I'm back, and just in time for the good stuff!

A long trip to Arizona for work... but I'm back!

So, while I was gone, the first two tomatoes ripened. They are an heirloom variety called 'Striped Cavern'. I stuffed them with sauteed peppers, onions, fresh (from the garden) basil, and corn, baked at 400F for about 10 minutes, and we enjoyed stuffed tomatoes. We served it with rice, broccoli, and italian soysage. Tasty. [Sorry if my one word sentences bother you.]

When I got home, two more yellow squash were ready, with a white scalloped squash not far behind. Another 1/3 of a gallon of green beans... with a new big harvest probably next weekend, when I will likely can a batch. The onions are almost ready to die... it has gotten too hot for them. Dang. So, tomorrow or the next day, I will have to dig them all up, freeze some, use some with the beans or squash, etc. I love onions, even if they are small.

This morning I went to Gardner Farms in Locust Grove, which is less than 40 miles from home. They have a pick your own for peaches, blueberries, and blackberries. Unfortunately, blackberries were getting in season when I left, peaked while I was gone, and are gone from pick your own farms in Georgia now that I am back. But on a happy note, Kroger had a sale on Georgia grown blackberries this week. $1 for 6 ounces of berries. I bought 5 containers, and already made some sugar free jam (same recipe as the strawberry mentioned previously, but using blackberries instead).

I picked peaches (they sell a 4.5 gallon bucket for $12, which is WAY cheap). When I called to see what they had today, they told me it was the last day for pick your own peaches. I then decided to go immediately... so quick I forgot to bring cash. Fortunately, there was an Ingles down the road and I got a fresh Georgia watermelon for $4, with $30 back to get peaches, blueberries, and shop in their little store.

I also picked blueberries. I am not a huge fan of blueberries, and I am not sure why. For me, they have to be the really big juicy ones that are really fresh, or I'm just not at all interested. They were mainly for my sweetheart, and for $4, I got about a quart or so of berries, and as she and I do not like them baked in anything, frozen, or anything but maybe mixed with yogurt, that was more than enough.

They had a little "roadside" stand, where I bought 4 good sized cucumbers ($2), a medium sized eggplant ($1), and a small basket with two bell peppers and a bunch of banana peppers (50 cents). I think that was a great deal for about $20.

So, all in all, this is all the local produce (minus the watermelon) that we have right now...