Yes, call me crazy. I've been bitten by a HUGE gardening bug. We have had a 40' x 80' garden for several years, but my husband has led the charge until this year. Last year, I was going to lead the charge and get it done, but with the drought we never planted anything. So I had to wait an entire year to get the garden going, and I jumped in with both feet. I laid out my beds, tilled them up a little tiller my hubby bought me, worked the soil, and started planting. Whew! I've learned soooo much this year. It's been fantastic. I particularly enjoy working with my tomato plants. I used to love to grow roses, but with the dogs and deer we have to deal with now, I have no where to grow them. Instead, I spend time with my tomatoes.
And yes, I have an extra freezer. Couldn't live without it.
I've got to spray and treat today for cutworms, stink bugs, pill bugs, cucumber beetles, grasshoppers and crickets and fire ants. Although the frogs are helping keep the grasshoppers and crickets down now. With 54 tomato plants, looking for insects is almost impossible, though I try. I think Garrett Juice is supposed to be very effective for those tomato hornworms and most cutworms among other things. Have you tried it? I'm going to today. But if that doesn't work, I know Bt does -- started using it before I learned about GJ.
Hey! I'd love that recipe for the bread and butter pickles. I've been looking for a good one.
Happy gardening and canning!