Monday, June 15, 2009

Independence Day Challenge Year 2, The seventh week

We needed rain. We've had rain.  We've had enough rain. Bring on the heat!

Plant something: More basil

Harvested: Scallions, chive blossoms, rhubarb, comfrey, beet greens, spinach, lettuce. Lupines and Irises.

Preserved:  I had some cranberries in the freezer left over from last fall. There is a wild bog nearby and a neighbor gave us a big bag last fall. In an effort to empty the freezer and get ready for the coming season I emptied the freezer of cranberries and made 5 pints and 5 half pints of cranberry chutney.   I have reached the quantity of rhubarb chutney that I canned last year. With still more rhubarb coming up, I made a 12 pints and 1 half pint of rhubarb salsa. Dehydrated  1 quart of scallions. I will use these with roasted veggies and sandwich salads next winter. 3 pints of chive blossom vinegar.  1 quart dehydrated comfrey.

Manage reserves/ prepped: I have mulched the potatoes. I am attacking one kitchen cabinet a week to declutter. I am hoping for a better system to maintain canning supplies this season. We live in a very small house and space is at a premium. Scored a big box quart canning jars at a yard sale. Whoot!  It is the little things that get me excited. But this past week I went down to the basement and when I took stock of the amount of canning jars, I noticed the quantity seemed slim because there are still a few filled with food.  Stocked up on teas.

Eat the food:  Baked a ham from last years pig. We had several days of sandwiches and then a pot of split pea soup for the rainy days. Plenty of green salads grace our table. Finishing up the last of the veggies and fruits in the freezer. Broccoli is nearly ready to pick.

Reduce waste: declutter, compost, and making sure there are no experiments growing in the fridge;)

Local Foods: Kind neighbor keeps offering me rhubarb. We have extra eggs we are sharing with friends.

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