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| Hickory Hill Farm Sweet Basil |
Sunday was a day of rest, even though I spent a little time putting up this harvest of sweet basil. I wanted to cut it before it started flowering. This is a fairly large basket, and I filled it to overflowing.
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| Sunday's Harvest |
I started by chopping up enough basil to infuse a bottle of white vinegar, one of apple cider vinegar, and one of olive oil with garlic. I also made enough pesto to fill six half-pint jars. There was still enough basil to hang to dry. The house smells great!
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| Saturday's Project |
Yesterday, Handsome helped me put up all these pickles! He chopped while I prepared the canning supplies, mixed up the canning liquid, and processed filled jars.
In the end, we'd canned 18 pints of Bread & Butter pickle chips, 2 quarts of Bread & Butter pickle chips, 11 pints of Dill chips and midgies, 7 quarts of Dill pickles, and 3 quarts of Dill pickle spears.
We were both well-pleased with our combined efforts, and look forward to our next canning project. What could that be, you ask?
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| Pear Tree |
We share a tree line with our wonderful neighbors. We have multiple hickory trees, and a tall pear tree. This year, I'm going to save some of the pears for them for nibbling, but the rest will be canned.
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| Almost Ready To Harvest |
They're not quite ready yet, but they should be soon. I've already picked up the windfalls and they'll ripen on the shelves in the kitchen. I'll wait until the rest are ready and then can them.
I'll also be doing tomatoes as soon as the local varieties are ready. Roma tomatoes for sauce, heirloom tomatoes for diced, chopped and whole canned versions. I'll see what's available at the next farmer's market, and if they're ready, I will be, too. It will be so nice to see the pantry filled with the fruits of our labors.
Time to get back to the studio. I'm working on another commission (and those gifts for the participants in my "Name My Janome" contest. I haven't forgotten you, I promise!). Tag can't wait to visit with you tomorrow. (You won't want to miss this one! lol) I'll be back on Wednesday.
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| Image Courtesy of Eclipsewise.com |
Oh, and be careful if you're going to watch the solar eclipse today. We're going to stay safe and watch it on the NASA channel.
The pantry looks wonderful. Oh to taste those wonders. Our friends brought home 60 lbs of peaches from their summer cabin up north. Everyone made peach this and peach that! The taste is so more incredible than store bought. We had too many heat advisories this summer. Everything burnt. Bad garden year so we will regroup next year.
ReplyDeleteMy daddy used to can pears every year. Memories. The pickles look good. You really have been busy :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful pantry shelves filled with your team efforts. Memories of my Grandma and my Mother who each canned and preserved. We had shelves of good food year round all from the labors of canning. You are bringing back the good ol' days. Health and Happiness Dear...<3
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