June 24, 2009: Pickling and Replanting

This is post #2 for today, so please scroll down for the earlier one.


Mr. H said "It didn't do a damned bit of good to dig out those bushes behind the shed. They're coming up again already". I went out with him to see the "bushes", and told him he'd better leave them be....if he chops off those two tomato plants, he's in big trouble. See why I don't allow him in the garden?




I pulled out all the beets. Some were still quite small, but I wanted to clear out those rows and get in another planting of both beets and carrots by July 1. See how much lighter in color the Chiogga beets are (on the right)? And one of the Chioggas was pure white! These all came from one garden bed, and I pulled more from another spot. I'll enrich both areas with compost before I plant the next crops.



I pickled three more pints of the beets. They are getting eaten so quickly, I would like to get another crop seeded for more pickles before winter. The Chioggas darkened a bit in the pickling liquid, and I think they'll take on more color as they sit.

It's hot (95.2F) today, so I'm "baking" potatoes in the crockpot for tomorrow's potato salad. I was going to try to steal some more baby reds from the garden, but decided instead to use the store bought ones I had on hand. They are this year's crop, so pretty good potatoes. I tossed in a head of garlic that had been drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in foil, and I'll add it to tonight's mashed potatoes. I love my crockpots on hot days, so I don't have to heat up the kitchen by using the oven.



Wednesday's Garden Dinner


Salmon Patties (onions)
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (garlic)
Buttered Peas (garden peas mixed with frozen)
Pickled Beets (beets & onions)
Iced Raspberry Green Tea


Oh, my....the roasted garlic mashed potatoes were delicious, as were the garden peas, even though they were mixed in with frozen.

I got the compost spread on the 12 empty squares in east bed #1. It's hot out there, I'm tired, I'll wait until tomorrow to replant.



23 comments:

  1. I just laughed like a fool and woke up the dog. Your man's too funny!

    I tried to grow beets this year, but they just sat there and laughed at me. Maybe this fall?

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  2. Ribbit, my fall beets were nicer than my spring beets. I figure I have to get them planted two weeks earlier than I did last year, though. That means around July 1. It seems odd to already be planting for fall!

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  3. Granny, I read the other post, and will only reply to this one, if that is ok....First of all....60 lbs???? Crap! I really enjoy watching you make various meals with the bounty from the garden. That's what it's all about!

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  4. EG, I'm out to getcha!!! LOL

    I wish I had my barbecue grill up here. Our "northern" grill died, and I hate to buy another when I have a new one in AZ! I'd like to be outside cooking tomorrow's burgers.

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  5. I actually remember getting up at 4 to go to work in the garden in Virginia because by 10 am I was woozy from heat. I never did acclimate.

    I congratulate you on your fortitude (both in gardening and in, er, communicating about the garden).

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  6. Stefaneener, That's how I am in Arizona during the hot weather. Outside at five in the morning and back inside at ten. We had a few really cool days, then WHAM! It was pushing 100 today. It zaps me when it hits fast like that.

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  7. I have serious beet envy Annie and reading your blog keeps making me hungry!

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  8. Dang... I had dinner already (and it was good!) but the picture of your meal got my stomach growling!

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  9. Desert Dame, I actually did grow beets in AZ! I think beets, lettuce, carrots and spinach are doable for me there. Oh, I also grew a 2 ounce cucumber :-)

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  10. KitsapFG, you're as bad as my youngest son. He just IMd me that every time he reads my blog, he wants to come for dinner!

    I actually am trying to post my dinners each day, as it forces me to use my garden produce!

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  11. All right... I wasn't hungry until I read about those garlic mashed potatoes...

    I want to come over for dinner too!

    I love how you're showing how you use your garden stuff in your meals!

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  12. Toni, come on over! Those potatoes were gooooood! Mr. H even had two helpings.

    Pssst...tomorrow I'm making banana cream pie. No, I'm not growing bananas in the garden, LOL!

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  13. I can't even THINK of cooking when its so hot out. We've been in the mid 90's the past two days. The mister is eating lots of salads and sandwiches. My stove is on-strike! (But, your dinner looks FANTASTIC!)

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  14. banana cream pie!!!
    That's it. I'm on an airplane this afternoon. See you soon.

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  15. Banana cream pie! Oh yum. That is one of my favorite pies (along with key lime, pecan, pumpkin, gooseberry...). OK I love pie. Oh I'm supposed to be commenting on the garden produce ;> The mashed potatoes sound really delicious, but not as much as pie.

    So a couple of days ago you were complaining about not having summer for the first day of summer. I think your summer has returned. If you are like me I'm sure you are wishing for that cooler weather about now. Today we are finally getting some warmer weather. We are getting up into the 70s. Woot! We may even get another day over 80 in June before the end of the month. Maybe. Such weird weather.

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  16. Sue, Mr. H was raised by a mother who ironed his Jockey shorts and fed him a four course dinner at six o'clock sharp every night. I broke him of the ironed Jockey shorts the day we were married, but I've never been able to break his hot dinner at six habit.

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  17. Ribbit and Daphne, you both have a one track mind. I baked the pie shell after it cooled down a bit last night, and I'm just getting ready to make the filling. You'd both better be here by noon, that's about how long the pie will last once my son & grandson get here! I don't know why I got on a pie baking kick this week, it's not something I do very often, especially in the summer!

    Daphne, our forecast is for 88F every day for the next five days. That's a good temperature, the 95.2 yesterday was too hot. It cooled down to the 80s after dinner, with a nice breeze, so I did go finish spreading the compost and dug it in and smoothed out the beds. I'm ready to plant again.

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  18. Your beets grow so fast! I have turnips growing in my garden but they're still so small :(

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  19. I LOVE your blog. I am trying this too and having so much fun with it. Your produce looks great, really rich and healthy. The joy for me is harvesting something pretty much every day. I am trying to go for year round produce if I can, succession planting I guess it's called.

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  20. Cynthia, I harvested my beets while they were still quite small. That's the way we like them pickled. I could have easily given them another month to grow!

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  21. Jay, thank you! I kind of tire out through the winter, although I did try a few things while I was in AZ for the winter. My garden there wasn't real successful, but I think I learned a little about desert gardening from it, so maybe I'll try again.

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  22. LOL I have to get from the east coast to the west coast in 2 1/2 hours to get that pie. Too bad I missed it. At least my husband brought home some strawberry shortcake for me. It isn't quite as good as pie, but it was good.

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  23. Daphne, I'd trade the pie for strawberry shortcake any day! So would Mr. H. There is nothing better than shortcake (biscuit type) split and smothered with sweetened berries and topped with real whipped cream. Sigh.

    Yes, I do have a bit of a weight problem. Why do you ask?

    LOL

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