What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

I have canned it pureed before because that's how my family has always done it. Since I've learned it's no longer recommended, I haven't done it that way anymore. I tried it chunked and canned. Lately I've just pureed and froze. But I'd like to reduce the amount I freeze because I always get stressed out when we lose electric. How reliable will the electric be after we start relying on wind or solar for everything?

I have photovoltaic system with 12 2V/720Ah baterries. it works great now. I'll see if it will be enough in winter. I use an old dishwasher without using hot water from solar boiler. but water in summer here is not really cold.

 

[karenerwin]

Got out to the church garden for 15 minutes. Watered and picked tomatoes, Cheyenne peppers, jalapeños and a couple of green bell peppers.
Made a double batch of corn and cherry tomato salsa.

 

[gtaus]

I know if I mentioned pickled eggs to DH, I'd get this reaction: I'd like to try them, anyway. Let us know what you think. I've seen recipes for different flavors of brine, from sweet and sour to dill.

I watched a YouTube video on pickling eggs and the guy said you could start eating them after 24 hours. So, I just got done trying a pickled egg and a slice of pickled banana pepper from the jar. This first batch of eggs was put into a jar with my leftover juice from my Spicy Pickled Beans.

It was actually really good!

OK, just over 24 hours in the jar, so the hardboiled egg had just a tint of pickling at this point. Very nice. I'll try an egg per day to see if the eggs soak up more pickle brine the longer they are in the jar. I wonder if that will change the taste. But right now, it's a winner for me.

Also, it was mentioned that the eggs should be eaten within a week or two even when refrigerated. Maybe they go bad after that? I don't know. How come regular pickles can live in the fridge for months?

According to Alexa, my source of all quick knowledge these days, you should eat the pickled eggs in 3-4 days. Looks like it's salad time....

 

[Sueby]

So my mom said you boil pumpkin on the stove and when it starts to soften you can use a potato masher to get some of the chunks out. Then you put it in hot jars and then to the pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

@Sally PB I just wanted to point out that it is not recommended to can pureed squash. Here's the link from the National Center for Home Food Preservation on why & the link to their suggested way to do it:
https://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#36&gsc.tab=0 - (scroll down, or the link is in the next link I suggested too)

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/pumpkin_winter_squash.html

With that, I'm not the canning police, I only play them on the internet, lol. I know people have done it for years & all is fine.

 

[NanaK]

How do you determine when they are ready to harvest? I have several that are very orange but not sure if they are ready or not. Have more that are still green or are just starting to turn orange

Sometimes I have to guess with pumpkins and watermelons.

With pumpkins, I try to write down the day I plant. I note the days to harvest.

When they get completely orange I look back to my notes. If I'm around the correct number of days and the vines still look good I'll usually wait maybe 10 or so more days hoping to be sure. Then pick the orange ones, leaving any green ones. I'll get those later.

Normally when most of mine are ready the vines are looking bad.

Hope you get some good ones!

 

[Sueby]

I picked up my tomato plant that tipped over from some freak wind we received last night. Luckily no branches were broke off. I picked about 15 ripe cherry tomatoes from my plant. I plan on making BALT's for dinner tonight! (the "A" is for avocado)

I always put avocado on BLT - I make an avocado aioli with mayo.

Nice. I will have to try a BLAT. I have come to love avocadoes.

Def, so good with avocado!

Made a double batch of corn and cherry tomato salsa.

That stuff is so delish, isn't it?

Morning all. Nothing happening here. My cucumbers are done, the squash lady beetles did them in. I need to pick beans today, but I'm over collecting beans, I have too many already. I *might* do another batch of dilly beans while I do the cowboy candy tomorrow.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Picked another 5 gallons of peaches this morning. Thankful for the breeze, it's been so hot here and everything is miserable.
A couple of days ago I canned some Jalapenos and Cowboy Candy Jalapenos, no canning now, we only have a window air conditioner, and we are barely keeping the living room cool.

 

[fuzzi]

View attachment 3616354Meet Percy. He arrived around 11:00 this morning. Everyone is doing great. He weighed in at 9 pounds 3 ounces!

Congratulations!!!!!!!

 

[fuzzi]

YIKES ! I can't even imagine a baby that big. My first born son weighed 8.6, 22.5 in long. I had to have a C-section. My 2nd to last g-son was over 9lbs. All natural birth. NO THANKS

My son was 8lb 13oz, 23"...I was able to deliver the regular way, "natural"...but ow.

 

[WthrLady]

OK the ONE good thing about the past 7 days being over 100', the tomatoes have slowed down to where I can catch up. I'm down to just covering half of the 60 inch round kitchen table. It's even too hot at night for them to ripen. Our low during the nights has been 78', which tomatoes will ripen in, but very, very slowly.
When we come back down to normal again this next week, I'll be up to my eyeballs again.
I might have to sell some.