It's my favorite time of the year for farmer's market shopping. There are peaches, pears, apples and hard squash right next to delicate lettuce, sweet and hot peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. It's almost time to start buying in quantity for canning, freezing and preserving.
Here's just a little of what I found over the weekend:
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At the beginning of the alphabet, we have apples. |
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Melons, melons and more melons. |
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Carrots, beets, and multicolored beans. |
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Pretty peppers in perky colors. |
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Winter squash. These guys are BIG. |
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Peachy peaches. |
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A rainbow of tiny tomatoes. |
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Heirloom tomatoes. The green ones are fully ripe. |
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Cucumbers in green and yellow. |
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Is that one looking at me? |
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Last, but not least, we have summer squash, including end-of-the alphabet zucchini. |
And of course, I did some cooking when I got home.
Here's some lovely steamed corn:
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Yum! |
5 comments:
Looks like great market you have in Longmont. I also purchased some peaches from Palisade at our market. They were so delicious!
Great Pix and a bounty, to be sure. Also, I bit too pretty for the 'lugs' of suff that we use for canning. He take-home stuff is never quite this pretty, and home-canned goods end up with a lot of trimming and chuck. One pretty jar for next year's fair and the rest is on the ordinary side, especially when bought in bulk.
Basics:
Wash each piece as if it was fine china or chystal. Drip and wipe dry with the same care. This stuff is ripe, almost over-ripe so it is fragile.
Manage the skin and pit issues as necessary for each item. Skins provide a wealth of protection for the {fill-in}. IN most caes, they are dirty or worse. Their job is done, so get them off. Method varies by type; multiple methods are sometimes available, so pick your's and know how to make it work - IN BULK. If you need to Experiment a bit, of have extra water or ice available, plan ahead. Processing for home canning is a robust operation and the clock will not wait for the timid. Hint: It you are using the boiling water method, get the half-full pot to a slow simmer, before working on the fruit at hand. Keep it at least half fulland turn up the heat a few minutes before you know the jars will be ready.
Follow the rules and to the letter. It it says water 1" over the tops and before the boil, do it that way! When is says to start your timer AFTER the canner returns to a full boil, do it that way.
More important stuff, but everything you need is in those basic books or web sites from USDA or your local University Extension service. The in formation is published for a darn good reason: To keep you and your family safe. Follow the directions and to the letter. Read them ahead of time and know the process, inside-out, before you begin. If the method demands a lot of water or ice, have more than plenty available and before you start - perhaps before you pick or buy.
There is so much more, but it is all of basic canning practice. The real take home is to know every step of the process as if blind-folded and BEFORE you begin. Once started, keep going until the lot is finished. Use the timer and the thermometer as directed and add that ordered lemon juice, vinegar, or whatever EXACTLY as ordered. This is NOT the place to get creative or to make substitutions. (Don't have it = Don't can it!) By the numbers, every step of the way. Best wishes!
Cedarglen
I HATE having to post this way and just sign a the end - anyone could do that. The authentication methods are a nasty, PITA, and I do not mean bread.
C.
Cedar, the authentication is a bit annoying, but as the blog gets busier it keeps the automated bots from posting. It doesn't stop spammers from posting links to all sorts of odd things, but I'd never be able to keep up with the automated posts if I left all the doors wide open.
And I understand...
Cedarglen
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