Author: Rajaram 'Raj' Gopalan

Hi All, Welcome to my home in cyberspace! You can call me Raj. Feel free to explore, discuss, comment and most importantly have a good time!

Raj Farm 2023: Zucchini pollinators, where art thou? 🤔

At Raj Farm lot of flowers in zucchini plant, no zucchinis yet. ☹️ It’s been a rather hot summer with not much rain. Looks like the pollinators have been chilling as the temps have been soaring! Cut some of the big leaves to expose the flowers to the pollinators hoping their bright yellow color would act as a gentle reminder about tasks in their to-do list 😄 No luck yet, but hopes still abound for a bountiful zucchini harvest this summer 👍
Zucchini pollinators, where art thou? 🤔
I have heard from a friend that fried zucchini flowers are good, looks like zucchini fritters may not be a bad alternative! 😉😂
Wife will not be happy to hear me go from salad to fried stuff though 🤣 I will work on convincing wife it comes to that 😊🙏

Raj Farm 2023: Raj Basilica! 😊

Let’s start with a trivia question to test botany knowledge! What is Raj Basilica?
Stumped? 😃
Let me help you here with a hint. It’s the scientific name in Latin for a popular herb!
Still clueless? 😄
Ok, I will give the answer myself!
The first part of the her name “Raj” means “royal/kingly plant” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil). It’s also a nod to the Raj Farm origins of the herb. “Basilica” is the name given to specific shrines, like the Raj Farm, that produce the most flavorful versions of the herb! Thus the name “Raj Basilica”, now commonly referred to as basil! 👌
Ok, I was just kidding.🙏
Basil scientific name in Latin is Ocimum basilicum 🙏
Man, this is a tough crowd! 😉😂
Ladies and gentleman, presenting the 2023 edition of Raj Farm Basil! 👏
Yeah, looking forward to pastas and sandwiches flavored with basil next few weeks! 👍

Rainbow! 🌈

Couple of days ago it was pouring when I was driving back home from work and at the same time the Sun was shining bright too! Noticed the rainbow 🌈 colors in the sky on the left as I turned right, to drive in the opposite direction. Obviously returning home few minutes late was perfectly fine if I could see the rainbow in its entirety! 😄 A man has got to do what a man has to do 😉
Two more right turns later (one immediate right turn into a side street and then another immediate right turn into a public park with a wide-open area) nature’s magic captured in its glory before it vanished! 😊👌
Looking at the picture the rainbow appears to be framed by light poles on the far right and far left sides as if it originated from one end and headed for the other end! In football analogy that would be like a perfect rainbow thrown from one end zone (imagine light pole as upright) to another!
I like to see balance and symmetry and the result felt like a perfect touchdown! 😊🙏

Raj Farm 2023: ExCilantric! 😊

You were right, Sherlock Holmes! Yes, you smelled herb when you visited Raj Farm and as always your guess and reasoning was spot on (https://therajblog.com/2023/05/22/raj-farm-2023-first-act-%f0%9f%98%8a/)👍. Presenting the Raj Farm cilantro: Combining the Excellent and Eccentric sides of both Holmes and Raj Farm 😉 – The ExCilantric 👏
Fresh and flavorful👌, the Dire Straits had a look and started singing

Now look at them Cilantros that’s the way you do it!
Flavor for nothin’ and fresh for free! 😃