What did you do in the garden today?

[Acre4Me]

I'm.so jealous of @Acre4Me and those squash blossoms. I have plenty of tomatoes, but no squash plants left!

Mine haven’t done as well this year -many of them have gotten hit by vine borer, including butternuts. Pumpkins I tried to kill the VBs, and covered with dirt, and crossed my fingers. I replanted yellow squash snd xucchini, so might get a few before cooler weather comes into play. Most of the blooms that I cooked came from my garden, but I supplemented with neighbor’s blooms -they gave me blanket permission to go over and pick blossoms if I wanted any, any time.

Shout out to anyone who has pickled fresh garden beans that might be able to offer a better recipe for refrigerator - no pressure canning - beans.

I have a recipe we like. It is for water bath canning, which is ok since acidic base. We like them a lot! But, we only make small 8 ounce jars bc they aren’t something to eat in large quantities.

 

[gtaus]

I have a recipe we like. It is for water bath canning, which is ok since acidic base. We like them a lot! But, we only make small 8 ounce jars bc they aren’t something to eat in large quantities.

I don't know much about the different kinds of canning. What is water bath canning? Years ago we did caning in a pressure cooker. This latest batch of Spicy Pickled Beans all I did was pour the vinegar spicy juice mix over the cans in the jar and then put them in the refrigerator when the juice cooled down. I liked how easy it was to make the pickled beans in jars in the refrigerator, but like I said, my family does not like the taste of the recipe I made.

 

[BullChick]

I don't know much about the different kinds of canning. What is water bath canning? Years ago we did caning in a pressure cooker. This latest batch of Spicy Pickled Beans all I did was pour the vinegar spicy juice mix over the cans in the jar and then put them in the refrigerator when the juice cooled down. I liked how easy it was to make the pickled beans in jars in the refrigerator, but like I said, my family does not like the taste of the recipe I made.

Water bath is when you fill a pot (with something on the bottom to keep the jars from touching) with enough water to cover the jars by at least an inch. Add a lid, and away you go. It is okay for acidy food like tomatoes.

 

[Acre4Me]

I don't know much about the different kinds of canning. What is water bath canning? Years ago we did caning in a pressure cooker. This latest batch of Spicy Pickled Beans all I did was pour the vinegar spicy juice mix over the cans in the jar and then put them in the refrigerator when the juice cooled down. I liked how easy it was to make the pickled beans in jars in the refrigerator, but like I said, my family does not like the taste of the recipe I made.

Water bath canning is when the item is put into the jars, lid then ring, boil in water (covers jar with at least 1” wateR) for 10 min. Usually veg needs to be pressure canned due to low acidity, however the vinegar provides enough acidity to make them safe with the water bath method.

I’ll get the recipe tomorrow for you. These could probably be fridge pickled too (instead if water bath canning), they will just need to be eaten within about 4 months.

 

[gtaus]

Been real busy the past few days cleaning up and throwing out old junk. Made 4 trailer full hauls of garbage and unwanted stuff out to the transfer station. Got rid of some old broken down furniture and replaced them with some "newer" used furniture in good shape.

Spent about 5 hours yesterday cutting down unwanted weeds and tree growth where it did not belong. Cleaned it up with a heavy garden rake and finished it off by using the riding mower. Looks much better now. My younger brother was here visiting and he wanted to do the work outside. Some jobs are much easier with someone else to help. I cut down the tree growth and he hauled away the wood to a big burn pile. With 2 people working, you can really see a difference almost immediately.

Last week I had a tall tree break off about 20 feet off the ground. Unfortunately, the trunk did not make a complete break and ended up falling down on the ground at an angle still attached to the tree. I got that pulled down and the trunk trimmed and bucked up into smaller pieces. Spent a good part of the previous 2 days running the branches through my gas chipper. Still have some work to do, but about 80% complete on that project.

Took my old trailer into town today and picked up another two galvanized metal panels to make two more new metal panel raised beds. Plan on putting the cut wood from the fallen tree into the bottom of those raised beds to make hügelkultur beds. Good use of that wood because we don't have any way to burn wood in the house for heat or cooking. Will be putting a thick layer of unfiltered chicken run compost on top of the wood base. Then will top off the last ~6-8 inches with good top soil and screened chicken run compost mixed 1:1 for the final layer. We have had a terrible drought year, and the only raised beds producing for me are the hügelkultur raised beds. Hope to get the new galvanized metal panel hügelkultur raised beds built and filled this fall so they are ready for planting next spring.

Here is a YouTube video of galvanized metal raised beds similar to the ones I have been building. However, my beds are 4X4 feet whereas he is making his beds 4X12 feet. If you make an 8 or 12 foot long raised bed, then you need to add side-to-side bracing to prevent the sides from bowing out. Also, he states that you can use regular screws instead of pocket hole screws to save some money. IMHO, that is a mistake. If you build with pocket holes, bite the bullet and use the more expensive pocket hole screws. The soil in these raised beds is going to put pressure on the structure and you don't want regular screws pulling through the pocket holes and risking the raised bed falling apart. For my build, I even used the heavier dimensional lumber pocket hole screws, which are a thicker screw and requires the heavy pocket hole kit for dimensional lumber. I might overbuild some things, but I think the few extra dollars for the heavier screws will pay off over time.

 

[WthrLady]

Spent all afternoon taking down an out of control 12 foot tall lilac bush.
I planted it 6 years ago and its spring growth is always out of control. The flowers only bloom on year old growth, but I trim it down two 2 feet and by August it's 10 feet tall or higher, which is not acceptable in its location.
So every year I hack it lower and lower. This year I needed to trim it back for the siding guys to get access, and I just kept going. I cut it to the ground. It really needs to go.
I bundled it and put it to the curb.
Lilac is toxic to stock. That's why it's not in the compost or burn pile.
Tomorrow I'll cut down the Russian sage if I get going before the trash guys come. The bees are still having a great time with it, but it too is so large that it's falling over and looks terrible. Next year I'll try to remember to put up some round supports like you do for peonies.
I dread cutting it as it is dusty and STINKS.

Oh and I decided to enter my Chinese Duck Sauce in the State Fair. I need to call tomorrow and clarify what division and class as it's not clear. It's a LONG drive to deliver it too. 2.5 hours. No idea if I'll go back to get it. Maybe.

 

[BReeder!]

And much easier to kill....

On a sad note, I lost a hen this morning to a fox.... I had let them out to free range and had JUST gone back in the house. My dog was in the backyard and never even reacted to it. I heard the commotion from inside the house. By the time I got outside, there were only feathers left. I feel terrible....

I told DH about it and it started an argument because he wants to shoot them. However we are inside the city limits and there are houses nearby. I feel the risk is too big. I asked if we could compromise and use an air soft rifle. He said it's a waste of time.

Anyway, I'm super bummed about losing one of my girls....

I have neighbors on all sides in a suburban area and I take out rabbits and possums with a pump action bb/pellet gun. I use the pellet function with piercing pellets. It does the job, even on bigger possums as long as I aim for vital organs and not the head (thick skull stops the pellets from inflicting serious injury). I bet you could mess up a fox with a pellet to the ribs (lungs and heart) with enough force. The only downside for me is my pump action gun takes 8-10 pumps to ensure I have enough force to do the deed. A high power air rifle would be a better bet because I could quickly load and fire without having to pump.
They pellets I use are something like this:

 

[BReeder!]

My Spicy Pickled Beans recipe from Martha Stewart was a flop. Nobody in my family likes them. In short, they taste too much like vinegar. The spicy part is good and I like the crispy beans. But, I too, find these pickled beans much too strong in the vinegar taste.

Shout out to anyone who has pickled fresh garden beans that might be able to offer a better recipe for refrigerator - no pressure canning - beans.

Here is the Martha Stewart recipe I made and that nobody in my family likes....

Come chat in my "Preserving Your Harvest" thread. Plug!

I pickle a lot these days. Waiting a few weeks helps. The flavors tend to blend and you may find the vinegar flavor mellows out a bit. Also, I prefer 1 part salt, 8 parts vinegar and 8 parts water for any pickling I do. I also use apple cider vinegar and white vinegar combined and go for 5% acidity (that's the perfect amount for safe pickling and any stronger will mean an even stronger taste). The ACV is slightly sweet and has a fruitiness that it adds to whatever I pickle. I don't add sugar, but you can and it helps to counter the sour taste of vinegar. And lastly, try incorporating them into a salad. A homemade dressing of just olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, and vinegar blended well (emulsified that is) would go nicely and compliment the pickled beans as well as typical greens, tomatoes, cucumber etc. found in a salad.

 

[BReeder!]

Been real busy the past few days cleaning up and throwing out old junk. Made 4 trailer full hauls of garbage and unwanted stuff out to the transfer station. Got rid of some old broken down furniture and replaced them with some "newer" used furniture in good shape.

Spent about 5 hours yesterday cutting down unwanted weeds and tree growth where it did not belong. Cleaned it up with a heavy garden rake and finished it off by using the riding mower. Looks much better now. My younger brother was here visiting and he wanted to do the work outside. Some jobs are much easier with someone else to help. I cut down the tree growth and he hauled away the wood to a big burn pile. With 2 people working, you can really see a difference almost immediately.

Last week I had a tall tree break off about 20 feet off the ground. Unfortunately, the trunk did not make a complete break and ended up falling down on the ground at an angle still attached to the tree. I got that pulled down and the trunk trimmed and bucked up into smaller pieces. Spent a good part of the previous 2 days running the branches through my gas chipper. Still have some work to do, but about 80% complete on that project.

Took my old trailer into town today and picked up another two galvanized metal panels to make two more new metal panel raised beds. Plan on putting the cut wood from the fallen tree into the bottom of those raised beds to make hügelkultur beds. Good use of that wood because we don't have any way to burn wood in the house for heat or cooking. Will be putting a thick layer of unfiltered chicken run compost on top of the wood base. Then will top off the last ~6-8 inches with good top soil and screened chicken run compost mixed 1:1 for the final layer. We have had a terrible drought year, and the only raised beds producing for me are the hügelkultur raised beds. Hope to get the new galvanized metal panel hügelkultur raised beds built and filled this fall so they are ready for planting next spring.

Here is a YouTube video of galvanized metal raised beds similar to the ones I have been building. However, my beds are 4X4 feet whereas he is making his beds 4X12 feet. If you make an 8 or 12 foot long raised bed, then you need to add side-to-side bracing to prevent the sides from bowing out. Also, he states that you can use regular screws instead of pocket hole screws to save some money. IMHO, that is a mistake. If you build with pocket holes, bite the bullet and use the more expensive pocket hole screws. The soil in these raised beds is going to put pressure on the structure and you don't want regular screws pulling through the pocket holes and risking the raised bed falling apart. For my build, I even used the heavier dimensional lumber pocket hole screws, which are a thicker screw and requires the heavy pocket hole kit for dimensional lumber. I might overbuild some things, but I think the few extra dollars for the heavier screws will pay off over time.

I have similar raised beds. Mine are 4'x8'. With beds the size of mine, I recommend a brace across the top connecting the centers of the longer sides as well as stakes driven at least 12" into the ground at bottom at the centers of the longer sides to keep them from bowing out. Mine are 26" inches tall (the width of the roofing panels) and filled with 20"-24" of soil (I keep adding and it keeps settling). I placed branches, brush trimmings, logs, etc. in the bottom of some of the beds, which adds a bit f hügelkultur to them also. The only problem I've had with them is they dry out faster because of the added height - gravity and heat work against moisture retention. If we have a week or more without rain, I have to give the beds a good soaking with the hose. A drip irrigation system would be great! Maybe one day...

 

[WthrLady]

Also watch your ACV labels. Many are just colored flavored white vinegar.