chili and micro greans

     What a day at work! VERY slow until about 2:30, then everything broke loose. That's a hospital, though. ER, the floor, Behavioral Health unit, drug rehab - everything really jumped. The work keeps you hopping, but then the Doctors start calling and ask questions. It's great, unless one of the machines decides to go on the blink and throw a wrench into the works. I guess this afternoon makes up for yesterday afternoon and this morning. Ah yes.....
     And tomorrow is my day off, so..... I need to start some micro green pots. These are salad greens that I raise only to, perhaps 3 or 4 leaves before harvest. They are used to supplement purchased salad fixin's during the winter months. I can raise them in a room I have with east and south windows and doesn't require supplemental light unless there are several cloudy days.
     I will probably start 4 pots this time. They will be 12" diameter and about 6" deep. I use purchased potting soil. Seeds are scattered lightly over the surface and lightly covered with soil. Surface will be covered lightly with a piece of plastic wrap. My biggest challenge is temperature, as I keep my house very cool in winter. To counter this, I use greens that will germinate and grow at reduced temperatures. Included will be:
      Claytonia            Rouge d"Hiver, North Pole, Arctic King, Tango lettuces             Mache
      Pac Choi, Tatsoi, Kyona       Red Russian Kale         a  variety of Chicories    Beet greens    Swiss Chard
 Harvest will probably be 30-45 days.
     Does anyone else have any other greens that work well? I always prefer to raise things with a minimum of inputs and extra lighting. I am really interested in hearing experiences of others.

     This is a picture of a few greens still outside. It shows the size pot my micro greens will be seeded in. This pot will soon go under mini-hoop houses because the temps are dropping this week.


     And because the temperature is dropping, I think I will make a pot of chili. There are hundreds, if not thousands of recipes for chili. But in our house there is only one, and that is the one my mom made for my parents' restaurant. That restaurant is now closed, but the chili remains! It is very simple, but still my favorite of all the recipes I have. I hope you like it also.

                                                     Moms' Chili
                           2# Hamburger - or sirloin ground
                           1 medium onion, finely chopped
                           2 cans chili beans
                           1/2 tsp garlic powder
                           2T chili powder, or to taste
                           Salt and pepper to taste
                           4 large cans tomato sauce

     Brown hamburger and drain off grease. Add onion and cook with stirring about 4 minutes. Add sauce and seasonings. Stir well. Bring nearly to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook about an hour.
Increase or decrease meat and beans as preferred.   Freezes well.    Serves 4-6