A Kitchen Garden

I understand now why it is called a kitchen garden.  Because after a certain point, one spends more time in the kitchen (boiling, mashing, pickling, drying) than in the garden. :-)  But I am not complaining, I really love it! 

                        

I have been doing a good bit of pickling lately (cukes mostly), some canning of tomato puree and freezing a ton of tomatoes for sauce making when the weather is cooler.  I drained the scum off the seeds I am saving from my favorite Romas this morning and started some of the smaller tomatoes drying in the dehydrator.     

The blueberries are about finished now but the little bushes did quite well this year providing lots to eat fresh and even a couple of pints to freeze.  We pulled the garlic two days ago and it is now curing on the back porch.  I have grand dreams of doing something like this with them, but I may end up just cutting all the tops off if it proves too frustrating.   

               

Oh yes, we finally tried the dilly beans and they were a total hit.  I will definitely be making more of those.  Next on my list of things to try are zucchini pickles and I really need to make and freeze some basil pesto soon.

Have a terrific summer day!