8/31/2013 update

Worked on chipping. Done!  Whew.  Was so dusty and sweaty and dirty that I took a shower midday!  Clothes were soaked.  When I got up I weighed in at 202.5, after shower (stull wet), I weighed 197!

Started mowing the front lawn.

8/30/2013 update

Went up to Pennsylvania.

Checked hydraulic fluid in tractor... it didn't even register!  I ended up having to add 2 gallons (all the case hy-tran hydraulic fluid that I had) to get it right!

Funny noise went away!  Worked on chipping wood.

Canned tomatoes last night

Canned the ripened tomatoes from the farm last night. They were mostly ripe, just a few green hard spots.  Put up 2 quarts and one pint.  One of the quart jar cracked on first placing in the water bath. I tried to save the contents and mostly succeeded.  I added citric acid to this batch. 1 teaspoon for 2 quarts.

Again, like last time, lots of tomatoes leaked during canning.  One of the quarts failed to seal.  I made up the lost liquid with water (about a half inch) and re-canned that.quart.  it did seal after the second canning

Damn frustrating!

I am thinking of taking some quart jars with me to Pennsylvania in case more are ready.

Total tomatoes canned so far is only 3.5 quarts!

TODO for September!

Take a look at the September Garden Planner

Basically:

• order winter rye for cover crop
• plant garlic
• plant spinach
• keep working on gathering mulch (leaves, wood chips, grass, etc)
• 
  

Tomato problem solver link

tomato-problem-solver

Rabbit pelt tanning

Mother earth article on how to tan rabbit hides!

Also check out Facebook group on tanning.

freezer meals

Freezer Meals on the Cheap, 4 Hours Cooking = 46 Meals For The Freezer

17 Best Freezable Recipes

11 Healthy & Inexpensive Freezer Meals!

Healthy Freezer Recipes

Making 50 Freezer Meals in one Day

Trying to can some tomatoes today!

Well, I canned the rest of the cucumbers that we brought back.  Only got 4 quarts (3 quart jars and 2 pint jars) of kosher dills canned.  Out of cucs!

I have some tomatoes that really needed to be used, so I decided to can them as a test run.  They process 35 min in hot water bath! (for PINTS even!)

I canned 2 pints of crushed tomatoes and had some leftover in the fridge.  However, when I removed them from the hot water bath I noticed that they were leaking tomatoes!  Well, one eventually sealed, but the other didn't :(  I am confused since I had PLENTY of head space in those jars!  Was a half inch - I am pretty damn sure!

I am trying to can that one now - I also am trying a half pint with the tomatoes I had in fridge.  I know its a waste heating up the canner just for 1 pint - but its the principle of the thing now!  It's tomatoes for gosh sake!

BTW:  I followed NCHFP's recipe for crushed tomatoes.  Note that they have you add vinegar (or lemon juice or citric acid) to ensure that the tomatoes are acidic enough (some tomatoes are low acid - so better safe than sorry!).  I also added 1/4" teaspoon of salt per pint which they list as optional.  The vinegar and salt both go directly in the jars, not in the boiling tomatoes.

There might be enough tomatoes for another 3 pints to can this week.

Still have green beans and corn to deal with.  I wanted to pressure can the green beans for the experience, but Katherine wants us to do the pressure canning together since neither of us has done it before.  Therefore, we will just freeze the beans - probably this evening.   I have to do some "work" work!

Oh, while I was out walking Smokey, I noticed that a couple of the sunflowers were bent down.  One was missing a top!  I suspect squirrels!   I am gonna put some posts in and tie them up like I did with the ones in PA.

Update 9:00pm:

Katherine and I froze 4 more quarts of green beans tonight!

8/25/2013 Update

Again, making this post in retrospect.

Got up late, around 9am.  Wanted to get started on wood ASAP, but thought I had better pick green beans first.  So I went and picked green beans, I think I got a bit less than half that I got last weekend.  We will find out when we freeze them.

Then I went and picked the cucumbers - they are definitely on their way out.  Didn't even get 5gallon this time.  I think we will get more though.  

Then I went and picked the corn.  Picked many ears, but they are so small!  We will just eat them for dinner Monday, or sometime this week.

I also picked some tomatoes - not alot - but more then last weekend!  I hope we get more then a few here-and-there!  They are hard to process when they come in spotty like this!

Oh, I cut off some broccoli too - just a cup or so - that was a surprise even.  I thought that was over for sure!

Then, I had to take care of the assembly of the cement mixer I had received a week or so ago.  Finally, around 4ish (?)  I got to get working on the wood again.  I didn't finish it by 6pm, which is when we left for home.   While I was putting the tractor away, I noticed a funny sound when the tractor was in neutral - also a light that I don't recall being on before is now on while in neutral.   I took the tractor manual along for the ride home and looked to see what the light meant.  I couldn't find anything serious about that light - in fact as far as I can tell the light is only supposed to be on for a little while during startup.  Maybe loose wire?  In any case, I really need to check the fluid levels on the tractor next time!!

While I was working, Katherine canned 14 quarts(!) of kosher dill pickles and cleaned up the house and packed.  It's good to have her along with me more now - I think she is buying into the self-sufficiency idea more and is having some fun now!

8/24/2013 Update

Haven't posted to this blog on time, so this update is in retrospect!

I got up and immediately got back to the wood!  I worked like a dog on this pile all day - dirty and sweaty work, but I was encouraged from the progress I made last night.  I wanted to get that wood done!

Katherine got a late start in coming up this weekend - she didn't arrive until almost 4:30pm!  We took off for TSC and WalMart to get stuff for the new trailer and some more canning supplies.

Wine making

Wine:

I couldn't sleep this morning so I got up a little early (5:30am) and I am reading the instructions of the winemaking kit I got from midwest supplies (White zinfandel kit).  Seems straightforward enough that I can get it started this morning.  I need to find my optical thermometer though.  The instructions indicate that the correct temp is needed when added the yeast mix to the base.

Found optical therm and the meat therm so I can double check.

I have checked our water from the spigot - the coldest it gets is 78 F!  So i have the wine mix ready to go (even has the right density ~ 1.095), but its sitting in the fermenter cooling from 78 F to 75 F or below.  Room temperature right now is about 72-73 F.  I can't add yeast until its 72-75 F.

Screw it - I need to leave for trailer pick up - I added yeast while still at 78F.  I hope for the best!

I need to check to make sure I have a siphon for later on in this process.  Also, I need to check to see if I have enough bottles.  Maybe I should get real wine bottles and stoppering kit?


Anyway, see the trailer update page for more info on what I did this day!

More pickles!

I put up 14 more pints of dill pickles using Mrs Wages and the cucs I brought back with me from SS.  There are still more cucs left!!

Fermented Pickles Recipe

fermented dill_pickles

I want to set these up tonight!  Also, start the wine in the kit!!!  I ordered plastics stoppers for the 2 plastic carboys that I have.  I don't need either of these carboys for the primary fermentation, but in case I need them later...  I ordered them from Midwest Supplies.



Update:

Fermented pickles:

I followed the fermented pickle recipe linked to above.  I used about 9 lbs of cucumbers (I found the smallest and nicest that I had brought back from PA last trip) and essentially doubled the recipe.  I washed the smaller of the new fermentation pots that I got last week (I think its about 2-3 gallon size) and placed the cucumbers inside.   I picked all of the dill that I had remaining in the raised bed here in SS and cut it up in pieces that would fit in the crock.  I split the dill up into 3 batches and put the first batch in the base of the crock before adding any cucs, then added the pickling spices.   Then I added 4 lbs of cucs, then another batch of the dill, then 8 cups of the water/salt/vinegar solution.  I then added 5 lbs of cucs,  more pickling spices and then put the remaining dill on top, then added another 10 cups of the water/salt/vinegar solution (I just used the 8 C recipe but added 2 C water and a couple tablespoons of salt - no additional vinegar).   I placed an expanding stainless steel vegetable colander inside a gallon size freezer ziplock bag along with about 2 pints of water.   I sealed the zip and carefully placed the bag on top of the cucs in the crock.  Again, carefully, I opened the expandable colander inside the bag to make sure that all of the cucs were under the surface of the brine solution.

The recipe says that at 70F the fermentation should take 3-4 weeks.  I am supposed to check it a couple times a week to skim off any scum that rises to the surface.

The recipe above also describes how to can the pickles after fermentation is complete.   The recipe mentions that the pickles can stay in the fermentor for 4-6 MONTHS without spoilage, so no rush to can them.  Other recipes indicate the longer in the fermenter the more sour they become.

More dill pickles canned:

Using the Mrs Wages quick process dill mix, I canned another 14 pints of dill pickles.  I tasted the pickles from last night and found that some of the cucs skins were tough, so I peeled (and de-seeded) many of the larger cucs when canning these pickles.

Consider planting... aji dulce peppers and culantro

Gladys says they are both hard to find locally and are essential for many PR and spanish dishes.  Amazon sells the seeds.  Aji Peppers  Culantro

Also, consider growing some Thai ingredients!

Made more pickles - of course

I was sick today so I called in sick this morning and rested.  I think I had too much fiber/roughage. Pumpkin seed with tomatoes in addition to the pickles and such was just too much I guess.

Also, used the Mrs Wages Bread and Butter pickle mix to make 14 more pints of pickles (although one didn't seal).

Also: See update on trailers page

Tuesday August 20th - Green Beans!

I picked the green beans here in SS - got just about a pint.  Katherine and I cleaned, blanched and then froze the green beans that I harvested Monday and today.  We got exactly 8 quarts!  We froze them in the vacuum sealed bags.

I collected the dried dill form the screen in the basement.  It doesn't seem 100% dry to me.  I think I will collect the rest of the herbs here (basil and dill) and dry them using the dehydrator machine.  I need to save the dill up in PA too!

I want to start a lacto-fermentation for some of our cucumbers - just to see how well it works.  In the future, vinegar may be hard to come by!  Lacto-fermentation just needs salt and herbs (I think).  Salt is stockable, but distilled vinegar is more difficult!

Monday Aug 19th

Got up late (8:30am)  and started getting ready to leave.

The cement mixer was delivered around 10:30am - wow - just about 5 mins after I got tractor ready with the forks!  Took quick look, but didn't not put the mixer together.

I have an idea for a platform for the wood pile that maybe I wont use the concrete on...  However,I still need the mixer to make the concrete for the footings for the front porch and stairs.

Rained earlier, but now its clearing off and I hope to pick green beans.  I had a Dr's appt which I did over the phone this time.

Picked the green beans!  OMG!  9.5 lbs from PA garden alone (and there are more coming on!).  More here in the raised bed.  I haven't picked them yet.   Waiting to hear from Katherine to see if we freeze them or can them or pickle them or what.

I got the hot plate to use for the pressure canner - I will take it up next weekend. I got my shear pins for the wood chipper and a wine making kit as well.  Trying to get all the boxes out for recycle tomorrow.

I gave Mark and Barbara (neighbors in SS) 4 largish beets from our SS raised bed.  In fact, the beets I gave them were the NEWER beets, not the first ones that I planted here!  The new beets get more light, and maybe water because they are not under a tree, thats all I can think of why they are bigger!

Garden status: Sunday Aug 18, 2013

Picked two more 5 gal buckets of cucumbers.  The plants look like they have about finished, but I thought that last weekend too!  I am going to take these back and pickle them down in SS.  Tking the Mrs Wages mix too, since its soo much faster and easier.  I do, however, want to try doing the fermented variety and I do have a pickle crock down in SS -- maybe this week?

Sauerkraut! I shredded my cabbage (24 lbs/8 heads - there are more heads left!) and added about 7/8 C of kosher salt.

Just about filled the 5 gallon crock, but after salting and pressing its only about 1/4 to 1/3 full.  I put a plate on top with another smaller croc filled with water on top of the plate to keep the solid cabbage submerged under the brine.

Be careful shredding!  I got a small cut on the tip of one finger and i WAS being careful!  I put a glove on that hand to protect the product and fortunately the salt didn't get to the cut (and the blood didn't get in the cabbage).

UPDATE: I found the National Center for Food Preservation recipe for sauerkraut! Good news!  I was pretty close with the cabbage/salt ratio!  I will try to follow the NCHFP recipe for the rest of the procedure! :)

Hulless barley and cover crop info

Hulless-barley - looks like a good first grain to grow!  Plant in the early spring along with peas.

Looks like in addition to alfalfa and perhaps vetch (rabbits like vetch), buckwheat should be strongly considered as a cover crop.  Buckwheat grows fast and gathers (and makes available upon composting) phosphorus.

Information on making Sauerkraut and SALT conversions!

Here is Alton Brown's recipe: sauerkraut-recipe (its just cabbage and salt)

Note: Pickling salt weight to volume information: canning-101-on-substituting-salt-in-pickling.  Bottom line: " a tablespoon weights precisely 3/4 of an ounce."  Also: morton-canning-and-pickling-salt and: salt-conversion-chart which indicates that a tablespoon of pickling salt should weight about: 0.64 ounces.  So, a tablespoon of pickling salt should be somewhere around 0.64-0.75 ounces/tablespoon. Another source reports 0.6525 - 0.67 ounces/tbsp (salt-by-weight).

So Alton's recipe calls for approx 2-2 1/4 (2.25) ounces pickling salt per 5 lbs shredded cabbage.
Another recipe (homemade-sauerkraut) calls for 2 tablespoons sea salt per 4-5 lbs of cabbage!

Interesting Articles

Root cellaring info!

More info from ME

More pickles!

Did up another 14 pints of dill yesterday afternoon.

Katherine started a bread and butter pickle before she left this morning.  Interesting recipe from the ball blue book (p. 29).  Made 8 pints of bread and butter pickles.

This is my normal dill pickle recipe: Quick dill pickles

I did a modified dill recipe for 14 more pints.  Instead of soaking for 12 hours, I cut them into spears FIRST, and then soaked for 2 hours in brine.  Then I processed them as before.  I have the rest of the cucumbers in soaking in brine right now.  I need to wait at least 2 hours I figure.  Also, I need to let the existing jars cool a bit before I can move them out of the way!

Evidently, I overtightened?  or overfilled?  a couple of the jars.  One lid buckled a little - another buckled a lot. Here is a pic:

Seems to have sealed but I am not sure I trust it.  We will see.

sweet pickles

I just finished 14 pints of sweet pickles using Mrs wages recipe mix.

I used the cuisinart mandolin to slice to slice the cucumbers.  It is such a BAD design!  Well made, but hard to use.

Getting tired of pickling!  Considering giving the rest to people at work.

Afternoon update

Cleaned the corn off of 40 ears and froze it in pint packs using the vacuum bagging contraption.  I got 11 pints of corn!  Ends up being about 1/2 cup of corn on average ear of corn.

Doing dishwasher run of normal lidded pint jars to can some sweet pickles this afternoon.  I have 10 lbs of cuc's soaking in salt water to make some dill pickles tonight.  I have to clean up all this produce before Wednesday morning when we head back to PA!

Weekend recap - Aug 10-11, 2013

I don't feel like I accomplished much this weekend, but I was busy the whole time and feel tired and sore!

I did, eventually, pick 2 5 gallon buckets full of cucumbers! 

I will work on pickling those today.  I put up some stakes/support for the little sunflowers in the paw-paw garden Sunday.  Picked a few green greens too, same garden.   Green beans aren't quite ready though, they will be better later this week or next.  I trimmed (weed whacker) around paw-paw garden and paw-paw trees. I cleaned the paw-paw tubes too, many were already clear.  I need to go over the persimmons too - there are some persimmon tubes I haven't checked on at all because they are in un-mowed area!

We also picked some corn at mom and dad's when we stopped at their place on the way back home.  I will work on freezing the corn today while I am soaking the cuc's for pickling. 

A note to myself, before I forget, Katherine cautioned me that if I get rabbits that both of us won't be able to go up to the farm on the weekends.  I checked it out on the web and found out that it is ok to leave rabbits unattended for a short time.  A couple of days should not be a problem, 4-5 days though is a bit long due to waste build up in their cages.  In any case, the rabbits need to have adequate water and cooling (if in summer).  Automated food and water provisioning systems are available, but I haven't identified one that I would buy yet.  One forum posting recommended to look at: bass equipment's system.  Looks promising since bass is a preferred supplier by professional rabbit farmers.

TSC for rabbits and tractor equipment

Katherine and I went to WalMart and TSC this morning, since it was raining and too wet to do anything else.

At TSC we bought a long hitch extension (the top part of the 3-pt hitch) for the chipper.  Was $41 - which seemed reasonable.

TSC also had plenty of rabbit feed (several brands and choices), but did not have any cages or hutches.  While I was there I did go out back and look at the tractor equipment.  They had an interesting item called a center plow that looks perfect for opening up ditches (they said it was good for planting and digging potatoes, as well).  Didn't see a price on it, but if I had had my van instead on the car, I would have done an impulse buy!

Neither Walmart nor TSC had Mrs Wages pickle mixes (they were out), but we did find them at the Houstontown Market for the same price (about $3 per mix).  BTW: you can mail order from amazon for less than a $1 per mix! [see:  Mrs-Wages-Bread-Butter-Pickling , Mrs-Wages-Quick-Process-Pickle ]

Last night I left a 'contact me' message at The Happy Rabbit Farm.  I haven't heard anything back yet, but its a weekend and I am sure they are plenty busy.

Sources for rabbit cages: Bassequipment  and klubertanz are recommend. 

Rainy weather. Carrots are ready.

Updating total cucumber pickles: added 14 pints of dill pickles (done with recipe - not Mrs Wages).  Total dill pickles at 61 pints!

Also, we did 14 pints of sweet pickles using Mrs Wages mix.

Got 1.5" of rain in PA last week - really was needed.  Looks like tomatoes are doing well, but still none ripe!  Carrots look ready to pick, but it was too wet today.  Will try tomorrow.  Also need to pick over cucumbers again - Katherine and I will go to Walmart tomorrow to get more wide mouth jars (we are out!  used the last putting up those 14 pints of dill).  Will also get some Mrs Wages (if they have any - but local store has some if not).   Also I want to look at rabbit cages in TSC.

canned dill pickles today

Total of cucumber (dill) pickles canned so far to date:

• 13 done with Mrs Wages Dill Mix
• 10 done in SS using Ball Recipe Dill pickles - real dill from SS patch
• 10 done in SS using Ball Recipe Dill pickles - purchased dill seed
• 14 (today - done in SS using Mrs Wages Dill Mix) 
• TOTAL: 47 pints

TODO: Need to inventory jars to see how many  we have!

Also, other canned foods to date:

• 4 quarts of beets pickled (used our beets in PA and some of mom's beets)
  
• 10 pints of zucchini relish (5 of sweet and 5 of salty - I liked them both - however, Katherine thinks the sweet relish is too sweet)
  
• 5 quarts of peaches (they are canned in light syrup - i did these for a test - too early for peaches and too expensive!  $20/peck in Hancock - Washington Co MD peaches purchased in Hancock MD August 2, 2013)
  

Frozen so far:

• in SS freezer: 4 quarts of beet greens, 5 quarts of kale
• in PA freezer (i fixed freezer!): 5 quarts of kale, 2 quarts of elderberries (a little green - but               they ARE off my bushes!)