The past month...

Is it possible that over a month has gone by since my last post? 

Well, in the meantime, I helped put on a rummage-sale for a mission project, spent a week on a mission trip to Guatemala, and put up ALL of the produce from our garden. 

I froze 20 quarts of green beans, 15 quarts of peas, and a few gallons of tomatoes. 

I canned another 25-30 quarts of tomatoes--some with peppers, some without. 

  

 

I picked 5-6 gallons of green tomatoes last week and made a couple of batches of green tomato relish. 

I've been trying different recipes over the past couple of years, looking for one that will give me the kind of relish that is served at catfish restaurants.  One of the recipes that I tried this summer was DEFINITELY not it....the second one remains to be seen.  I'll have to give the relish a taste-test in a few weeks. 

The pumpkins were a bust.  While we were gone to Guatemala, we had what has turned out to be a six-week dry spell.  Before I left, I was fighting squash bugs, and I had dusted the plants just before we departed.  However, when we got back a week later, the pumpkins AND watermelons were completely dead.  Those dog-gone bugs!

I pulled up the corn plants, the purple-hull peas, and the green bean plants a couple of weeks ago, and last week I worked on pulling up the tomatoes.

  Also, I harvested the onions and carrots.  All that is really left now is the runner beans and the pepper plants.

(I know this is the tiniest little sampling of carrots AND onions, but I planted so few that I am actually pleased with the result.)

The gallon of okra that I froze will probably last us the entire year.  I only use it when I make gumbo, but I wanted to try growing some this year.  Most of it matures while we were gone and by the time we got home, it was all too big to use. :[

It has certainly been a learning experience.  I am hoping to record my "lessons" here on this blog.  It may take me a few days to get my thoughts in order--it always does. 

Next weekend is the annual Craft Fair in our town, complete with Square Dancing and a parade.  I'll try to share some pics of that as well. 

Until then.....