With summer fast coming to a close, we’ve been busy preserving the fruits and veggies of this year’s gardening season. The Red Brandywine Heirloom seeds that we planted this year gave us a bumper crop of beautiful tomatoes. These babies are going to finish ripening in the porch and then we’re planning to stew and can them 
Some of the tomatoes grew REALLY BIG!
Willow and I ate our first home grown nectarine this morning. They are very close to being ripe and are so tasty! We only have the one tree but it is loaded with fruit. I’m hoping to pick them in about a week’s time. We will all eat our fill and then freeze the rest for the winter.
Our Catawba grapes are starting to get the faintest blush of color to them and are plumping up really well. I’m eagerly looking forward to enjoying a bunch with some good goat cheese!
Judah’s pumpkin seems to be drinking up all the rain we’ve been having lately. He proudly checks on his pumpkin every single day, rain or shine and is very happy with how well it is growing. It should make quite a few tasty pies and some really incredible pumpkin ravioli!
This afternoon we’re off to finish picking the last of our winter’s supply of wild blackberries. We will no doubt come home full of prickles and with a few scrapes but with our bellies and bowls full of tasty berries.
Did you grow a garden this year? Are you doing and pickling, canning, freezing our preserving? I’d love to hear all about it!
Sounds like you are living the kind of life I always thought I would love! Spinning, knitting, picking berries, growing fruits & veggies & canning. Maybe some day, I’ll get my dream too!
I do sew & knit, I used to pick berries, but then I moved.
Thanks Judy. We enjoy this lifestyle. I can be a little overwhelming sometimes (especially when the weeds grow like crazy and the veggies kick into over drive) but it is very fulfilling
I wouldn’t want to homeschool my kids though!
He he he. To each their own, right?
Yes, that’s right. I don’t know how you do everything! Where do I get fiber & what kind? I want to try the spinning. Thanks
Yay! I’m glad to hear that you’d like to give spinning a go. There are a ton of places out there to get really lovely fiber but my favorites are Spunky Eclectic, Greenwood Fiberworks, and Butterfly Girl Designs. These three ladies offer soft and fluffy and consistent fiber.
My favorite fibers when I was starting out were BFL (blue faced leicester) or merino combed top that you can buy by the ounce at Spunky Eclectic. I found that both of these fibers were easier for me to draft out consistently and spin that others that I had tried. The real key though, is just practicing. If you get frustrated, put it away for a little while and come back to your spinning when you are more relaxed. Tangles with your fiber and yarns breaking will happy, especially in the beginning, but they will get fewer and fewer as you get more comfortable.
Thanks for the info! I’ll be getting some as soon as I can. I’m moving in a few days, but soon as I get settled, I’m gonna order some. I’m saving the tips you give on here.
Good luck with your move! I hope you settle in easily