# Beets



## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I planted 2 rows of beets this year as my wife asked me to, she loves pickled beets.
I liked them as a kid, but went years without eating any, then about 20 years ago, ate some and hated them.
Anyway, this years beets are done and canned, and wife talked me into trying them, so I did. Wow, they were quite tasty. Daughter likes them too.
Well, our peas are done for the year, so I stripped that area of the garden, tilled it up, and was planning on planting more beets this week.

Plans changed tonight. A friend called and offered me some because her brother planted way too many. I explained my situation, politely declined, and thanked them for the offer.
I figure, I can grow more, and they can give their extras to someone who can't grow them.
No such luck, they can't find anyone else to take them. They begged me to take some. So i agreed to take some and drove to their house.
Holy Moly, the sent me home with a big (roughly 30 gallon) plastic storage tote completely full.

Needless to say, I will be canning beets again tomorrow, and will be finding something else to plant in the, now unused, spot of the garden.

Good folks are good folks.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

I loved pickled beets but I hated the pickled beets my mother-in-law made. They were nasty!!!

Apparently your wife has a good recipe.


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

I can mine plain for salads too


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## hurryiml8 (Apr 15, 2009)

I love pickled beets!


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Gretchen Ann said:


> I loved pickled beets but I hated the pickled beets my mother-in-law made. They were nasty!!!
> 
> Apparently your wife has a good recipe.


Actually, I do the canning.
Recipe is 
2 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground clove 
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
Boil that,
Clean beets, boil them.
Remove from boiling water, add 2 cups of beet water to vinegar solution
Peel and slice beets, put into jars.
Cover with hot solution
Can in waterbath.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

This is not good. After canning one batch of beets, ok, half batch, last night, I decided I was done for the day and would do the rest today.
I had cleaned about half of the tub I was given.
Any leaves and stems, etc, I cut off, I put in a metal wash tub and sat them on the washing machine next to the back door.
I had to run to town this morning, and on way out the door, I told my son to take that tub of beet stuff and feed it to the pigs.
I don't think i even need to say what I found when I got home...
Yup, he fed that half tub of good beets to the pigs......
I still have enough cleaned in the fridge to can 4-6 more quarts, but not enough for the 12+ quarts i thought I might get.
Oh, well, back to original plan, plant more.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

We hit the "pick your own" beet patch a couple weeks ago, and ended up with 18 quarts.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I ended up getting 5 quarts and 1 pint today, if not for the mishap, would have easily been 11 or 12 quarts.
Ozark tom, if you don't mind me asking, how much do beets cost per pound at a you-pick?


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Any body like Harvard beets? Pickled beets, thickened with a little cornstarch, eaten hot.

....James


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## deb_rn (Apr 16, 2010)

Try the hot beets with some orange juice/sugar or honey... very yummy!

Debbie


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> Any leaves and stems, etc, I cut off, I put in a metal wash tub and sat them on the washing machine next to the back door.
> I had to run to town this morning, and on way out the door, I told my son to take that tub of beet stuff and *feed it to the pigs*.


YIKES!! Those leaves are some of the best parts! I can them like any other green.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

I have a row of beets that I'm just starting to harvest. I think I'm going to freeze my surplus over canning as we tend to use them up pretty quickly.

My mom used to make pickled beets and add hard boiled eggs to them. After 24 hours the eggs would absorb the beet juice and some of the flavor. My dad and I would feast on them for days. Good stuff and memory.

I hope your pigs enjoyed the unintentional feast.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Do you boil them first to peel them? Leaving some stem on to keep them from bleeding, then cut off the stem and peeling them?

....James


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

We grew beets for the first time this year. I must say our sneaky little rabbit loved them. We only have one left now. Oh, the rabbit 'moved on'.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

James, yes


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## tonasket (Oct 20, 2004)

I make my harvard beets with plain beets, chop them up, bring to a boil, add a mixture of 2Tbl. cornstarch, 2 Tbl. sugar and 2 Tbl. vinegar blended well, bring back to a boil, serve.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Hmm, sounds interesting. Might need to try that sometime.


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## KentuckyDreamer (Jan 20, 2012)

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> Actually, I do the canning.
> Recipe is
> 2 cups vinegar
> 2 cups sugar
> ...


 How incredibly timely!!! Tonight I ordered a bushel basket of beets from the farmer's market in town. I pick them up next Thursday and plan to pickle them Friday. I was going to post a thread asking for info and support. 

I am excited to try your recipe. 
Thank you


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## KentuckyDreamer (Jan 20, 2012)

badlander said:


> I have a row of beets that I'm just starting to harvest. I think I'm going to freeze my surplus over canning as we tend to use them up pretty quickly.
> 
> My mom used to make pickled beets and add hard boiled eggs to them. After 24 hours the eggs would absorb the beet juice and some of the flavor. My dad and I would feast on them for days. Good stuff and memory.
> 
> I hope your pigs enjoyed the unintentional feast.


 Are you saying you put the eggs in the canning jars with the beets? I may try one or two like that.


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## Twobottom (Sep 29, 2013)

Well the good news is, not sure where you live but beets are usually alot sweeter when exposed to a frost. So maybe you could replant about mid august for some really awesome beets.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Actually, I planted 3 rows yesterday.
They will probably be ready to harvest before first frost, but I may plant some more later to try timing with frost.

Kentuckydreamer, I hope you like that recipe, they are very tasty.


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