Thursday, July 15, 2010

Peanut beans

 This is a little late.  I have been telling you about trying to grow sweet potatoes from my own slips.  well I grew the slips and we planted them in hills.  It has rained so hard lately that I haven't been out there to  take new pictures but they are finally taken off.  Not all of the ones we planted survived but I still have two hot beds with slips more that what I can use and I think it is getting to late in the season to plant more but I am going to plant some more and see.  sweet potatoes are better after a frost anyway and although we could see one in October we usually don't until November or December.  I have never had much luck with sweet potatoes so I will keep you posted.
A friend gave me some new kinds of beans.  One called Peanut beans and the other Anasazi beans. Neither seem to be common.  The plants are up and starting to see runners but no beans yet.  Keep your fingers crossed.  The Kentucky wonders I planted in the corn are finally starting to take off. No beans yet but the corn is almost done and I don't know how I am going to work this one.  I also need to find something to plant where the corn is coming out of.  I don't want non productive space.

Monday, July 12, 2010

I love vegetables

 My tomatoes are finally getting over the blossom end rot.  But now the rain has not let up the last couple of days.  We needed the rain everything was drying up and I was trying to keep the garden watered.  But now with the rain things like my tomatoes are getting to much and starting to crack and bust.  I'm starting to get enough to can.  I love home made canned tomatoes.
 The corn is ripe.  We have been picking some for supper.  I cooked some last night.  I haven't had the time to put up any yet but i need to get on it quick. What we froze tasted wonderful last winter.  I froze most on the cob then creamed some.  we didn't like the creamed corn. I pick up all the flavors from the freezer but the stuff on the cob was all eaten
 I have froze some peas and snaps already this year.  I need to freeze a bunch more.  This was one of my dad's favorites when he comes to visit.  Mine too.  I didn't have much of a garden last year due to just moving here but where the telephone company dug to lay the phone line i planted peas all the way down.  I was expecting and couldn't walk down the hill to check them so i kept asking my kids if they were ready.  The kids said no.  Then it was time to turn the cows in the field.  I asked my husband to please check one last time before the cows got them.  He brought me four groceries bags full.  I was so happy.
I start picking mine young.  The plants continue to put on peas and you can shell them and snap them. Most people wait until they dry in the vine but I prefer them green.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

squash, squash, and more squash

 I keep track of the weight of the vegetables that we get out of the garden.  This way I can tell if we are doing better from year to year. I also like to find out the current price to see how much money i am saving by growing and putting up our own vegetables. So I went by the stores and no one has fresh okra.  So I got online and the only fresh okra I could find was $25.00 a pound.  That can't be right. So why does no one sell fresh okra.  I have plenty that I could sell but what would you charge for it.  Not $25.00 a pound.
 I have a freezer full of squash but am still getting alot of squash.  I think I am going to try some different recipes and make some chutneys and squash pickles.  I have to do something with it.  I don't want anything to go to waste this year.
Brussel sprouts are being eat up by worms.  I can't spray the plants with anything because it just rolls off the leaves. I really need to figure this one out.  The kids love brussel sprouts.