Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Whew! Lots Checked off the "To-Do" List!

Lately, it's been puttin' up, stocking up and just plain busyness in the kitchen vs. housework and garden work.  That time will come soon.  Cleaning that is.  We've been getting rain at night, so weeding has halted.  We got more storms last night again.  

Although not all from my garden, I canned one batch of hot banana pepper relish.  It's Hubby's favorite and we did not grow cucumbers this year, so I won't be canning sweet pickle relish.


It should last the 3 of us all winter too.  The jalapenos in it came from the garden and they are good!


I got some organic asparagus blanched and in the freezer.  Three bunches and the ends were saved for soup this coming winter.  I had 1.6# of ends, and my soup requires 2#, so it was labeled accordingly, and I hope to put up more this week or next.
Got more dandelion greens in the freezer, but I need more chard, collards and kale yet.


I made a pan of homemade granola bars with oats, almonds, blueberries and hemp seeds.


I also made 2 trays of homemade beef bouillon cubes, using real ingredients.  These come in handy for soups etc. when I am out of broth/stock in the winter.  They can flavor any sort of beef dish/casserole, soup or stew.


I even checked on the green beans (shocked I had any to pick), and got some laundry on the line.  I also finished a crocheted bracelet and counted beads for another one.


Hubby and I both have come to the realization, that we'll get no tomatoes this year.  There are some here and there, but there is most likely no way we'll be canning one thing this fall.  Sadly.  The worst garden year in 11 years.


10 comments:

Pink Rose said...

Hi Kristina wow you are amazing with all the canning and cooking that you do ,you always inspire me to do more in the kitchen,so sorry that this hasn't been a good year for your garden .
Hope your day is a good one my friend xx

hart said...

I've gotten two regular tomatoes and perhaps a dozen cherry tomatoes, raccoons who can reach through the mesh, and bunnies got the rest. I don't think I'll be planting them anymore.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Sheryl

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

sorry to hear that hart. It's been a rough year for us. And we cannot just go buy the tomatoes in bulk either. Produce stands are short this year and I'd need 45# just to can one batch of tomato sauce.

Rain said...

That sucks about the tomatoes...mine are still green and I don't know if I have much hope. I ended up going to the market a few days back and getting 80 pounds of tomatoes there to can. If mine ripen, hell, I'll be happy and I'll can those too! I just made 17 pints of strawberry jam and they are all canned and popping that lovely sound! :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Rain, that's great you have access to bulk tomatoes. Paste tomatoes are limited and I don't want bulk beefsteak type either (takes more to can than paste). Glad you got your jam canned! Woohoo!

Sam I Am...... said...

No luck here either as it "burned up" while I was gone except for zuchini and spaghetti squash. Even the Farmer's Market had very little to offer. Sounds like you;re getting lots of other things done though. Good for you!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sorry to hear that Sam I Am. It's been a rough year.

Mary said...

Those yellow wax beans have tantalized me, they are my favorite vegetable but I never see them fresh in groceries in Massachusetts any more, or even frozen. They look wonderful, enjoy them for me :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks Mary, and you are right, you can't get them in stores, and so far I haven't found them at the produce or farmer's markets yet.