Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Harvest pictures

Sample of one day's harvest. The apples are still windfall apples, but they are getting sweeter and sweeter. Zucchini anyone? I have almost a dozen . . .
Jars and jars of green beans and applesauce. With more to come . . . I have never canned before. I don't own the tools to do so. Last year I froze bags and bags of beans, corn, and tomato sauce, but the frozen beans weren't so good and I figured with a bountiful garden like ours - and the size of ours - I really needed to bite the bullet and learn how to can. I bought a Ball Canning Book and read it almost cover to cover before borrowing a pressure canner from a neighbor and a boiling water canner from Alison. My first batch of beans was nervewracking because the neighbor didn't give me the instruction manual with the pressure canner and I was worried the whole time. I discovered that canning beans takes an entire afternoon with washing the beans, cutting the beans, cooking the beans, washing the jars, boiling the jars and putting them all together. But in spite of the time it took, it was easy! The apples took just as long because I had to peel, core and cut them all up before cooking and jarring them. But what a sense of accomplishment. I just stood, looking at my jars thinking, "I did that!" I have to admit, I was proud of myself. I am excited to can more fruits and vegetables in the very near future! Now, I sure hope the finished product tastes good! :-)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Bounty

We are enjoying a plentiful harvest this year. I haven't updated pictures - I will - but I just had to post how wonderful it's been. I have canned 16 jars of green beans and 16 jars of applesauce (just from windfall apples). We have eaten handfuls and handfuls of peas; we have had zucchini bread and zucchini cake and sauteed zucchini. We have had salsa and pasta sauce and 2 strawberries. In spite of the grasshoppers, earwigs, squash bugs and heavy winds, we are reaping a bountiful harvest. The Lord truly provides for those that put forth the effort! Pictures to come . . .