So this week there is a full moon on Thursday--it is known as the Full Sturgeon Moon--a fish--so for vegans, this may not be our month, have no fear, next month is the Full Corn Moon. I read this on the Farmer's Almanac website: http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names. I love that stuff! Things to do in the garden this month--harvest herbs at full moon--they will be more infused with their oils. Plant root veggies after the full moon. I plan on putting out some new seed this coming week--more spinach, lettuce, carrots, cabbage and sugar snap peas.
Things I've noticed around the full moon, besides mood swings--well that could be the age clock thingy going on--hormones and all--nonetheless, the full moon does seem to increase energy levels in all species, especially in wildlife, like seeing more of it. For instance, a deer in the front yard of our neighbor's house at three in the afternoon! I've also noticed rain storms or other turbulent weather changes seem to increase, as well. (My husband thinks not, but I could plot a line on a graph and show that some of the most drastic changes in weather have occur ed around the full moon--including snow storms). Oh, and was there not an earthquake around Baha, CA today? Hmmmm. And my dogs display, shall we say, a more spirited mood. Can dogs have moods, yes, just ask mine.
So with my level of energy increased in correlation to the moon being full, I began my canning escapade again. After my success with the salsa last week, I was ready for more tomatoes, and fruit--marinara, jams and jellies were in order. We visited a farmer's stand on Sunday and I was just sure I'd make it home in time to cook dinner, can some marinara and watch a new DVD. Wrong. I hauled more tomatoes into this house in the last two weeks than I think we've seen in the entire time we've been married. This all owing to my sudden need, urge, want--to eat closer. Meaning, from the earth in my yard, or the earth in my city's yards. Not a new concept, we've all heard about this. But to me, this year has been about turning those places where the grass grows into places where food grows.
I read a wonderful book last month that reinforced my dedication to growing my own food: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver . Before you run out and read it please note, she does discuss the process of raising and eating things other than veggies. I could not read those chapters. (Sort of like with the book, Heat by Bill Buford--lots of non-veggie cooking takes place as it was a memoir of a food experience in a well-known restaurant--I had to skip a lot within that book, too.) But reading is important, and I do a lot of it.
So, here are my latest canning projects. Today it was blackberry jam and concord grape jelly. Plus, in the photo is a jar of my salsa I made last week. Salsa does not stick around long in this house so canning this totally makes sense. The jellies. . . well, I am a peanut butter and jelly freak. What can I say. I have a sandwich of that sort at least once a day--well, maybe a half of one on some days. . . but still. How cool is it that I can just grab my own, and not that other widely known jam label?
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