My computer came down with a cough last week in the form of blue screen of death and then finally flashed virus warnings like crazy so I’ve been busy installing my life onto a laptop I had fortunately ordered merely weeks ago.
It’s amazing the number of software applications I need to run my daily life! So I’ve been busy to say the least. Since I still don’t have any photo software on here I have no photos but wanted to post that I’m alive and haven’t given up the blog.
My preschooler started class last week and their snack is saltines so I emailed the neighborhood and asked if anyone had extra fruit to give. It turns out quite a few folks have plum trees and this was a banner year for plums so I’ve been busy picking, drying and canning them for the school.
I finally managed to mix some things together for the chickens and got that out of the dining room – lentils, split yellow peas, flax, oat groats, sunflower seeds and wheat. I’ve added that to their feed crumbles to help reduce the amount of soy they get. I’m still experimenting with making my own chicken food and that will definitely be a future post. The feed I have been buying is organic but full of corn and soy which I go to great lengths to get out of our diets so why would I want my layers eating that?
I’ve got a big crock of cucumbers fermenting on my kitchen counter right now. When they are done I may can some of them just to put them up but of course that destroys the great friendly bacteria that helps us rebuild our gut flora and improves our immunity systems against REAL viruses.
I’ve canned roasted tomato soup, roasted tomato chutney and plum chutney this week and will post those recipes once I have a camera again. The roasted tomato chutney is especially great with roast chicken (or to quickly poach chicken breasts in) and pasta, and the plum chutney is great with rich, smoked meats like duck breast or pork. They’ll both help me quickly get something in the oven this winter.
I’ve been picking beans like crazy and have huge bags waiting for me – ones that are too large for pickling but I will run a needle and thread through the top of each one and hang them to dry for seed or dried beans to slow cook this winter – ones that are bigger then I like to eat them for dinner so I’ll pickle them for my sour patch guy – and ones that are just right to steam.
Last night we had barbecued chicken with my yukon gold potatoes steamed till fluffy, cherry tomatoes and green beans in a garlic vinegraitte. It’s always such a joy to have the majority of your meal come from your own garden!
I haven’t seen any signs of the rats this week but I know they are still there so I’ve been diligently picking blushing tomatoes daily and bringing them inside where they are just happy to ripen.
And I’ve been dehydrating like crazy. Tonight I took a few dehydrated tomatoes and threw them into the food processor with some garlic that I had previously roasted and froze (my alternative to buying those jars of minced garlic) with a splash of balsamic & olive oil. It made the most amazing tomato pesto that would have been phenomenal spread on a sandwich, thrown on pizza, or on little tiny toasts. You could also mix it with cream cheese as a spread or dip. I chose to use it as a salad dressing for some garden fresh greens including lots of basil. Some squeaky cheese finished the salad.
Despite the fact that I’ve been processing tomatoes for what feels like months now I realize that I don’t have enough. Sustainable Greenlake is actually trying to get a truck together directly from the farmer delivered this weekend. It’s $1 per pound for saucing tomatoes and $2 per pound for slicers. If you are interested you can email Christian at crusby@gmail.com. I plan on getting more myself so look for an upcoming tomato post with all my favorite tomato preservation techniques – it should be a big one!
9 responses so far ↓
1 kitsapFG // Sep 15, 2009 at 8:59 am
Sorry about your PC. That is totally frustrating to have to rebuid from scratch.
You have been busy busy busy! I ended up buying some tomatoes to replace the ones I lost to blight because I could not face two years in a row of insufficient tomatoes in the house.
2 Rebecca // Sep 15, 2009 at 10:34 am
Hey, what a great idea about canning stuff to bring as snacks for preschool! Hmm..I wonder if any parents are worried about home-canned food?
3 Celina // Sep 15, 2009 at 11:23 am
Oh I can’t wait until you post about your chicken feed – Please do post recipes! I have been meaning to get around to figuring out an alternative to the corn/soy laden food too.
Can’t wait for your tomato and plum chutney recipes either! We have Italian Prune Plums (well, and tomatoes too) coming out our ears right now – actually just getting ready to make plum preserves!
I’m am absolutely loving your blog – it is so helpful and inspirational to read about someone in a similar growing region!
I’m thinking you would love this recipe: http://richmoments.blogspot.com/2009/09/fresh-tomato-basil-pasta.html
4 admin // Sep 17, 2009 at 3:16 am
KFG – I just ordered another 25#s to sauce this weekend. I have the dehydrater loaded up right now with the last of the black plum tomatoes and plan on making bbq sauce & ketsup with the rest. I have no idea where I’m going to store everything! We will NOT go without tomatoes though. I draw the line there.
Rebecca, it’s not a public preschool (I don’t know if any of them are) so they have very lax rules about snack. I’m also dehydrating them and not canning but canned fruit is pretty dang safe – you don’t even need a pressure canner for fruit. I’m experimenting right now with dehydrated yogurt and dried fruit “clusters”. I’ll let you know how it comes out. I figure at least it’s got some dairy & protein to go along with the fruit and added sugars except the small amount I added to the applesauce that I mixed with the yogurt.
Celina – I make something similar to that that we love as well. I’d love you to link to your plum preserve recipe. I’m going picking more tomorrow since I haven’t even made plum jam yet and I’m out of plums now! Is that your blog?
5 Sandy // Sep 17, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Pickles! Take a look at http://10yearchallenge.com/2009/09/17/pickle-help-needed/ since it sounds like you know more about pickling than I do. I definitely need some help.
6 Sara Ohlin // Sep 18, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Wow! I’ve been away from the internet for a few days, but I cannot wait to try your blackberry juice and your squash muffins. I’m always amazed, when I read your blog, how much you are able to get done!!! You rock!
7 admin // Sep 19, 2009 at 2:49 am
Thanks Sara, I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed this week. I feel like I’ve gotten nothing done! Except 30 pounds of dried apples, 30 p0unds dried plums, 15 pounds dried tomatoes, failed kosher dills and the usual food for the family.
Sandy, I’m dying to hear the rest of your pickle saga since mine shared the same fate!
8 Celina // Sep 21, 2009 at 12:34 pm
The plum preserve recipe i used was here: http://www.bigoven.com/101318-Italian-Plum-Preserves-recipe.html
I think it is decent although my preserves are a littler runnier that I imagined they would be. I think that is due to the fact that my plums were quite ripe so maybe not as much natural pectin was present??? Regardless they taste pretty good.
And, yes that is my blog.
9 admin // Sep 21, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi Celina – thanks for posting that! It sounds similar to many of the traditional recipes from this great French gardening book that I have. In my experience plum jam is on the runny side, regardless of how ripe the fruit is or if you add or omit pectin even. Many of the recipes in that book say to slow cook it like you would plum butter essentially, for several hours if necessary. They don’t add much sugar and one even adds some vinegar. I need to get some more plums and try that one!
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