Saturday Snapshot–Gathering Good Things from the Garden
September 1, 2012 at 11:21 am 34 comments
We have several pumpkins growing courtesy of seeds in the compost, instead of the cucumber seeds I planted.
Still some tomatoes ripening. You can see some leaves have started to turn brown.
Results of my preserving efforts: relish, peaches, jam and pickled beets. I think of the peaches as “bottled sunshine” when I open them in the winter.
We’ve picked more than a basket of tomatoes from our own plants. These and more went into the fruit relish. And we’ve enjoyed eating them as well. Yumm!
Saturday Snapshots hosted by At Home With Books. Go and see what other pictures are there and link up.
Photos by C. Wilker
Entry filed under: Gardening, seasons. Tags: canning, cucumber seeds, food, fruit relish, Gardening, nature, pickled beets.
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Storygal's Blog 
1.
Eugenia | September 1, 2012 at 12:12 pm
You’ve been very industrious – that’s a lot of preserves! Your photo reminded of how much I love pumpkins, yet I haven’t had any in a long time.
2.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Perhaps you can get one at a market. Yes, it’s been a busy summer, and especially August. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
3.
trish | September 1, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Aren’t gardens great this time of year? Ours is producing some lovely tomatoes, cukes, basil, and beans. No pumpkins this year though.
4.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Hi Trish,
Sounds like you had a good gardening season too. I grew basil as well and have dried most of it. Yes, it’s good to have a garden and to harvest what has grown. Thanks for stopping by.
5.
Christine Harding | September 1, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Wow, you have been busy – and you obviously had a good harvest.The only things that survived the rain were my lettuces. My Snapshot is at http://goo.gl/UR1qO
6.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:30 pm
If we had lettuce, I’m sure the chipmunks would have had even a greater feast. We have a tall fence around that keeps the bunnies out. Thanks for stopping by. Left a comment on your blog.
7.
Susan | September 1, 2012 at 12:58 pm
I’ve been busy canning too … tomatoes, peach jam, pizza sauce, and salsa … it’s a busy time of year, isn’t it?
8.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 3:08 pm
HI Susan,
I’ve never made pizza sauce or salsa for canning, but I made dill pickles and pickled beets. Do you make those? Yes, it is a very busy time of year and we’ve had a wedding in the middle of it. So I just do what I cam. Peaches were done this week, after the wedding. Thanks for stopping by.
9.
Melissa @ Melissa's Bookshelf | September 1, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Great pictures! I have a friend who has been canning a lot of things this year. Maybe one day I will give it a try!
10.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 3:09 pm
It’s a process one would best be organized for. A little help from a friend is a good thing. Maybe you can learn from your friend. Thanks for stopping by.
11.
Valli | September 1, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Reminds me of my grandma’s garden! Lovely pumpkin and tomatoes!
12.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Thanks, Valli. The pumpkins were a surprise, growing out into our lawn. 😉
13.
ardsley19 | September 1, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Very nice, Carolyn. Something ate most of my tomatoes this year, ie the fruit. But I still have lots of flowers. I love your pics, especially the one of your preserves. It’s great to open them in the winter.
14.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Thanks, Diana. Too bad about your tomatoes. Frustrating when that happens.
Love the preserved fruit in winter. I grew up with that sort of thing and though I don’t have to do large batches for a family, it’s nice for us to have some.
15.
Bev@My Reader's Block | September 1, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Glad you’re garden has done so well. It’s been pretty dry for gardeners here this year…I’m not sure how well they’ve done.
Here’s my Snapshot.
16.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:21 pm
We have three water barrels and only occasionally used city water through our drought. It was dry here too. Market gardeners often have to irrigate. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
17.
booksavvybabe | September 1, 2012 at 3:49 pm
well, at least you will have pumpkins for the fall 🙂 Book Savvy Babe
18.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:20 pm
That’s for sure. At least three. Maybe one will be a painted jack-o-lantern before it’s made into pie. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
19.
Alyce (@AtHomeWithBooks) | September 1, 2012 at 4:05 pm
I had to laugh about the pumpkins! We planted one cucumber plant and harvested five cucumbers off of it (they were the kind for salads, not pickling). I liked them so much that I want to plant a bunch of them next year instead of zucchini, which I am less fond of. I think it’s spoiled me for store bought cucumbers though, which are always rubbery and soft.
20.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Our vegetables are more for eating. When I can I still have to go to the farmer’s market to get the quantity I needed. Except for the fruit relish for which I used some of our tomatoes and some I bought. Fresh cucumbers are so much better, I agree. The best pickles are made the same day they are picked. Thanks, Alyce.
21.
abookdragon | September 1, 2012 at 4:14 pm
our cucumber died before we had a chance at more than one (it was bitter) but our pumpkin got huge!
sigh, now I’m hungry 🙂
here’s mine
22.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 4:17 pm
Sorry to hear about your cucumber plant. What will you do with the pumpkin?
Thanks for stopping by.
23.
Sim@chapter1-take1 | September 1, 2012 at 4:39 pm
I think canning is making a comeback; I remember making jam with my mum years ago. Great looking pumkin.
24.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 5:42 pm
I think people are interested in knowing what’s in their food, at least I am. I learned to do it by helping my mom can. Thanks. The pumpkin is ripening.
25.
irene | September 1, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Great harvest. I love a peachy sunshine in the winter months too.
26.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Thanks. It’s a good deal of work for a good deal of good food in winter.
27.
Vicki | September 1, 2012 at 9:35 pm
I’d love to have a garden!! Love cucumbers and tomatoes especially. Could eat them every day!
28.
storygal | September 1, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Our garden is not so large so things are maybe a little closer together than usual for a country garden.
We used the space to the best advantage and planted the tiny tomatoes in a flower bed. 😉
29.
Leslie | September 1, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Nice looking pumpkins! I got volunteer vines from the compost this year too, along with the cucumbers I planted. They turned out to be cantaloupe. I’ve never planted cantaloupe in the garden, so the seeds must have come from a store bought one. I didn’t even know they were a vine that resembled cucumber. And the mini cantaloupes looked like weird cucumbers until they got round and hard. Next year I’m definitely planting cantaloupe on purpose. For some reason I thought cantaloupe vines were larger, like the squash.
30.
storygal | September 2, 2012 at 12:25 am
Cantaloupe is good. My parents have grown it, but I probably won’t, at least not on purpose. I’d have to give a bunch away to my neighbours since I can only eat so much of it.
31.
lmkazmierczak | September 2, 2012 at 1:26 am
We got cantaloupe volunteers too…Hate to refrigerate them….takes away from the taste…so I’m off to slice up some now♫
32.
storygal | September 2, 2012 at 10:29 am
That’s true about cantaloupe, but my husband doesn’t eat them so it takes longer to use one.
When we were children, we often put a little scoop of ice cream on top of a section of cantaloupe to eat as dessert. I rarely eat ice cream anymore and the fruit tastes good without extra stuff on it.
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the fruit.
33.
Louise | September 2, 2012 at 7:42 am
You’ve been particularly busy I see. Your preserves look fabulous. Lots of jewel colours.
34.
storygal | September 2, 2012 at 10:26 am
You’re right, they do look like jewel colours. Thanks, I have been busy. And I couldn’t get everything on the same shelf. There are dill pickles too.