Volunteer Four O'Clocks. 8.17.2021

 Multiple Four O'Clocks came up in the pathways between raised beds.  I didn't have the heart to pull them out.  I'm glad I didn't.

These were raised a few years ago from saved seeds, then self seeded again. I think I'll choose my favorites and save seeds to start in a different location next year.

Saving Tomato Seeds. 8.17.2021

 As the tomato season peaks, I want to be sure to save seeds from the varieties that I like.  I don't need a lot.  So far, I'm saving Extreme Bush, BrandyFred, Volunteer Yellow Cherry F3 generation, Golden King of Siberia, Classic Beefsteak, and Ukraine Purple.

After slicing the tomato, I use a spoon or butter knife to pick a dozen or so seeds from the flesh.  Then I place them into a labeled glass gar with about 1/2 cup of water, cover with a paper towel held in place by a rubber band.  Then I eat the tomato.

Then I let them ferment for two or three days. The fermentation reduces disease and germination inhibitors in the seed coat.

Then I rinse the seeds in a seive and place them onto a labeled paper coffee filter to dry.

After a few days to dry, I'll place these into envelopes and store in the pantry until time to plant them next Spring.

Finishing "Eight Shirts" Quilt. 8.16.2016.

 I finished my first full sized quilt.  It's 72" by "72".  I used fabric from a dark blue shirt for the binding.

Early Sunglow Hybrid Sweetcorn. 8.11.2021.

I was prepared to not like this variety. It took a little longer than Trinity, both planted May 9. So first harvest was about 90 days. Park's Seeds markets this one at 62 days, but that's doubtless in a much warmer climate than here. Early Sunglow is a "Regular Sweet" (SU) type, an older type that is not "Super Sweet". I think the "Super Sweet" types are mushy and just taste like sugar, not corn. The third type, "se+" or sugary enhanced, is good (See post on "Trinity"). I think I bought the seeds from Burpee, but I'm fed up with them for the following reasons - on the sweetcorn, they dont list days to harvest; they don't list the type of hybrid; they add cookies to your computer; last year I bought their "Bodaceous" tomato variety and it tasted like cardboard. 

 Actually, I discovered I like Early Sunglow better than Trinity. It has a more "corn" flavor and is still nice and sweet when harvested fresh. These ears are not as deeply yellow as the catalog pictures. Maybe they need more time to fully ripen, ot the photos are "enhanced", or it's my climate. Whatever, these are quite good. Also in the photo - Serrano and Jalapeño peppers, an "Alibi" cucumber, Golden Queen of Siberia heirloom tomato, and various cherry tomatoes.

Sweetcorn "Trinity". 8.11.2021

I like "Trinity"- good flavor, ears are good size, well-filled with big sweet kernels. I've been harvesting this one for a couple of weeks now.

Golden King of Siberia Tomato. 8.11.2021

 Golden King of Siberia is a Russian heirloom variety.  This is the first year that I have grown it.  Nice, big  beefheart type tomato.  Flavor is mild, tomato-flavor.  Not super sweet or super tart. I like it, will save seeds. Also in the photo, Ukranian Purple and various cherry tomato varieties.

Dwarf Tomato "Extreme Bush". 8.11.2021

So far Extreme Bush is the most productive of my container friendly, dwarf tomatoes. As a determinate variety, I don't expect a long season for this variety. It's been producing for a few weeks. The tomatoes are a good slicing size. Not beefsteak, but still a nice medium size tomato. Flavor is excellent - like Better Boy, like a good midwestern tomato-flavored tomato. I will save seeds from "Extreme Bush" tomatoes for next year's kitchen garden.

Peaches. 8.11.2021

Picked the first crop of the season from this peach tree. It's a seed-grown tree from "Oregon Curl Free", a variety promoted as resistant to the dreaded peach leaf curl disease that, in the maritine Pacific NW, is to peach trees what COVID is to humans. This tree doesn't get peach leaf curl disease at all, which is sort of amazing, and is better than it's parent. Anyway, there are lots more on the tree.

Pickled Eggs. 8.7.2021

I made a batch of pickled eggs. The recipe was from "The Delicious Table". The amount of eggs was right for two quart jars (18 eggs), but the vinegar solution is enough that I can use the extra to make some refridgerator dill pickles, soon. The ingredients are cider vinegar, water, peppercorns, pickling spice, salt, Jalapeños, garlic, eggs.

Kitchen Garden Harvest. 8.7.2021

 Pretty good crop I think.  It's keeping us out of the grocery store for this round of coronavirus.  The sweet corn is "Trinity". The beans are Ning's special NE Chinese beans.