9/02/08: Preserving Produce

We got a lot done yesterday. My fibromyalgia was acting up and instigated a migraine but between us three (Doug, me and 11 yr old Weslee with me mostly directing from a prone position on the couch), we did the following:

• picked tomatoes, washed and ready to dehydrate in a day or so
• picked string beans from the corn patch, washed, de-stringed, cut into thirds, and placed in snack baggies in meal-sizes and then in a quart freezer baggie, placed in the freezer
• picked about 1/4 of the Envy Soybeans (edamame) from the soybean patch, washed, and placed into snack baggies for meals and then in a quart freezer baggie, placed in the freezer
• used handy-dandy mandolin (Doug LOVES gadgets!) to evenly slice squaw-kini (cross between straightneck yellow squash and striata d'italia zucchini - not very tender) plus 2 zucchini, 3 roma tomatoes and 1 beautiful orange tomato which we believe to be a Big Rainbow Striped Tomato (YUMMY!!!). Placed all in dehydrator - was dried by evening.
• used the handy dandy mandolin again to cut cucumbers for pickles - made a simple ice-box pickle.
• Finely-chopped more cucumbers with another handy gadget to make pickle relish. Doug says it's missing mustard so we need to pick up some today or tomorrow. Need to get in fridge by this evening (after we put in jars).
• We checked on our winter squashes, pumpkin and melons to see if it's time to harvest. The melons are almost ready, but discovered that the winter squashes and pumpkins need to wait until it's almost time for our first frost. This has been a weird weather year so no idea when that will be.

With yesterday being so busy, we barely had time to enjoy the holiday. We made hamburgers for lunch and sliced a sweet juicy orange tomato (Big Rainbow Striped Tomato) on it. We picked 4 corn from our corn patch for our dinner... outstanding taste. Weslee enjoy picking off all of the little silks. And boy does he gobble it down, as does Doug. I ate the smallest and dearly paid for it (stomach problems). I'm thinking we'll have enough to cut off the cob and dry to use as cornmeal this winter. Well, a little bit.

My friend, Copper, gave me a great idea about preserving produce. She dehydrates just about everything then crushes into a powder and combines. Has everything from eggplant to beans to squash to tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Throughout the year, she sprinkles this all-vegg powder on rice or mashed potatoes. Thinking we'll do some as dehydrated chips as we'd originally planned but also create our own all-vegg powder and probably use on our salads and in mashed potatoes. Here's hoping the taste won't be strong enough for Weslee to detect until it's too late.

We need more information and ideas about preserving our homegrown produce. Please join at http://www.backyardgrocery.net/ and give your own ideas! They are desparately needed!!

Little problem with social security so need to go take care of that. And please send your thoughts and prayers to Doug's family - his Uncle Hugo passed this weekend. Thank you.

Vikki www.newviewgroupllc.com