I have been canning, freezing, and drying a lot of produce in addition to getting a quarter cow packed into our freezer recently. It makes me feel like a squirrel sometimes, frantically packing nuts into secret spots for winter months. Not sure why that is, but I do find satisfaction knowing that we planted heirloom varieties in our garden, resisted using any chemicals on the bugs (although we thought about more than once), and we can use our produce throughout the rest of the year when our garden will (hopefully) be buried under lots of snow. Recently, our thoughts have gone from cucumbers and pickles to apples and squash...
My new best friend: the Apple Master!
This is batch #3 (unfortunately, batch #2 burned...oops)
The results!
lots of apple butter (in two different shades), apple sauce, and rings
It really is a shame that the rings are already half eaten and will probably be gone by next week. Also not pictured are 3 more jars of butter that have already been eaten or are in the fridge, half eaten. :) Next year we need to pick a LOT more!
My favorite crop of all? Winter squash. Why? They are yummy, can be cooked lots of ways, and most importantly, I don't have to do anything with them to preserve them for the coming months. Yippee! :) Our crop this year has been truly fruitful...we have eaten at least 4 of these guys already (not pictured) and there is still a pumpkin, buttercup squash, and NINE butternut squashes that should be ready in the next 2 weeks or so.
We have truly enjoyed our garden and it's produce thus far, but I can honestly say that I am looking forward to that first hard freeze...as long as it is after our squash is brought in...
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