Grandma Hamm's Peanut Butter Cookies

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Grandma Hamm’s Peanut Butter Cookies

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We bought this farmhouse in 2010 from a family who lived here since the 1945.

They raised 4 kids here. They raised countless farm animals. They grew a huge garden. They canned and preserved. They baked and baked and baked some more.

When we moved here, our neighbors would share stories about “Grandma Hamm” and all the delicious baked goods she would make for them.

One of the daughters who grew up here stopped by our farm to introduce herself. I begged her to share some of the family recipes.

She sent me this recipe in the mail: “Grandma Hamm's Peanut Butter Cookies”. I made them... and I swear the house sighed in contentment. "Oh yes, I remember this smell! It's been a while!"

Isn't it funny how certain smells can take us back in time and bring back memories?

I cannot tell you how delighted I am to fill this house with the scents of Grandma Hamm's legacy of love.

Now you can try them yourself. I think you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!

-Lori

Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

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Apple Cider Doughnut Cake Recipe

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Friend, stop what you are doing right now and go buy some apple cider so you can make this cake. You won’t regret it.

The first time I shared a photo of this cake on social media 7 years ago, I was immediately inundated with requests for the recipe... so here you go! 

Now you can stop drooling and make it yourself. ;)

Oh, and while you’re at it… freeze a couple cups of apple cider in 1 cup portions, so you can make this mid winter, when apple cider is out of season. You’re going to feel like a GENIUS. Trust me.
 

Apple Cider Doughnut Cake 

* Adapted from "A New Way to Bake" by the Editors of Martha Stewart Living

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pan

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 cups natural cane sugar, + 3 tbsp

• 1 cup apple cider

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (you can try using a different oil, if desired)

• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan. Be generous with the butter and flour so the cake doesn't stick.

2. In a large bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon, the baking soda and the salt. 

3. In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups sugar, the apple cider, olive oil, applesauce, vanilla and eggs. 

4. Add wet mixture to the dry the mixture and whisk until combined. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan. 

5. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a tester comes out clean. 

6. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, melt the butter (if you haven't already) and combine the remaining 3 tbsp of sugar with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Turn out cake onto a rack with a plate underneath (to catch the spills). Brush cake with melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon-sugar. 

8. Let cool completely before serving (yeah right!!!). Cake can be kept, covered, at room temperature for 2 days. 

Did you try it? 

Let me know what you think! I kind of have a thing for Apple Cider Doughnuts... Of course, this is not quite the same as deep fried doughnut, but my family agrees it's a pretty good substitute. 

Enjoy! 

How to Dig and Store Your Dahlia Tubers

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How to Dig and Store Your Dahlia Tubers

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This time of year, I receive countless questions about digging and storing dahlia tubers. There is so much conflicting advice and uncertainly. Some people start to panic!

I get it. Tubers are a big investment and of course, you want to do everything you can to ensure your tubers survive over the winter.

I’m going to walk you through the process we use for digging and storing our dahlia tubers. After reading and watching the videos, you should feel more confident and ready to try it on your own!

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Before we dive in, I want you to know 2 things:

1. There are several different methods that can be used to store dahlia tubers. When you hear “seemingly contradicting” advice, just know that different methods work for different storage situations. The way WE store them might not be best for YOU, since we don’t have the exact same storage spots.

2. If you are new to storing dahlia tubers, I highly recommend you try a few different storage methods and locations. This will help you discover the ideal methods for YOU. It’s never a great idea to “put all your eggs in one basket”. This way, if one method is a flop, you have a back up supply of tubers.

Got it? Good.

So, first… here’s a quick video that shows you what dahlia tubers clumps should look like AFTER you dig them up. Notice the big clump of tubers and the short stem.

Ok, now that you know what you’re going for and what the tubers look like, let’s get digging!

Digging and Storing Your Dahlia Tubers.

Step 1: Wait for Your First Frost

• Dahlias are very sensitive to frost. You’ll know you’ve had a frost because one day your plants will look beautiful… and the next day they will be black and dead (see before and after photos below). Flower farmers call the First Killing Frost of the Season “Frostmas”. ;)

• Feel free to go out by your dead dahlias and cry a little bit. No judgement here. Goodbye, my loves…

• Frost covered dahlias are gorgeous, but they only look pretty for about an hour and then they turn to mush. Get out there and take photos! It only happens once a year!

• You don’t HAVE to wait for the frost to kill the Dahlias in order to dig them up. However, it’s best to allow them to grow for at least 135 days (four and half months)… which naturally coincides with many grower’s frost dates, which is why frost is usually the signal to start digging!

Happy Frostmas! “Black Satin” after the first frost.

BEFORE: Dahlia field the day before the 1st frost.

AFTER: Dahlia field the day after the 1st frost. These photos were taken within 24 hours of each other!

Step 2: Cut Back the Plants… and Wait

• Once the frost has killed the plants, go through with a heavy clippers or loppers and cut back the main stem and all the foliage, leaving a “stem handle” sticking up out of the ground about 4-6” long.

• Once you have cut back the plants, it’s time to WAIT. You can relax for a week or two. Simply leave the tuber clumps in the ground, undisturbed.

• Cutting back like this signals the tubers below the ground to set “eye” (sprouts) on the tubers. This is helpful because you need to be able to see the eyes if you plan on dividing your tuber clumps right away.

• Cutting back also signals the tubers to cure and toughen up, which helps them store better over the winter.

• Don’t have to time to leave them in the ground? Sometimes the weather or your life commitments are not conducive to waiting. No problem, friend. You can cut and dig on the same day. It just might be a little trickier to see the eyes when you dig them up.

• If you have not received a killing frost by November 1, you can start cutting back plants anyway. You want to leave yourself enough time to get them out of the ground before the ground freezes. Yup, I’ve been out there digging the last of the tubers out in the snow in December. ;)

We made “Cut Back the Plants” day into a work party and cut back the whole field in 1 hour!

Step 3: Time to Dig!

• After 1 -2 weeks of curing in the ground (or less, if you need to dig right away), you can begin digging.

• Using a pitchfork, CAREFULLY loosen the soil on all sides of the tuber clump. Take care to NOT break the tubers. They are EXTREMELY fragile.

• Do NOT yank up the tuber clump by the “stem handle.” Instead, place one hand on the handle and use the other hand to pry up the clump with the pitchfork.

• Gently remove excess soil from around the tubers with a pencil, stick or paint brush. Clip off “root hairs” and any broken tubers.

• Using a loppers or heavy clippers, cut off the “stem handle” near the base of the clump, leaving about 1-2 inches. Do NOT cut too low or you will cut off the “eyes”!

• Place the clump in a bag or crate with the dahlia variety name clearly marked on it.

• Bring the bags/crates to a cool, dry location out of direct sunlight (like a garage or covered porch) and allow them to dry to the touch. This may take a few hours or a few days, depending on weather conditions and temperature. BUT MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT FREEZE DURING THIS TIME!!! Unfortunately, we know this from experience. :(

• Do NOT set tubers directly on concrete to dry. It will dry them out. Place them on tables, counters, pallets, crates, etc.

A nice looking dahlia tuber clump!

Step 4: To Divide… Or Not to Divide

Once your tubers have dried for about a week, you need to decide:

Will you divide your clumps now or in the spring?

We usually divide in the spring (we simply don’t have time to deal with them in the fall!), so we store our tubers in clumps. We feel keeping the clumps whole as long as possible helps the tubers to store better… but obviously, it takes up waaaaaay more room than storing individual tubers.

If you do decide to divide in the fall, you will need to do a little more babysitting over the winter.

*Please note: We HIGHLY recommend you sanitize your snips/knife/tools between tuber to clumps to prevent the possible spread of disease between plants.

IF YOU DIVIDE IN THE FALL:

1. Wash clumps and allow them to dry overnight… or simply brush off excess dirt with a paintbrush (this works best for light sandy soil. If you grow in heavy clay, you will need to wash them).

2. Divide the clumps into individual tubers (watch the video below to learn how). Allow cut ends on tubers to dry and cure, about 1-2 days. Remember: ONLY tubers with “eyes” are viable!

3. Store tubers in bins/boxes filled with vermiculite, peat moss, or wood shavings. Be sure that they are not touching each other! Fill the bin with about 1-2 inches of storage material and carefully place the tubers so they are not touching. Sprinkle another 2 inches of storage material on top and add another layer of tubers, and so on. They can also be wrapped in newspaper to prevent touching.

4. Store at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 80-90% humidity.

“Eyes” on a tuber.

IF YOU ARE LEAVING THE CLUMPS WHOLE:

1. Leave clumps unwashed. Brush off as much dirt as possible.

2. Store in boxes/plastic or paper bags/crates at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 80-90% humidity. If you are storing in a dry place, plastic bags may work best. If you are storing in a damp place, paper bags may work best.

Tubers in a paper bag ready for winter storage.

Step 5: Long Term Storage

THIS IS THE TRICKIEST PART OF GROWING DAHLIAS. Dahlias are relatively easy to grow, but proper winter storage can be a struggle!

Here are a few tips for storing your tubers over the winter, regardless if they are divided or not.

• Store at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit. If the tubers freeze, they will turn to mush when they thaw. If they get too warm, they could rot.

• Humidity at about 80-90%. Ensure that the tubers are not too dry (they will shrivel) and not too wet (they will rot). If your space is dry, you can control this by storing in plastic bins/bags and occasionally spritzing with water. If your space is damp, try storing in paper bags/cardboard boxes that will help absorb moisture. Peat moss, wood shavings and vermiculite will also help regulate humidity. You may need to run a dehumidifier OR a humidifier, depending on your needs.

• Check on your tubers every few weeks. Remove any rotted, mushy tubers. Mush is no good. If the tubers looks shriveled and dry, don’t toss them - move them to a more humid location. I’ve seen the most terrible dead-looking tubers come back to life in the spring.

• Sometimes the tubers develop small amount of mold. Don’t panic. It means your spot is too humid. Move them to a drier spot and simply brush off or wipe off the mold.

• FOR BEST RESULTS, we recommend trying a few different storage methods and locations. Keep notes and make observations. Until you discover what works for you, it’s wise to not “put your eggs in one basket.”

People are always asking me:

“How do you store YOUR Dahlia tubers?”

I’m reluctant to talk about our storage method, because it’s nearly impossible to replicate our method. If you want to see how we do it, you can read about it HERE.

BOTTOM LINE: You will have to do your own experimenting/trialing to figure out the best place and method for YOU to store YOUR Dahlias tubers. What works for someone else could be disastrous for you.

I wish there was a “one-size-fits-all” solution. I really do!!! But there isn’t, because every single Dahlia grower in the world has a slightly different storage solution. Nobody has the exact same storage area or conditions.

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Concluding Remarks

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know, it’s a lot of overwhelming information and some of you are wondering if it’s worth all the time and effort. And maybe now you understand why dahlia blooms cost more than most other flowers! They are a real labor of love!

You don’t HAVE to dig up your tubers every fall. Some people simply decide to purchase new tubers every spring and that is fine! If you are on our email list, you’ll be the first to know when we have dahlia tubers available in the late winter/early spring.

You also can try experimenting with “overwintering” you tubers in the ground, depending on where you live. Here in Zone 5b in the Great White North (Michigan), dahlias will not survive over the winter, but… let me tell you what happened to us last year!

We had several “Blizzard” variety dahlias that we did not need to dig up (because each plant produces about 20+ new tubers!) so we left them in the ground. Our neighbors gave us huge loads of maple leaves and they ended up in a giant heap (2-3 feet deep) over the dahlias. We meant to move them but didn’t get around to it before the snow came.

Come spring, I lifted up that thick layer of leaves… and found a dozen healthy dahlia plants sprouting! We transplanted them and they did GREAT this season. So, it IS possible to overwinter them, but it might have been a fluke.

It’s worth experimenting with though, if you have large amounts of leaves you can mulch with…

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That’s it, folks.

Have fun digging your tubers!

-Lori

Top 10 Fall Flower Farm/Garden Tasks to Start Today

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Top 10 Fall Flower Farm/Garden Tasks to Start Today

Fall may be here but there’s still lots of work to be done in the field and garden! 

In fact, fall is the most labor intensive season on the farm. After a long growing season, we’re bone deep tired. My husband and I often yell out to each other “Finish strong!” as we stumble our way toward the finish line (Thanksgiving is unofficial “end date” for field work). Ha!

Here’s my list of some of the most important “Fall Tasks” to tackle before the snow arrives.

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1. Take Notes and Make Evaluations

Over the growing season, I take a farm walk each Sunday morning and write notes to my Future Self to help me make better growing decisions in the future. It takes me about 10 minutes, but it’s incredibly valuable.

At the end of the season, I allow myself a couple hours to do a longer farm walk and reflect on the entire year as a whole.

What worked? What didn’t? What did I love? What have I outgrown? What felt right? What do I actually want to grow?

It’s a simple notebook and it’s literally just scribbled notes like:
“Don’t grow as much Amaranth next year”

“Snow Maiden Scabiosa is a pain in the butt to harvest. I don’t ever want to do this again.”

“Plant 4 successions of Tender Annuals next year instead of 3”

When I start making my crop plans and seed order lists in the winter, I pull out these notes and thank my Past Self for being so honest and truthful. Because let’s face it, in the winter we all want to grow ALL THE THINGS… but my Past Self reminds me of what I actually need to grow.  ;) Stick with the plan!

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2. Submit a soil test

Fall is the best time to take and submit a soil test. Any soil test at any time of year is better than no soil test… but fall is ideal.

When taking and submitting a soil test, be sure to follow the instructions on the test EXACTLY. 

Once your soil test has been mailed in and analyzed, you’ll receive recommendations on what you can do to improve your soil. 

I suggest adding the soil amendments in the fall, rather than the spring. Why? Soil amending is a slow process and the sooner you can start, the better. Adding the amendments in the fall allows them to slowly incorporate into the soil over the winter, so that your soil is ready to go in the spring. 

Do not skip this task. I know it can feel confusing, but HEALTHY SOIL = HEALTHY PLANTS. Improving the health of your soil is the absolute best thing you can do to reduce pest/disease issues and increase the productivity of your plants.

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3. Cut back summer crops and repare your planting beds/areas for early spring planting.

If you want to plant “Hardy Annuals”, you’ll need to prepare your beds in the fall. Hardy Annuals are cool weather crops that grow best in the fall or spring. In order to grow them properly, you’ll likely need to plant them or sow the seeds in the fall, late winter or early spring. 

If you live in a cold climate like mine, the soil is frozen most of the winter. As soon as the top inch of soil thaws out in early spring (March), it’s time to plant Hardy Annuals. Trust me - you don’t want to be trying to prepare beds in cold, muddy March.

Prepare your beds now and your March self will be so grateful. 

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4. Shop for and plant Perennials

Early Fall is the BEST time to plant Perennials, shrubs and trees. The cooler weather and increased rainfall is perfect for establishing these deeper rooted plants (instead of planting in the spring when the heat and drought of summer can stunt new plantings). Be sure to water them in well and apply a nice thick layer of mulch at the base to protect them from temperature extremes. 

This is also when we plant bare root Peonies. The first season, we mulch them well to prevent frost heaving, but in subsequent years they don’t need mulch. 

Many plant nurseries will still have a great selection of Perennials in the fall, so get out there and give your local plant nursery some love. Help them end their season strong! 

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5. Divide Perennials

If you already have lots of Perennials and they need to be split or divided, now is the time to do it. Here are some of my favorite Perennials for cut flower use.

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6. Plant Spring blooming bulbs

As soon as the weather and the soil begins to cool down, it’s time to begin planting spring bulbs, like Tulips, Daffodils, Alliums, etc. Here in Michigan (Zone 5), we usually plant our Tulips in October or early November. Want to learn how we plant our Tulips that we grow for cut flowers? Learn more in this blog post.

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7. Dig Dahlia tubers

In our climate, it’s too cold to overwinter Dahlias, so we must cut back the plants, dig up the tubers and store them over the winter to be replanted the following spring. 

To learn more about digging and storing Dahlia tubers, read this blog post.

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8. Preserve the harvest

As we cut back all the flowers (we cut each plant at the ground and leave the roots in the soil to increase organic matter), we reserve any blooms that can be dried for making dried flower arrangements. These dried flowers allow us to have “farm fresh, locally grown” flowers in our house all year long. Learn more about dried flowers in this blog post.

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9. Wash and sanitize seed trays

If you grow your own seedlings, it’s ideal to wash everything at the end of the season so you have clean trays ready for next spring. A warm fall day is great for this.

Bring your supplies outside, turn on the hose and scrub your trays with soapy water. After rinsing the trays, spray them with equal parts vinegar and water. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, then rinse. Allow the trays to dry in the sun before stacking them.

Doing this outdoors in the fall is much easier than trying to wash all your trays in the bathtub in January. Ask me how I know this ;)

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10. Collect fallen leaves

Leaf compost is a wonderful soil amendment, full of nutrients and beneficial bacteria. Best of all, it’s free!

We collect as many leaves as we can and create a giant leaf pile. We allow the leaves to break down for about a year, turning them occasionally to help them break down into small pieces. This massive pile eventually turns into a small pile of soft, crumbly, earthy smelling compost that plants love.

You can use this compost to top dress your planting beds or Perennials.

NOTE: Do not use Black Walnut tree leaves, as they contain a compound called juglone that can stunt the growth of other plants. Thankfully, Black Walnuts lose their leaves earlier than most other trees, so it’s easy to avoid mixing them with other leaves. 

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There you have it. Finish strong, friend!

Crisp Cucumber Salsa Recipe

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Crisp Cucumber Salsa Recipe

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When August rolls around, it seems like the garden explodes overnight. Every day, I bring in loads of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs and more. 

I feel rich and wealthy beyond measure! There is something deeply satisfying about growing and eating your own food - your labors of love coming to fruition! 

In August, I'm always looking for ways to use up our produce. 

My friend Alicia shared this AMAZING recipe that takes advantage of all the good things growing in the garden in mid summer.  

I think you'll like this recipe as much as we do! I went ahead and doubled the original recipe for you... because, trust me. You'll want a double batch. 

Crisp Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients

• 4 cups finely chopped seeded, peeled cucumbers (Note: I'm much too lazy to peel cukes... so I don't and it still tastes/looks great)

• 1 cup finely chopped seeded tomato

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt

Method:

1. Seed and finely chop the cukes, tomatos and jalapenos. Then finely chop/mince the red onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro. Add to a bowl. 

2. Gently stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and salt. 

3. Best served chilled on a hot summer day. :) I love to sprinkle a little lime on my tortilla chips and scoop up loads of this salsa... or just eat it by the bowlful. 

What are your favorite summer time recipes for using up your garden fresh produce? I'd love to hear them! 

-Lori