Canning: Whole-ish Tomato's

On Sunday I finally took care of the 10#'s of Roma tomato's a friend gave to me :)

I went by this tutorial from Marissa over at Food in Jars.

This was actually my first time canning tomato's! And it wasn't as bad as I had expected!

Hubby cored the 'maters...because he said he 'liked' to do that!? Ok - whatever floats your boat! Because that is one part I wouldn't particularly enjoy!

I then boiled them for a minuter or 2, plunged them into cold water, and then peeled them - Super Easy!

After they were peeled, they went into the jars, processed for 85 minutes, and

VIOLA!

Canned Tomato's ready for marinara or whatever else I need tomato's for! And let me tell you, I go through a lot of canned 'maters so hopefully my friend has many more to give away!! I'd love to be able to put up more than these 3 quarts and a pint. That might last me a month!

 This post is linked up to Sidewalk Shoes and the Garden Tuesday Party!

Harvest Monday, August 15, 2011

I don't know about you, but I am ready to rip everything out and get some Fall crops in!

In this pic below, the 'maters you see are the massive extent of our tomato harvest this season - BOO!

More cucumbers which I chopped up for another expirement in natural fermenting ;)

And more KY Wonder Pole Beans.



And more peppers. I am not even going to attempt to indetify any of these, aside from some Jalepenos that are in there somewhere. Our pepper patch isn't following our layout at all ;)

And, 3 heads of cabbage. Which were promptly cut up for Sauerkraut :)

I am looking for suggestions; Suggestions on what kind of Garlic to plant.

What kind is your favorite or your go-to garlic that you plant every year?

I was considering Music, Spanish Roja or Oregon Blue. Have you tried one of these varieties and if so, what has your experience with them been?

And, check out what other gardener's are harvesting this week over at Daphne's Dandelions!

Spring is on the Way!

The weather has been so nice these past two days! I am envious of my hubby who is outside doing yard work! Me and the babe are inside looking out the windows :) Ok, I steal a few moments of fresh (barn) air when he is asleep :)

Our seedlings of some tomatos and leeks are coming along. I just send in a seed order yesterday so we are a little behind, but none the less. Off the top of my head, we ordered Atomic Red Carrots, Moon & Stars Watermelon, Yellow Wax Beans, KY Wonder Pole Beans, Jupiter Sweet Pepper, Stuttgarter Onion, Rocky Top Mountain Lettuce Mix, Parisian Cuc for Pickling and Cherokee Purple Tomato.

This seems to be Maggie's new favorite place to sleep!

Blue Sky!!!


Whinny & Daisy greeting each other in the morning.

The Tulips (my fav!) are coming up...but the weather is supposed to drop again next week :( I hope they make it.

Savannah is on the prowl....critters beware!

Seems we had the same kind of weather this time last year in March too :)

Seed Starting 2011

Everyone is starting to blog about what they'll be planting in their gardens this year. Hubby and I are always overly ambitious when it comes to planting -- probably since we have the room! Last year actually started off great....then, once I was slapped with morning sickness 24/7, I couldn't stand to be anywhere near food of any kind :/ Between the gardens, the orchard and the other general farm chores, it was too much for hubby to man alone so most of our harvest went to family and friends and weeding went to the wayside!

Anyways, I guess I am just a gluten for punishment because between reading everyone's blogs and scanning all the seed catalogs coming in, I already have a mile long list of seeds I want to order. Unfortunately, with the arrival of "Baby P" not too far away, I don't think we'll be starting any seeds indoors this year. Hubby wants to just buy plants already started and plant them once it is warm enough, but I still have some certain varieties in mind that I know we can't purchase locally - thus, I will still be ordering some seeds! (Plus I am all about heirlooms - hubby can sway either way)

One seed I am going to try this year is the Moon & Stars Watermelon! I am excited to try this one; it is supposed to grow well in our area.


I also want to try the Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean (and the Dragon Tongue Bean...not pictured)



And for one of our heirloom tomato's this year, I've heard so much wonderful feed back on the Cherokee Purple Tomato so I am going to try that. This one makes me nervous starting from a direct seed outside so I may have to persuade hubby, in between feedings and diaper changing and dog walks and horse stall cleanings, to start these inside under the grow light ;) Wish me Luck!!

I have 2 onions on my list as well that are good storage onions as well as a good pickling cucumber. I also have received some Purple Calabash Tomato seeds along with a Purple Haze Carrot seeds from a fellow blogger, Emily! Thanks Emily!!

So, what are you planting this year? What is something new you are going to try?

I am also on the hunt for the following if anyone knows where I can find them, please let me know! Tromboncino (vining summer squash, Small Sugar Pumpkin (supposedly grows on a trellis), African Jelly Melon and a Rocky or Agnes Pickling Cuc.

Any suggestions on a good veg to grow for making my own baby food?

Any suggestions on a nice Zinna flower seed to plant?

Ok, I have to stop.....my plate is overfull already :)

A Glimpse Into The Gardens...

Wild Daisy's at the entrance of one garden

An Onion coming in

Yellow Squash

Mammoth Snow Peas

The Pepper & Tomato Garden in the Orchard

Heirloom Tomato Blossoms