MIA on the Urban Homestead

My apologies for this longer than intended absence from blogging. My only good excuse is that I have been knee deep in homesteading activities such as canning and bringing in the harvest.

Closely followed by home repairs/restoration on my version of TOH. In short making hay while there is daylight.

This is the view looking down the garden path toward the backyard. The patio is to the left behind the PVC lattice almost completely hidden by green beans. Right foreground is a very good looking Zucchini plant that has only produced one squash to date (note to self plant in front yard for full sun). Chard directly behind is picking up the slack producing very well. To the far right is the row of Roma Tomatoes lined with Marigolds doing what they do best bug patrol. Hard to see but between the 'golds are onions both yellow & red.

Here is a really fugal version of drip irrigation. One of the many items that attracted me to DH was his collection of plastic pails & buckets that he had hoarded away after years of collecting but I digress sorry back to the subject of drip irrigation.
In short the concept is very simple - a slow steady drip of water that finds it way to the deepest portion of a plants root system, a small area of wet soil that extends down to a foot or more vs. a large soggy area that only extends down a few inches (surface watering).
Each container has a small hole drilled in the bottom about the size of half a pea. That hole I found was best to place about two inches from the edge. This works well when I place the container up close along side the plants stalk as well as the original area where the root ball was first planted.
Good method to deliver either compost or manure tea.
There are 13 Romas on that one plant ... now if only they would grow to a pound each!

~~ pelenaka ~~

not my bro's deck

I'm pretty proud of how well the patio turned out so far. Pictured is the dinning area/canning kitchen with the PVC lattice trellis providing not only a bit of privacy but an area to grow green beans & cucumbers on. Directly behind the table growing is an heirloom pole bean, Garden of Eden. Many of our Italian neighbors have remarked how it reminded them of a green bean their father's grew. Thick & fat with huge seeds in the pods.

To the right is a smaller leafed pole bean, Gita Specialty Snap bean, also an heirloom.

Of the two the Gita comes in first for our preference of taste & texture.

This is a close up of Gita Specialty Snap bean. More than a few measured 16" however it's best not to let them grow that long or thick. Planning on canning these in a recipe called Dilly Beans.

Bragging rights on my Rainbow Swiss Chard - a whopping 27 " long. Unfortunately not every stem so for now I am selectively harvesting only the largest. Chard like other green leafy vegetables has to be pressure canned instead of the usual water bath canning procedure.

~~ pelenaka ~~

Press this Baby!

This has nuttin to do with nuttin except well to brag on my Husband's skill & as an incentive for me to cut some cheese. You see I'm pretty much burned out on homesteading.

Well not all homesteading activities just the canning aspect. Actually not the entire canning aspect just the jar washing/sterilizing/water bath canning/wipe down & label/stocking shelves aspect. Followed closely by the renovation of my old house such as stripping of woodwork and installing replacement windows, and repainting the porch. Next up is staining woodwork & doors, painting & reasembling door hardware (100 y.o. screws).

So on what is my first night off after picking up extra shifts due to call offs DH & I are going out to an area outside of Buffalo to a wine tasting/vintage car show/antique event http://www.clarencehollow.org/index.php3 .

So whether or not I come back with an attitude adjustment tomorrow there is Rainbow Chard to preserve, Green beans to can, & if it ever stops raining perhaps Roma toms to put up also.

Oh and Broccoli to harvest.

Perhaps I'll stop by the local mega mart and grab a shopper's flier to read. Dose of economic reality should snap me outta it.

$2.50 per lbs. for Green beans.

51,000 Americans lost their jobs in July.

Gas @ Hess is $4.18 a gallon.

It's time to cut the cheese.

~~ pelenaka ~~

good buys @ a tag sale this week were a dozen & half of wide & reg. canning jars for $3.50

3 100% white cotton sheets sets & 4 sets of pillow cases all pre 1970's for $16.

Last week put up 8 Qt. of Cherry Pie Filling, 16 pt. of Cherries in syrup for ice cream toppings, oatmeal, or yogurt, and Maple syrup ( broke down a gallon jug into jelly jars for long term storage, yes canning can be used but not abused).

Red Currant

Huge apology for the quality of this photo.

Pictured is Red Currant berries along with a few leaves. This is by far my favorite berry to pick as there's no thorns on the bush nor tell tale finger tip stains. Currants come in 3 varieties, Black, Red, and White. A good friend of DH's offered his bush to us. After all was said & done I got about 2 1/2 cups of juice (20 mins. of picking) which is sitting patiently in the freezer waiting to be canned up into jelly.

I use the Red Currant Jelly as a sauce with either Chicken, Rabbit, or Pork Roast cooked up in the crock pot. Depending on the meat herbs such as Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, or Fennel are added.

Projected cost is estimated somewhere in the neighborhood of .20 per jelly jar - accounts for pectin & lid.

~~~ pelenaka ~~

Broccoli Repeat

Broccoli crop so far is mixed results - on one hand the plants themselves are really looking pretty good, standing about 18" with good Broccoli green color. On the other hand the heads only grew to about the size of Acorn Squash (farmer's market Broccoli was melon sized but not organic) before they started bolting (turning yellow/flowering).

This is a pic of a Broccoli plant that has already been harvested but was left to grow a second set of smaller florets. A repeat.

The first harvest yielded almost 9 cups of florets. So enough for 4 meals.

Retail value estimated @ $4.50. Subtract that from the original $27 paid for seedling planted in this bed. Silent scream in my head for not starting plants from seeds in April!

I'll be starting Broccoli from seed for a fall harvest (cold frame'ng it). Hopefully the bed that the Bun's are making will be ready to accept planting in a few weeks .

On today's chore list is; clean the 2 pints of Black Raspberries ( retail for $10 since their organic) DH & I picked yesterday afternoon from our satellite farm, then freeze. At the end of berry season I'll collect every thing from the freezer & can it all. Also pick all the mature Chard, clean, & freeze. This will also be held until enough is gathered to warrant a pressure canner load full of pint mason jars. It is amazing how produce like Chard & Spinach cook down to a fraction of their size.

Concoct an organic Aphid repellent to spray since all of the Apple Trees are infested.

No Ladybugs in sight. Spotted only a handful of Honeybees, 3 Bumble Bees, numerous Dragon Flies & wasps. Oh and a very inquisitive Blue Jay.

~~ pelenaka ~~

Cherry

Taking advantage of a great opportunity to pick Cherries are my GF's young sons climbing (wearing bike helmets) her oldest Cherry tree.

She hasn't owned this city homestead long so this is the first Summer that she has been able to gather a sizable harvest of Cherries from this tree. Unsure as to what type just that they are red & juicy.

Since the tree has major issues her plan is to gather saplings growing ten feet away & replant in her corner lot. My plan is to snag the wood for a smoked meat project when it eventually falls.

This is for all those people who say that fruit trees are too much work. That they have to be sprayed. That they have to be netted. That you can't just let them grow - yes you guessed it this tree wasn't sprayed, netted, or watered. Did have a more than a few children climb it though.

~~ pelenaka ~~