Houston, we have a problem.

The wife and I recently went on vacation, visiting our friends who recently moved to Mississippi. The day before our exodus was a frenzy of work. I had to use my band saw in the basement briefly - there were no open plugs so I unplugged the freezer. And then I forgot to plug it back in.

Our 5-day vacation was lovely.

I hope for a good hunting season to make up for all the meat and fish I lost. I have yet to review the damage to the vegetables I have stored down there, I tested a bit of garlic and that seems fine.

More news from the Turtle's garden

Well, I finally finished my planting this evening. Within the last two weeks, I've planted lots of vegetables for fall harvest. The list of latest plantings include three rows of peas, two rows of pea pods, three different types of beets (2 rows each), 2 rows of turnips, cabbage, lettuce, 5 rows of carrots, yellow summer squash, two peach trees, and an apricot tree. The picture below is taken from near the back of the garden. I've also included photos of one of my moon and stars watermelons and a white pumpkin.

Strange Bedfellows???

Finally - I have pictures of my garden. I thought I might post some interesting "bed" fellows. The first one is the picklebush cucumbers growing up into the tomato cage. This could be the start of a nice tossed salad! The second picture is the tomato plant that appeared in the herb garden right next to the large basil plant. Anybody for some tomato basil soup? The third photo is the eggplant "kissing" the butternut squash. I don't even know about that one! The last is a "peek-a-boo" zucchini. Probably hiding from the other veggies so it doesn't have to be in a complicated relationship.

Meal Prep Services

My offering will be meal prep services, 2 sugar bucks per hour. You will have to provide the ingredients and the containers or bags to freeze the goodies in. I will provide salt at no additional charge. If I use any of my ingredients, additional bucks will be charged (with your approval, of course).

I decided to offer this now since I don't want to ride my horse and buggy to your houses in the freezing cold winter. We can also do meal planning at 1 sugar buck per hour based on canned or frozen items that you already have.

Pictured is the "stuffed cabbage" that I made. I overestimated the size of the cabbage so I had to make it into a layered casserole. Layers of cabbage then rice, salt, roasted garlic & turnips (with oil), cabbage, rice mixture, etc. topped off with tomatoes, chives and sweet pepper sauce.

$10 Well Spent

At least I think so. Here are the goods: 1 lb yeast ($2.34), bag lemons ($1.99), 1 pt EVOO ($3.49), 1 lb brown rice ($.79), 4 lbs salt ($.98), 2 tsp peppercorns (in stock in my kitchen) (1/4 of $1.00 = $.25). Total cost = $9.84. The last choice was a toss up between finding sugar for $1.20 or the bag of rice for $.79. Since I have a small amount of maple sugar and the rice has more nutritional value I went with the rice. It also gave me a little extra money to add in the peppercorns.

Also pictured are soybeans left from last year and the maple sugar from earlier in the year.

Will It Freeze?

The book that I found by Joan Hood at the library book sale for $.50 is becoming very useful. What I have so far: chives (1 TBS in foil packets), garlic in 1 TBS olive oil, raspberries and raspberry sauce (used a little maple sugar to sweeten the sauce), turnips, beet leaves, lemons (part of my $10 buys), 2 onions, chili (very small amount made from tomatoes, corn, a microscopic sweet pepper, garlic, and a dried hot pepper left over from last year), green beans. I plan on making prepared food and freezing it as more becomes available.

Progress

As you can see in the photos, progress is being made in my gardens. I also managed to get a second plot. It was soggy in the beginning and no one wanted it. I filled it in with dirt and gave it some TLC - it is coming along! The kale, cabbage and dill seem to be growing the best (along with the garden leaders flowers) in the the added plot. Problem with the cabbage is 4 or 5 were stolen. I took a small head of cabbage yesterday and am going to attempt stuffed cabage to freeze (details on the ingredients to follow in another post). No one has taken any kale - lol!! I cut some yesterday to freeze.

Demarkracy OVERRULED!

We had a lengthy and passionate debate at Thursday dinner about spices. It was Kathy's contention that she shouldn't have to pay for a full jar of certain spices she already has in her cupboard. She wanted to deduct the calculated value of the quantity actually used (her example, a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon from the jar she has.) I argued that you should grow any herbs or spices, or pay the value of the jar if you have something you're going to use. We held a vote, each household getting 1 vote. I was outvoted 3-1, despite having supporters not in the challenge present at the dinner. The caveat was made that this only included spices already in the respective household at the time of the vote, and that the smallest division was 1/4 of a jar. quarter teaspoon my foot!

The Turtle's First Official Harvest

This is my first harvest!!! I am very excited. I blanched and froze my green beans. I have enough for 3 days! (tee hee)