Pressure Canning Basics: Fearless Food Preservation

This is a great article about pressure canning. If you have never tried it, don't be intimidated by it. You will be surprised how simple and fun it can be! Give it a try for this canning season, you'll be glad you did.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/pressure-canning-zm0z13jjzrob.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=RF%20eNews&utm_campaign=04.28.14%20RFSR&utm_content=A#axzz3CZztZIqo

Planting Onions

Perennial bunching onions, plant once and you have onions for years after.

Green onions to the cook, scallions at the super market, Welsh onions in England, ciboule in France, or bunching onions in most books, they all refer to Allium fistulosum, a very distinctive member of the onion family. Bunching onions form perennial evergreen clumps up to 1 ft (0.3 m) in diameter and about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall. The leaves are hollow and tube-like, inflated their entire length. The bulbs are elongate and not much thicker than the stem. After a cold spell, bunching onions send up hollow stalks topped with little greenish flowers in round umbels (clusters with all the flower stems arising from the same point), that are 1-3 in (2.5-7.6 cm) in diameter.

Location
The bunching onion was developed in Asia from a wild relative, possibly Allium altaicum, which occurs in NW China and neighboring Kazakhstan. It was brought to Europe in the 17th century.

Culture
Bunching onions are fast growing and very easy to grow. They are the perfect vegetable for the young "seedling" gardener.

Light: Does best in full sun, but quite well in partial shade, too.

Moisture: Regular garden watering for best growth, especially in the summer, but bunching onions can tolerate drought.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 - 9. This is a perennial and one of the few vegetables that can be harvested all year long. Bunching onions are grown as annuals in colder climates.

Propagation: Bunching onions can be grown from seeds, but once you have them established, all you have to do is divide them to make more plants. When you need some green onions, use a trowel to loosen the soil around a clump, lift the clump, take out what you need, and put the rest back in the ground. If you want to start another clump, just reset one of the individual side shoots in its new location. Plant it deep, so more of the lower stem will be blanched. I've had the same clone of bunching onions in my vegetable garden now for more than 8 years. They've been moved around a lot, but they keep on producing!

What to Expect the First Year with New Chickens

Chickens change the most during the first year of life. They start out as adorable little fluff balls requiring constant care and monitoring. Within just 5 weeks they are ready to make the transition to "outside" (the coop that will become their full-time home) and a fairly self-sufficient life.

At 3-6 weeks old, they become mangy and diseased-looking as their fuzzy covering begins to shed and is slowly replaced with mature feathers. Their wattles and combs grow and turn a deeper red. Cockerels (young roosters) make their first attempt at crowing. At 20-25 weeks old, pullets (young hens) lay their first eggs, which will be small and weak-shelled. Over time they will lay more frequently, the eggs will become larger and the shells harder. By 6 months, the pecking order, which governs who gets to pick on who, will be established and combs and wattles will be fully formed. What a busy six months this will be!

Apple Bourbon BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

You only need 4 ingredients! See the recipe!

https://www.facebook.com/homesteadinganywhere?ref_type=bookmark

http://campbellk.it/1mzE6w8

Growing Tomatoes Indoors

  With the right light, you can grow tomatoes indoors all through the winter.

Via: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/winter-tomatoes-zmaz04onzsel.aspx#axzz39GS9OGf7

By David Cavagnaro  October/November 2004

GROW VEGETABLES IN CONTAINERS

There are 6 major considerations in container gardening:

1. How much sun is available?
Choose plants according to how much sun or shade they’ll get each day. Most vegetables need at least 6
hours every day. Leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, onions, carrots and beets will do okay in partial shade.
But plants that bear fruit such as tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers need full sun (at least 6 hours).

2. What type of container?
Almost any container will do as long as it has good drainage. Smaller containers dry out very quickly in
summer. The smallest for outdoor use is probably 8 to 12 inches in diameter. In part shade you may have
success with smaller containers. If you are using recycled containers, scrub them well and rinse in a
solution of 9 parts water to one part bleach. If containers are porous (clay, wood, cement) soak them well
in water before filling so they won’t act like sponges and pull all the water out of your soil.

Since roots are above ground, they’re more sensitive to temperature extremes. Midsummer heat can fry
tiny, hair like feeder roots. Without these feeder roots, the plant will wilt even if the soil is wet. Then
larger roots become very susceptible to root rot fungus that can destroy the rest of the plant. Overheating
of the soil is a common cause of failure in container plantings. Thick wood insulates best, dark colored
containers will absorb more heat, light colored containers reflect heat.

Leafy vegetable and herbs don’t need as much room, but use a pot at least 9 inches deep so you don’t have to water as often. Vegetables with extensive root systems such as cucumbers, potatoes, squash and tomatoes need containers with a minimum depth of 16 inches. Remember, the bigger the pot, the bigger the yield. An additional 2 inches deep can more than double your harvest.

3. Preparation of the soil.
Do not use garden soil! It may contain diseases and fungi and is usually very heavy and slow to drain.
Buy a high quality soil mix that is sterilized, and able to absorb moisture and drain quickly.

4. Fertilizing. A must!
Plants trapped in containers cannot search for nutrients with their roots. Confined root systems demand
frequent light fertilizing in summer. Nutrients are leached from the soil with every watering and need to be
replenished regularly. Two to four weeks after planting begin applying a water soluble fertilizer mixed half
strength. Continue to apply fertilizer every two to three weeks unless you supplement the soil with a slow
release fertilizer.

Organic gardeners can use liquid fish emulsion, liquid kelp or blood or bone meal.

You will find 3 numbers on the fertilizer package that explain what the fertilizer is formulated to do. The
numbers are always in the following order:

Nitrogen - is for green leaves Phosphorus – is for flowers and fruit Potassium – is for root growth
When one of the numbers is higher than the others, that means the fertilizer is designed to promote growth
in that specific part of the plant.

Do not overfeed. A little is good, a lot is NOT better!

5. Watering requirements.
All containers dry out quickly, but watering requirements will vary according to the season, type of
container, soil mix and exposure. To be safe, check containers daily. Stick your finger into the top inch of
soil. If it feels damp there is no immediate need to water. If it feels dry then you should water until some
runs out the bottom of the container.

In mid summer and on windy days this can be a daily job. In summer provide a saucer that can fill with
water and be absorbed more slowly. In winter remove the saucer so the plants don’t sit in water and
stagnate.

Water early in the morning to avoid wet leaves at night when temperatures drop and mildew and disease
organisms flourish. Use a slow even spray to avoid washing out the soil.

6. What should you plant?
Shallow rooted crops like herbs, lettuce, green onions, radishes and spinach are easy to grow.
Carrots, potatoes, turnips and other roots crops are simple as long as you have a container that’s deep
enough. Choose a container that’s twice as deep as the length they’ll reach at maturity. Tall or sprawling
vegetables have extensive root systems (eggplant, peppers, squash and tomatoes). They will bear well if
they have enough room for roots to develop.

To get the most out of your limited space, choose high yielding and dwarf varieties with moderate to
standard sized fruit. These include beans, beets, carrots, lettuce, peppers, radishes and some varieties of
summer squash and tomatoes. Stay away from varieties labeled “whopper”. Look for bushy rather than
vining plants. For the highest yield provide support for vining or trailing crops and add the stakes or trellis
when you first plant the seeds or transplants so that you won’t damage roots by adding them at a later date.

Seeds or Transplants?
Plant beans, beets, carrots, lettuce, peas and radishes from seed. Cucumber, eggplant, tomatoes and squash
are best purchased from transplants. Buy the smallest size available (6 packs if possible). They will
develop better roots and larger sizes are not worth the extra cost.

The Best Vegetables for Profit

Growing and selling your own vegetables can be a profitable business, helping to supplement your income or helping to start a thriving agricultural enterprise. Invest in leafy greens and herbs, as these crops tend to be most profitable and can easily be grown in a home garden.

Cilantro
Cilantro sells for $21.20 per square foot. The average cost for a packet of cilantro seeds is $2.25 per 200 seeds, netting you a profit of about $18.95 per square foot. You should plant cilantro seeds 5 cm apart from each other, allowing you to plant 186 seeds per square foot. Cilantro will start budding 2 to 3 weeks after planting, and thrives in milder climates. Avoid freezing temperatures and extreme heat.

Arugula-Roquette
Arugula-Roquette, a leafy vegetable, sells for $20.92 per square foot. Arugula costs about $3 per 500 seeds, netting you a profit of about $20.80 per square foot. Initially, plant the seeds 1 inch apart, and after 5 to 7 days when the seeds have started to germinate, replant the seedlings 6 inches apart, which will give you about 24 plants per square foot. Time to harvest is about 30 to 40 days.

Chives
Chives, a member of the onion family, sell for $16.40 per square foot. A package of 750 seeds goes for about $2. Chives grow best in clumps, so plant 6 seeds per bunch per square foot, netting you a profit of about $16.38 per square foot. Seedlings will sprout within 10 days of planting.

Dill
Dill also sells for $16.40 per square foot. Dill seeds cost about $4 per 900 seeds. After two weeks following planting, you will see the dill plants start to emerge from the ground. Uproot these saplings and plant them 9 inches apart. This should give you four plants per square foot, netting you a profit of about $16.38 per square foot. Dill plants are ready to be harvested in 4 to 6 weeks after replanting.