Oh my gosh, this weekend I made more of this berry mixture.  Also made another blackberry crumble from the FTS bakery book.  Topped the crumble with the mixed berrys an then ready whip on top of that.  I sure hope I am not overindulging, but I can't help it. 

Who is in the habit of canning their harvest each year?  Twenty years ago we started making dill and also bread and butter pickles.  We started to purchase our pickles at a produce stand and still do.  Eventually, we will grow our own.  This year to canned a combination of the pickles and also some dilly beans. 

We have been discussing a root cellar at our primitive cabin site and wouldn't that be awesom.  We started to grow potatoes this year and even though they are high in sugar, we don't eat that many.  I would like to have a root cellar actually to grow cabbage.  What else can we put in the root cellar that would be FTS friendly?  I know I will can a lot of things, but will have to make a list of what my husband and I will eat.

What have you canned and what would you place in a root cellar, which would include canned goods and veggies. 

I have heard of people canning garlic mustard - the infamous invasive plant.  I would probably cann a lot of beans.  I think beets is also too high in sugar, but I have know of a lady who pickles sliced beets and they are wonderful.  But I have had to not indulge in these wonderful goodies of the ground.  Okay, onions and garlic wouldn't be a bad item to store in the cellar. 

This is really exciting.  Let me know of your experiences or thoughts on the subject.

Umpa, it's you and me....
Have you ever tried 'crockett' beans which grow bushlike?  To die for.  They are absolutely a wonderful bean and you can also dill them and have great crunch.  Or just harvest and cut up into salad for a nice sweet taste.  You can find these in any of the garden magazines that come in every year.  Give them a try - you won't regret it.

Bye for now,

Ellie

It sure is - 1 gal of store bought water is anywhere from $.79 to $1.00.  And getting water out of the creek is too time consuming.  So this water barrel catcher is going to pay for itself.  lovin it lovin it lovin it! 

Bye for now Umpa and all.  Have a wonderful rest of the day and a jolly happy weekend.

Ellie

So, it is 8/20/14 and wondering how all of the gardens are coming along.........

My collard are ripe for the picking.
Tomatoes are coming along but the weather is cooling down one week and extremely hot the next.  Driving the plants nutty.
Sage looks good.
Planted one sweet and one hot pepper plant and doing good.
What else what else...

You know, plant four tomatoe plants and you would think one would get so many tomatoes that one would be giving them away.  Well, this one only has gotten maybe five tomatoes all summer long.  What's with THAT!

Two eggplants are flowering but not producing.  Going to have to take a good look and see what's going on.

My walking egyptian onions were cool but got walking in all different directions so harvested.

Raspberries are done for the year - not much of a yield. 

Blackberries are just now producing and yummy.

Black currents (3 bushes) produced greatly this year - cooked them up - got rid of the seeds - used as a juice concentrate. Squeezed lemon juice in it and put a little bit of xylitol for add a touch of sweetness. 

Canned bread and butter pickles and dill and some dilly beans - bought from produce stand.  So far 100 jars of pickles.  Going to do another 75 jars this weekend.

Well, that's the scoop - what's going on in your gardens - Share!

Oh yes - I made three smaller containers and gave two away.  I don't know what the shelf life is in the fridge, but I can imagine may stretching it two weeks.

I made it this weekend.  Giving some away.  It is truly awesome - Used Xylitol.  My husband put it on his waffle this morning and said it was pretty good.  He likes sweet deserts.  BUT, it did pass the Ken test.  The people at work like it, too.  So simple to make and wonderful.  Thanks Doug - you are the best.  Hi Umpa and Tony...