Will’s been having good luck haying and is out today, baling up two nice fields, trying to get it done before it rains this afternoon. We’re not complaining about the rain though, as we do need it for the gardens and pasture. So far, both are doing pretty well, considering the crazy weather we had earlier in the spring — rain, then no rain! Ugh. But the corn for our seed business is doing pretty darned well, considering the poor gardening year and we have melons set, nice beans (for the most part), wonderful potatoes, and good peppers and tomatoes. Our carrots are so-so. Due to the crazy weather, they seem to be hairy and kind of tough so far. We’ll see how that works out.
Last night, we had a nice cucumber salad with everything from the garden, sweet corn (not from the garden) and BLTs, our first this year. We ate like hogs! Our friends, Dara and Sherri, came out Tuesday and they picked two big five-gallon buckets of Provider and Dragon Tongue beans. I offered them the beans, but both had already canned up two pickings before that. Dara took a bucket of Providers for her daughter-in-law, and I spent the afternoon on the front porch yesterday, cutting the beans up to can myself, as I’d run out of Dragon Tongues, one of our favorite snap beans. I thought I could get them canned up in the later afternoon, but Will needed me to run to town for gas as he was raking a hayfield and ran out of gas. (Oops!) So, I dropped what I was doing and ran to town, as our bulk fuel barrel was empty and the company, we’d expected to fill it still hasn’t shown up. Then, I had to run him to the last hayfield to pick up his truck and hay transport. Long story, short, I ended up canning those five gallons of beans at night. I finished at 1:30. I was pooped!
Today, he’s baling, and I’ve got to seed out more tomatoes after washing off the 28 pints of beans from last night. Boy are they ever pretty! It’s amazing to me how the purple stripes on the Dragon Tongues turn yellow when cooked or canned. Magic. Gotta run. Tomatoes are calling! — Jackie
Since the term “prepping” tends to elicit a less than positive (and sane) reaction/response, I am going to “doing my best for to be ready for what life throws at me”.
Yep, for sure. I hate the term “prepping” as folks equate preppers with wierdos in bunkers, hunkered down in camo with a big knife in their teeth. Likewise, for “off griders”. We live off grid as for us, it is normal. We just try to be self-reliant as possible. Period.
It sure has been a crazy year for weather and the gardens. I too find canning to be such a joy and I love looking at the fruits (and vegetables) of my efforts. My problem is that the stash of canned jars just look so appealing that I hate to open and use them ….which defeats the point of canning.
Jackie, I have your Cowboy Candy recipe but would you mind sharing your Gaucho Relish and Vaquero Relish recipes? You have mentioned these three recipes many times and I would love to make them. Not sure of the details on them though — ingredients, proportions of ingredients to syrup, processing, etc. It would be much appreciated.
Both Gaucho Relish and Vaquero Relish are super easy. All you do is save extra Cowboy Candy syrup (I always make double on the syrup for this reason). Coarsely chop Sugar Rush Peach hot peppers which have been seeded. Pack into half pint jars and ladle boiling Cowboy Candy syrup over it, leaving 1/4″ of headspace. For Vaquero Relish, do the same with sweet peppers. Water bath for 15 minutes. Like I said, easy!!
Thsnks, Jackie. Love the Cowboy Candy and am going to try these as well.
I canned thirty three pints of yellow pole beans yesterday. Feels so good…
Wow! Good for you! It does feel wonderful. I’ve got to put mine away today and get started on more tomorrow.
You guys are all amazing! I always read the Ask Jackie column first in my magazines! I have all your books and reread them often! You are a very talented writer among all your achievements 😊
Aw gee Pam, thanks!! I’m so glad you like my writing.
Me also…
Wow-how big is canner? Mine is 7 quarts. Today I picked 2 beautiful watermelons-Blacktail Mountain. This is a crazy busy time of the year. I’ve gotten tired of the garden today and cut wood. I’m concerned we’ll be short on hay. We actually need more rain now. I’ve dug 1/2 of my potatoes and they must have loved the earlier heavy rainfall. It’s a bumper crop. The squash look good too. Nice to have the cooler weather here.
I agree that potatoes are dependent on the early season conditions. There is nothing better than home grown potatoes. Yes, BLTs with home grown tomatoes are good but taters are a root crop that can nourish us strictly with proper storage – no processing per se needed. If I could only grow one thing, it would be potatoes.
We love our root crops too. This year there’ll be lots of potatoes and onions, the foundation of plenty of meals. But then, the tomatoes are too. It’s hard to pick a favorite.
It’s not that big, just holds 7 quarts plus a few half pints on top. My old one holds tons more; 9 quarts plus 22 pints on top. It’s huge. And heavy!! Guess why I only use it in an emergency. We’ve got really good hay this year and we’re so thankful. Will only has two fields to cut now and one to rake and bale. Getting there! We may have a little second crop too. It’s grown back fast.
We haven’t dug any potatoes yet, but the vines are dying down. There’re huge humps under them so we’re very optimistic!
We have had several nice cool days with an occasional shower, but the heat is turning back up and will be in the 90’s for the next few days. Hopefully it will rain tonight before the heat dries everything up. The haying around here has been going full blast and is beginning to wind down. My garden is slowly finishing. It seems like fall is trying to come early. My melons will never make it if it does. Good job on getting those beans canned up, even with all the interruptions. It is just like looking at jewels in the jars and makes me feel so secure when I look in my pantry. BLT’s sound delicious! sending prayers for a blessed week.
I totally get it. I love to just walk through my pantries and look at all the jars lined up, with all their beautiful colors! Such security that is. Thank you for your continued prayers!!
Thank you for all your emails they are so inspiring. I’ve bought almost all your books and subscribe to Backwoods Home Magazine and Self Reliance Magazine and really look forward to your articles in them. You being up till 1:30am canning green beans inspires me to not put off till tomorrow. Canning is my very favorite preservation method and I reference your Canning and Growing your own food so often I think I need to buy another one this one is getting worn out!! Just wanted you to know your knowledge is so appreciated.
Thank you so much Wendy! I’ve already worn out two of my books. Believe it or not, I open it every time I can, just to make sure of the times. Even with over half a century’s worth of canning experience, I still want to be sure and not just guess!
I want to can everything up when it’s at its best. That’s why I was up till 1:30 the other night. My canned food is always “the best” and I don’t want it to slip a notch.
Yes, there is always something to do. Usually, many things and I have to prioritize! Or do two things at once. (I’ve developed a multi-tasking process.) Like seeding tomatoes while I’m canning beans.
I’ve got staggered corn, not because I wanted it that way but because my first and second plantings were damaged by crazy weather. I just hope we have a late fall so we can enjoy it.
As Gov. Walz says, we’ll have time to sleep when we’re dead. And I think to some degree, that is true. Always something to do and *always* the chance something throws a wrench into the best laid plans of mice and men.
I’d never thought I’d see the day but staggered planting for some growers means sweet corn (predicted) up until Labor Day.
BLTs (or BATs, pick your green) are so good (with homegrown tomatoes that is). Enjoy!
Going to be hot and humid for a few days. I’m giving the shed a good cleaning this weekend before I unload the wildlife food I’ll purchase Saturday morning.