Canning!

So I have been spending my spare time picking and cleaning and canning.  Today I went to Samascott Orchards with my friend Anna.  This was our second adventure there; this time for blueberries, cucumbers and green beans.  We struck out on the green beans, but picked beautiful, delicious blueberries by the basket load and ended up with about 20 lbs too many cucumbers. 

When the rains came in, we ventured over to Love Apple Farm in Ghent, NY to have lunch.  They also have a pick your own operation (we previously visited for cherries), but we were there for their amazing little Mexican kitchen that serves some equally amazing tamales.  While we were there I picked up a couple of half pecks of apricots and plums - because I just can't seem to get enough. 

My intention was do a bit of picking today and have a pickle night with Anna this week.  When I woke up from my afternoon nap, I was full of ideas - pickle relish, plum jam and apricot preserves.  I will rest during the winter months, with all my beautifully preserved jams and pickles!

*On a side note - I have no idea what the difference is between jam and preserves.

Luckily, I found the cord for my camera - so enjoy the views....

plum jam, bread and butter pickles, and hot/sweet pickle relish

Apricot Preserves in the making!

Purple Peppers!

I started this blog as a way for me to keep record and memory of my first full season as a community garden member.  I have never been one to journal much and having the opportunity to have other people read about my experience has helped me to keep up the momentum and write.  Although, I think the real appeal is pictures!  Unfortunately - I still can not find the cord that connects my camera to my laptop, so no pictures to post this go around.  

It is officially mid July and hot here in the Berkshires - and my arugula crop is really feeling the heat.  To date, I have not really had to do much watering, but now I find myself watering the greens in rescue mode every evening after work.  The good news is that the watering pays off and each morning I am able to walk out my back door and harvest a bowl full of greens for that days lunch.  My lunch time salads are a real treat - arugula with chopped carrots, onions, purple peppers, beets, zucchini, and cucumber.  Of course I add a bit of goat or blue cheese to help tie all the flavors together. 

I pulled the pea trellis up across the street and have planted egg plant, tomatoes, and winter squash in it's place.  I have to admit the plot looks a bit bare now, but the seedlings will grow (as will the weeds) and I am hoping to have some adult looking plants shortly.  This week I will pull up the green bean bushes in the plot at the house and make room for fall beets.

I have harvested my first round of potatoes from the food bank plot and I have to say - they were mighty tasty!  Of course I snuck a couple into my dinner!

On the canning and preserving front - I made my first batch of bread and butter pickles!  And I have to say - they are amazing!   Other than that, I think I am jammed out.  I have made red currant, black raspberry and blue berry jam, so everyone knows what they are getting for Christmas, right???

Oh yes - purple peppers - I traded plants for some vegetable starts at the beginning of the season with my old farm manager and ended up with a mixed six pack of sweet peppers - one of which was a purple pepper.  Word on the street is that these purple beauties pack an antioxidant punch, however, they are kind of tasteless.  Pretty, but tasteless.  Since I can not share a picture, here is a link to more (and a photo of) about the purple pepper.

Update - July 6th

Blogs with pictures are so much cooler than random writings.  Unfortunately - it's late and I can not find the cord that connects my camera to my computer, so we'll just have to do without tonight. 

It's been a busy couple of weeks!  The garden has done a ton of growing, there's been some recent visits to some pick your own berry/cherry farms, some veggie deliveries from my sweetie that needed eating and preserving, weeding, and jam making!  All very exciting, time consuming, amazing things. 

I am now harvesting peas from the garden across the street - oh and carrots and zucchini as well!  I feel like my personal plot there is in full production mode.  I can head over nearly any evening of the week and pick at least a couple of things to have for dinner - kale, collards, lettuce, onions, herbs......

and basically the same here at the house - tat soi, arugula, scallions, basil, cilantro, beets, radish and SNAP BEANS!!!

Tonight I spent an hour or so mowing the community garden in preparation for the tent raising tomorrow - I am totally stoked to get that done, as it will provide some nice shade for picnic Sunday's or just taking a small break during hot summer days at work.  I also mulched the food bank plot with bark mulch that the community garden purchased for all the plots.  It looks great and I am hoping it helps to maintain the edges and keep the grass from taking it over. 

Other than that - there is not much to report...

wish I had my pictures!