It’s cold and cloudy so we’re trying to get the garden finished up and put to bed for winter. Will pulled the tomato cages and dumped the old vines into a couple of piles to burn while I carried the cages over by the fence to stack for winter. Then he and David pulled the steel T-post stakes (which worked wonderfully as the cages didn’t tip over!). We ended up with two large piles of tomato and potato vines. We burn these vines so they don’t harbor insect and disease to infect the garden next year. We don’t want more potato bugs, blight, or septoria leaf spot!

Once finished, Will brought out the propane tank and the weed burner. He grinned to me and said “Pyro, this is for you!” Pyro being the nickname of a sweet lady who attended two of our seminars and was introduced to the weed burner first hand. It gives out a jet plane-like roar that is quite startling if you aren’t expecting it!

Burning-vines

Even though it’s been raining, the dead vines burned down very well, leaving only beneficial ash on the garden. We’ve just got to haul away the tarps and plastic we covered plants with before frosts and dig another row of glads and the garden is clean. Whew!

Canning-cabbage

This afternoon I’m back to shredding more cabbage for Amish coleslaw. I use it a lot for so many different things. I canned up quarts and quarts of plain cabbage chunks and the kraut is doing well. What a cabbage crop this year!

My cold is much better and Will is slowly losing his. I hate fall colds! — Jackie

8 COMMENTS

  1. I just added a carrot relish recipe to the July 2011 comments, someone wanted other recipes to use up her abundance of carrots. This relish recipe also uses 1 1/2 C of ground cabbage, in case someone might be wanting other ideas to use up extra cabbage. This recipe uses molasses, and when I was a kid, I didn’t know what syrup was, except for white syrup. We raised the cane that molasses is processed from, and that was really the only syrup that I knew of. I think this relish would be perfect for pulled pork sandwiches. YUM!

  4. gen,

    I wouldn’t use the red cabbage as it often bleeds out the color. You can just leave out the celery or substitute red sweet peppers. Congratulations on having your dad’s support. How great that is!!! Yea Dad!

  6. I forgot to say, my daughter is buying your garden and your pantry books for me as an early Christmas present. TOMORROW! I am going to be on pins and needles waiting for them to arrive. With my dad on board now, he has the pressure canning experience I don’t have, and with your recipes, look out pantry here we come. WOOT WOOT!!!! I have two turkeys and two hams and pounds of chicken to use up, which I am more than willing to share with the folks. Dad’s eyes started shining when I talked to him, just thinking of all those easy meals coming their way. He has become the main cook this last year, so easier is better now. A couple of years ago he just looked at me sideways when I mentioned doing this. Time and small steps, just like you say.

  7. The Amish Coleslaw sounds so good, except my family doesn’t care for celery. Could I put in an equal amount of red cabbage, or would that stain the entire thing? I have talked my dad into helping me can both baked beans and pinto beans to put in our pantry. He surprised me, and he’s all for it. YAY!

  8. Sheesh…it seems I only just read about you PLANTING and now you are
    putting it to bed already…such a short season, so much accomplished! Enjoyed following you this year, I must say. We are originally from MN,
    northwest of St. Cloud area, where family still is, so it is enjoyable to watch
    you all. Memories of home, so to speak. (In NW Indiana now). I will enjoy
    your winter shennanigans and be saying ‘boy I am glad its not me!”~ thanks for sharing!

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