My ministry of cooking, canning, growing, and sharing!



My ministry of cooking, canning, growing, and sharing!

Three years ago we bought a small farm with ten acres. The property had a mucky creek on the South side that was covered in raspberry brambles and poison ivy. The back six acres were so overgrown that I couldn't make it half way through the first pasture. There was mud, 10 foot tall weeds, about ten million ground hogs, and a house with "fabulous" 80's wall paper on EVERY surface. I looked at this property and my mind was spinning with possibilities of what I could grow, raise, and even forage off this little plot of land. My husbands mind, who was standing in nearly the exact same spot, was spinning with the thought of how much work he had ahead of him.

From my Farm to my Kitchen is a way for me to share my stories, recipes, failures, and successes. It is a way for me to tell you how sharing with others has opened the flood gates for abundant blessings, new friendships, and great lessons.

We have fought to "take back" parts of our property that had been swallowed by willows and scrub trees. My husband has suffered the wrath of the evil wood emperor, Sir Poison Ivy and our five children have worked tirelessly to help with chores like, "go get Mommy some basil" or I KNOW there's a Morel out there, GO FIND IT!

Please enjoy this glorious adventure with our family. Learn the lessons that I stumbled over, take the great recipes that I share and leave the miserable ones. I am hoping to write each day but you never know if the kitchen or the laundry monster will get me!!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Making soup

My girls LOVE homemade veggie soup.  Each year I throw together a batch of "Whatever's Left" vegetable soup and can it for winter.  It make a good solid base for everything from Italian chicken to Toscano soup but is just as wonderful straight from the jar.  

My garden provides most of the ingredients for it and it really helps me use up the left-overs out there.  I used to try making End of the garden pickles but this gets used so much more.  The biggest ingredient in the soup is loads and loads of  LOVE. I know the kids can taste it in there because after they gobble it up, I always get a sweet hug and kiss.  It truly warms you right down to your soul.   A short list of what I put in are...

Roasted Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Basil/Oregano
Kale
Loveage
Celery
Carrots
Rosemary
Thyme
Peppers
Swiss Chard
Artichokes
Broccoli
Capers
Olive Oil
and whatever else needs to be used.

I spent a lot of years with pickled vegetables staring at me from the cellar, begging to be eaten.  Now I jar up soup that seems to disappear before the New Year arrives.   The most expensive food you grow or make is the one that goes to waste.  Find out what your family loves and GO FOR IT!

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