Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

US Economy or World Economy<<<

Yes, the world is in trouble, and a lot of it is a part of the
“Hate Bush, see how awful he is”, liberal campaign.

Once I would have read every word of these articles, now I only attempt to keep up with what is happening, as I know where many of them come from and what is behind them.

Use google, search for etext.org and then check the ‘related pages’ and go to the etext site.

etext is the storage site for all articles, that are used to bring down America........a fine liberal/communist education site.

I found communist [maoist] sites that explained to the readers, how the borders of America must remain open, so that voters could come in and influence the elections in the U.S., this is also the site calling for the release of all the killers in prisons.

Note: I found this site about 2002, and it keeps coming true.

There is a page on what to teach the kids, about why having a Columbus day parade is wrong.

I was shocked to find a report that I had read in 2000, about how evil Bill Clinton was, now re-written to tell how evil George Bush is, same claims, changed the name.

There was an old newsletter, published at a Utah University, that bragged about the fact castro/cuba paid him to publish it and it of course was how evil America is.

It is known that this all started with Clinton, even the regular media has admitted recently that clinton ordered the loans for the ‘poor’ people, so they could have a home.

The recession started with clinton, remember the internet boom? And the crash.

Now, yes, we are in a hard spot, the country has gone on credit for so long, that we have no money, as a country or as a person.

This one, or one of the articles, said sell that property and get out of debt, yes, if you are in the million dollar / over valued homes, etc.

If you own a piece of cheap dirt, hold on to it, for it will always buy you something, on the day you give it up.

I told my real estate clients to buy one lot at a time for investment, not to worry if someday they lost money when selling it, as the real price/value of the lot, is how many pounds of beans will it buy 20 years down the road.

It does not matter if you paid $100. and sold it for $500., it is only a profit, when it buys the same amount of beans +, as the original $100.

In the 1970’s, we were expecting the dollar to be devalued and watching the news carefully, when it came, the announcement was a one liner..........”today the dollar was devalued 6%”, could have been a different per cent of devaluation, but that was all the news it was worth on main stream media.

All the world is blaming us for crashing their markets, if the commie __________ would stay home and invest in their own countries and quit attempting to get rich at the expense of the average American citizen, we would have less problems.

No I do not know how to solve this mess, the liberals want the American citizen to be a ward of the government, in essence, a slave, useful only for voting more commies into office.

On the first page of my terror thread, there will be links to the other 11 threads, on the first one on the first or second thread, is the 45 plank communist manifesto, as introduced into Congress in 1963, read it and you will see that it has come true 100%, just as the communists planned.

Yielding soapbox, after posting my opinion.......

It is too cold for a lot of typing.

http://www.beyondpeak.com/links-beyondpeak.html
<<<

Stop and think, “why are we out of oil?”.

Because the communist/liberal/democrats will not allow us to drill and develop what we need.

It is that simple.

I can look out the window and the first mountain range is the Black Mountains, it has been staked for oil leases for 30 years that I know of, I have found the filings at the court house in Kingman.

At the time I wanted to stake gold claims in the area.

It was in one of the BLM “study” areas and is now a so called Wilderness site.

I don’t know enough cuss words to cover over 40 years of that fight.

At the time, we had a good/honest BLM Geologist, he told me the oil companies would be allowed to keep their leases in the Wilderness areas, that they could do the assessment work from the air, and I have watched them do so, hoses hang out of an airplane/helicopter and they fly a grid, with fancy machines recording what is in the earth........it also works to find caches of guns and explosives........

AND AFTER THE WILDERNESS IS IN EFFECT FOR 20 YEARS, YOU CAN PETITION CONGRESS AND GET THE AREA RELEASED FROM THE WILDERNESS AREA.!!!!!!!!!!

If you look at a State of Arizona “Known Mineral deposits map and at the Wilderness map”, you will find that the wilderness map, shows the good mineral deposits were locked up, so you and i cannot file on them.............

I have been over the areas around here and in the Yuma area and the wilderness areas are a plot and not at all what they sold the fool on the street.

If you want a stay in jail, attempt to enter the areas, unless you are one of the ‘party’.

It goes even further than that, they have given away, our National Parks, riverways and so much more.

The Papago Reservation / Tucson Organ Pipe National Monument is not under U.S. control, google is your friend, look for Heritage sites, world or U.S., even part of the southern farms is in the heritage site control and leased to the farmers............

Back to peak oil, Dr . Bill has said for years that the oil sands in Canada would be processed, when the value of oil was worth enough to show a profit for processing it and a couple years ago, it started flowing.

Our congress is now allowing Russia, cuba,china and all the other communists to drill in the ocean and will not allow Americans to drill for oil, they say they are outside our territory line, but they are close enough to slant drill.............

Dr. Bill should be on tonight, about 10 pm, kgo, 810 on the am dial for radio.

I know of capped wells in the Yuma area, I have talked of Grandpa Ira, the old man who lived with us in Wellton...

Ira was from Oklahoma and had worked on the oil drillers.

When he saw one go by the house and out in the desert, he asked to go and see what was going on, as we did not have oil wells in that area.

They drilled several wells, Ira kept an eye on them and knew when they hit oil sand, and they welded a cap on the pipe and left, as soon as they had the proof that oil was there.

We found the exact same well all over the desert.

http://www.safetycentral.com/eccolsurguid.html

Economic Collapse Survival Guide

Courtesy Of Safety Central

REDUCE YOUR DEBT: Reducing ones debt to as close to zero as possible is essential. That may involve selling off some of your real estate investment, moving to a smaller home, refinancing your home mortgage to a 15-year loan, and eliminating your credit cards. Stop paying interest.<<<

Part of this is a good article.

Everyone knows that various governments are working on germ warfare. ‘Accidents’ happen, too.<<<

Cuba does the most of all, in research, their history is ugly as hell and they are funded by Iran.

Cuba has ocean currents to the east coast, so can send items that contain germs, do some research, you will be surprised.

Russia rents it biohazard and other scientists, N. Korea, Iran and Osama ben Laden have used them.

I will save the seeds and see if I can germinate them. What do you think? I figure it’s a minimal investment. Are tomato plants hard to grow from seed?<<<

Some will grow, that is why we buy the old varieties, so the seeds will grow again.

Not hard to grow, cover with about a quarter inch of potting mix, keep moist, but not wet, plant about 6 weeks to 2 months, before they will go out doors.

You can also root the tomato shoots in water and grow them over again.

A tomato that is cared for will produce for 2 years and longer for some plants, if not allowed to freeze or die from lack of water.

Maybe every one knows this, but it was a late discovery for me.

Next time you have a tomato plant branch to look at, note the hard bumps on it.........those are root nodes, they will root in water.

But when you plant a seedling in the next size pot, or ground, I dig a trench, with the trowel and put the root ball as deep as possible and leave the top 6 or 8 leaves above ground, then with compost or potting soil lining the hole, I top it with the topsoil.

Now the plant will send out roots along the underground stem, it may look like you lost a foot of growth, but you did not, you gained a foot of extra roots to feed the plant and now it will take off and grow like crazy.

I do miss stew. Maybe I could start one with some prepared tempeh cooked in grapeseed oil, garlic and onions, deglazed with red wine. I may try that, and thicken the gravy with cornstarch or arrowroot. Yum!<<<

Should work, I think I posted a veg. stew last night?

If you get a tasteless stew, look in the cupboard and add soy and any steak sauces that you have.

I made a tasteless gravy one night and lots of it, but it just was not tasting, Mom was visiting and she opened my cupboard and added steak sauce and soy sauce and ? and it was good..........

I put a gallon of stew in the freezer, kept thinking it needed something and now I remember, of all things, I forgot to put the onion in it.

It is good, but needs celery and onion.......

Granny, can you give me the URL to the latest terror thread again? I don’t think it would hurt to have it on this thread.<<<

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2052529/posts?q=1&;page=3651

That is a good article, I read it last night, and don’t remember If I posted it or not.

With admitted communists for rulers, we can only go down.

AFRICAN VIOLETS

http://www.geocities.com/homegardener/violet.htm

Winter Gardens:

http://www.geocities.com/homegardener/winter.htm

http://www.geocities.com/homegardener/recipes.htm

For my Sicilian Tomato Sauce, I use home-grown tomatoes that I canned last summer. The herbs in the sauce (basil, oregano, fennel) I had grown in the same bed, except for this little lesson I learned about growing fennel with tomatoes. I had heard it said that tomatoes and fennel were not compatible, but planted them next to each other anyway. The tomato plant did not do well at all, and it was a cherry-type, which normally out-produce all other crops in the garden! Happily, the rest of the garden did well, and all was not lost, and so I learned that there really IS truth to companion planting! But more about that in a future VEGGIE page! And so, here is my recipe for

Sicilian Tomato Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium green pepper
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fennel seed
1 quart home-canned tomatoes (or 1 28-oz can)
1 (12 oz) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
fresh basil (or dried)

In a large cooking pot, heat olive oil and add onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano and fennel seed; saute until onion is clear. Turn off heat. In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes by hand; add the tomato paste and tomato sauce and mix together. Add the tomatoes to the onion mixture in the pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in baking soda, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar to your taste. Turn heat on low and simmer, covered, for at least 1 hour. Add basil, and simmer for 15 minutes more. Serve over your favorite pasta, adding a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese.

How about dessert after dinner? This next recipe is a contribution from my Garden Escape chat room friends Tom and Maureen (Moe911). Be sure to try this recipe, so if you see them in the chat room, you can tell them how much you enjoyed

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup walnuts, optional
1/2 cup margarine
2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chocolate chips Mix everything together, except for the chocolate chips and walnuts. Grease 9x13” pan, and pour in batter. Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

The following recipe was contributed by Cindy Lammon. Cindy’s recipe for big-batch tomato sauce is not only delicious, it makes good use of some wonderful summertime vegetables. It can be frozen in 1 pint containers to be used in the winter. Cindy commented that, even after being frozen, “it tastes like you just picked the vegetables from your own garden.”

BEST BIG-BATCH TOMATO SAUCE
1/4 cup salad oil
3 medium onions thinly sliced
3 large carrots thinly sliced
2 medium green peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 pounds tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 12-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, in hot salad oil, cook onions,
carrots, green peppers and garlic until tender, stirring occasionally. Add
tomatoes and remaining ingredients; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce
heat to medium-low; partially cover Dutch oven and cook 2 hours, stirring
occasionally. Makes about 9 pints.

This “recipe” was told to me by my friend Sandra Schmitz. She says that it is to marinate for a couple of days, but that it’s so delicious, she usually can’t wait that long! I couldn’t fathom eating tomatoes green. Then one day while picking red tomatoes, I accidentally knocked a huge green one off the vine. I tried it in this recipe, and now I know exactly what it is she was talking about!

GREEN TOMATO DELIGHT

Green tomatoes, cut into wedges. Place the tomatoes in a zip-lock style bag, and a few tablespoons of your favorite Italian dressing (I like Zia’s fat free Sweet Italian). Marinate in the refrigerator for a few days, turning the bag over occasionally so the dressing will cover evenly. WOW!

Cafe Eberhardt’s Salsa

4 Avocado, sliced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 small cans yellow corn, drained
2 small cans white corn, drained
1 large can black beans, drained
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon Italian dressing
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix all and chill. Serve with Lime Tostitos. Makes enough for about two bags of Tostitos.

contributed by Maria Eberhardt

GARDEN VEGGIE SOUP

1 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 qt green beans, drained
1 qt corn, drained
1 qt tomatoes
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery
1/2 head small cabbage, shredded
2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
1 can undrained kidney beans
1 can beef broth
sugar to taste

Cook raw vegetables together until half tender. Add cabbage.
Cook until tender; add other ingredients.

The recipe below was given to me by a clerk at my grocery store, who found out in conversation that I like to make preserves. She raved about how popular it was with her kids. This encouraged me to make this relish with my own homegrown zucchini. My boys prefer this relish, hands-down over purchased pickle relish for their hot dogs...a sly way to get them to eat their veggies!

Zucchini Relish for canning

10 cups finely chopped zucchini (unpeeled)
4 cups finely chopped onions
3 cups finely chopped carrots
2 cups finely chopped green peppers
1/4 cup pickling salt

For pickling solution:
2 cups cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with
2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine zucchini, onions, carrots, and green pepper. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand in refrigerator for 3 hours and drain.
For pickling solution, combine vinegar, sugar, cornstarch mixture, celery seed, black pepper, turmeric, and nutmeg in a large (non aluminum) pot; bring to a boil. Add drained vegetables. Return to a boil, stirring constantly.

For canning:
Ladle hot mixture into hot, clean jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids according to manufacturer directions. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove.
Makes 7 pints.

These cookies were a hit with the garden club...I used the variegated “Aureus” thyme, but lemon verbena can be substituted for the thyme.

LEMON THYME COOKIES

2 3/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp dried lemon thyme leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, lemon thyme (or lemon verbena) leaves, baking powder,
baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat shortening,
sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Add half of the flour
mixture. Beat until combined. Add remaining flour mixture, mixing until
well combined.
Chill dough. Roll onto floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters.
Bake 375F 8-10 min.

I found this recipe for Lavender Ice Cream in a magazine many years ago.
It was a hit with the Garden Club then, and many still remember when I made it for a meeting at my house two years ago. Recently, I made it again for a different group at our subdivision’s annual garden tour. After numerous requests for the recipe, it seems the lavender ice cream was mentioned even to those folks who had not completed the tour.
And so here is the famous recipe for the popular

LAVENDER ICE CREAM

1 2/3 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 whole fresh lavender tops (about 5 inches long)
or 2 Tbsp dried lavender
fresh raspberries mixed with a little sugar (optional)

In a heavy medium saucepan, cook milk over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, honey, and lavender. Cover and steep until mixture has cooled to room temperature (45-60 minutes). Strain milk mixture; discard lavender.
Freeze mixture in a 2-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer frozen ice cream to a clean freezer container with a tight fitting lid. Pack down with a spoon. Freeze for at least 4 hours or for up to 1 month. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve ice cream with fresh raspberries and sprinkle with lavender buds, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

CAPONATA

A very old favorite in Sicily, Caponata is a tangy spread made with eggplant that can also serve as a salad or relish. Consider making it in quantity when the garden is at its peak.

2 medium eggplants
3/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 fresh tomato, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup capers, well drained
6 green olives, diced
2 Tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Peel and dice eggplant and saute in 1/2 cup oil until golden brown. Remove eggplant from skillet and reserve. Add remaining oil and onions, and cook until onions are soft & golden-—then add tomato and celery. Cook until celery is tender, stirring occasionally; add a little water to prevent sticking.
Heat vinegar and dissolve the sugar in it; add salt and pepper.
Put everything together. Simmer at a low heat for 10-15 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Chill thoroughly before serving. Store in tightly covered jars. Will keep up to 3 weeks in refrigerator. Makes 6 servings—serve on crackers.

-Contributed by Annette Pagano

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

1 package (11 oz.) refrigerator French bread
Bake 375F 50-60 minutes and sliced
OR
Rhodes bread - Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Fill a bread tube 2/3 full (you’ll have to cut off some dough at the end). Bake at 400F for 60 minutes.
Grease tube well, and grease end caps. Bake vertically. Slice thinly into rounds.

1 cup mayonnaise
8 oz. cream cheese
fresh dill, chopped finely (about 1/8 cup)
1 p kg Hidden Valley (Ranch) salad dressing mix
cucumber, sliced

Mix mayo, cream cheese, dill, and Hidden Valley. Spread over bread slices. Top with thin slice of cucumber.

This is a healthier version of my favorite pesto. A neighbor introduced me to this delicious way to use fresh basil. The opportunity to fix this dish is just one of many reasons to anticipate summer!

PESTO
(4 servings)

12 oz. linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccini pasta
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
(I used 1/2 cup parmesan and 1/4 cup Romano)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fat free half & half

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, combine basil, garlic, and cheese. Add pine nuts and process until nuts and basil are finely chopped. With machine running, add lemon juice and olive oil until well blended. Add the half & half in the same manner. Toss into pasta, or freeze in small containers.

ITALIAN PESTO APPETIZER

Pesto from recipe above
small round crackers
small sun-dried tomatoes (rehydrated)*
Parmesan cheese

Spread the pesto on a cracker, top with a (rehydrated) sun-dried tomato, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Enjoy!

*note...I grew “Juliet,” an oblong, cherry-type tomato in my garden this year. I partially dehydrated them in a dehydrator so they were still soft, and then mixed them with a small amount of olive oil to cover them.

***************************************************
I adapted this recipe from one called Okra Rillenos...but thought it would be great for poppers, and it is! I actually get cravings for these. Boiling the jalapenos first makes them more tender, and milder for those of us that like the kick, but not the flames. For those that like all of the fire and some crunch, you can skip the boiling step.

JALAPENO POPPERS
cream cheese (or cheddar cheese, cut in short sticks)
about a dozen large jalapeno pepper pods (home grown is best!)
1 cup self-rising flour
1/3 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup dark beer
vegetable oil
salt

Wearing gloves, slit jalapenos in half, carefully scrape/rinse out seeds and place in boiling water for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Rinse under cold water and place on paper towels to dry.
Stuff pods with cheese sticks or fill each half with cream cheese, put halves together, and set aside.
Combine flour and cornmeal in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together egg, buttermilk, and beer; add to dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.
Pour oil to depth of 3 inches into a small pot. Heat to 375F. Using a spoon,
dip stuffed jalapenos into batter; coating well. Drop gently into the hot oil, and let fry until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve immediately with salsa.

YUM!

Atop a cream-cheesed bagel, this jelly is a zesty way to start the day. A cup of hot coffee is the perfect accompaniment, and sets off the kick of the jalapeno. This jelly is spicy, but not so hot that you have to call the fire department...I think it is important to bring out the flavor of the pepper without too much distraction of heat, but with enough zip to keep the experience interesting. I never heard of jalapeno jelly until my neighbor gave me her recipe. So here it is, savor this one...

CECI’S JALAPENO JELLY

NOTE: You can use all red peppers instead of jalapeno to make a red jelly, or aji yellow peppers to make a very sweet hot pepper jelly (use yellow food color). Strain out seeds and pulp, if desired.

1 blender full (about 6 cups) jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, and seeded
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 package Sure-Jell Pectin (powder)

Process jalapeno peppers in the blender. They should be chopped into small bits, but not excessively fine, you don’t want to blend them completely.
In a large saucepot, combine peppers, vinegar, and pectin. Heat until boiling, then add sugar all at once. Boil one minute. Then fill pint jars, seal, and process for 6 minutes. The jelly, once processed, must cool completely to set.

Now that you made the jelly, you can use it in this wonderfully light muffin, with a very mild kick.

GREEN CHILI CORN MUFFINS

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup Ceci’s Jalapeno Jelly (above recipe) or any other green chili pepper jelly
1-1/4 cups milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the eggs, green chili pepper jelly, milk, and oil; stir just until moistened. Spoon into 18 greased or paper lined 2 1/2 inch muffin cups or 8x8 greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve

I found and adapted this recipe from an old Weight Watcher’s magazine... it makes awesome burgers with just a touch of heat, and the flavors blend to burger perfection. I mixed it and wrapped it with plastic wrap the day before, for the flavors to blend, before shaping into patties. YUM!

SMOKY JALAPENO BURGERS

1 1/2 pounds ground round
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tablespoon seeded minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons low-sodium Worchestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon hickory-flavored barbecue smoked seasoning (like Liquid Smoke)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
5 Tablespoons jalapeno jelly, divided
5 Tablespoons chili sauce, divide

6 (2-ounce) hamburger buns
6 curly-leaf lettuce leaves

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping into patties. Combine 3 Tablespoons jalapeno jelly, 3 Tablespoons chili sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked seasoning in a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Prepare grill. Brush 1 side of each hamburger patty with jelly mixture. Place patties, jelly-side down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 5 minutes. Brush patties with remaining jelly mixture. Turn patties over; cover and grill and additional 5 minutes or until done.
3. Combine remaining 2 Tablespoons jelly and remaining 2 Tablespoons chili sauce; stir well, and spread evenly over bottom halves of buns. Top with lettuce, and top halves of buns. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 burger)
CAL 403,PRO 32.5g,FAT 9.9g, CARB 45.4g,FIB 3.6g, CHOL 70mg, IRON 5.5mg, SOD 620mg (less if using homemade jelly), CALC 164mg
Weight Watchers Points: 8

I found this recipe in Country Woman magazine, contributed by Diana Murphy of Wisconsin.
She claimed this recipe to be so popular “friends show up at our door asking for more!” So with a recipe like that, I had to try it. It turned out to be a keeper, and worth the time spent on cooking!

HOT PICANTE SAUCE

18 cups quartered peeled fresh tomatoes (about 20 medium)
6 cups chopped onions (about 6 large)
2 1/4 cups chopped green peppers (about 2 medium)
2 cups sliced jalapeno peppers (about 9)
2 cups vinegar
1 1/3 cups sliced sweet banana peppers (about 6)
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste

In a large kettle, combine the first 11 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Ladle hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 20 minutes in a boiling water bath. Yield: 10 pints.

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Here is a wonderful recipe for Spicy Peach Preserves that I found while searching the world wide web.* It is extremely easy to make! Each year, I sell some of it at a country fair, and people come back the next year, asking for more. It is also a favorite with family and friends. Contributed to Epicurious by Aleta, in Dallas.

SPICY PEACH PRESERVES

“This was the first preserve I ever made. I only got brave enough because I couldn’t
forget the taste of a jar given to me. Try this next summer and you will can anything!
Caution: make several batches, you gain a faithful following of friends who want their
annual supply!” -Aleta, Dallas TX

5 cups peaches, washed and seed removed
(about 7 peaches)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
9 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 packet liquid pectin

Do not peel peaches. Finely chop in food processor, using pulsating so you don’t
over-process. Combine all ingredients except pectin in a large heavy pot. Cook, stirring
occasionally until it begins to boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard a few minutes.
Remove from heat and add pectin package all at once. Stir and skim off foam. Stir 5
minutes. Pour into 12 small jars. Carefully clean off lip of jars with hot wet towel to
ensure good seal. Apply seals and rings, but not tightly. Cook in water bath for at least
10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack, then tighten rings. Press the center of the lid,
there shouldn’t be any bounce back if sealed properly. If seal didn’t work on some,
refrigerate and eat these first, or place contents in clean jars and put through water
bath again. These keep in pantry for over a year.
Doubles nicely.

This fruit salad is a favorite shared by my good friend Tammy Freise. It was a hit at one of our garden parties.

T’MARA’S FRUIT SALAD

2 bananas
strawberries
blueberries
peach pie filling
canned pineapple chunks
1/2 cup pecan pieces

Mix all together; use your judgement on quantities. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

**************************************************************************

I’ve had this recipe a long time, and finally tried it when I had the fresh basil, and chives. Be sure to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This cooks up to be a very tender scone, easy to make and smells wonderful when baking. Awesomely delicious!

HERB OLIVE OIL SCONES

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large egg
2 tsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
10 chives, snipped in 1/2” length
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 375F.
Mix flour, baking powder, cheese, and pepper in one bowl. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, egg, lemon juice, garlic, chives, and basil until well blended.
Scrape herb mixture into flour. Stir with spoon until soft dough forms.
Give 10-15 kneads on floured surface. Gather into a ball and cut in half. Place both halves on cookie sheet and roll each ball into 8” rounds. Cut each circle into 8 wedges (cut almost all the way through, scoring deeply). Bake 15-20 minutes.

This is a pie that I think is an improved version of the Libby’s recipe. The difference is the skim milk instead of evaporated milk, and the increase in spices. The result is a creamier texture, and better flavored pie.

PUMPKIN PIE

1 unbaked 9” pastry shell
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups skim milk

Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated 425F oven. Reduce temperature to 350F.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes clean.

EGGPLANT DIP (BABA GHANOUSH)

An Arab specialty, this dip is often used with pita bread at family meals.

3 large eggplants
1/4 cup tahini
juice of one large lemon
2 Tablespoons water
3 large cloves garlic
1 large pinch salt, or more
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

Grill eggplant until soft. Scrape out insides and discard the peel. Place in a blender with the rest of the above ingredients. Process until very smooth. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This is my favorite cheesecake, which I make especially when the peaches are in season!

PEACHES ‘N CREAM CHEESECAKE

Sponge Cake Base
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

Cheesecake Filling
4 pkg (8 oz ea) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup peach liqueur, or Peach Schnapps
2 cups canned or fresh peaches, sliced, drained

1 pt whipping cream, whipped

Pre-heat oven to 375F. Lightly grease bottom of 10-inch spring-form pan. Using electric mixer on high speed, beat 1 egg in 1 1/2 quart bowl, 4 minutes until it is foamy and yellow. Mix in 1/3 cup sugar on low speed until smooth. Add 1/4 cup flour, water, 1/4 tsp vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until fully blended. Pour into prepared pan, creating level layer. Bake on lowest oven rack in preheated 375F oven 16-18 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325F. Using mixer on high speed, mix together cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, and 1 tsp flour until smooth. Add 1 tsp vanilla, sour cream, and peach flavoring. Mix on medium speed until smooth, thick consistency is obtained.

Carefully fold in peaches, distributing them evenly throughout cheese mixture. Pour filling onto cooled cake base. Bake in preheated 325F oven 70 minutes on lower oven rack. Turn off oven. Leave door ajar in broil position and let cake remain 40 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate before serving.

To serve, top with whipped cream. Store up to 2 days in refrigerator.

This is a recipe I adapted from Cooking Light. I simplified it to my own liking. Makes a wonderful lunch!

BRAISED EGGPLANTS AND POTATOES WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES

3 Japanese eggplants, cut diagnonally into 1” thick slices, then quartered
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
6 small red potatoes
3 large tomatoes, cored
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup julienne-cut celery
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup pitted black or kalamata olives

1. Place eggplant slices in a colander, and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Toss well, and drain 1 hour. Place eggplant slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

2. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until almost tender. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon; set aside.

3. Return water to a boil. Add tomatoes to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute, or until tomato skins begin to split. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon, and plunge tomatoes into ice water. Slip skins off tomatoes using a paring knife. With hands, mash tomatoes until broken up. Discard water.

4. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan over med-low heat. Add sliced onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, celery, oregano, honey, and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with black pepper.

5. Rinse eggplant, and pat dry on paper towels. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add eggplant, and saute 15 minutes or until tender. To the tomato mixture, add eggplant, red peppers, potatoes, parsley, and olives and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until potatoes are very tender and most, but not all, of the liquid is absorbed.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

http://www.geocities.com/homegardener/recipes.htm

SEASONED PUMPKIN SEEDS

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place seeds on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Add butter, Worchestershire sauce, garlic and seasoned salt. Toss to coat seeds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden grown, stirring occasionally.

Glazed Lavender Tea Cake (from Cooking Light magazine)

cake:
1 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain, fat free yogurt
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh lavender leaves

glaze:
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. To prepare cake, beat granulated sugar, butter, and 1/2 tsp vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg and egg white, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lavender.
3. Pour batter into an 8-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients. Spread over hot cake. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 10 servings (serving size 1 slice)

THE BEST STRAWBERRY PIE

Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Marge Koriakin

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or Cool Whip)

1. Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about
10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

This recipe is one that is requested every time it is served. Enjoy with a sprig of mint on a hot summer day.

RASPBERRY LEMONADE

3 cups cold water, divided
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 (6 oz) can thawed lemonade concentrate, undiluted
mint sprigs (optional)

Combine 3/4 cup water and raspberries in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl; discard seeds. Combine raspberry liquid, 2 1/4 cups water, and lemonade concentrate in a pitcher; chill. Serve garnished with mint, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

This salad uses a lot of garden grown ingredients. If you have them in your vegetable garden, by all means use them here, it will taste that much better!

Olive Garden Salad (Clone)

For Salad:

fresh lettuce, or 1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
1-5 slices red onion
4-6 black olives
2-4 banana peppers (I use picked pepperoncini)
1/2 cup croutons
1 small tomato, quartered (or 6 cherry tomatoes, halved)
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparation: Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onion, black olives, peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some fresh Parmesan cheese, and add plenty of salad dressing (recipe follows) on top.

Italian Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp corn syrup
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Romano cheese
1/4 tsp garlic salt, or one garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Parsley flakes
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

STUFFED PEPPERONCINI

Another family favorite, this appetizer puts to use the pickled pepperoncini from my summer harvest.

3 slices bacon - finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons real bacon bits)
2 shallots or green onions, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 medium red pepper - minced, about 1/3 cup
1 3-oz pkg cream cheese, softened (you can use reduced fat, but not fat-free)
2 tsp milk
2 jars (9 oz each) pepperoncini peppers (or home-pickled) about 28 peppers - drained

1. In a nonstick 10-inch skillet, cook bacon until browned, drain on paper towel, and discard bacon drippings, except for 1 Tbsp from the skillet.
2. Cook shallots and red pepper over medium heat in the skillet bacon drippings, stirring frequently until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
3. In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add bacon and shallot mixture, and beat until combined. Spoon cream cheese mixture into heavy-weight plastic bag with 1 corner cut to make a 1/4 inch opening.
4. With small knife, cut a slit lengthwise in each pepper, being careful not to cut all the way through pepper. (I remove the seeds with a small spoon). Squeeze cream-cheese mixture into peppers; cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. IF ANY ARE LEFT!

Yield: about 28 stuffed peppers.

SUMMER PEACH QUENCHER

2 ripe peaches or 8 oz. peach puree
6 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
3 cups club soda (or 7-up)
sugar, if necessary, to taste
Ice

Blend peaches and juice in blender. Pour into four tall glasses, and top off with soda and ice. 4 Servings

CHEESY ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

4 slices bread cubed
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups cubed zucchini
1/2 onion chopped
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 egg beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place bread cubes in a medium bowl and pour melted butter over the bread. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic salt and egg; mix well. Transfer the mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish and top with the cheese.
Bake covered in oven for 30 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

ZUCCHINI CRISP

Everyone swears this is made from apples. I cut up the zucchini in bite-sized portions about the size of chunk pineapple.

Crust:
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound of butter or margarine

Filling:
6 to 8 cups seeded, peeled, sliced zucchini
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare the pastry by combining the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter or margarine until crumbly. Press half the mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Save the other half for later. Bake for about ten minutes, then remove from oven and set aside. In a sauce pan, cook the zucchini in lemon juice until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar, nutmeg and only 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon.
Simmer for about a minute then add a half cup of the saved pastry mixture. Simmer until this thickens, stirring constantly. Let cool. Pour the zucchini mixture over the crust. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with the rest of the pastry mixture in a bowl, then sprinkle it over the pie. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Submitted By: Larry....through Granny’s Kitchen.com

From Cooking Light magazine...Highest claims of being so delicious from people who thought they ‘hated’ green tomatoes!!! Contributed by Maria Eberhardt

UNFRIED GREEN TOMATOES

GRAVY:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely chopped/peeled red tomato
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 (1/2”) slices green tomato (approx 3)
1/3 cup fat-free milk
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. To prepare the green tomatoes, combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through sugar) in a shallow dish. Dip tomato slices in milk, dredge in flour mixture. Lightly coat both sides of tomato slices with cooking spray.
3. Place a baking sheet in oven heat of 400 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately coat with cooking spray. Place tomato slices on preheated baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.
4. To prepare the gravy, melt butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add chopped red tomato, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon gravy over each green tomato slice.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 4 tomato slices and about 1/3 cup gravy)

Calories 142 (27% from fat); Fat 4.2g (sat 1.9g, mono 1g, poly 0.5g) Protein 4.2g; Carb 23.5g; Fiber 3g; Chol 8mg; Iron 1.7mg; Sodium 348mg; Calc 41mg

Beefy Tomatoes

6 medium tomatoes
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato and discard; remove core. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/2 inch shell. Reserve 1 cup pulp (discard remaining pulp or save for another use). Invert tomatoes onto paper towels to drain. In a nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the basil, salt, pepper, and reserved tomato pulp; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the rice, cheese, and egg; heat through. Spoon into tomato shells. Place in a shallow 2-qt baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings

One serving (1 stuffed tomato) equals 215 calories, 10g fat (4g sat. fat), 68 mg chol, 2g fiber, 21g protein)
-Liz Gallagher of Gilbertsville, PA, Light and Tasty, June/July 2001 issue

This makes such a wonderful, quick dinner! I serve it with couscous, rice, or noodles, and a side serving of fruit. A good way to use the jalapeno jelly, which I have in abundance.

TEQUILA-GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

For dressing:
1/4 cup bottled cucumber or ranch salad dressing
1 Tbsp jalapeno pepper jelly
1/2 tsp seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground red (cayenne) pepper

For tequila glaze:
2 1/2 Tbsp tequila
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp jalapeno pepper jelly
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

For chicken salad:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 green onions, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, peeled and diced, OR 3/4 cup chopped prepared roasted red peppers, well-drained
1 avocado
Lettuce leaves or flour tortillas

To prepare dressing: In a small bowl, stir together bottled dressing, jelly, seasoned salt, garlic powder and red pepper. Let stand while preparing salad, or prepare a day ahead and refrigerate.

To prepare glaze: In another small bowl, combine tequila, jelly, salt and a few grinds of pepper; stir until thoroughly combined; set aside.

To prepare salad: Rinse chicken; pat dry. Pour about half the glaze onto a deep plate; add chicken and turn to coat all surfaces. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Grill over hot coals, basting often with remaining glaze, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool completely (or chill in refrigerator).

In a large bowl, toss together onions, cucumber, and roasted pepper. Cut cooled chicken and avocado into 1/2 inch cubes; add to salad. Add dressing; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce-leaf cups or on flour tortillas (we roll them up to make burritos).

Yield: 6 servings (about 4 cups)

I discovered this recipe on the internet and had to try it. I removed the seeds from all the hot peppers, and it had only a very slight kick. So if you like it hot, use the seeds and all. This makes a very rich brownie, with a top crust, and gooey middle.

JALAPENO BROWNIES

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 (or more) cups cocoa (depends on the juiciness of the chiles)
5 large jalapenos
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped habaneros (about 1 large pepper)
6-8 tiny Thai chiles or 2 cayennes
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a microwave or a double boiler. In a large bowl, beat eggs with salt until foamy. Slowly beat in sugar until well blended. Beat in vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate mixture until almost blended. Stir in flour and cocoa until almost blended. Stir in chopped peppers and nuts. Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until top crust cracks and inside looks moist, but not runny. Cool. Sift powdered sugar over the top. Cut into squares and serve.

BLT BITES

16-20 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup chopped green onions

Cut thin slice off the tops of each tomato. Scoop out and discard pulp (I use the small end of a melon-baller). Invert tomatoes onto a paper towel to drain.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheese, parsley, bacon, and onions. Mix well. Refrigerate for several hours and serve. 8-10 servings
—Contributed by T-mara Freise

REBECCA’S FAVORITE
CARAMEL APPLE JAM

6-7 cups diced and peeled apples
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp butter
1 package plus one Tablespoon pectin (such as Sure-Jell)
3 cups white sugar
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix apples, water, and butter over low heat until soft. Add pectin. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, then add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. Pour into sterile 1/2-pint canning jars. Process 10 minutes.
—Contributed by Rebecca Joslin

This wonderful salad goes great with Thanksgiving dinner...it didn’t last long at my house...maybe it will be a favorite for you too!

CRANBERRY/PINEAPPLE RELISH

In a large pot, put 1 lb of washed and drained fresh cranberries with 1 Tablespoon water. Boil and stir until cranberries pop. Add 1 small can drained, crushed pineapple (in its own juice), 3/4 can sliced apples (Thank You brand) or 3 fresh, sliced apples, 3 Tablespoons low sugar orange marmalade and 1/3 cup raisins. Boil-cook and stir 4 or 5 minutes. Add sugar or artificial sweetener to taste, after the mixture cools. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

ANTIPASTO PARTY DIP

10-12 pepperoncini, stemmed and drained (about 1/3 cup)
1 cup light dairy sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 ounces thinly sliced salami, chopped
1 can (2 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

In work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife blade, process pepperoncini until chopped. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, onion powder and garlic powder; process until well blended. Stir in salami and olives. (Note: I like to make this a few hours in advance, for the flavors to blend) Serve with vegetable dippers, shrimp, or crackers.

Serving: 2 Tbsp Cal 11, Chol 1 mg, Fat 0g, Sod 139mg, Carb 5g

ITALIAN DIPPING OIL

1 liter of light olive oil
garlic, peeled and chopped
Fresh or dried herbs, such as:
basil
oregano
sage
marjoram
thyme

Wash and dry the herbs; bruise and ad to jar. Add oil. Seal. Put in dark place. Shake or swirl oil jar every few days. Strain herbs from oil by pouring through strainer into another container. Repeat above, if more flavor is desired, or transfer to bottles for storage.

IMPORTANT: STERILIZE THE OIL AS FOLLOWS:

Once you have the oil flavor you want, be certain to sterilize it. First, strain through a wire mesh strainer. Strain again through a fine mesh permanent coffee filter. Pour strained oil into microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes; stir. Microwave for one minute, stir, repeat until oil is very hot BUT NOT BOILING, about 180 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch carefully to avoid overheating. Leave in microwave to cool to room temperature. Pour into clean bottle and seal. Store out of direct light. Do NOT add fresh or dried herbs to the finished oil for decoration, it will cause spoilage. Oil should be clear (green tint from herbs is normal). If oil clouds, discard! Mine keeps for 1 year at room temperature.

Contributed by Rebecca J.

HEARTS AND FLOWERS SALAD

5 cups mixed baby field greens (or homegrown red and green lettuce!)
4 slices cheddar cheese, cut in small and medium hearts
4 slices ham, cut in small and medium hearts
1/2 cup flower petals (roses-with bitter white portion at petal base removed, and pansies are suggested)
1/2 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

In salad bowl, gently toss together baby field greens, cheese and ham. Shake dressing. Pour over salad. Add flower petals. Toss lightly. Makes 6 servings
120 calories, 8g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 420 mg sodium each

JALAPENO CRANBERRY SAUCE

3/4 lb cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sherry

1. Rinse berries in cold water; drain.
2. In a saucepan, mix water and sugar; stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil. Add cranberries, Jalapeno peppers, and lemon juice and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sherry and stir well. Remove from heat and let cool completely at room temperature.
3. Refrigerate in a glass container with cover. Serve with turkey or chicken.

MY FAVORITE ZUCCHINI BREAD!

This recipe originally comes from “The Cliff House” restaurant in Playa Del Rey, California.

3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups peeled/grated zucchini, drained
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour “two” 8x4 inch loaf pans
3. Beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil in large bowl.
4. Squeeze zucchini dry; stir into egg mixture.
5. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins, and pecans.
6. Add flour mixture and pineapple to zucchini mixture; mix well.
7. Pour into pans.
8. Bake about 50-60 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 2 loaves

PUMPKIN POTPOURRI (Non-edible)

1-2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/ Tablespoon allspice
1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 cup cloves
3-4 sticks cinnamon
fake red berries or red hots (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Clean the seeds and dry with a paper towel.
2. Pour the seeds into a baking dish. Add cinnamon, allspice and oil. Mix well so all seeds are coated.
3. Place in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
4. Mix in the cloves.
5. Put mixture into a potpourri bowl and add the cinnamon sticks and fake red berries.

Kathi’s CUCUMBER JAM

2 cups cucumber pulp
4 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1 bottle liquid fruit pectin
4 drops green food color

Pare 3-4 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and grind. Measure 2 cups pulp into saucepan. Add 4 cups sugar lemon juice, and lemon peel. Mix well. Place over high heat. Bring to a full, rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in pectin and food color. Skim off foam, stir and skim alternately for 5 minutes. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

The following is a Martha Stewart recipe. It will fill your kitchen with a wonderful smell! Be sure to chill the batter, or they will not be puffy.

BLUE CHEESE MINI POPOVERS (Make 2 hours ahead...batter must be cold!)

2 large eggs
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, flour, salt and pepper. Whisk until all of the lumps have disappeared. Whisk in the cheese and thyme. Transfer the batter to an airtight container. Batter must be chilled; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Adjust rack to highest position in oven. Heat to 425F. Generously butter two mini muffin tins. Fill each cup to the top with the chilled batter. Bake the popovers until golden and puffed, 18 to 20 minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serve immediately.

OKRA-VEGGIE STIR-FRY

Serve this colorful medley over a bowl of long-grain rice with a piece of hot corn bread. Make sure the okra is young, no longer than 2 inches.

3 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1 large onion, thinly sliced into rounds
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon EACH thyme, red pepper flakes, and basil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 large fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen or canned whole kernel corn (or 4 ears fresh corn, remove kernels)
2 cups small okra pods, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1/2 cup water or chicken stock
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a 10-inch iron skillet or heavy pan, heat butter, and add onions, bay leaves, thyme, basil, and red pepper flakes. Saute and stir until onions are limp. Add bell pepper and continue cooking until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, okra, water, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and cook 5 minutes longer. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings

This healthy soup makes use of several summertime vegetables that many people grow in their gardens at home.

HOME-GROWN VEGETABLE SOUP

16 ounces low sodium chicken broth or stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1 very thinly sliced carrot
1/2 medium onion, sliced and then cut slices in half
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup diagonally sliced celery, including tops
1/2 cup sliced zucchini (cut slices into quarters, leave peel on)
1 large Roma Italian tomato, diced
1 cup sliced okra
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon

In a 3 quart saucepan, add chicken broth, water, and barley. Cover and cook on high until it just starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, while you prepare the other vegetables and add in the order listed. Add seasonings and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until barley is puffed and chewy, not mushy. ENJOY

NOTE: If you want to turn this into a meal, add leftover chicken, pork, beef, etc. and have cornbread or bread, followed with fresh fruit salad.

HERB-MARINATED TOMATOES

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Arrange tomato slices on a platter, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with basil, parsley, and oregano.
Combine lemon juice and vinegar; drizzle over tomatoes. Cover and chill 2 hours. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4 servings

TOMATO TART

8 servings Prep: 20 minutes. Chill: 30 minutes
Bake: crust at 400F for 20 minutes, tart at 400F for 30 minutes

Pastry Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled & cut into pieces
3 tablespoons water

Filling:
3 ripe medium-sized red tomatoes or mix of red and yellow
1 egg white
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1/8 tsp salt
pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Crust: in processor or by hand, combine flour, salt, thyme, basil and rosemary. Pulse to blend. Add butter; process or cut in with pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, while pulsing in processor or tossing with fork, until dough begins to come together. Transfer to plastic wrap or resealable bag; shape into disk. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Filling: while dough is chilling, thinly slice the tomatoes; drain on paper toweling about 30 minutes. Turn slices over after 15 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 400F. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 13 inch circle. Press into bottom and up sides of 11 inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Trim excess dough. Prick bottom of crust with fork; line shell with foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.

4. Bake in bottom third of 400F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; remove foil. Brush crust with egg white. Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Transfer pan to rack to cool.

5. Spread crust with pesto. Sprinkle with cheese. Decoratively arrange tomato slices in concentric circles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6. Bake in 400F oven for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and crust is golden brown. Brush with oil. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove pan sides. Garnish with basil, if desired.

276 calories, 19g fat (10g saturated), 6g protein, 21g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 326mg sodium, 46 mg chol

ELEGANT STRAWBERRIES

These are as pretty to look at as they are delicious! They are easy to make, especially with a decorator’s tube with a small (1/2”) star tip.

8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon peel
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cartons medium to large strawberries

Beat all ingredients except strawberries, until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. Core berries, turn berries up-side down. With a sharp knife, gently cut an “X” in the point end, being careful not to go farther than halfway down the berry.
Pipe in filling. Refrigerate to serve the same day.

BRENDA’S STUFFED RED PEPPERS

6 red peppers
3 ripe tomatoes
3 cloves minced garlic
olive oil

Slice peppers in half, take out inside seeds and membrane. Cut to flatten bottom.
Drop tomatoes in boiling water 1 minute, drain and remove skins. Slice lengthwise and stuff into pepper halves. Add minced garlic, and drizzle olive oil over the pepper.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. They are also good cold.

[photos]

http://www.geocities.com/homegardener/solutions.htm

Insect Pests

* Aphid
* Eastern Tent Caterpillar
* Flea Beetles
* Japanese Beetles
* Pill Bugs
* Cutworms, Squash Borers and Squash Bugs
* Cucumber Beetles

Animal Pests

* Rabbits
* Deer
* Cat
* Slugs

Important information about pesticide use

A lot of us have a tendency to view bugs as “good” or “bad.” The good bugs don’t eat our plants, and the bad ones do...or the bad ones are the ones we fear for whatever reason. Understanding the role they play in the balance of nature that goes on in our back yard is important to understand the connection between insects, the garden, and us.
Excessive use of chemicals in the garden can very easily disrupt the delicate balance of insect and animal life in your garden, since pesticides often eliminate the “good bugs” with the “bad.” Excessive and unnecessary use of pesticides can also produce resistant strains that can overpopulate in a very short time. Unnecessary use of pesticides can also reduce populations of frogs, lizards, and snakes, which feed on the larger bugs such as grasshoppers, beetles, and roaches. Snakes also keep insects, mice and rabbit populations down as well.
In preserving this balance, and realizing that many of the plants we grow attract beneficial insects and animals to our yard, we need to be careful that we don’t contaminate this life with pesticide overuse. All this, and I haven’t even mentioned the health risks and hazards to human beings!

On the other hand, common sense will tell us that there may come a time when we may need to use a pesticide because of a pest situation that is very much out of control. So use your own judgment with pesticides; use them carefully and cautiously, keeping in mind that, with a few exceptions, there are many alternative solutions to using chemicals that can help to maintain the balance of wildlife in your area without harm to living things.

For the homeowner, good gardening practices and careful attention to your plants are among the best ways of controlling pests and disease. I will do my best to mention as many organic solutions as possible, and also let me know what natural controls work for you!

APHIDS (Homoptera)

Aphids are soft-bodied insects just under 1/10” in length, that feed on plant juices and can transmit disease in plants. They come in different colors, and appear in large numbers in the spring. They excrete honeydew that attract ants, that in turn, protect the aphids from predators.

Aphids may or may not have wings and may be green or brown. This is an insect that is built for survival. Eggs that hatch in spring produce mostly female aphids. These first generation females feed in masses on plants, and can give birth to live young without a male. Then later in the season, new generations mate and produce eggs in fall, which will hatch the following spring.

CONTROL

Aphids appear in large numbers on tender new growth in the early spring, after several weeks of warm weather. Although the aphid has many predators, these predator insects haven’t yet developed in numbers large enough to control aphid populations at this early point in spring.
Many people, when they see aphids on their plants, think “BAD BUG,” and get out the pesticides. Keep in mind that lots of bugs eat aphids. They are soft-bodied and make juicy treats for other insects (Yum). If ladybug larvae are present on the plant, they will be destroyed along with the aphids if sprayed... ladybug larvae are small, and can eat aphids rapidly and in large numbers. Lacewing moths and their larvae also devour aphids. There is a way, in most cases, to easily control aphid populations (until the beneficial insects arrive several weeks later) without the use of chemicals. This is how it’s done:

When watering your plants, spray water on the leaves of the aphid-infested plants, using slight pressure in spraying (be careful not to injure the plant). The purpose is to hose off the aphids. Do this early in the morning or later in the day, when the sun isn’t shining directly on the leaves. Then repeat this procedure every two or three days. This will reduce the population and minimize plant damage until the predators come. If predators are washed off, they won’t be harmed. The aphids, however, take a long time to find the plant again, and once on the ground are more likely to be eaten before they can recover their bearings.

You may also choose to do nothing, and wait for the predators to find the aphids....however, there is a possibility of plant damage in the meantime.
Also, a ladybug’s favorite dinner is aphid, so if you happen to find one while working in the garden, place it on a plant that has aphids on it, and let it go to work. Also, learn to recognize the larval stage of the ladybug. Many people mistake it for a bad bug, because of it’s somewhat vicious appearance. The only thing vicious about it, is the way it devours aphids, at an even faster rate than the adult ladybug. You can attract ladybugs and other beneficials to your garden by planting companion plants that they like. Such plants include cilantro, parsley, fennel, (carrot family plants). These plants have small flowers that are a rich source of nectar for the predator larvae. Grow these near your aphid-prone plants and it should tip the scales in your favor.

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Look for this brown, fuzzy worm crawling around in the spring, crossing driveways and sidewalks. (They’re everywhere, they’re everywhere!) Once mature, the worm pupates, then becomes a moth that lays eggs which hatch new caterpillars. The caterpillars create a silken tentlike structure in the crevices of tree branches. During the day the larvae feed on leaves, and return to the “nest” at night. tentworm.jpg (38613 bytes)
Actually, by the time you see two-inch worms crawling across your driveway, they are looking for a place to pupate, and although seen on bushes and shrubs at that time, have reached their mature size and will no longer feed. I have even seen masses of their white coccoons in lawn grasses! Once the larvae hatch, they seek out trees and shrubs and form their silken tents. Their favorite hosts are wild cherry, apple, and crabapple trees, but can be found on other fruit trees and maples and other trees as well.

Damage from these pests can result in defoliation of trees, if the population is high enough. Most trees recover from damage, but the stress on the tree can encourage other problems. There are several non-chemical solutions. If the tree is mature enough, the branches containing the web can be pruned out (in late afternoon or early evening) and dispose of the nest. Check and dispose of egg masses on tree branches in early spring.
The nest can be opened and torn apart with a stick or other object, exposing the worms to birds, wasps, and other predators. You can also blast the worms out of the open nest with water forcefully sprayed from a hose, or better, spray the opened nest with a solution of BT (Baccillus Thuringiensis—var. kurstaki), a biological control for worms.

An option for the not-so-squeamish, is hand-picking. If this is too gross for you, invite a child to go on “bug patrol,” armed with a bucket of soapy water to drop them in, or they may find pleasure using the stomp and squish method. The latter is rather disgusting on driveways. I handpick mine and feed some of them to the bullfrog that sits in my pond. Man’s best friend may just be a frog...try getting a dog to eat a caterpillar!

One warm spring day, two little girls from the neighborhood came to my backyard with a pizza box. They were collecting caterpillars in it, and asked if I would have any for their collection. I could see tent caterpillars oozing out the sides of the box...”Well, um... I don’t have any right now....maybe some other time, BYE!!” As I quickly ushered them out of the yard, I wondered if their mothers knew what was heading their way. Meanwhile, in my own backyard, I could hear my own boys howling with laughter as they stomped and squished another fuzzy worm.

For more information: http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/pests/g07271.htm

FLEA BEETLES

As you can tell by the picture (left), flea beetles can do extensive damage to many crops, as seen on this eggplant. Flea beetles are tiny little beetles, that hop when you touch them, much like a flea. They chew little holes all over the foliage, and left unchecked, can cause crop failure. Flea Beetles are most active in hot weather conditions, and seem to disappear once the weather turns cool.

CONTROL
A natural way to control flea beetles, is to start early, while the plants are still small, sprinkling Diotomaceous Earth (DE) to the leaves. As the name implies, Diotomaceous earth consists of tiny little diatoms from the ocean, that have been dehydrated into a powder. It is available in many garden centers, or co-ops, is relatively inexpensive. This powder feels like powder to the human hand, but to soft-bodied insects (like slugs) it is razor sharp. For the flea beetle, DE acts as a barrier between the leaf and the bug. Imagine how appetizing would your salad be, if you sprinkled powder on the leaves?? White flour will also work...however, it may excessively clog the pores of the leaves. The most important thing with using this control, is that you are vigilant about re-applying it after it rains.

JAPANESE BEETLES

CONTROL: Handpick at first sign, flick them in soapy water. Be diligent!

In the meantime you can “milky spore” which is effective against the grubs.

Do not use lures; they will just attract more! I’m still doing research on what to do about mass quantities on trees and hard to reach areas.

Japanese Beetle feeding on rose blossom

PILL BUGS

Pill bugs (and Roly-Poly’s) like moist areas and feed on decomposing material AND PLANTS.

CONTROL: Place some boards and they will hide under there. Then rake them up.

Loosely roll up a damp newspaper and tie it with string, placing it where bugs camp. During the night, they crawl inside, then dispose of them and the newspaper. Repeat until they are under control.

CUT WORMS, SQUASH BORERS, AND SQUASH BUG CONTROL

Cut Worms: Cut a toilet paper tube in half, and slip the tube over the top of the young plant. Bury it an inch or more from the soil surface.

Squash Borers: Use aluminum foil around the base of the plant.

Squash Bugs: Plant Borage near curcurbits, especially zucchini…THIS REALLY WORKS!

CUCUMBER BEETLES

Cucumber beetles look like green ladybugs. They eat the leaves and flowers of curcurbits such as cucumbers and squash plants, and are attracted to the yellow and orange color of the flowers. They transmit a bacterial wilt which can cause the entire plant to wilt and die within a few days.
CONTROL: Cover plants with fabric row covers; keep plants trellised off the ground. When vines start to bloom, remove cover for pollination. You should get at least one full crop, if you have had problems with wilt in the past.

RABBIT

Those cute little bunnies you see in the springtime can really wreak havoc on your garden plants. They are looking for the tender green shoots that you have been waiting to appear after a long winter. You wake up one morning, and find breakfast leftovers of green leaf tips and stems laying on the ground. Your plant is whittled to a stub. Here are some ideas you can try to keep rabbits from harming your plants.

Unfortunately, experience will tell you which plants the rabbits favor. The rabbits in one neighborhood may really like asters, while rabbits in another area may leave asters alone and clip on clematis stems. Watch for areas of tall grass, where rabbits like to nest and raise their young. If you have a roaming cat, they help with the rabbit population.

CONTROL

Rabbits have a keen sense of smell. They tend to stay away from pungent scented leaves, such as sage, onion/garlic, mints, and lamb’s ears. You can plant these kind of things in the area where rabbits like to feed. They also don’t like anything that smells like a predator, so you can use unwashed dog clippings around your plants, or sprinkle blood meal around and under the plants. I have used crushed raw garlic under and on shrubs that rabbits like to hide in, with excellent results! Pepper sprays work on rabbits, and don’t harm plants. These products will need to be reapplied after rains. You might consider it for a small garden, or for a few target plants. With the size of my garden, I can easily go through three bottles in the spring. At approximately 12 to 13 dollars a bottle, this is too costly to be an option for me. Dog clippings, however, are free, and rain just makes it smellier!

Another thing I’ve tried that also annoys birds and rabbits is to use a CD on a string suspended from a plant support. The light reflecting on the CD scares away critters as it twirls with the slightest breeze.

BEST: If you just want to keep rabbits away with the least amount of effort, a fence of chicken wire works very nicely. I use green chicken wire fencing, because it is hard to see, not shiny and conspicuous like the metal fencing. Otherwise, you can easily make little cylinders out of green chicken wire to place around small individual plants that you want to protect, until the plant is bigger, and the leaves toughen a bit. The cages can then be removed by early to mid summer.

DEER

Deer can be a serious problem in areas where there are no natural predators, such as your own back yard! The damage by scraping and browsing can be substantial. Here is a list of plants not favored by deer.*

Trees:

Ash, Birch, Cedar, Cypress, Gingko, Ironwood, Locust (black), Mimosa, Sassafras, Sweet Gum, Sycamore, Tulip tree, Beech, Catalpa, Chestnut, Dawn Redwood, Hemlock, Larch, Honey Locust, Redbud, Sourwood, Spruce, Tree Lilac, Russian Olive, American Holly

Groundcovers

Ajuga, Bergenia, Catmint, Ferns, Indian strawberry, Lady’s Mantle, Lily-of-the-Valley, Lungwort, Pachysandra, Sedum, Snow-in-Summer, Vince, Wild strawberry, Barren strawberry, Bunchberry, Epimedium, Ginger, Juniper, Lamium, Lily turf, Mosses, Potentilla, Sempervivum, Sweet Woodruff, Violet, Willow

Flowers

Astilbe, Bee Balm, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Coreopsis, Crocosmia, Crocus, Daffodils, Dahlia, Foxglove, Gaillardia (blanketflower), Gloriosa Daisy, Grape Hyacinth, Hellebore, Larkspur, Lavender, Lupine, Mariposa Lily, Moss Pink, Mountain Harebell, Pearly Everlasting, Pincushion Flower, Poppy, Purple Coneflower, Thyme

Shrubs

Barberry, Boxwood, Coralberry, Juniper, Lilac, Smokebush, Spicebush, Witch-hazel, Boxwood, Forsythia, Kerria, Oregon-grape, Snowberry, Spirea, Japanese Pieris

*information taken from University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service

You may want to read “Deerproofing Your Yard and Garden,” which will give you more information on keeping deer away, as well as homemade and commercial repellent products.

Used greenhouses for sale, several are very large:
[Private Parties selling them, different states]

http://h2othouse.com/html/used_greenhouses.html

Greenhouse questions and answers, construction and plants:

http://h2othouse.com/html/greenhouse_q_a.html

Exciting list of greenhouse and plant links:

http://h2othouse.com/html/resources.html

Rare Plants:

* Glasshouse Works - Tropical herbs and all kind of stuff!
* Logees - All kinds of cool plants!
* Southern Perennial and Herb Farm - Unfortunately this site is no longer in the nursery business but has kept their list of plants and pictures online. Use this list to find a good description of the plant and then try an internet seach. The latin name will usually filter out most or the eroneous data. Once you find a source, check out the company’s track record at: Plants by Mail FAQ. [ http://plantsbymail.net/ ]
* Wayside Gardens -
* Spring Hill -

http://h2othouse.com/html/rare_plants.html

Interesting list of which companies own the other nurseries:

http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/whoownswhat.php

http://www.plantcare.com/gardening-guides/square-foot-gardening/what-is-square-foot-gardening.aspx

What is square foot gardening?

It’s a grid. It’s a bed. It’s a box. It’s square foot gardening

For many years, home vegetable garden design was determined by the ergonomics of agriculture. Long rows with open spaces between them were conducive to mass harvesting, but in the confined space of a back yard those wide gaps were wasting valuable soil. Then in the spring of 1981, Mel Bartholomew made a simple suggestion: planting in squares instead of rows would be easier and provide a greater yield. Bartholomew’s book Square Foot Gardening would sell over a million copies and change the face of America’s gardens.

Why square foot gardening?

After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in civil engineering, Bartholomew had been self-employed as an engineering consultant. After his retirement, he began gardening as a hobby, where his experience in engineering would inspire the concept of square foot gardening.

Bartholomew’s idea was that square garden beds measuring 4 feet by 4 feet would be easier to work, take up less space, and save on water and weeding time. Best of all, as each garden box was filled with new and richer soil, more vegetables could be harvested in less space. The numbers have borne out Bartholomew’s logic: square foot gardening can produce the same yield as a standard garden in just 1/5 of the space.

Bartholomew’s first book is now the best-selling gardening book ever published. He has also written Ca$h from Square Foot Gardening, and early in 2006 released an updated version of his original book, titled All New Square Foot Gardening.

The phrase “square foot gardening” comes from the further division of each 4 foot by 4 foot box into 16 boxes, each approximately 1 square foot in size. Boxes are apportioned to particular vegetables depending on their size and space requirements. With smaller vegetables such as carrots, 16 plants can be grown in one square. Lettuce would be numbered four plants to a square, and broccoli one plant to a square.

The benefits of square foot gardening

Weeding and working the soil are two of the most time-consuming aspects of traditional vegetable gardening. Square foot gardening doesn’t avoid these tasks altogether, it just makes them a lot easier.

In square foot gardens there is no longer a need to walk between rows of plants. Consequently the soil remains loose and loamy and is easier to weed. Less weeding is necessary with square foot gardening anyway, because garden boxes are filled with a mix of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite.

Accessibility is another obvious benefit of square foot gardening. Raised beds are easier for elderly or disabled people to reach, and a square foot garden won’t find you tramping mud over the patio after a heavy rain.

Closed square foot garden beds retain water better than open soil, reducing water consumption and further benefiting plants. Finally, square foot gardens are both decorative and functional, providing efficient use of soil and a unique and eye-pleasing geometric pattern.

Square foot gardening and companion planting

Square foot gardening is a more concentrated form of companion planting, and some of the benefits it provides are attributable to this. Companion planting simply refers to the planting of different crops in close proximity.

Companion planting in square foot gardens reduces the need for herbicides and pesticides, because pest-repelling plants can be strategically positioned in the garden boxes. The variety of plants in a square foot garden also prevents diseases from spreading rapidly and consuming the entire crop of a particular vegetable.

The key to success with companion planting — and square foot gardens, as Bartholomew insists — is arranging gardens in a large grid, say 12 feet by 12 feet, with different vegetables planted in each one foot by one foot square. Sufficient space is left between each 4 foot by 4 foot square in the grid, and as each individual one foot square is harvested, it can be replanted with a new crop.

From above, a square foot garden should look like a disassembled and unsolved Rubik’s Cube — except that square foot gardening, unlike the Rubik’s Cube, is even more popular now than it was in the 1980s.

Yardiac.com -the Ultimate Garden Center

http://www.plantcare.com/gardening-guides/square-foot-gardening/square-foot-gardening-tips.aspx

Square Foot Gardening Tips

Square foot gardening may be easier and more efficient, but the novice gardener can still benefit from a few tips and tricks. In our collection of square foot gardening tips, we look at soil and size and ask the question “Just how square does square have to be?” Square Foot Gardening Tips Of sunshine and soil and separating squares

You may not have a green thumb, but if you have a square foot you can grow a successful garden anyway. Square foot gardening is an efficient and easy method of vegetable gardening that will cut down on work while simultaneously improving results. If you’re planting a square foot garden for the first time, these square foot gardening tips will help you get growing.

Always look on the sunny side

Regardless of which gardening method is employed, all vegetable gardens need lots of sunshine. If you’re starting a square foot garden from scratch, choose a spot that will receive at least eight hours of sunlight every day. Well-drained soil is not as important in square foot gardening as it is in traditional gardening because you’re likely going to be importing a soil mix to fill your raised beds anyway.

Hollywood squares

The square foot gardening method consists of raised beds usually measuring 4 feet by 4 feet that are divided into grids of 16 boxes measuring one square foot each. A larger square foot garden can be achieved by placing additional 4 foot by 4 foot beds about 2 feet apart.

Plant different vegetables in each smaller square to take full advantage of the benefits of square foot gardening. To help you visualize this approach, try cutting old Venetian blinds down to size and crisscrossing them in each raised bed. Your square foot garden should resemble a checkerboard pattern.

The good earth

A common mix for filling raised beds in a square foot garden is 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite. You may want to supplement these with coarse sand and leaf mold, as well as standard garden soil.

Remember that with square foot gardening, practically none of the water and fertilizer you provide will go to waste. Employ moderation when watering and feeding. There’s no need to walk on the soil in a square foot garden. Your plants will benefit from the increased oxygen available in the uncompacted soil.

Accommodating vegetables great and tall

Not every vegetable can grow in a space of one square foot. In the case of larger vegetables such as zucchinis and pumpkins, you may want to provide a separate growing area so they have room to spread out.

Other plants such as tomatoes or beans will need space to grow vertically. A simple way to accommodate that is to plant them at the corners of your square foot garden boxes. A trellis or stake can be attached to the corner of the box, providing support for the plant and avoiding interference with the other boxes.

Sizing things up

One of the great benefits of square foot gardening is how easily adaptable it is to your available space. You can start off slow with a 4 foot by 4 foot garden and add further blocks as time and space permits.

Just because you’re thinking inside the box doesn’t mean the box has to be square. If you have a small or odd-shaped yard, there’s no reason a square foot garden can’t be long and rectangular or any other shape that can be broken down into square foot boxes.

Crop rotation

A discovery you’ll make as you gain experience with square foot gardening is how easy crop rotation becomes. Quickly ripening vegetables will free up available squares for new seeds, providing successive yields all through the year — or at least until frost time.

With a large square foot garden you can also stagger your planting times so that new squares will constantly be opening up for “new business.”

Small Space Gardening Ideas

Making a comfortable virtue out of a cramped necessity

The greatest challenge offered by a small garden space is design. A small space gardener must also be a decorator, willing to explore subtle and creative ways of expanding the available space. Those innovations don’t have to be significant. If you can deceive the human eye into seeing a garden space that is larger and more intricate than it really is, then you’ve succeeded. Here are some small space gardening ideas that will literally broaden your horizons.

It comes with the territory

Your small space garden design is going to be dictated by the available territory, so begin by examining the grounds. Are there obtrusive landmarks that will need to be covered? Are there non-traditional spaces that you might be able to incorporate into your small space garden design? What areas of the ground are your eyes naturally drawn to? All of these questions will help you formulate a unique garden space.

Colonies of accessories

A basic design mistake often made with small space gardens is thinking in terms of one unified and confined gardening area. Instead, picture your primary garden space as a settlement that can colonize the surrounding area. If that makes you think of Invasion of the Body Snatchers?, you might be too paranoid to take up gardening.

Containers are a great way to expand small space gardens. Annual flowers or perennial plants can add texture and color to even the smallest landscape niches. If there’s a large spreading tree near your small garden, you can create a hanging garden space by looping ropes over its stronger branches and attaching these to plant containers.

Fences and walls should also be viewed as potential growing spaces rather than limitations. Some garden vegetables such as tomatoes and beans require staking or trelliswork. A wall could substitute quite nicely, contributing a layered look to your small space garden.

The art of small space gardening

One really interesting way to revolutionize your small space garden is with artwork. That doesn’t mean you have to hang a print of Monet’s Water Lilies on the fence next to your carrots. Garden artwork can include sculpture, glasswork, prisms, mirrors, and old furniture pieces.

If your small space garden contains a natural visual focal point, consider placing an abstract metal sculpture there. Geometric shapes add great visual texture to a garden and enable you to play with a variety of forms.

As Monet knew, light plays an enormous role in the way we visually perceive the world around us. Glasswork and prisms will capture light in a small space garden and spread it around in dazzling fashion. An old-fashioned mirror might sound like an odd garden accessory, but consider how often mirrors are used to make home interiors appear larger. A strategically placed mirror in conjunction with some hanging stained glass prisms would transform your small space garden into a multi-colored kaleidoscope.

Small distressed tables or stools that you find at a flea store are also wonderful small garden space accessories, as are patio tables with ceramic or stained glass mosaic designs. If the width of your garden space is a problem, remember to think vertically. Adding furniture of various sizes to your garden space will create a very compelling tiered look for a container garden. Beauty is often the difference between cramped and cozy.

Oh yes, the plants

All these small space gardening ideas and we haven’t even touched on plants! Plant varieties provide a wealth of options for small space gardeners. Dwarf shrubs are great for covering backyard eyesores. Trying out different plants and vegetables from year to year will help you discover the colors and shapes best suited to your particular small space garden.

Square Foot Garden Boxes

In the square foot garden, every day is Boxing Day

Square foot gardening begins and ends with square foot garden boxes. Without them, you will not experience the full benefits of square foot gardening. So how do you go about getting these all-important boxes? Some people prefer to purchase garden boxes, but many gardeners find it easier and cheaper to assemble their own square foot garden boxes. If you’re the do-it-yourself sort, you’ll appreciate these tips on building square foot garden boxes.

Square foot garden boxes vs. raised beds

Square foot gardening and raised bed gardening are two of the most popular gardening trends around, and are often mistaken for one another. The major difference between square foot garden boxes and raised beds is that square foot garden boxes are built on a grid.

Raised beds offer easier access and a convenient means of using well-drained and fertile soil, but raised beds are otherwise planted much like traditional open soil gardens. Square foot garden boxes are broken down into consecutive areas of one square foot each. This grid is what gives square foot gardens their unique checkerboard appearance. A square foot garden grid makes for easier crop rotation and supplies gardeners with all the benefits of companion planting.

Size and materials

The commonest size for square foot garden boxes is 4 foot by 4 foot, though small space gardeners may prefer boxes that are 3 foot by 3 foot or 2 foot by 2 foot. Square foot garden boxes should be about six to eight inches deep. Deep bed gardeners may build up to heights of 12 or 16 inches.

Square foot garden boxes can be built from many different materials. Wood is the most popular choice. Most gardening sources caution against used treated lumber when building raised garden beds because treated lumber can become toxic to plants. Untreated wood is an acceptable choice. Some gardeners enjoy using traditional rustic furniture woods such as pine and cedar for their square foot garden boxes. Bricks, stone, and cinder blocks are alternative materials used in garden bed construction.

Another building material that is gaining in popularity is rubber. Square foot garden boxes made from rubber are cheaper to build than wooden garden boxes and last a lot longer. For more information on building square foot garden boxes from recycled tires, visit http://www.noble.org/Ag/Horticulture/Rubber/Lumber.htm.

Grids and soil

To use a square foot garden box grid you need to be able to see it. There are a number of ways to display a grid. Old venetian blinds are a simple visual aid, as is string wound around small wooden spikes. Long, thin pieces of wood are another option. A 4 foot by 4 foot garden box should feature 16 smaller boxes.

Of course you’re going to need soil before you construct your grid. Having a fertile soil mix is critical for a successful square foot garden box. Mel Bartholomew, the creator of square foot gardening, recommends a mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite.

Garden box etceteras

If you’re using more than one 4 foot by 4 foot garden box, provide just enough space for you to work comfortably between them. If your gardening space is unconventional or small, experiment with L-shaped boxes or other designs.

If you decided to use treated lumber to build your square foot garden box, line it with heavy-duty plastic as a precaution before adding soil.

Go easy on seeds, water, and fertilizer. Square foot garden boxes make efficient use of the resources you provide, saving you time and money.

To determine how many plants are appropriate per square foot, look at the recommended spacing. If a plant requires 12 inches of space, then assign a single box in your grid to that plant. If a plant requires four inches of space, you’ll be able to fit nine plants in one square, i.e. three rows of three.

http://www.plantcare.com/gardening-guides/companion-planting/

Companion Planting

Companion planting, the growing of multiple types of plants in close proximity in order to capitalize on complementary growth patterns, offers a natural and ecologically sensitive way to increase the vitality and productivity of a garden.

As an alternative to chemical fertilizers and soil enrichments, companion planting offers a safe and effective way to optimize the yield of garden crops, a systematic approach to pest control, and a method of fostering the growth of young and tender plants. Practiced since the dawn of agriculture, partnering plants with complementary qualities and characteristics predates the use of modern, potentially harmful agricultural methods.

Companion planting schemes can function in a variety of ways. Gardeners use some plants for their physical qualities: tall stalks can provide shade for young seedlings or a bulky, dense plan can act as a decoy to prevent pests from devouring a food crop. Other plants figure into garden plans because of their helpful qualities, such as attracting desirable insect life or repelling species that can threaten vulnerable vegetables. Some inedible plants cultivated in gardens improve the soil for future use in producing foodstuffs. Charts and reference books provide time-tested pairings that can optimize the output of gardens of any size.

Developed over centuries by generations of farmers and perfected by today’s advanced farming techniques, companion planting provides a natural and effective way to maximize the output of crops by pairing plants with complementary growth patterns.

Companion Planting Guides [Live links on site]

* Companion planting FAQ

Companion planting is a technique of paring different kinds of plants together to capitalize on harmonious growth patterns or unique characteristics. Learn more about the benefits, including pest control, better quality output, and more abundant crops.
* Vegetable companion planting guide

Companion planting in the vegetable garden calls for the combination of two unique species of plant to produce desirable side effects, such as improvement in soil quality, pest control, or aesthetic enhancement. Learn how to incorporate these helpful interactions into your garden.
* Companion planting charts

Companion planting charts give gardeners information about which species of plants grow best together. By planning a garden with these special interactions in mind, gardeners of any skill level can increase yields, control pests, and improve soil conditions without the use of chemical agents.

[This page will interest you on several levels, too tired to fully understand it, but a google of the sources, might prove interesting...granny]

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/faminefoods.html

[snipped from the middle]

The limiting variable in this phase of evaluation is, of course, the lack of attention to the nutritive value of famine food plants - a situation which has been emphasized by several specialists i.e., ALTSCHUL (1968), GRIVETTI (1981) and LONGHURST (1987), with regard to wild food plants in general. Besides the early papers noted, by HOOPER (ibid), and PATON & DUNLOP (ibid.), READ’s (ibid.) annotations represent the first modern effort to provide nutritional profiles of famine food plants and remained so until the monumental work by ABDELMUTI (1991) for Sudan famine food plants. This outstanding example of famine food chemical analysis could serve as a model for further work of its kind. Another excellent example of chemical analysis of famine foods is found in AIRAKSINEN et al. (1986), which reports on toxicity in some Finnish plants. Toxicity is a factor in a number of famine foods from other parts of the world as well. Interested researchers are also referred to HOPPE (1958) and WEHMER (1929-1935) which contain chemical composition data for numerous plants included in the famine food data base. My files contain additional published resources for compositional data on famine food plants. However, time and financial constraints have prevented my adding these to the data base.

Although the famine food plant data base is quite extensive, I have chosen a few examples of species with noteworthy nutritional values. These are:

Bromelia laciniosa, Mart. ex.Schult. f. Reportedly has the highest calcium content of any plant spp. = 15x milk.

Canavalia ensiformis, DC. High value for the amino acid threonine.

Capsella bursa-pastoris, Moench. High values for the amino acids arginine, aspartic acid and cysteine; also for Vitamin C, lime [sic] and iron.

Cynara cardunculus, L. High values for the amino acids phenylalanine, and valine.

Spondias tuberosa, Arruda in Koster. High ascorbic acid content in the sap.

Xanthium strumarium, L. High values for the amino acids glutamic acid, and phenylalanine but also reportedly highly toxic.

For those interested in further details on these and other famine food plants, reference is made to a Web page made possible through the courtesy of Professor Jules Janick, of Purdue University’s Horticulture Department The page is part of Purdue’s New Crops Web site. The Famine Foods home page lists over 1,000 plants by Linnaean family and by species. A complete bibliography is also included. It can be visited on the World Wide Web as follows: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_home.html.
CURRENT WORK

I have found no reports of any coordinated effort to evaluate famine food-plants for possible botanical selection and growth trials. More attention has been given to little-known food crops, the uses of which have been less restricted in terms of environmental crisis. However, two noteworthy projects deserve mention, as they have included plants known to be used during times of famine and food scarcity:

And it continues..........

More to research.....

Reference List for Famine Foods Database

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_references.html

Famine Foods
Compiled by Robert Freedman

listed alphabetically by Genus and species.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_indices/ff_genus_ab.html

Famine Foods
Compiled by Robert Freedman

listed alphabetically by family

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_indices/ff_family_ab.html

Beginning page:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_home.html

http://www.pollinator.com/appleseeds_faq.htm

Apples From Seeds FAQ

In a message dated 10/6/00 2:55:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, name withheld writes:

<< can anyone tell me about planting apple seeds? I saved seeds from especially
good apples this year, that were growing nearby. Do I need to chill the
seeds, or do anything before planting them? Should I pot them this year, or
wait till spring? If I should wait, how should I store the seeds till then? >>

Before going on with this, I want you to first ask you to make a choice:
1. Do I want to spend many years of my life looking for that “needle in a haystack,” trying to develop new and worthwhile apple varieties? OR
2. Do I want to do something educational for the kids, but don’t care about the end results (in terms of fruit) OR
3. Do I want to raise fruit in my backyard? Your saving from “especially good apples” makes me think that this is your real desire.

If your answer is 1: Plan on planting large quantities of seeds (and having the place to grow them). Apples that are grown from seed bear little resemblance to the parent (the fruit that you ate), they are crossed between varieties and the tendency is for them to revert to apple types that are not so good for our purposes. Consider that the “daddy” for your apple may well be a crab apple, as these are widely planted in orchards for pollenizers. Chances are that your apple, after all the years and the work of growing it will be only suitable for food for wildlife, or maybe to add to the mix for cider to give it some zing. You may get one in a thousand seedlings that is a really good apple, and one in a million that is worth propagating as a new variety. If you are interested in developing new apple varieties, then consider joining the North American Fruit Explorers.

If your answer is 2: Chill your apple seeds for at least six weeks in a baggie of damp peat in the fridge. Then plant them on a sunny windowsill, in paper cups for the kids to watch, or outside in the spring. Throw them away when done.

If your answer is 3: Buy good nursery stock on dwarf or semidwarf stock from a good nursery like Cummins Nursery: It is well worth the investment.

If you grow from seeds, you will wait 6-10 years to get a serious crop of apples that you may well find to be worthless. If you grow from good stock, properly cared for and pollinated, you should have a decent crop of quality apples in three to four years. I have planted apples on full dwarf stock and had a few apples the year I planted them. Cummins Nursery will also help you come up with compatible pollenizer pairs (never plant lone apple trees, unless you have lots of blooming crab apples in the neighborhood).

Seedlings and grafts on seedlings have a major disadvantage of being huge trees. Consider yourself at age 60 or 70 trying to climb a 20 foot ladder with a picking bag, and you will see the wisdom of trees that do not need a ladder. Take a delightful look at “Gene’s Backyard Orchard” to see what can be done.

Finally, you can find a WEALTH of info on fruit growing thru The Pollination Home Page. Check on home horticulture for a lot of links, even how to grow fruit organically....

Back to home horticulture Back to Home To Pollination Management

Details on edible plants:

http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/edibleArticles/EdibleArticles.html

Links and titles to research:

http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/edibleFiles/references.html#nurseries

Links to edible plants and herbs, by name:

http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/edible.html#plantIndex

http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/edibleFiles/references.html

http://www.efn.org/~bsharvy/edible.html

This is the best bean to grow in this area, and I save the seeds and keep them growing.

When you pick them, pinch the bean from the stem, leave the stem on the vine and it will keep producing.....good young as a stringed bean, older it can be shelled, medium length, in soups and it will grow longer than others, I have had them go to 18 inches and more.

A nice plant to live with, does well in large pots, as a patio plant.

granny

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/nexus/Vigna_sesquipedalis_nex.html

[live urls at site]

Vigna sesquipedalis (L.) Fruw.
Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ssp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verd.
Fabaceae
Asparagus bean, Yard long bean, Changjiang dou, cheung kung tau, sitao, zuyu roku sasage
We have information from several sources:

Asian Vegetables—Mas Yamaguchi

New Opportunities in Vigna—Richard L. Fery

Effect of Southern Root Knot Nematode on Yield Components of Yardlong Beans (Abstract)—E.G. Rhoden, C.K. Bonsi and M.L. Ngoyi

Susceptibility of Yardlong Beans to Root Knot Nematode Infestation (Abstract)—E.G. Rhoden, C.K. Bonsi and M.L. Ngoyi

Article from:
Magness, J.R., G.M. Markle, C.C. Compton. 1971. Food and feed crops of the United States.

As hay, pasture, and soil improvement crop:
Magness, J.R., G.M. Markle, C.C. Compton. 1971. Food and feed crops of the United States.

Last updated: 3/21/103 by ch

Amaranthus species
Amaranthaceae
Amaranth, Achis, achita, african spinach, amarante, bledos, bondue, bush greens, choito, coimi, coyo, cuime, green leaf, buautli, Indian spinach, Joseph’s-coat, kiwicha, livid amaranth, love-lies-bleeding, millmi, pale-seeded amaranth, pigweed, princess-feather, purple amaranth, quintonil, redroot, spinach-grass, Surinam spinach, wild beet, wild blite

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/nexus/Amaranthus_spp_nex.html

An important crop, that we ignore.

I like the amaranth leaves, steamed, better than any other green.

Bountiful Gardens did have the seeds, plus for years, I grew them from a few that were given to me by a foreign Lady, who brought them from one of the countries, Bulgaria as I recall.

heirloom - untreated - sustainable - vegetable seeds - Bountiful ...
Bountiful Gardens 18001 Shafer Ranch Rd Willits CA 95490. Phone: 707 459 6410. Hours: 9am to 4 pm, pacific time, weekdays. FAX: 707 459 1925 ...
www.bountifulgardens.org/contactus.asp - 11k - Cached - Similar pages