Yesterday morning I was sitting in the office on my computer when Donovan walked in carrying Archer. He promptly sat down in the chair facing me. I could tell by the look on his face he wanted something, so I waited. He says to me…Mom…we are getting ready to run to the neighbor’s house and get 50 pounds of tomatoes, would you help us can them?
I said sure. He was thankful. I kept Archer while the rest of the crew took off to the neighbors.
I quickly went to work getting the kitchen ready. When I was in my early twenties, I started freezing and canning produce from the garden. For me…I have to start with a clean kitchen before I will do any freezing and canning. With that in mind, I unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it with the few dirty dishes in the sink. I wiped down the island and the counters. Then, I unpacked the Mason jars Donovan had purchased earlier that week and washed them all.
By that time, the fam was back from the neighbor’s farm with the tomatoes. Within just a few minutes, I told the kids, we are going to have to wait at least a day…maybe two before we can process these tomatoes…they need more time to ripen. I went back to my computer, and they adjusted their plans for the day.
After checking the tomatoes this morning, we decided to give them one more day, so tomorrow we are processing our 50 pounds of tomatoes. We are ready.
The Lame Chicken
After we decided on the tomatoes, Donovan announced he was going to butcher one of the meat chickens and spatchcock it on the grill. Super! Donovan bought 25 meat chickens to raise and butcher. One of them had a bad leg for some reason so he had been babying that chicken. It had been getting extra care from him. On Friday, the rest of the meat chickens will be butchered which will decrease our flock. We still have 30 or so egg-laying chickens left to care for.
Right now, our plump chicken is sitting in a bath of brine for its appointment tomorrow on the grill. I have a feeling it will be mighty tasty. AND…as long as Donovan is selective on how he seasons it…I can eat it. Woohoo!!!😍
Blackberry Harvest
While Donovan was butchering the chicken with Ahnalaya at his side, Vanessa was out picking blackberries and just a few of the raspberries that were left from the season. The land here is full of blackberries and raspberries. I have never seen so many plants in one location.
When they bought the property, all the neighbors told them they were buying a berry-picking paradise. NOT kidding. Ahnalaya and I have eaten berries every single day since I moved here the first of July. First the raspberries, then the blackberries. So many of them, we haven’t been able to keep up with them all.
We have eaten them by the handfuls, put them in our daily morning smoothies, made berry compote, sauce for pancakes, desserts, etc. Vanessa has decided to make a blackberry cobbler to go with the spatchcock chicken tomorrow. Sounds like a plan…wish I could eat the cobbler. 😂 I will smell it. It helps…it really does.
So tomorrow, the plan is to can tomatoes, grill chicken, and have a blackberry cobbler. Living in the country is GREAT!!!
The featured image is a picture Donovan took of some of the veggies we harvested from the garden one evening. Check out the purple carrots!!! Those are not red…they are purple!
Purple Carrots
Ok…this is important! If you have NOT yet tried purple carrots…you MUST do so. They are amazing! Seriously. NOT joking here.
The first time I ate a purple carrot…I was in love. First of all…let’s just be real here…purple is a beautiful color…the richer the better. LOVE purple!
Then you cut that baby open and inside…it is orange TOO. Two colors for the price of one! I am all for that. A beautiful piece of art…right there in the garden. One I get to consume and enjoy. They are glorious to behold no matter how you cut them. Cut them horizontally and they are beautiful. Cut them diagonally into sticks and they are beautiful. What is NOT to love about purple carrots????
So…with this mindset…everyone who enters my kitchen when I have purple carrots out…must try one if they haven’t already. Vanessa got that treat years ago, and she was hooked…just like me. She appreciates my taste in food. This is why you see purple carrots coming from this garden here.
She also got introduced to Heirloom tomatoes. Ever since that day, she has been salty that she had never tasted a good tomato during her childhood.
Truly no comparison between those store-bought red tomatoes and Heirloom tomatoes.
If you can find purple carrots in the store…buy some and try them. They sell them in a tri-pack with yellow, orange, and purple. I must warn you though…they are SUPER STINGY on the SPECTACULAR purple carrots. You may find ONE purple carrot in the whole bag. Chintzy! 🤨
Garden Harvest
I think this summer is going to go down in my books as one of the sweetest times of my life. Living with my best friend is at the top of the list as to why for sure…but I am enjoying being back in the country where I thrive inside. Harvesting the garden produce has been a real treat for me. I have especially enjoyed getting to teach Vanessa how to freeze and can the produce.
It reminds me of one of my mentors who invested in me…getting me started in processing my garden’s harvest. She was a woman I will forever cherish. Excited to get to see her again someday. Gardening brings back wonderful memories of a peaceful and quiet life. I can’t imagine being forced to live in the city again. So thankful to be in the country in the state of Michigan. Life is good. Enjoy it while you can…with those you love. Nothing better than that. ❤️
2 thoughts on “Harvest Time”
You’re making me hungry with all that good food! Glad to see canning is not a lost art. I remember standing on a chair watching my grandmother do it and I hope to myself someday. Yum!
Ahnalaya Ann sat on the chair handing dad tomatoes to cut this morning. She loved it. Thought it was fun. Three of us made quick work of those babies.