2013 harvest and garden pics

[NwMtGardener]

Journey, thanks for the reassurance on the canned peaches! The jars did seal, and i kept telling myself "they should be fine...they should be fine" but i couldnt overcome my brain telling me they didn't LOOK okay! It was more work than it should have been, but the peach pie filling from the freezer turned out GREAT! Tried one last night. I used a Pillsbury premade crust because i hate making pie crust, took the filling out of the freezer, out of the ziploc, unwrapped the saran wrap, and plunked it right in the raw pie crust. Added an oatmeal crumb topping, into the oven. Baked at 400* for 20 minutes, then down to 350* for about another hour and a half. Voila, delicious pie with no fuss or muss. I think i have 6 more in the freezer!

Steve, i dont think the kentucky wonder make that great of tasting dried bean, but they are easy to shell. No surprise they dont taste that great i guess, not really what they're meant for. But i make a lot of hummus, and will usually use a majority of storebought dried garbanzo beans, and then mix in a smaller amount of other dried beans or even a few dried peas. I really started drying them a few years ago to use for seed, but i didnt have that great of germination rates...so i've decided to buy my seed for (hopefully) a better chance of getting everything germinated at once. As ya know, i dont necessarily have enough time in our short summer to replant half of everything once i realize it isnt going to come up!! So, instead of wasting the dry beans, i just toss small amounts of them in here and there!

 

[digitS']

If you like to use some dry beans, Heather, and are willing to plow up your "back 40," we should talk about these Soldier beans! Probably, any of the dry bean varieties . . . it is nearly ~ touch the pod, it splits in 2 and the seeds fall out!

Now with those Cascade Giant rattlesnake beans, I practically have to pound the pod into flakes to squeeze the seed out! I still haven't gotten those seeds into a bag. I guess I'm just waiting for a breeze in the right direction to help me blow the chaff outta the dang seed!

Garbanzos? You know, there are fields of dry beans in Colorado but there are garbanzo fields up here !

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

NwMtGardener, That is a great looking garden and one that was very productive. I love to see smaller gardens because I can relate more to them. I agree with you in that it doesn't seem like we save as much from our gardens as others do. But who knows, maybe a little here and there does add up. My husband is always joking with me that we could buy organic veggies from the farmer's market cheaper than what I can grow them. I just smile and tell him it's cheaper than his golfing.

Mary

 

[digitS']

Just a little something, Heather.

My "Here We Have Idaho" magazine arrived this afternoon. It is all about the U of I food center (except for the required football story ).

Here is a link to an article: Zacca Hummus, bean spread evolved with family ties.

Steve

 

[NwMtGardener]

Wow, that's an interesting article! Wikipedia tells me chickpea plants like "tropical or subtropical" climates with up to 16" Of annual rain!! So much for my sudden thought of growing them here. I suppose i could water them enough, but we aint got no tropics in Montana!! I have to admit that until i just went to wikipedia, i had no idea what the plants looked like!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickpea

 

[digitS']

I've grown them, Heather - long time ago, once.

They are quick!

Tropical/Subtropical/whatever. Here is what the USDA says: "Chickpeas are mainly cultivated in California, Idaho, Montana and Washington. The Palouse region of western Idaho and eastern Washington is especially well suited to chickpeas. Idaho is the leading producer of small desi chickpeas; Washington leads the nation in the production of large kabuli chickpeas. Other states with chickpea production include North Dakota, Oregon and South Dakota."

And, they are grown around here without irrigation.

Steve