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Welcome All! I'm a dreamer, I hope you are too! A Posse ad Esse, or From possibility to reality, is a general state of mind. I hope you'll share your possibilities with me as I will with you. Namaste~

August 17, 2009

update

Been a while again, but I managed to get a computer online so that I can at least update you with everything that we've been up to.
The back yard is changing again. You may remember the pergola that I built a few years back, well, it's a goner! I purchased a polycarbonate walled 10'x12' 10" tall greenhouse and it will (read: should) fit exactly on top of the old pergolas footprint. I have to say I was a little, very little mind you, sorry to see it go, but oh the plans that have been dancing in my little mind. Dreams of early vegetable starts, abundant yields and starting my own annual flowers. Honestly you'd think I'd bought a 100 x 120 footer if you heard me talking about it all.

This weekend past A~ and I spent a couple of shifts, one on Friday and one on Saturday, at the local county fair. I haven't been in years and it was a good time. The last time we went the kids were still at the can you get me this, can you get me that phase and it was a pain. This time A~ and I snuck away for a few hours to tend to the USU Extension Master Gardener booth and talk veggies with anyone who'd stand still. I loved it of course. Saturday, we took the boys, gave them their allowances and turned em loose. So what do they do... they hang out with us and talk us and our partners ears off. Gotta love kids who are old enough to go out on their own a little, but not too old to still want mom and dad.

On the garden front all is going well. The last couple of weekend have really given us a great blessing of harvests. Last weekend, not this last one but the one before that, we brought in 100.5 lbs of veggies. 65+ pounds of that were mid season potatoes like red norkota and Yukon golds. They were so fun to pull. We actually had one Yukon Gold that was 1 lb 5 oz!! We did learn a lesson though. This year we planted two rows of early potatoes, four rows of mid season ones and two rows of late russets. Next year it will be one row of early, one/two rows of mid season ones and 5/6 rows of late season storage potatoes. It's hard to eat a lot of 'taters in the summer when you don't feel like heating up the house with "comfort food". My kids have, however, learned that they like to have fresh potatoes, with peppers, onions and backyard eggs in a skillet for breakfast. It's been great.

Finally, have to apologize for the acute lack of photographs. They have been taken, but I can't yet get them on line to share with you.
I'll bombard you with a big photo blitz again as soon as I can though.

Best to you all.
P~

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed the new post. Potatoes will keep for quite some time if kept in a cool dry dark place, but If you still feel you have to many you may want to try canning some of them.I do alot of canning and It's not real hard and they keep almost forever. All you have to do is peel them cut them into chunks boil for 10 min put into jars add 1/2 tsp salt per qt jar(salt is optional) put boiling water over top leaving 1/2 inch head space seal and pressure can for 1.5 hours.Thats what I did with alot of my excess potatoes this year.Put up 24 quarts of stewed tomatoes yesterday and getting ready to do green beans tomorrow, and by thursday it will be time to do more corn. Michelle

comfortableboots said...

I would like to let you all know that I anonymous, for some reason I am having trouble with my google account. My mother is a master gardner and my grandmother use to can and freeze what they grew so I have had good teachers. If anyone has any questions on how to preserve food I would be more than happy to help.Home email is sarpntls@frontiernet.net Michelle

Anonymous said...

You inspired me to keep track of how much we are harvesting from our garden this year. I was very proud of our 122 lbs right up until your one weekend total topped our entire season. Wow!! Keep it up!! Maybe some day we'll get up to your standard.

ChicagoMike said...

Thanks for the update. Can't wait to see the green house!

Irma said...

Always glad to get an update.

I just returned form a week's vacation to discover that my grown step son didn't step foot in my garden once (despite written instructions) and it looks like the intense heat has done in most of the rest of my crop. So I will live my gardening dreams vicariously through you!

Jon said...

Thought you would enjoy this recipe while I'm sending it to a friend...it's really nice after the first frost not to have all the tomatoes wasted! Tastes just like apple pie!

Green Tomato Pie
Recipe from Gr/Grandma Tone

4 C. chopped green tomatoes (about 6)
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 1/2 T., rounded, corn starch OR 1 1/2 T. tapioca
2 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
3 T. vinegar
2 T. butter

Chop tomatoes fine. Scald and let stand in hot water while making the crust.
Squeeze out water and mix with the other items.
Put into pie plate on bottom crust, dot with butter, add top crust.
Bake 400 degrees, 40-50 minutes as for apple pie.

Anonymous said...

blessings,tp

Affi'enia said...

Hello there. I am a new reader to you, found you over at the co-op. I hope I've not found you just to discover that the monster garden has taken over your time entirely! I have to say that it has been a treat cartching up on your blog. I started right at the beginning and it's been great to see you and your family's progression in the garden. Me and my Partner started gardening for food last year and I've gotten more involved this year and am incharge or organiseing. Eep. Looking forward to your next update.

P~ said...

You all embarrass me sometimes. Thank you for the very nice words. It has been a good year, that is for sure. It's looking like it's about to come to a quick end though. The weather here is set to head in a very cold direction soon.
Affi'enia~
I'm not going anywhere, and thanks for taking the time to read back so far.
Best to you all!
P~