Around the Farm.

This summer is keeping us so busy ! One of our biggest projects has been keeping up with the tomato  harvest. We have been canning tons of salsa as well as chopped tomatoes. As you can see in the pictures the whole family has been getting in on the act :-) .

Our big helper.

Open wide,Daddy!

We have some huge,beautiful sunflowers this year. Some of the flower heads are a foot across! The girls are eager for them to  ripen so they can help toast them.

Our stand of heirloom popcorn is doing well. Now, if we can just keep the racoons out until it's ready to pick...

A few weeks ago we went to a you-pick blue berry farm and came home with full bellies, blue faces, and seven gallons of berries to can and eat this winter.

Ember is kissing her little cousin, Logan.

This is one of several arbors on our place. It is so pretty right now with the trumpet vine and rose of Sharon in bloom that it just had to go on the blog.:-) 

"Rattlesnake" heirloom pole beans ready to take to the farmer's market.

Above; the results of a busy day of canning.  Below; the girls gloating over the first egg their new chicken laid.Esther loves to check the eggs with her little basket.

Cucumbers just before canning.

Sweet kisses from a happy little girl.if that doesn't make life worth living, what does?

Canning Summer Squash.

First off, so sorry to everyone that its been so long since we posted anything-We have been so busy here on the homestead that there has not been much chance to get to town( no internet service at home) and blog about it! One of the things we have been doing a lot of is canning zucchini and yellow straight neck squash.

Here are some little zucchini on one of our plants. They grow so fast that the tiny squash on this plant will be canning size in another day or two at the most. They have been coming in fast around here!

Clean canning jars ready to fill.

I leave about an inch of head space . Then I add half a tsp. salt and just cover the squash with cool water.

Ready for lids and bands.

Summer squash , like all low acid foods, must be pressure canned. Check with the local extention office or check the Ball "blue book" of canning for the most up to date canning times and pressures.

It is so satisfying to see all those pretty jars lined up in the pantry:-) . We like to use canned squash in soups and to make fried squash patties. Mmmm, mmm!

That's all for now, but more on what else we've been up to coming real soon!