I put my name on the p-patch community garden program wait list the first year I moved to Seattle. Five years later I excitedly told Mark that he was lucky to have married into  (well, I guess at the time “dated into”) a p-patch spot.

This is our 4th season at the p-patch. In addition to meeting Mark and finding my two wonderful running groups, it’s one of the best connections I’ve made in Seattle. I’ve learned so much about gardening by scoping out the other plots to find out what grows well in our neighborhood and chatting with my fellow p-patchers.

This year we are going to minimize tillage and make a more organized effort to grow year round (i.e., do more than just leave the kale in and plant fava beans in the winter). Here’s a recipe inspired by the bounty of perennial spring herbs in our plot.

Chive Flower Pesto

1 bunch of carrot greens

1 bunch of mixed herbs from the p-patch (I used mostly oregano, chives, chive flowers and a little bit of thyme. If you don’t include chives, add a clove of garlic)

½ cup of nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds)

¼ cup of parmesan cheese

Zest of 1 organic lemon

Olive oil

Salt to taste

I put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and add at least a ¼ cup of olive oil. I use an immersion blender to start to combine all the ingredients and add more olive oil if the mixture looks dry. Throwing everything in the food processor would work well too. Taste your mixture and add more salt, parmesan, or some lemon juice to adjust the pesto to your taste. Enjoy!