I went out later, picked tomatoes, green beans, and cucumbers. I canned 3 pints of tomato sauce.
I used the recipe at this link to make over four quarts of refrigerator pickles.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Farm Fun Day
My favorite day is one on which I don't have to go anywhere away from home. Today was such a great day! The weather felt like early October ... in late July!? What's up with that? "Weather Perfection," that's what's up! Adam went out at 6:30 a.m. and started by scything the field. He hasn't been able to do that since he injured his hand, but now he can grip strongly enough again. Then he proceeded to weeding sweet potatoes and mowing.
While weeding, he unearthed a couple of early sweet potatoes. At least now we know they're down there!
I went out later, picked tomatoes, green beans, and cucumbers. I canned 3 pints of tomato sauce.
I yanked a big basil plant out of the ground and picked/cleaned its leaves.
With olive oil and salt, I pureed it in the food processor.
That huge plant yielded one 1/2 pint jar of ... basil sauce? It's not exactly pesto. Anyway, I topped it off with a layer of oil and put it in the freezer. Then I did a second one. Since I had 25 massive basil plants in the garden, that means only 23 to go!
I had a bit of leftover tomato sauce and basil sauce, so I boiled up some pasta for lunch, and it was quite delicious. Fresh picked items give such a burst of flavor.
I rested up after lunch, and then started on the cucumbers.
The cayenne pepper and dill are from our farm too.
And we finally picked the big watermelon we'd been watching grow for many weeks. It's cooling in the frig. It was a volunteer plant.
A farm work day is quite fun when it's productive, when you can look around you and see the fruit of your labors. It's quite satisfying. Adam sees a tidy lawn, a neat potato bed, lots of tall grass prepared for compost. I see jars of fresh foodstuffs preserved for later use. I know this work can be wearying when you do it for 40 years, but for us, it's still new and fresh. Thank you, Lord, for such a beautiful day!
I went out later, picked tomatoes, green beans, and cucumbers. I canned 3 pints of tomato sauce.
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Wow! Yummy goodness! The sweet potatoes look great!
ReplyDeleteWhat a productive and satisfying day! Those pickles look delicious. I just picked some basil from my container pot. As we are having pasta tonight, I have a good idea for its use now. Not enough for more than one meal, but it sounds delicious. I just picked up two sweet potatoes at the store. I'm going to bet yours will be much tastier.
ReplyDeleteWe've been having some cooler, dryer weather, too, and I love it.
Well said! It's very satisfying when it goes well, and a challenge when it doesn't. At times like that I remind myself of the alternatives - I'd rather be struggling on our homestead than stuck in a suburban apartment!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it so satisfying? I'm always thankful that/when I have the strength to do this kind of farm and kitchen work. Your garden is producing gloriously.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to get sweet potatoes! The tomatoes and basil look so delish. I like to make a fresh sauce: chopped tomatoes and basil and garlic, salt, olive oil. Let it sit on the counter all day and then serve over hot buttered pasta for supper. The Best!
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