Farm Fresh: Summer Bounty

The kids were helping me put dehydrated tomatoes into the jar this week and found a perfect disguise.

We started harvesting elderberries last week.  We gave the first batch to our chiropractor and she gave us a free adjustment! This batch went into the dehydrator. When they were all dry it only filled one quart jar and a little bit.  They are not very tasty when dried out-- good for tea and baking.  I like storing them in the freezer better, but it is probably good to have both options available.  

My brined sandwich dills are all canned.  I like the flavor, but I am not sure that the cherry leaves did the same "crisping" that picklecrisp would have done. 

The rogue bunnies are out and about.  We have spotted them several times feeding out in the yard. 

The kids say they don't want to catch them because they will be sad in their cages, having tasted freedom.  I said wait until winter then they will want to be where the food is plentiful... that is unless they get eaten by a predator first. The dogs are curious about their new ability to roam, but have not attacked them. 

For some reason my new phone decided to put the date on all these pictures. 

Yesterday we harvested all our sweet corn.  About 20 ears in all.  Miss L couldn't help herself and was eating kernels off the end while they shucked it. 

About 2/3 of it had been well pollinated (wind) and all the kernels were in perfect order.  I was worried because the squash overpowered several of the rows. 

I have been creating triangular beds in the orchard  (with a tree at each corner). This is one of the ones I dug and planted last fall/winter.  The borders of the triangle are comfrey and the inside is a flowering amaranth (I saved the seeds from a local pyo flower farm bouquet so I am not exactly sure of the variety), echinacea, and some ground cherries. I am hoping the flowers will reseed themselves and spread like my anise hyssop bed has.