The canning is stacking up around here! This week, one of the things I did was pull the carrots. Some we ate and some were canned. Frankly, my carrot crop was small, and not impressive, but I dealt with what there was. I grew multi-colored colored carrots, for part of what I grew, and I like how they look in the jars. During a normal winter, I use between 5 and 10 pints of canned carrots, that is all. I use them for one purpose–making chicken-rice soup when I’m in a big hurry. Therefore, I don’t can them every year, but this year, I’m down to one jar left, so it’s time.
Pickles are made every few days and the tomatoes are just barely starting.
We have a peach tree in the back yard. It’s somewhat pathetic and the peaches that grow are usually eaten off by squirrels before they even ripen. The peaches are often covered with scabs. But, this year, some survived–probably 20-25 pounds and they are quite nice. I was expecting very little-none as usual, so this gave me extra peaches. I have been freezing them in slices for smoothies, gave some of the frozen ones to my sister, froze a few for a friend, and made another double batch of peach jam.
We are eating so well from the garden now.
My lettuce is really good right now, but some of it wants to bolt soon. I will be hauling some out to family members on Wednesday so it gets eaten.
Rob has been saving seeds from some of our open-pollinated flowers and vegetables to use next year. It’s his first try, but he’s become very infested in the process–so I’m on board. I’ve got a small patch of the lettuce in the center of the picture saved and will let it go to seed for him. I’ve got a huge cucumber yellowing on the vine for the same purpose, and one freaky carrot that bloomed so is being left alone to see what happens.
I’ve been working hard in the garden to pull up old bean bushes, pull the onions so they can dry, and otherwise clean up out there. One day, Rob tilled this section and I planted cabbage, some sad broccoli plants and a few seeds. The plants are not amused at the 90+ degree day we had today. I’ve ran the sprinkler daily and hauled a few watering cans full of water out to them, so they will likely survive if I keep doing it. I have plans to plant a few more fall/winter crops when I get the section where the onions were prepared.
I went to the dentist today and got a filling replaced. It had a small crack in it. They felt I could wait until after Rob recovered from surgery, but not 6 months…..I really don’t like dental work, but was glad to get it fixed before it caused problems down the road. I was able to use my insurance, so that helped ease the pain.
Rob has been helping my sister/brother-in-law on their peach farm a little over the past couple of weeks. They are in a busy time, and he’s available. While he was there today, he picked wild blackberries and we made jam this afternoon.
My aunt and sisters picked and snapped more green beans for me while I was at the dentist. Rob and I canned them this afternoon. I got 7 more quarts and 18 pints, plus 4 baggies to freeze. Thanks, guys!
Rob gathered free wood from the side of the road and made me screens to dry my onions on.
One day, while we were watching Michaela, we packed a picnic and took her up to Silver Creek Falls State Park to dip her toes in the creek, and enjoy her picnic. We are all trying to find things for the kids to do while still staying safe–so although the park was somewhat crowded, we just stayed away from people as much as we could, so we were able to find a way to social distance. We did take a walk, but it was around the parking lot and a field–we never got anywhere near the falls this time around. It was still extremely fun!
What did you do this week to save money or have an awesome week?
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Isn’t it wonderful to see the full canning jars fill up the shelves? I also grew multicolored carrots this year, and didn’t have a big crop either. I may pull what’s left and can them too. Surprise peaches sound like a treat. Squirrels eat ours, though we put up netting and got a few this year.
I do love seeing the rows fill. None of my carrots did very well this year. I’m not sure why, but you win some and you lose some. Thankfully, carrots are not very expensive around here, year round.
Your carrots look awesome. As do your tomaotes.
My biggest ‘haul’ this week was a full pound of shelled peas.Not bad for my little bitty micro garden. I put those into snack sized ziplocks for the freezer and got six servings. I have more peas to shell.
I was a little late getting to the shelling so some of the pea pods went a little soft and yucky.But when I looked inside those pods, I saw that the peas had germinated. Too cool. So I planted a full row with those. My garden guide says I can plant a fall crop of peas as long as they’re seeded by Aug15th. No problem.
My tomatoes are prolific for here. All four plants. But still very green. It’s a race to see if they will ripen before the blight sets in. I’ve been picking a few green and dicing them up for the freezer. I’ll make relish with those.
I also have green beans and beets coming in. Yea for the garden.
I read somewhere that carrots are biennial so only produce seeds every second year. YMMV.
Cheers,
You see, I know carrots are biennial! That’s why I’m so surprised to see a flower on one of them. Strange:). It is very cool you got to plant sprouted seeds….just fun!
I have had a do-nothing day. I feel fine, just can’t make myself do anything. There is so much needing to be done and I see it while sitting here but I suppose I am burned out. Reading your accomplishments has inspired me. Tomorrow I will do better.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
I hear you!!!!! Yesterday afternoon, around 5:30, I gave in, put on my p.j’s, climbed into bed with a book, and announced that no one better open the door for anyone….Patsy just looked at me with big eyes, and said, “why?” I replied, “I have my nightie on! I’m done! I’m just going to sit in my bed and read for the rest of the evening!.” She nodded. What else was there to say?
My accomplishment was to get caught up reading your blog and then had to go back and reread it all to Bill. He is definitely a non-gardener but he is interested in yours. It was fun pointing out different things in yours and explaining it to him. We were talking gardening together! That felt strange.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
I’m glad you got some entertainment out of it, you guys:). I barely have time to even look at my own blog right now–everything is ripe!!!! But, took a few hours this morning—whew!!
Great work,
I brought mark down silverbeet. I should be able to regrow the bases that they come attached to.
I will be able to replant those. My garden slowly beginning to produce. Powdered mildew is causing issues in my cucumber plants. Have changed watering times so hopefully that will help.
I need to give consideration to my summer garden. Our summer is so hot very little grows well for conventional western crops. I’m experimenting with Asian greens and wild edibles.
It is so hard to make anything grow when it is hot. We are having 2 days that are very hot in a row, (around 100 degrees F.), and I worry that it will stunt some plants! I hope you get yours to grow whenever you can.
Your garden is doing great and you are so good about canning and freezing all your produce! My volunteer tomato plant produced 6 or 7 tiny tomatoes before it withered in the heat! I still have one volunteer melon plant that is alive with one single 4-inch melon on it! I thought it might be cantaloupe, but, now, it looks like it might be honeydew! We are having 100F + temperatures, now, so, just watering the garden to keep the fruit trees alive.
I’m sorry it’s so hot! I heard California is so hot that they are doing rolling brown-outs to regulate the power usage. :(. I hope that is not necessary in your area and that you can stay cool in all the heat.