Welcome to my Starting a garden blog Post #23 π»π. I decided to change it up this week and lead with a picture of Blueberry the until oh so recently Monarch caterpillar π. Blueberry emerged from its chrysalis this morning and was set free after an hour or so of drying its wings π¦. Those of you that follow me may realize this is the second Monarch butterfly we have released. We have some great caterpillar habitat (milkweed) and butterfly habitat (Joe Pye Weed). We brought in a caterpillar to protect it from predators and watch it grow. Now we have four more and another in a chrysalis. Everytime we bring in more milkweed to feed our caterpillar - more caterpillars show up in the butterfly house π
Since I'm not doing flowers this week, here is another critter from the garden. This smooth green snake was found at sunset. They eat crickets among other things and there are lots of crickets right now.
Now on to the garden...
Here's the harvest from August 21st.
And more from August 26th. Lots of tomatoes right now plus basil, zuchinnis, cucumbers and a few peppers. We actually harvested more than twice this week but we had a house guest and were a little lax on photos π
I just tried our first jalapeno pepper. It is quite hot π₯ Looking forward to making some hot sauce as they come ripe. Recipes welcome π
We are using tomatoes every way we can think of... this pizza is home grown tomatoes, peppers, basil, and Vermont cheese on a home made crust. My favorite is probably still a Caprese salad. We also started making tomato soup.
I missed getting a picture of the soup, here is the last of it doubling as pasta sauce π
Getting ready for another batch, I'll keep you updated.
Most of the cucumbers went into pickle making. We made both bread and butter pickles and some dills.
Here's the pickle scorecard lol. We also used some cucumbers fresh on salads or with dip and made a simple tomato, cucumber and onion salad.
We like grilled zuchinni. Eating some warm and chilling some to use on salads. Plus we have made some crock pot zuchinni dishes with rice and beans or with other grains.
Thanks for joining me in my garden this week π Have a great week!
P.S. I asked for hot sauce recipes. I'm also interested in any other creative uses of tomatoes π
Bonus pics:
Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes
Signing off from lovely Lake Dunmore. Enjoy summer while it lasts!
Reptiles in your garden shows that you have good biodiversity because they have enough to eat. It's something to be proud of!
Thanks for checking out my post π I like snakes too. They are cute. And useful for eating slugs and such.
Such a satisfying post - butterflies, little snakes, lots of produce!
I make the best jalapeno hot sauce. It's a fermented one like srirarcha. You fill a jar with jalapeno, a carrot, an onion, a garlic clove or two, then pour in a brine of 1 tsp to 1 cup of water so it's covered - weight down if poss. LEave for a week or two or until the water tastes the sourness you like. You can leave for weeks, no problem. Then strain off, whizz up with a tbsp or two of apple cider vinegar (add a little at a time until it's how you like the taste, and it stops it fermenting further too) and maybe a squeeze of lime or even a couple of berries! You might even like sugar, I don't, but you can do.
Then squeeze it all out through cheesecloth so you're left with the liquid, and then whizz again with a bit of xanthan gum (a tsp to start, whizz and leave, see if it thickens, add more if you like) and pour into bottles.
Keep in fridge.
I love this one as it's probiotic and no cooking involved!
βοΈ I'm definitely gonna give that hot sauce a try. I hope I have enough jalapenos to play around with different recipes. I'm gonna make some Pico de Gallo too. Thanks for checking out my post! and thanks for recipe π
No worries, let me know how it goes! You can always right a post about it...
Yay! π€
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Beautiful to see the caterpillars turn into butterflies π¦ just beautiful. Great captures. The first photo is stunning.
The snake⦠nope not a fan of it. But nicely photographed.
Such a great harvest you had that day. Nice to see.
The pizza looks delicious π
Thanks for sharing @steven-patrick
Happy Monday ππ»βοΈπ
I actually got a video to the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis π I've never posted video but I might have to figure it out. Thanks for visiting my post littlebee π
Thatβs cool, hope you do figure it out.
Not sure what the easiest way is, as Iβm still learning too.
You are welcome π€ anytime!
Enjoy your day further ππ»βοΈπ
Nice harvest and I'm envious of that green snake find. I've been searching for that guy over here for many years. Too many hiding spots over here in the prairie weeds.
Not many snakes in Vermont. I think I have found all of them except the timber rattler which is very rare. Thanks for checking out my post π
I love this post and others like it. Sharing what youβre learning, discovering and also already know is the way forward on Hive. Youβve got a new follower, as Iβm intrigued to see how it all evolves.
Thanks π I've been sticking with the Starting a garden title even though the garden is pretty well established. When I began the blog, I didn't even have the raised beds built yet.
lol just realised that I already follow you.
I'll take any followers. New, old, whatever π
lol Iβve re followed
What a wonderful area you live in, lots of open space and it seems that privacy is abundant.
I'm a pickle lover as well and it sure looks like you have enough to last you until next growing season.
Tomatoes, I've read many posts and some folk seem to be having a down year with them, not you.
There is so much satisfaction with including what one has grown in the dishes one prepares. I know that when we do this, I feel guilty not eating every morsel, knowing the effort it takes to nurse everything along.
Beautiful first picture and the one of the green snake that you are holding is cool.
We have loads of Garter snakes around our garden, but holding one is out of the question.
Thanks π it is beautiful here. We have been here for right at one year now. We love eating anything and everything from the garden. We have lots of tomatoes but have put a lot of work in. Lots of watering.
If I were you I'd be spending the remainder of my time staying put right where you are, paradise.