Dried Collard Greens

Today was for dehydrating some collard greens.

I harvested a beautiful arm full, washed them...

...blanched them, and laid them on the racks...

...and - on a day like today - let them dry in the sun. Once they’re blanched they dry pretty quick. I give them a finish in the dehydrator before jarring them up.

This is our second batch for the season. I love having dried collards and kale on hand throughout the winter to add to all manner of food preparations.

Peace. 🕊

Poppy Seeds Saved

Finally got the poppy beds cleaned up and the seeds collected. Six ounces worth, which leaves me plenty to plant, plenty to share, and some to bake with as well.

And, of course, plenty reseeded themselves during harvest!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again, Nature is so very generous.

May we mirror her behavior.

::nods::

Peace. 🕊

Dinner

I’m not done harvesting for the day yet, but I do know that in this basket of random harvests I will find dinner.

And I am grateful.

Peace. 🕊

PS

The Cucumber Saga Continues...

I’m trying something new today… salt ‘n’ vinegar cucumber chips. Someone posted this on a recent #EveryBitCountsChallenge, and I had to try it.

So I took out the mandoline, sliced up four cucumbers, tossed them with 2 tablespoons each of extra-virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt. Laid 'em on the racks, and here we are.

As you can see here, I got them started with a little passive solar drying on this absolutely glorious day, and now they’re in the dehydrator at 350°F for 10 to 12 hours.

I’m really looking forward to tasting these. ::nods::

🕊🥒🌞🥒🕊

Peace

Cucumber Harvest

“I don’t have enough cucumbers to make a half gallon of half sours,” she said.

“I’ll just run out to the garden, there must be a few ready to harvest out there to add to this batch, “she said.

And there was. And then some. Nine pounds to add to the 1.5 pounds will be plenty to get those half sours started. And then some. 😁

🕊🥒🌞🥒🕊

Peace

 

Quite the Zucchini Year

 

I’ve said it already, and I’ll say it again: This is quite the zucchini year!

This morning I processed about 10 pounds of zucchini. A little for the freezer and a lot (more) for the dehydrator. Then it was beans… and back to the gardens for more harvesting.

And I count my blessings.

🕊🌱☀️🌱🕊

Peace

Garden Sage

 

For a number of reasons I’m keeping things simple today. Aside from the necessary garden harvests, and the preparation‘s for a birthday dinner this evening for my spouse, I’m just trimming a few branches of garden sage - lovely Salvia officinalis - to hang for drying.

🕊☀️🕊

Peace

Zucchini Relish

Today’s preserves from yesterday’s harvest.

Sweet zucchini relish was today’s main project. It started last night with the chopping of the zucchini and the onions so they could sit in their salt bath overnight, and so I was able to get this work done early in the day today.

And once this was done, and cleaned up, I did some zucchini prep for supper, and made some zucchini fritters for lunch served with the first of our garden tomatoes, and tomatillos too.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this has been quite the zucchini year!

And we are grateful.

Day 9 of #EveryBitCountsChallenge - join us!

🕊☀️🕊

Peace