In a pickle...

Yesterday I canned for the first time in two year.  For the weenie amount that I did, it was totally worth it.  Last summer with the move and the wedding and all the other projects, we didn't have a garden, and I hadn't learned where to get the things I need to can.  I also canned baout 50 quarts of pickles in 2009, so I wasn't worried about running out. 

 

This year we planted a big garden, but it's been an interesting year so far.  It's been hot and dry - good for drying laundry and not as good for keeping a garden damp and thriving.  With the recent rains, I am starting to see a few things finally germinating that should have come up eons ago.  The cucumbers and squash have been funny, too, as they not been very fruitful.  Of about six Miami pumpkin plants that are strong and healthy (a green variety of "native" pumpkin), i have one pumpkin growing.  And about 20 of the spaghetti squash made it (the area got flooded), but there are probably only 6 squash coming on.  Crazy! 

 

So the cucumbers have been slow, but somewhat fruitful.  I have been collecting the cukes to pickle, but on Tom's and my trip to Santa Fe, I couldn't find dill anywhere.  And my dill didn't germinate.  Bummer!  I was talking about it with Marie, and she suggested to throw it out on facebook.  So I did, and I scored a handful of dill heads from a friend in Cimarron!  She dropped them by the office yesterday, so I went home and made pickles.  Really cool to use cucumbers from the garden, garlic from the garden, grape leaves from Ma & Pop's vine - ours had a really late and slow start this year, and dill from a friend's garden in Cimarron.  Local pickles...

 

I did find myself in a pickle as I used up the last of the salt for the brine - really had just enough.  And then as I got ready to can, I realized that I had no idea where all my supplies are.  I know where they used to be in Denver, but they aren't in the locker anymore.  And I know where all the jars are and the rings, but I couldn't find the lids!  I did find some unwritten on lids - which suggest they haven't been used - all mine get written on.  I boiled them for a good long time, making sure the rubber in the seal was sterile and soft for sealing. 

 

All the fuss - I only canned about 5 quarts of pickles.  I had a few dill heads left, so I will hold onto them and see if I cannot get a few more cukes off the vine for one more quart.  Better luck next year!