Ah, dirt! I haven't had this much dirt under my fingernails or had my hair get this blond from the sun since I was a child. I'm sure I'll be able to count the days of summer in new freckles, come fall. But it feels good. And have you read this post by Garden Betty? Apparently a bacterium in the soil called Mycobacterium vaccae works like an antidepressant by releasing serotonin in the brain.  I'm constantly fascinated by the complexity and importance of our relationship with the rest of creation. What an impeccable and beautiful design, and one where we only ever seem to be able to scrape the surface of understanding. I think the loss of connection with the earth as a result of modernity has likely brought great consequences for humanity, if not at the very least the loss of a sense of wonder. 

We got one good salad and a small batch of soup out of our spinach patch before we had some 90 degree weather a couple of weeks ago and it all bolted. We tasted it, and while it was too bitter for a raw salad, it should be fine in a lasagna. So we harvested the rest (a whole sink-full!) and wilted it down and froze it for later use. 

Can you believe all that spinach reduced to this!

Everything that is still growing is doing great. Beet greens are tall and awesome. . .

And so are the carrots. . .

And we harvested a nice bunch of radishes. They're super spicy! Not sure what to do with the remainder of them. . .hmmm. . .This picture reminds me of a post over at Ngo Family Farm. "Is there dirt on your food? There should be."

The rest of the seeds (sweet corn, beans, sugar pumpkins and cucumbers) are in the ground, and we spent the other day getting all the seedlings (when do they stop getting called seedlings? Already I guess. . . It's the same as the propensity to call children "the baby" far into toddlerhood). 

Two types of tomatoes were buried nice and deep. . .

Bell and jalapeno peppers (or peps, as we like to call them). . .

Broccoli raab (you guessed it. . . brocs). . .

And a few basil seedlings. Meanwhile, while we were hard at work, Indy was meeting the neighbor boy who had come over to say hi. . .

and promptly tackled him. 

Silly.

I love peanut butter. Oh my gosh do I love peanut butter. It's got this whole salty savoury sweet thing going on. When we were kids we used to just eat it by the spoonful. Making it yourself is awesome, because it gives you control over how you prepare the peanuts (or other nuts), and exactly what other ingredients go into it, making for a more delicious and nutritious snack. The flavour of this butter is different than the store bought stuff, but once you try it you'll be hooked.

First step, make Crispy Peanuts (recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions). You will need:

raw, shelled organic peanuts (preferably skinless for easier digestion, but that's up to you, we used skin-on because that's what was readily available to us this time around.)

unrefined sea salt (1 tablespoon for every 4 cups of peanuts)

filtered water to cover

Mix peanuts with salt and water and leave in a warm place at least 7 hours or overnight. Strain, spread on cookie sheet and put in a 150 degree oven for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally, until crisp. Store in an airtight container. You can make a big batch of these, and it will make you multiple batches of peanut butter. 

*What's the point of this step? Nuts, seeds, grains and legumes contain anti-nutrients (like phytic acid) and enzyme inhibitors which make them difficult to digest and can block the absorption of important minerals (like iron and calcium). Traditional, proper preparation through means such as soaking or sprouting helps to neutralize anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest and more nutritious. 

Now on to the peanut butter! (recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions)

2 cups crispy peanuts

1/4 - 3/4 cup organic virgin coconut oil (depending on how thick you like your peanut butter)

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

Grind the nuts and salt in the food processor until it starts to form a paste. Add honey and coconut oil and process until your reach your desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent rancidity (it will harden in the fridge, so you can scoop out small amounts to be stored at room temperature, and used up quickly).