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Batch of honor
Sep. 2nd, 2018 06:04 pmI'm still spending most of my spare time preserving the summer harvest. However, wild critters are eating a lot of the figs and canning tomatoes, so I don't have as many of those as in previous years. I'm particularly frustrated by the tomatoes--they're stealing all the ones I planted for canning and sandwiches. At first they only ate the ripe ones, so I started picking them 1-2 days early. Then they started eating those, so I had to pick them half-ripe and let them ripen the rest of the way sitting on the kitchen counter if I wanted any. Today I went out and found even a green one had been munched on. ~_~
At least they're leaving me the cherry tomatoes, so I'm canning those. I'm hoping to put away enough that I won't have to grow them next year and can use the garden space for other things.
The passion fruit are doing great. I've got 3 quarts of pulp in my kitchen freezer waiting to be strained and turned into jam. I also made a batch of passion fruit curd this past week that I ate together with some coconut scones. That was a lovely tropical combination. I took some to work to share with my coworkers.
I eventually did have to go out and buy more jars for all the jam and marmalade and pickles I've been making. My garage cupboard is starting to fill up.
Several of the lower branches of my persimmon tree have cracked or been ripped completely off. I suspect a certain beagle is to blame; I've previously caught him jumping up, catching a fruit in his teeth, and pulling the whole branch down. I've only seen him do it to the apples and plums, though, so I'm not sure he did the persimmons as well...I just wouldn't be surprised. At least the main trunk and upper branches are still intact. I'm not too concerned, since the lower branches would have blocked the garden pathway if they had gotten much bigger.
I went to the Millbrae Art Festival yesterday. It is always nice to browse the vendor stalls. It also gave me an excuse to drop by the blood donation center; I normally don't get to go often, since it's an hour trip from my house (half of which is walking). I found out that the center will be moving to my city, which will be much more convenient for me to reach.
I bought an Instant Pot a short while ago, and I tried it out making a batch of beans. It worked pretty well, and I'm hoping to use it more frequently.
At least they're leaving me the cherry tomatoes, so I'm canning those. I'm hoping to put away enough that I won't have to grow them next year and can use the garden space for other things.
The passion fruit are doing great. I've got 3 quarts of pulp in my kitchen freezer waiting to be strained and turned into jam. I also made a batch of passion fruit curd this past week that I ate together with some coconut scones. That was a lovely tropical combination. I took some to work to share with my coworkers.
I eventually did have to go out and buy more jars for all the jam and marmalade and pickles I've been making. My garage cupboard is starting to fill up.
Several of the lower branches of my persimmon tree have cracked or been ripped completely off. I suspect a certain beagle is to blame; I've previously caught him jumping up, catching a fruit in his teeth, and pulling the whole branch down. I've only seen him do it to the apples and plums, though, so I'm not sure he did the persimmons as well...I just wouldn't be surprised. At least the main trunk and upper branches are still intact. I'm not too concerned, since the lower branches would have blocked the garden pathway if they had gotten much bigger.
I went to the Millbrae Art Festival yesterday. It is always nice to browse the vendor stalls. It also gave me an excuse to drop by the blood donation center; I normally don't get to go often, since it's an hour trip from my house (half of which is walking). I found out that the center will be moving to my city, which will be much more convenient for me to reach.
I bought an Instant Pot a short while ago, and I tried it out making a batch of beans. It worked pretty well, and I'm hoping to use it more frequently.
