For the past week, I've been kept busy in the kitchen canning our fresh fruit!~
A homemade quick bread is easily made for the occasion, so that we can sample our fresh Blueberry/Strawberry jam. This goes quite well with afternoon tea.
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Fruit and veggie scraps are often brought out to the Chickens. The younger chickens should begin laying soon!
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Homemade Relish
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Homemade Relish
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3.5 lbs of cucumbers, 2 cups green peppers, 3.5 cups sweet onions...
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1 red bell pepper, 2.5 cups diced carrots..
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Everything minced fine, and combined in a large bowl. Feel free to keep the cucumber skin on.
I wont mention it took me 5 hrs to chop all this by hand...nope, won't mention it! hehe
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Now for the spices!!
2 TBsp pickling spice, 2 tsp each of: celery seed, dill weed, & dry mustard powder.
1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
In a large stock pot, combine minced veggies, spices, 4 cups sugar & 3 cups apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and simmer until carrots are soft.
1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
In a large stock pot, combine minced veggies, spices, 4 cups sugar & 3 cups apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and simmer until carrots are soft.
Ladle into jars, & process for 15 mins. Makes 6-7 pints.
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The relish turned out excellent and very flavorful! I hope you'll try this recipe :)
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One morning we all traveled to our nearby small town to shop at the open-air market. Our friends sell organic veggies that they'd hand-picked that same morning.
We're going to start shopping here for any surplus food we may need--I so enjoy supporting our local growers!
We're going to start shopping here for any surplus food we may need--I so enjoy supporting our local growers!
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In the garden, it's not uncommon to see a roll of twine atop one of the wooden stakes, with a worn pair of garden scissors hanging nearby. This has been so helpful & convenient as we often tie up heavy tomato vines.
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In the early evening, while the Summer sun was beginning to set--we headed over to our neighbors homestead. With a pasture of over 50 acres, it's a beautiful sight.
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We called in the herd of goats (which numbered over forty) and it's so much fun to watch them approach the gate. The horses and cattle follow soon after.
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To help out our neighbor, my dad offered to build a new structure for the chickens, and it's coming along very well. My brother often works alongside my dad with this project.
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While they worked on the chicken house, my sister and I walked through the pasture with our shovels and wagon in tow. We gathered up manure for the garden, which will be a huge help for our soil!
While they worked on the chicken house, my sister and I walked through the pasture with our shovels and wagon in tow. We gathered up manure for the garden, which will be a huge help for our soil!
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Often our meals are eaten out-of-doors, as we gather around the picnic table decorated by fresh picked flowers.
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I find that preserving the harvest helps you to appreciate all the hard work that goes into every jar--and that feeling of accomplishment has been a blessing.
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I find that preserving the harvest helps you to appreciate all the hard work that goes into every jar--and that feeling of accomplishment has been a blessing.
