Today, we were kind of taking a rest after working so hard yesterday and the day before. Will had been readying the gardens for applying manure and tilling while I was busy canning up dozens of jars of the older beef and chicken from the freezer. And it’s been raining heavily since early this morning. We have almost 2 inches already and no sign of it stopping. We did need the moisture to keep the fire danger low and to get our beaver ponds filled up nicely.
I was happy with the canning as I only had two jars that didn’t seal, one was dog food chicken breast, and the other was ground beef. I heated up that jar of ground beef and we had a nice meal of tacos last night and the dogs were happy with the addition of chicken to their kibble this morning.
We had been to town to mail some seed packages to customers and after we got back a knock at the door and barking dogs announced a visitor. It was Jeff from the Dept. of Agriculture, here to get seeds for a germination test. For months and even years, we’d been kind of expecting a black helicopter with black-Opp guys, rappelling down with big guns. Jeff was just a regular nice guy in civilian clothes. No big guns. We had a nice visit and he collected some seeds and information. Whew, we were glad our nightmare hadn’t come to light! He said he’d like to come see our gardens with his wife this summer and we said we’d be glad to have them.
I’m almost done transplanting tomatoes and should finish tomorrow. Then, it won’t be long before I’m starting melons, brassicas, squash, and pumpkins inside. They’ll have to go out to the deck when they’ve grown some as there is absolutely no room in the greenhouse!
This rain is greening up the grass and the tree buds are swelling. Lots of our flowers are coming up. Now I hope we don’t get more snow!
— Jackie
Dear Jackie, your canning looks great. I have done ham, beef and chicken this last year and I am wondering why I waited so long. Your Dept of Ag man may have come to see if you are growing weed with your seeds! LOL. I know Daddy used to have helicopters fly very low over his green house to check it out. He was such a prankster and often said he was going to paint an illegal weed plant on the inside glass of his greenhouse ceiling. He was an artist, too.
I’m wondering why that man from the dept. of agricultural came to get seeds from you. Is it to make sure you’re not growing anything that has a patent belonging to big corporate farms? I never heard of this happening before and I have many farmer relatives who farm in Illinois. You don’t have to worry of course but it sounds intrusive. Love all those beautiful jars you canned up.You sure are a hard worker!!!
I enjoy canning meats also now, as I had always been intimidated to try it. You changed that for me. Thank you.
Now a question. When I can ham, is it normal for ham to turn color after processing?
I got my first lot of asparagus-really a spring treat. I’m planting potatoes today as it finally dried up enough. You did a lot of canning. Everything is greening up here. Some of my apple trees I planted last year didn’t survive winter. So it goes
That canning is quite an accomplishment! I’ve found the presto pressure canner harder to use as I’ve become older so have cut back to a smaller electric pressure canner. Can’t do that volume of jars anymore. Glad you could rest a little.
Katherine
Hooray the canning is done. They keeping talking rain here but it has yet to appear. All depends on “the cap” they say.
Co-workers in the Twin Cities headed home at noon today to avoid getting caught in the predicated downpour (during rush hour).
Interesting you got a visit from (at least I hope your state) Department of Ag.