In a Pickle...so to speak.

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Hello friends. Whew it's been a busy time here in the city. Who knew a Farmers Market would consume so much time and energy. We're heading into the last two month at the market and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Back here at home the garden has been working overtime producing tomatoes, squash,green onions,potatoes,beans,greens,peppers, chiles, cucumbers and many variety of herbs.

Cucumbers are now pickling away. This is the second batch of pickles this summer. These are spicey with garlic, onions, Jalepenos, and a couple jars have GHOST PEPPERS.

Peppercorns that were toasted:


DH's famous secret pickling juice bubbling away on the stove:

Jars of goodness:





I love the pics of the jars above with just the cucumbers and spices in them before the pickling juice has been poured in. The colors are really a testament to the garden and all of the bounty it has offered us.

We just bought a dehydrator and are starting to have fun with everything that can be dried. I hear corn is really good dehydrated.
Now it's off to harvest a few more veggies and make a gallon of sun tea.

Until next time I wish you all good health , happy days and sweet dreams,
-missy- aka pennyhenny

Simple Woman's Daybook

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Outside my window...

I am thinking... how nice it was to have rain all morning.

I am thankful... for GOD.

In the kitchen... tonight will be veggie pizza...my favorite food.

I am wearing... heather gray knee knockers and a Live Love Ride (referring to horses) coral and blue t-shirt.

I am creating... a Halloween ornament from the new JCS Halloween issue.

I am going... to harvest water from our rain barrel so that we can collect more rain water if it rains again tomorrow.


I am reading... the Bible with a Bible study program. She Reads Truth

I am hoping... that our Farmer's Market has great weather and turn-out this Saturday.

I am looking forward to... regaining my health.

I am learning to knit.



I am pondering... if the dishes will indeed wash themselves. lol

A peek into my day...

Hosted by The Simple Woman's Daybook

Farmers Market

Hello everyone how have you been? Me? A wee bit busy . DH and I started a Farmer's Market...yes a real life Farmers Market full of fabulous vendors featuring yummy foods and crafts. The hoops we had to jump through with the city and county laws had us spinning but it was so worth it. So great to see the community really support the market and even a better feeling seeing the vendors make a success each Saturday and sell out of their goods.

I love talking with the vendors about their farms, goods,crafts and such. We have one vendor who sells Alpaca wool from her own farm of Alpacas and the wool is amazing. Along with her gloves,scarves, blanket, chair pads, socks yarns,and so many other great things she has quite a following. I love that she brings her spinning wheel to the market and shows how she spins her wool.

Of course there are many more vendors I LOVE and will blog about them too. I'm starting a blog for the market to show-case everyone involved.

Do you have a local Farmer's Market you visit, shop or sell at? What's your favorite part? Your not so favorite part? We're learning a lot and love hearing what everyone wants.

Trying to keep cool in this summer heat and hope you are too.

hugs and happy days,
-missy-

Celebrate..

I wish all of you a wonderful holiday full of love, laughter and family.

hugs and keep creating,
-missy-

Baked-Mashed-Boiled-Fried...

Hi everyone. It's been awhile but with good reason as life had been BUSY. The garden is demanding more of my free time but it's all worth it. Today I thought I would share the Potato box progress. This all started from an idea I had seen online and DH had read about in one of his many gardening books. The idea is to use reclaimed wood to create boxes that grow along with the potatoes. The first pic is of course the starting point of the boxes. Yes all wood used is reclaimed from donated items, wood pieces and found wood.

The Start of something good.

Potatoes and hope.

All planted.

Covered with dried grass to keep it warm.

Growing strong.

Added second board.

Growing tall--Level 2

Wow Level 3


As you can see these potatoes are growing big and strong. We have 3 boxes all with different potatoes growing.
I can't wait to add the next level which as you can see will be any day now. What we do is add dirt on top of the green growth after adding 4 boards all the way around the base. Then we wait until new growth is big enough to cover again. Eventually we will start removing the boards and potatoes should just fall out so to speak.

How is your garden growing? What are you most proud of in you garden?

Have a great day everyone and don't forget to stop and smell the Roses.

-missy-

City Chick here........

Hello new blog. I decided to start this new blog as a way of keeping track of my never ending attempts of living GREEN and SIMPLE in my crazy 24/7 bustling city. Seriuosly doesn't anyone sleep anymore?

In an atempt to find a people who don't think wearing an apron is an "old fashioned" thing I joined a great site called MARYJANE'S FARM-FARMGIRL CONNECTION and I'm so thrilled I did. In truth I'm a bit addicted as I'm learning so much. Honestly please go check it out....it won't cost you a dime and I would bet that you will learn a thing or two. These women are amazing resources from everything to cooking, cleaning to farming and having fun.

Last night I made up a batch of homemade laundry soap--the dry powder version. After completing 5 loads of laundry I know I will never go back to commercial laundry soap.







1 bar Fels or Castile or Zote bar soap grated finely
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda
Mix all ingredients and use 1/4 cup or less (depending on machine and how soiled the clothes are). I add the powder in the water before adding the clothing.

I used both the Castile soap and Fels-Naptha,both of which I found at Krogers. I chose the Peppermint Castile soap and WOW what a wonderful clean smell the laundry has. It even took out the foodie smells from my husbands Chefs coats and aprons.



Well I'm off the puter now to go for a walk to the local book store to pick the Sunday paper and then back home to build another raised garden bed.

Have a wonderful and happy day,
missy