- Bringing in the Sheaves

[mirkwood]

Friday, September 4, 2009

- Bringing in the Sheaves (http://preparetodaynewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/09/bringing-in-sheaves.html)


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Bringing in the Sheaves


Fall is in the air and that means many of us will be increasing our efforts at preserving the bounty of the harvest. With that in mind I've gathered several sources of online information on 'How To'. Enjoy!

Ball (canning jars and lids) has a great website found at www.freshpreserving.com (http://www.freshpreserving.com/)
They also have an online canning forum where wonderful questions are asked and answered: www.freshpreserving.com/phpbb/phpBB3/index.php?sid=a7e74acf8609e69f61e2667b1f3053c1 (http://www.freshpreserving.com/phpbb/phpBB3/index.php?sid=a7e74acf8609e69f61e2667b1f3053c1)



Below are a couple ideas from the Ball forum I want to bring to your attention:

I have just started canning for this season and am so excited. I love canning. I had thought I would not be able to can as much as last year, the financial crunch has hit my house very hard. Green beans are expensive so I called a local farmer hoping to get some better prices. He offered to let me into his field for all I wanted since the workers had moved on to a different crop. It was amazing the amount that was left. The bushes were full of blooms so we'll be going back. I was also able to get corn. All well within my budget, free!! (posted by djbrown)
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ALSO in reference to the topic of the inadvisability of saving hybrid seeds:

You can limit the 'hybrid' problem by doing what nurseries do....work from plant clippings instead of the seeds. A tomato plant is a good example. Buy one plant and let it grow a little to get some good branches. Cut off and plant the branches -- just stick in the dirt, maybe dipping in some root starter to help them -- and they will all grow. It works for just about any plant, even the woody stock of roses.

What do you think they do with seedless watermelons and other seedless fruits? They have to have a master planting that they take clippings from. (posted by canned nerd)









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For additional information and instruction on how to preserve food you can also go to the University of Georgia website where you'll find loads of information from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Here's a bushel of links:
How do I can? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html)
How do I freeze? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze.html)
How do I dry? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry.html)
How do I cure and smoke? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/cure_smoke.html)
How do I pickle (ferment)? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can6a_ferment.html)
How do I make jams & jellies? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can7_jam_jelly.html)
How do I store? (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/store.html)

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Granny Miller's Blog


(http://grannymillerblog.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html)

Here's a link to Granny Miller's blog (http://grannymillerblog.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html). Even though, as of May 2009, she's no longer adding new posts, you'll find a wealth of information in the archives.







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President Spencer W. Kimball


We hope you are making this [gardening project] a family affair, with everyone, even the little ones, assigned to something. There is so much to learn and harvest from your garden, far more than just a crop itself.


~ Ensign, May 1978 ~








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[Buffie]

Harvest time is wonderful. My husband won't let me can (some notion about me blowing up the house), but I've frozen bushels of beans: limas, lady peas, purple hulls, white crowders. I still need fordhook limas and butterpeas. Not much field corn this year; I like the old Southern strains, Hickory Cane and Trucker's choice. Best wishes to everyone else squirreling away for the cold days.

[mirkwood]

Homemade salsa being made in my kitchen right now!

[signseeker]

Canning's awesome. I still need to try the pressure canning method. Some people in my ward have corn... maybe I'll see what they are charging for it.

[phylm]

Canning's awesome. I still need to try the pressure canning method. Some people in my ward have corn... maybe I'll see what they are charging for it.

You didn't mention whether you have a pressure canner of your own. There is a canner available at WalMart right now for less than $70, that cans 7 quarts. or more than twice as many pints, at a time. Looks like a great bargain for the beginner. Don't be afraid of it. Just follow the directions carefully...and DON'T leave it unattended while it is processing. I use the processing time to catch up on reading, book-keeping, and letter-writing.

Congratulations on your canning this summer.

Good luck.

phylm

[signseeker]

Yes, we have 2 or 3 pressure canners from my parents and in-laws that they've used. I'll need to get the gauge checked at the Extension office before using it I understand. I might do the first batch with a friend of mine just to run through it with someone...

[prairiemom]

I LOVE purple hull beans! I'd love to grow them here, but our season is too short.

You can't blow anything up with a water bath canner.