Processing.

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year.  I love the coming coolness of Fall, I love the sounds of school, I love the bounty of the garden.  I hate staring at that bounty and not having time to process it.  I hate the mess that processing creates.  I hate cooking dinner after I have canned all day.  Love it or hate it, the time is here.

 

 

This is the recipe I used for my first tomato sauce experience.  I followed it with the exception of using a food mill or strainer.  I like the skin and seeds.  Extra fiber and nutrition never bothered me.  Plus, I will be using this in other recipes so I doubt it will ever be noticed.

 

My sweet neighbors had an excess of tomatoes and were so kind to share.

 

 I cored them and cut out any bad spots. 

(Notice the nice new GIANT sink?!)

Then I cut the tomatoes into quarters.

I stewed them for 20 minutes.

 

I let them cool a bit before I processed them until they were smooth.  This took awhile because I had to do the 'maters in small batches.

 

Then it went back into the pot to simmer with the lid off so it will reduce into sauce.

 

Then I packed it into hot jars and water-bathed them for 40 minutes.  I can't wait to use them!

 

My joy at being done with that job was short-lived.  This was waiting for me!

Dilly beans!!!

 

I love to see the jars lined up.

 

It would not be a canning day if this did not happen at least once.  It is always disappointing.

Goodbye little jalapeños.

 

It's hard to be sad for long with this little toot around!

July gardens are lovely.

This is our little plot after all of the glorious rain!  It is really nice to have the abundance.

 

 

This was the same plot in May.  So barren.

 

 

There are a few weeds but I am really happy with the space and the set-up.

 

 

The squash seem happy.  And the bees are happy to see the squash!!!

 

Cucumbers are coming in.  I love them with all of my heart.  I have already made use of my sweet MIL's gift to me.  There is a batch fermenting in my new crock!

 

Here we have some pumpkin and different fall squashes that will grow into the summer squash plot about the time the summer squash retires.

 

The summer squash is huge and healthy!  I have picked a few squash bugs.  I go out there every single day so as to not miss one.  I think it is helping.

 

 

This makes me so happy.  I can't wait to have these sliced on a plate or on fresh bread with homemade mayo.  Summer in my mouth!

Fermented Daikon

If you read my blog last year, you know how I have fallen in love with fermenting.  My experience thus far has been limited to pickles and yogurt. 

 

A few weeks ago I got 4 daikon radishes (or daikon root) in my
Bountiful Basket contribution. (click the link for info)  I was a little shocked and a lot confused.  I had never even seen a Daikon much less cooked with one. 

 

After searching a bit I found that Daikon make great pickles.  There were tons of recipes for refrigerator pickles.  I finally found a few that suggested fermenting and I was done looking!

 

The week before my sweet mother-in-law gave me an awesome birthday present.  A pickling crock!  I was so excited to use it and this seemed like the perfect chance.  

 

 I began by peeling the root. 

 

 Then I cut them into coins.
 

 Not too thick.
 

 Then I salted them.  It will pull away the little bit of bitterness that is in the root.
 

 After letting them sit for 30 minutes or so, I gave them a really good rinse to remove the salt and liquid that came off of them.

 

 My crock needed a weight to keep the root under the brine solution.  This Pirex lid fit perfectly!

 

 I put the daikon into the crock (I added a few cloves of garlic 'cause that's how I roll) and then covered them with brine.  I used the lid to weight the root down into the brine.  You don't want anything exposed to air.  That is how you get mold and grossness.  You do not want fermented grossness. 

 

 As the fermenting process began, we noticed a smell.  It could only be described as...well...smelling like another natural form of fermentation that occurs in the human body.  Say after a big bowl of beans.  Sorry, I had to go there.  Matt had the wonderful idea to cover it with this pie plate which fit perfectly and kept all of the gassy smells inside.

 

 After several weeks of fermentation, (and leaving them well alone!) it was time to test them.  They still smelled a little stinky but the taste was wonderful!  I think the Daikon just has a funky, radishy aroma.  I packed them into quart jars.

 

 Then I ladled the fermented brine to cover them.  I put the lid on and store them in the fridge where they will keep for a LONG time!  You could can them at this point but the processing would rob you of all the raw, probiotic goodness that you get from fermentation.

 



3 out of the 5 kids loved them.  I loved them.  Matt still hasn't tried them but I think he will.  They have that wonderful tangy flavor that the fermented pickles had last year.  I am so happy with the crock!  It was so much better than using glass jars.  Thank you Grandmolly!!!

 

Here is the brine recipe and the link to the site that I used for instruction.  Now go ferment something!

 

"Stir up a brine solution of 2 Tablespoons sea salt (un-iodized salt) to 1 quart water. Note that you must use salt that has no additives-check the ingredients of your salt to make sure that it contains nothing but salt. Additives in salt can prevent the lacto-fermentation process from occurring." 





I come to the garden alone...



 Not sure if you know that hymn (I love the girl who sings on this link) but it is a good one.  It is also oh so true.  Spending time in the garden thinking and talking to God.  It is my favorite time.  I crave more time there. 

 

Sad little sunflowers were the only ones to come up.  But not to be conquered, I planted more seeds this week!

Beans are coming up!

Found a peanut!!  Seriously.  I make it a point to try something new each year.  This year it is 2 peanut plants and 3 strawberry pants.  We shall see.

 My solo time in the garden has to be stolen. . .nap times, the last few minutes of sunlight after the kids are tucked in, and sometimes an early morning.  Like fitting in exercise, if it is important, you find the time. 

 

A line of peppers. 

This looks like a mess right now but before too long they will be tomato trees!!!

Hi happy little 'mater!

But I do have to apologize.  If I have ever said to you, "Oh gardening is easy!  You just throw a plant in the ground and add water."  Just disregard that comment.  I must have made it in January, that month when gardening seems mythical and magical.  Gardening is rewarding but it is not easy. 

 

 

Faithful zucchini.

Teeny cucumbers.

 Take the picture below for example.  What was last week clean barren dirt is this week a matted pile of weed seedlings.  We had great rain and feel blessed.  This, however, was bound to come next.  I am not sure why the weeds have a deeper root and can withstand any torture you might throw at them while my precious garden plants like to wither if you look at them wrong.  There is a profound and spiritual theory in there somewhere.

 

Evil.

This is how they come up, in big clumps of roots.

 As I stoop over the weeds and whack at them with a hoe, I am reminded that not only is hoeing good for the garden, it is also good for my core!  So I guess I can't complain.  Hard work, sunshine, the dirt under my nails and the blisters on my palms are all signs of a healthy, capable body.  For that I sing praise.

 

Such vibrant green lettuce.  So good.

Been snacking on these babies,



with this baby.  He is my mini-me and I love him.

 

The only things that I really would like to rid our gardens of are rabbits, who are from the bowels of Hades and the sand-blasting winds which also seem to resemble Satan's craft.  Oh well, this is not Eden.  Its just the Texas Panhandle.  Semantics really.

 



We are trying roosters again.  Wish us luck!  Hopefully I will not have to relieve this one of his duties as I did the last. 
(The story is too gruesome to share here.)

Bees at the water.  The rocks keep them from drowning.

Corn!  This is the cute Indian corn that I got from my Papa.  Can you still say Indian Corn or should it be Native American corn? 

Even with all of the hurdles, I still love to be in my garden more than any other place.  Ok, so my porch swing comes in a close second.  So I will continue to come to the garden alone.  Hopefully that time will be more, "He walks with me and he talks with me" and less, "Don't go out there because mom is cussing the rabbits."  Hee hee.  We will see how the season goes.



Life on the Prairie is good.  The grass is greening from the rains and it makes for a lovely spot to sit and listen to Spring go by.  Praying the same for where you are!