What are you canning now?

[pfields]

Thank you!

 

[KentuckyMom]

@pfields
What a beautiful harvest so far!

 

[pfields]

Yes, so far we've had lots of tomatoes and the okra puts on faster than we can pick it. This year we did something different, we bought all indeterminate tomato plants. They are suppose to last till the first frost. I've had tomatoes till December before but just once.

Our cantaloupes were looking good and then the rain came. Rain takes the sweet right out of them and then they start to rot on the bottom but we can still buy them at the store. Down here in Texas we usually enjoy watermelon this time of year but so far they've not been good at all, not cheap and taste bad.

I have peaches ripening on my counter that came from central Texas, can't wait to eat them. We like to cut up fresh peaches with bananas for dessert or I'll cut them up with Fruit Fresh and sugar then freeze for cobblers later.

 

[rancher hicks]

@rancher hicks
Yes, I need to look into that idea again. I was in touch with someone from Maine about cuttings but needed to wait for the right season. ( autumn) By the time it rolled around , I'd forgotten and misplaced the name of the person. Are berry cuttings hard to get going? Do you root them in water first ( like tomatoes) or put them directly into the ground. People on here talk about fruit tree cuttings too, but I've never tried those either.

I put them in a pot using "Root Tone". Use a light potting soil. Put them in a clear plastic bag in a shaded spot in the garage. OR if the weather is warmer you could dig your hole, dip the ends in "root tone" or some other rooting medium, stick them in the hole and cover with a glass jar or Cloche.

I recieved about a dozen cuttings. Easy enough to send in a padded envelope. Wrapped in a wet paper towel inside a plastic zip lock bag and they should be fine sent first class mail.

While my Jostas are big I see no berries on them yet. Two survived to make it into the ground, but I suspect I should have planted them sooner. Have your spot dug and ready for the rooted cuttings ahead of time.

 

[rancher hicks]

My dad's grape vines produced a lot of grapes this year so I've been making grape jelly. The grapes are small red grapes and make the best jelly.

Our tomato plants are outdoing themselves this year so I've also been making salsa. Lots of salsa!

I still have dewberry jelly from last year and dewberries frozen in the freezer for jelly or cobblers.
These grapes are sweet enough to eat right off the vine. My chickens loved them.


Still have this many leftover after making 18 quarts of salsa and
the plants are still loaded with green ones.

Did I mention a friend sold her mothers house and gave me her two concord grape vines? They are growing nicely, but spring will get the difference. I will mulch them good. If they continue as they are I wonder how long I can expect grapes.

They have nice trunks.

 

[rancher hicks]

Strawberry pineapple jam in the pot.

 

[1FlewOver]

Nine quarts of pickled jalapenos so far.....BUT!!!!! I feel like such an idiot! !!! These are 'Fooled You' jalapenos....and have no heat....so I always throw in one half of a mild jalapeno to give it just a little kick.....

Uh huh....you guessed it....I forgot.....on all NINE quarts....gotta open 'em up and re-can them....DOH!!!!

 

[3goodeggs]

Where did you get your fooled you seeds? I had them once and have not found them since.

 

[KentuckyMom]

@rancher hicks
Thank you for the information about cuttings. We bought Concord grapes in 2013. Last year we had a few bunches of grapes. This year we have many, many bunches. They are still green right now. My husband put up welded wire sections for them to climb on and there are clusters everywhere this year. We are going to have to put some kind of hardware cloth on over them before they turn so the birds don't snatch them all up. I'm looking forward to grape jelly and jam. Yum.

 

[1FlewOver]

Where did you get your fooled you seeds? I had them once and have not found them since.

I never have....I saved seeds two years ago....but was very conservative in how many....last year....something happened and I didn't save any....I had poor germination and the seedlings died...(long story) .....anyway....I bought plants from the feed store and that's where the peppers came from....As I said....I've never found seeds.....the originals were plants bought many years ago....but I'm fortunate in that now the feed store sells 4" pots for about a buck....but I always try to start my own.....I'll save some seeds this year....how many would you like?