Cooking Peaches- The Ultimate Summer Fruit Summer fruit brings to mind tomatoes, nectarines, plums, peaches and more. My favorite remains peaches. For sweetness and aroma cooking peaches can't be beat. Preserving this summer goodness is easy. While you're at it, save enough to enjoy now with ice cream, fruit toppings, fresh fruit salsa and in baked goods. Start with fresh ripe peaches with little to no overly ripe soft spots. Choose for the delicious aroma, also. Whether you grow your … [Read more...]
After the Harvest Fall Gardening List
September is here and for many this after the harvest time is one of well deserved rest. Fall is but hours away and the gardening season in my area is coming to a close. Unless you have a green house or some sort of sheltered growing system, the short days combined with the cooler weather means not much will be inclined to grow. All living things need a rest and our plant life needs rest too. After the harvest, if you are like me, your back and knees could use a chance to … [Read more...]
Sharing the Harvest, Being the Recipient
Sharing the Harvest Some years I had so much produce I would take bags of squash to work with me. We had some abundant years where the shredded zucchini in my freezer lasted much longer than the winter. We fed neighbors and left the anonymous bags of zucchini on doorsteps. We enjoyed sharing the harvest. And then, there was this year. In my effort to get enough produce for canning and freezing but not have an over abundance of food, I started a whole new garden plot. I added soil and … [Read more...]
How Much Food to Can and Store
How do you know how much food to can and store for your family? Harvest time is busy and there is never enough time to get everything done. Of course like many things, there is no one correct answer. It will depend on how your family eats, how many mouths you are feeding and how many times you eat dinner at home each week. Knowing how much food to can starts with assessing your needs. A Formula For Figuring How Much Food to Can and Store Will you require something from your … [Read more...]
Volunteer Vegetable Plants and Edible Weeds in the Garden
Volunteer vegetable plants invaded our garden! Our garden started off strong this spring, despite a cooler than normal spring. Cucumbers, onions, green beans, beets, kale and cabbage were planted into the rich, dark, fertilized soil. Everything was looking healthy and I was anticipating a good crop that would be canned and stored for the winter. Volunteer Vegetable Plants and Edible Weeds I was excited to see a few volunteer plants emerge in late May. I was hoping for a zucchini, … [Read more...]
