Gardening ..again

[Eutycus]

My first attempt at hot sauce (Louis cover your eyes). Can't wait to try it in earnest in a few days. Used 10-12 oz. Of my garden peppers. Was also informed by management I wasn't allowed to make it in the house again. I'm my defense, I was left unsupervised at the beginning of the project.

I know what you mean about unsupervised. Some of my "projects" call for me being alone. Sometimes it involves her stove but let's not do into details.

 

[SOLANCO]

For the last 5 or 6 years , I've been telling myself that I'm going raised bed maybe next year. I haven't yet. But "Someday".

Used black locust when we built raised beds. 15 Years old and look like new.

 

[SOLANCO]

Eutycus, your South Texas soil looks much nicer than my nasty old red clay up here in the Big Country. I built a bed last year and amended with mulched leaves and commercial cotton burr compost and have not been impressed with the gains. Part of the problem was more shade than I would like, but the only thing that did well in it last summer was rosemary, which is about as hardy as mesquite in these parts. I managed to get some tomatoes and peppers growing them alongside my garage toward the front of the house. First time I planted San Marzano tomatoes for spaghetti sauce and it won't be the last. Got a few poblanos and some Big Jims but nothing to brag about. We are looking for a high of 92 tomorrow, but by Wednesday night, a low of 33. Early days.
It has been a long time since I could horse around a big Troybuilt. The little Mantis is more my speed these days, with four back surgeries and a 71st birthday weeks away.

Very yes on the Mantis. If you are rural, check your small local paper in early spring. Likely find several guys advertising to do roto tilling.

 

[snakebit]

I know what you mean about unsupervised. Some of my "projects" call for me being alone. Sometimes it involves her stove but let's not do into details.

Yep. Was caught melting my bullet lube in her favorite pan. She wasn't happy. It was only water in the pan, she still gave me the business.

 

[Terrier]

I made 12 half pints of pickled diced jalapeños yesterday…. The previous batch was sliced and in pint jars.

 

[Griz 54]

I made 12 half pints of pickled diced jalapeños yesterday…. The previous batch was sliced and in pint jars.

View attachment 353782

Yesterday my wife spent 3 hours harvesting our squash. Today we spent 4 hours preping them for storage. She uses a 5 gal bucket of warm water with a little bleach to wash them. Then another bucket to rinse them .then I set them a a small flat trailer to dry. They are left there for about 2 weeks. Then stored in dark part of basement for up to 9 months. We had 199 squash the year.will be giving a lot of them away.

 

[Terrier]

Yesterday my wife spent 3 hours harvesting our squash. Today we spent 4 hours preping them for storage. She uses a 5 gal bucket of warm water with a little bleach to wash them. Then another bucket to rinse them .then I set them a a small flat trailer to dry. They are left there for about 2 weeks. Then stored in dark part of basement for up to 9 months. We had 199 squash the year.will be giving a lot of them away.

You win. I only had about 20 butternut this year. Gave 15 of 'em away and kept the biggest 5.

I'll make a big batch of soup with the roasted squash, apples, and onion, add some salt. pepper & thyme and freeze it in serving sizes. I'll add some cream when I heat it up. That's about the only way I really like it.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

Yesterday was a long day. All week we picked and washed apples. Yesterday with the help of a few flintlock friends and others we cut and ran them through the cider press.Total output for the day was 11 gallons. We may do it again mid week. Lots of hard work but a good time.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

Garden season near the end but not done yet. Yesterday picked the last of the yellow beans and harvested 5 heads of cauliflower. Dug one row of red potatoes. Dragged in the hoses. Filled 2- 5 gallon buckets with apples and washed them. Tomorrow is another cider making day. Killing frost is on the way.

 

[Piquant]

My Fall garden is doing better since the heat is easing up. And the satsumas are coming in.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

Did the second run of the cider press. Short run today ,just s little less than 5 gal .Two day total just over 16 gal.The last of the cabbages and celery have been harvested. Lots of root crops to work next.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

Dug 5 rows of potatoes yesterday. Norland, Kennebec, Yukon Gold 7 Russet Burbank. Good production. Will have them out on cardboard in the sun and then bin them up for the winter. Lots still to do.

 

[snakebit]

Dug 5 rows of potatoes yesterday. Norland, Kennebec, Yukon Gold 7 Russet Burbank. Good production. Will have them out on cardboard in the sun and then bin them up for the winter. Lots still to do.

You've had a great season it sounds like!

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

You've had a great season it sounds like!

Thanks, We have been gardening for many decades and grow much of our own vegetables. Never a perfect year and always something to learn. Still crops to harvest . It's good to know where your food comes from and how it's been grown.

 

[snakebit]

Thanks, We have been gardening for many decades and grow much of our own vegetables. Never a perfect year and always something to learn. Still crops to harvest . It's good to know where your food comes from and how it's been grown.

Agreed buddy! More of a hobby for us. We don't have the land for a sustenance garden. But we enjoy, and are thankful for what we do grow and even have enough to can and share.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

Been a busy couple of days. Cleaning up garden beds & harvesting. Harvested the last carrot bed, we have 3. Not real good production in the last one. Year got really dry needed to water more. Also harvested the Beet bed. Good production there, now processing time.

 

[jrweis1997]

for my first attempt this year I got:

Drumroll please!

one Zucchini (it was tasty fried)
a red solo cup full of popcorn that I will plant next year
One pumpkin that I didn't even intend to grow I just missed the trash can with a seed last October and it sprouted!

so basically what i am saying is how do I apply do the department of agriculture and get my subsidies???

 

[Piquant]

You can only go up from here

for my first attempt this year I got:

Drumroll please!

one Zucchini (it was tasty fried)
a red solo cup full of popcorn that I will plant next year
One pumpkin that I didn't even intend to grow I just missed the trash can with a seed last October and it sprouted!

so basically what i am saying is how do I apply do the department of agriculture and get my subsidies???

You can only go up from here. Look ahead.

 

[jrweis1997]

You can only go up from here

You can only go up from here. Look ahead.

I had a lot of fun! am looking forward to next year

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

I had a lot of fun! am looking forward to next year

Every year is different, something works something won't. It's always about learning and making something with or gifting your produce. Safer eating your own produce than something "factory" farmed nowadays. How can you screw up onions?