fruits and vegetables

These are the only peas that I cropped this year.
The critters ate the "munge-tout" peas that I was saving for seeds.
They left me 3 peas and now with the pandemic, that is all the seeds that I'll have for a while.
The chipmunks or squirrels did sow them in the garden and the peas did bloom, but the frost killed the plant before I could harvest any of the peas.
I will sow my "3" munge-tout peas (2021) and see what happens.

Polish Linguisa Tomatoes

I bought these tomatoes at the grocery store and saved the seeds.
I thought they were Roma Tomatoes, but they were bigger than Roma tomatoes.
That's because they are Polish Linguisa and great for sauces as well.
I just wash, core and freeze them.
When I'm ready to make sauce, I just fill a sink with hot water and drop the frozen tomatoes in it and the tomato peels rubs right off.

Concord purple grapes

This plant came from my Mom's yard. Where else would they come from. :)

This is the second time that these grapes bloomed for me, but the Raccoons ate all of the grapes last year and left me just the grape seeds and peels.
This year I was determined to have some. So I covered my grapes with chicken wire and hoped that the birds wouldn't see them. I did have some grapes and they were huge for a grape and sweet.
We ate some and the rest I made grape jelly.
Once you taste homemade grape jelly, it's really hard to go back to the jar stuff from the store again.

Dessert Grapes - Seedless

This grape plant also came from my Mom's house.
They are green and seedless and so sweet. Great for Dessert, but I decided to make wine with them, because we couln't eat them fast enough.

So, with my Mom's help and expertise, I made my first wine and it was actually pretty good.
I did add a little bit of sugar to it and so it was more like a dessert wine, which was perfect for me.
These grapes were also protected with bird netting.

Carol's Hot Banana Peppers

First time I grew these and I'm happy with them.
First they are green, then yellow and red.
It will be pretty in a jar of pickled peppers.
Thank your Carol!

The problem I have with growing peppers is:
They are still green by the time we get our first frost. I need to find an early cropping pepper.
I hope these are it.

Purple Beans

These purple beans like my soil.
They are Prolific growers and the beans were not stringy like you get with other beans.

I will grow these again.
I love the purple flowers and pods. When you cook the purple pods, they will turn green.

Until then they are purple and I eat them raw off the vine and chopped in salads.

Strawberry Grown from Seed

This strawberry is special, because I grew it from my own seed.

First I bought the strawberries at the store. They were large and so sweet.
I peeled the strawberry and dried it on paper towel. Next spring I wetted the paper towel and sowed the wet paper towel with seeds on it and I called it an "experiment".
The strawberry seeds grew and I gave it special attention it until I saw the first strawberry and then so did the critters in my yard.
Then it was a race to see who got the strawberries first. I got one!
Hence, the strawberry cages below.

Strawberry Cage - Chickenwire

I was so pleased with myself for finally having a cage for my strawberries. Husband helped with this too and took us about 2 days.
Went to check my strawberries the next day and in there, I had a chipmunk and a mouse. I thought the chipmunks were too big to fit throught the chicken wire holes. I didn't think mice, with so much to eat around the yard, would also be interested in strawberries.
All is not lost.
I also have problems with rabbits eating my garden as well. This cage is about 2 feet high and I can grow what the rabbit likes to eat in there. They love anything in the cabbage family. :)
New strawberry cage below with hardware cloth fencing.

Strawberry Cage with Hardware Cloth

This time we used 1/4" hardware cloth fencing.
Will see this spring if they can get in.

I screwed pieces of wood for a handles and I just used whatever was around to prop up the cage open.
For a frame, I used old fence boards and wooden gussets in the corners.

Hardware Cloth boxes

These hardware cloth boxes will work on moles, voles, squirrels, chipmunks and mice.
I used 1/4" hardware cloth fencing for the buttom of the box and 1/2" hardware cloth fencing for the lid.
I have used a half inch mesh before on tulips, hyacinths and daffodils and it worked.

Now when I am in a hurry, I just cover my bulbs with a piece of chicken wire to protect my bulbs from me and a hungry squirrel.
I have the same problem as my critters, when spring comes around, they have no clue where they buried their stash.

Thank you!

Another year coming to an end.

Stay safe and thank you for stopping by!