Making it work

We planted a garden in the spring and though we tried hard we did not get nearly the yields I had hoped for. Some of it was that we just didn’t plant things properly, some of it was that we were rather consumed with wedding stuff, some if it was being gone, me having surgery, etc. Our garden has certainly had some neglect issues this summer.

We have still managed to do a little bit of our own preserving though not of things we have grown ourselves. We bought a 25 lb. box of peaches and canned peach slices and froze peach cobbler filling and peach sorbet. We got some good deals on cherries and made several batches of cherry pie filling and also just plain cherries that we froze. We made some Triple Berry freezer jam (blueberries, blackberries and strawberries). We made some delicious berry popsicles.I got a good deal on zucchini and canned a batch of zucchini relish.

But, it is certainly not the rows and rows of beautifully preserved fruits and veggies I had hoped to see in the pantry at the end of the summer. So, now I am looking for ways to gain some more raw materials to work with. I’ve posted on freecycle (and replied to someone with a shopping bag full of peppers - I really hope I get that!) asking for garden leftovers or permission to pick fruit trees/bushes. I’ve posted the same on craigslist. Green beans are about $1 a pound right now and I am tempted to buy a whole bunch and can them. I mean, I canned peaches while on crutches so it shouldn’t be as difficult now.

I guess I will see if I get any bites on the things I’ve posted. It would be really great to find some good sources to can and freeze.I just hope it’s not too late in the season for it all.