Picking Hot Peppers at the Old Farmhouse

Aug
20

I had a hankering to make hot pepper butter, only the peppers just weren’t happening in our garden this year. We planted them, but they haven’t produced. Yet, hark! My hankering for fiery heat was heard over the hill at the old farmhouse and my cousin told me I could come pick his peppers. I told him I’d split the hot pepper butter with him.

Georgia was waiting for us on the porch of the old farmhouse.

She waits well. If I was an hour and a half late, she’d still be sitting in that rocking chair. Waiting.

We went into the old farmhouse and rustled up some plastic bags then headed out to the garden.

The old wash house is still standing, by the way. (Not for long, though…..)

I’d decided, in my infinite wisdom, to plan this little lark at 3 pm on a day when our strange summer had turned into real summer and it was 90 degrees. Cuz, like, who doesn’t want to pick hot peppers out in the blazing sun in the middle of the afternoon? We were, however, on our way to volleyball practice, which meant I had my helper in tow.

Georgia stood by to direct us to the peppers. She’s not showing me up as much as usual because she’s going to have hip replacement surgery soon and hasn’t been able to work in the garden as much as she’d like this summer. Still, she has tomatoes and peppers and corn corn corn.

These are old field rods that she uses for tomato stakes. My great-uncle Carl used to work in the oil fields.

(The green beans are already finished and that portion of the garden mowed over.)

She has some weird orange squash.

But we were there for the beautiful peppers.

I said, “How come you have so many fabulous peppers, Georgia, and I have none?”

Georgia said, “You can’t ever tell.” Georgia’s two favorite lines: “Well.” (This expresses all manner of shock.) And: “You can’t ever tell.” (This expresses all manner of shock.)

She’s mysterious, our Georgia.

Morgan: “Your peppers know you want to eat them. They don’t want to die.”

Me: “Georgia’s peppers don’t think she wants to eat them????”

Morgan: “They respect her so they do what they’re supposed to do anyway. Your peppers don’t respect you.”

The vegetables, they don’t respect me! THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.

P.S. I used this recipe for hot pepper butter.

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24 Responses
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8-20
4:11
am

Prayers to Georgia on her hip surgery

And Little Miss Morgan, the all knowing…….imagine the vegetables not respecting you!! What more do they want? They had beautiful compost as food, not a terribly hot summer for growing conditions, geesh….!

I hope everything turned out with your Hot Pepper Butter! the water..did you figure out the water? Can’t wait to see the finished product!! I’m waiting for some more peppers out of the garden to this recipe.

CindyP - Reply
8-20
5:11
am

There’s our sweet Georgia! Please tell her I hope all goes well with the hip surgery. Those are some great looking peppers too. Yeah, Georgia’s garden respects her … or maybe she’s adding something she hasn’t told you about? *wink wink* xxoo

Harbor Hon - Reply
8-20
5:11
am

Georgia’s neat! Love the old-timers like her! Such beauty and love.

Lynda Dunham-Watkins - Reply
8-20
5:39
am

I think we now have an explanation of why you don’t have any goat milk. The goat, she don’t respect you!

Nita in SC - Reply
8-20
6:19
am

It is good to see Georgia!

Is there anyway to move the old wash house to your place?

Cathy J - Reply
- 8-20
  6:39
  am
  
  We’re going to salvage some wood, but we can’t move the whole thing intact.
  
  Suzanne - Reply
8-20
6:20
am

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is read your blog. I really enjoy when you visit Georgia. She reminds me of my grandmother who has been gone a while now.
Have a blessed day and best wishes to Georgia on her surgery.

Melinda - Reply
8-20
6:42
am

Love your stories! We are also “farmers” from the city, moved to the country, with chickens, goats and a miniature horse. This weekend we are adding one little pig. It has been a strange garden year for us also in upstate New York. Our peppers have not done well, had pretty good green beans, the tomatoes are turning red slowly but surely and the yellow squash is a funny color too….and we’ve only had about 6 zucchini! But we keep plugging along because farm living is the life for us!

Nan - Reply
8-20
6:59
am

I wish my system could handle peppers! That pepper butter sounds like it would be good.
Hi to Georgia. I will pray that her surgery goes well!

Claudia W - Reply
8-20
7:30
am

I’ve never had pepper butter but will have to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Judy Laquidara - Reply
8-20
8:38
am

Jeez I am trying to keep up with Suzanne!!! Canning, baking, farming, animals, kids, working…. How the heck to you do it all??
I dont have a blog! You should get a kick back from all the things I buy that you use ( camera, baking, canning, animals you name it I am trying it…) You could put ANYTHING on here and I will try it! LOVE your site, my daily inspiration… Oh Have been dehydrating also had to buy that too. It’s a good thing I have kitchen in my barn also for all this Cooking I am doing keeps the house clean Gonna try the pepper butter now! Me and Marie Lavue my pet sheep in the barn kitchen! Whoo Hoo, Life is good! PS.. Thank goodness for the Amish farmers garden..I don’t have a green thumb so I buy my veggies from them.. My 15 year old daughter says she is going to marry her an amish boy???

Julie - Reply
8-20
9:19
am

That explains it all. My vegetables don’t respect me. Dang. How do I earn vegetable respect?

Christy O - Reply
8-20
9:36
am

That Georgia. She’s a peach.

Miss Becky - Reply
8-20
9:45
am

Does Georgia plant by the signs, thus the abundent garden?

Ms E - Reply
8-20
3:06
pm

So forgive my southern california-ness, what do you put pepper butter on? Does anyone else you a butter bell, speaking of butter? You are constantly broadening my horizons, I love it!

Debbie - Reply
8-20
4:28
pm

It must be pepper season everywhere. The farmers here in Korea just started picking all their red peppers last week. They dry them out in the sun on big blankets just out in the middle of the road.

You can see them here:
http://www.ourjennericlife.com/jennifer/come-walk-with-me-moo/

Actually, they’re rounding up all kinds of veggies I can’t identify…like the squash.

Much love from an overseas Army wife,
Jennifer

Jennifer - Reply
8-20
4:32
pm

I’m tellin ya…make peppers and sauce!

Bev - Reply
8-20
5:41
pm

Glad someone got tomatoes this year. Everyone I know in the southern part of WV has nothing but blight. Especially on “not from big commercial growers” purchased stuff. Those from the feed store, organic growers, and home seeded are all pig food. Hope they don’t blight this year’s pork chops!

Sandy - Reply
8-20
5:52
pm

That explains why I have 5000 tomatoes this year. I’m respected.

LisaAJB - Reply
- 8-21
  10:29
  am
  
  Also, you let every single volunteer in a 4 mile radius relocate to your yard.
  
  Ulrike - Reply
8-20
5:56
pm

To answer the question from “Ms E” – - – No, Georgia doesn’t plant by the signs but she does occasionally refer to the WVU Extensnion Service’s Garden Calendar for best planting dates.

Georgia hasn’t been able to spend much time in the garden this year! Mark has done a little more than usual to help his mother out. Mark is actually the “Pepper Wizard.” He usually picks the varieties to plant and harvests/processes them. He LOVES hot peppers!

I don’t garden – - I just eat! Yum!

I will pass on y’alls’ prayers and wishes to Georgia. Our family appreciates your kindness.

Suzanne – This post is hysterical! I almost fell off my chair laughing when I read Morgan’s line about “Pepper Respect.” She is a hoot!

Cousin Sheryl - Reply
8-21
7:09
am

can’t do anything with peppers and I miss that-I got a strange allergy one year to them just on my hands??!!-prayers to georgia-she’s tough-she’ll do great!

rainss61 - Reply
8-21
10:51
am

Love your blog! It is so good to see Georgia again. Hope her surgery goes well. I love all the posts about Georgia and of the old farmhouse. Please post pictures of the fall foliage when that times comes. Fall is my favorite season.

Susan

Susan - Reply
8-25
6:49
am

You been dissin those veggies again? You KNOW it always gets back…the eggplants are notorious gossips. lol Love your blog…like a window on a life I’ll not live in this lifetime.

Nana - Reply