Highlight: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Though often said in unrelated and figurative contexts, the reality of that statement here at Serendipity Farmhouse must be taken quite literally.

The Labor Day weekend was hot and sticky. There were several heat and health advisories issued for the area. Nevertheless, when it’s time for canning – it’s time for canning. So it is, and so it was meant to be.

Despite the heat and despite the advisories, beautiful, sweet Wife, Mr. Monte, and I spent hours in the soon to be world famous SFH test kitchen. The processing pot was filled, boiling, and steaming. The lid sterilizing pot was filled, boiling, and steaming. The salsa pot and the pickle brine pots were filled, boiling, and steaming. Outside, it was 91º. Inside, it was much hotter. But we are living as granny did, and doing many of same things in the same ways that granny did. The vegetables are ripe and the canning must be done. So, we did it.

The rewards for our efforts for the 3rd and 4th of September include:

• G&G’s Pasta Sauce – 5 pints
• Peter’s Pickled Hot Peppers (jalapenos & serranos) – 3 pints
• Mr. Monte’s Finest Dehydrated Habaneros – 1 pint (dry canned)
• Mr. Monte’s Finest Dehydrated Serranos – 1 pint (dry canned)

Weather: Perhaps it will be the last heat wave of the season. We don’t know. We do know that the canning results took our minds off the heat – at least for a little while.

2018-09-03: High – 91º, precipitation 0.00 (Details – click here.)

2018-09-04: High – 91º, precipitation 0.00 (Details – click here.)

2018-09-05: High – 89º, precipitation 0.00 (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Nothing to report

Harvest: The harvest has slowed somewhat.

2018-09-03: 4 cherry tomatoes

2018-09-04: Nothing to report

2018-09-05: 11 okra pods