Processing some veggies ...

A bit overwhelmed due to miscellaneous issues. Rain and uncooperative weather/soil conditions is likely to ruin my crop this year.  I have been trying to amend soil an keep weeds at bay - but we shall see.   Been busy at work too, so I haven't been able to slow down much.

Katherine got Lyme from an attack of 4 ticks!  She's on antibiotics - got it very early so its likely to be a complete recovery.  She's wiped though.

I brought back some green beans I managed to salvage from the rainy patch.  There is still more in the patch but I was out of time.  Taking this Friday off to go up early and see if I can get that patch into shape.  Anyway, I processed them today.  Got 2 qt and 1 pint frozen!  Not bad for what I thought would be a total loss.  Probably more to come.

I made stuffed zucchini for dinner tonight - it was AWESOME!  I adapted of course.  Used fresh basil and not pasta sauce - just tomato sauce (a pint of our own home made) and basil (from our basil pot out back).  Also used some turkey sausage we got 50% off at safeway today.  Last night I fried a couple smaller squash.  Just sliced, breaded in corn meal and almond meal then fried in peanut oil.  I still have plenty of squash to process.  I want to try drying some in the new dehydrator this coming weekend.  I read that you can dry them as chips an then use salt/seasoning for a nice snack!

I cut and froze the Kale that was growing here in raised beds.  I estimate I got a whole gallon froze!  4 foodsaver bags which look like they got about a quart each (eyeballed - based on what a quart of greenbeans look like in the foodsaver bags.)

While at safeway we also picked up some pork loin (also 50% off!)  that I wanted to try and can today, but way too short on time.  I haven't even got to the cucumbers from last weekend!  Probably have 4-5 quarts of pickles worth of cucs to process!

Well, to tired - its a bit after 11pm.  night!

Tuesday August 20th - Green Beans!

I picked the green beans here in SS - got just about a pint.  Katherine and I cleaned, blanched and then froze the green beans that I harvested Monday and today.  We got exactly 8 quarts!  We froze them in the vacuum sealed bags.

I collected the dried dill form the screen in the basement.  It doesn't seem 100% dry to me.  I think I will collect the rest of the herbs here (basil and dill) and dry them using the dehydrator machine.  I need to save the dill up in PA too!

I want to start a lacto-fermentation for some of our cucumbers - just to see how well it works.  In the future, vinegar may be hard to come by!  Lacto-fermentation just needs salt and herbs (I think).  Salt is stockable, but distilled vinegar is more difficult!