Pickled Green Tomatoes

Just before adding the brine (vinegar, water, peppercorns, garlic, sugar, kosher salt)

Two days ago, I harvested many of the green tomatoes that were still on the vines in our new vegetable/flower bed outside the community garden as we had a light frost that night. They were all of a smallish variety (I think it was Mountain Magic), with the fruit being very uniform perfect little globes of about 1.5 inch in diameter. Last night I quick-pickled them and filled two jars. I always use this recipe but omit the turmeric and the dill. They keep in the fridge for a few months. I am looking forward to adding the pickles to sandwiches (sharp cheddar/apple/grainy mustard, pickled tomatoes is a great combo – yum!).

Late October Plot

Plot today after harvesting the squash and removing tomato plants

Today, I started cleaning up the garden plot. It is (unseasonably) warm during the day but there will be frost tomorrow night. I took out the tomato plants and harvested all the butternut squash. Over the next week or so, I will get an area ready for planting my garlic. I still have chard, kale, radishes, beets, fall greens, leeks, carrots and flowers growing.

Swiss Chard
Calendula
Fall greens
Radishes

September

September plot

Things are winding down in the garden. I have only a few tomatoes still on the vines. Still growing are winter squash, chard, kale, and leeks. On the right side of the plot I have my recently sown radishes, fall greens, beets and carrots. Plus flowers everywhere.

One of quite a few butternut squash
Fall sowings (that need to be thinned). From left to right: beets, carrots, radishes, fall greens.
Love these cheerful pinwheel marigolds
The dwarf kale is doing very well
Swiss Chard jungle