Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Smokerbill]

We've been doing that for two months! Somehow we got ahead of ourselves. Maybe next week or the week after we can start buying meats again. We'll see. Fish is the only thing we buy regularly. We do love fish and shrimp here.

That's sort of why I cooked a ham today. I usually buy a couple when they're cheap during the holiday season. I still have one left in the freezer that I'll probably cook for Thanksgiving then buy a couple more for next year.

Veggies are starting to fill my deep freeze now. Peas, carrots and greens so far, and I'll start freezing green beans tomorrow. I'll freeze a few bags of whole tomatoes but I decided to can most of them this year. I froze 7 gallon bags of whole tomatoes last year and that wasn't enough. Two dozen pint jars arrive next week.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I did process tomato sauce of roma tomato last year.
We have barely started using it. probably have enough not make any this year.

 

[Smokerbill]

Picked beans, green and a few rattlesnakes. Rattlesnake beans are long! All but a few are destined for the freezer. Maybe I'll plant a few more bean seeds today if I have any left.

I planted yellow wax beans that were labeled as bush beans, but they sure are putting out a lot of long vines. Guess I need to rig up another trellis.

 

[PopoMyers]

Processing carrots today. Clean, cut, blanch and freeze on a cookie sheet. That's the plan. Hens get the greens.

And it's time to start picking the climbing rattlesnake beans. Gonna have to leave my step ladder in the garden until they stop producing.

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One of my Baker Creek collard seeds grew into a plant that has leaves more like turnips, not collards. I eat them just the same.

Nice carrots! I have a hard time here with root maggots, so I quit growing them. Did get a nice haul of assorted beets today. Cooking the greens later. I'm going to wait until this weather cools off before I start canning and jamming.

 

[PopoMyers]

I hang them in the laundry room then dry them till crumbly.
take any stems that did not crumble.
Most my herbs are perennial I have had them 12 years.

Rosemary doesn't seem to want to survive for me.

 

[PopoMyers]

Picked beans, green and a few rattlesnakes. Rattlesnake beans are long! All but a few are destined for the freezer. Maybe I'll plant a few more bean seeds today if I have any left.

I planted yellow wax beans that were labeled as bush beans, but they sure are putting out a lot of long vines. Guess I need to rig up another trellis.

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Very nice beans!
Seems a lot of my shelling beans are half runners. Planted a couple new varieties this year, and they are shooting up. Oh, well, guess they'll have to lay there. Very difficult to try and install trellises after the fact.

 

[PopoMyers]

I foraged out back and got a half gallon of Oregon grape berries. They're thick in the woods this year. Last year there were hardly any.

I'm in the process of making Oregon grape syrup with 6 cups of them. Still need to finish straining, then boil the juice with sugar and bottle. Should be nice on pancakes this winter. Or on plain yogurt or ice cream.

I'll make jelly too. There are lots of green apples on my tree I can use to make the pectin I'll need.

ETA: I just learned that these berries are high in both pectin and acid so I think I just made jelly instead of syrup which is OK with me. My brother thinks I should be making Oregon grape wine...

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Nice to know. Now if I can find some growing wild. Seen a lot in landscaped areas. Afraid to pick those growing in possibly treated areas.

 

[PopoMyers]

We went to Chehalis for dog food. I went and did tables and boards in both coops. Brought 4 green tomato to make green tomatoes tonight with dinner.

Fried green tomatoes are a favorite here, along with anything else cooked that way.

 

[PopoMyers]

Nope not hours but at least 3 I have been up.
Basil is a great idea on pizza.
I should have planted kale this year forgot it.

This is giant kale from Baker Creek seeds. This picking made a whole gallon bag to freeze after blanching and rough chopping.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I did forget kale this year. Stopped to shower funny have had the air running 24 x 7 turned it off as tank top got cold.
Felt good I tell ya,
Did consider sowing a few kale seeds now bought 4 kinds.