We asked Rebecca and Rebecca said, No more Aggies Jumping on the Bed

November 7^th at the orchard the air was brisk and clean,

Aggies piled out in to the sunlight dressing to keep warm

for any alium lover that day was a garlic dream,

the neighbouring plot was all weeds were previously grew corn

but the garlic beds were ready and the students were keen

so off we went to get muddy, this we’d been warned

Measure twice and dig once, as the old saying goes

plots chosen, we planted, offset and 6 inches apart.

The biggest bulbs are the best as everyone knows

some would grow with Rye, there progress written on a chart

Research in yield, to be written in perfect prose

But for now we dig, giving last years cloves a fresh start

The work went steady with song and much laughter
We planted, point up! and double deep in its height
the little bulbs were tucked in with a good raking after
but with all that space planted, there was extra, what a sight!
so the students descended, what was plenty, soon picked over
one task done, now another to do, this is easy with such aggie might

That corn field i mentioned, what a disastrous place
and who would have crept in but the deadly night shade
but not to fear the aggies are here and we keep a good pace
forking, pulling, racking, there are beds to be made
we are hoping our effort will leave not a trace
but weeding is labour and this class has got that in spades

In the meantime, beyond the bean poles, there are beets for the harvest
the market may be over but we can still make a good sale
there is squash and potatoes, now add beets to the mess
carted through campus, their path leaving a muddy trail
the money will got to SASA to plan adventures that are best
so when each aggie grads they can tell a good tale

when the planting and harvest and clean up is done
we round up the tools and piled back into the van
it was time (we were hungry) to get out of the sun
we felt good with our work, the days labour on the land
our pockets filled with bounty, our packs now weighed a ton
Im making pickled beets! Christmas gifts for the Kenney clan

Can you guess what we are doing? Hint: facilities will be very happy

I'd say Will is done for the day wouldn't you?

Here is the recipe mama Kenney sent me to make pickle beets, Its so easy! 

1. boil beets with the skin on for about 10-15 min depending on the size
2. then cool in cold water, skins should slip off
3. combine equal parts in pot
1. water
2. sugar
3. white or apple cider vinegar
4. 1 tbsp pickling spice in tea pouch or tea bell
5. bring to a boil and add beets
6. boil for 10 minutes and pack into sterilised jars 

The pickling spice is easiest to buy in a premixed blend cause it involves about 14 different spices. I had so many beets of differing colours, so I brewed the spices for 10 minutes and then poured the brew over the beets in the jars and used the final sealing boil to cook em in. I used a whopping 7 cups of water, sugar, and vinegar to pickle all the beets I brought home and now I have 11 1/2 jars of pickled beauty. Yum!