Harvest Time...sorta

A pictorial tour of the week's harvest.

Onions

Tomatoes!

I have an outdoor sink - that I got for free!

It really comes in handy for washing up the harvest.

Potatoes

Yum.

The purple ones are so sweet, yet still potatoey.

They were still green, so I just took 2 tiny ones from the top.

Glass Flower

I made a glass plate flower.

It was so easy to make!

One large plate,

one small plate,

and one candle holder.

Glue it together.

Then I glued a thing called a bell hanger

- it's in the plumbing section -

to the back of the big plate.

I then attached a 3/4 in pipe to the bell hanger.

And then I planted it!

Glass Totem Project

This is a glass totem I have been working on.

I finally committed to gluing the pieces together.

A glass totem is made out of found glass pieces,

like plates, bowls, vases, ect.,

that are glued together to make a totem or in this case

flower garden girl.

I use clear silicone glue.

All done!

And ready for the garden.



I would like to find one or two more pieces
to add to it, but I think it turned out
pretty good for my first try!

Canning A Dill Crock

I'm trying to cheer up today. I visited the girls at their new home and they are sleeping warm and cozy, snuggled up with each other.

So, here are the directions for making a dill crock. I mixed mine up on the 9th before all the bad stuff happened.

The vegetables are supposed to brine for 2 weeks, so mine will be ready on the 23rd.

I'll write a post then, after I taste it.

Of, course if it kills me there won't be any more posts

- hint: wait to read my post before you taste yours ;)

ha, ha

This recipe was adapted from Stocking Up III by Carol Hupping

She writes, "Nearly any kind of firm, crisp vegetable is good in a dill crock. Use your imagination along with whatever's on hand, fresh from the garden."

Catalina's Dill Crock:

I started with a clean drink dispenser. First I checked it for leaks. Then I washed it.

First layer: dill, sliced onion chunks, summer squash sticks.

Second layer: carrot coins, grape leaves (too keep everything crisp)


Third layer: Garlic, broccoli

Fourth layer: Onion chunks, cucumbers (washed, blossom end cut off), dried red peppers, black pepper corns

Fifth layer: More dill, green beans (blanched for 80 seconds)

Sixth layer: peeled eggplant, handful of radish pods

Covered with a brine:

1 1/2 cups canning salt dissolved in

6 cups 5% acidity vinegar and 2 gallons water

Weight vegetables underneath brine with a plate.

Use a plastic bag filled with brine to hold plate in place.

After 2 days add 1 cup canning salt to the plate on top of the brine.

Do not pour the salt directly on to the vegetables.

Check daily and skim any scum that forms.

To determine when fermentation is complete, test for bubbles by tapping the container on the side with your hand.

Any bubbles that rise to the surface indicate the fermentation is still occurring.

The dill crock should be ready to can in 2 weeks

(depending on what you put in yours)

Remove vegetables from brine.

Strain the brine; bring to a boil in a large saucepot.

Pack vegetables into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in headspace.

Ladle hot brine over vegetables leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles.

Adjust two piece caps.

Process for 15 min in boiling water canner.

~

The book "Stocking up III" also has an interesting recipe for fermenting pickles without salt and using rice bran instead.

I might have to try it.

County Fair

I won 3 red ribbons!

For my special events, buildings and birds entries.

I wish I could figure out what the judge was looking for, so I will know what to enter next year.

The grand prize winners are in the upper left hand corner.

Not really sure why she picked them for grand prize.

The Lumberjack show!

Lots of vegetable entries.

The biggest vegetable entries.

Mom and Dad checking out the flower entries.

Check out this HUGE sunflower!

Cute goaties!

If I could, I would love to have a goat.

They are so sweet!

Dad and a friendly goat.

Pretty Belgian horse and its baby.

Pickles and Bread

I baked and canned before work on Thursday -

Golden Egg bread, banana bread, peaches and garlic dill pickles.

I added grape leaves to the pickles They are supposed to keep the pickles crisp.

(Golden Egg bread recipe below)

~

~

The life of a dill pickle:

Hanging on the vine.

And canned.

Golden Egg Bread

Make sponge:

1 cup flour

1 cup warm water

2 tsp. yeast

Let sponge sit covered for 45 min. in a warm place, until bubbly.

Dough:

31/2 cups flour

1 3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

3 large eggs

Mix sponge and all dough ingredients in an electric mixer.

Dough will be very sticky.

Place dough into a well greased bowl, cover and place in a warm location.

Let rise until doubled - 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

With wet hands (dough is very sticky) shape dough and place it into a bread loaf pan.

Let dough rise for 1 hour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 min, until bread sounds hollow when the bottom of the loaf is tapped.

August Giveaway!

On your mark, get set! - Cock-a-doodle-do!

Enter now for the August giveaway!

~

This month is rooster themed.

A rooster kitchen towel.

A sliver of Lush Red Rooster soap - made with refreshing orange and cinnamon.

A painted card from a Bayfield artist - F. Austin Miller.

And........

A small bag of candy!

Rooster eggs and multi-colored minty poos!!!

:)

Leave a comment to be entered!

One entry per person.

Good luck!

I will draw the winner at random on Sept. 1st 2009.

Wall Me In

I am in love with vertical gardening!

It is possible to grow 10x more plants in the same space that I had 1 planted before.

This is my second year using the square foot gardening method of vertical gardening.

Last year I used zip ties to connect the plastic netting to the metal conduit arches, but this year I stole an idea from my Dad.

I wrapped twine in between the netting holes and around the metal conduit.

It makes the netting taunt, but flexible.

In the back green pole beans - In the front cucumbers

Above: Close up of Tomato wall #2

Below: Tomato wall #2

P.S. The tomato walls are 8 1/2 feet tall!


My First Ripe Tomato!!!
There were 2, but I ate one.......and then I ate the other one too!

Cucumber wall close up.

Green bean wall from the side.

Eggplants and peppers in the front.

Tomato wall #1

Overall garden view: Empty beds - harvested garlic and a finally crop of peas, then I took the vines out.

Guess which Ladies like pea vines?

All of them!

Overall garden view: Grow summer squash! That's Butter Stick summer squash. Very good - makes yummy squash pickles.

Overall garden view.

If you want to see more pics of my garden and directions to make the metal conduit arches
click Here