Split Pea Soup

This one uses fresh herbs and made a particularly good soup!

2 C split peas
4 large carrots, chopped
1 lb. mushrooms sliced
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 large sprigs thyme
1 T parsley
6-8 leaves sage
salt to taste

Add 10-12 cups of water.  Heat and serve.  I make this one in my pressure cooker.

Newspaper Peat Pots

For my summer garden, I have been sprouting seedlings.  However, I get frustrated every year with small peat pots because the margin of error to keep things alive is very small and not forgiving.  Plus, I don't want to pay for something I knew I could do myself.  Hence, the newspaper peat pot!  I am posting this for my reference as much as anyone else.

1/2 sheet of newspaper, cut in half
Dirt

Fold the cut newspaper sheet in half.  The folded side will be the top of the pot.  Wrap the newspaper around a small glass or a vitamin bottle.  Use a small piece masking tape to secure it.  Tuck the bottom end in and smash it flat with your glass.  Voila!  Now fill it with dirt.  This will make a pot about 4" high and maybe 3" across.

This was inspired by a YouTube video that in my opinion uses WAY too much newspaper, but the concept is the same.  I'm betting mine will hold up through seedlings and hopefully be ready to fall apart on planting.  We'll see!  Pictures to come...