I joined my husband on his inspections yesterday. He had a busy week doing contract work in Columbus and was scrambling to catch up with his own clients before a new week began.
It was a beautiful day, very hot. We traveled across the southern-most portion of the state. We didn’t lose site of the Ohio river during most of our trip. It was a treat.
As we headed back home we spotted a new Amish produce store.
The children were sitting on the front porch as we drove by. Waves commenced, and my husband honked.
We ended up turning back, visiting the store. What a joy. Not only was the produce beautiful, the family was just as special. The husband was proud of the new kitchen. We could see the wife cooking through the glass paned door. The family was barefoot (our Mennonite neighbors are often barefoot too), except for the men. The kitchen floor was absolutely gorgeous. The gloss on the white oak floor was mirror-like. The husband grinned at us and said, “Well, it is new, it won’t look like that for long!” He was definitely proud of his work.
We headed straight to the tomatoes. They were marked as grown in an area just a short distance from our farm. I looked at my husband and said, “How do they have ripe tomatoes already?” The Amish husband said, ” They are grown by the Mennonites, in their greenhouses. They are not hydroponic though.” Honest. Thank you. The tomatoes are wonderful, by the way.
I moved on to the back shelves that contained jams, fresh bread, and assorted jars of beautiful canned items. I picked up a nice-sized jar of honey. Have you priced honey recently? Goodness! And then the one jar caught my eye, pepper butter.
The wife was heading to the basement as I began asking about the pepper butter. She stopped and talked about the pepper butter being her sister’s recipe, canned by her. It contains peppers, mustard, onions, sugar, salt, and a few spices. I cannot wait to find the perfect use for pepper butter!
And now I am homesick for canning. I still do not have a garden in (except for a small herb and flower garden). My husband taught me how to can about 9 years ago. He was the teacher, based on childhood memories. I fell in love with canning as soon as my nervousness went away. I was sure I was going to poison us somehow! Right now, I would love to hear the pressure cooker doing its thing, canning beautiful green beans.
So…the garden has to happen. No later than next year. I want to move the garden shed, put in a propane tank, move the extra stove to the shed, and begin canning away. Dried herbs, infused herbs, canned and frozen vegetables, and beautiful flowers. And, Omar, our local hay person, is supplying the plans that he used to build his wife’s greenhouse. You ought to see his wife, Naomi’s, begonias. She starts her seeds and plants each spring in her greenhouse. Ask her about her plants, she lights up and forgets her shyness.
I am tired today, after yesterday’s 10 hour drive, but renewed in so many ways. I am going to sit outside with the goats, contemplate a garden spot, contemplate making more farm-house goat milk soap (not today), and thank God for our many blessings. And rest.
Have a beautiful Sunday!
Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 
Sounds like a perfect day, these last two. Would love to have a greenhouse too, but not just yet. Need to find a little piece of heaven first… a couple acres, before I go into the building mode.
We did expand our chicken yard. It was a must. We had to get that next batch of chickens out there — we now have 30, with a few chicks still in the house. Yes, that’s right. In the house. 🙂 They’re ready to move out to the little confinement pen now that the others have moved in with the big girls. Can’t wait to have them all out there.
My cousin and I just made some freezer strawberry jam. Wonderful stuff! I’ve got banana peppers about to come off, and the chili peppers are showing some promise. However, the tomatoes have had too much rain and are showing it. Until I started canning, I didn’t realize just how many tomato-based products we actual use around here. I’ve got 39 out, and am doing the sun dance around them every day! (The weeds pick up on this love-vibe too, I wish there was a way to get them to ignore me!) lol
The Amish have so much to teach us, of our past ways of life that were lost to modern technology.
Hope you’re enjoying your day of relaxation.
L
OH… I almost forgot to mention… this year, I’m planning on pumpkin butter! Can’t wait!! 🙂
I love pumpkin butter. Do you agree, it is pretty in the jar?
Your gardening sounds great!
I have one jar of banana peppers left, from 6 years back. It won’t be opened. The peppers are red, green and yellow. I sat them on a shelf in my kitchen and enjoy them as part of the decor.
Think about the great spaghetti sauce and chili you can make during the cold months with those tomotoes. Yum.
Mary, I believe you had a beautiful day! What a great story! That you found pepper butter! I’d love to have that recipe! I’m working on mint jelly tonight. Today was soooo HOT that I didn’t want to heat the kitchen until this evening. Enjoy your break. Work will come in due time.
I have a fan going in the kitchen. I do understand about not wanting to heat it. I baked lasagna last weekend early in the afternoon. We eat it cool, or even cold, so letting it sit, and allowing the kitchen to cool back down was a treat.
What a wonderfull trip! I would love to go to the Amish store. Oh boy honey is so expensive. My husband love it. we have let people put bee hives on our farm. Hopefully we get some honey.
Stacey, you’ll have to let me know how the bee hives work out. Nothing like honey on a hot biscuit!
I can’t wait to hear what you find as a use for pepper butter.
Never heard of that either.
And I can’t wait to hear about your garden.
That, I know a little about. tee hee
I’ll let you know what the pepper butter is like. I hope to go back to the store some day and investigate some more of their canned goodies.