What did you do in the garden today?

[Acre4Me]

Spicy Dilly Beans:

Usual hot bath instructions: wash jars/lids, heat jars (I boil for 10 or more min when empty), heat lids (not a boil and not required per the directions).

Add to each half pint or pint jar:
1 garlic clove, 1/2-1 tsp dill seed, 1/2-1 tsp dried red chili flakes, 1/2tsp mustard seed (optional). Can also add sliver of hot pepper - I used a hot pimento this year. Can also add scant 1/8tsp pickle crisp if you want.

In a pan, heat to boiling:

Equal parts white vinegar and water. When using 2.5C of each, then add 4Tbsp of pickling salt. If using 5C of each, then add 1/2C pickling salt.

Pack jars (that have the garlic etc) with green beans, fill with hot brine. Remove bubbles, add more brine if needed but leave 1/2” headspace. Wipe rim, add lids and rings (finger tight), put into canner well covered with water. Boil for 10-15 min (I have 3 recipes and they give this range).

Cool and wait at least a week before enjoying!

 

[Acre4Me]

Oranges in Cointreau (recipe in Ball canning book)

10 whole cloves
5 cinnamon sticks (about 4” each) broken in half

Make a spice bag with cheesecloth - add above spices and tie shut,

Add to stainless steel pan along with spice bag :
3.5 C sugar
2/3 C water
Stir to dissolve, heat to boiling, lower heat and simmer for 10 min, stir occasionally. Remove the spice bag.

Add to the hot sugar water:

9 Naval Oranges (trimmed off ends, sliced 1/8” thick, remove any seeds). Yes, peel stays on! I sliced the rounds in half, but you don’t need to- you can keep them full circles.

3/4 Cup Cointreau. (Substitute with Triple Sec or Grand Marnier or Curaçao of equal amount). I used Cointreau.

1/2 C dry white wine.

Heat this mix s l o w l y over medium low heat, carefully stirring to not damage orange slices. Heat to boiling over this med-low heat.

Ladle into hot jars. Remove air bubbles, add syrup, but leave 1/2” headspace. Clean rims - we used wet cloth followed by a cloth dipped in vodka to make sure all syrup was off the rim and sides. Add lids and rims. Water bath can in boiling water (completely covered) for 15 min.


Note: we had sugar crusting on pan sides during the first boil with the spice bag, until we added oranges and liquor, so we got it all dissolved into the syrup at that point.

 

[bruceha2000]

I see their poo, but they are blending in so well.

They glow a light green in the dark under a black light.

Shooting rabbits is always a good thing, they are a pestilence period.

I've not had problems with the bunnies here. The things they would eat in the garden are protected by chicken wire. We see at least 4 or 5 in front of the house and barn. They like the clover. One didn't make it across the road the other day.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good news today . Had EKG and heart is in normal rhythm . Pumping normal . I suspected as much . I have been able to use a little more salt without problems .

Very good news!

 

[igorsMistress]

Good evening gardeners. I didn’t do a thing today outside. Was up at 0130 with a headache, had a shower, did whatever around the house until work, then after work had a long nap. Sadly the new allergy med doesn’t work for hives very well, or my allergies, so I had to take a couple of Zyrtec tonight. That should knock me out again for the night, I hope, but I’m feeling much better. I did hook up the new sprayer to the hose so I can water tomorrow before work. It’s a wand style with a pivot head and a trigger, pretty neat. Anyway, time for a shower and maybe some reading. Have a great night.

 

[gtaus]

Over the past few weeks I have been building pallet wood projects for gardening. I started a BYC thread called Show Me Your Pallet Projects! for people who are interested in pallet projects. Lots of good pictures and ideas on using pallets. Here are some of my gardening pallet wood projects....

Some planters for Dear Wife's flowers...

A pallet wood raised bed for my plot in the backyard...

And a tool organizer for my garden tools out in the main garden...

If you are interested in these pallet wood projects, check out the discussions and pics on the Show Me Your Pallet Projects! thread. Lots of other stuff too including pallet coops, pallet pig palaces, pallet goat garage, pallet duck pen, etc...

 

[NewBoots]

Good news today . Had EKG and heart is in normal rhythm . Pumping normal . I suspected as much . I have been able to use a little more salt without problems .

Excellent news, and thanks for sharing it!

We had crappy and bass in a lake we used to fish when I was a kid ..so yummy! They poisoned it and replaced them with trout

It's so frustrating, trout is so often the be all and end all. Here it's usually trout and bass (our lake is on the bass tournament circuit) that are first in line. But neither DP nor I care that much for trout, the crappy and smaller bass are our favorites.

A pallet wood raised bed for my plot in the backyard...
Some planters for Dear Wife's flowers...

Those planters look really nice, and the raised bed is great too!

 

[Cynthia12]

My yellow and crook neck squash keep on giving. Can I freeze yellow squash?

 

[karenerwin]

Okay, so who is it that shreds and freezes cucumbers ?? @Sueby is it you??
I know it’s someone on here.
Going to go to the “local” ( over in Illinois) “pick your own farm” tomorrow after I pick up the grandson from preschool and pick some peaches and apples!
Oh, forgot to add that I made “Sweet and Sour Pineapple Jam” tonight.
It called for a Stevia blend instead of sugar. But I’m not sure I’m a fan of it. I may try it again and use sugar instead.
Also, what size pots do you use to plant your pineapple top in to try to grow a new plant? I know I will have to bring it inside over the winter.

 

[Sueby]

Are you one of the people that shred and freeze cucumbers ? Does the bitterness stay in them? Do you peel them first? What do you do with them later?

Me! I do not peel them first, I grow suyo longs & they never taste bitter so I'm not sure about that. Maybe try cutting & rubbing the ends before shredding? I shred, drain & squeeze & then freeze them in 1 cup silicon molds, then I put them in a ziplock. I use them for soups (I drop say 1 cup in a batch of broccoli soup or something) or in place of zucchini in zucchini bread. I hate to waste anything, lol.

Have you tried eating any of the small ones yet? I haven’t

I had NO idea you could eat loofa!!!

Recipe says wait a week or two before eating. We’ve made them last year and they are really good! This year I cut the beans into 1” pieces, instead of longer pieces.

That's how I do the ones I keep now too. So much easier to do & we like them on salads. I do a couple jars to give away to a friend every year & those I do regular, not cut, & they're such a pain, lol. I make mine spicy too, jalapenos for them, habanero for us!

Morning all. I have a bunny in the garden that's got to go too. I can't wait to put up the chicken wire next year, that'll take care of the critter issue.

DH is tiling the kitchen today! Then I just need a new table & the kitchen is done.

Today I'm pulling the last of the cucumbers, the wilt has done them in & I'm pulling the blue lake beans, the heat has done them in. I'm going away for a couple weeks so I've got to start cleaning up the garden. I don't see DH picking green beans for me while I'm gone anyway. Hot peppers yes & I can probably convince him to pick squash, but beans would be pushing it.