Month: July 2008

The Veggie Derby is an annual event that actually started in 1998.  A year was skipped because of a move.  This particular veggie derby is a private party hosted by friends of Randy’s.  They live in Issaquah very close to Lake Samammish (not sure how many m’s actually go into this name).  All invitees bring a “car” made entirely of fruits and/or vegetables and bamboo skewers and toothpicks.  After the creativity division is judged, all the cars are raced down a 24′ ramp in the performance division.  It’s great fun, especially since the hosts hire a bar tender and provide an open bar.  Guests bring something to bbq and hopefully another dish to share.  Here are the pictures:

Some of the entrants.

Randy’s “cricket” entry.  The wheels are carved from jicama; the body is made from peas from my garden and green beans from the grocery store.

My entry is the burdock “bus” with a radish driver and several passengers.  The winner of the performance division is 3 cars from mine; its body is an acorn squash.

An

Winner of the creativity division: Mr. Bill Surfer Man

Oops, Mr. Bill Surfer Man lost his cabbage leaf loin cloth.  You can see that he is anatomically correct.  He lost his loin cloth during the performance races.

Randy and Brooks.  You can see that they are still wearing their loincloths.   

This is my garden now — abundant with edible greenery.  My dinners for the last 5 nights in a row have been salmon with these lovely mustard greens you see in the foreground with a little pesto pasta.

You can also see beets, two kohlrabi, lots of lettuces in the bed behind the mustard, and peas to the left.  I staked the peas tonight so hopefully I’ll get a few more.  In the empty bed I just planted fall broccoli and brussels sprouts.  I can hardly keep up eating these edibles but it’s fun trying!