We sure needed this ongoing rain a couple of months ago when we were in drought. Now, it won’t quit! We’re still harvesting, bringing in tomatoes, squash, and corn. Let me tell you, it’s not pleasant walking through cornstalks, picking both sweet corn to can and corn to dry out for our seed business. And the temp’s about 56 degrees F, so not only is it rainy, but cold, too. I pick for an hour then come in and take a hot shower. Even seeding out tomatoes is cold work lately. I do it on the front porch as it’s a messy job when you do it in bulk and I don’t need any more fruit flies in the house. We’ve already got a bunch.
Will still has a hayfield yet to bale, but that’s on hold, waiting for sunny weather and baler parts to arrive. He’s been helping out by picking corn and shucking it. While he shucks, I sit across from him and string up the sweet corn we’re saving for seed on used hay strings. That works very well and now the house is covered by strings of drying corn. It looks so pretty and will make a lot of seed and cornmeal. (We save the smallest cobs to use for cornmeal.)
Yesterday, I made the best salsa I’ve ever made. I was shy of green sweet peppers, so I added a half-pint of Cowboy Candy to the grinding tomatoes. Boy did that ever turn out yummy! I’ll sure do that again tomorrow, with our next batch. I also canned up a bunch of Mexican corn — sweet corn mixed with red and green sweet peppers.
I’m in love with a new sweet pepper called Donkey Ears! They are big, thick-meated and productive, even in this less-than-great pepper year. Very sweet, too. Our latest planting of sweet corn is just coming on, despite the frost. The frost killed the leaves but not the main stalk, which is feeding the ears, keeping them maturing. It’s been a strange frost this year, as it killed the plants but didn’t damage the crops. I’m very grateful! — Jackie
I had to pick my some of my flour corn testerday because something is eating it. I am wondering if I need to try and leave all the popcorn out there to dry down? It was super prolific this year, and I picked it too early last year, so it never dried right it just shriveled up. I’m just not sure what’s best to do with it! We haven’t had a frost at all, and now Im see some peppers on my green peppers that haven’t done anything all year! Things certainly are strange here. But I won’t complain!
If you’ll slip a paper lunch bag over the corn ears and staple it below the ear, you’ll usually save it from birds (the usual culprit) or even raccoons. That’s what we do as the Blue Jays and blackbirds will eat it quickly otherwise. It’s so great to have extra frost-free time!!
I also am rushing to harvest and canning like crazy. We have followed your weather pattern here in mid/lower Michigan with rain and cooler temps. In the low 60s today, Wednesday. No frost yet fortunately though. Hang in there guys!
They’re talking about 80 degrees F on Monday!! Holy cow, that’s a blessing, this time of the year, for sure.
Recently I heard of a solution to the fruit fly in the kitchen problem. Wash and let dry, a cork from a wine bottle so it has its true “cork” scent to it, and place it next to the tomatoes, bananas, whatever. For some reason it is a repellant to those dang little fleas! I’ve used it for several weeks and it DID cut down on the problem, but I see now it seems to be wearing out. So, I’ll try using another clean cork and see if it works well again.
You might try wetting the old one and see if that helps. I’ve noticed corks have a distinct smell that comes out when dampened
Only one problem; we don’t drink. But I’m thinking it would take a whole case of wine bottle corks to even slow down the little buggers a bit!!
Wendy, I’ll try the wetting the cork, thanks!
Jackie, I know you guys don’t drink, but perhaps you know some who do. I have found though that many wines stopped using cork, so it is more applicable for those of us who only need a few and have a smaller amount of produce in our kitchen…not a seed business in our home, ha!
Truly amazing! Thanks for taking the time to share during this busiest of seasons. Blessings.
It’s busy, but is my favorite time of the gardening year! Love the harvesting!!
We are still very dry here. We seem to be in a pocket of extreme drought. Its strange how the weather has been this year. That Mexican sweet corn looks delicious. And those donkey ear peppers look like something I need to try. I hope the rain stops for you so you can get the hay baled and the rest of the harvest in before really cold weather sets in. I have 48 degrees this morning so I know it wont be long before the freezing temps get here. Prayers for a safe and blessed week.
Thanks Marilyn. It’s going to be in the high 70’s and even 80 on Sunday and Monday. Wow, what a weird thing for this time of the year. But, hey, I’m not complaining!!
I know what you mean about the rain . Our third cutting of alfalfa is just laying in the field waiting for enough sun to dry it out enough to bale . We were supposed to start combining canola last Monday but we can’t get enough sunny weather to get it done .
Your mexican corn is going to look really pretty with those beautiful colors .
Yep, we’ve still got hay down and no sun, yet. Ish! We love the Mexican corn in a lot of different recipes. I even put it in cornbread. Yum.
We could sure use some of that rain here in NW AZ. Dry as a bone.
I’m going to have to try those donkey ears peppers. My Sweet Banana peppers came in small and thin-walled this year. Good flavor, but I like larger, thick walled peppers.
And that salsa looks really good. Cowboy Candy?
Still picking watermelons (Crimson Sweet, Tohono O’odham and Katanya) here. Just got the last of the Honey Rock cantaloupes picked. All the melons came in very sweet and juicy this year–probably because we didn’t get hit with monsoon rains while they were finishing off.
Cowboy Candy is pickled jalapeno slices in a thick, sweet sauce, which I can up. I, too, like the thick-meated peppers best.
We’re still picking melons, too. Awesome crop, this year, despite everything. And so sweet and juicy!!
Hi Jackie and Will, just popping in to say hey,y’all. Always glad to hear from you and appreciate your time for us. As busy as two beavers and I always look forward to your posts. Thank you.
Howdy Sue. We love this time of the year, even though it sometimes makes us a bit overwhelmed. Puff, pant!!
Hallelujah! We finally got rain after the summer of drought and wildfires.Major winds too along with the downpours.Only downside is my wood stove chimney is leaking Hopefully it’ll be an easy fix. Hope you get a break in the rain to get in the rest of your crops Jackie. My garden is done except for Kale and chard. Made my last batch of spicy tomato jam. So delicious with cheese and meats! Time to settle into fall, had the first fire in the wood stove last evening and it was lovely!
We haven’t had a fire in the wood stove yet, but it’s coming. Hopefully, not for a while. We’ve still got a lot of crops out in the field and are harvesting every day.
I can’t get rid of my fruit flies. Hope you’ve found a solution.
In a “normal” house, a pint jar half full of apple cider vinegar works, as do the fruit fly traps they sell in the stores. Not so, here, where we have so much fruit fly bait, just hanging around.
I hear you about the rain – we needed it a few months ago, not when soybean/corn harvest is upon us. A fair number of soybean fields are ready to harvest and some field corn too. I’ll take advantage of the rain for the last of the volun-tree removal/perennial weeding. Of course we need to (hand) pick the corn we feed wildlife over the winter. The field area isn’t quite ready so I hope the week plus after the rain (sunny and temps up to 80) helps us out.
Buffy has filled out quite nicely and I was a bit surprised to see a picture of her outside. Neither of mine go outside – the 2nd newbie is so darn nosy she’d have herself in trouble in no time.
Glad you have the ability to repeat the salsa recipe. So often, the combination of ingredients never align again (yeah, we are proud consumers of leftovers).
More than once in my life I’ve heard someone say s/he wishes s/he worked outside – of course this is during nice summer days. Not sure if a kerosene heater near you on the porch would help?
We may have to bite the bullet and plant the garlic here soon. I fear we won’t get two weeks “notice” that the ground is going to start to freeze! Leaves are slowly falling and the nuts are definitely smaller this year. As are apples in our area but the sweet ones are very sweet.
We started to let Buffy outside, as she really wanted to go out. At first, we only let her out when we were out to watch her. But, as she got used to things, we let her out as much as she wants. However, we always get both she and Mittens inside before dark. There are just too many predators around to snatch up a cat.
Nice pictures of you both! It is a very busy time of the year. The days are not long enough for all the tasks to be done. The salsa sounds great. I hit the sack early at the end of the day.
I sure wish there were more hours in a day! We’re going to bed early, too. By 9 o’clock, we’re both shot. How’s the knee doing? I scheduled my second one today for early January, when we’re not quite so busy. Ha ha.
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