Happy Friday !!!

Shoes = Moths = Spinning

Hello .

We have pantry moths . All food had to be thrown out . Cupboards washed in soapy water and left empty for 3 weeks . So far I have done the food part . It is so hard to find time to unpack and clean with a little baby .

My cotton has been popping open, one by one . It is so exciting to produce your own fibre. It makes me feel I could be living on the prairie , making my own clothing and bags , ropes , etc.

I have been watching youtube videos on spinning raw cotton seeds . This one is so wonderful !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4kU9-ThVpM

I also watched this one . 

It is in forward motion , and I really have no idea what she is doing . 

But I like her shoes at the end . 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G4FQHBiOQY

Speaking of shoes , I have finally ordered myself a pair of new shoes . 

I get very attached to shoes . 

The last time I bought shoes was over 5 years ago.

Check them out .

Bit Alice in Wonderland ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai_LEBkWW-U

September

Canning Tomatos

                            Next on the list ..... Canning Tomato 's !
I have not canned many tomatoes this year.. ok none.
Not because they are not in a thrive ( daddy's mostly ),
but because my Johnny makes some good tomato relish.
So we let him.

                    However, I had some extras I set aside to try
my very own Tomato Sauce.

Introducing........  Rosemary & GArlic Tomato Sauce.
All ingredients from the garden. Except garlic. ahem. next year.
34 Tomatoes, some big some little. Wash, core, then dip in boiling hot water to remove skins. I then cooled them, and squished them in my hands to let the seeds run out. Messy yes.
Next I cut up 5 bell peppers and placed onto pan with garlic cloves, unpeeled. Drizzle in olive oil and roast until skins looks easy to peel off. They still wont be easy, but it was done anyway. It's much tastier. Place tomatoes, peppers, three rosemary sprigs, and garlic ( that you've put thru your fancy garlic presser ) into a pot and boil, then slowly simmer. Voila !

I ate a meal strait away with pasta, cheese and cracked pepper.
Yummy.

True fresh preservative free garden food !
All of that ,,, made three jars. Three stinkin' jars.
I mean, three DELICIOUS JARS.  ;)

Next......

                                                       BABIES !

                                                   - NO Not BABIES, pears -
                                                       Next  is   PEARS. :)

" Putting Up"

 

It's fruit preserving time !!

From the Water edition of TAPROOT magazine (buy HERE) is a great set of fruit recipes to preserve jams and relishes, using Pomona's Pectin, which is a low methyl pectin allowing you to use maple syrup or honey instead of refined sugar !  ( Pomona's Pectin is sold and recipes are HERE).

So I did the Strawberry Vanilla Jam with Maple Syrup and oh.my.goodness.
It is so yummy. Here are two jars , I ended up with 7 half pints and a pint to eat strait up.
On waffles.
Oh yes.
Check out that headspace. I was suppose to leave 1/4 inch and I left over an inch. Yipps.
They all sealed, but I froze 4 and fridged the rest.

MMMMMmmmmmMMMM.



So.then.....

WE pick APPLES  !
These apples are from the tree out at Daddy's House.
And Mamma's. :)
They are big tart delicious juicy apples.

Dear Hubby bought myself a pressure canner , It's my first time ever using one.
And while I will admit a bit of rapid heart beat when putting the jigger thing on
and seeing the pressure mounting up and thinking of explosions and such, all is well
as you can see and I can't wait to use it again ! This first batch is canned apples in a
light sugar syrup ( I use organic non bleached organic cane sugar ).
They called for a 1/2 inch headspace and after canning they rose right up to the top.
Is that what the empty space is for ? Growth and expansion ?  Must be.

This was half the basket of apples, and It yielded up 8 pints. To be used for baking, cooking, eating, whatever. You might be able to see, I have some rather largeish air bubbles that remained. Woops. Is that an issue? They all sealed. Only one jar was funnishish looking and I put that one in the fridge and will eat soon. Aah, the joys of canning ! Apples were really hard work. REALLY HARD WORK. Lots of standing and peeling. My hands and back were aching. We've got 5 apple trees here at our house and a plum tree just loaded with fruit. I have been watching " PRESTO CANNING " on youtube. Green Beans look really easy. I love Green Beans.