What Do I Do With All This Produce?

[Fishawn]

That's a joke.... Been really cold Spring here in the NW n garden indoor starts aint doing well... Kinda new to gardening really, but have done some..... I'm just kinda wondering, if this stuff ever bears fruit, WTF to do with it all as far as long term storage??? Freezing, canning, dehydrating, sun dry, etc... I have a dehydrator, pressure canner and lots of freezer space. Interested in dehydrating for spices, canning, pickles, sun drying, freezing techniques-ideas, canning, etc....

Here's what I have planted in peat pots or have transplanted from peat pots to 3" transplanting pots...

Tomatoes .. Roma's n early treat hybrids

Zucchini

Basil

Lettuce

Green onion (Asian)

Green beans

Jalapenos

Poblano

Cucumbers

[Wingman]

Fish should be canning! Getcha a 23 QT Presto Aluminum Pressure Canner $90 and get to canning! Hell I'd pickle and can some of that sausage your doing. Put some Habanero's, garlic, Jalapenos, carrots in there and can them. Might want to do some eggs too!

[Fishawn]

That's what I have Rob, 22 Quart model... Done a lot of fish and meat in it a while back.....Some sausage sounds interesting?...And good!

[DanMcG]

Try grinding the excess zucchini and freezing it, makes great bread all year round. Real good stuff,

[curious aardvark]

As far as the zucchini goes, dump it on your lawn to attract rabbits, then shoot the rabbits :-)

Zucchini ain't people food in my opinion and rabbit is apretty versatile meat :-)

And unless you're growing the rest on an alx scale - just use them as they come to fruition.
I'd be surprised if you have lots left, we thend to eat what we grow.
Not sure what asian green onions are, but we string onions and hang them under the house.
They'll keep for about 6 months - but theye're usually long eaten by then.

One thing my dad does is try to grow vegetables that are expensive in the shops when they're in season.

For example no point growing potatos that sell for 20p lb when you can grow broccoli or cauliflower or purple sprouting that's five times the price.

[Whisky Fish]

"Zucchini ain't people food in my opinion"

Cut into spears, toss with italian dressing and throw em on the grill. Get some good grill marks and some smoke and you're there Alex. C'mon ya bunny munchin Brit, have some zucchini

As for the garden stuff Scott, yeah man break out that pressure cooker. Roma tomatos make great sauce you got pickles if you want em and and hell yeah, can some sausage and peppers, escabeche, etc. Suppliment your garden stuff with local fresh stuff that you can't get year round.

[Fishawn]

Try grinding the excess zucchini and freezing it, makes great bread all year round. Real good stuff,

THAT is a great idea never thought of that or heard of it..... Thanks Dan!

As far as the zucchini goes, dump it on your lawn to attract rabbits, then shoot the rabbits :-)
That is funny sh!t Alex, cracked me up & made my day

Not sure what asian green onions are, but we string onions and hang them under the house They look just like regular green onions on the package

My Multi-Quote skills are not so good anymore??
For example no point growing potatos that sell for 20p lb when you can grow broccoli or cauliflower or purple sprouting that's five times the price.
I agree with this on potatoes & corn, huge farm 2 minutes from our house sells both really cheap plus they have the corn maze, which my oldest son when he was in Jr. high used to call it the "porn maze" when they met friends there at night

"Zucchini ain't people food in my opinion"

Cut into spears, toss with italian dressing and throw em on the grill. Get some good grill marks and some smoke and you're there Alex. C'mon ya bunny munchin Brit, have some zucchini

As for the garden stuff Scott, yeah man break out that pressure cooker. Roma tomatos make great sauce you got pickles if you want em and and hell yeah, can some sausage and peppers, escabeche, etc. Suppliment your garden stuff with local fresh stuff that you can't get year round.

I/We Love grilled Zuchinni, stuffed with sausage & baked, Panko & fried or baked....

[lcruzen]

If you like potato pancakes substitute grated zucc for the grated potatoes and you've got zucc cakes. Or just treat the grated zucc like hash browns. Very tasty.

What I really like about zucc and summer squash is the don't have much flavor and really absorb whatever season or marinade you hit them wth so in reality you can make them taste however you want.

[sweet_magnolia]

Try grinding the excess zucchini and freezing it, makes great bread all year round. Real good stuff,

That's a great idea! It freezes well, too, in spears or chunks.

My Mom used to spend hours canning tomato juice and green beans when I grew up. She will still can tomato juice every year but now she just breaks the green beans up (do not wash), puts them in a ziplock and freezes them.

My brother and his wife will cut up tomatoes in fourths and they freeze them as is. Then they use them in soups, stews and sauces. For the cucumbers there are all kind of pickle recipes...one of my favorite is bread and butter pickles.

And a friend gave me some basil a couple of years ago that she grew, picked the leaves, let them dry in the sun then crushed them.

Good luck with your garden! Finally was dry enough here to get my dirt turned over in mine the other day so I gotta get to planting!

[Wingman]

Man that Fish, he has all the great cooking gadgets!

[chefrob]

Tomatoes .. Roma's n early treat hybrids

Zucchini

Basil

Lettuce

Green onion (Asian)

Green beans

Jalapenos

Poblano

Cucumbers

take the zucchini and make a some "calabacitas"
saute some onion, garlic, zucc and the peppers until tendr and toss in some of the toms and a little corn............stir in a little chz and yer ready to go!

you can even make some vegetarian rellenos with the calabacita recipe and more chz.

shrimp cocktail.......south of the boarder style.................
peel, seed and dice some cukes, add diced toms, shrimp, onions, cilantro, japs and poblanos, clamato or tom juice (bloody mary mix works too) S&P to taste and a couple of dashes of yer favorite hot sauce and sit down with some saltines and some nattys........

[ALX]

Like everyone is saying canning is a must.I use 80 quarts canned tomatoes on average year for personal use.Another 150-200 go to family.I also blanch and then seal and freeze beans and peas....

Like mentioned i dont grow corn or potatoes etc.. as i can swap or find localy....

My sisters and Brothers familys eat out of my garden and some other folks as well...I even have friend who gives any extra i have to a bunch of older folks on fixed incomes that enjoy fresh veggies etc...Nothing is wasted...

I dehydrate peppers,garlic,onions,herbs,leeks,shallots etc..from garden as well....

OH....YEAH....DONNA COUNT CHICKENS TILL HATCHET......

[Hippy]

Takes a little getting used to growing stuff up here. Between wet cold spring,dry summer, and new pests. It isn't what i am used too. I only plant cherry tomatoes to get a good crop.

Early March i put the sugar snap, radish, and spinach seeds in the ground. The Parsley Oregano Thyme Sage and Rosemary all come back on their own and aren't bothered by slugs or any other pest. Thats the gardening I like the best.

Just some ideas of a few things that grow well and aren't a pain to grow up here!

Just took these picks today.

[Fishawn]

Great stuff folks Keep the ideas coming.... I'm gonna get on CL and start collecting canning jars again

[ALX]

Great stuff folks Keep the ideas coming.... I'm gonna get on CL and start collecting canning jars again

Little suggestion Carp Daddy on canning jars.....They can weaken and crack over time....I am very gentle with mine...after empty i run thru dishwasher and put back in cases....No clanking etc.....Even then after 5 years not uncommon have some burst when water bathing them....

What i have been doing last ten years or so is put them in me pot i water bath with to sterilize.....if they dont crack then...they usually good to go...

I prolly process 200-250 jars of just maters on good year and still some burst....I usually turn down folks offers on canning jars for this reason....If not taken care of a hairline crack will tend make a mess....