THE AMISH COOK
BY LOVINA EICHER
The 7th month of 2013 is almost history already. Another year going by way too fast! I want the boys to pull the onions out of our garden today. Don’t know if the saying is true about not letting the August sun hit your onions (for storage). Seems by that time of year they are ready to be pulled and hung up to dry for storage anyways.
We are enjoying sweet corn too now. With corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, red beets, lettuce, green beans, and peppers in the garden meal planning is much easier. The grocery bill also comes down a lot at this time of year. One evening we had sweet corn, sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad, and sliced cheese. Another evening we had red potatoes, green beans, fried zucchini, sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad and sliced cheese. Kevin, 7, likes to husk the corn but wants me to clean it. He said he stays so busy with all his jobs like picking up eggs, husking corn, giving the grass that the boys mowed to the horses and feeding the dogs. He likes to feed the corn husks to the horses and ponies. One of our hens has little chicks and it’s hard to keep Kevin away from her little chicks.
We are also enjoying the hamburger patties we made and put in the freezer when we butchered beef last winter. With tomato slices, lettuce and sweet onions on the grilled hamburgers make a delicious, tasty sandwich.
Foremost on our minds is the sad news of Uncle Emanuels’s death. Uncle Emanuel, who lived in Harlan, Indiana, turned 79 on July 10th. His wife, Aunt Catherine, is my Dad’s sister and she passed away in July 2011. Emanuel leaves to mourn sons Emanuel Clyde, William , Robert and a daughter Cathy along with all their partners and children. May God be with them as they go through this trial in life. I know how they must feel losing both parents in two years time. Life seems emptier and it always feels like someone is missing at family gatherings. Life goes on and we must accept God’s ways. Trusting and believing in “Him” helps to make the burdens in life easier.
The funeral will be on Saturday which we have plans to attend. The annual Coblentz reunion was just held this month in Wisconsin. It was close to where Uncle Joe and Melvin live. We regretted that we weren’t able to make it there once again.
A lady from our church district is taking orders for peaches. She has the truck deliver them all to the houses for our church district. So peaches will soon be here to can and freeze. Today we will make more dill pickles. After this batch I will have enough pickles for the year. I’ll share my recipe for goulash!
GOULASH
1 pound hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
8 medium tomatoes, peeled and chunked
2 cups macaronis
1 quart water
Brown hamburger and onion. Add tomatoes and water. When water starts boiling add macaronis. Cook till macaronis are soft. Season to taste. Note: you can add more hamburgers or tomatoes for your preference.
Kentuckylady717
Good article Lovina, always enjoy reading them. Sounds like you have had lots of fresh vegetables.
I have not seen any fresh vegs. this summer....people used to sell by the road, but guess they have stopped...
I keep looking for fresh green beans, onions & tomatoes and I have not see any here where I live.... a neighbor of my daughter's sent me a couple of zucchini's .....
Kevin, do you know if any of the Amish are selling fresh vegs. this summer ? By looking at the weather today, I think summer is gone....and I didn't even see it come in.....only have had my a/c on twice this summer, and only for a few hrs.....and that was only because I had company....and the min. they left I turned it off.....even had to put a quilt on my bed last week....
this is way too early for summer to be over......
Barb S.
We've had a great growing season this year in WV. The cooler temps and more abundant rain has been wonderful for the green beans and our tomato plants are huge! Onions are already dug up and stored. With the lack of sunlight on the cloudy days, it did take a while for our tomatoes to start ripening, but now we're harvesting daily. Lots of peppers too. I wish I could send you some produce Kentuckylady!