Forager's Harvest

How Do You Freeze Zucchini?

2012-01-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

Zuchinni is a small variety of summer squash. Summer and winter squash are divided into separate categories based on the time of year that they mature and the thickness of the skin. Summer squash has a thinner outer skin and ripens much earlier in the growing season than winter squash.

Technically, it is spelled as zucchini, but the word is often misspelled as zuchini or zucinni. The zucchini purchased in most grocery stores is dark green. When allowed to fully ripen green zucchini often turns yellow. However, there are some varieties of zucchini that are a pale green, yellow or multicolored at all stages of development. It is a myth that all yellow zucchini is overly ripe.

Freeze Zucchini as Slices

Regardless of the color, choose young squash that is free from blemishes and bruises.

Wash it and allow it to dry.
Slice it into 1/4 inch pieces.
Blanch it in boiling water or steam for 3 minutes. Blanching helps to preserve the quality of vegetables. If the zucchini are going to be fried or added to casseroles later, this step can be skipped, but the zucchini will stay fresher if they are blanched before being frozen.
Pack the zucchini into freezer safe bags, or containers.
Label the containers with the contents and date of freezing.

Unblanched zucchini will last four to six months in the freezer, while blanched zucchini will last ten to twelve months. Many bread recipes call for shredded zuchinni, if you commonly use it in shredded form, it can be shredded rather than sliced, before freezing. The steam method of blanching shredded zucchini works best. Zucchini frozen in slices can be added to casseroles and salads. It can be used much like fresh zucchini.

Freeze Zucchini as Pulp

Wash, peel and slice the zucchini into 1 inch or smaller pieces.
Boil the squash in a small amount of water until it becomes tender. Do not over cook it. The zucchini can also be baked in the oven.
Mash the zucchini with a potato masher or fork.
Place the mashed zucchini in a bowl and allow it to cool completely before freezing.
Spoon the zucchini pulp into freezer safe containers.
Label the containers with the contents and date of freezing.

Zucchini pulp, or puree, can be used in baked goods, such as bread and pie fillings much like pumpkin or sweet potato is used.

Zucchini, is one variety of summer squash. Other varieties include crookneck, straightneck and scallop. Of these varieties, zucchini is by far the most common summer squash. Zucchini can be used in any recipe calling for summer squash. Other methods of preserving zucchini include drying it and canning it as pickles or relish, just as a cucumber would be pickled.

Credits:

"Ball Blue Book of Preserving." Jarden Home Brands. 2005. Muncic, IN 47305.
Sliced zucchini photo: Dey, flickr.com/photos/dey/19424558/
Zucchini bread photo: Foodistablog, flickr.com/photos/foodista/3814237430/

How to Can Apples for Pies or Toppings

2012-01-28T16:51:00.001-08:00

To can apples at home you will need canning jars, apples, and a water bath canner, or a large stockpot. If you do not have your own apple tree consider visiting a nearby orchard for wonderfully fresh and local apples. Planting an apple tree, or any fruit tree, is a worthwhile investment. Fruit trees cost very little and require minimal care after they are fully established. An apple tree can provide fruit for decades.

A common question asked by those learning to can apples at home is, "What kind of apples should I use?" The answer is that any apple can be used. Eating apples are usually larger and sweeter than cooking apples. The reason for the classification is that "cooking apples" are not as enjoyable to eat raw and are therefore, designated for cooking instead. That does not mean that an "eating apple," isn't perfectly fine to cook. Any variety of apple, or combination, can be used for canning. Apple varieties that are known for retaining their shape and texture after canning are Braeburn, Empire and Rome. The varieties of canning apples make very good pie fillings and canned apple rings.

Basic Recipe to Can Apples

9 pounds of apples
2 ½ cups Sugar
5 cups Water

Wash, core and peel the canning apples, then quarter them. As the apples are cut, they will need to be treated to prevent them from oxidation, or browning. Oxidation not only looks unsightly, the nutritional value of fruit is actually reduced as oxidation occurs. Treating the apples with “Fruit Fresh,” or similar product will work, but I prefer a more natural approach. A few teaspoons of lemon or lime juice added to water that covers the apples completely will prevent browning as you slice them. Prepare a syrup using 2 ½ cups of sugar to each 5 cups of water. Boil the syrup until it thickens to the desired thickness. Then gently simmer the apples in the syrup for 5 minutes. Pack the apples into canning jars and process them for 20 minutes. This recipe is a perfect way to can apples for baking in pies later, or as an added topping to baked goods.

Canning Tips to Ensure the Jars Seal

Leave at least ½ an inch of space at the top of each canning jar. Always use sterile lids and rings. They can be sterilized by boiling or placing them in a dishwasher with a high temperature rinse cycle. New lids and rings are the safest way to can apples and ensure a good seal. If there are any air bubbles in the jar, run a spatula around the outside of the canning jar to remove them before sealing the jar. A water bath canner is preferable for boiling the jars, as it holds the jars in place and prevents them from banging together. However, any large stockpot can be used to “process,” or boil water canned foods such as apples.

Apple Rings

10 pounds of apples
4 cups sugar
4 cups water

Wash the canning apples and remove the core. There is no need to peel them. Slice across the width of the apple to form ¼ inch rings. If you have a lot of apples, an electric deli slicer will make quick work of this project. Prepare a syrup of water and sugar. To prevent the apples from discoloring as they are cut, place a few teaspoons of lemon juice in the syrup mixture and drop each ring into it after slicing. Bring the apples and syrup to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmering for 40 minutes. Remove the apple rings from the syrup and layer them into the jars. The syrup can be simmered longer, if desired, to thicken it or poured over the apple rings immediately. Process pints for 15 minutes and quarts for 20 minutes.

Credits and Resources

More Home Canning Recipes
Fruit Canning Recipes
Apple tree photo from http://www.wikimedia.org
Photo of canning apples: Mill56, http://www.flickr.com
"Ball Blue Book of Preserving." Jarden Home Brands. 2005. Muncic, IN 47305.

How to Freeze a Tomato

2012-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

You have a bumper crop of tomatoes to harvest and you are wondering what to do with them all. Freezing is the closest thing there is to fresh when considering a method of food preservation. Freezing retains the tomatoes nutrients, color, and flavor better than canning or drying them. Freezing a tomato is also quick and easy. Always select firm ripe tomatoes of good quality. The quality of the tomato before freezing will dramatically influence your finished product.

Freezing Tomato Sauce or Tomato Juice

Wash the tomatoes
Quarter, core and seed them.
Simmer the tomatoes in a saucepan until they are soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor.
Return the tomatoes to the sauce pan and continue simmering until reduced to 1/2 the volume.
Cool the sauce.
Place the tomato sauce in a freezer safe container or glass jar.
Label with the date and contents before freezing.

To freeze tomato juice follow only steps one through four. After the tomatoes have been pureed, cool them and freeze without reducing the volume. The sauce can be thawed and used in any recipe calling for tomato sauce.

Freeze a Tomato

You can freeze a tomato in quarters. This is by far the simplest method of preserving a tomato and works very well for any cooked tomato dish. Freezing a tomato also makes quick work of removing the skin.

Wash the tomato.
Slice it into quarters.
Remove the core and seeds.
Place it in a freezer-safe container and label with the date and contents. Tomatoes do not need to be thawed before cooking and they can be added to soups, stews, and casseroles without thawing them. Allowing the tomato to thaw slightly with make the skin very easy to remove. It simply slips off before adding the tomato to your favorite dish.

Troubleshooting How to Freeze a Tomato

Freezer burn is caused by improper wrapping. If your tomato comes out freezer burnt, choose a different container the next time.

Bacteria and Yeast spoil food and are ever present in the environment. To prevent spoiled tomatoes begin with the freshest, ripest tomato. Also, keep the freezer setting below 0 degrees.

Ice Crystals form when tomatoes are frozen at a temperature above 0 degrees. Setting your freezer at or below zero will freeze the tomato faster and prevent the crystals from forming.

Oxidation is when the tomato begins to brown from exposure to air. To prevent oxidation, use a container that doesn't allow are to enter.

It is quick and easy to freeze a tomato and allows them to be preserved for later. Use the tomatoes from your garden all year long by freezing them as juice, sauce, or simply quartered.

Credits

Red Bowl of Tomatoes Photo: Jacki-Dee, http://www.flickr.com/photos/werms/238172698
Tomato Sauce Photo: KellyK, http://www.flickr.com/photos/elasticsoul/65781471
"Ball Blue Book of Preserving." Jarden Home Brands. 2005. Muncic, IN 47305.

More articles by this author:
How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally
Tomato Food Facts

Should Watermelons Be Planted in the Same Place in the Garden Next Year?

2012-01-28T16:08:00.001-08:00

Can watermelons be planted in the same place the next year? The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service recommends that watermelons, and other vine plants, not be planted where other vine plants have existed in the past three years to minimize pests and disease. Heeding this advice will yield healthier plants and more watermelon fruit for your labor.

Soil Health When Growing Watermelons

All crops, including watermelons, use nitrogen and other nutrients from the soil as they grow. For this reason, it is a good idea not to plant watermelons in the same place year after year. The soil needs time to replenish itself.

Natural and organic sources of nitrogen, which feed the soil, are composted fruit and vegetable scraps, chicken manure, coffee grounds, fish scraps, or grass clippings. These materials add to the soil fertility and it is a good idea to fertilize with them before growing watermelons in any location. Watermelon plants grown in fertile soil are healthier and produce more fruit.

Watermelon vines are typically grown on a hill to improve the drainage of the soil. Well-drained soil is a must for healthy melon plants. A second application of organic fertilizer placed along the row after the vines are a foot long also benefits the production and growth of melon plants.

Pests and Disease

Beetles commonly feed on young watermelon plants and inject a bacteria that causes the watermelon plant to wilt and eventually die. Without the use of pesticides these beetles often proliferate and quickly kill melon plants each growing season. An alternative to using pesticides would be to move the watermelon to a new garden location and discourage the pests from taking over the growing location.

Aphids are another common garden pest for vine-growing crops like watermelon. They feed on the plants by sucking juices and causing a twisted, distorted growth to the vines. Moving the location of the watermelon bed to a place where vegetation loved by aphids wasn't growing the previous year will help reduce the risk of this pest.

When the soil is warm and damp, watermelon and other vine crops are prone to "foliar leaf blight diseases," which is a fungus. The most common species are anthracnose and alternaria. They cause the watermelon plant to have a black spotted appearance. These spots will occur most often on older leaves near the base of the plants. As with pests, risk of diseases can be reduced by rotating the watermelon crop to a new location each year. Using quality seed is also a good preventative for most pests and diseases.

Technically, watermelons can be planted in the same place each year, but it is not recommended for the overall production and health of the plant. Moving watermelons to a new location where they have not grown in the past three years will prevent many pests and diseases from killing your plants and wasting your gardening efforts.

Sources:

Marr, Charles. Cucumbers and Melons. KSU Horticultural Report. MF-668. Kansas State University Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. November, 1994.
Roberts, Warren and Jim Motes. Watermelon Production. HLA-6236. Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.

Watermelon photo by Guilherme Tavares

Harvesting Blackberries and Making Fresh Blackberry Sauce

2012-01-28T16:04:00.000-08:00

According to the Peterson Field Guide of Edible Wild Plants, blackberries grow wild throughout the United States. They prefer very sunny areas and are often found in pastures. Blackberries are a cousin to wild raspberries and dewberries.

Like their relatives, they grow on very thorny brambles. Brambles are a cluster of arching, non-climbing, and thorny shoots. These brambles resemble rose bushes. Foraging for wild blackberries can be work a lot of work, as the thorns try to discourage foragers. Below are some tips to harvesting blackberries and recipe for fresh blackberry sauce.

How to Harvest Blackberries

In the months of June through September, blackberries can be found in fields and sunny thickets growing wild, they can be harvested. The larger and more overgrown the blackberry bramble, the more difficult it is to reach all the fruit. Wear shoes that cover your entire foot, pants that cover your entire leg and long sleeves over your arms. Do not wear shorts, or a short sleeve shirt to harvest blackberries. The thorny brambles will try to grab you and it is much easier to remove them from your clothes than from your skin.

Ensure that you have properly identified the blackberries you are about to harvest. If you are a novice, take along a knowledgeable forager or a foraging guide to ensure that you are indeed picking blackberries.

Stay on the edge of the brambles. Do not try to enter into the thickest part to reach more berries. Pick only the berries you can get to from the edge. Once you have found a blackberry bramble that you wish to visit in the future, cut the bramble back in the fall to make it easier to harvest blackberries in the future. Some foragers mow rows through large brambles in their pasture to enable them to reach all parts of the bramble.

Making Fresh Blackberry Sauce

Fresh blackberry sauce can be made easily and quickly. Simply, wash, drain and measure the blackberries. For each quart of blackberries, add 1/4 cup of sugar. You can use brown sugar or substitute honey if desired. Cover the berries and set them aside to sit for 2 hours. Bring the berries to a boil. Once they are boiling reduce the heat to medium and simmer them for 30 minutes. The longer the berries are simmered the thicker the sauce. The fresh blackberry sauce can be used immediately as a spread for bread or crackers, placed in a pie, or as a topping, such as a cheesecake topping.

Credits and Resources:

For more information on canning blackberries visit, "How to Make Wild Blackberry Jam."
For more fruit canning recipes, "Can Your Own Fruit and Berries at Home."
Photo of blackberry sauce: Jennifer Chernoff, flickr.com/photos/68763511@N00/860374009
Photo of fresh blackberries: Heather Schulte
Peterson, Lee Allen. A Filed Guide of Edible Wild Plants. New, York, New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1977.

How to Make Pear Sauce: A Canning Recipe

2012-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

Supplies

Pears - 4 to 6 pounds for each quart of fruit
Canning jars, lids and rings
Water bath canner
Jar grabber
Lid lifter
Water or juice
Sugar, honey, or splenda (optional)
Large saucepan or stockpot

How to Make Pear Sauce

Wash and drain the pears.
Peel the skin off the outside of the pear with a sharp paring knife. Slice it into quarters and remove the core and seeds.
Drop the pears into a saucepan filled with juice, or water. If you are using water, put a two teaspoons of lemon juice in the water to prevent the pears from turning brown as you slice them. Ensure there is always enough water, or juice, in the pan to cover the pears.
Cook the pears over medium-high heat until they are soft.
Drain the pears and retain the juice, or water.
Place the cooked pears in a blender. Puree the pears adding water or juice as needed to get the puree moving.
Pour the pureed pears back into the saucepan
Bring the pear sauce to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent burning.
Add sugar, splenda, honey, or cinnamon to taste.

How to Can Pear Sauce

Ladle the pear sauce into sterilized canning jars.
Use a spatula to remove any air bubbles from the sides of the jar.
Cap the jar with a sterilized lid and ring.
Process the jars by boiling them in water for 15 minutes.
Remove the jars from the boiling water using the jar grabber.
Let the jars stand, undisturbed to cool, usually overnight.
Ensure the lid of the jar has sealed. The top, when depressed, should have no give to it if it sealed properly.
Label the jars with the date and contents.

Pear sauce can be enjoyed by itself, used to compliment a meal, or used as the base for making pear butter. Pear butter is pear sauce that is cooked longer. During the cooking process the natural sugar is caramelized, yielding a dark brown appearance and a thicker spread used for toasts and breads.

How to Make Pear Butter from Pear Sauce

To make pear butter, follow the steps above prior to canning the pear sauce. With the sauce still in the saucepan, add 1 cup of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to every 10 cups of pear sauce. Simmer over low heat stirring frequently to prevent burning. The pearsauce will become darker and thicker. The pear butter is ready to be canned when it will round up or maintain a peak on a spoon. Follow the canning steps above for pear sauce.

In addition to making pear sauce and pear butter, pears can be canned as halves or used to prepare preserves. Pears are a very versatile fruit.

More Canning Recipes from this author are available at, "Home Canning Recipes."

Credits

Pear sauce photo: Heather Schulte
Pear photo: ljdart, http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vuN-hXLCVD4xbGfpYYY21A
"Ball Blue Book of Preserving." Jarden Home Brands. 2005. Muncic, IN 47305.
Canning with Sweeteners Other than Sugar. North Dakota State University Extension Service. April, 1995. http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/canning/4537.htm

How to Make Sweet Zucchini Relish | A Recipe to Pickle and Can Zucchini

2012-01-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

We usually think of only cucumber pickles, but technically speaking pickling includes any fruit, vegetable, or meat prepared using a pickling process. Pickling involves either fermenting in a brine solution (a salt solution), or packing in vinegar for food preservation. Most foods can be pickled, but because of the salt, or vinegar, pickling most often involves vegetables.

This zucchini relish recipe uses a brine to assist in the crispiness of the pickled zucchini, but it is not fermented. A spicy vinegar solution is used to preserve the zucchini and peppers. A small amount of brown sugar is used to sweeten the relish. It tastes much like the sweet pickle relish we eat on hot dogs, but zucchini is used instead of cucumbers.

Similar recipes may call it, "sweet summer squash relish." Zucchini is the most common type of summer squash and is sometimes referred to as simply, "summer squash."

How to Make Sweet Zucchini Relish

2 cups shredded or chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sweet green pepper
1/2 cup sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Chop the peppers and onions. Shred, or chop, the zucchini. A food processor works well for chopping and shredding the vegetables, but it can also be done by hand.
Place the vegetables from the step above in a very large bowl. Sprinkle the vegetables with the 2 tablespoons of salt. Fill the bowl with cool water until the vegetables are completely covered. Let the zucchini and peppers stand in the brine solution for 2 hours.
Drain the vegetables and rinse thoroughly with water. Combine the sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, and vinegar in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add the chopped vegetables. Bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Makes four half-pints. This canning recipe may easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.

How to Can Zucchini Relish

Ladle the hot zucchini relish into jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. The jars should be sterilized before filling. You can do this by boiling the jars, or simply washing them in a dishwasher on the hottest water temperature setting. The easiest way to prevent spills on the rim of the jar while filling is to use a jar funnel. Spills on the rim of the canning jar may interfere with the seal.

If there are air bubbles in the jars, run a clean rubber spatula around the sides of the jars to remove the bubbles. Screw on sterile lids and rings. These can be sterilized in the same ways as the canning jars. Process the jars of canned zucchini relish in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Enjoy your summer zucchini harvest all year long by preserving it as your own homemade sweet zucchini relish. This canned relish recipe makes an excellent gift for friends and family or a special addition to holiday meals.

More Pickle Canning Recipes

Credits:

Zucchini Relish Photo: Heather Schulte
"Ball Blue Book of Preserving." Jarden Home Brands. 2005. Muncic, IN 47305.

Make Ahead Apple Bread Recipe

2012-01-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

Make ahead apple bread mix also works wonderfully for your own pantry. We are all busy cooks, but that doesn't mean you can have oven fresh bread in a flash.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup broken walnuts

Step 1: Preparing the Make Ahead Mix

In a large sealable bag, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Shake the dry ingredients well inside the bag to mix them. Label this bag, "dry ingredients."
In a separate sealable bag, place the sugar. Label this bag, "sugar."

Step 2: Adding the Instructions for the Apple Bread

Attach the instructions for making the apple bread recipe:
In large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, the sugar with the mix, and the apples (coarsely chopped). Stir together well. Add the premade mix. Pour batter into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean when the bread is done. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before attempting to remove it from the pan.
This step is important wether you are giving the mix as a gift, or keeping it for yourself. Be sure to attach the instructions!

Ideas for Decorating the Make Ahead Apple Bread Mix

Place the apple mix in a paper bag decorated with an apple stamp, attach a wooden spoon with raffia ribbon. Write the words, "Make Ahead Apple Bread Mix," on the outside of the bag in your best handwriting. Cut an apple out of cardstock to attach as a tag with the instructions for making the apple bread, or order the apple tags in the photo from Marzycards.com. Add a few apples to the bag and give them away to your friends and family. This make ahead mix can also be given as a "jar gift" as many premade cookie mixes are packaged for holiday gift giving. When giving this gift to a young couple, or as a housewarming gift, a new loaf pan can be added.

Nothing says falls like the aroma of apples and cinnamon. This premade mix can be mixed up and decorated as a gift, or used to stock your own pantry. It is quick and easy to pop in the oven anytime you have unexpected visitors. It has a shelf life of approximately 1 year. Applesauce can easily be used as a substitute for the oil in this recipe to make it heart healthy and add to the apple flavor of the finished bread.

Image Credits: Apple Bread curtousy of Wikimedia - Apple Bread

If you like this, see: More Make-Ahead Bread Recipes!

Recipe for Picking Beets and Canning

2012-01-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

Supplies for Canning Beets

3 quarts of beets (approximately 20 medium beets)
2 cups of sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups of vinegar
quart size canning jars, lids and rims

Preparing the Beets

When growing beets, they take two and a half months to three and a half months to be ready for harvest, depending on the variety. Beets are usually ready to be harvested in early June, before the hottest part of the summer season. When harvesting beets, push the dirt away from the tops and check the width of the beets. They are ready when the width reaches one to two inches. Don't leave beets in the ground too long or they become tough and woody.
It's best to prepare the beets for canning within a day of harvest. If the beets cannot be prepared and canned immediately, store them in the refrigerator, or in a cool dry place to prevent spoiling. Wash the beets well. Trim the roots and stems from the beets. Slice the beets using whatever method is desired. Beets are often quartered or sliced into 1/4 inch slices for canning.

Cooking the Beets for Canning

In a saucepan, boil the beets in salted water, until they become tender. Allow the beets to cool. Drain off one and a half cups of water. In a large stockpot, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, allspice, and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, or low heat. Continue to simmer the liquid for 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks immediately.

Canning Beets

The jars, lids and rings should be sterilized either by boiling them in hot water, or by washing them in a high-temperature dishwasher. Pack the cooked beets into the sterile jars. Ladle in the hot liquid, leaving at least one quarter inch of space at the top of the jar to prevent leaking while the beets are in the water bath canner. Remove any air bubbles in the jars by sliding a sterile spatula down the side of the jar. Seal the jars by placing the lid and ring on the jar. Process the jars in the boiling water of a water bath canner for 30 mintues.
Remove the canned beets from the canner and allow them to rest undisturbed overnight. The jars will begin to seal as they cool. You can check to ensure the jars have sealed after at least 12 hours by pressing down on the lid of the jar. If the lid has no give and it is depressed, then the beets have sealed. Label the jars with the date and the contents before storing. The pickled beets will last a year in a cool dry pantry.

Credits and Further Reading

Photos:

Fresh Beets Photo courtesy of B.D.'s World - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdsworld/2727788545
Pantry of Canned Food Photo courtesy of Wikimedia - Canned Food

Canning Pear Halves

2012-01-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

The Bartlett and Kieffer varieties are the best pears for canning. After the pears have been harvested, store them in a cool area (60 to 65 degrees) until they are fully ripe and ready to be canned. Use only firm, ripe pears for canning. Pears that are bruised, or overly-ripe will not produce quality results.

Supplies

Pears - approximately 2 ½ pounds of pears will be needed to make each pint of canned pear halves.
Water
Sugar, fruit juice, splenda, or honey
Good quality paring knife
Jar grabber
Lid lifter
Jar funnel
Large stockpot
Water bath canner or very large stockpot
Large spoons and ladles
Canning jars

A large stockpot can be used to process, or boil, fruit for canning. However, water bath canners are usually sold with acccessories such as a jar grabber, lid lifter and a rack inside the canner that makes it much easier to move the cans in and out of the boiling water.

Step 1: Preparing the Canning Syrup

In a stockpot, place enough water or fruit juice to completely cover the pear halves you will be cutting. If you are using fruit juice, nothing else is needed. If you are using water add one of the following for every 5 cups of water:

2 cups of sugar
1/8 cup of splenda
1 cup of sugar PLUS 1 cup honey, maple syrup, or light corn syrup.

Pears canned at home do not require sugar to prevent spoilage. Sugar is used to sweeten the pears and help preserve the texture and color. Browning of the pears is called oxidation and occurs as soon as the pear is cut. Have the syrup, or juice, ready so the pear halves can be place in it as soon as they are cut. Often a syrup for canning pears is made from water, sugar, splenda or honey, but using sugar is not the only way to prevent oxidation. A more natural method of canning the pears in juice will also prevent oxidation.

Step 2: Cut the Pears

Wash and drain the pears. Using a sharp paring knife, stem, peel, and cut each pear in half. Cut the circular core and seeds from each pear half. Place the pears in the stockpot with the juice or sugar.

Step 3: Prepare the Water Bath Canner and Poaching the Pears

Fill the water bath canner with water and heat it over high heat until the water comes to a boil. While waiting on the water to boil, bring the pears and syrup to a slow boil over medium high heat. Boil for 20 minutes until the pears are poached. The original white color of the pear halves will become more translucent. When the water in the canner is boiling place each of the canning jars, lids, and rims in the boiling water to sterilize them.

Step 4: Fill the Jars

The canning jars and lids need only to remain in the boiling water for a few moments to sterilize them. Remove the jars and lids from the boiling water. The jar grabber and lid lifter that come with most canning kits make this job much easier. Place the jar funnel in the first jar to be filled with pears. The jar funnel prevents spills on the outer rim of the jars. The rim of the jar must be very clean to seal properly. Using a ladle or large spoon, put the pear halves into the jars. When the jars are filled with pears, ladle the syrup or juice into the jar, leaving ½ to ¼ inch of head space at the top of the jar. Place the sterile lid and rings on each jar.

Step 5: Process the Canned Pear Halves

Process the jars of canned pear halves by boiling them in a stockpot or water bath canner for 20 minutes. Using the jar grabber to lift them out, place them on the counter and leave the jars undisturbed overnight. The jars will usually begin to seal within 1 to 20 minutes, but check each jar to ensure it has sealed before putting them away in the pantry. The top of the jar should be sunken and have no give to it when it is depressed in the middle.
Canning pear halves is a great way to preserve the fruit for winter months and the jars make very attractive gifts for family, friends and co-workers. Some other common recipes for canning pears include pear sauce and pear preserves.

Gardening to Save Money

2011-09-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

Back when I was 20, my husband and I bought our first house. I tried my hand at gardening and quickly decided it was way too much work and didn't seem to save us much of anything. The seeds we bought and extra money we spent on the water bill seemed to cancel out any produce we harvested from that garden.

Not to mention the fact that I spent several dollars on Seven dust that year. The moment that I spotted a creepy looking green worm (a tomato worm) near my plants, I turned to my grandfather for advice. He recommended Seven dust from the local hardware store. It worked. I never saw a green worm again. It also dismayed my husband. "That defeats the purpose of growing your own," he said.

Little did I know, he was right. Statistics show that home gardeners who use pesticides typically over-apply them. Making homegrown produce more polluted with pesticides than those purchased at the grocery store. I didn't know that then, but I do now.

Years went by and I didn't garden. Honestly, I was too busy. Now that I'm 40-something, I have a bit more free time and I've been gardening several years. I'm still not sure it saves me money. It is more of a hobby. I rarely go to the grocery store now. Most of our food comes from our yard, goats, chickens, or trees. We had some significant start-up cost putting up fence for the goats, building a coop for the chickens. Now, we have only maintenance cost, which is basically feed and water. Let's say watering the animals adds an additional $5.00 to our bill each month. Our feed bill is generally $20 per month. The animals cost $25 a month.

I spend an extra $15 a month watering the garden each summer. ($45 per year) and I pay $15 for seeds each spring. The garden costs $60 per year.

If we aren't eating something we grew at home, we eat out. We go out to eat 2-3 times each week. That costs us roughly $40 -60 per week. I'd guess we spend an extra $20 a week on food from a store. That totals $80 per week.

If you add all that together, you will see I spend just over $100 per week on the "farm" and food for 3 people. I'm not sure how that compares to what other people spend, but that is how it works out.

I put a lot of time and labor into my backyard garden these days, as well as caring for my goats and chickens. I don't do it to save money, because I'm not sure it does. Buying seeds, paying for water, feed, etc. plus the loss of time adds up. I garden for fun. I enjoy it. Some people play basketball, others golf, I grow things. I try to conquer a new type of vegetable each year.

Happy gardening!

2011 Vegetable Garden - How Many Zucchini and Tomato Plants Do I Need?

2011-07-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

squash, cucumbers, zucchini

I planted 6 tomato plants this year. One came up volunteer, so that's a total of 7. From those plants, I harvested 12 bags of tomatoes. I typically add them to fried potatoes or to spaghetti sauce. I purchase organic jars of spaghetti sauce and a bag of organic tomatoes from my garden stretches it twice as far. I could use up one bag of tomatoes a week, so 52 bags wouldn't be too much to put up each growing season. I certainly could've done with a lot more tomatoes. Next year, I hope to plant 28 tomato plants.

frozen zucchini

We're not quite through with the growing season yet. So I might get another bag or two of tomatoes out of the garden.

I had 3 thriving zucchini plants and from those I've got about 28 bags of zucchini. That was enough for me, and I also made 12 cans of sweet zucchini relish. If I'd had one more zucchini plant, I'd have had plenty to share with family. Next year, I hope to grow at least 4 zucchini.

This year, I also grew ornamental gourds and I have a ton of those. They're pretty but they're really not very functional. I don't have any purpose for them and the vines took up a lot of garden space that could have been used to grow something else. Note to self - Don't grow ornamental gourds again.

Next year, I hope to have at least 1 pepper plant. I've never had a lot of luck with peppers, but I should try again. I just bought organic peppers at the grocery store today. $5.85 for 2 green peppers and $6.50 for two red peppers. Ridiculous!

Using a Kid's Pool to Water the Garden

2011-07-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

Each year, I reuse water from our kiddy pool to water the garden. At the beginning of the gardening season, I set up to my children's pool by the garden so that it might be easier to transport the water.

I was hearing complaints from other gardeners that the growing season had been too dry. Their garden's had dried up, but mine was thriving.

Later, we decided to actually use our pool and I moved to the pool closer to the house and clean it. As soon as I did that, my garden suffered. I think I accidentally discovered a great way to keep the garden healthy. Our gardens slopes downward. I placed the pool at the top of the slope. Each time it rain it just got that much more water and definitely benefit in our garden.

I didn't have to water this year until I moved the swimming pool. After moving the pool the garden looked terrible. Time to put it back!

Identifying Vines in the Garden and Using Zucchini

2011-07-10T18:26:00.000-07:00


Cucumber

My grandfather taught me to plant straight rows of seeds and mark the end of each row with a stick. Tacked to that stick should be the seed envelope for identifying the row.

Twenty years later, I'm still not planting straight rows and it is a bit of a surprise what each vine will produce. You see, I save all my seeds from this year's produce to grow next years produce.

I wish I could say that I label the dried seeds in an organized fashion, but I do not. I jumble my dried seeds together.


Pumpkin

While I do plant the seeds in rows, they rarely stay confined. Vines like pumpkins, cucumbers, and zucchini sprawl all over the garden bed. This year I took photos of the leaves of each vine. Learning to identify the leaves, certainly cuts down on the mystery!

Here are some pumpkin leaves above and on the right. They've just started to bloom at the beginning of July, so I hope they will have some pumpkins ready for me in October.

zucchini

Zucchini is my favorite type of squash. It is hearty and thrives when my other vines have taken all the summer heat they can handle. It grows taller than a cucumber and doesn't sprawl around the garden quite so much. On the left are the zucchini leaves as it grows. They are bigger and greener than cucumber leaves.

Friends often ask what I do with zucchini. My favorite way to eat it is fried with potatoes. Below is a photo of last nights dinner. I fry it in real butter (never margarine). I also add other vegetables such as corn, onions and tomatoes. Here is the full recipe I typed out for a friend:

Fried Zucchini (and other vegetables)

Melt 1/2 a stick of real butter in the bottom of a pan.
Take it off the heat while I slice the vegetables. (I use a food processor to do the slicing.)
Slice 4 medium pototoes, 2 medium zucchini and half an onion.
Cover it and let it cook on medium low heat until the potatoes are tender.
Uncover and add the quartered tomatoes.
Cook it another 5 minutes uncovered. (If you add the tomatoes to soon they cook down into nothing.)
I also throw in seasoning at this point. Dried sage, sea salt and garlic powder are 3 of my favorites.

frozen zucchini slices

I can easily save enough zucchini each summer to have fried zucchini and potatoes all year long. I just slice it in the food processor and put it in the bags. That's it! You do not have to add anything and it doesn't turn brown. It is slightly soggier than fresh zucchini after being thawed, but I am frying it, so I simply leave the lid off the frying pan a little longer to cook the sogginess out of the zucchini.

You can also shred zucchini before freezing it. This comes in quite handy for making zucchini bread.

I also use zucchini to can sweet pickle relish. I use the relish all year long in tuna, pasta, potato and bean salad. I never have to buy sweet relish. The relish I make from zucchini tastes just like cucumber relish. Delicious!

Here is the recipe for Canning Zucchini Relish. It uses organic bell pepper, organic zucchini, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. No high-fructose corn syrup. (Gross!)

A friend also shared a tasty recipe for:
Zucchini Milano
2 T. Oleo
1/4 c. green pepper
4 c. Zucchini (1/4 slices)
1 c. Shredded cheddar
1/4 C. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. oregano
8 oz. tomato sauce
Salt, pepper & a little sugar to taste

Saute onion & pepper in butter until tender
Add squash, cover & cook about 15 minutes on low
Add tomato sauce and spices
Fold in cheese
Stir


gourd

But, enough about zucchini. I have one more vine that I haven't shown you from this year's garden. It's on the right and it is a gourd vine. The leaves have milky white veins running through them.

I believe I bought these seeds this year in order to make things (bird's nests, canteens, etc) from the dried gourds.

Have you ever made anything from a gourd?

Zucchini and Cucumber Pickle Canning Recipes and Pickling Facts

2011-06-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

I've been busy harvesting zucchini and cooking it. My favorite way to eat it is fried with potatoes and onions. Sometimes I throw in fish fillets for a full meal. Zucchini is so easy to grow, we usually can't keep up with it simply by eating it regularly. What we can't eat up, I pickle. I keep a collection of my favorite pickling recipes here:

5 Pickle Canning Recipes and Pickling Facts

Zucchini pickle just like a cucumber. This week I am making sweet relish that will last ALL YEAR!

Mulberries, June 5th 2011

2011-06-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

I was watching for the first of the mulberries to fall from our tree this year, so that I might record the date. I've decided not to try to harvest them, as I have plenty of jam already.

They fell on June 5th, 2011 here in Kansas. The birds are absolutely loving them! So are the goats!

Check out my green zazzle products!

2011-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with the Zazzle custom products tool and using some of my green photos to make products. I've made sunflower stickers, petunia stamps, and tshirts all from my photos or creative whims! I hope you enjoy these green products. Stop by and shop!

Do you Zazzle?

Water Conservation

2011-05-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Most people concerned with the environment eventually consider water conservation. How can you use less water in the toilet, bathing and cleaning dishes? How about the garden? Grey water is one way that you can reuse water from bathing, showering, or washing dishes and laundry to water your garden. A grey water system can be set up in your home to automatically route the water where you need it.

A poor man's grey water system might involve transporting bath, laundry or swimming pool water to the garden via a pump and hose, or a bucket. I am partial to setting up my children's inflatable swimming pool near the garden and then draining it in the garden at the end of the day.

If you are concerned with using less water, rather than reusing water, join the debate: "Which uses less, a bath or a shower?"

★ 30 Ways to Live Green Without Spending a Penny ★

2011-05-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

Do you get tired of marketing hype? I know I do. If you have committed yourself to a greener lifestyle, don't make the mistake of thinking that you are free from pressure to spend needlessly. While living green DOES often mean taking the simpler, more frugal path, it's unfortunate that there is still plenty of hype geared at convincing you that you need to buy products to be green. Learn to shun their ideas and check out the list of 30 ways you can be greener, more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious today without opening you wallet, or digging in your pocket for change!

★ 30 Ways to Live Green Without Spending a Penny ★

Spring has Sprung

2011-04-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day in Kansas that the weather was beautiful, in the 70's, the sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing us away. It was truly a perfect day to be outside. I mowed for the first time this spring. Cleaned up the garden beds and added some natural fertilizer. The farmers were burning nearby so the air was a little smoky, but gardening season has officially begun.

We put in a pear and a cherry tree this year. They are doing well. Now, if I can just keep the goats from eating them up!

Canning Recipes

2011-03-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

Each summer I can food as a way to preserve the harvest throughout the winter. I have maintained a collection of my favorite canning recipes on another website. Today, I am sharing it here. Most of my recipes are for fruit and squash canning, because they are done in a water bath canner. I have a pressure canner, handed down to me from my grandmother, but I haven't used it. I may pressure can goats milk soon, we will see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my tried and true water bath canning recipes.

Making Tincture from Herbs

2011-02-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

One way to preserve herbs for winter months is to make them into tincture. A tincture is extraction of a plants properties into alcohol for the purpose of medicine. In fact it is the traditional method of making medicine. Long before they had asprin, they had willow bark, from which asprin was originally made. Long before they had milk of magnesia, the had magnesium, which was used fro treating ailments. Using nature for medicine is a time honored tradition as natural as using nature for food.

Read more about "Making Tincture for Medicine from Herbs."

Making Natural and Organic Personal Care Products

2011-01-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

You can make natural and organic personal care products, such as lip glosses, conditioners for your hair, skin masks and moisturizers that are free from the chemicals and allergens that exist today in commercial cosmetics. Most of the ingredients needed to make these products are in your kitchen right now. Treat yourself to a personal spa day and pamper yourself a little, visit:
Natural Beauty Recipes

Winter, Seeds, and Garden Dreams

2011-01-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Winter has arrived and rather than planting and growing, we are quietly making plans for next years garden and browsing seed catalogs. Hope that this holiday season finds you enjoying your bountiful harvest! Check back next spring to see what's happening at the Forager's Harvest.

August 28th, 2010

2010-08-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

The heat of August took a toll on my garden. It actually survived much better than the neighbors gardens did. I still have lush green tomato plants, while many have almost withered away. The weather is starting to cool down, so through September and October I will likely continue to harvest tomatoes.

My thoughts have turned to preparing for next season and I am preparing to move hay and manure from the goat and chickens to the garden for next year. This is best done in the fall, so it has time to compost before the next spring planting.

Speaking of goats, I've been very busy keeping up with and learning about caring for my new doe, Holly and new wether, Harry. Holly is currently at a friends house being bred and Harry appears to be very lonely without her. We are adding on to the goat pen, keeping up with the chickens, and preparing the soil for next summers vegetable crops. Oh, and I should not forget keeping the baby fruit trees alive through the summer heat.

Pears, pumpkin and tomatoes

2010-08-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

This week I have been canning a lot of pear sauce. I make it exactly as I do applesauce, only I do it with pears from mom and dad's pear tree. Here is the recipe that I use: How to Can Applesauce I experimented with using different amounts of cinnamon this year. I also canned pear halves instead of the traditional pear sauce. This is the first year that I've done pear halves and I was amazed at how beautiful they turned out. Definitely a canned product I would give as gifts. Here is a picture of the canned pear halves.

Some of the canned pears I will later dry during the winter months. I love dried pears and to get the the sweet, candy-like flavor similar to those found in stores, you have to can them and let them soak up the canning syrup for a few months before drying them.

In the past I have also done Pear Butter, which is basically a very cooked down version of pear sauce. Similarly, you can make apple butter by cooking down applesauce.

The weather has been unbelievably hot and dry, but despite the heat and lack of rain, the tomato plants are producing wonderfully. My favorite way to use tomatoes is to simply wash, half and seed them. I then place them in freezer containers and freeze them. The skins just peel off after freezing and I can use them however I wish throughout the year.

I had a pumpkin vine pop up out of the compost bin this year, so I just let it grow. It bore a pumpkin before the heat killed it. Tonight we used the pumpkin. We baked it in the oven, then pureed it in the blender. We used the pumpkin puree to bake a pie. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin has me looking forward to fall already. Off to enjoy pumpkin pie in August!

August 4th, 2010

2010-08-04T13:07:00.001-07:00

Busy, busy harvesting peaches and pears from the tree. Freezing all of them and running out of room quickly! We will easily get enough peaches and pears to have them once a week all year long!

July 8, 2010

2010-07-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished canning a batch of gooseberry and blackberry jam. The gooseberry and blackberry mixture was an idea from Gail Martin, who often writes of her memories growing up in the Kansas prairies in the 1930's and 1940's. Her writing is sheer joy to anyone with a pioneer spirit. The idea for the jam comes from her article, "How to Have an Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving." It was delicious. I am only sorry I ran out of gooseberries.

Ben harvested mulberries from our mulberry tree in the backyard. It is the only time we have done it this year. He said they enjoyed eating the mulberries as they picked them. I combined the mulberries and some grapes for jam as well.

The zucchini are growing abundantly this week and I've been comparing notes with Facebook friends about the best way to use them. When someone mentions frying zucchini, I envision battering and deep frying. I do not like them this way, but if you combine them in a pan with a little butter, potatoes, onions, corn, tomatoes and garlic they are heavenly. I couldn't stop eating them. I also made some zucchini whole-wheat bread. I'm going to be trying zucchini brownies, lasagna, and as a vegetable vinaigrette mixture later this week.

The lemon balm needs to be harvested and dried very soon.

We have picked a few of our first tomatoes of the season. I am looking forward to many, many more.

Peas and Radishes

2010-05-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ate peas and radishes from the garden today, 5/6/10. Yum. Still haven't transplanted the tomato plants outside. Was going to do it tonight, but it started to rain.

How to Grow Organic Stawberries at Home

2010-04-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

Strawberries may be one of the easiest fruits to grow at home. All you need to do is prepare the soil before planting and put them in a sunny location. It may be a good idea to grow your own strawberries too, because conventionally grown berries are one of the most pesticide polluted berries out there.
How to Grow Organic Stawberries at Home

Repurposing for the Garden: Using Unwanted Items and Household Waste for the Garden

2010-04-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

The garden is an appreciative recipient when repurposing many household items and always provides an abundance of ways to put unwanted items to good use.

Plastic milk jugs can be turned into garden cloches, plastic and scrap lumber are also great for larger scale protection of garden rows during a frost. Pop bottles and milk containers also provide pots for growing in small spaces or sources of drip irrigation for traditional gardens.

In the garden 3/18

2010-03-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful enough, I got out and cleaned up the garden while I could. It was in the upper 60s. I turned the compost that I've been collecting all winter. What a rich, black, fertile soil composting makes. I picked up the leaves from the garden bed with plans to shred them and put them back down for mulch. Snow is expected in our forecast this weekend. :(

I also got the peas and radishes in the ground. The tulips in the front yard are beginning to spring up. The dandelions aren't around yet this year, but I expect to see them very soon. I used the many of the weeds last year to prepare Herbal Tinctures.

Early March and Starting Seeds

2010-03-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

Seeds for eggplant, tomato, and peppers can be started indoors in zone 5 late February. It is mid-March and I am just getting my seeds started indoors. As soon as the last chance of frost has passed, they can be transplanted outdoors.

I am also planting outside at this time white potatoes, and radishes.

To learn more about what can be planted and when in zone 5 see my article about starting seeds.

Growing Corn in Zone 5

2010-03-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

In zone 5, where I live, corn is started around the first week of April. That is one week prior to the last expected frost date, which occurs on April 15th. Corn will not germinate until the ground is warm enough, but there is no harm in sowing the seeds just before the last frost.

A lot of home gardeners prefer not to bother with corn, because it is pretty inexpensive to buy at the store, but organic and heirloom varieties of corn are so much better! The kernels are smaller and more flavorful. They make the grocery store varieties taste like the bland fertilizer pumped up crops that they are.

Beans and squash make ideal companions for corn in the garden. The principal is based on "The Three Sisters" Native American traditions. All of these plants are to be planted just before the last spring frost and have synergistic benefits when grown together. To read more about this and other tips on growing corn visit: How to Grow Corn at Home

Natural Dye from Food

2010-03-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

Today, I am experimenting with making natural dye from foods. I am using the dye to color eggs and hollowed egg shells. Of course, I didn't want to waste any food, so I used old things I had in the fridge.

An old pomegranate made a beautiful yellow dye. I also used some old blackberries thinking they would make beautiful purple, but interestingly enough, the dye wasn't very strong. I am currently working on black walnut hulls.

Eggs dyed from food have more subtle pastels than eggs dyed with food coloring.

GMO Seed

2010-02-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

Spring nears and my thoughts turn to seeds and planting. Today at church our pastor, who is also a dedicated farmer, mentioned the high price of soy bean seed. You see soy is one of the most widely grown GMO crops in the US.

Seeds, being part of nature and created by God, not man, remained unpatented for many years. However, that changed several years ago. In today's world a large corporation, known as Monsanto, is allowed not only to alter life by genetically modifying the seed given to us by God, but they are also allowed to patent it. To claim ownership of the genetic components of the seed itself.

For those of you that aren't bothered by eating genetically engineered food, let me explain why this is still a problem. Historically, farmers stored their own seed from this years crop to germinate next years crop. Genetically modified (GMO) seed ended that tradition because the seed from the vegetation is not fertile. In other words, if I grew GMO soy beans, I could not use them to grow more beans next year. You must buy the seed from Monsanto. Furthermore, the soy crops spread to other heirloom crops inbreeding with them.

In time, we will all rely on Monsanto for seed and they will have a corner on the market charging anything they wish for their GMO seed. Not only that, but heirloom (or non-GMO seeds) may not exist any longer exist. It is no surprise to me that the cost of soy bean seed is rising. Soy beans are one of the most widely grown GMO crops in our country.

Give Monsanto time and the rest of the seeds will be equally expensive and we will be at their mercy.

Lavender and Sage through the Winter

2010-02-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

It has been a harsh winter here in Kansas. We have had more snow and ice than usual. Today, it is mid-February and we finally got some sun and a high temperature in the 50's. I made it out to the garden on the side of the house to dump my compost. I was surprised to see the sage, and lavender are green. I had no idea that they would stay green all winter when I planted them. They are near a retaining wall which blocks the harsh North wind. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my onions left in the ground throughout the winter were sprouting and reminding me that spring is just around the corner. :)

The Use of Herbs for Medicine

2010-02-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

I have written many how-to articles explaining how to use herbs as medicine. For children, herbal syrups work well. For adults an herbal tincture might be more appropriate. Herbs are not generally dangerous unless they are overdone. In fact, the use of herbs in moderation is no more harmful that cooking with them. People tend to get nervous when you start talking about using herbs as medicine. But, it is important to understand that throughout time, before there were doctors, people looked to foods and herbs as a way to cure ailments. They are by no means substitutes for your doctors advice and if you are seriously ill, see a doctor. Herbs are useful as a first measure of prevention for treating your body naturally before resulting to more potent pharmaceuticals.

How to Make Herbal Medicine at Home

Eating Seasonally

2010-01-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

Throughout time, people have eaten with the season out of necessity. In our modern world, eating foods that are out of season is common. There are benefits to eating foods that are in season. Energy consumption from storage is reduced. Transportation costs to transport food to areas where it is not currently in season is avoided. There is also data that suggests our bodies crave and benefit from eating foods that are in season. To learn more about eating seasonally visit: How to Eat Seasonally

A favorite seasonal food of winter is nuts and seeds. This is because nuts and seeds harvested in the fall can be stored without energy consumption throughout the winter. The native Americans had a process for harvesting, storing and using acorns that I find fascinating. Acorns are the fruit of the oak tree and are abundant in many places. To use acorns the tannins must be leached from them.

To use other types of nuts, raw peanuts, raw black walnuts, or any other raw nut your heart desires, I suggest making raw nut butters. The are created by adding a small amount of raw honey to the nuts in a food processor and processing well. Yum!

Tomatoes from the Garden

2010-01-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

Obviously harvest is over and it is time to cook using the bounty from the garden. I have experimented with various ways to use the tomatoes I grow. I have found freezing tomatoes, rather than canning them is the most efficient way to store them. Why?

Canning skin-free tomatoes requires blanching. I have a few canning recipes that do not require the tomatoes to be peeled, or blanched, prior to canning. However, freezing tomatoes causes the skin to become loose, when you thaw them, the skin slides off easily. Freezing is also the healthiest way to preserve food.

I freeze my garden tomatoes and thaw them to add them to stews, sauces and pastas all winter. If I want to make spaghetti sauce, I simply thaw them, slide the skins off, then puree them and cook them in a sauce pan with some spices.

Nervine Herbs - Life123

2009-11-08T06:57:00.001-08:00

Herbs have the benefit of strengthening the nervous system without the extreme side effects of prescription medications used for nervous conditions. Some herbs do carry side effects, but they are generally milder than those of prescription drugs. Explore three nervine herbs, St. Johns Wort, Skullcap, and Valerian for overall well-being of the nervous system.
Nervine Herbs - Life123

Meaning of Organic Labels and Standards

2009-11-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

There are a number of reasons to eat organic today. Organic foods are:

required to be pesticide free
free of genetically modified organisms
taste better
are more nutritious

How do you know if the food you are getting is truly organic or if you are just a victim of labeling hype? Check out How to Read Organic Labels for the facts on labeling guidelines.

Preparing for Winter - Nov 2, 2009

2009-11-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

It is November 2nd and with Halloween over, I took down the Halloween decorations. I use the bailed hay to cover the garden ground for the winter. It prevents seeds from spreading and controls weeds in the spring.

Before the first frost, I picked all the green tomatoes and let them ripen in the window. My tomato plants are still producing. They formed more small green tomatoes after the first frost. It has been unseasonably cold here this years, so I was surprised they continue to grow.

Today, I will cut back most of my herbs (lemon balm, echinacea, peppermint, lavender, and sage) for the last time before winter and dry them for cooking.

Herb Infused Oils

2009-10-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

When I write about infusing oils with herbs, I frequently advise that you do not need to use jojoba, apricot kernel or other more expensive oils for infusing herbs. I have had many people comment that they haven't heard of using organic extra virgin olive oil in preparing herb infused oils. I was looking at the label on the back of a bottle of rosemary infused oil that I purchased at Mountain Rose herbs. They used olive oil to infuse the rosemary. So, I guess others have used olive oil. Mountain rose herbs is one of the largest online retailers of herbs and herbal products.

How to Make Herbal Oil Infusions

Elderberry in Kansas: October 7th, 2009

2009-10-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I sent out a post to our local freecycle list requesting that anyone who had wild elderberry that weren't planning to use, kindly allow me to forage for it on their property. I received a response from a fellow list member explaining that he had been foraging recently and that the elderberry he saw was withered and dried at this point. So, in a nutshell it is too late this year. He said elderberry is usually ready in early September. I shall try again next year to get some elderberry. The elderberry fruit, is used for preserves. The fruit and leaves can be made into tea or tinctured.

South Carolina Peaches - August 15th, 2009

2009-08-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a trip to South Carolina. We went to Brendt's graduation from BASIC and then to Myrtle Beach to swim in the ocean. On the way back to Kansas, we stopped at a road side stand and bought a box of well advertised "farm fresh peaches." There were stands similar to this all over Georgia and South Carolina. For $18.00 we came home with a box of 50. They are very, very good. They were just picked and unripe when I bought them. They were fine in the car riding home unrefrigerated for 2 days. They are ripe now on day 3 and taste wonderful.

August 9th, 2009 The Cost of Food

2009-08-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

Consider for a moment a sale on soda at the store. Half off - soda normally selling for 50 cents is now 25 cents! It may seem like a bargain. At first glance you assume that saving 25 cents and being frugal. But, wait... the soda is still costing you 25 cents, and 25 cents spent on something that yields you no nutritional value what-so-ever, zero, nada, zilch, is 25 cents wasted. In fact, in return for your 25 cents you may reap the benefit of cavities, obesity and diabetes, the secret benefits of junk food. Next time you think of being frugal, consider what you are getting in return nutritionally for your dollar!

August 4, 2009, Salsa, Garden Vegetables & Blackberries

2009-08-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I made 6 pints of salsa from tomatoes, jalapenos, peppers and onions from the garden. I also used garlic powder I had made myself by dehydrating and grinding it in a coffee grinder. The only thing in the salsa that came from the store was the salt and a lemon for lemon juice. I froze the salsa instead of canning it because I didn't want to cook it. I just love fresh, raw salsa. Here is the recipe: How to Make Freezer Salsa from Garden Fresh Tomatoes. The boys and I ate half a pint of it right away. If I can put up 12 more pints of salsa this summer, I will not need to buy salsa all year. We eat a lot of salsa!

For dinner I made a Fish and Garden Vegetable Fry that I love. I use fish that Steve or my dad have caught at the lake (walleye or crappie). I had a zucchini from a neighbors garden, tomatoes from our garden, and sage from my herb garden. The only thing in the dish that wasn't homegrown was the potatoes. It was marvelous.

Tomorrow evening, I am picking more blackberries. Here is my recipe for Blackberry jam. I made a batch early this summer and it turned out a little runny. I am going to cook it for 40 minutes this time and see if it sets up a little better. The boys liked the runny jam it soaked into their toast. :)

August 3, Lavender

2009-08-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

When I decided to live a "more natural lifestyle" several years ago, one of the things I gave up was lotions. My reason for doing this is that they often contain a lot of chemicals and ingredients you can not read.

Now, when you give up your commercial cosmetics and body care, there are two was you can do it: The cheap way, or the expensive way. I have tried both. There are lots of very pricey organic skin care products. To be honest, I still use some of them. Alba, kiss my face, and some other organic cosmetic companies makes some safe alternatives to things like mascara, facial powder and shampoo. But, if I can make something quickly and easily that works just as well as the pricey organics sold in health food stores I do!

Olive oil infused with herbs or essential oils makes skin care oil that keeps my skin healthier than lotions. Granted it takes some time to get used to, but I honestly love my oils. In addition to being good for skin care, they also work for first aid like burns and bites.

I wrote about how to make herbally infused oil on eHow. Basically, you put chopped up herbs or already prepared essential oils in a base of olive oil. If you use fresh herbs, put the herbs and oil in a sunny window for two weeks and shake them up regularly. I made lavender infused oil last week from lavender in my herb garden. It smells like lavender, but a bit cinnamony also. That was a suprise.

August 3, 2009 Salsa

2009-08-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, we harvested the first tomatoes from the garden. We also dug up some onions and picked some peppers to make the years first batch of salsa. We planted the garden right around the 15th of May, since that is the last spring frost date in our area. Steve said the corn dried up, so we are going to make it into chicken feed. He said it was good corn, I am not sure why he didn't pick it before it got dry. If we get enough tomatoes this year, I will be making spaghetti sauce and ketchup also. We are going to plant a fall garden where the corn and onions were.

The chickens and the garden have kept us from picking blackberries. I'm guessing we've already gotten over 5 gallons this year...and there are so many more.

Blackberry Pie

2009-07-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of my finished blackberry pie and a link to the recipe. I published the recipe along with a "How I did it" on eHow. Yum!

Blackberry Pie Recipe

July 19th, Blackberries, and then more Blackberries!

2009-07-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, we have a lot of blackberries! This week I made pie, cobbler, smoothies and put quite a few away in the freezer.

I also harvested and dried some sage.

My peppermint is just beginning to flower and seed which marks the end of the peppermint harvest this year.

I also learned a lot of skin uses for lavender this week, so I'll be making up some lavender salve and oil soon.

July 12th, 2009 - Cattails, Blackberries, Nettle, Red Clover, Dandelion and Sage

2009-07-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Allergy Tea
Today, I experimented with my recipe for allergy tea. It contains nettle, echinacea, red clover, and peppermint. I added dried blackberry to the tea to see what kind of flavor it would give it. I have to admit, I couldn't taste the blackberry flavor much, but it did give it a distinct color similar to black tea rather than green tea. I have yet to find a good use for dried blackberries, so I do not think I will dry them anymore.

Nettle
Ben went and gathered some nettle from the river bank. When he got them home I gathered them up by the stems. Tied them in bunches. Rinsed them over the bathtub and hung them to dry in the pantry. Our house stays about 80 degrees which is perfect for drying herbs by hanging. They need a place with no light at all, so I put them in the pantry.

Cattails
Ben got me some cattails when he was at the river. I've got a place by the gutter drain that I've dug out to collect water. I thought it would be a perfect place for trasplanting cattails. One of my forage goals is to collect some of my favorite foraged plants and grow them in my own backyard.

Red Clover, Dandelion and Sage
After all this, I gathered up some more red clover and dandelions from my yard, which are about done for the year. I also harvested some sage from my herb garden. Everything got washed and set out to dry right away. Herbs do much better if you tend to them immediately after harvesting. I use a dehydrator for the clover, dandelion and sage.

July 5th 2009, Blackberries, Mulberries, Dandelions, Red Clover

2009-07-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

Each time we go out there are more blackberries. We get several quarts each trip and it looks as if we will have the same luck throughout the month of July. Our blackberry picking may continue into August as well. The mulberries are more or less finished for the year. They are still dropping a little, but I have given up on collecting them. Dandelions are poking up there heads now and again and I can collect quite a few on a weekly forage through my yard prior to mowing. The red clover are still blooming like crazy and they seem bloom better when picked.

June 30th, 2009 - Wild Blackberries

2009-06-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

The blackberries are just beginning to ripen, so we made our way out to the field to harvest them. We got several quarts on both the 29th and 30th. June 29th was the first day we found any ripe here in Kansas.

The blackberry brambles are very hard to move around in and we were thinking about mowing rows through them in the fall to make them easier to get through. The berries are delicious and you just can not beat the nutrition and value of wild berries. Free and nutritious!

I learned that you can't pick wild blackberries in shorts. Steve did most of the picking because he had jeans on. I think next time I will wear sleeves and gloves too. Ouch! Today I am making blackberry cobbler and pie. :) YUM!