Ken loves peaches so this year we ordered boxes of organic peaches to enjoy all year. First a few were ripe so I made jam. The large jars are apple juice from the steam juicer Then I froze some And today I canned one large batch and then a smaller batch to use up the syrup I had. Then I tried …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, onions, basil, beans, carrots, and parsley Field Notes. Planting, mulching, and harvesting continue. As the days shorten this becomes more of a juggling act! Ken picks several crops like tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, etc several times a week; that takes a chunk of time. He spent part of Sunday making next year’s compost. In the midst of all this I …
Most years we have a lettuce gap during the heat of the summer. During this brief time I focus on the many other salad options. For a cucumber salad we have found that a combination using small seeded cucumbers, breaking the skin and salting results in “burpless” digestible side dish. Asians often salt sliced vegetables to alter the green flavor of chlorophyll and enhance the vegetables’ sweetness. First I take rinsed cucumbers and run a …
Although I love tomatoes, there is one part of me that dreads tomato season. I find selling tomatoes challenging. We grow tomatoes for flavor, texture, and thin skins. They are wonderful. Many people want a perfect looking tomato that is perfectly ripe. One can determine ripeness by rolling a tomato in one’s hand and feeling its firmness or ripeness. Many people pinch tomatoes and a couple days later bruises appear – these …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has tomatoes, potatoes, beets, chard, zucchini, cucumbers, green peppers, beans, Walla Walla sweet onions, and parsley. Field Notes. Ken has been transplanting fall crops. We dug the garlic and it is curing on racks. Ken keeps up with weekly tasks like tying up tomatoes. Fun fact: Daylight shortens three minutes each day during August. Several cultures have a harvest holiday in August; In old Celtic …
Summer’s bounty can extend through the year with a minimum of work. Gardeners and farmers know crops taste best in season, but freezing or canning food at its peak is nearly as good. I take time when we have enough extra to freeze and can “treats” for later use. Today I blanched and froze beans and broccoli. First I nip the ends off the beans Then place them in boiling water. I usually watch for …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has cabbage, kohlrabi, potatoes, green peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, onions, and parsley Field Notes. Ken got a new area set up for the pigs, and we moved them Friday. Ken is also irrigating green houses, planting fall crops, and more. The soil is dry, but I am careful what I wish for – some friends just got six inches of rain! Ken checked his …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has lettuce, summer cabbage, carrots, kale, green beans, radishes, potatoes, bok choy, Walla Walla Sweet onions, and parsley Field Notes. Mulching the garden continues. Ken is cultivating, wheel hoeing and mulching. He also planted six flats of fall crops one evening last week. He transplants in the evening so the plants experience less shock and recover to grow more quickly. Ken is tying up tomatoes weekly as …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has lettuce, spinach, bok choy, green onions, radishes, beans, cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, anise hyssop and thyme. Field Notes Temperature fluctuations are extreme this week; we had a sweltering day Saturday and a cool easy to work day Sunday. The temperature spread was about thirty degrees. This is stressful on the plants and animals (and farmers). We are hoping for more moderate temperature swings. Ken has been wheel …
Ken planted some bush cherries, called Nanking Cherries, that he got from the county Land Water Department. Cherries are often listed as an alternative remedy for arthritis and gout! With no side effects and as one of Ken’s favorite fruits we always have some juice on hand Nanking cherries are a small fruit with large pit so I steam juice them and can the juice in quart jars for Ken The steam juicer has …
