Squirreling away

Each year I look forward to the time when my forays to the garden are rewarded with baskets of produce to be squirreled away for the cold months.  This year’s garden was generous with the peas and many packages were put away in the freezer after a blanch, chill and seal in vacuum sealed bags.  The first planting of beans turned out to be yellow wax beans, not the green bush beans that were planned.  They remnants of those have been fed to the chickens along with the bean beetles that they have accumulated.  A second planting of green bush beans was done prior to our vacation, but bunnies got to them while we were away.  I covered them with net on our return, but the wily little cotton tails have managed to get under the net.  I guess there won’t be beans in the freezer this year unless I can score a few pounds at the Farmers’ Market.  I will be taking grandson home on Thursday and returning home Saturday, hopefully to arrive in time to get some from the market.

Today, after the rain finally let up, a venture over to the garden was rewarded with more than a half dozen lemon cucumbers, still of usable size; a large scalloped white squash, hopefully still usable; scores of peppers, my first two slicing tomatoes and half a basket of Tomatillos.  One of the pullets finally laid an egg and one of the hens also provided one.  The pullets look like they may actually be getting the hang of it and egg production should increase.

Knowing that produce is best preserved while garden fresh, I set about to chopping and made 3 pint jars of Tomatillo Green Salsa, still having all the Habeneros and a few more Jalapenos that were too large for just pickling for hubby, I also made 2 pints of “Oh, I think I destroyed my tastebuds” sauce.  I didn’t taste the salsa, but after searing the veggies and habeneros for the sauce and finally being able to breathe again, I did taste the habenero tomatillo sauce and I may never be able to taste food again.  My son will love this one.

In the peppers, we are beginning to get cayennes and anchos turning red, so strings were started to dry them from the bottom of the loft beams for sauces, chili, and crushing for pizza and pasta this winter.

The winter squash, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes look like they will be plentiful.  I had feared that there would be little from the garden this year, but my fears were unfounded.  Tomorrow, I will go to my favorite local nursery and see if the fall greens, brocolli and cabbage starts are for sale yet.  We may not have green beans, but we won’t be without greens.

Life is an adventure on our mountain farm.