Vegetables

[Gloria]

I plant a large vegetable garden every Spring. Usually consists of Tomatoes, peas, butterbeans, corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and a load of other veggies. I'm talking rows and rows in a field, not the raised beds and such! I have 2 acres to plant in veggies and 1 acre for yard and flowers. I guess I don't have to say that I do a lot of canning and freezing. This year I jarred 8 cases of tomatoes, the most I've done in one season yet. Does anyone else do preserving?

 

[Mainegal]

I haven't yet but learning and hoping to have some next yr to can. Randy taught me to make jam last summer when I went out to visit him.
I'm hoping he will join here. Maybe if we all bug him he will...lol

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

I plant a large vegetable garden every Spring. Usually consists of Tomatoes, peas, butterbeans, corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and a load of other veggies. I'm talking rows and rows in a field, not the raised beds and such! I have 2 acres to plant in veggies and 1 acre for yard and flowers. I guess I don't have to say that I do a lot of canning and freezing. This year I jarred 8 cases of tomatoes, the most I've done in one season yet. Does anyone else do preserving?

I DO ....I DO....and got to make some good pickles ...thanks to a friend who passed along her secrets...

 

[ladyhawthorne]

I got some beautiful sweet corn this summer from Walmart and canned creamed corn, also some carrots. Sad to say my garden did not produce well. Not hot enough for the okra, too much rain for the beans and tomatoes and I got all of 5 cukes, but at least they were good. But my herbs have done well and I am still getting cuttings of basil and sage, I can use fresh sage for the Tday turkey!

 

[Gloria]

Hi Debe, those pickles are awsome..and so easy to make. I didn't can any this past year, cukes didn't do well for me. I don't think we had enough rain. Maybe next year will be better. Ohhh, and i like your avator..gotta get me one.

 

[Gloria]

Hi Laurie and yes ..we need to bug Randy and get him here. I think he would like this place, I sure do.

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

Thanks Gloria...I am going to go looking for one of my pictures of the veggie garden last year I tin k or maybe even a cuke...I did one batch this year at the neighbors with the package you sentand they did turn out really well...then I helpped him put up his with his mom's way and they also are really really good...so now i have it down I think..

 

[brassi]

I grow alot of produce, in NJ I'm known as the heirloom tomato lady. I grow about 2,000 tomato plants and sell them. This year I grew 42 different types of heirloom tomato's all with lineage to NJ. They have to be over 100 yrs old to add to my collection. My family has been farming in NJ since 1720-- I grow the same things my great-great grandmother did. I save my seeds to start more next year. I can, freeze and dry all I can. it makes my food bill alot cheaper-- and it is healthier. I've been an organic farmer for 35 yrs. My children never ate produce from a grocery store. Now that they are grow adults,, they are very PICKY!!LOLOLOL as some people would say. I even make my own soap, soap products, breads and i get my eggs, hand ground grains from a farm friend. We try to eat all the foods within 100 miles of our home-- except for citrus.
Hub's splurge is coffee-- we can't grow that to ripening in NJ.
I make some easy quick jellies,, from juice that is easy-- I'll post a recipe soon!

 

[Natloo]

Wow Brassi! That's really cool about the tomatoes ... I'd love to see a list of your varieties and some of the history on them if you get the chance. I don't have near as much room as I need to grow all the varieties I'd like to but try to add something new each summer. Do you have any recommendations for a good heirloom sauce tomato?

 

[Crabbergirl]

This year I did every kind ok pickle you can think of. Then the tomatoes hit! And squash, beans, peas and even potatoes. They actually turned out great. I need a bigger canned, bigger kitchen and some help. Any volunteers???

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

One of the few things I am going to miss form the big old house we just moved from is the canning kitchen in the basement....it was so wonderful...heat of the summmer and in the basement was so cool....CG if I was closer I would be happy to help you out....

 

[Mainegal]

I wished I lived closer Nancie as I would come help you. When is your garden ready for canning, late fall? early spring? i know summer is too hot for alot isn't it????? that's right I forgot you are in Northern FL. I know in Southern FL, the summers are too hot for gardens, my cousin plants his in the fall

 

[Kale]

I am not richly blessed with an acre or 2 but I do however grow lots of veggies from seed. Mostly grown in raised beds. I grow nearly all of these every year. Lots of vertical gardening and interplanting/ succession planting and companion planting. I do however have elsewhere; 7 rows 24X4' long 4feet wide that I instruct and work 5+hours per week,hoping to make 7 more rows if volunteers sign up and show.
My Beds and Containers
Tomatoes
Zebra,
Pineapple
Peach
Ox Hearts
Cherry
Grape
Spanish, Italian and Polish Roma
Beef Steak
Eggplant Black beauty
and white and finger
Blue Kale
Russian Kale
Flowering Kale
Collards (various)
Spinach (various)
Brussels Sprouts
Broccoli
Peppers
Chili
Habenero
Hungarian
Bell
Jalapeno
Anaheim
Bolivian Rainbow
Ornamental
Beets
Carrots
Potatoes (various)
Turnips
Kohlrabi
Radish
Pumpkins (various)
Zucchini (summer/winter)
Squash yellow
Butternut
Mallow
Crookneck
Spaghetti Striped (Delicata)
Birdhouse
Cucumbers (various)
Beans and
String beans (various)
Celery
Lettuce (various)
Corns (various)

You can grow an awful lot in a small space.
I cant imagine what I would do with your land!!!
You sure can do rotation there! I have to severely amend due to same family crops. Peas don't like me, but I sure try.

Kale

 

[Kale]

I grow alot of produce, in NJ I'm known as the heirloom tomato lady. I grow about 2,000 tomato plants and sell them. This year I grew 42 different types of heirloom tomato's all with lineage to NJ.
y-- I'll post a recipe soon!

*** OH MY! Heirlooms!!!
I grow a few on my list. Been looking for Heirloom seed from a trust worth source!
Would you happen to have a list of toms you grow!??
No farm friends I wish! Eggs!! Good for you!!!

Kale

 

[sassmuffin]

Over the summer I made lasagna beds to do veggie gardening this spring. DH was coming home from work one morning while I was picking berries, and was looking at the 2 new flower beds on the south lawn, and asked why I didn't do vegetables anymore. Since I did jam for the first time and it worked, "think of all the money you can save". "You know just where the produce came from", this was after all the E-Coli news. So I spent June and July tilling and preping. Can't wait for spring to come.

 

[Kale]

This year I did every kind ok pickle you can think of. Then the tomatoes hit! And squash, beans, peas and even potatoes. They actually turned out great. I need a bigger canned, bigger kitchen and some help. Any volunteers???

No,not pickling.... all I did was put a few small green tomatoes in a pickle jar that already had the seasonings in it from the mushrooms I ate*LOL
Haven t tried pickling and haven't canned anything this year.
I do however have lots of pumpkin that needs to be canned.Any tips on that one?
Can't find my book..
Do you store pumpkin CG? Oh my you grow enough potatoes to store!??
That is just too cool!
I grow enough for maybe 2weeks.3-4 people .
How large of a place do you grow in and is it in the ground or boxes?
I only grow sweet potatoes in a bed, everything else is in large boxes, I like to think it makes pickin a little easier for me.

I wish...
Any tips will go noticed as always!


Your pal..Kale

 

[Natloo]

I do however have lots of pumpkin that needs to be canned.Any tips on that one?
Can't find my book..

Kale,
I freeze my pumpkin in 2C. increments since that is what I need to make pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie. I find this quicker and easier. This is assuming you have the freezer space.

 

[Kale]

Natloo,
Cook the pumpkin then cool and bag or bag then cool or freeze then bag then put back into the freezer? *lol

I have room!


2cups will work!

Thank you!

Kale

 

[Crabbergirl]

I wished I lived closer Nancie as I would come help you. When is your garden ready for canning, late fall? early spring? i know summer is too hot for alot isn't it????? that's right I forgot you are in Northern FL. I know in Southern FL, the summers are too hot for gardens, my cousin plants his in the fall

Laurie,
My garden is always ready for cannong. That's one of the great things about living in zone 8/9. (Depending on the years weather) Right now carrots are almost ready. Most of the peas/beans are done, but I still have a few tomatoes on the vine. Not enough to can though. Come Feb. all the greens will be in full swing and canning will begin again. I have a lightly planted winter garden this year so not so much for the winter

 

[Kale]

Congratulation on all your veggies!!!

Zone8/9 pfui (phooey) ...
I am freezing my toes off here and your peas and beans are just getting done..Well isn't that Dandy!
Toms still on vine, wonderful!
When do the seedling go in or do you get to direct sow toms there? Do yo grow eggplant? From seed?
Unbelievable, I need to move SOUTH! Forget this Great Lakes talkin'!*LOL

My Greens (2kinds of Kale and Lots of kinds of Collards) are presently under plastic! They will (should) all make it through the winter.
And I do mean winter...
What are your lowest temps now?
us...18 but feels colder.


Kale