Fall Gardening

Come on, Let me in the house...

Some of the things in the fall garden beds are starting to come up now.  Since not being able to do a garden this spring I am really excited about the coming fall season.  There are some things that we definitely started too late on like the tomato's and the peppers.  But with a little luck just maybe by using the greenhouse some of it may still work out.  If not, well that's ok too. We have stuff in the dirt this year after all.

Mushroom has some heirloom pole beans that have been in her family for a couple of generations. They are "genetically" in the Kentucky Wonder family. Her grandkids dubbed them Magic  Beans since they produce a nice purple bean but when cooked they look like regular green beans.  Mars has some of them started and they are about 3 inches tall right now.  He also has broccoli, carrots, beets, yellow summer squash, onions, cucumbers, strawberries(for next year), basil, sage, cilantro and a few other things that I can't recall off hand.

I have decided I want to learn how to make hand and body soap. I've been doing alot of research about it. If it works out nicely I want to make soap for Christmas gifts this year. I also have everything I need to get started.  Well almost everything.  I cannot find LYE.  Not locally.  I'm still searching but most places have taken it off their shelves. All I want is enough to do one batch of soap so I can see if it's something I would like to do more of.  If I can't find it here locally I guess I will have to order online.  The problem with that is I will have to order in quantity AND pay shipping.  It is frustrating me to no end.  I am going to be making some more phone calls tomorrow.  I wonder if a plumbing company might have some I could purchase? If not I might have better luck either in Tulsa or Muskogee.  Mushroom and Bud go to both places once in awhile so that might be an option. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to find lye?

 The fig tree is still producing like crazy.  We have put up 18 pints of whole figs so far.  The consensus is that we have canned enough whole fruit for the season.  Next comes jelly, jam and/or preserves.  I've never made fig "anything" before, so I'm looking forward to learning something new!  From what I understand the figs will be producing until the middle of September so I don't know what in the world we will end up doing with the rest. Mushroom says that these particular figs don't dry well, which is a bummer.  I would really like to try to dry at least one batch though.  Anyone out there have some good fig recipes or ideas?