Category: Food

Views of food from around the world

Thursday (07-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Visitors at the birdfeeder. Blue Jay, pair of Brown Headed Cowbirds, Chipping Sparrow, and pair of Gray Catbirds.

Blue Jay. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Blue Jay. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 640, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Brown-headed Cowbird at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 900, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Brown-headed Cowbird at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 900, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Gray Catbirds at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Gray Catbirds at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Gray Catbirds at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Gray Catbirds at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (61.9 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (87.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 27.1 kWh.


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Sunday (26-April-2020) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Hydroponic Farm.

Although many of the plants started in January (or last fall) in the AeroGarden Farms are nearing the end of their lifecycle, I am still harvesting tomatoes and strawberries. The strawberry plants will be transplanted outside into a Grow Tower system. This will be an experiment since some of these plants came from the outdoor Grow Towers last fall. I’m still waiting to see if the Hot Peppers and Ground Cherries will ripen indoors. They are being slow. I am not sure if this is a temperature or amount of light issue.

Strawberries grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberries grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow and Red Cherry Tomatoes grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow and Red Cherry Tomatoes grown in my indoor hydroponic farm. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 500, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (51.6 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (8.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of rain and clouds. A deficit of 43.5 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (403 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and meter readings. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (310 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A deficit of 93 kWh. I hoped to go net positive this week, but too many cloudy and rainy days. Numbers corrected by meter readings for the time that the Sense monitor was offline.


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Wednesday (15-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Nighttime Spring Nature in New Jersey.

The raccoon eats an apple without going into the trap. Need to try again, but with the food tied down so the critter needs to enter the trap.

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.8 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (74.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun (some clouds). A surplus of 20.5 kWh.


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Monday (13-April-2020) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I caught two Stink Bugs lurking in the Ground Cherry plants growing in my indoor hydroponic farm. I wonder if they are the cause of the white patches on the leaves. Supposedly, Stink Bugs are vegetarian…

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Stink Bug lurking on my indoor hydroponic garden Ground Cherry plants. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Stink Bug lurking on my indoor hydroponic garden Ground Cherry plants. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)

During this time of staying at home (for me day 38), I did recently get a delivery of fresh food from Whole Foods. Items that are difficult or impossible with the indoor hydroponic farm (eggs, cheese, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, apples, pears, pineapple, grapes). I used the broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower to prepare dinner.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Vegetable Casserole. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 105 mm, f/28, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.9 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (7.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds and rainy. A deficit of 46.1 kWh.


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Monday (13-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Nighttime Spring Nature in New Jersey.

The raccoon eats an apple without going into the trap.

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.9 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (7.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds and rainy. A deficit of 46.1 kWh.


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