Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Lawrence is the home of the University of Kansas, so there are a bunch of libs living there. An island of blue in an ocean of red. LOL, that was a funny post.
Yes. Big companies have learned how to use legislation to disadvantage and eliminate competition. Monsanto is all about destroying its competition. Right now they are hiring seed spies in the Central Valley to find farmers who saved seeds from patented strains, compare that to seed purchases, and pursuing prosecution of farmers who saved seeds, for growing stolen products. I've wondered if I'm paranoid, but then I see websites selling seeds who can't sell them to certain states like California. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...
Granny, is there a source that explains the scanner language, such as “Code 4” and what that means? Thanks.
Different departments use different codes, even in the same state.
I copied a bunch of them and put them in a file on the desk top.
I still am not sure what Las Vegas uses, it is different and appears to be the 10 code, 200,400,900 and others.
Colorado is different, uses a lot of 400 codes.
This will give you what you need:
This is good:
http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/polcodes.htm
Take a look, you may want some of the others.
I’ve wondered if I’m paranoid, but then I see websites selling seeds who can’t sell them to certain states like California. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM... <<<
That is not a surprise, it is because of diseases, that travel on seeds and plants, some of them do wipe out the crops and citrus gets hit bad.
They had the agricultural inspection stations on the California borders in the 1930’s, that is how you knew you were in Calif.
LOL, I remember my mom, I think she feared we would not make it, and from Yuma, we still had the trip to Firebaugh.
http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/2008/12/dear-mr-president-elect.html
He has some good ideas and some are too liberal for me.
=== Google Blogs Alert for: ‘Make Do And Mend’ ===
Make do and mend: Fashionistas are turning to tailors to inject ...
With the dark cloud of recession looming, what better investment is there
than to have a favourite piece remade?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1092669/Make-mend-Fashionistas-turning-tailors-inject-new-life-wardrobe-favourites.html?ITO=1490
Femail | Mail Online
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/
[I am finding it interesting the number of these little articles the U.K. publishes and all we hear is about the bailout.
The U.K. is digging into and writing all kinds of garden, WW2, Victory Gardens and make do articles, getting people to thinking about cutting corners and surviving.
Not so with our media, all I get is a rich liberal with 3 hens in a many thousand dollar hen house.
That story has shown up for days, all over the web.
granny
LoveLandLocal
Sharing our second year of eating locally; sources, gardening, recipes, and more.
http://lovelandlocal.blogspot.com/
[A very nice blog about saving money and storing food, etc.
Almost sounds like the family that was raided in Ohio, as she is working on starting a co-op in Colorado.....granny]
A snippet from a very nice blog, of a writer who loves animals, and surviving, by being ready...granny
The goats, of course, think they are people. Their preference would be to spend these days in the house with us, alternating between sitting on our laps and climbing on the furniture. Since we are so cruel as to deny them our company there, they are thrilled by it when we come out to milk or bring them a handful of sunflower seeds or a slice of apple. They eat hay from my hands, and rest their bodies against mine, warming me and themselves. At milking time they bounce and leap, shaking out the energy that they can’t burn in the pasture on this icy, snowy, frigid day.
Zucchini, our barn/house cat has taken a break from the space behind the cookstove, where he absorbs heat, to come radiate it in the barn and keep an eye out for mice. He hangs out on a bale of hay, leaping off occasionally to chase a hen, pouncing at her and enjoying the sudden outraged clucks of a chicken confronting a half-hearted predator no larger than herself. He does them no harm, and the chickens probably know this deep in some small segment of their none-too-large brains, but just as my 5 year old can’t resist rising to the bait when his toddler brother teases him, the chickens never fail to give a satisfying bit of panic to a bored cat.
Angus, who is mostly a house cat but occasionally joins Zucchini in the barn no longer plays this game, since a particularly assertive hen he annoyed suddenly noticed that she was as large as he was, turned around, and began chasing him around the yard this fall. It took weeks before poor Angus, who is about as fierce as your average marshmallow, could get near a chicken.
http://sharonastyk.com/resources2/victory-gardens2/
Victory Gardens
Sharon February 22nd, 2008
We need victory now just as much as during World War I or II, when virtually all Americans grew victory gardens in place of lawns. There’s a lot we could learn from our grandparents (http://www.victorygardening.com) Food production is an enormous part of our energy use, and every American needs to do their part by growing some of their food. The more dependent we are on foreign oil the more vulnerable we are to hunger. The more resources we waste transporting out of season tomatoes from drought-stricken California to the wet east, the fewer resources we’ll have for things we really need. So everyone needs to grow a victory garden - no matter how much space you have, everyone can grow something.
If you’ve only got a windowsill…GROW SPROUTS! Sprouting seeds from broccoli, alfalfa, wheat, radishes, spinach and other vegetables are delicious, highly nutritious and an excellent substitute for out of season things. You can have something crisp, crunchy and delicious on your salad even when there are no peppers or lettuce to be had. Everyone can grow their own sprouts. Here’s how (http://www.sproutpeople.com).
If you’ve got a south facing windowsill…GROW HERBS. In addition to sprouts, anyone with a decent amount of sun in their windows can keep a few herbs growing over the window, enough to add a fresh taste to their food and save them money and resources at the grocery store. Rosemary, dill, thyme and sage are among the easiest. Learn more here (http://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/herbs.html).
If you’ve got a balcony or a window box…GROW VEGETABLES, FRUITS and EDIBLE FLOWERS in containers. Even a window box 40 feet above the ground can grow some tiny, delectable alpine strawberries, some spicy nasturtium leaves and blossoms that look beautiful and taste better, some tomatoes, a hot pepper, maybe even cucumbers. A bigger space means more containers and more food. There are people who grow most of their own vegetables in containers. One of the best at it is Pat Meadows. She has a blog here (http://www.entire-of-itself.blogspot.com) and runs a container gardening list. She can tell you what the best varieties of melon for a container are, or how to mix your own potting soil. You can buy seeds of vegetables that grow best in containers here (http://www.containerseeds.com).
If you’ve got a little plot of front yard in the city…, TURN IT INTO AN EDIBLE LANDSCAPE. Check out this recent program that appeared on the ABC nightly news (http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2344206&page=1). Instead of rhododendrons, grow blueberries. Instead of ornamental maples, grow edible crabapples. Instead of lawn, grow beautiful vegetables. And don’t hide your efforts - spell out VICTORY in multicolored cabbages, or with petunias. Remind people that we’ve got something worth fighting for!! Check out what these folks do in an ordinary city yard (http://www.pathtofreedom.org). This family has grown many thousands of pounds of their own food on their front lawn, and are working their way to complete energy efficiency.
If you’ve got a big, sunny, back or front yard,…GROW A BIG VICTORY GARDEN! Gardening is fun - instead of mowing the lawn on your days off, get down and grow sweet corn, peppers, peas, strawberries, eggplant, squash, raspberries and other delicacies. Here are some websites than can help you learn how (http://www.gardenguides.com/articles/veggie.htm, http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yeager74.html) Remember, we can’t do it without you! Unless people grow their own food, we are in danger of becoming food insecure in the longer term. Every meal of your own you grow saves fossil fuel for your grandkids, and it saves you money and gives you better food as well. Learn to put food up - dehydrate some, make jam, make pickles, or store vegetables in a cool place for the winter (http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/clay53.html, http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/canning.htm)
If you have…KIDS, garden with them!! Children love to dig in the dirt, grow their own, and learn about food, soil, ecosystems. And they love to eat what they grow. Get the whole family involved. Here are some ideas for a kid’s garden.http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay69.html
Consider some livestock as well!!!!!
If you live in a tiny apartment…KEEP WORMS!! Seriously, worms will eat all your garbage and return perfect potting soil for you or a friend, and fertilizer for your house plants. They don’t smell, attract bugs or make noise. They just eat what you would normally have thrown in the garbage and return fertile compost and liquid fertilizer. They are cheap, easy to maintain and surprisingly fun! Anyone can do it - learn how here http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-005/442-005.html
If you live in a slightly larger apartment or urban house…KEEP RABBITS!! They are quiet, soft, make good pets and can be housebroken. They are useful meat animals, being very efficient turners of grass and yard waste into meat. You can collect many weeds (especially dandelions) and they’ll turn them into useful manure. If you don’t want to eat them, the manure is still good, they’ll still eat your yard waste, you can sell babies in many cases, and angora rabbits have usable fleece that can make yarn. http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-005/442-005.html; http://www.qsl.net/ki0dz/rrr.htm
If you’ve got room…CONSIDER GETTING A FEW CHICKENS!! (Just don’t get a rooster if you have near neighbors). 4 hens will give you a couple of eggs each day. Their manure will fertilize your garden, and their pleasant habits of scratching and cooing will be fun for you and your family. They’ll eat pesky bugs and flies, and your garden waste and dinner scraps. You won’t need to buy eggs from a factory farm, which will save energy and keep hens from being mistreated. And you’ll get the pleasure of listening to them laying your eggs and scratching around your yard. Many cities and suburbs permit rabbits - just check with your local zoning board first. And if they don’t, consider petitioning to change that law. Check out these chickens living in downtown Seattle! http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2005/06/02/424265.aspx Bring back the Backyard hen!
If you’ve got a big place…CONSIDER GOATS. They’ll eat weeds, don’t take up much space and can provide a family with enough milk, cheese and yogurt to keep everyone happy. Back during the great depression, a New York City department store sold goats to New Yorkers to keep on their balconies (no, I’m not kidding)! So if they can do it, you certainly can. http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/shaffer64.html
http://sharonastyk.com/category/food-storage-quickie/
Friday Food Storage Quickie: Now’s the Time to Take Inventory
Sharon October 24th, 2008
Ok, I have no idea whether the fact that world markets are falling like stones and Karl Denninger started drinking at 5:30 am means anything. Could be a big deal, could not be - my bet would tend to be on “big deal” but y’all know I have predilictions in that regard. But now is as good a time as any to call for an inventory - how are you situated? What’s missing?
Now let me be clear - I’m not suggesting you should panic at all. Even if we are having a stock market crash, the reality is that the present economic model of “a rising tide swamps all boats” will probably take a while to trickle down to most of us. If you’ve already lost your job or are in crisis, you may not be able to do much - but inventory of your resources is valuable even then. What I’d suggest for those already in crisis is to begin to consider your options - could you consolidate housing? Take in a boarder? Take a job outside your field? There are a lot of things you can’t control right now, but you might as well take control of the ones you can.
If you are just beginning to store food, look at these posts: The first explores the very basics, for people on a low income. The second covers things in more depth, and the third explores other cheap ways to get food. I’ve also included my suggestions for food storage shopping if you ever have to do it in an already developed crisis, as the last piece here. Note, that I really recommend you *not* wait that long.
http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/04/food-storage-101-part-i/
http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/15/food-storage-on-no-budget/
http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/02/crisis-shopping-food-storage-when-you-havent-been-storing-food/
If you’ve been working on this, but you don’t feel you are ready, here are some questions to ask yourself, and some possible remedies.
1. Do I have staple foods that I can rely on as the basis of my meals? A staple is a nutritious starch that contains some protein as well, and that can meet most of your needs. It could be a grain - most Americans rely on bread for our staple starch. But it can also be oatmeal, corn (if you are primarily relying on corn, it must be corn that is nixtamalized, so that you won’t get a major nutritional deficiency - you only have to worry about this if you are mostly eating corn, not if you eat an occasional meal of tortillas - so if you are storing whole corn, know how to process it, and if you are buying cornmeal, buy masa, not plain corn meal), barley, quinoa - or root crops. You can also rely primarily on potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, turnips and other roots, or a combination of those.
You can order bulk grains online or through a coop or whole foods. This time of year, you can often get a 50lb sack of potatoes or sweet potatoes quite cheaply. Ethnic markets often have good deals on grains as well. Don’t forget popcorn and pasta.
Here are a couple of posts about staple foods: http://sharonastyk.com/2008/07/17/the-storage-life-of-grains-major-and-minor/
http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/11/living-the-staple-diet/
2. Do I have protein foods that can supplement my staples? This is not as important as the staples - if you had to, you could get along quite well with just a starch for some time, but you wouldn’t enjoy it. And diabetics, hypoglycemics and others would struggle with this. For most people with normal diets, you need about 1/3 to 1/4 protein dense foods.
What are some choices here? The traditional choice is some kind of legume - beans, split peas, lentils, cowpeas. You could buy dry milk - mixed with oatmeal, or into flour in a dairy bread recipe, that would be enough to sustain you, but it gets kind of boring. You could can your own meats and fish, or buy pre canned meat and fish that your family likes if you like meat. You could also add seeds - sunflower, flax, pumpkin seeds, or nuts like almonds or filberts. Powdered eggs don’t taste very good, but they will allow you to bake, and add necessary protein. Or perhaps you have eggs, if you just store enough chicken feed. What you do is up to you and your budget. Think about foods you know your family will eat and that they like.
3. Do I have some fruits and vegetables to add flavor, fiber and nutrition? The two hardest to cover vitamins are vitamin C and A. So choosing C and A rich fruits and vegetables to add to your storage reduces the danger of both nutritional deficiency and constipation. For vitamin A, canned pumpkin, squash or sweet potatoes, or fresh stored orange vegetables are the best option. For vitamin C, dried elderberries or rose hips are an excellent source. You can and should also have some seed that can be sprouted for fresh green vegetables if you live in a place where you can’t easily go out and forage a safe, unsprayed supply of greens (dandelions, plantain, chicory, etc…) all year ’round. Or you should have them if you don’t know how to recognize those foods. Wheat seeds are easy to sprout, but you might prefer broccoli, radish or others. These can be bought online or at a supermarket or health food store. I would recommend more vegetables and fruits as well - either dried, canned or kept in cold storage.
4. Fat. You need some cooking oil. You probably already have preferences on this, but most oils will keep a couple of years in a cool dark place. Oh, and everyone will probably want some salt (salt is necessary for life, so buy a few boxes) and sweetener. These are cheap and useful at making food palatable. Add in as many inexpensive spices as you can afford, or as many home-dried herbs as you can gather. These make the difference between survival and misery.
4. Do I have the basic ingredients of making meals we eat? Think about what you actually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinnner. Do you like granola? Well, then you need some oats, nuts, maybe a bit of honey and oil. Can you not imagine a meal without bread? Make sure you have yeast and salt. Think about what you need in terms of the things that make you happy.
5. Do I have water stored? This is an easy one - go raid your neighbor’s recycling bins and fill the bottles with water. If you don’t plan to rotate them every few months, add a drop of bleach to each one. All done. Now make sure you have something to flavor the water, because stored water tastes a little icky - you can get tang, which has vitamin C, tea, coffee, or just go pick some mint to add to your water. Think again about what you need to feel good.
6. Do I have multivitamins at a minimum? What about other supplements that I might need? Our family keeps not only multivitamins for kids and adults, but also vitamins C, E and fish oil capsules (the latter don’t keep long). Do I have a reliable way of getting necessary medications?
7. What about basic hygeine items? Think soap, shampoo, toothpaste and tooth brushes, vinegar or some other cleaner, laundry detergent or borax, as well as toilet paper. You can substitute for some of these - you can use diluted Dr. Bronner’s soap for almost all these needs, baking soda in place of tooth paste and deoderant, and use cloth for toilet paper if need be, but if these items will make you happier and more comfortable, store them. Make sure you have plenty of soap! Washing hands will be essential.
8. If my basics are covered, are there luxury items I’d like to add? Are there things my family needs or wants that would be useful? If the crisis overlaps holidays or festivals that are important to me, are there ways of storing items to allow us familiar treats or special foods?
Have I prepared for household pets and livestock? Do I have adequate food for them, or ways of making a nutritious diet for them out of my stored staples?
9. Do I have warm clothes, blankets, a way of heating myself, my home and/or food? Do I have flashlights and batteries, a cell phone charger? How will I cook, bathe and do laundry without power? That is, am I ready for an emergency? My claim is not that we are facing an immanent one, but that we’ve already seen an increase in emergencies, and a slow down in our response to them - being able to take care of your own needs.
Am I prepared to deal with basic medical needs, or to handle an acute situation when I cannot reach a hospital or when they are overflowing? Do I have a book on first aid, or better yet, have I taken basic first aid, CPR and medical response classes? Do I have a good first aid kit? Does my household have a supply of basic OTC medications, and perhaps a broad-spectrum antibiotic (and the wisdom to use it only when truly necessary?) Do I know how to handle the range of basic injuries? Check out Chile’s first aid kit info: http://chilechews.blogspot.com/2008/10/building-first-aid-kit.html
10. Do I have mental health needs met? That is, can I handle the stress of a difficult period - a job loss, service loss or other crisis? Do I have ways to keep busy, to feel productive? Do we have games and educational materials to keep kids entertained and learning? Does my family have the habit of supporting each other through difficult times - do I have a strategy for dealing with stress productively? Do we have ways to have fun - music, games, sports equipment, books whatever our family likes to do? Can I not panic, and keep a sense of perspective
Again, none of this should panic you. Answering “not yet” to some of these is not the end of the world. It should simply move you towards the next step, and the next.
Shalom,
Sharon
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26898
Peanut Butter Fudge
miss wilma
True Blue Farmgirl
In a heavy kettle put 2 cups of sugar and 2/3 cup evaporated milk, have 8 oz jar of marshmallow creme and one cup peanut butter ready,
Bring milk and sugar to boil , boil to soft ball stage , test in cold water, when mixture makes soft ball turn off heat,
add marshmallow creme and peanut butter, stir quickly pour into buttered pan, this is the best I have ever made and is so easy
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26907
from my MIL...not true..or maybe it is? lol
PREGNANT TURKEY STORY
One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister’s house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to
play a trick.
She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven. She removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pu lled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit
something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird. With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, ‘Patricia, you’ve cooked
a pregnant bird!’
At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
This made me laugh.
The first time I cooked a turkey all by myself, I was surprised that there wasn’t a neck,liver and giblets.
When Mom came over, I told her and she then told me where they were hidden.
Took the turkey out of the over, rescued the missing parts, washed it and and put it back to cooking.
I was 25 years old, when I found out that it did not take a gallon of Loganberry wine to cook one, and that it did not take all night.
No wonder the man in the liquor store went into shock when I told that I needed Loganberry wine for my turkey, he tried to convince me to use a white wine, but that was not the way mom did it.
Now I use orange juice and lots of spices.
granny ,
who still is not sure what mom did with all that wine.
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26897
Miss Wilmas Apple butter and Fried pies Next Topic
miss wilma
True Blue Farmgirl
Ok Karen get ready to put on some weight,I slice a large kettle with, winesap, mckintosh or early harvest apples , put VERY little water, put lid on let steam until done,
I then put thru a blender,
Now get a LARGE kettle , I use a very old 8qt pressure cooker bottom , they dont stick, measure 8 cups of sauce, 8 cups of sugar and 3 tsps of cinnamon,
place on burner stir until it comes to a boil, turn heat down to low cook 6 to 6and one half hours, stir ocassionally. this will be brown and very thick when you put it in your jars.
Now this is an absolute rule at my house, do not put a fork in my jams or jellies always use a spoon-— Now for fried pies, you can use your own dough but I find canned biscuits dont soak up as much oil, I use the texas size biscuits, roll out thin,
If you will let these warm out of the can a few mins they are easier to roll, for those that use dried apples I cook and sweeten apples to taste and add cinnamon, cook apples down until they are thick — also easier to use if cold, spread on one half of biscuit circle, fold over and press sides with a fork
,punch a couple of fork punches thru to to let steam escape, I have a largr electric skillet put about one fourth in of oil heat skillet to 250 -—300, do not fry to fast,
when brown on both sides I turn the pie on its back side against the side of skillet. my skillet will cook about 10 but use what ever size you have. You can use the apple butter just like the dried apples,
WHEN YOU COOK A BIG PLATTER OF THESE THEY WONT LAST VERY LONG. aS FOR THE APPLE BUTTER JUST ASK nANCY jO WHETHER ITS GOOD OR NOT, nOW i AM GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE FOR PEANUTBUTTER FUDGE
OMG. fried pies!!! That is such a cooincidence. I canned a two bushels of apple pie filling, and didnt have enough left for a final jar full, so I set it aside and really wanted to make a pie, but then didnt have any butter for a crust, so I had biscuits! I peeled the biscuits in half and put a spoonful of the pie filling inside, reapplied the top half and pinched around the edges.
one can of biscuits fills a shallow round cake tin. The biscuits were honey butter, and turned out amazing! But I like the idea of frying them better! Us southern girls cant resist it if its fried ;)
anti cancer soup
Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
Posted - Nov 18 2008 : 03:22:05 AM
Made the best soup the other night
It has a ton of whole veggies
Didn’t have to add anything but a little italian spice
The recipe makes about 3 gallons —enough to freeze or give away
Start with 2 cartons of low sodium chicken broth, 1 low sodium bottle of V-8 4 cans tomato paste
Add to this: 4 leeks washed with just the tops cut out, 4 peppers quartered your choice, 4 smallish/medium zucchini whole with tops cut off, bunch of kale, collars or other tasty winter green chopped, 1 bag broccoli floretts, 1 medium whole onion ( some or all of this can be removed before processing as it may cause gas for some) 2 bulbs garlic to be roasted first at 400 for about 45 minutes or until soft enough be squished out of their skins add to the soup
add a dash of oregano, basil, tyme and rosemary to taste
When zucchini is soft, ladel some liquid with the whole veggies and puree everything
I used my pressure canner as it was big enough to hold everything and after the puree step, sealed the lid back on for a few minutes then cut the heat and let the pot sit overnight
You can add pasta as needed when the soup is complete
The recipe also calls for beans like lentles. If you use these, they stay in the pot on the bottom and are not pureed
To puree, I just used my blender, but had to be careful not to overfill as the liquid was very hot and had a tendency to splash out of the top hole. It helped to put the setting on low first , then turn the dial to high/puree
The chicken broth cartons are the paper mid sized I think, tomato paste was the little skinny metal cans and the bottle of v-8 was the plastic mid size too Sorry I don’t have the oz sizing. This soup gives for a lot of error, so you can’t go wrong. You can also add a few stalks of celery too
and I forgot to include to add a mid size package of carrot dollars. These are the ones that are crinkle cut. Or you can just use 5-6 regualr carrots, just peeled and the tops cut off.
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26829
Work-at-Home Business Home-based business forum
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/forumdisplay.php?s=b1dbe1cc1c73d7ff589a0b5ca86484bf&f=89
I Just Opened A New Auction Site!
Check it out at www.eggseller.com
I’d like to have nothing but country, animal, and farming / homesteading type listings.
Listing is FREE. Help me get it off the ground!
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=280132
[I found it here, granny]
[from the auction site, they need stuff to sell...granny]
Status Item #Bids High Bid
Certified Organic Wheat Berries for Bread 0 $3.00
Certified Organic Wheat Berries for Pastry 0 $3.00
Certified Organic 100% Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour 0 $3.00
Certified Organic Sprouted Wheat Flour 0 $3.00
8+ Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Eggs 0 $10.00
Certified Organic Sprouted Wheat Flour 0 $3.00
I like to find fleece material on sale (usually the day after Thanksgiving sales are great for that!) and make the no-sew Cozie sacks and matching pillows for the little ones. It’s terribly easy to do, and requires nothing but material and a good sharp pair of scissors...and of course, some fiberfill if you choose to make the pillow. All I do is cut the fleece to the desired size.
The ideal cozie sack should allow for plenty of room, especially if they are being made for kids that are still growing. Once cut, fold it together and mark the fleece at 1” to 1 1/2” intervals, depending on how far apart you desire the ties to be. Make cuts that are about 3/4” from the edge, and only about 1/2” in length. You will only have to cut TWO sides like this, since one side is on the fold of the fabric, and the top will remain open. I use a contrasting colored piece of fleece, usually found on the discount remnant bin at WalMart, and cut the ties about 5” to 6” long, and usually 1/2” wide.
Fold the strips in half and push them through the slits that were cut in the fleece bag, but make sure to keep the folded edge from coming through. Pass the cut edges back through the loop and pull to make a knot. Once all of the ties are in place, your gift is done! Some folks I know have hemmed the top edge of their sacks, but I don’t. The fleece won’t ravel anyway, so I just leave it.
A matching pillow is made the same way, except you want to have the ties on all four sides, eliminating the fold. It’s best if you use an old pillowcase or a piece of muslin to make your pillow and stuff it, then when you have three sides tied, tuck the pillow inside your fleece pillow covering and put your ties on the last remaining side.
I made these for my boys to take with them on road trips for our oldest son’s football games. They are cozy warm and easy to take along with you. Smaller kids love them, since they resemble a sleeping bag.
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Barley Pilaf
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 cup pearl barley
1 1/2 cups vegetable or beef stock
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
1. In a small oven-proof pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and thyme and cook until the onions become translucent but not brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the barley, pinch of salt and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. Stir to coat the barley evenly with oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. When the stock boils, cover the pot and place in the oven until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.
5. Adjust the salt and pepper and stir/fluff with a fork.
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Fruited Bulgar
(especially good with chicken or turkey)
1 cup bulgur
2 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock or bullion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dried fruit such as dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley
Chives can also be added, if desired
1. Bring stock to a boil and add oil, dried fruit, salt, pepper, and parsley. Rinse the bulgur (if desired) and add to pan and stir a couple of times and turn off heat.
2. Let stand, covered, for 25 minutes (if using fine bulgur, let stand 15 minutes).
3. Fluff when done.
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Aztecan Quinoa Salad
12 cups water
1 1/2 cups quinoa,rinsed
2-3 cucumbers, peeled, ends trimmed and cut into 1/4” cubes
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4” cubes
1 medium tomato, diced
1 bunch (1/2 cup) parsley, chopped
1 bunch (1/2 cup) cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 romaine lettuce leaves
1. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the quinoa, stir once, and return to boil. Cook uncovered, over medium heat for 12 minutes. Strain and rinse well with cold water, shaking the sieve well to remove all moisture.
2. When dry, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, onion, tomato, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss well.
3. Top each romaine leaf with about 3/4 cup of the salad and serve.
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Kasha
2 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
1 egg
1 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat groats)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring the water or stock to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Beat the egg in a bowl with a fork, then stir in the kasha.
3. Heat a wide skillet over medium heat, add the kasha and cook, stirring until the grains are dry and separate (about 3 minutes). Add them to the boiling water, then add the butter and a dash of salt.
4. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper.
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Bulgur & Summer Squash Casserole
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp., dried basil, crushed
1 cup bulgur
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
grated peel of 1 large lemon
3 medium shallots, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 can (14 1/2oz.) tomatoes or the eqivelent of fresh tomatoes
1 small zucchini, cut into a tiny dice
3/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 small yellow summer squash cut into tiny dice
1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
In medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the bulgur, reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Transfer to a medium-size bowl. In a medium-size skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, basil and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes and add to the bulgur. Stir in lemon peel and juice. Drain tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Break up tomatoes into coarse chunks and stir into the bulgur with 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato liquid. Add parsley and transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with mozzarella; bake at 325° F for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Mixed Grain & Wild Rice Cereal
8 c Water; divided
1/2 c Wild rice; divided
1/2 c Pearl barley
1/2 c Oats
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Chopped dates
1/3 c Packed brown sugar
3 tb Butter
1/2 ts Cinnamon
Honey; optional
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 2 1/2 quart
casserole with cover.
2. Bring 2 cups water and wild rice to a boil;
cover and simmer 20 minutes. Drain; transfer to
casserole.
3. Add barley, oats, raisins, dates, brown sugar,
butter, cinnamon and remaining water. Cover and
bake 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring occasionally,
until grains are tender. Serve with honey, if
desired.
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WHOLE-GRAIN BREAKFAST CEREAL — Make ahead recipe
1 cup whole wheat berries
1 cup whole rye berries
1 cup whole triticale
1 cup whole barley
1 cup brown rice
1 cup buckwheat groats
1 cup millet
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup flaxseed
1 cup lentils
10 cups oat groats/irish oats/oatmeal
Mix all ingredients and put into air tight container. Will last indefinitely if vacuum sealed.
When ready to make, add 2 cups of cereal to 5 cups of water. Bringing it to boil, & then letting it sit over night. This will keep refrigerated for a week. Just reheat in microwave as needed. Serve with milk, cream, fruit, etc.
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Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked wheat berries
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method
Put wheat berries into a large bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water and set aside to let soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Drain well.
Put 7 cups clean water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add wheat berries, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, or until cooked through. (Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked.) Drain and set aside to let cool.
Transfer wheat berries to a large bowl. Add walnuts, apples, raisins, parsley, vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, olive oil and lemon juice and mix everything together thoroughly.
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