These are NOT all Sundays endeavors. Please. lol However, the bottom picture is a preview of things to come. I filled 3 dehydrators with sliced onions and only used about 5 pounds of onions. The Irishman brought me home 30 pounds, because they were 29 cents a pound, so...
I do have beans to do again. Have about 2 gallons trimmed and snapped, another bunch coming in today, plus a friend sending more home with the Irishman today. I'll probably have a good 2 canners worth. I will probably go see about finding a few bushel of tomatoes to can too...my plants are loaded with small green tomatoes, but only 1 lonely Roma is starting to turn a pinkish orange. I'm worried about not getting tomatoes and if I wait too long I may miss out on the season altogether. If I do buy some and then mine come through, well--you can never have too many canned tomatoes, right ? Better safe than sorry, I think.
The AC has decided to go on the fritz again. Damn. Thankfully, it's only supposed to get to the mid 80's today, and then down in the 70's all week. (Crazy, innit ???) Certainly am NOT calling the AC guy on a Sunday, are we ??
I just came in from picking the rest of the beans. Decided that I better get out there before it got any hotter. I spotted 3 THREE tomatoes that are starting to ripen this morning. WOO HOO!!!! I picked a good quart of jalapenos, a few crimson cayenne peppers and beans. Even though it's not so hot out there, the humidity is a killer. Yesterday we were under a heat advisory. The temps hit 96 with a heat index of 107. Some of the plants love this weather, others not so much. The Armenian Cucumbers are growing and flowering like crazy suddenly. I spent half an hour yesterday training vines up the trellis. They are loaded with flowers. Everyones gardens around here are way later than usual. It's not just me...although I am still trailing by a good margin.
Here's the deal with the Roulette of Gardening. The ball will fall where it will, and there's nothing you can do about it. In good years you do all you can to preserve what you know is too much for you and your family, because there will be years like this. Where the gamble is in full tilt. The Butternuts look great this year--last year they were so-so. The potatoes are looking great...above ground anyway. The Irishman said he saw some pretty good looking Kennebecs when he was strawing, so hopefully that harvest will suffice. The sweet potatoes may be a wash this year. We planted them in a spot that is maybe not getting enough sun, or is too acidic...or something. Note in the garden journal: No sweet 'taters in the side garden again. You learn to roll with it, you can and dry and freeze all you can (and look like one of those hoarders on tv lol) You do whatever you have to do to plan for the coming year (s) and you figure it out. Yesterday I found tomato paste on sale for a really good price, like 29 cents a can. So...I bought a case. I may buy another one. Because canning tomato paste uses a TON of tomatoes that would be better served by canning diced, whole, sauced, salsa-ed and marinara-ed. lol Especially when I can get it for that cheap. An old guy up the road grows tomatoes because he likes to grow them but not eat them. Last year he sold me a big box of Romas for 5.00. It was a goldmine. I'll keep my eyes open for these things and all will be well.
Okay. I need to get started somewhere. Look out pantry--here I come.
Namaste
9 comments:
You've got that right, girl! When gardening for your year's food supply, you have to learn to be able to roll with the punches. If we get an overflow of beans, well, put up two years worth. If the carrots fail, we do without or look from some we can afford to buy. Ain't gonna be no winter squash or pumpkins makin' it to maturity here this year, but we'll have potatoes galore.
I hope you have a couple of Handi-Jacks underneath that table laden with your canned goods! What a beautiful bounty.
Namaste 💜
Wow! I think I can smell those onions over here, they look so strong and robust. It sounds like some things are going strong, even if they got a late start. Love your garden tales. :-)
Mama Pea...absolutely right on. We don't live to be this old without being F-L-E-X-I-B-L-E...
I didn't even plant pumpkin this year. Oh well....it will be what it will be !!
Took me a minute to figure out what Handi Jacks were, lol. That's the island in my kitchen, has a full cabinet with drawers under the top.
Namaste, Dear Cloudia
Wishing you much love and great peace in your soul. I think of you often...
DJan--they are some robust onions all right. lol The first batch we did yesterday the Irishman peeled them and I sliced and loaded. He wore safety glasses from work. LOL
I was looking out there this evening...it looks better than it really is, but we'll still get some good stuff out of it. I think the plants focused more on greenery and less on fruit. Still plenty of time though...we have a long growing season here, usually.
Sounds to me like you have a good headstart on the winter - I have never dried carrots before - I might just have to try it. I AM going to dry onions, as I lost some of mine last year to damp storage. 29 cents a can for tomato paste is fantastic! I don't have the patience to make it. And you are so right - it is impossible to have too much canned tomtoes...
Hiya Suz...
I can never grow enough onions to get me through. They don't grow well in my garden, or at my hand..or something. lol One year I had a LOT--but none of them were bigger than a jawbreaker. So...I pickled those bastards. lol
I haven't been by for so long! I am starting where I left off and will work my way up to your latest post.
I think that is what you have to do--get while the gettin' is good, as they say. Because you will have lean years and, like you said, every year is different, too. I admire you for all the work you put into your pantry and freezer. You will love it come winter. :)
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