Zone 5 Gardeners United!

[21hens-incharge]

Yikes on the fence stain…

Sounds like you are going to be busy too! I have never done freezer processing. Would love some tips.

I am heading to the farmers market for tomatoes to can. I used to can a ton but when I started planning for the new house, I thought it best to not have to move a bunch of glass jars. So I get to start over! I always have plenty of tomato juice and chunk on the shelf, but would love to try marinara sauce to cut down on the time it takes to make sauce from scratch. We will see how ambitious I am when the bushel arrives

The excavators are planning to come in the next month or so to grade the property and clear out all of the brush on the front of the property. I live on 3 acres and the front half had an old house on it and the land was neglected for decades. It is a diamond in the rough for sure but I am so excited to get it leveled. I would love to show before and after photos, but always cringe what people might think. It is one heck of a project, and something I never thought I would to. My goal is to have it completed in the next several years and have a hobby farm to retire and keep me busy.

Chickens were my savior over covid and I could never imaging life without them now. They keep me grounded and at the end of the day, regardless of what you do for work, or where you live, they don’t know who you are, other than mom with the treat bag!

I am jealous of your land!! I am on a puny 1/4 acre in town.

Some things can be cut into desired size and vacuum sealed then tossed in the freezer. The vast majority however need blanched, ice bath then can be frozen.

For tomatoes I blanch, core and slip the skin then cut up and cook down at least an hour. Once cooled I put into quart size freezer bags and keep on a big tray until fully frozen in case of a leaker.

Bell peppers, onions, and berries can be washed, patted dry, cut up or cored then vac seal and freeze. I am using all my strawberries this year to make jam so have quite a few freezer bags full while I save up for jam.

Corn.....that fickle creature. I blanch for 5 minutes, stick in ice water at least 10 minutes then remove from the cob. I tried freezing on the cob. I was not happy with the results at all.

 

[21hens-incharge]

My corn plants....and the 8' tall plastic. The corn is actually 9' to the tippy top.

 

[Iluveggers]

Finally getting tomatoes! The squash & zucchini’s have been slow this year due to all the bugs. So many beans we can’t eat them fast enough! Had 5 days of no rain & I think it helped everything after the Monsoon I call July. Hopefully August will be a little more balanced! I planted 4 more 55 day zucchini’s last week, hoping I get a few fruits before frost!

 

[Percheron chick]

My garden has been rather underwhelming this year. First year on new property and I think my soil is a little too flat. Have plenty of summer squash and the tomatoes are loaded but just starting to ripen. Temps quickly went from 70's to 90's. Peas and beans came up and started to flower then up and died. Cukes and gerkins are struggling, garlic was looking great then died, herbs are thriving but had to be replanted, melons are puttering along,... I have some work to do this winter.

 

[Frankiegirl]

My corn plants....and the 8' tall plastic. The corn is actually 9' to the tippy top.

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You have all of that on 1/4 acre??!! WOW…that is amazing. You’ve done a lot on that piece of land.
I was on the 1/4 acre lot too and got a wild hair under my saddle to move to a country setting, build a farm house, and live a simpler life…all during covid!!! The result has been sweet.
I love your idea of vacuum seal. I bought one right before the move and never used it. I’m sure it’s packed away downstairs somewhere Sorry to hear your corn didn’t turn out the way you wanted. That’s a lot of work to be disappointed.

My garden has been rather underwhelming this year. First year on new property and I think my soil is a little too flat.

@Percheron chick….I know what you mean with your so conditions. We knocked down down trees and overgrown thicket to build and found more boulders and rocks than you could shake a stick at. I have no grass in the yard part of the property and am waiting until I get a better understanding of the light patterns in and around the yard.
The front area is about an acre and is getting a complete facelift. Terrible drainage…awful grading…so a ton of fill dirt is coming in then topped with topsoil. There’s a well already down front and a ton of room for a real garden. I have more ideas than time and money to build them
I’m happy with my potted garden until I can get the soil prepared properly.
It’s a journey right?
Enjoy

 

[Sally PB]

I have never done freezer processing. Would love some tips.

I froze green beans this year and last. I blanched them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then put them in cold/ice water. Drain well, and put in Ziploc bags, sucked out the air (literally) and put in the freezer. They were great all winter long. Three years ago, I didn't blanch them, and they were tough and tasteless. Lesson learned.

We got a vacuum sealer that didn't work worth a hoot; it broke after it was used twice. We haven't replaced it, but I think we should.

I would love to show before and after photos, but always cringe what people might think.

You are not responsible for what it looked like at the beginning. So we will be impressed with the improvements you make. Post pictures!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes to definitely blanching before freezing. It stops the enzymes that can and do cause spoilage in the freezer.

 

[Justso]

Happy 2022 everyone!
This year I've started early outdoors, I have both a modified Greenhouse (?) And a portion of my raised bed I've tented in plastic. I ordered a bunch of Heirloom Seeds as well so, I decided this year to do the 3 sisters planting: corn, squash, and pole beans.
That started me in on Etsy and, well things got a little out of hand. Let's just say I'm going to be really bean heavy this year. Besides the two types of pole beans I ordered I was given freebies of two types of bush beans as well. Then there was the giant soybean
I'm also a planting sunflower Garden this year.
I'll send pictures of my little modified Greenhouse shelving unit. It's working out well, I have good germination.

 

[Percheron chick]

I broke down yesterday and bought 2 yards of compost. Just flat ran out of my own and was not going to have another subpar harvest. The company where I got the compost is my dream job model. They take all organic waste, Christmas trees, dairy, horse, egg farm waste, sod farm trimmings, tree trimmings, yard waste and process it into valuable landscape materials. Free dropoff. Finished compost was only $50 for my load.
A few beds that I loaded up with leaves last fall are nice just needed a little topping off. Problem is trees are few and far between around here so my sister has to scout around her neighborhood in town if I'm going to have a supply.
Have more raspberry plants showing up today so need to get that area cleaned up. Nourse Farms is the way to go for berries. The quality of the plants is second to none. Price is also cheaper than big box stores. Problem is you have to order early. They are sold out of most varieties.

 

[Justso]

ARG third start of my corn, sunflower and nasturtiums. Marauding mice have again attacked my shelves! I don't see how I'll be able to keep them out. I laid some traps today.
I'm using a Hyllis shelf from ikea, it has a zip on plastic cover but the bottom is open.