October 26, 2017

my pantry

This is my pantry that doubles as a root cellar. I store my jars and vegetables here at a cool room temperature. Vegetables I have here are shell beans, popcorn, coriander, garlic, potatoes, and winter squashes. I spend a lot of time in the pantry. It has a little work shelf. Also storage shelves with garden books and garden supplies. In the middle are plant shelves with lights that I can wheel around. The room is off the garage, well vented, and has its own temperature control. It’s a tight…

October 24, 2017

growing Belgian endive

I’m trying something new this year. Belgian endive! I grew it from seed starting mid summer. Last Friday I harvested the roots and now they are curing in the garden under leaves. They’ll stay out there a few days or so, then the leaves get chopped off and the roots are stored like carrots – in plastic in the refrigerator. In a few weeks I’ll take out one root and plant it. It should take 3 weeks for it to start producing chicons. What an odd thing to do. I…

October 23, 2017

my best tomatoes this year

I’m almost out of garden tomatoes. Two weeks ago I picked the last of the green ones on my tomato vines. They’ve been gradually ripening indoors. Yesterday I made a batch of sauce, probably my last one after a summer of making nearly a batch a week. I only have a couple tomatoes left 🙁 I’ve been thinking about which were my favorite varities this year. For slicing tomatoes, it was an heirloom variety called True Black Brandywine (seeds from Baker Creek). It’s not related to Brandywine and doesn’t have…

October 23, 2017

no frost yet

I didn’t get a frost last week in either of my gardens. My mom’s garden frosted and many others around, but no frost yet in my area. And none are in sight for the next week and a half. That means I’ll have a VERY late frost this year. At least 3 weeks late. Wow. My plants summer plants have stopped growing anyway, because there isn’t enough light for them.

October 17, 2017

celeriac

It’s the first time I’ve grown a good sized celeriac. This one is softball size. I’ve never had one bigger than a baseball before. I gave them more space. I guess they like to spread out their roots. I put 3 or 4 in a row – about a foot or so apart. And compost, lots of compost.

October 17, 2017

frosty night

I’m wondering if my garden got it’s first frost last night. I covered some baby lettuces and picked the last of my peppers, eggplants, and popcorn – just in case. My thermometer now says it’s 33. Brrr. Once it’s light and warms up a little, I’ll go down and check.

October 12, 2017

pickles, jam, jelly, and sauce

This is a line-up of all my canning from this fall, so far. From left: tomato sauce, End-of-the-Harvest pickles (Ball book of canning), Daikon and Carrot pickles (Food in Jars), Bread and Butter pickles (Food in Jars), Sandwich pickles (Ball), Apple Sauce (Food in Jars), Raspberry Jam (Ball). And on the top: Apple Preserves and Crabapple jelly (both from the Ball book of canning).

October 7, 2017

backyard colors

September 29, 2017

butternut squash portrait

All my butternuts got together for a family portrait. It’s been a good year. Eleven big squash from four plants.

September 28, 2017

crabapple jelly

My mom has a crabapple tree that was full of very big crabapples this year. So I picked a basket full. I’ve never made crabapple jelly before. The apples are really tart (pucker), but the jelly is wonderful. And I love the color. (I used the recipe in Ball Home Preserving pages 107 and 109.)

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31