The Garden Is Growing Swiss Chard

Posted in Uncategorized, vegetables by leannacrowley

Just planted this Swiss chard a few weeks ago and look how it has grown! My brother and good friends Joy and Gary Limbach are the only people I ever knew who grew it and they were in Ohio. It was very good but I didn’t get it very often. So this year my brother and I decided to plant some. We did and the results are amazing. I think this is now one of my favorite vegetables. I like greens; turnip, mustard and spinach with a little vinegar but Swiss chard is sweeter and when boiled just a little it’s perfect with butter and salt and pepper. Bacon grease is always good to put in the boiling water. Since the stalks are as good as the leaves put them in first for about five minutes then add the leaves and continue to boil another five minutes or until they are soft.

Honeybees/Honey and cornbread

Posted in Circleville, Family Stories by leannacrowley

When I was in high school in Circleville, Ohio my science project was on honeybees. I had the opportunity of knowing an apiary who lived fairly close to us. He was willing to teach me everything I needed to know and allowed me to use his equipment and even gave me an inside bees hive that I kept in my bedroom closet. Now this decision limited a lot of my friends from spending the night. But not Betty McManes! Since this project lasted a long time she was able to spend many nights with me and we would go off to sleep with the soothing sounds of the bees happily humming away. One time I had them outside in the driveway and some of them escaped, but luckily I was able to catch the queen bee and bang pans together and the others followed her back to their hive. Many years later my daughter, Heather Atkinson, had to do a science project and, you guessed it, she did the honey bee project as well. During the fair some of the boys thought it would be fun to open the hive and let the bees get out! Well, get out they did and they were on everything! Covering all the other kids exhibits so the school called and Heather and I carefully gathered them up and put them back in their home. The bees were very docile so it was easy to do, but during the rest of the fair we had to have someone stay and guard the hive. Both times this meant an “A” for the class and I even got to go to the state competition and that was fun too. From everything I’ve read the honey from the bees not only tastes good but it’s good for you. Especially if you eat honey made in your area it helps with allergies. I use it to sweeten my tea and it’s great on peanut butter sandwiches. The last time I was in West Virginia, David Yaussy, had on the table during our meal a jar of honey sitting with the cornbread. I had never had it that way but when I tried it, it has not been the last time. It’s great that way. So experiment with honey! It’s good for you and helps with your sweet tooth craving!🐝

Note: Andrea Hinds is the daughter of Betty McManes Payne and she now has honeybees of her own. Isn’t it funny how things in life come full circle?

Another great salad!

Posted in salad by leannacrowley

Again using this wonderful lettuce from my garden, but any lettuce will do, mix with it cottage cheese, crisp bacon, chopped tomatoes and green onions. Stir and add salt and pepper. It’s as good as a BLT but without the bread and mayonnaise so it has less calories!