh mint is floating in my tea and in my honey/rhubarb drink (recipe shared May 20).

The ground between rows is fuzzy with dill. I’m weeding a lot of that out. I’m leaving some volunteer moon flowers and sunflowers in place. Husk cherries are also thriving where they want to be. I haven’t yet weeded the shady space where the mixed flowers always reappear. The lilacs are about finished blooming up here, but their perfume was much appreciated. I do love spring.