Working, working

Not ready yet, July 2023

It's two weeks into our six week school holiday (for the kids and me; husband is still working) and I feel like I could do with a break!  The kids and I walk up to the allotment every day for our usual jobs:  poultry care, picking artichokes and anything else ready (beets, cucumbers, French beans and more).  I do the same harvesting round at home (cucs, zucs, lettuce, herbs and more).  And after all this I'll get busy in the kitchen every day, cooking and preserving the harvest. 

What is all this junk next to my grape arbor? July 2023

I'm still dehydrating veg nearly every day, and getting to the last couple heads of cabbage.  Also dehydrating the excess of zucs (hooray!), though I have come to the last of the big kohl rabi for now--some little ones still growing, hopefully for autumn harvest.

I've also got several jars of pickled cucumbers--just started a new one yesterday.  Even though it's still maybe a little early, I'm starting to sample the fermented ones I began last month:  yum.  I also started fermenting a small jar of cabbage and zuc, and a big jar of mixed veg with a jumble of whatever I had too much of: French beans, kohl rabi, zuc, cuc, cabbage, garlic.  I even put in some dried chilis I found in the back of the cupboard, which I'd grown about five years ago.  

I still have lot more harvesting--and dealing with that harvest.  I also have other garden chores including clearing beds and transplanting the last seedlings I sowed in July.  I expect to be very busy for the rest of my relaxing holiday.