What did you do in the garden today?

[NewBoots]

Our formerly feral kitty has decided I'm her best friend, she has to sleep cuddled in between my face and the book I'm trying to read, LOL.

That is so sweet! I swear rescues know they've been rescued.

It won't be too long until Penny's bonded to both of you, understands that the cats and chickens are also members of her new family, and adjusts to being the best dog ever, since you are the most understanding dog family ever. Please give her a scritchy and nose boop from me.

Will do. Seriously, her personality changes are amazing. Away from the cacophany of even a well run kennel (and this place was very well run) what with dogs barking and people coming and going (half of them strangers) she hasn't barked once since we got her and that was with dogs barking on two sides of us, a siren, a loose dog out front, and people walking by across the street. That said, if we give her too much freedom she gets stressed and hyper vigilant, but chilling in her kennel helps her calm down and regain her balance. Early days, and a rescue dog can change a lot once they feel safer (and not always for the good) but we're thrilled with her progress so far. To see her doggie grin at us with an open soft expression in her eyes is such a joy. The humane society we got her from was so glad we were willing to stick with her. We visited her 5 times and only once it didn't start with her fear-barking at us. Added to that she's 1/4 to 1/2 pit and wasn't getting any other takers. Joke's on them, they missed out, she's ours now and we love her.

I think we need more Penny pics!!

I guarantee there will be.

Canned the stock last night and I need to get another batch of cowboy candy going, we've given so much away already (the folks at the humane society love them ) and I want some for Xmas gifts. Made a huge batch of quinoa salad this morning with the following: quinoa (duh), blanched kale, blanched green beans, pinto beans, marinated artichoke hearts, shallots, pickled baby corn, feta cheese, slivered salami, and a dressing that's basically a red wine vinaigrette with garlic and lime juice added. The salad is super flexible, you can mix and match ingredients depending on taste and what you have. Garbanzos and Greek or black olives work great too. Heck if you hate quinoa you could use cooked pasta instead (quinoa is so good for you though).

Clothes are in the dryer and I should dump the jelly into a kettle and run the jars through the dishwasher so they'll be ready for the reprocessing.

 

[NewBoots]

Okay, reprocessed, keep your fingers crossed for me please.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. We're getting a surprise rain shower right now. Perfect timing as it started after I finished feeding the chickens and going through the garden. Today's haul was about the same, tomatoes. pole beans, and another 5 pounds of peaches. I started a pot of tomatoes for their first cooking. While they're cooling down I will run to the local farmers market and pick up some zucchini for the pot of pasta et fagioli I'm making tomorrow. Fortunately DD has gotten over her issue with peaches and now likes them. So I can send her home with a half dozen after visit today. I'll be slicing and freezing whatever is ready today to clear some of the produce "clutter" in my kitchen. Good luck with your jelly @NewBoots. I've been making peach preserves for the past four years since I moved here and I finally gave up on boiling it down forever to get it to gel and just added some pectin. It was so quick and easy and a much better consistency. In addition to the peaches, I need to freeze some of the green beans today just to keep them fresh. The few lima beans I have already picked will be going into the soup tomorrow. Have a great day everyone.

 

[Birdsonghill]

I do not but I have to can tomorrow I'll try and get one

I borrow one from a young friend and associate gardener. They sure make the tomato processing faster and seedless. A very worthy kitchen tool! We share tools and resources, back and forth, often. I should of bought a new one when my mothers 60 year old processer broke and was tossed. Metal fatigue from all the use! I think I have some of that now!

 

[Sueby]

Afternoon all. Busy day, went to TS & they didn't have the cattle panels I wanted, they tried to charge me for the $67 goat panels - uhhhh no. So we had to go to another TS.

I found 2 foot green chicken wire there so when I got home I put that around the bottom of the integration run in prep for the babies coming. I just have to do the gate tomorrow. So much easier to work with than HC!

Haven't even stepped in the garden, it's raining & I'm headed out to see The Dead with some friends. I did get 20 pints of beef broth packaged up & in the freezer. I might make some onion soup tomorrow.

Starting to think about doing Christmas jams...anyone have a favorite jam they'd like to suggest? Also thinking about doing a small jar of cowboy candy to go with it.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Not sure where you live Morning glory is also known as binweed it is invasive and illegal to transport in certain states

Morning Glories, while beautiful, are, along with red stem pig weed, one of my most pulled weeds! I can appreciate their beauty in nature, but would rather never see them at my home! They cover up and choke out other perennials and annuals alike, in the gardens. I planted some "Heavenly Blue" morning glories 45 years ago at my former home and they ran amuck. To this day that property is suffering from morning Glory infestation and the shrubs and other perennials have died or been severely throttled by the choking vines. On the other hand, the flower covered fences, surviving shrubs and other objects are covered in blue flowers in the summers and not bad to look at! The old bird bath and clothes line poles become practically, invisible, in the summer under the vines and blooms!

 

[Birdsonghill]

Afternoon all. Busy day, went to TS & they didn't have the cattle panels I wanted, they tried to charge me for the $67 goat panels - uhhhh no. So we had to go to another TS.

I found 2 foot green chicken wire there so when I got home I put that around the bottom of the integration run in prep for the babies coming. I just have to do the gate tomorrow. So much easier to work with than HC!

Haven't even stepped in the garden, it's raining & I'm headed out to see The Dead with some friends. I did get 20 pints of beef broth packaged up & in the freezer. I might make some onion soup tomorrow.

Starting to think about doing Christmas jams...anyone have a favorite jam they'd like to suggest? Also thinking about doing a small jar of cowboy candy to go with it.

I love doing jams and preserves for Christmas gifts. I also do packages of homegrown herbs, seasoning blends, candies, pickles, smoked paprika, chipotles and etc., for close family and friends only! I am too selfish to give away too much of my hard work! I tell people, to come over and eat my recipes with me! Sorry, just my selfish nature manifesting itself! I like to see them eat and enjoy the bounty with me!

 

[Birdsonghill]

I guess I should tell what I am doing today! I smoked Tennessee Cheese peppers and red jalapenos last night and am drying them today. The smoked paprika from the cheese peppers is fantastic! I usually make and can some chipotles in adobo sauce from the jalapenos. I would never be without those things now, God willing! I almost forgot to mention I cooked up and canned 7 half pints and 4 pints of "red hot sauce" yesterday and am basting some smoked sausages and chicken with some leftover sauce today on the grill. The sauce is from my Joe's Long Red Cayenne's and is not real red hot, but mildly hot and tasty. Sometimes I make it hotter. Ya'll have a great day!

 

[Sally PB]

We made salsa today. I'll can it after dinner. My feet and legs need a break.

Starting to think about doing Christmas jams...anyone have a favorite jam they'd like to suggest?

This isn't my favorite, though it is tasty. I make apple butter and substitute cherry juice for any water called for. A friend eats it like applesauce and loves it, so she'll get some this year, for sure.

I also make a lot of nut butters for gifts. About this time of year, I look for various nuts to be on sale, and stock up.

 

[NewBoots]

Good luck with your jelly @NewBoots. I've been making peach preserves for the past four years since I moved here and I finally gave up on boiling it down forever to get it to gel and just added some pectin.

The first processing was without pectin but I might not have boiled it long enough. Seconding processing was with low sugar pectin and I boiled it longer. It set better and once chilled it sets up pretty well. Still tastes great. The huckleberry jelly I made before set about the same and it was without pectin.

Morning Glories, while beautiful, are, along with red stem pig weed, one of my most pulled weeds! I can appreciate their beauty in nature, but would rather never see them at my home! They cover up and choke out other perennials and annuals alike, in the gardens. I planted some "Heavenly Blue" morning glories 45 years ago at my former home and they ran amuck.

There's morning glories and bindweed. Related plants but in my experience, only the bindweed is a problem and it has large white trumpet flowers or the smaller variety with small pale pink or white flowers. It also has horrible roots that go everywhere and break off when you try to pull it. All those root bits regrow. Terrible stuff. Maybe the climate here keeps the annual ones from reseeding easily. The deep purple ones are pretty reliable at reseeding but that's the only one, the other colors we've planted grew one season then petered out.

This isn't my favorite, though it is tasty. I make apple butter and substitute cherry juice for any water called for. A friend eats it like applesauce and loves it, so she'll get some this year, for sure.

That sounds awesome and I am going to give it a try for sure!

Packed about 11 pounds of ripe tomatoes into bags and stuck them in the freezer for now. I had enough between those and another 10 pounds or so already frozen but it's too hot to start the cooking process. Mostly I've been harvesting various slicing and cherry types with just a few paste types thrown in. The paste types (sm, saucy, one other type that slips my mind) seem slower to ripen but the few that I've picked so far are very dry by comparison. They should cook down quicker then the slicers. The slicers are so delicious.

Oh and rule number 1, no dogs on the couch:

Oh well...