Now that we've picked most of the raspberries, the blackberries are ripening. We use blackberries in many of the same ways as raspberries, but we seem to have so many more of the blackberries, as you can see. Since the berries were already here, growing rather wild, we chose the "live and let live" approach, which is very much in keeping with Permaculture principles. We opted to observe and see what would unfold. Lo and behold, the abundance revealed! Years ago, we … [Read more...] about Easy Blackberry Jam
Canning
The Beet Goes On|Pickled Beets Recipe
Are you a fan of the beet? Or not so much? I've always liked beets, but Joel, well, not so much. Then one day, we were at a local eating establishment, and pickled beets were one of his side dishes. He tasted them and liked them! The key was the recipe. It contained some spices that really amped up the tastiness. If you've never eaten store-bought pickled beets, they taste a lot like pure vinegar. I searched through my canning recipe books, as well as … [Read more...] about The Beet Goes On|Pickled Beets Recipe
Beans! Spiced, Pickled, and Dilly
Beans! The bush beans were ready to pick! Joel and I went out to the garden and picked all those that looked big enough. I planted the Blue Lake variety, which are a tasty string bean. We have some pole, or runner beans as well, but they are still flowering yet. Here are some of the beautiful flowers close-up. The first is Trionfo Violetto, a gorgeous purple flower which turns into a gorgeous purple pod. The bean turns green when cooked, however. Next is the Painted Lady … [Read more...] about Beans! Spiced, Pickled, and Dilly