Canning

My daughter and I went to garden yesterday and picked 3 corn on cob, and a 5 gallon bucket of hot peppers, tomatoes, & tomatillos.

Today, I have a dutch oven cooking pasta sauce and a pot on the stove cooking salsa verde. I was smart this time, I wore rubber gloves as I cleaned the peppers. Almost choked on the fumes. I have several of the Roma tomatoes in the food dehydrator. Let's see how that works.

I hope I have time to clean the jars and do the hot water bath. I still have to do something with a large zucchini. I'm thinking of large cubes and cooking it with apple juice and canning it. What do you think?

Gave away vegetables - 2 quarts each to 2 neighbors.--Always fun to share.

Peaches

Went to the market to get peaches at 59cents/lb. Yesterday - dried 3 lbs (took FOREVER)--ended up with 1 pint of dried fruit. Made 9 pints of spiced peaches (med syrup) and have the peach nectar in fridge to cook and can.

Harvesting 2009

My garden is ready to be harvested:
tomatoes
peppers
brussel sprouts
corn
cabbage
swiss chard
tomatillos
mint
dill
basil
onions
zucchini (thought I planted acorn squash?)

not yet ready to process:
sweet potatoes


In addition to the edibles, we have cut flowers 2 dozen gladiolas and more to bring in, a mixed boquet, and sunflowers. Waiting on the gourds for fall decorations and also gifts for autumn birthdays. Will use the corn stalks as additional decoration for the house. Somehow, I have about 18 mums plants that will need to be transplanted or placed in pots for gifts.

beans and peas didn't do well this year, some cucumbers needed to be supplemented with grocery purchase at 25-33cents/lb.

From the garden, I have processed in August:
13 pints bread and butter pickles
?pickle relish - need to do a recount
13 1/2 pints tomatilla salsa (salsa verde)
1 batch zucchini 'crab' cakes
2 loaves zucchini bread
1 zucchini 'apple' crisp
2 heads of cabbage for coleslaw
1st and 2nd cuttings of lettuce and radishes from a friend and waiting on next planting
8 pints zucchini 'pineapple' cubes
3 pints salsa
6 pints pasta sauce
? quarts (frozen) kale
? quarts (frozen) swiss chard
? quarts of mint tea
? we have eaten the beans and peas as they have been harvested...unable to freeze due to lack of quantity




items from store
fuji apples @49 cents/lb
7 quarts 1 pint applesauce

yesterday, found food dehydrator on craigslist for $6 WOW!
today, purchased 15 lbs of peaches at .59/lb
leftover granny smith apples
put 3 lbs of peaches in dehydrator and 3 lbs of sliced apples in dehydrator

purchased 3 large green bell peppers @ 39 cents/lb

Final Numbers for All You Contest 2009

4 week magazine contest need to spend less than $100/week including eating out and alcohol:week #1 - $95.86 -$20 mail in rebate week #2 - $101.98-$10 mail in rebate, 5 dom cats, 4 wal catsweek #3 - $136.07 - $25 mail in rebate, 15 jewel cats, 4 wal catsweek #4 196.37 with about $15 in cats plus misc product cats.