Monday, August 13, 2012

CANNING POTATOES



So I'm going to can potatoes today. I have so many it may take me a few days to can them all. The reason I'll can them is to keep them longer. I did some reading. With good treatment you can keep potatoes for 6 months. But canned potatoes keep for years. I will most likely use all my potatoes up with in 12 months, but I don't want to waste any of what I've grown. I will also be canning tomatoes sauce and zucchini today and most likely tomorrow. And I'm replanting the two beds the potatoes came out of. My garden has really done well this year. Not bad for the first year! The soil was pretty bad, but the straw has really improved it. Over the winter I'll add compost, and ash to continue to improve the soil. Over time it should just get better! And I hope to move the tomatoes into a greenhouse next season. So I'll much more room for the other crops next year. Well that's the hope, it's all according to God's will. You can never count on anything, it's all grace!
We harvested 25 gallons of potatoes today.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Chinese cabbages, tomatoes and zucchini and potatoes

The garden is really starting to produce well. I now need to process what I have grown. Yesterday I made a giant pot of vegetable soup using my potatoes onions, and zucchini. I'll can what we don't eat. I'm also making pickles today. I also have lots of tomatoes, so I guess I'll make some tomato sauce. I need to find a good way to save the Chinese cabbage. I wonder if you can make sauerkraut with Chinese cabbage? Anyway, here are a few pictures of yesterdays crops. I have about this much every other day. I need to dig up all the potatoes now. I think I'll can those too. New potatoes don’t keep well, but they can well.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Finally!

We finally have vine ripened Heirloom tomatoes. This is what I picked today. I have peas, tomatoes, yellow zucchini, and cucumbers and flowers. I don't have enough for the whole world but I do have enough for a few friends. So if you want some fresh tomatoes then let me know. I'm ready to trade!