I haven’t had much experience putting either of these away, so I did a little internet research.  It seems as if the quickest and easiest way to save these veggies for later use is freezing them raw.  What could be simpler than that?

I grated the zucchini and placed it in freezer bags in two cup portions since most of my normal recipes call for about this much grated zucchini.  So far, I’ve frozen 20 cups!

With the onions, I sliced some and chopped some.  I didn’t worry about measuring since frozen onions come apart with a quick tap on the counter.  One website said to place the onions on cookie sheets and freeze before bagging, but I didn’t have time to fool with that. 

Both of these will need to be used in cooked recipes since they won’t hold their original texture.  For the zucchini, the directions said to add any liquid in the bag (after thawing) to the recipe since it will be the juices that are normally in the zucchini.

Mahayla and Caleb grew carrots this year.  They were able to can 10 quarts – and I only had to supervise!  Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the finished jars.

Looks like green bean canning will be next on the list!  Anybody have a really good idea for saving summer squash?  I have attempted to parboil and freeze, but it turned out way to mushy to use, even in cooked dishes.

We took a trip last week to the local orchard to stock up on peaches and apples that had been graded out.  (They’re much cheaper that way!)  Again, freezing is easy.  Wash, peel, cut in slices, sprinkle a little sugar over the peaches or dip apples in water with a little lemon juice, place in ziptop bags and freeze.

All of these things can be used in a recipe just as you would use them if they were fresh.  They aren’t great, however, for thawing and eating plain.

I promised a couple of ladies that I would share recipes throughout the year using things I’ve canned or frozen.  Here’s a fried corn dish we had at supper last week.

Ingredients

• fresh or frozen corn cut off the cob
• fresh or frozen green pepper, chopped
• fresh yellow squash, chopped
• fresh or frozen onion, chopped
• butter

Melt butter in a frying pan.  Saute all veggies until crisp-tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Yummy!

One busy  pressure canner…..

Here and there over a  little more than a week, and we have over 80 beautiful quarts of beans put away.

And, apparently, we’re still counting.  So, any of my friends who live close by are welcome to come by “Westward’s Freebie Bean Pickin’ Garden”.  Take all you want as long as YOU do the picking! 

Garden #2 will be planted soon.  The kids have already started their sunflower hideaway where you see the brick markers.  More corn and green beans will come soon, along with pumpkins, gourds and some flowers for cutting.  This garden has a pretty good clay base, so it’s harder to depend on for a good harvest.

I’m not the neatest gardener in the world.  This is about the most weed free they’ll be all season!  But, I attempt to keep the weeds down enough to at least walk through the rows.    I have some pretty handy helpers this year – woohoo!

Yes, these garden plots probably seem excessive to some of you.  We try to plant enough to share with all the little critters that love to steal our food.  Otherwise, we don’t harvest much.  We’d like to can and freeze A LOT, too.  Food prices keep getting higher and higher, so every little bit will help.

Even if you can only spare a 2×2’ plot of land, it will be worth it to your children! Let them do the entire garden from start to finish. Tilling the land, choosing the seeds, planting, watering, weeding and harvesting. They will make mistakes that will be so valuable. They will also reap rewards that will be even more valuable. And you will have taught them a skill that will always come in handy. Not to mention the fresh air and exercise!

Don’t have any land? Buy a few big pots to place on the porch or even in the window.

For some reason, I never feel closer to the Lord than when I’m working in my garden. Silly? Maybe. I hope your children feel the same way!

Related Tags: gardening, children