Down on the Farm -- August Abundance

August abundance. Abundance of weeds. Abundance of garden clean-up to be done. Abundance of bugs. Abundance of produce (and not enough fridge room!).

It's easy to think that summer is over when school starts - which means that garden is done, or should at least be slowing down. Truth is, it doesn't. And so we've been trying to accomplish all of the garden work, plus school, and regular daily living :). It's tiring and when it's over with, we're celebrating!! 

more bright blooms - a favorite part of summer!

Got Beets?!

August is tomato month - and three cheers to the boys who have to get on their hands and knees and crawl through the patch to pick them :). We've had an abundance of tomatoes... anyone want some?!

New crop this year - lemon cucumbers. It's always fun to try something new! These are basically round yellow cucumbers. They're pretty and add variety, but I think next year, regular cucumbers will suffice :).

A highlight of our month was trying a new recipe - Corn and Black Bean Salsa! We all loved it - one jar was hardly enough for a one sitting!! It's a must-try for everyone - and we'll provide the tomatoes!!!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

3 qts tomatoes prepared as you would for salsa

1 ½ onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 green peppers, chopped

1 ½ c white vinegar

24 oz tomato paste

3 T salt

¼ c parsley

1 qt frozen corn (or more)

4 cans black beans

½ T chili powder

½ tsp cumin

4 jalapenos

( I added about ¼- ½ tsp stevia powder, too)

Cook for 1.5 hours. Fill jars and can. This made about 10 pts for us.

an august basket day!

Our peppers were an exciting crop this year - probably the best we've ever had! We grew little peppers called lunchbox peppers which we love! They're perfect for eating on the go - tiny enough you don't have to cut them, and sweet enough that you want more :). Our bell peppers have been really big and colorful, too. 

We usually find the kittens huddled up on the deck in the mornings

Penny got a haircut... he looks like a different dog! The neighbors think we should change his name :).

We got egg chickens this month - here are our first two eggs! Yeah, I know it's lame for some of you. But for Kenan, who is the egg collector, it's pretty exciting to find farm fresh eggs every morning! :)

And that's all that I have documented in pictures of our august abundance... but there's more coming in September! (which unbelievably, it already is September... ). The smell of fall is in the air :). -Faith