Trying to start early

[Darlene]

I'm trying to start preserving the harvest by starting early.

 

My neighbor went up to TN to an Amish farmer's market yesterday. I had asked them to call me when they got there to pick up a few things. The Amish there have greenhouses so they are able to start a variety of produce much earlier than traditional ground planting allows.

 

I was amazed by all they had and had my neighbor get a variety of things...

 

• Purple, yellow and white cauliflower
• 3 bunches of green onions
• 15 tomatoes
• 6 green peppers
• 6 heads of cabbage
• 4 bunches of rhubarb
• 4 quarts of strawberries
• 3 bunches of beets
• 3 huge heads of lettuce
• 4 bunches of fresh grown garlic that I'll dry myself
• 7 massive bunches of carrots - I plan on using them to can some soups
• There's probably a couple more things I can't remember at the moment

 

All of that cost me $104, which I didn't think was bad considering it was fresh grown. I took the rhubarb and strawberries and made jam. I still have 2 quarts of strawberries left and haven't decided what to make with them, but the taste of these strawberries is so far beyond what you can get at the grocery store.

 

I took the beets and canned them. We have a polish tradition of mixing finely shredded beets with horseradish for a side condiment and it's been getting harder and harder to find beets at the store that aren't pickled.

 

I'll use the carrots to make some homemade chicken soup, split pea soup and navy bean soup that I'll pressure can.

 

I'm going to take the green peppers and make stuffed green peppers today, and freeze half of it for an easy, home cooked meal down the road.

 

I'm also going to take the cauliflower, blanch it and then vacuum seal it for the freezer.

 

I feel like a little squirrel who knows that some level of famine is coming, so I'm trying to start the back breaking work a little earlier than usual. Normally, I wait till mid summer to do the blast of canning, but right now I think I'll just go up to the Amish market every few weeks and pick up various things that I either am not growing in my garden, or that I don't want to wait for, in order to get an earlier start on this area of prepping. It was interesting to hear my neighbor share how the place was packed and how people had gotten there early, waiting for the market to open. I don't know if most of the people are just buying their fresh produce there instead of the grocery stores, or if there are other anomalies like me who are trying to get a head start on preserving for the days ahead.

[Mother]

What a wonderful find, Darlene.  We have an Amish community in our area but they have been here only a couple of years.  They have a home bakery and a small bulk food store but no greenhouse yet.  We have greenhouses in the area but they mostly focus on bedding plants and flowers.  
 

Congratulations on getting a head start on your veggie and fruit preps.  I truly believe we all need to be doing what we can to get there.  

[snapshotmiki]

That's a great  find, Darlene!  I already have  about  20 squash and will hit the  local farmers market  Thursday. I'll be preserving while company is here. Maybe have a little  help.