Fall Harvest and Canning

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Cherry Kelly
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Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-02-2015 11:38 PM

Fall is arriving across USA -- garden time coming to an end (unless you have a greenhouse).

Wonderful canning recipes all over internet. What a great way to save some of that garden for the coming winter. Tomatoes and all the super ones! Keep it to just whole or sauce, or make spaghetti sauce, or several other wonderful canned items. Ketchup! yes make your own. Salsa - from mild to hot varieties. Or just plain canned peppers.

Many other items can be frozen during summer and fall, peas, beans, corn and yes tomatoes or peppers as well. Amazing when you look at prices in winter and say - oh got some frozen. :)

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kbot
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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by kbot » 10-03-2015 06:21 AM

In envy you CK. I really wish I had the garden and talent for this sorta thing........... Although is sounds like a lot of work, it a a way it also sounds very relaxing while leaving you with a great sense of accomplishment. You remark on this every year r what I've seems and you really seem to enjoy it all.
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)

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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-04-2015 03:02 PM

kbot -- I have been gardening well over 6 decades...started with grampa when I was in preschool. Then helping gramma and mom with canning a few things.

As time and years went by, I can recall several heavy snow winters when one could not get to town to get supplies. Was very happy to have some canned and yes frozen goods. Time went on and wow - all these dehydrated foods - like powdered eggs came in handy.

Some might call it prepper status - in this case - mini-prepper status. But when I hear or see news of so many stores literally out of food and people in need, I shake my head with wondering why they did not do a little prepping. Even people in apartments can do some for just such times. Even if its only canned soups and jugs of water. And having a small camper kit - mini-stove and some of those little heater cans. (Ya you will need to be able to open a window.)

But the nice thing about home canning - if done properly will last for years. As one of the grown kids (well spouse of one) said, found an 8 yr old jar of canned tomatoes, still sealed and perfect.

So yes, I enjoy my gardens and eating fresh veggies from it. I also enjoy being able to go to the freezer for fresh frozen, corn, beans, peas. :)

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kbot
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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by kbot » 10-05-2015 03:45 AM

My first real experience this this was while I was stationed in Nebraska and I went to a friends parent's place across the border in Iowa. We were both stationed outside Omaha, and he grew-up on a farm in SW Iowa and a few of us went to visit his parents - it was kinda like something out of a Normal Rockwell painting. The town was having their 4th of July celebration. It was a very small forming community and in addition to the promised parade in the center of town and al the excitement that brought to the town , there was a weekend get together at the town's church, and the had tables set-up with tables full of home-made, farm prepared food spread out on red & white checkered tablecloths. When we went back to the farm, my fiend took us down into the cellar and showed us al the food - rows on rows glass jars with food canned over the years that they had either grown themselves or battered for with friends and family.

Growing-up in a city and neighborhood with, literally, a mill on just about ever street corner, I was amazed. My Dad' used to tel me about his his father once owned (for this area) a fair-sized lot of land the the family lost during the Great Depression after both parents died, and the kids tried to hold on to, but couldn't and he government took it for no-payment of property taxes. It's a housing project now, and full of gangs an drugs but, at the time, my grandparents had a small farm and grew a lot of things.

I just think that over the years, we as a country have lost the ability to take care f ourselves and rely too much on stores. Out here, when we are threatened with a major storm, the firs things to go are bread and milk - so much so, it's used as a punchline.
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)

Cherry Kelly
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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-05-2015 10:44 AM

kbot - yes indeed, so many lost land in the depression. My grandfather lost two farms and well it wasn't for non payment of taxes, but a slick banker who talked many farmers into buying new farm equipment - just before the depression hit. Then oops depression hit and this character demanded payment in full for the equipment and without 'cash on hand' a whole lot of farmers could not do so, so banker confiscated the farms for payment. Luckily grampa did have one small farm left and managed to keep it. A lot didn't.

Over the years I have tried to encourage people to garden, even small things like planters on decks. I also encourage people to be as I said mini-preppers. Canned goods when on sale that are easy to fix during those bad weather situations. Canned milk can be used by adding more water to it. Not as good as milk we are used to drinking, but for the few weeks of weather situations it will suffice. Eggs are most difficult yes. Powdered work for cooking (mixing with foods) but of course are not as good for taste.

Part of the problem is with number of people you are feeding during such times. I do have to ask people why they don't have candles - in glass containers, or cans of soups, even beans can be eaten cold. If only they would plan ahead and have even one week of food, but today so many run to store every 2-3 days to get food. SIGH..

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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by kbot » 10-05-2015 11:40 AM

My late father-in-law had a nice small garden that kept him busy during his retirement. He loved it and looked forward every year to the season and the planning. Like my parents, he grew-up in the city, was "poor and didn't know it at the time", but he learned some good life lessons along the way. Many immigrant families around here bought property and planted gardens. One family that lived across the street from my parents were from Ukraine. They had two multi-family tenements that either family members lived-in, or, were rented to others (as with my grandparents). The property extended between two side-streets, and the owners had a fairly large garden out back, along with a nice selection of fruit trees (apples, pears and cherries), rhubarb and grape vines. Many of our neighbors had similar arrangements in their yards. So, growing-up as kids, we made the rounds, scoring grapes, apples, pears, cherries....... we used to hop the fences between yards. The neighbors all pretty much knew what we were up to, but the most difficult part was avoiding the dogs!!!!
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)

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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-07-2015 10:17 AM

With the weather holding, the peppers and tomatoes are still producing and ripening. Back in 2012 we had a frost on the 6th (light one yes). This year the temps are ranging in the more normal high 60-70 and supposedly some possible 80s.

Currently we are picking a lot of peppers that will be dehydrated. Some will be turned into powders that can be used later in cooking.

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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-16-2015 01:15 PM

A "possible frost" light if at all... 16th>17th and then warmer weather (normal temps) for at least another 10 days...

Dug some peppers and need to bring in off the deck. Then pick more from those we just do not have room to dig or bring inside. Will cover many tonight - just in case.

Not many tomatoes left, but somewhat larger sizes..did up some Victorio Strainer ones to make into spaghetti sauce and/or pizza type.

Fall is a busy time for sure. Will pick the last tomatoes (even green will ripen or be made into green sauce). Then we will remove all the baskets next week - keep peppers going as long as possible (outside ones).

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Re: Fall Harvest and Canning

Post by Cherry Kelly » 10-30-2015 01:44 PM

Frost was no show earlier this month of Oct 2015

First light frost was the night of the 29th. Peppers were covered as were a few flowers. Flowers were covered by just using large empty type flower pots and seemed to work just fine. Coming week ahead has temps back to 70s and sunshine so hoping the peppers will continue to ripen a little longer.

Tomatoes were picked green, larger ones to be wrapped to ripen slowly. Canned (whole) some of the ripe ones and got at least four pints and one pint of juice (well juice with few small tomato pieces).

Then will be the planning for spring seeds and time to start them. Hope to have some grow lights replaced on some old fish tanks to use on my stand to help them start sooner. Especially the peppers as they take so long to germinate.

But now to rest, just pick last of the peppers for this year. :)

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