Independence Days Update: Week #16

Plant something:
Sigh...no...I meant to put some beet seeds in over the weekend and a few chard seedlings I have struggling in containers, but I haven't gotten to it yet. This week though for sure. I'm hoping to get at least some fall beet greens and maybe some little beets to pickle!

Harvest something:
It was a great week for harvesting!
- 4lbs, 5oz of bush beans
- 1lb of pole beans
- 3lbs of cucumbers
- 3lbs, 8oz of tomatoes
- calendula flowers
- chamomile
- nasturtium seed pods

Preserve something:
- making sauerkraut
- herb vinegars
- blanched and froze bush beans (Actually, my mom who is in town visiting for a few days, did this for me. Thanks mom!)

Waste not:
- practicing basic retained heat cooking, i.e. keeping pots covered with lids, turning burners off early and letting food cook the rest of the way, with the retained heat of the cast iron frying pan, boiling water, steam etc... I haven't gotten this awesomely hardcore yet, but I plan to!
- using the solar oven as much as possible now that we finally have some sun!
- made iced sun tea
- reused freezer bags for the beans
- keeping lights off as much as possible in the heat
- mindfully trying to reduce electricity consumption as much as possible

Preparation and storage:
- storing dried herbs in jars
- keeping an eye on herbal oils, tinctures and vinegars
- skimming off sauerkraut bloom
- added bulk cornmeal to food stores

Build Community Food Systems:
- brought my mom to the farmer's market
- attended a locavore potluck picnic and movie in the park. I contributed sumac 'lemonade' and a black bean dip with the beans cooked in the sun oven and mixed with local cilantro, salsa, onions and garlic. We watched Mad City Chickens.

Eat the food:
- the aforementioned sumacade and bean dip
- cucumber salad
- fresh herbs in most things
- pasta with tomatoes and peas