RUG HOOKING BLOG

About Me

My photo
I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Sunday, August 14, 2022

THE GARDENS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING IN ABUNDANCE THIS YEAR

 

Here's George with our first batch of cucumbers, a big Laundry basket full. It was so heavy that we couldn't carry it very far and he got the skid steer to carry it to the house.

The cucumbers came with a vengeance and I had to pick every other day and I've been pickling non-stop for days. I made Bread n' Butter Pickles, lots of Dill pickles, some Million Dollar Relish, some Pickled Beets, and Lady Ashburnham Pickles. I've made extra for our Church Vegetable and Pickle Market for this fall as a fundraiser. 

Just a sample of my pickles. I didn't bother to take pictures of all my pickles and preserves this time but I processed 104 jars of pickles, 15 jars of green beans, and 13 jars of pork loins so far. 

I froze an amazing amount of broccoli and cauliflower.   I  also froze some chopped-up cabbage for soup in small portions. I still have lots of assorted cabbages in the garden.  We are giving cabbages away. I'll have to learn to make sauerkraut for George. lol...   My new 7sq ft. freezer is almost full already.

Last September, we had an overabundance of beans and I ordered an All-American pressure canner but it only arrived in late September so I didn't use it last year.  I had to freeze the beans and I made Dilly spicy green beans pickles with the rest. This year, the deers ate most of the beans but I still have some in my son, Vaughan's garden.

Already, I canned some pork loins and several batches of green beans in my new pressure canner.  I love my big new canner. I was a little worried about using it the first time but after watching a Youtube video, it was easy and a joy to use.  It sure has been fun preserving all that food but an amazing amount of work too.


The pork loins were on special and this is my first batch. I went back and got some more and made another 6 bottles. 

I had to work at another funeral reception on Tuesday so I did get a break from preserving food. Wednesday I weeded my flowerbeds that were being invaded by weeds full of seeds that I couldn't ignore.  Some vine weeds came up in the straw and I suspect the seeds were in the straw mulch. The war on weeds continues and that'd normal, even with mulch. I'll continue using straw mulch anyway. Not all my beds were mulched as I just didn't have time because of adverse weather.

There is a feeling of Autumn in the air already and my Hydrangea is already changing color. I have lots of flower pictures but this post is already long enough.



What the heck, a picture of one of my Asiatic Lily that was eaten by the deers last year, survived this year by using some wire-fanned supports that were bought at the dollar store. Not a great picture to show the fanned wire support but Lauren wanted to know what kind of support I used.

Thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment.

Hugs, Julia


13 comments:

  1. Wow. You have been super busy, and super productive.
    Love that lily - and wish I could claim to EVER be on top of the weeds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just amazing Julia! How satisfying to have canned good for the upcoming winter. Who knows what is coming but your surely are ready!
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your garden is so big, productive, and weed free. Mine is pathetic this year, tomatoes and okra are only about a foot tall yet. Darned ground hog(s) set it all back, on top of things being put out very late. And I never did get much of the usual things planted. At least I don't have to worry about canning/freezing this way?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow Julia!! That is so awesome!! I did 25 quarts in my pressure canner this weekend. My soups are going to be this week. I love your pork loin in the jars. I really love how many pickles you have done. I am so glad your garden is producing so well this year. You really do have a green thumb!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was so happy to see a post from you... Wow...and more wow...! That is a LOT of produce! What a feeling of accomplishment and comfort knowing you are so well-stocked for the months ahead. I am glad your canner is working out for you...that was one thing my mother made good use of growing up although hers certainly didn't have the bells and whistles the new ones do. It looks like you have an electric stove?? How does that work out with canning? Everyone I know who cans says you should have a gas stove.... I've not canned for years and have an induction range and am pretty sure that wouldn't be very compatible. I am glad you clarified that you got the pork loin at the store... I was visualizing little piggies growing in your garden. 🤣 It would not have surprised me given your green and prolific thumb. Have a great new week my friend... ~Robin~ (TheCrankyCrow)

    ReplyDelete
  6. That’s one heck of a lot of cukes! And look at those canned beauties . I’ve never canned meat. Bet it’s good though. A lot of work and a lot of pay off!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Holy moly...that is a lot of hard work!!! My mom always canned and froze, too. She also made bread & butter pickles. Canned pork loin? I never heard of it but I bet it is yummy.
    Geez, no wonder you don't have time to hook. All that canning and gardening, you must just crash at night.
    Thanks for showing the pic of the supports. I am surprised it keeps the critters away.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow I do believe you have been busier than the beavers. It will be worth it in the end when you eat all that you canned and froze. Janice

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've been canning but not like you! Holy moly you're a whirl wind of pickles and such! I did some peaches today and have done green beans. The tomatoes are coming on and when the romas get ripe the real work will begin with spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce. I know it's lots of work but so satisfying to know where the food has come from when winter is here and we're raiding the pantry! It will save money at the market and believe me it's more expensive every week. Take care and I know when going to a funeral is more fun than canning that you're truly ready for a break!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I used to do a lot of canning, but these days I freeze almost everything out of the garden. My son always asks what we are going to do when the grid goes down. Well.... I sure do admire both of you for all the work you do.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's a lot of work! We used to can beets, baby corn and make iceberg pickles, but our canning days are done! It was fun and we did it together, but now there seem to be other things to occupy us. I think the kids miss the pickled beets more than we do!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, what fun! And I know it is work, but when I was a kid and one year that we had a big garden, I totally love canning and freezing.

    I had two tomato plants and two cucumber plants in pots. I only got a handful of tomatoes, and no cucumbers to eat. I saw one honeybee in our yard this year...yes, one. my cucumbers did not get pollinated. I did not see bees of any kind. Usually when my coneflowers bloom, there is something on them constantly. Not one single bee did I see. And I sat outside and actually watched for bees. I don't know what happened or why.

    ReplyDelete
  13. How sad that there are no bees in your garden. I have so many bees I can hear them buzzing on the flowers.

    Could it be that neighbours are spraying their lawns and plants. Pesticide and herbicide kills bees. My brother in law has bee hives near our place and I have large expanses of blooming flowers. I also have weeds on my lawn but at least they are green.

    ReplyDelete