Garden Report: Preserving the Harvest

So now that the garden is producing more then we can eat we need to preserve the harvest. So here is a report of our progress so far!

Freezing:
3 quarts of Swiss Chard
5 quarts of Carrots

Canning:
26 # of tomatoes
spaghetti sauce 6 quarts
tomato jam (from The Best of Amish Cooking) 7 pints

pickling:
pickled eggs 1 quart (so far...we are making sure we like pickled eggs before we pickle a bunch!)


Herbs:
Harvested and dried our oregano and used it in our spaghetti sauce
Basil, Thyme, sage, mint & parsley are all still drying and waiting to be bottled.

We are producing enough onions, potatoes, green beans & zucchini to eat but not yet enough to process. We are still waiting on the Butternut Squash, cucumbers, peppers, cream peas (like black eyed peas), okra,cantaloupe, watermelon & pumpkin. We are hoping to get a few figs this year but our other fruit trees are not producing and will be moved this fall to the front of the house where they will receive better care. We will again buy some blackberries and put them in a small front side garden.

My Favorite site for canning and all things to do with preserving is Pick your Own  it's a site run by farmers that have "You Pick It" orchards and they have step by step canning instructions with pictures. Over the last few years I have really learned a lot from their site. I will try to keep you all updated on our progress. We would love to can enough to avoid the grocery store produce for the year.

May the Lord bless you and your garden abundantly and may you have many pleasurable days with your children canning the Lord's abundance.