So much going on in the summer. We are harvesting and preserving everything in site. While we had a late frost that hurt most of our fruit, we have gotten some. We just harvested all of the Asian pears from our three young trees, peeled and sliced them with our apple peeler/corer/slicer, cut it down the middle and dehydrated them. Our whole harvest amounted to two gallons of dried Asian pears. With the peelings and the cores, we are attempting "Pear scrap vinegar" by adding 2 gallons of water and 2 cups of sugar, putting cheesecloth on the top of the pickle jar we are using with a rubber band. Then in 2 weeks we will rake, then after another 2 weeks it should be done. Given that some white vinegar is now being made with petroleum and I am allergic, that is what we will have to do. All you will find on the label is that they are making it with alcohol (which is being made with petroleum, but they don't put that on the label either.) If it wasn't for corn and petroleum, you might not be able to find food at the grocery store it seems. A great time to be a homesteader. . .
Other harvests this year: Lots of tomatoes canned in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes with green chilies and dehydrated tomatoes. Tried a new catsup recipe of my own using the spaghetti sauce, vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and it tastes fantastic. Okra is being picked, sliced and frozen. Harvesting fennel seeds, hops, pumpkins (canned), canteloupes, watermelon, anise hyssop (dehydrated for tea), elderberry, blueberries, cucumbers.
Don't forget to harvest your seeds for next year using mature seeds!
In addition to the mushroom forest, we are trying wine cap mushrooms in the mulch under our elderberries and raspberries. In concern for our high temperatures and no rain, we have watered it to give it a good start. More mycelium is in the refrigerator waiting for finding a source of mulch (hoping for free or cheap).
There are so many new things to try. For example, we spent $1.95 on some ginger root at the grocery store, broke it into six pieces and put it into two pots. One of them is already growing!
We are continuing to harvest downed timber to put seasoned wood in the woodshed as we get it split. Thanks Pam!!
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