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Monday, August 4, 2025

Putting By


A beautiful visitor here lately, a pipevine swallowtail.

Another day in the garden and the kitchen, but less hectic and demanding than most years. Having a smaller garden is nice butbit feels odd not to be up to my ears in things needing put up, immediately!

The rattlesnake beans have completely covered their arch and are blooming and growing some nice beans.

I tried ti photograph the bean blossoms, which are a pretty punk and purple,  but didn't do too well, I'm afraid.

So today: the leeks were planted, a tedious job tgat requires bending over and carefully placing leek plants that are for all the world like thin blades of grass. Tedious, but done. Now to keep them carefully watered until they are hardy enough to be mulched for the winter.

I planted turnips too, but could not find my carrot seeds. Perhaps I used them up. I can't remember. Larry bought me some in town. Then I cut broccoli, picked some tomatoes, and then got to work stringtrimming. 

One SMH moment: I asked Larry to dig the carrots---and he pulled the celery instead! He said "You told me to pull the celery!" Ah me. I did not, of course. So he went back and dug the carrots while I cut up the celery and put it in the dehydrator. Dried celery is so handy for all sorts of things, Then we re-planted the celery butts and watered them heavily. They should re-grow new stalks. It's frustrating because they were not nearly ready yet. 

A wheelbarrow full of carrots. Mostly greens,  of course, but plenty of carrots too.

In the afternoon I prepped the carrots for storage.  Super easy---just twist off the green tops, put into baggies with a clean, dry paper towel, seal up and put in the fridge. Don't wash, just brush off the dirt. Last year I tried this method for the first time, and used the last of them in February.

After that I blanched the broccoli and put it in the freezer, and bagged up the green beans and ham I cooked yesterday and put those in the freezer too.

By then Larry was home from town. We made burgers on the grill, lit the firepit, and enjoyed the beautiful cool evening as the sun went down.


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

22 comments:

  1. That's a good tip on storing carrots straight from the garden.
    Years ago someone gave me tiny leeks and told me about growing them in a trench and slowly filling it in as they grew. It worked well but was a lot of work.

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    1. I guess i dont do it right, then. Oops. I plant then fairly deep, then hill them as they grow, and much with straw in winter. It works.

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  2. It is difficult for most mere mortals to fathom that you are doing less this year.

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    1. That's funny, AC! But it is true I am doing less. I know when I have had a too busy day because my knee gives me hell all night. Which is frustrating because sitting is not good either!

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  3. ...the eating will be good in the coming weeks.

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  4. Love your bean arch and that's a lot of carrots! Do you used the greens?

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    1. No but I wish there was a way to use them. We just give them to the chickens.

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  5. Have you ever tried storing corn on the cob? We are trying it this year just by vac sealing them.

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    1. I have but didn't like it. I think it works best with very young corn. Ours was more mature ears and I found it mushy. But I did freeze a few on the cob this year. Trying again!

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  6. Glad you'll get a second crop of celery. Never heard of that method of saving carrots, but it sounds like they might think they're still in the ground!

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    1. I think you're right, Barb. It's odd, but it works!

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  7. I wouldn't know where to begin. You obviously know what you are doing!

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    1. I have been putting up food for 50 years, and have learned a lot along the way. It's not difficult, just takes time.

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  8. As AC said, it's hard to see your garden as downsized! I gave up on a vegetable garden after 2017. I'm a container person now. Reading this sort of makes me miss it.

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  9. I enjoyed seeing all that you grow. It must be wonderfully rewarding to eat your own produce.

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  10. Replies
    1. And it continues! Dill pickles and sweet cherry jam today, probably applesauce tomorrow. Peppers and tomatoes after that, and more beans on the way.

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  11. That's quite the haul of carrots.

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  12. Replies
    1. Honestly, yes. But the cellar is still so stocked there's no sense in putting up as much this year.

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