Giving Thanks

When Marian & I decided to become farmers, it was with a nod toward self sufficiency. Sure, we wanted to bring our food to market and feed our friends and neighbors, but really, it was to be able to go to the pantry and open a jar of tomatoes, open the freezer and get a bag of frozen peas or corn, or walk into the cheese room and get a wheel of cheese.

Yesterday when the weatherman said there would be polar high pressure directly overhead, we knew it was now or never for the spinach ravioli. Always the final feather in our garden preserving cap, we got to work. And here it is, a list of all the veggies and fruits we put up this season;

1. 27 bags of frozen sweet peas. The peas are shelled, blanched for 90 seconds, drained and 2 cups g0 into each bag. The perfect amount for pasta & peas.

2. blueberries, we freeze about 35 pounds. They are so easy to process. Just put into bags ( no need to wash ), freeze and take out as needed. We love them put frozen in our morning granola.

3.Sweet corn. 37 two cup bags , They are blanched on the cob, then the kernels are removed, and put into 2 cup bags. 2 bags make 1 pot of corn chowder

4. Peaches. Bought by the bushel, canned in a simple syrup, we put up 35 quarts. We break them out in late winter to perk up the granola, it's like having the returning sun in a cereal bowl.

5. Tomatoes. I have already written about how we put them up. This year we canned 45 quarts of whole tomatoes, 10 quarts of puree, and 5 quarts of dried tomatoes.

6. Salsa. We made one batch this year, 18 pints. We use a variety of peppers, all fire roasted.

7. Tomato jam. one batch , 7 pints

8. Tomato sauce frozen in pints for a quick pizza, 11 pints

9. Cross cut pickles. Bread and butter type, 7 quarts

10. Pickled beets 7 pints

11. frozen red peppers, 2 bags regular, and 2 bags of roasted red peppers

12. roasted and dried or frozen hot peppers.

13. Battered eggplant slices , 5 bags frozen. Another perfect quick dinner. Just take them out of the freezer, layer with tomato sauce, and cheese and bake.

14. Chard. 6 bags frozen. Chard is picked, wilted in a pot, rinsed with cold water, chopped, and put into 1 pound bags

15. spinach, frozen like the chard. 13 one pound packages.

16. Onions and shallots, enough to get us through till next summer. They winter in boxes in our cold cellar.

17. Potatoes, also enough to get us through. They also are fine in boxes, and will last until spring.

18. Carrots, preserved by being layered with maple leaves in containers. 3 15 gallon barrels will last through spring , the dogs go through 4 separate boxes (really)

19. Puff ball mushrooms, dried and stored in jars

20. Strawberry & Raspberry Jam

21. And our finale, spinach raviolis, 12 dozen.

So, the garden of 2010 is put to bed. Tomorrow the seed catalogs start arriving, and on it will go. The winter will find us in the barn milking our cows, making cheese and butter, and all things bovine.

A wonderful Thanksgiving to you.