At 5,500 feet in elevation, our summer growing season is very limited, and this year proved to be a bit more challenging due to scattered snow and hail through June and a couple times in July to get my planted and started. But...once they were warm and cozy beneath the soil, we had a few warm days and the combination of my lamb manure mixed with a few good soakings, boy did they sprout! I just love to go out to my garden, lift the oversized leaves and find flowering blooms beginning that soon transform into a bountiful harvest.
This year I've had a bumper crop of cucumbers! We've made bread and butter pickles, kosher dills, and sliced them super thin to add to salads and water. I used to be very intimidated to can, but it really is vey simple and a great way to preserve these bumper crops when they surprisingly, somehow magically appear even with mother nature tries its best to challenge its growth. An easy way to ease the pickle you're in, if you begin plucking an abundance of potential pickles, is to use Mrs. Wages pre-mixed canning seasoning. I really like the seasoning mixes, and included are easy directions for the canning processes. Make sure the jars you're using have no cracks, and in my opinion, starting with fresh lids and seals is the way I like to begin. I use old lids for Christmas ornaments, another crafty blog coming soon...have fun with your bountiful harvests this Fall and don't get caught in a pickle with your pickles, there's plenty of easy ways to preserve those veggies!
