As much as I enjoy preserving food, I am relieved when this time of year comes. My jars of tomatoes, peaches and pears are safely tucked away for the coming days and now I have more time to pursue other interests. Lately I have been inspired by the beautiful colours...
"I've never seen the ocean maman!" replied my eldest excitedly when I announced we were going down to the beach. He has, but he doesn't remember. With the sun shining we took a nice stroll along Mud Bay. The tide was high which made scavenging for shells a challenge....
Near the lake the trees are just beginning to change colours, but a short drive up Carmi mountain and the landscape is painted in vivid colours of yellow and red. It reminds me of autumn in northern British Columbia, simply beautiful.Wilderness survival is the theme...
Canning pears is a labour of love. It is by far the most time consuming of my canning projects. I do it because we love to eat home canned pears, nothing can compare.How many pears? A quart jar fits about 2.5 lbs (about 1 kg) of pears. To calculate how many...
"There's frost on the ground" whispered my husband in the early hours of the morning. I was still half asleep and didn't pay much attention to his observation. It wasn't until I stepped outside that I saw those small white crystals clinging to the grass in my front...
My eldest son is old enough to be in kindergarten but we have chosen to take the path of home learning. Our decision has felt so natural that giving an account of our choice seems somewhat strange. I was not home schooled and neither was my husband yet we were...
A few years ago I ate my first Raincoast Crisp and it was love at first bite. Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow for purchasing these delicious, albeit expensive, artisan crackers very often. So I went in search for a recipe that would allow me to make my own...
The nights are getting colder. We have yet to experience our first frost this fall but I anticipate that it will happen soon. To give my fall garden some added warmth throughout the day and extra protection at night, I've erected two hoop houses over two of the raised...
When I signed our eldest son up for the Freak'n Little Farmers obstacle course he wasn't sure about participating. He worried that his recent injuries, a scrapped knee and cut on his thumb, would slow him down. After explaining that we have a hefty supply of bandaids...
It's the final week of summer. The growth that summer brought in my gardens is coming to an end. The sunflowers are drooping and the remaining tomatoes are ripening more slowly. The seeds I planted for the fall-winter garden have all sprouted but I cannot predict how...
Last year's plum sauce was good, but this year's plum sauce is better. The recipe is similar to last year's but I added a Thai chilli pepper and made some alteration with the ingredients and cooking. The result is a sauce that is thicker and slightly spicy. The ume...
We are fast approaching our tomato quota. Putting up enough tomatoes for the year takes time and effort, a great deal of both, but seeing the end result is more than worth it. This year I am sharing tutorials on how to can peaches, stewed tomatoes and now tomato...
My home has been filled with guests and tomatoes. Right now the dining table is fully extended to accommodate not our guests but 160lbs of Roma tomatoes while the other 40lbs are still in a couple boxes waiting to be laid out. The last of the 180lbs of round tomatoes...
Autumn is approaching. The days have been noticeably cooler and we've harvested everything from two of our four raised garden beds. A couple days ago we dug out the potatoes. We gathered about 20lbs of potatoes of all different shapes, sizes and colours. It was a lot...
Homed canned peaches are fabulous to eat when they are out of season. Not only are they less expensive than store bought canned peaches but they taste much better. Here I've provided a thorough guide to canning peaches that should be helpful for both the newbie and...
The days are becoming noticeably shorter and the nights a little cooler. There has been a shift in the garden. The kale, swiss chard and most of the beets are harvested and in their place I've planted some winter walla walla onions, lettuce, carrots, parsnips, pac...