Adventures in Gardening

Things are moving forward in the gardening world - and this year it looks like there are bountiful harvests all over the prairies! I have heard that chokecherries are hanging like grapes in certain areas of the province, and I know the squash in my garden is coming forth with a fury I cannot even keep up with on a mental level.

There will be squash.

 

My 'Garden of Eatin' as I have dubbed it - is going to give us tomatoes, squash, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, peas (yummy!) and carrots.

I am very lucky to live in an area where gardening is even possible. Although we suffer from what I call 'the 10 month winter deadness', I love the idea of growing our own food and having nutritious options instead of constantly buying produce from the store and settling for whatever they happen to have in stock at the time. I'm also learning a lot from those who have a list of things that work (aka: tricks of the trade) when it comes to stocking up for winter.

It has been super busy around here getting everything put into the freezer, I thought I'd share a few snaps with you. What good would a blog be if it didn't entertain and inform?

I learn so much every day - mainly because in the past I ignored the lessons and went straight for the fun. I was the grasshopper and the ant story - and I wasn't the helpful one.

I bought my food in a store and thought hateful things about gardening. Dirt too. Things change.

Fresh corn on the cob is my favorite garden treat next to fresh peas. I used to wonder if it was possible to eat so many garden peas that you would get ill. It is. Totally possible......but so delicious.

A friend of ours grew this beautiful specimen of corn - peaches and cream he called it - and I learned that when the husk at the top of the corn (the hairy brown part) is dried out, your corn is ready! It's like nature's timer.

So, a bag of corn on the cob is turned into blanched and bagged corn for the freezer. We may or may not have set aside a feed of corn for our evening meal......ok, we totally did and we will be doing it again really soon. Eating fresh from the garden - there is nothing better!
The one thing that I noticed during the whole process of blanching and preparing? It is time consuming - but it makes a person feel terrific!
Getting ready for winter just got even more fun. I have canned, froze and dried for winters past - but never like this. Never.......but it has been a goal for awhile now!

The tomatoes - it seems that they are not the type of vegetable that knows when to quit.

I learned this year that indeterminate and determinate species of tomatoes exist (nope, didn't know this):

Determinate varieties of tomatoes, also called "bush" tomatoes, are varieties that are bred to grow to a compact height (approx. 4 feet).

They stop growing when fruit sets on the terminal or top bud, ripen all their crop at or near the same time (usually over a 2 week period), and then die.

 

They may require a limited amount of caging and/or staking for support, should NOT be pruned or "suckered" as it severely reduces the crop, and will perform relatively well in a container (minimum size of 5-6 gallon). Examples are: Rutgers, Roma, Celebrity (called a semi-determinate by some), and Marglobe.

 

Indeterminate varieties of tomatoes are also called "vining" tomatoes. They will grow and produce fruit until killed by frost and can reach heights of up to 10 feet although 6 feet is considered the norm. They will bloom, set new fruit and ripen fruit all at the same time throughout the growing season.

 

They require substantial caging and/or staking for support and pruning and the removal of suckers is practiced by many but is not mandatory. The need for it and advisability of doing it varies from region to region. Experiment and see which works best for you. Because of the need for substantial support and the size of the plants, indeterminate varieties are not usually recommended as container plants. Examples are: Big Boy, Beef Master, most "cherry" types, Early Girl, most heirloom varieties, etc.

 

From: GardenWeb.Com

 

One of my favorite because it is versatile veggies has got to be the onion. They really work with so many things - and just the combination of onions and anything else makes a mouth water! We have a friend who grows incredible onions and always shares. The size of some of the vegetables I have seen locally grown amazes me! Onions are a known cancer fighter too - so be sure to eat your onions! The one thing I learned? Onions are a natural blood thinner! Perfect for me!

I'm not sure why I was so opposed to gardening in the past. I think it may have stemmed from always watching others master the art of the vegetable and my not wanting to at the time. It seemed overwhelming so I didn't even bother to get started learning about it. There were other (more fun) things I wanted to do. We can all learn.

This year, I put three types of herbs in my garden; parsley, oregano and thyme. I wasn't disappointed! There is nothing like fresh herbs for cooking - even dried they seem far superior to anything you can buy at a local grocery store. I love the scents - and learning about how each one benefits us - I used to think that spices and herbs were 'boring' and without value in my life.

 

I know now that as we grow up, priorities change and we shift our focus to other things.

 

These days my focus is on filling up the freezers with all of these vegetables before winter. I love that this winter I will be able to go to the freeze rand already have everything I need to make soups, stews and casseroles! It's a great start!

 

Nothing here goes to waste - the trimmings and scraps go to a friends chicken coop - they love them!

Our daughter also wants to remind us that we should save some room in the freezers for all of the pumpkin pie she will be needing soon. Another great idea!

 

Stay tuned - tomorrow I'll share my newly acquired 'Apple Juice' recipe - made from fresh fruit we picked ourselves! It is simple, delicious and really good for you! I have several mystery 'garden mentors' and they are all teaching me so many valuable things about gardening and preserving foods for later use - this apple juice recipe is one of them.

 

My grandparents used to have an apple tree in the back yard and  I remember the sweetest tasting juice that Nan would make. It was like nothing I had ever had before! She added ice to it and make this summery drink I craved as a kid. It was like tasting your favorite food for the first time over and over and over.

 

This apple juice recipe that was shared with me is the very same recipe and I am thrilled I will be able to make this for my family too! It seems to be famous 'round here - so be sure to check in and grab it tomorrow!

Rock the rest of your day - I'm off to see what else I can blanche.