One of our many squash plants!
I seem to be pretty good at growing squash and green beans. What happened was I planted some squash seeds and they didn't come up. So I started more plants inside and by the time they were ready to transplant outside, the seeds had come up. So I have a good constant supply of squash this year.
Dandelions are good for you!
This morning I took a walk around to see what I had. I hadn't been out there the last few days. With raised beds you don't have to weed daily. I have been leaving the dandelions and red clover in. I think they help the plants. The beds that have them in seem to do really well. We eat the dandelions and lambs quarters in salads all summer long. I really don't like to cook them, but you can. I have thought of putting up some jars for the winter and they can be eaten as canned spinach or kale is.
Lambs Quarters is another wonderful weed!
A few of my squash plants have that powdery mildew on them. I always have that on cucumbers and squash plants. It could be because our yard is surrounded by trees and has more shade than they should have. I will have to try mixing up a homemade natural solution for it. Though it may be too late for mine now. They are still producing so it doesn't seem to prevent the squash from forming.
Cherry Tomato plants!
Tomatoes used to be plentiful too. But now that the air is full of those nasty spores that bring the Late Blight to NY gardens, I haven't grown them this year. The cherry tomatoes, as I told before on here, came up on their own. What is funny about that, is that they say to get rid of all the volunteers, so you don't get the blight. But these are the only tomatoes that I can grow, that do not get the blight! So we keep them. Have to at least have some fresh tomatoes for our salads! I cannot stand the ones bought in the stores as they have no taste.
Another raised bed of green beans in the backyard!
Green beans is a vegetable that I serve a lot. I like to add Italian dressing to it or cook it in bacon grease for a great flavor. I have even made it into my famous squash casserole by substituting it for the squash in the recipe. Cooking a pot of green beans with little potatoes is also a way I serve it. Last year my on line friend, Shawn, alerted me to the nice touch of canning the wax beans with the green beans. Now that is how I do it. Makes for a pretty dish!
Another squash plant!
By planting vegetables and harvesting wild foods, such as the good weeds and berries, wild grapes, apples and whatever else grows in our area, we are able to preserve foods for the winter. We eat some fresh and can the rest. I love coming up with new ways to cook the foods. It gets to be like a game, storing more food by finding new ones to can or preserve. What foods do you preserve for your winter supply?
Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
food for the winter. So regardless of whether you are into homesteading or not, we all need to eat! How to do that with the economy in such pits? Is there a way you know of putting your food up for the winter months at least?
? Do you think it is too late? It is not too late. I plant in the spring and replant when the plants stop producing. Right through to the fall, I am replanting. The more food I can get out of my garden the more money I save in our food budget. Then I have extra money to spend on meat and the products we cannot produce ourselves.
for items like cream soups, puddings, hot cocoa mix, baking mix, etc. They are cheaper that way and you can put the ingredients in them that you want. I like to make my mixes sugar free and low carbs. But you can make your own mixes to suit yourself.
I have growing this year are from those.
due to the late blight. So I have no tomatoes to can. I have to buy them from a produce market in our area. You can also buy the larger cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste and can them into the sizes you need. Quarts or pints.
that you can't afford right now. Like asparagus. That is my plan for next year. Asparagus and blueberries. Learn to can, dehydrate and freeze if you have that option and want to do it. But don't do all your food in the freezer. In case of a power outage, you would need some quick foods like the canned ones. If there was an emergency, you would not have the time or energy to can foods that are stored in your freezer. I hear so many people say that is what they would do. Not a smart option in the middle of a power outage! What is your plan?
. They get the hay cut and then let it dry on the field and hopefully it doesn't rain on it. Then they bale it with the baler. And pick it up and put it on the hay wagon to take to their barns. There is a farm near us that uses horses for much of their farm work. But this year, I see he is putting up the round bales and he doesn't use horses for them.
is you can see for miles. I love the view up there. It seems so peaceful and quiet. Especially if he is working with the 
. They you just hear the cling of the harness as they work. I call it the "Top Of The World Farm." It is my name for it. I don't know the farmer except to wave to. We drive by it on our way to the little store. 
mostly because they cannot get any young people to work for them. The work is too hard. They'd rather work at a fast food place for more money and in air conditioning all summer. I guess I can't blame them.
. Twice a month. Our truck will only hold enough for half the amount we need. So my husband drives to pick it up. Round bales are not something we can handle since we have no equipment to lift it off the truck. The small square bales are what we buy. Then he puts them upstairs in our barn. Not an easy job for him with his physical ailments, but he manages. The horses come running when they see that load of hay on the truck! A feeling of security for them.
living on our homestead this year. When I am in the garden they will slither away quickly. I have had to save a couple from our cats. Most people are scared of snakes and will kill them as soon as they see one in their yard. We do not feel that way about our snakes. In fact, they seem to know us.
control their temperature by their internal metabolism. Snakes' temperature is dependent on their environment. That is why most of them live in warm climates. I am glad that our snakes here in NY are not the poisonous types. And I can understand people in tropical climates not wanting them around. But for me, I like our snakes, and even look for them in the morning.
, I am fairly familiar with snakes. The kind that we had in FL were not the kind to mess around with. Behind our house was a swamp with trees in it. Often 
would hang in the trees. It was not a place I ever went to. Though my brother would often go out there in a row boat with his gun. One time after I got off the school bus, he ran at me and pushed me out of the way. I didn't realize it at the time, but I almost stepped on a sand rattler and it was up in position to strike!
