I worried this over nearly all night, finally deciding I needed to do some tomatoes as our salsa was getting down there and we like it on nearly everything. We use it instead of catsup and Will likes to have some on his eggs in the morning. I went out to the Wolf Garden this morning, armed with a crate. I didn’t know where to start as there are just so many tomatoes out there. But I picked down the row, scarcely making a tiny dent. I know I’ll be giving away lots of tomatoes!
I got the tomatoes home and sat out on the porch, cutting them up to go in my big turkey roasting pan along with some Giant Marconi sweet peppers from the hoop house. I popped them into the oven and started in cutting up some onions from last year that are just now starting to sprout. I want to use them up in a good way. I’ll add that and garlic to my salsa, with a bit of brown sugar, and can it up in half pints. I’ve found if I use pints, some always goes bad before we use it all up. Hey, there are no chemicals in our salsa! I’ve also got to run down to the Sand Garden and pick some jalapeños to go in it too. I almost forgot!
Yesterday evening, I went to check the plums. I kind of wish I hadn’t as there are literally tons down there calling to me. I guess I’ll be picking some tomorrow for sure. We’ve always had plums, but this year is a bonanza! I’ll make jelly, jam, and plum sauce, which I use as a dipping sauce for chicken and pork, as well as glazing ham, baked chicken, and pork roasts with it. Pretty darned good!
Will’s daughter, Jenna, came from Illinois for another very welcome visit. We had a great time, visiting and doing some fun things. Yesterday, Will took her to experience the Discovery Center, in nearby (kind of) Chisholm. It has all sorts of history on the mining industry that started on the Iron Range, better than a century ago. I couldn’t go because it involves lots of walking, which my knees certainly would rebel against. They had a good time while I did at-home stuff, like canning up the last of the picked apples. (Lots more on the trees!)
Our weather is cooling off, and it is very pleasant to be outside working. As I was coming back to the house with my tomatoes this morning, I saw a mama turkey with eight half-grown babies, right in the hay yard. I ran home and grabbed a can full of corn, driving quickly back to toss it out, hoping they would find it and stick around. We sure love seeing them! Some folks say the Hummingbirds have migrated from the north. However, we still have quite a few hitting our feeders, along with some migrating Monarch butterflies. Fall is definitely here, despite what the calendar says. — Jackie
