If you think we’ve been busy before, you should see us now! We’re expecting snow in about three weeks. Snow that’ll stay all winter long. So, guess what? We’ve got to be ready, and we still have tons of garden produce to process. Will took a day off tractor farming and shucked three bins of Who Gets Kissed sweet corn that our friends, Dara and Sherri, picked last Tuesday. I’m the official “corn roper,” which means I use recycled baler twine to tie up strings of corn to finish drying in the house. It helped to have him shuck it. My hands get pretty sore after a while. I got it all roped up and indoors. One year, I tried tying it up on our front porch. But the blue jays were helping themselves to it and we had to move it indoors. Now, we don’t trust them a bit. We had a super good crop of all our sweet corns this year, especially Simonet, Damaun, and Who Gets Kissed. There were plenty of big, fat cobs with lots of rows. That equals much more corn to eat and can up than many other varieties of corn, including many hybrids.

Will, helping me out by shucking corn.
We had a lot of huge, sweet corn cobs this year. This is Who Gets Kissed.

We had a nice, big, fat Early Polish watermelon, which we ate while Bill and his family were here. I had everyone save their seeds and their rind. Yesterday, I made watermelon rind sweet pickles. That’s just about our very favorite holiday treat. Who would think watermelon rinds would actually be good to eat? That pickle is sweet, crunchy and spicy with cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. (The recipe is in my book, Growing and Canning Your Own Food, if you’re interested in giving it a try. I have a bit more syrup left from it, and we also have more watermelons on the porch. More pickles are in the forecast!

One of our family’s favorite holiday treats is watermelon rind pickles. So sweet, crunchy, and spicy!

Today, I’m making Chicago style giardiniera, a chopped mix of hot peppers, carrots, onions, cauliflower, and sweet peppers along with sliced green olives, etc. Our friend, Sherri, made it last year and brought us a half pint to try. It was very good. I hope mine turns out as good as hers is. We like different recipes to use bits of our garden’s harvest, and this one is a big hit.

Please continue to pray for the folks in Florida, as the hurricane bears down on them. That’s so scary, especially right after Hurricane Helene hit. — Jackie

18 COMMENTS

  1. Dear Jackie,
    I love your blogs so much and they restore my soul on dreary days! I have a friend that lives between the TN state line and Maggie Valley, NC. She is high on a mountain and did not flood but she was isolated by rockslides and water flooding. She said she ate junk food for 3 days until she hiked to a neighbor; and they fed her real food. I have told her for years that she needed to stockpile a little food. She has a fireplace and wood stove as power is a constant problem every winter. Now get this, she works at a Farmer’s Market! But going into town (Asheville) every day, she ate there at the Market. She says she will definitely start canning things more than just tomatoes this summer. Also, she says the destruction she saw is like the end of the world happening. We are so blessed and all should be thankful for all we have.

    • Amen, Jan!! There are so many people like your friend in this country. I’m thinking they feel nothing will ever happen to THEM. Just other people. But the truth is we all, at some time or another, have bad things happen. Having ample food and supplies handy sure makes those bad times much better. I’m glad she saw the light.

  2. when you have time, would love for you to post the recipe for the Chicago style giardiniera. Thanks and take care.

  3. Goodness, you really are in a race now with snow looming. We have a frost advisory for Monday and Tuesday nights, but no moisture in the forecast, snow or otherwise. It is so very dry and I dread going into winter with such little soil moisture. Those watermelon pickles look really good and I would like to try making them. I have your books, so maybe next year I can give them a whirl. Your corn looks great. I wasn’t sure if you would have much corn due to the crazy weather this year. Continued prayers for all people affected by the hurricanes and tornados in the southeast. It is heart wrenching to see the news coverage of the destruction. Prayers to you for a blessed week.

    • Yes, I can’t even imagine such widespread destruction. It’s horrible! We MAY have some rain coming on Sunday. I say “may” as they’ve forecasted rain before, and we got a few drops at best. I hate going into winter with such dry ground. It’s really hard on the fruit trees and trees in the woods.

    • We still have some cucumbers for seed to pull in, root crops to dig and peppers in the heated hoop houses. We had a hard freeze but are still harvesting madly and putting stuff up.

  5. I never heard of watermelon rind pickles until I moved to the country when I married. My mother-in-law taught me to can and freeze. I couldn’t believe how delicious those pickles tasted. Fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, fried okra and corn bread. Of course there was sliced tomatoes,sliced sweet onion and those pickles. Brings back fond memories.

    • Who would think that watermelon rinds would make such a delectable treat? It sounds gross! But, luckily for us, it’s not at all. Very sweet, spicy and crisp! We eat like royalty.

  6. I have a question about using fiber type bailer twine (as opposed to plastic twine) on food products. I have heard some twine is treated with insecticide to deter bugs from chewing thru the twine. Any thoughts on the matter?

  7. I have a question about drying corn. I shuck, blanch and freeze mine without further drying. What is the process you use? Dry then can? Just leave dry on the cob?

    Always enjoy your blog.
    Blessings on you and your family as you see winter coming soon. We will have frost this week. Time to bring in my house plants.

    • We shuck and tie our corn cobs up on a string and hang it to complete drying if it hasn’t dried completely on the cob, in the garden. After it is dry, I shell it. Then, it’s stored in insect-proof containers to either use for seed or to grind for cornmeal as I need it. The dried, whole corn will stay good for years. I do not blanch nor can my dry corn.

  8. It helps to make my day when I see you have posted on your blog. Thank you.

    I hope to try your recipe for watermelon rind pickles next year. I have had an interesting spring and summer with ER trips regarding my a fib that medication controlled for 12 years or so. Finally had an ablation last month and am already feeling better. Can’t give up. After losing my husband of 56+ years last December, I was rather discouraged but have taken a deep breath and plan to continue on.

    Thanks also for sharing your struggles and then forging ahead. Blessings on you and yours.

    • Sherry, I’m so glad to read about your successful abalation. Keep up this wonderful attitude. Blessings to you.

    • Hang in there Sheryl! Our lives sometimes smack us in the face and it’s so hard to keep going. When I lost my husband, Bob, then found out I had cancer while we were in the process of building our house, taking care of my son, David, and my elderly parents, it was almost too much for me at times. Needless to say, I kept putting one foot in front of the other and we got through that hard stretch. Lots of prayer involved!
      I’m so glad you’re feeling better after your ablation. I’m due for a heart valve replacement in January. Not much for symptoms yet, but I want to get ahead of that!

      • Thank you for the words of encouragement. Yes, prayer brings the peace and I know God has me in His hands. I took care of my mother for 5 years before she passed. My husband was starting to have symptoms that puzzled doctors before she passed but was finally diagnosed with MSA 7 years ago. He was never a complainer, so patient and easy to please, especially the last six years of his life. I have been blessed with a good family and friends. I enjoy reading everyone’s responses. It’s like I have new friends. We do all need each other.

  9. We love Giardiniera – a bit of garlic would be a nice addition. It mixes well with cream cheese.
    I always shuck some corn when I feed the wildlife during the winter but I usually am wearing gloves. It does do a number on your hands.
    If you want a decadent (not overly expensive but not inexpensive): https://www.littletraveler.com/product/cuginos-garlic-spread/
    It is to die for – on bread or in scrambled eggs. We can buy it local – it is an occasional treat. We usually share some with the kiddos as we don’t need to be eating the entire jar. But I do it if I had to LOL.
    We also need some rain but the farmers are kicking posterior during this dry spell.

Comments are closed.