Well, the garden is mostly planted.

I was this close to pulling up the Brussels sprouts plants that I had bought last winter, thinking they weren’t doing anything but getting taller. That was until I saw the small sprouts beginning to form. Those four plants will stay in the ground now. I didn’t realize the sprouts took so long to grow and form (it’s my first time to grow Brussels sprouts in the garden).

I also have white cucumbers, string beans, Tabasco and ghost peppers and a couple of tomato plants. I have four pots remaining for filling, probably with tomato plants, maybe another pepper.

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My dad and I went on the first Lowcountry Farm Tour a couple of weeks ago, organized by Lowcountry Local First (lowcountrylocalfirst.org).

There were five farms, Charleston Tea Plantation and Firefly Distillery on the tour, mainly on Wadmalaw Island. We made it through two farms (Sea Island Herbs and Ambrose Farm) before hitting the distillery/vineyard and the tea plantation and finishing off the afternoon with a trip to the Market in Charleston.

At Sea Island Herbs, I had to talk my Dad down from buying just about every other plant he found unusual. I did end up with some Cuban oregano. It looks more like a succulent or a hens-and-chicks plant with its thicker, almost fuzzy leaves. I can’t wait for the plant to get a little larger so that I can cut some leaves and try them in a recipe. It is a perennial that will need to be brought indoors when (or if) it gets cold.

Firefly Distillery and Irvin House Vineyards are on the same property and there are two tasting rooms, one for the muscadine wines, the other for all of the products that are now Firefly. In addition to the eight flavors of vodka (plain, Southern lemonade, sweet tea, skinny tea, lemon tea, mint tea, peach tea and raspberry), Firefly now produces a sweet tea bourbon (using aged Kentucky bourbon, Charleston tea and sugar cane), three flavors of rum (gold, spice and java) and three liqueurs (banana pudding, peach cobbler and ... pecan pie). And, yes, the property is open for tastings 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

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Speaking of farm tours, the Upstate Farm Tour is scheduled for June 2 and 3. This will be the sixth year for this event, organized by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, and will include 24 farms throughout Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, Greenwood and Spartanburg counties.

Hmmm ... if there’s a successful farm tour in the Upstate and now in the Lowcountry, why not in the Midlands? A tour could be split between Newberry, Saluda, Lexington, and Aiken counties and then Richland, Fairfield, Kershaw and Sumter. Call it the Midlands East/West tour over two weekends or alternate seasons.

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I have been remiss by not including a basic barbecue sauce or rub recipe with a story I wrote last month.

When mixing up a barbecue sauce, I prefer to experiment in the kitchen with the basic ingredients: vinegar, mustard, honey, fresh black pepper and ketchup. Depending on the mood I’m in, I could go mainly mustard or all vinegar and pepper; it all depends on how I’m feeling that day. You should use these recipes as a jumping-off point. Try it as is then refine it to your taste or mood. These recipes come from “Pig: King of the Southern Table,” a cookbook by James Villas that I highly recommend.

Basic Barbecue Table Sauce

three cups

2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup molasses

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small onion, minced

In a stainless steel or enameled saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before using.

Basic Vinegar Barbecue Moppin’ Sauce

3 cups

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup cider vinegar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco to taste

In a stainless steel or enameled saucepan, combine all ingredients over low heat and simmer, stirring for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Basic Dry-Rub

2 cups

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup hot paprika

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing with your fingers to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Store rub in an airtight jar for up to 3 months. Use two or three teaspoons of rub per pound of meat.