Garden: September 2007 Archives

I harvested the jalapeno peppers and the chili peppers. The heated goodness nearly filled a four gallon bucket. Another pink bucket harvest!

They recieved a nice cold bath before I sorted them in to lots of reds and greens so the hot pepper jelly would not have a motled color. While the peppers drained I then made sure to put on a good pair of kitchen gloves. Peppers will give you a chemical burn that is in no way fun. I have burned my hands before and I do not ever want to do that again. Seriously. With the amount of peppers I handled had I not worn gloves I would be unable to type and would be in severe pain right now. If you make hot pepper jelly make sure you wear gloves.

I took off the stem ends and split the peppers down the middle. I wasn't aiming for take your head off hot so, using a small spoon, I scooped out the majority of the pith and seeds which toned down the heat.

I ran them through the food processor. I like bits of peppers in my jelly so I did not puree them. I just don't like green pepper water. It can also make the jelly look cloudy that way. So just a few pulses. This measured out at 4 cups chopped peppers. To that I added 6 cups of sugar. Over slow heat I began to bring it to a boil. If your peppers are not super juicey you'll have to add a little water to help melt the sugar. To my mixture I added 3/4 c. water.

I let the peppers boil for about two minutes. Then I added 1 box pectin to make sure the peppers jellied. Stir without stopping after adding the pectin for another two minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully pour the hot jelly into your scalded jars.

Heat your lids in boiling water to sterelize them.

Place the lids on the jars and seal tightly with rings. Process jars in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. Take out and set on a cloth to begin cooling. You will hear the lids pop as they seal.

Red and green pepper jelly. It is so pretty and festive it makes me think of the approaching holidays and how I need to get busy with my plans and preparations. I also made a batch of cranberry-pepper jelly which I will share with you later.

The best part of making pepper jelly is the really cute little helper who is far too busy for his own good. Since he was so cute and sweet and really needed something that wasn't hot pepper jelly I baked him a pie.

What was left of the peppers I set about and pickled them.

Totals for the day - 9 pints red pepper jelly - 9 pints green pepper jelly - 8 jars cranberry-pepper jelly, 1 quart hot pickled peppers, 2 apple pies.

And how did your day pan out?

I cooked the very last of the purple cabbages and red beets for our supper last week.

The cabbage was the last thing that came out of my garden from the spring plantings.

The peppers are prolific this year! I have never had such a harvest.

The way they are producing I can't justify pulling out those plants no matter how tired of them I am and replacing them with something else.

From here on out the hot peppers will get canned by pickling or jellied and the bell peppers (as they ripen to red) will be chopped and put in the freezer.

It was nice to say goodbye to most of those spring time plants. It was even nicer to say hello to all the new things I have planted for fall. I still have room in my garden for a few things.

I plan to put in an asparagus patch this fall. Asparagus for fall planting isn't available until October 30th. So I have plenty of time to get the beds in tip top shape while waiting for their arrival.

I also am hoping for a garlic patch. Garlic is available now. I do have my beds ready for planting. I am thinking on a softneck variety that I can braid into long beautiful displays to hang up -and use!

I also plan to expand the artichokes but I think that really has to wait until spring.

Rosemary is in the dehydrator. This is my second batch. It dries out after several hours. Then I strip the stems and seal it in a airlock bag.

Today I will try to work with the peppers getting them harvested. We are still in a drought and my new little garden for fall is so very thirsty. I am watering for 20 min. in the mornings rotating sections by the day. I hope things survive.

In other news, and I have no idea why I am telling you all this - especially YOU, you crazy animal lovers out there. We have been over run by stray and/or feral cats and kittens. I have no idea where all of these beasts have come from. We are setting cage traps and taking them off to the county animal shelter one by one. For all of you who think I should just keep the pretty kitties, kiss my @$$. I mean that in the nicest way. LOL

There are upwards of 15 cats -some with kittens. After the sun has warmed my front porch all day the bricks are giving off radiant heat through most of the night. This is where these strange animals gather after dark. During the day they lay in wait in the hedges and try to ambush birds and rabbits -which is a good thing because rabbits would eat my garden - however, these things breed like rabbits which is a very bad thing.

I am not and have no desire to be a crazy cat lady. This place is not a feline farm either. So, out of here is the way they are going. If you want a cat I have some free ones if you want to try and catch one.

As if you haven't figured it out by now -

I don't like cats. At all.

I do tolerate one for the barns and keeping down the mice population come fall and winter.

In more other news and developing saga I have ordered my meat birds for fall. 25 cornish cross rocks. These birds will grow to giant size in eight weeks and be ready for the freezer. They should arrive next week. I plan to keep close accounts of them because of the speed of their growth. I think charting the development will be an interesting project. These birds when dressed will easily weigh around 4lbs each. Those that have to wait to the end while we process will be 5 -6 lbs. Like small turkeys!

Before you send me bunches of hate mail let me remind you that we operate a small scale farm. Every thing here has a job and a purpose. Animals are part of the food chain. The dog is a pet and if she didn't exist before my time she would not be just a pet. She would be a working dog.

Now I am off to do my weekly volunteer duties at the local food bank.

It will grow.

Really. It will.

Back in March I had gotten pineapples from the grocery store. I cut the tops off and stuck them in some empty pots of dirt. This pot is 18 inch diameter. Just add water, sunshine and the occassional plant food and voila!

Some of you might remember the pots of herbs I started in tiny pots in my kitchen when snow was on the ground.

They long ago outgrew those pots.

I am clipping some of the herbs and tying them in bundles to dry for use this winter. I might even pull out my old food dehydrator and see if it still works. Most hearbs dry in about 4 hours in the dehydrator. Drying herbs in the dehydrator causes their aroma to be released into the air. It can be perfectly delicious.

I love the scent of rosemary the most. I am thinking about using some of it to make a batch of homemade rosemary soap. Mmmmm. The scent of romasemary - sigh ... This aroma is one that tends to stimulate the more sensual receptors of my physical being. It is going to be a pretty interesting day here on the farm. :)

Is there an herbal scent that gets your motor running?

I always eagerly anticipate the planting of an early spring garden. I love spending the summer harvesting and enjoying the fruits of my hard work of keeping the weeds at bay. I love being able to share the first fresh leaves of lettuce, lovely yellow squash and cucumbers. I eagerly wait for the very first red tomatoes.

By the end of summer I have begun to tire of some of the things in my garden. A body can only eat so many bowls of salad before it begins to revolt. I was actually sort of happy when the lettuce began to bolt in the coming heat of July. We haven't had a craving for or the want of a salad since then. I know very soon I will be dreaming of those crisp fresh leaves of lettuce to go with the last of the struggling tomato vines trying to make it until the first frost comes in November. So for fall lettuce is a must have.

This week after cutting the grass and mowing and cleaning up around my barns in preparation for the coming wintry months I got busy with the overrun plants in what is left of my summer garden. Out came all of the dwindling eggplants, okra, cabbage, squash and bean vines. I tilled the earth, turning it over fresh and clean.

A new canvas was ready to paint with the beautiful colors of fall seedlings. Rows of purples from cabbage, deep greens from collards, vibrant bright green from romaine lettuce and the mixed blue-ish greens of brocolloi, kale and brussel sprouts.

The tree on the edge of the garden is a mulberry tree. The kids love the fruits in the spring. So do the birds as is evident by all of their mulberry colored and staining poop. I have another mulberry tree much larger close by the garden as well. I am told and from what I read my larger mulberry is defying the laws of mulberry trees and should have come to the end of its live by now. It is a very large tree. I trim the low branches to keep them out of my way when mowing and tilling. I then take the branches and put them in the goat field. The goats can clean an entire limb of leaves in just a couple minutes. They eat like hogs!

Yesterday morning I began filling that clean slate with some of the vegetables that grow so beautifully in the fall.

I planted:

9 hills of brussel sprouts, 9 hills of broccoli, 9 heads green cabbage, 9 heads purple cabbage, 27 hills of collards, 27 heads of romaine lettuce

Yeah, I am planning on my appetite for salad to return in full swing very soon.

Are you planting a fall garden? It's not too late to get started in most parts of the country. Even in more wintery places there is something that will grow even in a cold frame or long flower pots in a sunny window.

I have grown lettuce in hanging baskets in front of a big bay window. I have. LOL

You can, too.