Salsa done...Potatoes dug...47º...light rain

Salsa 2011

Started early yesterday morning, scalding, peeling and cutting Roma tomatoes into large chunks...Roma's are better for salsa because they are a "meatier" tomato...I still "squeezed" them, drained them, and got almost three quarts of juice before putting them on the stove to heat...Meanwhile Herb was using the chopper on the onions, jalapeños and bell peppers, garlic and cilantro...Soon this was all simmering on the stove with salt, lime and lemon juice added...The recipe calls for vinegar, but I think it gives the salsa a "harsh" flavor...So after checking the internet, the "experts" say I can substitute lime or lemon juice for the vinegar, so that's what I'm doing...I've ended up with a huge batch so split it in half to cook...Something doesn't look right, too much green not enough tomatoes...So quick thinker that I am, I pull two frozen bags of roasted tomatoes out of the freezer and add one to each batch, ahhh, much better...The salsa cans up a beautiful red color, it tasted wonderful as Herb and I sampled it "raw" and will taste good this winter when we get a "hunger" for tomatoes and a little extra heat!..We added 18 jars to the cellar shelves.

Yukon Golds

Next project was to harvest our potato crop...Potatoes grown in straw are easy to harvest, just a slight tug on the vine lifts some of the potatoes out of the ground and the rest lay nestled in the straw, kind of like finding a nest of eggs...Digging potatoes is a lot of work but this way it is just plain fun...Herb and I are both gathering potatoes, amazed and exclaiming at the beauty and size of our crop...When we finish the small patch, we have over 50# of clean, mostly smooth, Yukon Gold beauties...The largest one weighed almost two pounds...More bounty to add to the cellar.

I picked our last zucchini, grated it, added eggs and fried it in patties...Added the last two ears of corn to our plates and sliced tomatoes...We lament the fact that summer is winding down and the delicious veggies are coming to an end...Soon it will be soup and beans...It rained last night...What am I going to fix for dinner?..

Finished my essay last night and zipped it off to Amy via email...I have write group today, may go to Imnaha to Janies cabin...Herb is off on the 4-wheeler for his morning hunt in the back field, wish him luck...Hugs to all...OWAV:)