Summer is running away with my sanity, I think. I still haven’t recovered from waking every day at dawn on the canoe trip, so I’m lacking sleep.  There are so many events, activities, plans, and parties that I can barely keep up with myself.  In fact, I’m writing this post on OSU campus in a short break from my volunteer role as an orientation coordinator for the 4-H International Program. Next week looks to be [...]

Today we ate our last winter squash harvested over six months ago.  It was bitter and I’m sad about that. I wondered exactly what is left in our larder.  Here’s the count as of March 9, 2010: 8.5 quarts applesauce 10 half pints tomato paste 3 quarts tomato sauce 12 quarts whole tomatoes 2 half pints ketchup 3 quarts barbeque sauce 3 pints honey strawberry jam 1 pint peach jam 2 bags frozen blueberries (maybe [...]

One of the more difficult parts of most tomato sauce recipes is blanching the tomatos.  Removing the skin has to be done in small batches and then you are left with slippery juicy innards to chop.  Not to mention that one more pot of boiling water on the stove means more chances to burn oneself. Sometimes when we make sauce, like when we made pepper tomato sauce last week, we skip the skinning.  The resulting [...]

Many garden novices seem to be overwhelmed at the time investment in gardening.  I can tell you it doesn’t take that much time, but I finally realized I need to quantify it. So last week, I recorded every moment spent in the garden.  I chose mid-August because it is a typically busy time – weeding, watering, planting, and harvesting all call out for attention.   If any time is busier, it might be spring, when beds [...]

I put in six hours at the kitchen today.  My work was measured in quarts and pints; four and twenty one, respectively. It started with these fifty pounds of organic tomatoes from Green Edge Gardens.  (Daughter pictured above is only thirty eight pounds.) Then my friend Sarah and I chopped and sauced.  Thank you Sarah not only for your help but for bringing your sons to entertain Lillian. Next was the canning. And finally, pints [...]