The harvesting is coming thick and fast at the moment, unlike the computer which is going long and slow ... these three photos just took 35 minutes to download, it's because I am posting from my little laptop at the moment while our office computer is in to have all it's stored information loaded onto our new computer system. I guess that's the downside to only usually blogging in comfort from my desk and on our office computer.
I didn't realise until I came to use it for this but my small laptop is still running on Windows 8, which is now an unsupported system so I am going to have to upgrade as it makes sense to have them all running on the same programme. At least that way I'm not having to adapt each time I use a different computer ... and maybe this will perform a bit better after an upgrade.
So I think it's fair to say that for the next two weeks you are not going to get more than one photo a day ... sorry!!
Out on the Veggie Patch the sudden cold nights are having a detrimental effect on the outdoor courgette plants so I have been harvesting them as quickly as they get to a half decent size and having grating sessions. The grated and squeezed out courgettes are then put into flat ziplock bags and will be great for using in soups, casseroles etc. over the Winter months. Freezing them flat like this takes up less space in the freezer as they stack so nicely and it also means that if I only need a smaller amount I can snap off just part of the pack.
It's time to step away from the computer now and take the dogs out for a walk, a bit of fresh air after a frustrating computer session is exactly what is needed.
Sue xx
I'll bet you already know this trick......
ReplyDeleteWhen I froze a lot of produce I used to have a series of rectangular forms (ice cream containers would do just about as well) that I lined with plastic bags and then poured/ packed the produce/soup etc into. Once it was frozen I removed he outside form, labelled the bag and then they all stacked neatly in the deep freeze...
I also had some large colour coded bags so I could find types easily. That was before the days of wonderful upright freezers.
I'm amazed at how prolific your garden is - even though I know how hard you worked to make it so!
Yep 😊 This is something I do regularly. Although now that I have a good selection of freezer boxes I can afford for son of them to be tied up.
DeleteThis method I great for things like soups, stews and curries, anything un fact that you can tip straight into the pan you're cooking it in to defrost.
The 'flat pack' method is good for anything you might want to snap a piece off to add to something. And is great for rice, quinoa etc as you can cool and freeze them quickly.
'some' of them. 😉
DeleteJust a word of warning, Windows 10 is garbage! I've stuck with 8.1 it's brilliant!
ReplyDeleteWe use it on our office computer with no problem, after a few initial settling in problems that is 😉 8.1 might be a good compromise for my little lap top though.
DeleteWent back to Windows 8 after having problems with 10!
ReplyDeleteWe stuck with it and it turned out fine. Windows 8 is seemingly an unsupported programme now ☹
DeleteHubby says it depends on the age of the device you are uploading it to. Glad yours is OK x
DeleteHubby says it depends on the age of the device you are uploading it to. Glad yours is OK x
DeleteGolly - now I am scared. I have windows 10 and have done for the past few months and so far have had no problems - hope none arise.
ReplyDeleteDon't be worried, we use it brilliantly on our main computer. It's only in with the tech guys to have everything transferred onto our new system.
DeleteMy older brother is busy with his garden as well. His biggest challenge at the moment is when to pick a watermelon, when is it ripe enough?
ReplyDeleteThat's something I have never grown here in North Wales 😊
DeleteAwesome harvest, reminds me I must get my cress seeds going and I'm an idiot for not doing so!
ReplyDeleteYou are..... you missed the cress autumn harvest window now .... drat. 😉
DeleteWindows 10 has crashed my laptop 3 times. Hate it wished id never changed. I use bags in the freezer as they can be squeezed into spaces.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding bags better than boxes now that we have almost filled the freezer. They can be squeezed into little gaps and shrink in size as some of the contents are used.
DeleteGood idea with the courgettes. I dehydrate mine though because my freezers are full of our meat harvest!
ReplyDeleteThey must dehydrate to virtually nothing, there's a lot of moisture in a courgette 😊
DeleteHi Sue.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your very British tales of all things gardeny!
I'm a Brit who has lived in Australia for 12 years and we moved out of the big smoke a few years ago to 5 acres in a beautiful valley that most people think looks like England, but funnily enough we're in New South Wales! Like you, and everyone else growing their own, I have problems with storing my harvest so I'm interested in your method of freezing of courgettes - are they raw? Did you do anything other than grate, squeeze, bag and freeze?
Jo Matthews
Exactly that grate, squeeze, bag and freeze. Or if you are freezing them in slices, just slice and 😊 They will be great for soups and stews etc.
DeleteThanks so much for the tip. I won't be quite so bothered now when I have a few too many this coming summer - especially those you stumble across when they're huge! Jo
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