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WR's 2018 Spring Garden

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ksk

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Harvested the onions (since they have started falling over) & laid them out on the tables in the party barn to cure. Then re-mulched the row so its ready for the fall planting.
Ranch I am very close to harvesting my onions also.This is my first time planting.I built a huge wire vegetable bin in the garage for storage.After I pull them,do I cut the tops and roots off and let the onions dry?Thanks..
 
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ksk

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Harvested the onions (since they have started falling over) & laid them out on the tables in the party barn to cure. Then re-mulched the row so its ready for the fall planting.
Ranch I am very close to pulling mine.This is my first harvest.I built a vegetable bin in the garage for storage.What is your process for curing?Thanks..
 

w_r_ranch

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I lay them out on tables that are shaded & protected from the weather until the tops are dry (7-14 days) then I cut off the roots & the tops off & put them in trays that allow constant air flow around them. I use 'bread trays' that I got years ago from a local delivery driver that was retiring.

The 'secret' for curing both onions & potatoes is to provide adequate ventilation & remembering to keep them from touching each other.
 
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w_r_ranch

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Started harvesting the potatoes This morning I did 1/3 of them & got them in the curing trays. There are a number of sizable ones!!!

Potato_Harvest_050818.jpg
 

w_r_ranch

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Finished harvesting the potatoes & got them in the curing trays. It was an excellent year for them, almost too good!!! A good 70% of them are what I consider normal size & maybe 20% are the smaller 'new potato' size. The remainder definitely fall in the lunker category, LOL!!!

Big_Potato_Handfull_050918.jpg

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Potato_Curing_050918.jpg
 

w_r_ranch

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Due to our continuing abnormally high springtime temperatures (mid to upper 90s), I harvested the remaining leeks, then cleaned/prepped them for processing/freezing. This will be the maiden voyage of our new commercial KitchenAid Food Processor.

Leek_Harvest_051818.jpg

Chopped_Leeks.jpg

As I mentioned earlier, I have never grown them before & they were on my bucket list of things to try this year... I highly recommend them as they have an excellent flavor (especially either sauteed or grilled with a steak) & require very little in the way of maintenance. I'll definitely plant them again!!!
 

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I harvested the peas & can't say that I'm impressed at all with the yield of the 'Wando' (which they said was made for southern gardens) . Oh well, they were an experiment, I'll try something else next year...
 

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Harvested jalapenos & green peppers. Mrs. Ranch selected 14 of the biggest to stuff with ground brisket mixed with onions & rice. The rest were processed for vacuum packing & then frozen for later use with fajitas.

Green_Pepper_Harvest_060518.jpg

The japs were stuffed in our normal way as a side dish for supper tonight.

Stuffed_Japs_060518.jpg
 
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w_r_ranch

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Harvest the last tub of tomatoes yesterday to make a double batch of Picante Sauce.

Also picked up the first cantaloupe that fell off the vine... I hope it's as sweet as it smells!!! They are really big this year, it looks like a number of them are 8 pounds or better.

1st_Cantaloupe_070218.jpg
 

w_r_ranch

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Made 9 quarts of Picante Sauce over the last couple of days & got it all canned yesterday. This concludes our canning season for 2016... especially because we are out of jars, LOL!!!

Picante_Sauce_070418.jpg
 

RLwhaler

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Harvest the last tub of tomatoes yesterday to make a double batch of Picante Sauce.

Also picked up the first cantaloupe that fell off the vine... I hope it's as sweet as it smells!!! They are really big this year, it looks like a number of them are 8 pounds or better.


I was just thinking about your cantaloupe. Are you hydrating them this year?
 

w_r_ranch

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Not this year as we still have some from last year that are good... We are eating them fresh daily & giving away the excess ones (I picked up 3 more this morning which will be delivered to neighbors down the road).
 
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