Okay...so this is the third time I've started this post. My computer is being an idiot, perhaps I'm contributing, I don't know.
I just wanted to write about harvesting and the Lord's goodness. So here's hoping I can get it through it without losing it a fourth time.
Fall is the season of preparation. Firewood, canning, cleaning, winterizing, finishing up those outdoor building projects that were supposed to be done by July. It can be a bit overwhelming. Not to mention getting the garden to bed. But today is a beautiful fall-like day. Today Pastor said to not be anxious about anything. So I'm going to take that advice.
I've been taking pictures of things around here--
This is a scary picture. Really. When I get up in the morning and look out my kitchen door , this is what I see. Turkeys aren't really pretty birds. It's slightly disconcerting.
My friend and neighbor asked me over to pick wild plums and crabapples. How blessed am I? I ended up with 1/2 bushel of plums and a full bushel of crabapples. I canned plum jam, plum syrup, apple juice and applesauce. Life is good.
A few days later, I thought I'd better harvest some of my cabbages because the deer have found them. I decided to make sauerkraut and needed about 20 pounds of cabbage. This one weighed in at 11 1/2 lbs. Only takes two to make a batch. Wonderful cabbages this year.
This is Sunday dinner, a pot of harvest stew. Recipe-just go out to the garden, grab whatever is handy and throw it in a pot with some kind of meat. I grabbed onions, garlic, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, beans, kale and zucchini. Haven't tried it yet.
Kale is a crop that grows very well for me. Unfortunately, I don't like the taste of it. I've made some kale chips and those are okay. I also use it in stir fries, and I'll see if I like it in this soup mentioned above. I decided to preserve it by drying it and making a kale powder in the blender. This can be used in soups and in smoothies and...any more ideas??
So, I guess this post is mostly about harvest time. This is my favorite time of year, despite the amount that needs to be done.
"Do not be anxious in anything, but in everything, with prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God." My version, but I think it's close.
Happy Harvest.
5 comments:
Yes, this is a unique and beautiful (and BUSY) time of year. My favorite season. Your cabbage are beautiful. Mine are much more "lace-y", if you know what I mean!
I've been fluffing off the last week or so. Seems I needed to stop pushing so hard, but now your post has (somehow) given me renewed energy to start hitting it again. Lots of garden clean-up to do and still more canning/preserving. I'm so grateful for all the harvest the garden has given us this year.
Mama Pea-
You have me totally beat when it comes to firewood. I wish we were as well organized as you. Might be using the gas furnace a lot more this year.
Got a hard freeze last night. Time to go and assess the damages.
Rhonda
Oh, no! It's a smidge early for a hard frost. We had a temp of 39° and not a trace of frost anywhere. Last night, my daughter asked me if I was going to cover anything in the garden. I do have a cold frame on top of the peppers and slicing cucs but told her I wasn't going to fiddle around this year . . . when the frost comes, it comes. But hearing you had a hard frost does make me sad. Hope it wasn't totally devastating for you.
Looks as if you have been busy, busy. I love this time of year too. I have sauerkraut to make tonight, there are nine large cabbages awaiting my attention.
I grew kale for the first time this year, it sure doesn't take much effort to grow. My sister comes over and takes away a few bag fulls every week or so, she is treating her cancer with an alternative therapy and it involves a lot of juicing and kale is a key ingredient.
Our concord grapes did very well this year, I was able to make 14 pints of jelly and still have a half gallon of juice left over.
The apple trees have done well too this year, I plan to put up some apple sauce, my grandsons love the stuff, and of course we have been enjoying apple pie and apple crisp.
Bean
23Love the turkey at the door! Your cabbage looks good! I miss talking with you! How are things?
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