I am amazed at how well my garden is growing despite many, many days of rain and no sun!
Zucchini Plants
We picked our first zucchini yesterday, with many more that will be ready soon. I have a lot of summer squash that will be ready too. I wanted to plant more zucchini but they didn’t take well with all the rain. My cucumbers are also growing well. The pepper plants are the only plants that are not thriving. They love hot and humid weather and lots of sun which we haven’t had too much of. We are picking more lettuce and spinach than we can keep up with, but oh it is so yummy!And the sugar snap peas! I have yet to make it in the house with any, they are so good I eat them while weeding!
Summer Squash
When the garden starts to produce and a harvest can be gathered is when the hard work really begins. Putting up food for future use is so empowering though, isn’t it!? I am preparing to do lots of canning (and praying a water bath canner falls from heaven 
) When I planted my garden, I had in mind what I wanted to store up: pickles, zucchini relish, salsa, and spaghetti sauce. I want to store up lots of peppers but I am not sure if the harvest is going to be good enough. I also picked strawberries at a pick your own farm and have those ready to made into jam.
Cucumbers
Years ago when we bought our first home, we were blessed with a huge garden plot that was all ready to be planted. The previous owner, and elderly man who married the neighbor after his wife passed away (isn’t that cute!) lived next door and was a life long farmer. You can imagine we befriended him very quickly! One year these sweet people came over and spent an entire day teaching me how to can. They even brought the veggies! We made jars and jars of beans and carrots. They were in their 80’s then, and I remember being exhausted but they kept going! I will never forget that day. We also had tons of raspberry and blackberry bushes, as well as an asparagus patch on the land. It was wonderful!
A pepper, the only one on the entire plant!
When we moved after selling that home, we planted raspberry bushes and made another asparagus patch as well as a large raised garden bed area. I drove by our home the other day and saw that they pulled everything up! I couldn’t believe it. I guess not everyone is into gardening and harvesting their own food. Someday when we are home owners again, (Lord willing) I am hoping to have a huge garden with raspberry bushes and asparagus again! For now I am content with my little garden plot and frequenting a local farm to add to my stash.
Sugar Snap peas- yum!
If you want to learn more about home preservation, the library is a great source for books. The Ball Blue Book of Home Preserving was my first canning book. I also like Preserving the Harvest. I checked out The Complete Book Of Small Batch Preserving which looked really good too.
So, how does your garden grow? What are your favorite preservation books? Are you harvesting in your garden yet? What are your preservation plans? I would love any canning tips and tricks also! Also I am looking for a really good lacto fermented pickle recipe if anyone has or knows of one!
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I’m late again this week — I’ll get the hang of it soon =)
I’m being attacked by powdery mildew =( Hopefully it’ll be under control by next week???
a girl can hope, right?
everyone’s gardens look so GREAT!! =)
Anne M.´s last blog ..
Your garden looks wonderful! I will look for the books you recommend the next time I am at the library.
Alea´s last blog ..Bee Proactive
your garden looks wonderful……
donna´s last blog ..Lots of Pictures….
Your garden looks like it’s doing very well! We’ve been picking raspberries and blueberries all week. But there’s nothing quite like fresh from the garden fruits and veggies. Yum!
Staci A´s last blog ..Top 10 Reasons I am Excited to Stay Home with my Family This Coming Weekend
Your garden looks great. Where would I find the Ball canning book you mention? I am not sure my library would have it – there is a lot they don’t have that they should.
I forgot to plant peppers though I’m not sure that my green house would have had room for them. I do plan of having some next year though. I figure that what we cannot eat I can share with friends – that’s what gardening is all about right?
Elaine H´s last blog ..How Does Your Garden Grow? ~ Produce Issue July 23, 2009
Alea pointed me to your site! It’s great! Your garden looks awesome. It’s my second year with a real garden and I’m loving it more and more each day.
Can’t wait to read more!
Your garden looks great! Our pepper plants are struggling this year, too, and we’re enjoying the cucumbers and sugar snap peas.
Melissa´s last blog ..Swag Bucks Update
Hey Stephanie! Your garden’s doing great! Your green’s are REALLY pretty and green!
The beans are producing a huge harvest and I’ve been busy canning. The only thing I’m disappointed with is our tomatoes so far. It doesn’t seem like anybody in our area is doing really great with tomatoes this year.
I haven’t even been taking pictures of our gardens….they’re so big!
I have the Kerr canning book but would love to have the Ball book too. I think books like these are very handy to have around. Usually I just can during one season of the year and I sometimes have a tendency to *forget* how some things are done!
Have a great day!!
Lori´s last blog ..Helpful Canning Information *Edited*
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