Up to my elbows in asparagus

Now that things are on a bit more of an even keel around here, my attention has turned to our garden, orchard and getting prepared for putting food up. Handsome Dark Knight is growing good and being a typical foal...good news in our book!

Each and every year Mike and I have planted a garden. As the result of that garden, I usually can and freeze much produce for the winter. I learned to do this as a young girl, when my parents harvested their mega garden. Jars of beans, corn, and other vegetables lined the shelves in our home...A reward for the winter, of the summer's work. As a way to preserve Mike's skillful fishing trips, for years I have also canned fish..salmon and tuna. We have a few things in the garden already, but we need a bit warmer weather to finish the planting. I must also add, that Mike does most of the gardening. He never had a garden as a kid, and finds it relaxing and rewarding. I love the produce, but I would probably rather clean a stall, than weed veggies, so this really suits the two of us well ;-)

We are lucky enough to live in an area that will provide us with fresh asparagus from the local farm store. The asparagus fields are near Walla Walla , WA, famous for its mild, sweet onions. So, off to the farm store yesterday, to get my box of asparagus. To preserve asparagus, you blanch it for a few minutes in hot boiling water, then plunge it into cold water, and put into ziploc bags and freeze it. You can also can it, but we prefer to eat the frozen version. So, on Friday, I bought not just one 25 lb box ( my usual amount ) but 2- 25 lb boxes. Last year I had gone with out , so I guess I was doing a little make up.....

It took me exactly an hour, to wash, tidy up ( cut off the tough stem if any ) blanch and drain and put into bags for the freezer, my 50 lbs of asparagus. It will certainly be a great addition to our winter supplies. Asparagus is just heaven when it comes right from the field. I feel blessed to be able to have it. No where else that we have lived, have we had access to fresh from the field asparagus ;-) I got 30 freezer bags full, I was not real sure how much to put in each bag, with just the two of us here, but there is nothing wrong with eating it leftover the next day.

It is interesting, for years many folks thought I was nuts, canning and freezing all that produce...fruits and vegetables...was it not simpler just to buy it at the store? but this year the biggest booming industry is new gardeners....people wanting to grow and produce their own groceries to eat. I just hope I bet them to the store for my tomatoe plants and my packs of seeds ..LOL