(picture: we covered out blueberry bushes with sheets to protect them from the wind and freezing temps. Look at those beautiful broccoli plants beside them, they were so pretty!) (Note to self, shop for more sheets at thrift stores, we could have used more had we had them!)
We managed to get and keep our fruit trees covered along with our blueberry bushes so we’re
hopeful that we'll have fruit to harvest this year. Some blooms were ruined, but some did survive, so I guess the verdict is still out on how much of a fruit harvest we'll actually have. What we didn’t cover or even worry about
covering was our cabbage, broccoli and brussels sprouts and that was a huge
mistake! Since these crops are cold
hardy and since we’ve never had a problem with a freeze bothering them in the
past, we didn’t spend time or effort covering them. Take a look at what happened to them …
I’ve had my dehydrator working hard this week. I dehydrated mushrooms, onions, carrots and
celery. The onions, carrots and celery
were all mixed in a couple of jars for a medley mix to be used in soups,
casseroles and for just general cooking purposes.
My canner got in on the action too as I canned pulled pork we
had in the freezer and (separately) carrots that were in the refrigerator.
I used collected rainwater to keep my transplanted raspberry
bushes well-watered. They are getting
special attention until they’re well established in their new location.
We were able to harvest from our asparagus beds again this week! Yum!
Speaking of 'yum' I tried a new to me chicken patty recipe made using my home-canned chicken. I found it HERE. The recipe calls to use an air fryer, but I just baked mine in the oven as I don't have an air fryer. I also substituted Miracle Whip for mayonnaise but followed the recipe in everything else. I didn't have any poultry mix on hand, so I mixed up some using herbs and ingredients I have on hand. (This is just one of many reasons why keeping a well-stocked pantry is so beneficial.)
We found turkey bacon on clearance for $.99/lb, regular $3.49/lb. I'll take it!
We also found pork chops on clearance for $.99/lb again and purchased a couple of packages. We brought them home and cooked them up. We saved enough out for a meal and froze the rest. That'll give us a few thaw and heat meals in the freezer ready for use!
I saved the meat trays the pork chops were on, these make the best packaging material ... they are light weight, yet protect the contents especially when the contents are in a manilla envelope.
For the purpose of my continued ‘home-educating,’ I watched these videos …
This one is a good reminder ...
Stop with the Excuses ... by Homesteading Family
The title of this one intrigued me, grocery row garden? I had to check it out ...
Quick Calories: Add Root Crops to the Grocery Row Gardens by The Survival Gardening Channel with David the Good
I'm always looking for ways to save and prepare more efficiently ... Frugal Tips to Help You Save and Prepare by Rain Country
That's it for this week ... look around you, how are you using your resources and time, what’s that in your hand?
patsi
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
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I'm so sorry about the garden crops. That was a brutal night of wind and such a cold day here, too. WHat a great price on those foods!
ReplyDeleteWe did not get much done here but we did move food storage around and used a huge storage tub we had in our attic that our old Christmas tree used to be stored in. It is now in the corner of our bedroom with extra 25 pound bags of flour and other items that needed a protected place. Hubby said no one would give it a second glance if they were looking for food since it is red and says Christmas Tree on top! (snicker)
Lana, good idea on the storage tub, we're doing the same kind of thing here! I hope you never have to find out if your husband is right about the 'Christmas Tree' tub!!! LOL!!
DeleteBusy busy! It's spring break, so I'm home from school this week. I've a cold, but I hope to get some things done around the house. When I'm subbing, I am not productive, but I'm trying to put back some extra money for a few weeks. There are some things I need to purchase for the house.
ReplyDeleteI expect to dry some cilantro, bake some banana bread or cake and clean lots of things. I also plan to see a few friends, meet a repairman about our ice maker, and have the Culligan man change our water filter.
I'll fit in a little knitting and maybe a little mending, too.
Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage!
Laura
So sorry for the things you lost in the storm........... Nancy
ReplyDeleteSorry to see your sad vegetables. We got down into the teens that night, and wonder what kind of fruit year we'll have too. I baked our sweet potatoes, made extra to have enough for a pie and my lunch one day, harvested our last cabbage, and made southern fried cabbage. Laundry was dried on the line, though one load had to be finished in the dryer when the rain forecast moved up. A pan of egg shells was crushed, and added to the compost bin. On St. Patrick's Day, I made a sweet potato pie, and used our potatoes in colcannon.
ReplyDeleteThe onions planted a couple of weeks ago are looking good, and the first round of potatoes are coming up. My husband tilled a few spots, planted more potatoes, and I planted the lettuce plants. From two containers, I got 10 plants, which was a bargain at $1 a container. He also moved all the raised beds to along the fence edge of the garden, so he can more easily mow and till the middle as needed. I planted one bed with cabbage, and transplanted all the kale to another bed. The parsley that overwintered in a pot was planted with the kale.
The peas are coming along nicely. I ran twine to support them as they grow. Trying to get all the potato eyes we need for planting, I made mashed potatoes, and mushroom gravy to go with them. Our garlic was used with sauteed spinach. I tried pre-sprouting tomato seeds, by wrapping them in a damp paper towel, and placing in a recycled clamshell next to the woodstove. I'll be interested to see how quickly they germinate.
We had much of the same weather as you had. That Friday it was 74 degrees during the day and fell to freezing in the middle of the night with snow and high winds which lasted until that Sunday. Glad you were able to get the fruit trees covered.
ReplyDeleteThis week I made 3 quart s of bone broth. From herbs I had on hand I made ranch salad dressing mix,onion soup mix,and celery salt. I recovered s new to me grain free, gluten free flour called tiger nut flour, which is a flour made from a tuber and not a nut. It can be used for baking but can also be used to make a spread similar to on consistency to peanut butter and also can be made into s non dairy milk plus it's high in fiber and low in carbs.
I baked some chocolate chip cookies and made the spread.. Both came out great. I made pizza. More soil in the container part of the garden got amended.
I have never grown peas. I understand that they are planted early and fizzle when the weather gets hot. All this considered, have you thought about replanting the peas?Maybe try a variety with fewer days to maturity? Maybe just a few, to see if it works? I'm just crazy enough that I'd try!
ReplyDeleteSo so sorry to see your crop losses. Praying that some of them come back and you are able to get at least some harvest from them. We're still too cold in the Midwest to have any plants out, but having grown up in the Michigan fruit belt, I know what those spring freezes can do to fruit trees when they are at the bud stage. I've been thinking about getting my peas in the platers, but think I'll give it another week or two and let the soil come up just a few degrees more. I'm also thinking of trying a plater with brussels sprouts and one for broccoli, but I've never planted either. Other vegetables will go in later in the spring, closer to Memorial Day. Grocery deals were slim-to-none this week. The best I did was a package of larger parchment muffin papers on the clearance rack for 50% off. The box had been ripped a little and was taped. At that price, I took the chance and they were still in perfect condition. And while beef is still quite high, the ground beef patties in the butcher's case were on sale (and looked significantly better) than those in the pre-packaged self-serve meat case by almost $2.00/lb. And regular ground beef was higher price than the per-pound price of the pre-pattied burgers. Let grilling season begin! I've continued using the remaining buttermilk to make additional loaves of Irish soda bread, and have been going to my pantry for sauces and stewed tomatoes, as well as pickles and jam. Loving the videos on Homesteading Family. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSeeing your garden I would have cried, I hate it when such hard work gets wiped out so fast. Here in Wisconsin it way to cold and sleety (rain and snow and sunshine all at once) to do much as far as gardening. I can only do container gardening as when my husband retired we started renting. I did get all my soil, fertilizer and seeds and I have srarted some herbs in the house. You got some great deals at the store, meat prices here are so high we actually started eating 1-2 meatless meals a week and hubby does not mind WIN.Here's to another productive week.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry about your peas and cabbage plants. That is so sad. Hopefully the fruit trees will be ok, and I hope that will be the last freeze this spring.
ReplyDelete