Friday, September 12, 2008

Preserving the Harvest - Sweet Peppers


Today was rainy, so we did lots of indoor things and got more pics than usual, so you get two posts today!
The whole family went to the market this morning and got lots of veggies: beets with greens, mushrooms, zucchini, a chicken, a shot of wheatgrass (for mama), a coffee (for daddy), some oranges for a special recipe, broccoli, and a BUNCH of bell peppers. There were some really lovely local no chem. ones for a great price, so we got 10!
We didn't need any eggs or dairy because we have found a really great farm that provides raw milk from 100% grass (in the winter, hay) fed Jersey cows. They supply a full line of dairy products, and Owen and I look forward to the day we add back dairy products. The gallon of milk we got for Abram was nearly 1/2 cream! We also got pastured eggs at another farm, but next time we will try the ones from the dairy farm. As we approached the Amish farm that had been pointed out to us from a small store, there were signs that warned us not to trespass. We found a lady in the tank room cleaning up, and got to speak the the man in charge of the operation. After harassment from the PA officials, they set up a private buying group to keep their operation legal. Now, the same officials are back after them trying to keep them from providing good raw milk products to private citizens. We payed a small membership fee for the year and got a membership card! You have to show this membership card to them when you go to buy the milk and other illegal things. (PA does allow raw milk and cheese sales buy certified farmers, but other dairy products are not able to be sold to the public legally. These folks choose not to be part of the government certification and oversight bureaucracy.) They have such wonderful products!
But, I digress. What were we to do with so many bell peppers? That's of course too many for us to eat before they go bad, so Owen and I chopped nine of them up and froze them on a cookie sheet. Owen tasted a few (not really ready for raw veggies on GAPS, but can't take it back), and really loved them. I will put them into containers to store them to use later on in the fall and winter when there are no fresh sweet peppers. They will be great in soups and chili and such!

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