After a summer with temperatures in the high 80s and 90s, it was such a relief to have a nice cool, windy day today. Our friend, Heather, came over and picked some zucchinis we have in great abundance and I’m picking and canning more Provider green beans. Last night I picked ¼ of a row and got a heaping market basket full. This morning, I went out and picked the rest of half of that row and got another basket full. So I’m sitting out on our wonderful porch, cutting beans and enjoying the nice breeze. It’s amazing; that late spring freeze where the temperature dove to 21 degrees, killing all the fruit blossoms from blueberries to apples, yet here I am with a great abundance of food. Not the food we expected but food, nevertheless. Of course, last year, when we did have lots, I canned like mad and have plenty of fruit, jams, jellies, and juices down in the pantry.

Here’s my bean cutting, in process; beans in cold water, waiting to cut up, more beans waiting and a big pot of them already cut.

I’m simply blown away by one of the new-to-us watermelons I got seeds for last winter. It’s Early Polish and those plants have set a dozen big and early watermelons already. If they taste as good as they look, we’ll be keeping them around for decades (if we live that long). Our Sweet Dakota Rose watermelon vines are simply unbelievable; they are so thick you can hardly see the watermelons in them, and the vines are waist-high! My mouth is watering, looking forward to eating the first melons of the year. (Then there’s our favorite watermelon rind pickles, too!)

Here’s one of the Early Polish watermelons. That’s my wallet next to it to give you an idea of their size already, and they’re not done yet!

Will’s busy cutting another hay field and hoping for a little more hay than off of the last ones. He brought home a wagon load of reed canary grass mulch hay to add to what we already have. Mulching sure helps keep the weeds down and moisture in. With this drought, that’s a huge consideration.

Another load of mulching hay enters the yard for next year’s gardens.

Oh, by the way, I’m getting a lot of non-blog related questions here and Lisa, the editorial coordinator asked if you’d please email them to me instead. Just click on the “ask jackie a question” bar. Thanks so much! — Jackie

9 COMMENTS

  1. Hello to fellow blog followers. I live in OHio and I always wonder where people reside when they comment to Jackie’s blog. It would help everyone to understand your gardening issues and concerns if you could mention your location. Just a thought. We have had tons of rain in Northeast OHio and tomatoes are splitting and rotting. But still getting enough to make sauce.
    Mildew is an issue and so is blight. I wish I had some of the manure and canary grass that Jackie has available. I have a large compost pile which I add to whenever I weed, cut grass, and add vegetable peels etc. Having attended two of Jackie’s seminars in the past about 9 years ago, I can only hope that the people attending this year’s seminar will make the friendships that I did. The seminars are full of information and helps that you won’t find anywhere else. And Jackie and Will couldn’t be more accommodating and kind. I shall never forget the times spent in Angora, Minnesota. Thanks for the memories, Jackie.

    • You’re very welcome, Deb! I’d sure ship you a ton of manure….or a cow and some reed canary grass if I could. We love the friendships that develop in our seminars. That’s so wonderful.

    • What?! It’s been 9 years already? Holy cow! I loved the seminars as well…just loved them. They were amazing. I learned tons and still so appreciate the time and effort it took to do them for us. Let me add my thanks to Miss Deb’s.

  2. The watermelons look great. I hope you’ll have of the seeds for sale. I love watermelon and rind pickles. We’ve received 2 separate life saving rains. Tomato harvest is in full out mode. We’re thankful for the good earth.

    • God willing, we will have seeds for the Early Polish watermelons. We still haven’t had a good rain and boy is it dry. Even the rivers are drying up!

  3. Jackie, in the caption under the Provider bean photo, it says you have beans in water. I am curious as to why this is? When I have cut beans in preparation for canning or freezing, I have never had them in water. Does it have some added benefit?

    • Remember that she just told us in this blog, if you have questions, please send them by email, by clicking on the button “Ask Jackie a Question” on this very page on the right. I’ve done it recently and she really cares and answers me back as quick as her busy schedule will let her. She’s been so very helpful.

    • The reason I hold my beans in water is 1. It keeps them from getting limp and 2. It washes any dirt/bugs off of the beans.

Comments are closed.