Why am I bringing this up right now? Well I'll be honest. I'm seriously in "the weeds" right now. It happens. It sucks. I've got so many things going on right now with the garden and food preservation I can't seem to catch up. Or even come close. It happens every year it seems but this year is really bad. With almost 10 gallons of hot peppers to process, spaghetti squash to cook and dry, 3 hundred feet of beans to pick and process, bell peppers to dry, tomatoes for salsa and rotel to do, melons to pick, yellow squash to dry (yay for squash) okra to pick and dry, blackeyed peas to pick and shell.... you get the idea. And of course there is always weeding to be done. Add to this that it's time (almost past time) to get fall veggies planted and several other things I can't think of at the moment. Overwhelmed to say the least. The thing is though that this isn't a BAD thing. I'm happy the garden's been kicking butt this year. I just need to clone myself I guess.
I'm having a hard time with priorities for some reason. I just need to keep pushing on and eventually I'll get caught up and probably be really happy with the results. I've got a ton of post ideas but no real time to actually sit down and write. By the time I can sit down and relax and watch our nightly movie I find myself dozing off. I'm not trying to make excuses for not having written anything lately. I just thought I'd give you a heads up on why I've not been. I'll try to keep you all updated but right now I'm "in the weeds".
I'd say take care of the practical issues first and catch up on the blog when you can.
ReplyDeleteSCI,
DeleteI would have to agree with our friend, Harry.
Harry,
DeleteI can always count on you to be "the man with the plan" . lolllzzz I just need to sit back and think things through and not run around like a crazy ol bat just putting out fires.
Sci
Priorities, is what it comes down to!!! I'd say eating this winter and saving money top every thing! Do what you gotta do,we'll still be here!
ReplyDeleteHey Donna! I know you are right about priorities. I just need to do a bit of rearranging mine. I keep telling myself that all this is going to be appreciated in the months to come. Heck it only lasts for a little while, right? This has just been a crazy year in the garden and the weather. I'm doing things now that in the past couple of years were already done by this time. BTW I've got those melons almost ready to pick. I can hardly wait! I think of you every time I slice up one of those babies! hehehe
DeleteSci
I wish I had your "problem". All our gardens failed this year due to crazy weather.
ReplyDeleteGeesh, I'm sorry about your gardens. That really sucks. Funny isn't it how the crazy weather did so many different things to so many people. We've really not had to water much at all because of the rains coming like they did. I hope next year is a better one for you guys.
DeleteSci
Your situation is why I have so much respect for our covered wagon pioneers. They could never stop and rest, never put it off for tomorrow, no supermarkets to run to, tired or not they had to keep going or possibly do without food for the year. How lucky we are and how incredibly tough those people were.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, you'll catch up! :-)
Mike,
DeleteI've had those very same thoughts about our forefathers. I just think of all the conveniences we have now and it's still a good bit of work. Running water, propane for fires and so many other things that they didn't have. I'm not sure I would have been able to keep up the pace they must have had to accomplish so much. Much respect here for them. Looking at it like that, this is a cake walk!
I know I'll catch up but dang! I have never looked forward to winter before but I know that by then I'll be able to catch up on all the other things that get put off this time of year and have some "down time".
Thanks for the reminder!
Sci
Heh, you're right. Can't complain about too much stuff coming in can ya? It's like complaining about too much rain and then getting none.
ReplyDeleteAt least you'll be almost done by September.... maybe :)
PP you are so right. I'm really not complaining. Shoot I know I've been blessed this year with a kick a$$ garden. At least the temperatures haven't been in triple digits so far this year. It does help and the garden loves it too.
DeleteMaybe by September I'll be able to slip away for a day of fishing. That's something to look forward to! And I've got one heck of a gardener's tan too! lol
Thanks for making me smile today!
Sci
Gurl - i had to read your post to jam as he worked in restaurants for 9yrs and i knew he would know the term, and FULLY understand it. you stop worrying about posting as all of us will still be around in october when you can come up for air! it sounds like your garden is doing amazing and i am super happy for you but i understand the feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where your head is, what to do next and what takes priority! give yourself a little bit of a break with some ice tea and just sit for a bit with Mars and be calm. once you are calmed enough - get back atter! you know what hard work looks like and feels like since you spent your whole adult life working hard - be it in a restaurant or be it in the garden. you go gurl! but just remember, when it feels overwhelming, take a break. calm down. be good to yourself. all of it can wait for at least a couple of hours or better yet - tomorrow. it will all still be there waiting to be processed, canned and picked tomorrow. taking care of yourself and Mars is number one!
ReplyDeleteyou make me so proud!
your friend,
kymber
SCI,
DeleteSweet Kymber has a point here!!!! Pull out the tea, and enjoy some relaxing time with Mars.
kimberz
DeleteYou always know just what I need to hear. I'm having to take a day off tomorrow to have yet another procedure done on my back. Mars has to come with me as they won't let me leave without a driver. I think since I can't be in the garden tomorrow anyway I'll make up a big jug of tea with some nice mint and "take it easy". A good time to regroup, toss out all my old lists and start a different set of them and approach this like I would in a restaurant stuck in the weeds! I never knew Jamz worked in food service. Very interesting!
I just wanted to tell you again how much I love you and your big ol' heart. Thanks for all the support now and from the time we first met. I'm sending virtual hugs to you and your wonderful man.
Sci
Sandy, isn't she something? lolll I'm going to make some ice tea with nice sprigs of mint tomorrow and regroup! You know I love my lists and tomorrow will be a good day for it.
"Make hay while the sun shines." You can write this winter. I wish I had your problem. I have never worked in a restaurant or known many people who have. But, I knew what "in the weeds" meant. Around here, I hear people say they let stuff waste in the garden because they could not put it all up. Now, that is a problem to have. Hopefully, you won't have to let yours go to waste.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteYou are so right. There will be plenty of time in a couple of months to do all sorts of things I love to do. I'm already planning on pulling out my knitting needles and start a new project a friend of mine was kind enough to send to me. Pretty yarn, a pattern I've never tried before and even a set of new needles! These are some of the things that I think about while I'm out picking, plucking, drying and canning.
I can't imagine just giving up and letting things go to waste in the garden no matter how much there is to do. Our local food pantry happily takes fresh produce. Last year I can't remember how many buckets of tomatoes I donated to them. "Waste not, want not" right?
It's really not a problem having the garden do this well, it just takes a lot more time than folks realize to get from the garden to the preservation. It's the prep work that takes so much time. Shoot, canning is a breeze!
Have a great week,
Sci
I have had your same problem and tried not to complain because I am thankful that my garden is producing this year. Last week I canned 91 quarts of grape juice. The garden just keeps producing and I have done the best to try to keep up but I do have two grown sons who live near by and I am happy to share with them when I get to the point that I am afraid of losing something or just to give myself a break. Hang in there and just do the best you can. You will be thankful for all of it this winter, I'm sure. Pat B.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
DeleteI hope I don't sound like I'm complaining. I truly am not. I know I'm blessed this year. There are so many folks that have had a horrible year with this crazy weather. WOW! That's a lot of grape juice! Shoot that in itself should be applauded. A lot of work goes into messing with grapes. It's great you have your family close enough to help out. Thanks so much for the encouragement. All any of us can do is all we can do, right?
Thank you for stopping by. Don't be a stranger. There's coffee on the stove and cookies on the counter. Make yourself at home!
Sci
I try to work on the stuff that I will definitely use and catch the other stuff it there is time. Probably the beans and rotel would be high up on the list. Hot peppers, not so much for us. Good luck with it, no such problems here at the moment.
ReplyDeleteSF actually those are the things highest on my list as well. Beans, peas, salsa and rotels. Those I need and use all the time. Like every week! I've been thinking about those hot peppers too. There aren't many folks around these parts that like hot peppers. BUT there are two little Mexican restaurants in Tiny Town that might be interested. I've been thinking that the next time I go into town I might stop by and see if they would be interested in them. There is also a lady who's just opened a little coffee shop in town and she's stopped by a couple of times to buy some. They serve lunches there from 11-2. I might be able to work out some sort of deal with her as she loves my tomatoes. Who knows, I might be able to work out a way to make a few bucks on the side. I really need to buy at least a couple of heating mats for seed starting. With a garden the size that Mars has created there might be a new niche in all this garden space. We'll just have see if there's a market for some of the excess produce.
DeleteI can relate. My daughter's wedding is this week, and I just picked 140 apples that need processing and heaven only knows how many tomatoes are out there right now. These are all GOOD things, but overwhelming when they all happen at once
ReplyDeleteChipmonk Boy oh Boy you sure have some stuff on your plate this week! Congratulations on your daughter's wedding. I hope it goes just like you all have it planned. Hey. Maybe you can give gifts of tomatoes for the guests to take home! lollllzzzz!!!! My hat's off to you for even attempting such an endeavor during the garden season!
DeleteGood luck to ya'll,
Sci
SCI,
ReplyDeleteI spent 30 minutes today with BDM pulling out one tomato plant (aka a tree), and then we tied up 4 additional tomato plants with cheap pantyhose from the dollar store. The tomatoes needed support. We has so much more to do out in the garden, and very little time to do it.
It's so darn hot today, we had to go in after 30minutes of working. I'm thinking of heading out this evening or early in the morning to continue the work.
Don't worry about posting, take care of you and Mars first along with your homestead.
Sending hugs to you both.
Sandy
Sandy,
DeleteIt sounds like your tomatoes are really getting large! Pulling out tree trunks??? Wow!! This time of year there's always tough on us all who garden. (well not "exactly" this time of year but you know what I mean) Some of us don't have air conditioning to run in to cool off. That's what the shade is for! lol Seriously though, early mornings and later in the evenings are the very best times to be out there. Things will be just fine! I was only trying to explain kind of how I see this time of year. Not much time for anything that doesn't sort of surround food! And you know we love some good groceries!! lolllzzzz
Hugs to you and BDM,
Sci
Due to crazy weather, almost all our gardens failed this year.
ReplyDeleteTanmay Roy, I'm really sorry to hear about your problems with the crazy weather and the garden this year. I guess here in this part of Oklahoma we were lucky to get an almost perfect summer this year. Maybe someone up there took pity on us for the past couple of years!
DeleteThanks for stopping by. Don't be a stranger. There's always coffee on the stove and cookies on the counter! Make yourself at home.
Sci
You are busy! How do you use the dried veggies, like squash? I would like to dry more. We don't use peppers. What else do you dry? Linda
DeleteHi Linda,
DeleteDrying vegetables is one of the oldest preservation methods to keep foods for longer periods of time. I absolutely LOVE drying foods. I dry squash, carrots,potatoes,peppers to use later in things like soups and stews or grind them and make seasonings with them, herbs of all kinds,cucumber's for chips(this is a new one and I'll be writing about it soon) mushrooms,just about any fruit or vegetable can be dried, I've got a tab at the top of the page that has more information about drying foods too. Also (because I"m terrible about updating the tabbed sections) go to my search bar up around the top of the right hand side and type in dehydrating.and drying. You wil come up with all sorts of posts about things I've done. As a matter of fact today I'm drying a bunch of my left over produces(ends and pieces) that I save to make vegetable powder!
Thanks for the great qnd if therre is anything else I can help with just give me a holler!!
Sci
While I miss reading your posts you gotta take care of stuff in order of importance. You'll have plenty of time to post when the snow flies. Until then you need to make sure that you have enough food to get you through so one foot in front of the other and we'll look forward to those posts when you can swing it!
ReplyDelete