Freezing in the Heat

This year is the first year that I have actually had enough vegies to be able to freeze some extra for later. Yesterday I was able to process about a quart of peas, and today I processed almost a gallon of broccoli. Of course, I might have been able to process more if I had stayed on top of the garden these last few weeks, but I'm still pretty pleased.

Freezing produce is super easy. And for vegetables, it's easier than canning because most vegies require pressure canning to be safe for preservation. (Tomatoes being the exception.) Although, I have been known to just through peppers, onions, and tomatoes in the freezer, there is a technical process called blanching. This requires minimal cooking in boiling water to stop the growing enzymes and then an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Other than being sure that your vegetables are washed well with no bugs, that's it. Process time varies, although it's generally the same time for boiling as ice bathing. Pick Your Own is my go to resource for food preservation, both canning and freezing.

Other accomplishments for today: I also picked four cabbages and weeded/pulled up bolting plants from the brassica bed. The broccoli is basically finished, so I'm pondering planting cantaloupe in its place. I replanted some butternut squash, although a couple just sprouted today. I also resprayed the eggplant. I think it's going to make it this year, but I need to figure out why the flowers are falling off. Is this the same as calcium deficiency in tomatoes and peppers?

Pictures tomorrow...