Tip of the Week

Here in the Northwest, many of us have delayed planting peas. First the soil was frozen, then too wet! Now it's time to look for a break in the weather, and get some peas in the ground. Don't forget to put out slug traps or controls to protect young, emerging seedlings -- and remember to keep commercial bait away from pets. Peas can just be poked into the ground, old time gardeners pithily refer to this as "mudding in the peas." Select enation resistant varieties Cascadia Snap Pea, Sugar Sprint Snap, Oregon Trail, Pioneer or Oregon Sugar Pod. Note most of these are products of the fine pea breeding program at Oregon State University and were developed by Dr. James R. Baggett of OSU.

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Recipe of the week

For all out fans of home made jelly, here's one of our favorites:

Violet Jelly

Violets are beginning to appear in our garden. When we first saw our present home, the garden was awash in violet blossoms. Our daughter, who was then barely three, knelt down in the purple carpet to smell their perfume, forever creating a picture in our minds. In the spring, we like to make violet jelly. This recipe is adapted from Stalking The Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons. If you are interested in additional violet recipes, look for this book which contains six more.

2 cups fresh violets

2 cups boiling water

juice of one lemon (4 tablespoons)

1 package of powdered pectin

4 cups sugar

Make an infusion with violets and water by placing your blossoms in a glass jar and covering them with boiling water. Put a lid on the jar, and set aside for 24 hours. The infusion will turn a murky bluish green. Strain and discard the violets. Add the lemon juice to the violet infusion, and it transforms to a clear lavender pink. Stir in powdered pectin, and bring to a boil. Add 4 cups sugar, bring to a boil again, and boil vigorously for one minute. Skim if necessary. Pour into sterile jars and seal. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups jelly.