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bluesgardenMy energy tends to be an every other day sort of thing, although I definitely have more good days than bad this time of year. Today I'm tiiiiired! Yesterday I managed to make jam and jelly for the first time - black raspberry in both cases and with added pectin - and can those up, froze the rest of the black raspberries as partially crushed, pulled a bucket of weeds (stupid purslane), managed various household tasks, and also finished some computer related things that needed done. Today I've pulled two buckets of frakkin' purslane!! weeds annnnnd... uh, I've marked the tops of yesterday's jars. Oh, and I've looked at this ice cream maker a lot. Go me!
The following are the utilitarian sort of pictures rather than the pretty kind. *g*
Things are growing and the garden looks green! I like this angle - it's harder to see the weeds. The cucumbers are really growing now and have even put on wee little cukes. Fairly soon I'll be able to hide under the pumpkin leaves, which are out of the right side of the frame. The tomatoes are finally looking good and, other than the still small ones, I'm planning on letting them keep their flowers beginning this weekend. The peas are fading fast but I've another batch to pick this evening.
A Sweetness III carrot from the container planting that I pulled in order to check on their progress.
Purple Russian tomatoes... I think. From the vines I tried to compost. Maybe Speckled Roman? I can't wait until these things color up so I can actually tell.
Insect border patrol (amid the container carrot greens).
The dry bean plant that's ahead of the others (which are putting on flowers). :)
The saying is 'knee high by the fourth of July' for corn, although the saying is older than most of the newer, faster growing varieties. I'm not growing a newer, faster growing variety so things look to be going along just about right.
It must be summer considering canning has taken over the kitchen. The only thing missing is the pressure canner.
Speaking of pressure canners, I finally had my gauges tested the other day. This involved calling the county extension office and confirming that they performed the service (and that someone would be available to do so) and then taking them in. They could only test 3 out of the 6 I had (just the gauges!) because the testing equipment is by/for Presto gauges and the others I had didn't fit onto the post. You can see the form the agent filled out here. This particular gauge is #1 and recommended for replacement as it was 5 psi off.
Two books I picked up while at the extension office - one is an official print of the USDA pdf which I've already made enough print outs of various pages that it was worth it for the copy just to save on printer ink. The USDA publication (Complete Guide to Home Canning) was $10, while the So Easy to Preserve was $15. The second book was worth it mostly because it features recipes besides jam and jelly that are up to the current standards. I'm not a strict adherent to the current and very strict safety regulations (only use recipes since 2006? ah, no), but I do like to know what they are, and any recipes outside of jam and jelly (pretty much the only thing you'll find at the bookstore) are always welcome.
Note for fellow canners: The 2006 and 2009 versions of the Complete Guide to Home Canning are the same publication. The prep work was done by 2006, but the federal government being what it is, it wasn't approved and actually printed until 2009. So the copyright is 2006 but some locations (i.e. Purdue) lists it as the 2009 guide. Regardless, its home base is the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which is by the University of Georgia. Both books are available through that website, although they're priced slightly higher.
The following are the utilitarian sort of pictures rather than the pretty kind. *g*
Things are growing and the garden looks green! I like this angle - it's harder to see the weeds. The cucumbers are really growing now and have even put on wee little cukes. Fairly soon I'll be able to hide under the pumpkin leaves, which are out of the right side of the frame. The tomatoes are finally looking good and, other than the still small ones, I'm planning on letting them keep their flowers beginning this weekend. The peas are fading fast but I've another batch to pick this evening.
A Sweetness III carrot from the container planting that I pulled in order to check on their progress.
Purple Russian tomatoes... I think. From the vines I tried to compost. Maybe Speckled Roman? I can't wait until these things color up so I can actually tell.
Insect border patrol (amid the container carrot greens).
The dry bean plant that's ahead of the others (which are putting on flowers). :)
The saying is 'knee high by the fourth of July' for corn, although the saying is older than most of the newer, faster growing varieties. I'm not growing a newer, faster growing variety so things look to be going along just about right.
It must be summer considering canning has taken over the kitchen. The only thing missing is the pressure canner.
Speaking of pressure canners, I finally had my gauges tested the other day. This involved calling the county extension office and confirming that they performed the service (and that someone would be available to do so) and then taking them in. They could only test 3 out of the 6 I had (just the gauges!) because the testing equipment is by/for Presto gauges and the others I had didn't fit onto the post. You can see the form the agent filled out here. This particular gauge is #1 and recommended for replacement as it was 5 psi off.
Two books I picked up while at the extension office - one is an official print of the USDA pdf which I've already made enough print outs of various pages that it was worth it for the copy just to save on printer ink. The USDA publication (Complete Guide to Home Canning) was $10, while the So Easy to Preserve was $15. The second book was worth it mostly because it features recipes besides jam and jelly that are up to the current standards. I'm not a strict adherent to the current and very strict safety regulations (only use recipes since 2006? ah, no), but I do like to know what they are, and any recipes outside of jam and jelly (pretty much the only thing you'll find at the bookstore) are always welcome.
Note for fellow canners: The 2006 and 2009 versions of the Complete Guide to Home Canning are the same publication. The prep work was done by 2006, but the federal government being what it is, it wasn't approved and actually printed until 2009. So the copyright is 2006 but some locations (i.e. Purdue) lists it as the 2009 guide. Regardless, its home base is the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which is by the University of Georgia. Both books are available through that website, although they're priced slightly higher.
