Currently enjoying the summer preserves we did last year. The beets and strawberry jam have been extra tasty but our best result has been the Pepperoncini. I actually managed to get a good amount of heat into them this year and thought i would share what I did. Once the fruit had formed I started pulling leaves from lower down the stems so more of the energy went into the fruit production. Resulted in more being ripe. I also cut right back on watering, only watering when I saw the leaves wilting. Again I believe this results in more oil forming in the peppers and therefore heat - due to the lack of water. Worked great on the thai chillies too. I'm not one of those people that grow chillies to be super hot I just found them to have more flavour this way. Hope everyone else is enjoying their garden preserves this time of year.
harvest We have a few pints of blackberry jelly left, don't use as much as we usta. Reminds me I need to get out there and clean out the row. They're thornless so it's not much trouble to cut out the old canes and leave the green ones that will be this year's bloomers. Just have to get the energy to do it. Still a few bags of frozen okra from year before last, didn't grow any last year. Yellow squash and tomatoes, better use them up soon too.
I still have a dozen or so chickens in the freezer, about 30 quart bags of silver king corn, strawberries, broccoli, raspberries, hot pepper jelly (by the case), canned applesauce, canned grape juice concentrate, apple butter, green beans, tomato juice and I am sure a few more things. We won't starve, that's for sure.
good to see i'm not alone. i'm looking to do some hot pepper jelly next year carolyn. out of interest how do you preserve the corn, i'm sure we wont have any left but just incase i managed to get 5 blackberries this year rockhound, but it was a new bush, so looking forward to a good crop this year as its my favorite jam
Hi Dan, I cut my corn off the cob, add a little water (just to prevent it from scorching) depending on the sugar content of the corn, maybe a little sugar. Bring to corn to a boil, reduce heat, cook for 5 min or until the corn changes to it's clear color. remove from heat, cool a little, bag or put in containers into servings for your family size. Finish cooling and freeze as soon as possible.
Hello Dan, Yesirreee...I am enjoying the things that were frozen-in as well as the jams and tom concentrate. It is not only fun to enjoy harvests later on, but gives one a good feeling about the impending spring. I begin sowing next month. It sounds like you are enjoying fooling-around with your chilli's.
