What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

DH helped me move all the warm weather plants indoors... I definitely have too many! My sunroom looks like a jungle.... And I had to set the mandevilla on the floor because the trellis was too tall to place the pot on the table. Hoping my bunny doesn't get into it... He has full run of the sunroom which is why I keep all the plants on tables to keep them out of reach...

The only thing still outside is the lemon tree. I think there are fire ants in the soil so I will need to do something about that tomorrow night before we bring it inside...

 

[Minanora]

Okay guys. This is the best.... I've been COLD! I wake up in the morning and it's under 75 in the house. It's been in the high 40's in the coldest hours of the morning. I love it. I can hardly wait for the first frost! I can sleep under a blanket!!! Not just a sheet. Lol

Anyway,
Today I helped DS mow the lawn. He won't turn the mower so I have to follow him around and turn the mower around and push it up the part of the lawn that has a "slope" for him... and mow where the bees are. Lol. adorable. I turned all of the dirt in the chicken run, mowed the clover, and did a ton of seed saving. I made up seed packets for holiday gifts. Dark yellow, red/yellow petal, yellow French Marigolds and Thai Basil. I still have more seeds to harvest for this project but I got more done today than I thought I would. Saving seeds to give away is a lot more work than just saving them for myself.

Yesterday I got my sons room clean! I've been under a cleaning spell.

 

[WthrLady]

was out tonight comet watching - it was windy and 50 and I felt like I was freezing to the core !

 

[Minanora]

Thank you, that is very interesting. We've had such an dry summer, my watering the garden daily must've nurtured the smut. If I want mushroom flavor though, I will just get some mushrooms.

Yeah I won't ever eat weird fungus on purpose. Even some mushrooms I won't eat from the wild. As for that weird corn fungi... when my husband told me it was a food... I laughed at him and reminded him that some people enjoy testicles and grasshoppers as food. No thank you.

 

[SarahLadd]

I Like the labels, If I may be so bold as to ask for the recipe? Or where I may find it/them?

Certainly -

Ok, I'll start by saying shelf stable is a ph of 3.8 and if you use this recipe you should get something close to that. You can use less vinegar. It makes it less shelf stable.

20 oz peppers *, 8 oz candy Red Onions/shallots, 2 oz garlic, 10 whole peppercorns, 4 tsp Himalayan pink salt, 3/4tsp palm sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 6 oz distilled white vinegar, 6 oz aceto balsalmico moderna**, herbs (whatever sounds nice- many of these contain golden lemon thyme, Greek oregano, mojito mint, whole clove, cinnamon and other aromatics)
*on peppers: you can de seed and de membrane for less heat. Blend with some or all seeds for more heat. Using really really hot babies? Cut with bell peppers. In my recipe I used 15 oz hot peppers and 5 oz sweet yellow bell pepper... The most important thing is 30 oz total of stuff before vinegars.
**on vinegars: I do 6 oz white vinegar always, and any combination of vinegars you enjoy can be substituted here for another 6 oz. Apple cider vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar, whatever flips your switch

Toss all in a pot and bring to a boil, turn heat to med-low and simmer 20 minutes. Blend until very smooth. Pour into hot (160°f) sterilized bottles while still hot

 

[Minanora]

It's about to freeze which means I'm picking it all. Here is the fall batch of hot sauce.
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Amazing!!! I love the labels!

 

[pennyJo1960]

I hope we do not see freezing I am still getting zucchini and pumpkin not all orange yet.

 

[Sally PB]

I really need to dig the potatoes today!! The rain should be moving out, and we're going to be chilly, so some good ol' physical labor would be welcome.

I have a fire going in the wood stove. The house cooled off to 65 last night. I'll put the electric blanket on the bed tonight. Fall is here, and so is a freeze warning.

I'll cover the beans again tonight, and see if they're still alive tomorrow, once it warms up. If they are, GREAT! if not, then I know that sheets covering them will not protect them from 32ish. I'll take my instant read (well, 6 seconds) probe thermometer out to see what the actual temperature is down there.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

was out tonight comet watching - it was windy and 50 and I felt like I was freezing to the core !
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I’m jealous! I couldn’t see it the night before (too many trees in that direction I think) and yesterday evening it was raining - naturally not the most conducive weather for star-gazing.

 

[jerryse]

The big chill is here 45 now and a high of 58. I picked up 60 gallons of black walnuts. That will keep me busy cracking this winter. Now to hull and dry them. Not many people are willing to go to all trouble to get the nut meat. I use a nut Wizzard to pick them up. Took a little over 2 hours.