Garden

This years garden was less than stellar. The weather started out good and we were getting peppers, green beans and cherry tomatoes fairly often. Then the rain started and it pretty much drowned everything out. Out of the 96 tomato plants I planted I only got some of the cherry tomatoes everything else rotted on the vines. My green beans did fairly well. I did can 33 quarts myself, my mother in law got 7 to 10 quarts from the third picking. I also got some cucumbers to make pickle relish. I got some hot banana pepper rings canned too.

I really had high hopes to can another 1000 jars this season but I fell extremely short. I can only hope that next year will be much better with bumper crops.

My mother and I went to Ohio and picked some tomatoes. Because of my work schedule I could only get them cleaned prepped and put in the freezer. I will be doing them up into spaghetti sauce in a few weeks. I still need to gather a few ingredients to get it all together.

I will be canning all winter but it will be only the stuff like meats and vegetables that I find on sale at the markets. I would rather be canning those kinds of things than nothing at all.

So how did your garden(s) do this year?

~ FarmgirlPin It

Banana Pepper Rings

Makes 2 pints
20-30 banana peppers, depends on size
1 quart white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons canning salt (or pickling salt)
1 pinch alum
1 pinch of turmeric (optional)

Wash and slice peppers - you may want to seed them. (using gloves is highly recommended)
Pack in hot sterilized jars.
Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, alum and turmeric to a boil.
Pour boiling vinegar mixture over peppers in jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.
Wipe rims of jars, affix two piece caps, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes and wait for them to seal.

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Sweet Hot Pickle Relish

Makes 6 pints
(6 cups) 1 1/2 quarts hot banana peppers, finely chopped
(4 cups) 1 quart cucumber, finely chopped
(2 1/2 cups) 2 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup canning salt + 2 tablespoons
5 1/4 cups sugar
3 cups apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons pickling spice

Combine banana peppers, cucumbers, onion, and the salt in a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover with cold water and let stand for 2 hours. Drain thoroughly, pressing on the vegetables to remove excess liquid.

Combine the sugar and vinegar in a large pot; tie the pickling spices in cheesecloth (or tea ball this is what I use) and add the liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove spice bag. Pack into hot jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

*Note: to give it a kick sub in 1/2 to 1 cup of finely chopped jalapenos or any mix of peppers you desire.

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Gardening and Rain

The garden is growing but so are the weeds. I can't hardly tell what is vegetable from weeds. The things I can identify are much smaller than normal. I am assuming its due to the wet weather and lack of sunshine. Although, I have tons and tons of peppers. Hot, jalapeno, cayenne and bell peppers like crazy. On my next full day off I will have to get out there and pick some of them and begin the canning process or chop and freeze for when my tomatoes come on.

Banana Peppers (Hungarian Wax)

Bell Peppers

We've had rain every day for over two weeks. It's getting really old quickly. There don't seem to be any sign of it letting up for at least another week. So the garden is coming along, only God knows what we will be able to harvest. Hope everyone's gardens are doing well.

~ FarmgirlPin It

Hot Pepper Butter

Makes 8 pints or 16 half pints

4 cups banana peppers, finely ground (36 large banana peppers or 40 medium banana peppers or 50 small banana peppers) can use any combination of peppers that you like

1 quart prepared yellow mustard

1 quart cider vinegar

3 -1/2 cups sugar

1 -1/4 cups flour (or 1 cup clear gel)

1 -1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Seed and chop peppers finely. (use gloves and food processor to chop the peppers tiny). Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar and peppers in stock pot. Boil 5 minutes.

Mix together flour  clear jel and 1 cup water; to make slurry. Add yellow mustard, remaining 1/2 cup water and slurry to boiling peppers.

Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, cap with two-piece lids and process in a hot water bath canner for 15 minutes.

** Note Canning with flour is highly forbidden. I am conveying the recipe as it was orginally written. 

I had a request for this a family member and didn't have any on the shelf. Seems like this happens a lot around here now that the kids enjoy hot foods. Good thing I noticed a few peppers ready in the garden to add with the ones I got at the store the other day.  For the photo above I used 3/4 cup jalapenos and 3 1/4 cups of hungarian wax peppers.I think I need to make either some soft pretzels or summer sausage so we can enjoy a fresh jar been a while since we have had some around the house.

Be sure to use latex gloves when working with the peppers. 

Happy Canning

~ Farmgirl

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Tangy Spaghetti Sauce

This is a very mild spaghetti sauce. Thick and chunky just like we like it. I make this with the vegetables we grow from our garden. I have tried many different sauces and this is the first one that has wowed my DH. 

Makes 6 to 7 quarts
3 medium onions, chopped
3/4 cup banana peppers, chopped (Hungarian wax chili peppers)
3 tsp. garlic, minced
16 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups green and red bell peppers, chopped
3 (12 oz) cans tomato paste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup sliced portabella or button mushrooms
4 tsp. canning salt
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground black pepper
lemon juice (per jar)

 Add all of ingredients to stock pot.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally.

After it has simmered, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice per pint jar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice per quart, ladle sauce into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space cap with two piece lids. Process pints 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

If you choose you can cool then ladle into freezer containers and freeze.

I also have this recipe posted on my food.com account. If you care to read the reviews you can see them here.

~ Farmgirl

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Another rainy day

I don't know about where you are at, but here in West Virginia its been raining pretty good since yesterday afternoon. We are suppose to have more rain throughout the day and evening. It may come down pretty hard at times. So, I was just telling a friend of mine that when it does dry out the garden is going to be over taken by weeds, it probably will look like a jungle in my front yard. I don't like weeds it takes forever to weed the garden or at least it feels like it to me.

Garden as seen out my front door.
You can even see the rain on the screen door.

I heard from an old man at one of the feed stores saying we are going to have an unusually wet summer. If that's the case we may not get anything out of the garden. It may all rot before it can be harvested. I'm hoping he was wrong but you know these old men most of them hit the nail on the head. 

So how's the weather where you are and how is your garden looking at the moment?

~ Farmgirl

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Feet Up

It's been a very busy few days for us here on the farm and away from the farm. Sunday and Monday my daughter and I went and visited my parents over in Ohio. I helped my mother plant her garden. We put in 120 tomatoes and 48 pepper plants. They had to cut their garden back because of some septic work they are about to have done. It's weird seeing only half of it planted as she cans a lot also.

Yesterday and today  here on the farm we mowed, weeded the edges of the yard and pasture. Cleaned rabbit cages and made some repairs. We also planted a row of peas, row of Lima beans, 2 pounds of onion sets, 15 hills of squash,  9 hills of cucumber, and sweet potatoes. We are about finished with the planting. I just want to add two more rows of corn and maybe another row or two of Lima beans (this fool picked up the wrong kind of Lima beans so I'm short just a little bit) and a small pumpkin patch.

Our son went and cut some small saplings so we could have some tomato stakes. We desperately needed them. I'm hoping to get the rest of them done this weekend. We got one-third of them done just before it started raining here this evening.

Just after the first small storm passed by.

I got my shower between storms and now my feet are propped up for the evening while I watch the CMT Music Awards.

Hope everyone is having a good evening.

~ Farmgirl


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Shaker Pickles

One of the best sweet pickles I have ever made. Super easy and delicious. I use them on sandwiches, burgers or just a nice side condiment. They have a nice crunch when you bite into them too.

10 medium cucumbers, sliced  (maybe more depending on the size of cucumbers)
4-8 onions, sliced

Fill gallon jar with sliced cucumber and onions (depending on taste).

Mix together:
3 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup pickling salt
1 teaspoon alum
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric

Pour mixture over cucumbers and onions, cap the jar,  give it a shake, and place jar in refrigerator. Shake once a day for six days. Then pickles are ready for use. Store pickles in refrigerator, where they will keep for several months.

Although, this is not a canning recipe I am including it here because during the canning season I put up 6 or so jars for all year eating. Just make them at different stages of the canning season and you should be good to go all winter long. I label them clearly so I know how long they have been in the fridge. That is if I can keep them that long. I've been known to run out. Thanks to friends and family that snatch a jar or two during a visit.

~ Farmgirl

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Mama's Wonderful Salsa

This truly is a wonderful salsa. My family can't get enough of it. 

makes 6 pints
8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups green peppers, chopped
1 cup hot banana peppers, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup distilled vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon cilantro
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pot. Bring mixture to a boil 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. * For a thicker salsa: cook down till desired thickness. For me its about an hour.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

* Note: When cutting or seeding, hot peppers, wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned.

~ Farmgirl

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Oh my my, Strawberry Pie

There's nothing like celebrating the "unofficial" first day of summer with strawberry pie. So when I saw how quick and easy this recipe was I had to try it. It was gobbled up so fast that I didn't get a serving photoed. I'm thinking I will have to make another and make it soon. 

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 oz box strawberry Jell-o

2 cups sliced strawberries

Pre-baked 10" pie shell (click here for recipe)

Line bottom of pie shell with the sliced strawberries. 

Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened (this happens really quick). Add the Jell-o and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set.

Serve with whipped cream.

~ Farmgirl

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Finally Garden Time

Since the cold spell seems to have been broken and the rain has held off for the most part, I have been making the most of every dry spell to get in the garden the last few days. So here's a few pictures of the past few days.

DH discing the garden one more time.

Just so happens when I was in town getting groceries I found a new garden plant and flower store set up. So I purchased 5 flats. I sure hope they do good. They looked amazing compared to what I found at other stores that I normally got plants from.

Funds were super tight and I forgot to stop at the feed store so I bought some packaged Burpee seeds at Wal-Mart. Not my favorite place but they will do in a pinch. 

You can barley see in this picture but there is 10 rows of established plants planted. Thanks to my friend's and my children that helped.

To show my appreciation I made dinner for everyone. Least I could do. Our friends live in town and live in an old swamp area and the only gardening they can do is container. So I told her if she would come and help and help purchase some plants that I would tend the garden. Should be enough for both of us, at least I hope so. 

Cabbage and 5 rows of green beans. I still need to plant my peas and lima beans and more corn. But, we are getting there. I'm just glad to get this much done. Now to water and pray for a good garden this year.

I'm wondering how everyone else is doing with their gardening this season.

~ Farm Girl

  

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