Views of the Neighborhood – Seed Packaging for the Seed Library and the Last of Fall

~ John W. Howell

Today is an in-between kind of day. The Holidays are past, and the New Year is in front of us. It is a good time to take a look at the deciduous trees that have finally turned here in Texas. It is also a good time to check in with the volunteers who are busy restocking the seed library. We are catered by Comedor of Austin, and our entertainment is Elsie Duckworth

Menu

Sunchoke Tostada – Salsa macha, charred summer squash, shishito pepper salpicon

Grilled Greens – Curly mustard greens, 2×4 Farm black radish & turnip, masa croutons, persimmon vinaigrette

Chapulines – Heirloom hominy hummus, green mole, escabeche, masa lavash

Cobia Crudo – Apple, almond, cucumber, burnt allium

Quesadilla – Heirloom masa, onions, HiFi Mycology mushrooms, quesillo (Oaxacan cheese), smoked Fresno salsa

Fish Fundido – Oaxacan quesillo, Fresno chile, totopos (corn chips)

Fish Tacos – Blistered cabbage, toréado aioli, green salsa

Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce – 44 Farms beef, heirloom hominy grits, chipotle salsa

Bone Marrow Tacos – Quelites (wild greens), smoked butter, pecan gremolata

Enfrijolada – Rancho Gordo Vaquero bean salsa, sunchoke

Black-Grilled Chicken – Greener Pastures half chicken, heirloom masa, fire-roasted salsa, herbs

Berkshire Pork Chop Milanese – Double-cut bone-in pork chop, manchamanteles mole, 2×4 Farms sweet peppers

Lamb Barbacoa – Sweet potato, pickled tomatillo, chipotle & lamb fat salsa

44 Farms New York Strip – Chilhuacle negro chile butter, butterscotch squash, garlic-tomato confit

Potosí-Style French Fries – Charred onion aioli, chives, cilantro

Grilled Carrots – Requesón cheese, nixtamal crumble, chipotle glaze, mint, cilantro

Caesar Salad – Romaine, epazote, masa croutons, Manchego cheese

Picture of an old time school bus

Here’s the bus. Let’s go.

The location of the seed library. The administration offices of the Lakeway Municipal Utility District.

There are treats.

Some discussion with Stephanie Threinen, CPC Public Information Liaison. (Right)

Sorting donated seeds and labeling the packets.

The work is very necessary.

To help, some music to keep the spirits bright.

Most of the deciduous trees in Lakeway are oaks, so there is a lot of red. The color time is very short.

A lovely oak.

Another oak but golden.

Bradford pears with red leaves,

An oak just turning. In a week, these will be on the ground.

Another oak.

A final oak.

Now that we have witnessed the seed round-up and the changing color of the trees, it is time for food and music. I hope you have a great week and a Happy New Year celebration.

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73 thoughts on “Views of the Neighborhood – Seed Packaging for the Seed Library and the Last of Fall”

  1. Such a lovely version of the song. Happy in-between days. I haven’t had to cook for three days due to a fridge full of leftovers. Doggies are happy for the turkey scraps too.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I like the idea of the seed library. Seeing the changing colors is a nice thing. I don’t think I ever appreciate our oak trees, as they change late and we’re running out of time to bag them and get them picked up before the leaf dump closes for the year.

    I was getting worried about those menu items. I settled on Fish Tacos but could I also get a side of the Potosí-Style French Fries?

    Liked by 1 person

  10. John this was a delightful romp around the neighborhood. I had never thought about grilling greens. That combination sounds delicious. I’d like some alongside that Sunchoke Tostada, please. My trees never turned this year — the leaves just went from green to brown and dropped several days ago. Although, we’ve had highs in the 70s for all but the first week of December. (It’s a little cooler today though.) You also introduced me to musicians I didn’t know in Elsie Duckworth. Beautiful voice and a fine, smooth rendition of the song by the band. Thank you, John. Have a splendid new week. Big hugs.

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  11. What a gorgeous collection of oaks! Where I lived in Texas, we had lots of hickory trees (which turned mostly yellow). But these red-leaved oaks are stunning even if they’ll drop their leaves too soon. Happy New Year to you and yours, John!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. About Holidays being in the past, isn’t New Years part of the Holidays, and and how about the 12 Days of Christmas, and the Eastern Orthodox celebrating Christmas on January 7th, and how about tjugondag knut on January 13? Well tjugondag knut is a Swedish holiday and not celebrated by everyone in Texas, but still. Comedor of Austin certainly had a lot of offerings. I would pick Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce. Anyway, it looks like it was a good day.

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  23. I’ve never heard of a leaf library. It must be hard work. I’m guessing they decide where and when to plant the seeds for new trees. You have many beautiful reds in your neighborhood.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. This is so cool. It would also make for a great opening for a science fiction piece. One random seed is actually the harbinger of an alien invasion. It hides among the other seeds until John Howell takes it home and plants it.

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  26. What wonderful conservation and preservation work in preserving seeds to be planted in the future.. Right up my street 🙂 …
    Lovely to see dedicated people doing such work. And such gorgeous trees…
    The food in the beginning of your post also had my taste buds a tingling too John..

    Many thanks for sharing, and may I wish you and your family and of course the two T’s a very Happy New Year..
    May it be happy, healthy and full of harmony, especially over squeaky toys.. 🙂

    Have a lovely New Year..

    Sue xx

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Is it my imagination or was there an expanded menu this week? I went from the quesadilla to the tacos to the meatballs and back to the quesadilla . . . I think?

    As for the work being done, brava and bravo to all these good peeps for doing it.

    The colors! They are so luscious. Catch them while you can ‘eh?

    And a lovely song to cap things off, just beautiful

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