Pickled Beets

We had a pretty stellar raised bed this year. People ask me often what I did to make them grow so well, no get ate by bugs or deer, and have no disease- well mom and dad always prayed over their garden so I do that to mine, too. That's my best answer. Also, I go out and check on it everyday which sometimes feels like watching paint dry. At one point this summer we harvested a test crop of beets and thinned and replanted the smaller ones. Here are some of our results and a wonderful recipe for pickled beets that my grandma used. 

Here is Parker helping me pull beets in the garden. We really enjoy it because you never know how big or small of a beet will come out. 

Now here is where I boiled the beets to peel the skin off, then I just diced the beets and got the rest ready. The rabbits actually really love beets so I tossed out the scraps to them. The greens are their favorites and they got a lot of them. I could have kept the greens for ourselves but they didn't look so great for us- not to mention I have a lot of produce already. 

Here is me taking a break on the porch while my beets boil in the pickling juice. I have been wearing an apron a lot lately which I find to be really funny. However, most of what I have been working with (tomatoes and beets) have a tendency to get on me and ruin my clothes. 

And here is the finished product! I had 13 beets for this last batch which really is pretty good considering the space limitations I had for the raised bed and plus this is all practice here at the rental house anyway. This was enough for 2 jars plus I had 1 other from a practice round before this. 

I often read Proverbs 31 to find out what makes a good woman. It serves as encouragement, but also a good guide for how I should act, like working and being productive. The verse I chose is "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." - Proverbs 31:25. I bet you can guess why I picked that- especially in today's world. With the division in America right now it is so important to learn how to do things so we are prepared. Not only that but our food system is seriously lacking and it's almost a test of what the human body can tolerate. I am trying to relearn what my ancestors knew how to do and to feel proud of the work I have accomplished. Growing beets from seed and then making pickled beets from them has been so fun and rewarding. It's even better when Parker likes them, too. That's how God intended it. We get so caught up in ourselves that we don't do productive things anymore. I've always had hobbies but now I think about the example I'll be setting for my child. Parker and I actually started a thing where we don't "relax" until it's dark outside although we will take time to read. Our house is clean and I even have food prepped for post partum. I'm not afraid about the future because we can do things and, of course, we trust in God. 

-Nichole💜