Bodeen's 2012 Grow Log - THE END!!!!!

Anxious to get dirt under my nails, so I might as well start this thing off.

Got an unfinished basement that is mainly storage. It has an old 1957 bathroom in it. I tore that out today and will be using that as my grow room as soon as I get it done. It is small enough a small heater will keep my temps in check. (Pictures of progress will come once I get it looking better lol)

Last year I built a grow table and this year I am putting up a shelving unit with grow lights on many of the shelves.

My one garden area that will be expanded on this year I believe. 40x30

My other garden which is longer, but not as wide.

Then I put this row in last year and my thoughts we strawberries, but it might be a row of peppers.

Ugggh

My motto is Rabbit eats garden, Gardener eats rabbit. They are the reason I have to fence the gardens

I also plan on doing some peppers in pots this year.

My tray of peppers last year went 71 out of 72 popped. Hope I can get these results this year.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Yesterday's harvest

Also dug my modest potato crop. 40 pounds will eat well this winter. Zucchini is still going strong as well. Usually it is done in by August.

The cascabella pepper, habanero pepper, and the white habaneros are going for jelly. Almost time for serrano jelly too.

 

[stickman]

Nice looking pulls my friend! I've been making jams and jellies too... the Peach harvest here coincided with the Serranos getting red-ripe, so I made 3 cases of jam with them in pint jelly jars. Kept one and sold the other two. Also made a Crabapple-Chokecherry jelly that came out as syrup the first time, but I'll do better next year.
Are you planning in doing any bow hunting this fall?

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Oh yeah, I bow hunt every fall. Usually looking for a trophy with the bow and by the time firearms season rolls around I put down the first buck I see for meat if I haven't arrowed a nice one earlier. Also have wild turkey fall season starting at the same time. My county is one of the few that is archery only for a fall bird. I was lucky to get one last fall.

Hoping to get caught up on the pepper seeding/drying/powdering so I can get some more pics thrown up here.

 

[stickman]

Oh yeah, I bow hunt every fall. Usually looking for a trophy with the bow and by the time firearms season rolls around I put down the first buck I see for meat if I haven't arrowed a nice one earlier. Also have wild turkey fall season starting at the same time. My county is one of the few that is archery only for a fall bird. I was lucky to get one last fall.

Hi Bodeen
Good luck with your hunting season. Beechnuts are pretty thin on the ground here this year but it Looks like we'll have adequate acorns. Last year the nut mast was awfully skimpy and the deer moved in closer to the houses and swamps to get at the tender greens.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Got somewhat caught up on my powder making

New spice rack is going to look nice filled with 16 different peppers.

Some of the 55 quarts of tomatoes canned this year

And the 18 half gallon jars of pickles...it was a good year. Even did some relish, spears, and refrigerator pickles this year. Plus ate many right out of the garden.

 

[highalt]

Wow!!! You have been busy! Everything looks delicious!

I have to admit that I have tomato envy. Just harvested my first beefsteak the other day, and you've canned 55 qts. already! I'll be lucky if I end up with enough by the end of the season to make a couple batches of salsa. I send a lot of it out to family for Christmas gifts every year, so there will be some disappointed folks if there's not enough to make any.

So in your picture of the various powders, what's in the big one in the middle of the back row?

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

The pint jar is cayenne powder. Back row should be Fish, Cascabella, Cayenne, Habanero, Bhut

Im pretty sure each 1/2 gallon jar of pickles has a different hot pepper in it.

I dried some Thai in the dehydrator. Some in halves, seeded, and some whole. The whole ones turned out yucky dark color. The halves bright orange. I hope my ristas stay orange. Won't effect the flavor I don't reckon, but I want it to look bright orange in the jar lol

Made a gallon of fresh salsa for work tomorrow and used lemon drop peppers. I am amazed at their crispness when cutting them, and the lemon scent they give off. The salsa has a delayed heat effect and numbing sensation to it. Its funny to watch the people at work eat it. Its just a bit too hot for them, but they aren't used to fresh vine ripened veges and they just can't stop eating it.

The deal is they bring the chips and I bring the salsa. Tomatoes are ripening too fast for me now anyhow and I like sharing. I bring my extra zucchini to this one woman at work and she makes me chocolate chip cookies....its a fair trade!!!!

I am loving how these peppers have their own personality in the salsa. Hated having to pick two green sweet goliath peppers just to add contrast to salsa lol.

I have to admit that I have tomato envy. Just harvested my first beefsteak the other day, and you've canned 55 qts. already! I'll be lucky if I end up with enough by the end of the season to make a couple batches of salsa. I send a lot of it out to family for Christmas gifts every year, so there will be some disappointed folks if there's not enough to make any.

Did you see the picture of me standing in my 5 feet tall tomato patch? 4 monster rows and they produced like mad. That new virgin dirt I hauled in for the garden extension really turned these on. All the rain is splitting a few of them now and there are some going bad as I can't pick them fast enough.

 

[Sanarda]

Wowwww. You are set for the winter. Those powders look mouth watering. I am going to powder mine a well this year. I have never used a dehydrator or used my webber as a smoker but I'm going to try. I have to find a good grinder too. I'm researching which ones work best

 

[stickman]

I have to admit that I have tomato envy.

And Cucumber envy, and Pepper envy, and Venison envy....
Good on ya Bodeen!

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Wowwww. You are set for the winter. Those powders look mouth watering. I am going to powder mine a well this year. I have never used a dehydrator or used my webber as a smoker but I'm going to try. I have to find a good grinder too. I'm researching which ones work best

I went with a mr coffee one from walmart. Does a couple ounces of powder at a time, makes the powder nice and fine, and is under 15 bucks. I figure if I overheat it ever, it is cheaply replaced. I went with a cheaper different brand at first, but it wouldn't make the powder fine enough to suit me.

And Cucumber envy, and Pepper envy, and Venison envy....
Good on ya Bodeen!

Thank you. I was really surprised how the pickles did. They are pretty much shot now. Wanted to make one more batch of relish with some more heat to it. I'm already excited about getting seeds going this winter, adding new varieties and culling some of the ones I didn't care for this year.

I figure if I have some ground meat, tomatoes, and hot peppers this winter, I can make just about anything and I won't starve lol

 

[stickman]

Wanted to make one more batch of relish with some more heat to it. I'm already excited about getting seeds going this winter, adding new varieties and culling some of the ones I didn't care for this year.

I figure if I have some ground meat, tomatoes, and hot peppers this winter, I can make just about anything and I won't starve lol

Hi Bodeen
Have you thought about making green tomato relish and green tomato/apple mock mincemeat with your leftover 'maters? My Mom's been making them for years and they're always a family favorite.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Hi Bodeen
Have you thought about making green tomato relish and green tomato/apple mock mincemeat with your leftover 'maters? My Mom's been making them for years and they're always a family favorite.

I have never been a green tomato type of fan. Not looking like I will have much left overs unless they put some more on. They are ripening fast and the bushes are starting to look rough on some varieties.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Todays harvest. Just can't keep up with it. Didn't pick everything, but will try to get the rest done this weekend. I think the weekend will be spent in the garden getting caught up. Peppers are coming on like a freight train.

Did can up some nice tepins. At least that was what the consensus was they were a type of.

Made some nice Thai Relish

The melrose sweet peppers are putting out some nice pods.

Made omelets for supper tonight. I sauteed up some Jimmys to bring out the sweetness and then added some Santa Fe peppers. Didn't have any sausage, so I just ran with the pepper omelet.

They call these Big Daddy Tomatoes. I dunno how they came up with the name

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

My peppers are officially ahead of me and kicking my ass. I came home from work tonight and just stopping cutting up peppers. The only reason I stopped was the dehydrator was full. Bhuts took the most time. I think some of the ones I picked yesterday have some ripe ones on them again.

Going to try a couple bishops tonight and a couple starfish. I'm already thinking of my grow list for next season...is that too soon

Still not sure what I think of the hat. Ate three of them tonight and perhaps I need to wait until they are dead ripe on the plant before I try them. The pedals have almost no flavor at all. Around the bell it is quite tasty. The bell center has some heat that doesn't start until you swallow and builds in the throat and gives tingles to the tongue. Much less heat than a Jalapeno. Will probably still grow next year just for their shape.

 

[Melissa77754]

Oh man canned goods galore!! Won't be a dull winter for you that's for sure! Awesome! My tomatoes did horrible this year! My neighbors on both sides have ice plants that creep over my fence, each side mite infested! They went straight for my toms!! Last year I had so many I didn't know what to do with them, this year not so much. Nothing beats home grown tomato!! I really have to get some pickling cukes going next year too. Great work Bodeen!

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Looking like the rain is here for the duration today. I did get my first round of serrano peppers picked today. This is just from one plant. The other plant is for jelly.

Everything sliced up, this includes all my ripe Hungarian peppers.

Finished product. Should go good on any sandwiches in the future. Too bad the purple didn't stay that way. Might have if I didn't hot water bath the batch.

I did manage to fill my first jar of bhut powder. This stuff is adding up quick.

 

[stickman]

You go Bodeen! Out of curiousity... how long does a pint of Bhut powder last you?

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

You go Bodeen! Out of curiousity... how long does a pint of Bhut powder last you?

Not sure, I have never had Bhut powder before.

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

Great stuff, you have been one busy dude and it all looks wonderful. I hope next year as the kids are just a little older I can do more. I hate watching tomatoes and cucs rot on the vine.

 

[HillBilly Jeff]

Great stuff, you have been one busy dude and it all looks wonderful. I hope next year as the kids are just a little older I can do more. I hate watching tomatoes and cucs rot on the vine.

Me too, that is why I am going to be over 60 quarts of maters and 18 half gallons of pickles this year. Pickles are done, but I think I have enough for one more shot of relish. It is another reason I bring a gallon of salsa to work each week. I'd rather share than watch it go to waste.

Pods are ripening so fast I may have to start giving the stuff away. My thai and lanterns are almost out of control lol