Weekly Garden Thread - Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2024 [Potpourri Edition - Post a Soup Recipe]

December 30, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

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It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a week Ping List. We DO post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!

[Silentgypsy]

I s!till have my mother’s copy of the USN cookbook. I made their blondies and WOW!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

So not plants grown in a garden pond or pool.

Do not place their pots on a concrete or gravel floor. Sucks the heat of out them. You could put them on top of styrofoam and use pipe heating cable on either side to keep them at about 40F. Make certain to keep them watered get some winter gardening fabric and put it over them. Lack of water kills a lot of overwintering plants whether in-ground or in a back porch or greenhouse. Good luck!

**Anti freeze pipe wrap used to heat low tunnel a little warmer than freezing. (Winter grown broccoli and lettuce in low tunnel. Still alive and growing on 12/31/202.)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Building-Products-13-ft-Pipe-Heating-Cable-with-Thermostat-04341/204814421

https://www.homedepot.com/p/7-ft-x-15-ft-1-5-oz-Heavy-Floating-Row-Cover-Garden-Fabric-Outdoor-Frost-Protection-Blanket-for-Winter-Frost-Cold-HGRC1507015/315613311

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

If someone wants they can download it from here:

https://ia600300.us.archive.org/33/items/TheCookBookOfTheUnitedStatesNavy1944/TheCookBookOfTheUnitedStatesNavy1944.pdf

If anyone works with a homeless shelter or church or caterer I suppose this is a Free something they could use!4

(I do not remember eating blondies, but they did have desserts like cake and pie!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Happy New Year Everyone!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

See post 103. I was able to download as a PDF file to Mrs. Pete’s Recipe folder. “Great, What Am I doing to do with that! Cooking for 100 servings?”
:)

[yldstrk]

Thank you so much! We placed them on leaves but we were novices. Anyway, hopefully we will learn.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Looks like the fireworks’ ‘ground show’ is having some issues, LOL!

Happy New Year to You & Yours, Pete! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“It’s bound to have shrunk since then.”

I was using an older recipe to make the Ranch Oyster Crackers as gifts for my neighbors. They’re addictive alone, but really good in a bowl of soup, too.

An everyday bag of Oyster Crackers USED to be 5 cups - I found out that it is now only 4. :(

I adjusted things and they turned out just fine, but it’s still annoying!

Recipe below, in case anyone wants to make some to go with their soup this winter season:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15956/ranch-oyster-crackers/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[KC Burke]

My repeat of an annual suggestion:

Remember there are those that do not enjoy cream soups due to lactose intolerance (my wife.) There are plenty of whole milk brands that are now ultra-filtered and lactose free. Any clam chowder recipe can be converted to use lactose free whole milk instead of cream — just heat a little longer to reduce the liquid. Likewise many soup recipes can be altered the same way and make something that is a problem, enjoyable for all.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Great reminder, KC! :)

[Pollard]

I’m in a constant battle against business trends already just trying to cook big/cheap(though not for 100).

I had to drive an extra 8 miles to get whole carrots because the closer grocery store only carries trimmed, peeled baby carrots. I did quite a bit of shopping at that other store and will continue to do so since it’s on my way home from work.

I did stop by the closer store but only bought two items and spent $20. Normally I would spend about $100. Oh well. That’s what they get for going with postmodernism.

As food prices continues to climb, more people will learn to make soups and stews and learn other methods to stretch things. Then they’ll start a garden and get some laying hens and maybe start raising their own meat. If fedgov makes modern fertilizers unaffordable, people will use manure.

I doubt I’m the only one doing these sort of things.

It’s about time to start the ham stock for that soup. I’ll be buying more hams because they go a long way. Come Spring, I’ll be running the smoker most every weekend. Boston butts and whole chickens and some sort of stew or beans in the vertical chamber. The occasional ribs and salmon.

[Pollard]

52.8 mb - That’s not going on the cloud. Will add a link to it on my profile page.

That’s always a problem when a pdf is made up of images rather than text.

[Rainbow Rising]

I am bookmarking this. I love making soup!

[Qiviut]

So the news on the piglets this morning .... down to 11 from 13. There were 2 runts that passed away overnight. It’s not uncommon to lose runts. Eleven is still a good number & plenty of piglets.

I did not know there are 2 new GOS gilts from TX ... their bloodlines will cross well with the current boar or a boarling saved from the litter due Jan. 6.

[Qiviut]

I am moving if all goes to plan later this week. I am getting chickens for sure at the new place. I have plenty of room for rabbits & a few goats. Not enough for cows, but my cousin down the road & numerous other relatives & friends have herds so I can get beef from them. I get pork & meat chickens from a family member who is turning a traditional farm (soybean fields, etc) into a regenerative farm.

I am moving my 4 metal raised beds (bought on sale a couple of years ago). They may be light weight enough that I do not have to take them apart, but they will break down into 4 side pieces & 4 corners if necessary. I will be in the market for more if I can find them on sale.

We now will have 2 wood stoves (none at current place) & I can foresee my cast iron 7 qt casserole on one of them, simmering away with a stew or whatever. We have plenty of room for storing wood (not enough trees to cut off our place, unfortunately), but the guy down the road has a yard full of stumps & stacked wood so I would bet I can get a winter’s worth off of him.

Once we close on the place I will post pics of the shop - it’s a fantastic space and I will have room for all of dad’s tools to take with me. I might even tackle building my own chicken tractor :-)

I am very concerned about food security & being self sufficient - I think SHTF times are likely & if Trump loses, a certainty. The new house has a full basement so I have room to ramp up significantly my current modest prepper efforts. We will be far enough in the country that when grocery store shelves in town are empty, it’s less likely folks will end up on my door step. Current place would be overrun with inner city ferals of the worst sort in no time. New place is in an area with more self- sufficient country folks. Bonus: gorgeous mountain views!!

Trying not to count my chickens before they hatch as the saying goes, but the thought of living there is getting exciting.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yay!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Your timing couldn’t be any better! :)

[Pollard]

Fri night or Sat morning, at the end of this week's thread, I may gather all the recipes from it, do some nice html formatting and post them all in one reply.

As an example, if I highlight everything from the title down through the directions on this recipe, right click and choose Print Selection(in Firefox), this is the print preview.

Image could be a little smaller and I'd probably put the title below the image so that people can highlight the recipe minus the image if they prefer.

If nothing else, the two formatted lists, Ingredients and Directions, are easy to read. I imagine some of the old school gals here would just write it down on an index card, in cursive no less.

[Rainbow Rising]

That is a great idea!