PREP THREAD 5/19-5/25

Well tomarrow is the last day of dh's vacation for now at least. So today we went to a fly tie shop to get some stuff to make some flies. See yesterday we got a couple of really nice ones at a yard sale that dh didn't have. So of course we need to make some and keep these for patterns. Which is fine.
We also hit a dent and ding yesterday. Got more of the famouse duck sauce for 99 cents for a big jar. Can't make it for that price. Also got some first aid stuff as well not much but a bit and every bit helps.
Plan is tomarrow we will take a picnic lunch. Fly rod and kindle and head to a river in the sticks.

Well, seems we just had a late freeze a couple of weeks ago, but now the temp is 100. Fortunately we are high desert and have nice cool mornings.

Peppers and tomatoes are in ground. Planted green beans and squash. Will plant more green beans in a couple of weeks. Also planted radishes, but it may be too late. They may just grow foliage and bolt in this heat. Easy crop, but tricky to grow around here (for me anyway).

May plant a cucumber. Wish I had room for cantalope on my city lot ! I always grow a large pot of basil and dry some and make rest into pesto and freeze. Sage, oregano and rosemary stay year round and lemonbalm comes back every year. Lavenders are about to bloom too.

Connie, I am in the high desert also. Calif. and I have really good luck with all kinds of greens grown in pots. I also have a Meyer Lemon tree in a big pot that we move in and out of the garage in the winter. Get tons of lemons off of it. Also get a lot of Juliet tomatoes late into winter by putting them in pots.

This week I just couldn't help myself after the toilet paper shortage in Argentina.
I added 5-12 pks to my stash.
We have been picking cherries the last week. We were fortunate to have a great crop this year. I have been dehydrating them for the last several days and gave all my neighbors a nice little bucket full.
The ronde de nice squash have little squash on them and my crooknecks are looking good. No flowers yet though. For some reason the cukes are pitiful and the green beans are sad. Don't have a clue what went wrong but that is the desert for you.
No rhyme nor reason for anything to do with gardening. I grow all of my greens in pots so I am able to move around if the weather calls for it. do have really good luck with the swiss chard and new zealand spinach. That is it for me this week. I wish we could get more people to participate in this thread. I need some new ideas for prepping.
Prayers go out to anyone on here in Ok. Some things you just can't prep for I guess.

There are usually good meat sales around Memorial Day weekend, so I hope to get some for the freezer.

I avoid baking in the summer at all costs. With my windowless kitchen and old oven, baking in the summer is miserable. So, I have been taking advantage of these semi-cool mornings and baking for the freezer. So far, I made breads, muffins, banana nut bread and even pumpkin bread for the freezer.

The fruit trees are looking good and I hope to get a good crop in the fall.

blueberry said:

There are usually good meat sales around Memorial Day weekend, so I hope to get some for the freezer.

I avoid baking in the summer at all costs. With my windowless kitchen and old oven, baking in the summer is miserable. So, I have been taking advantage of these semi-cool mornings and baking for the freezer. So far, I made breads, muffins, banana nut bread and even pumpkin bread for the freezer.

The fruit trees are looking good and I hope to get a good crop in the fall.

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Hit the GARAGE SALES looking for either a convection oven or a roaster oven.
you can BAKE (anything, cookies, pie bread etc.)IN EITHER OF THEM on the porch during hot weather.
I got a SHARP combo convection oven/microwave for $10 Sat. and a Roaster oven for $10 last week.

I was in town yesterday and bought some tomato and cabbage plants since my seed starts just don't seem to be doing particularly well this year.

ainitfunny said:

Hit the GARAGE SALES looking for either a convection oven or a roaster oven.
you can BAKE (anything, cookies, pie bread etc.)IN EITHER OF THEM on the porch during hot weather.
I got a SHARP combo convection oven/microwave for $10 Sat. and a Roaster oven for $10 last week.

Click to expand...

I will have to look into that! I already put crock pots on the porch in the summer, to avoid heating up the kitchen. I have no outside plugs, so I have to use an extension cord through a window.

Connie said:

Wish I had room for cantalope on my city lot !

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If you can grow cucumbers, you can grow cantaloupe. Plant in a large pot (5 gallon pail will work, or an "Earthbox clone"- Google it, they are easy to make) and provide some sort of trellis for it to climb. Support the fruit that forms by making "slings" from old pantyhose or similar fabric, so the weight doesn't pull them off the vine early.

Summerthyme