Pickled radishes & more rain

June 1, 2018 Canning, In the Kitchen, Market newsletters, Other recipes, Weekly Updates

The rain keeps on falling and at this point I’m mainly just amazed each week that we have anything to harvest. Apart from the in-the-moment damage from heavy rain and flooding, we’re starting to see the more delayed effects, with the onset of rotting in some crops and of diseases like powdery mildew that thrive in hot, humid conditions like these. At times like this, it’s nice to be able to fall back on simple comforts like eating good food. This past week, I’ve made a few tasty recipes, including a quite authentic-tasting pad thai that also called for these amazing pickled radishes as a garnish. While the pad thai...

Crazy days of summer

August 6, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

As every gardener knows, summer gets crazy! From mid-July through late August, it seems that everything is happening at once. The weeds are growing like mad and seem to reach the same size and intensity just days after the beds were cleared of them. At the same time that the summer harvest has ramped up to anxiety-provoking levels, the fall rounds of root crops and leafy greens need to be planted. And, to add to the craziness, all of that summer harvest has to be put to good use, either for immediate eating or through preserving for winter. It’s enough to make me wonder how women on homestead farms in...

Pickling Zucchini

July 15, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

Unexpectedly, Wednesday turned into a solid day of rain- perfect for the garden and also a perfect opportunity for me to get some preserving done! In the morning, before the rain set in, I was able do several hours of work in the garden itself- prepping a bed for the next planting of fall carrots, further trellising the tomatoes and peppers, and harvesting lots of beans and zucchini. Because I’m caring for my one-year-old son as well as for the garden, my days are largely structured around his nap schedule. While my son is exceptionally good at occupying himself, there are certain things that are just easier or much safer to do when he’s...