Weekly Garden Thread - September 18-24, 2021

September 18, 2021 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[FamiliarFace]

I take AREDS 2 also, because my mom had macular degeneration, and my doctor said these vitamins will give me a good head start on heading that off.

I love my eye doc, as in, greatly respect his professionalism as well as his bedside manner. He is so scientific, but has the human compassion side that shows. Plus he also thinks Fauci is an a-hole. Calls him a bed-wetter. Makes me laugh every time I think of Fauci like that.

Good luck with your eyes. Our eyesight is a precious gift from God that I do not take lightly. I’m sure you feel the same.

As before, feel free to ask me any questions. I had no idea from friends what the surgery would entail. I had one friend say, it was no big deal. So she never went into any detail. Well, it is a big deal, because it really is surgery. It was fine, but people should know what they are getting into. Don’t freak yourself out, but do get informed. Then you can handle whatever it is you decide to do.

[FamiliarFace]

Oh my, this is frightening. What part of informed consent do these people not understand?

[MomwithHope]

You are so nice thanks again. The AREDS 2 have done a good job. I have 2 friends who have the wet version and need the eyeball shots. I hope I am spared that.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

TEFK: Here is another way of hanging tomatos on a string.

and Youtube of tomato growing w string (I use something like heres. . Fencing stakes about 9 fee apart, Conduit pounded in along side and tied off to the stakes, conduit for cross pieces run through plastic pipe Ts at the top. My height ia about 7 feet high. String hangs down, I have some cheap tent stakes next to the tomato. Because of the wind its a good Idea to not have them run straight east west. Have some cross pieces with crross braces to give it stability. (triangular at formation is best!) Good LuckQ1

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Liz]

Cute.

[Liz]

Traditional French cake is simplicity itself.
A rum-based batter, with sweet apple chunks; every bite is apple goodness.

French Apple Cake

ING stick unsalted butter 3 med apples, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji, or mix, cup flour, teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup light brown sugar,1/4 cup spiced rum or extract,teaspoon vanilla. Conf for serving

INSTRUCTIONS spray or butter 8-inch round cake pan, then line bottom w/ parchment. Melt stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter. Peel, core, and dice 3 apples.

Whisk cup flour, tsp baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt together. Whisk 2 large eggs fluffy. Add melted butter, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup spiced rum or exxtract, teaspoon vanilla; whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Add apples; fold til just combined. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake about 40 min in the middle of 350º oven. Let cool for 15 min inn pan; carefully remove (loosen sides w/ knife at edges). Dust with powdered sugar. Serve.

RECIPE NOTES Can be well wrapped and refrigerated a few days, or frozen 2 weeks.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“The project’s goals, made possible by a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation...”

Sopping up the GRAVY leftover from the CovidBS19 mess.

Never let a (manufactured!) Crisis or a Grant Dollar go to waste!

Seriously, I’m not all that concerned about it; it’s going to take a whole lot more than $500K to bring it to market - and they haven’t even begun to prove they can do it in the first place.

It is, however, a bad idea for the general population. I mean, what MORE do they want? Look at what using hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps have done! Bacteria have mutated to the point that those products are all but useless, now. Same with antibiotics.

But, I guess some won’t be happy until we’re all ‘germ free’ and living in plastic bubbles! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

That looks easy and impressive! My kind of recipe. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Liz]

Great chart.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Well worth the $10 fee; shipping late November. Baker Creek Seed Catalog for 2022 is ready!

https://www.rareseeds.com/store/whole-seed-catalog/2022-the-whole-seed-catalog?fbclid=IwAR0S8L8bCBE0QbekbiEXtgwWO1CvQnIgynSKv_RHugG0pps4gLzu5fZ_dWI

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Since I have a 5-gallon bucket of home-grown apples to deal with, I am trying my hand at making some Apple Cider Vinegar with the scraps. It looks easy enough. Anyone have any advice?

https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/homemade-raw-apple-cider-vinegar-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-78705

I have some on hand that has ‘The Mother’ in it, so I’m thinking of adding that to the batch, just to make things more exciting!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Fall plantings, so far:

Sugar Snap Peas - ‘Sugar Ann’
Spinach -’Avon’ & ‘Space’
Arugula - ‘Red Dragon’ & ‘Roquette’

Lettuces, started in plugs, for later use in garden spacing and in the greenhouse:

‘Edox’ (Red Butterhead)
‘New Red Fire’ (Romaine with red tips)
‘Outredgeaous’ (Red Romaine)
‘Marvel of Four Seasons’ (French Heirloom-type; crinkly leaves, forms a rosette)

I prefer to grow just the reds in the Fall for color and these are all good in the greenhouse. I can buy boring, green Romaine all year round. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The BULK of my canning is finished, for the most part. Here’s my tally for 2021:

Maple Syrup - 4 Quarts
Grape Juice - 12 Pints
Merlot Jelly - 6 1/2 Pints
V-8 Juice - 16 Quarts
Bloody Mary Mix - 12 Quarts
Tomato Soup - 15 Pints
Dilly Beans - 6 Pints (More next year; they were a hit!)
Pasta Sauce - 16 Pints
Cowboy Candy - 6 1/2 Pints
Salsa - 24 Pints
Stewed - 8 Quarts
Amaretto - 2 Quarts
Wine - 1 Big Jug, bubbling away, Mixed Berry

Frozen:

Green Beans - 12 Quart packages
Zucchini - Shredded and chunked - 12 Quart packages
Sweet Corn w/ Butter & Cream - 12 Quart packages

Still to come:

5 gallon bucket of home grown apples (pies, some sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar with the scraps)

12 Pie Pumpkins
30 Winter Squash (Honeynut, Spaghetti & Lakota)
1 Large blue Jarrahdale
4 Purple Cabbages
Remaining Red Peppers most likely chopped & frozen in various ways for Fajitas & Stir Fries & Pepper Steak

One more row of potatoes to dig, but I have 2 large cardboard boxes of them, already. The Red Norland were particularly awesome this season!

Tired and happy! If there are still some tomatoes to scavenge, they will be eaten fresh, maybe chopped and frozen on cookie sheets, then bagged. I am trying to can as much as I can to save freezer space - we have 1/4 beef coming in October, then ‘Weber’ goes to ‘the spa’ in March! ;)

[Pollard]

New seed saving guide-pdf added with spacing to avoid cross pollination; https://permasteader.com/cloud/index.php/s/XeZKLT4GGdDGsXE

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oh, NICE! Thanks! :)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Liz, That looks great! I cant wait to try some

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Article Gene Modification to Produce Contraceptive Corn

GM corn set to stop man spreading his seed The Guardian ^ | 9/09/2021 | Robin McKie

Posted on 9/22/2021, 7:27:26 AM by hripka

"Scientists have created the ultimate GM crop: contraceptive corn. Waiving fields of maize may one day save the world from overpopulation. The pregnancy prevention plants are the handiwork of the San Diego biotechnology company Epicyte, where researchers have discovered a rare class of human antibodies that attack sperm. By isolating the genes that regulate the manufacture of these antibodies, and by putting them in corn plants, the company has created tiny horticultural factories that make contraceptives. 'We have a hothouse filled with corn plants that make anti-sperm antibodies,' said Epicyte president Mitch Hein.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ..."

This is seriously bad, seriously badly thought out! If something like this gets out it could not only affect humans but wildlife and livestock. Its really time to start preserving seed. These people are evil!

[musicman]

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