Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

Pesticide Chart Back to Insects

When all else fails here is a cross reference guide as to what organic pesticide will treat which insect

X = yes this will work * = adding isopropy alcohol will increase the effectiveness of selection

Use alcohol at a rate of 8 ounces to 1 quart of dilute mixture. When using test a small portion of plant first to see
if it is sensitive to alcohol. DO NOT use alcohol sprays on apple trees.

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African violets: Use chamomile tea to produce the best blooms they have ever had! Another plus is the tannic acid in the tea helps the plants retain moisture making this a good choice for other plants too. This works almost as well as our Golden Harvest Natural Fertilizer does for violets.

* To make: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile blossoms. Let steep until cool and strain bottle. Use as needed. This keeps for about a week before going rancid. Chamomile blossoms can be purchased at health food stores and usually grocery stores. Use as you would any African violet fertilizer.

Brassicas: Keeping the soil pH around 7.0 to prevent club root disease.

Chapped hands: Make a very strong tea of spearmint leaves. Rub on your hands to heal them.

Cut flowers: To make them last longer try this: Combine 8 ounces of water with 8 ounces of gingerale or clear soda (7-Up) and 1/2 teaspoon bleach. The sugar in the soda provides the flowers with carbohydrates (energy) and the bleach acts to control bacteria.

Ferns Ailing? A bit of caster oil can help save your ferns: add 1 tablespoon of castor oil, 1 tablespoon of mild shampoo to a quart of warm water. Treat each fern with a 4 ounces of the tonic.

Onions: To raise onions for winter storage grow them from seeds. For summer eating grow them from sets.

Plant Markers: If you write on your wooden or plastic plant markers with pencil instead of a permanent marker they will last much longer!

Potato scab: When planting your potato sets put some wilted comfrey leaves in with them to prevent scab. Also keeping the soil for your potato patch with a pH of 5 or below (acid) or a pH of 7 or above (alkaline) to prevent scab. As an alternative pine needles may be used instead of comfrey leaves.

Rhizome or tuber rot: When dividing perennials with rhizomes or tubers dust the freshly cut parts with sulfur to prevent rotting.

Natural Rooting Hormone:
Rooting hormones available as liquids or powders contain a synthetic form of indolebutyric acid (IBA). IBA in it’s natural state is a plant hormone or growth regulator. You can make your own rooting hormone from the ever versatile willow tree. Willow contain a high concentration of IBA however the effectiveness can vary by the amount of twigs you use, the level of IBA that is present when you take your cuttings and the amount of time that you soak your mixture.

Any willow (salix) trees or shrub species will work.

Cut a good handful of willow twigs. Then cut them into two to three inch pieces. Put them in a glass or plastic container with a few inches of lukewarm water. Soak for 24-48 hours. You will then use the water to soak your cuttings in overnight. Another method is to water your soil with willow water into which you have placed your cuttings. Two applications should be sufficient. Other types of cuttings may be rooted directly in a jar of the water. You will need to make a fresh batch of willow water for each use.

Plant Willows: Why?
Willows consume carbon as they grow. This means they effectively reduce the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide!

When the catkins open in early spring they provide an abundant food source for pollinating insects when little else is available to them.

Willows can be planted as a sound barrier, to filter waste and as a wild bird habitat.

Willows are also humus builders for the soil provided from their leaves falling at the end of the season. A good excuse not to rake them up.

Little Bits of Trivia

Monarch Butterflies and Milkweed Plants
The growing larvae (caterpillars) eat milkweed leaves. These leaves contain toxins- poisonous chemicals. These toxins don’t hurt the caterpillar, but they do make the caterpillar poisonous to most predators. Because it eats milkweed leaves as a caterpillar, the monarch butterfly is also poisonous. The survival of the monarch butterfly depends on this self-defense system provided by the milkweed.

Sap from milkweed was used by pioneers as a cure for warts

The airborne fluffy parachute of the seed was used by Native Americans to insulate moccasins.

The dried empty seed pods were used as Christmas tree decorations by early pioneers.

The boys and girls from Wisconsin schools collected 283,000 bags of milkweed fluff for use in military life jackets during World War II.

It is used as an indicator of ground-level ozone air pollution.

BIRDS!
Woodpeckers are voracious ant eaters. You may see them also pick up ants in their beaks and crush them on their feathers. What are they doing this for? Crushing the ants bodies releases tannic acid which in turn protects the bird from parasites!

Hummingbirds, those wonderful creatures, favor brilliant red and orange flowers the most. Following are some of their favorite flowers:

* Perennials: Coral Bells (heuchera), Indian paintbrush, columbine, hollyhock, jewelweed, bee Balm (monarda), phlox, daylilies, cardinal flower, lupines, penstemons, butterfly weed- which is very pretty and attracts butterflies too like it’s name.
* Annuals: 4 O’clocks, cleome, petunias, impatiens, scarlet runner bean, red salvia, verbena, zinnias, lantana
* Shrubs and Vines: Butterfly bushes, creeping trumpet vine, rose-of-sharon, flowering quince, trumpet honeysuckle

BEES!!
Did you know that the flowers bees love usually close at night? The reason is bees only fly during the daytime. Bees are attracted to flowers that are bright in color and have strong fragrance.

Bees are responsible for the existence of many flowers. without bees over 100.000 plant species would cease to exist!

Bees, feeling the rise in humidity, will usually go back in their hive to avoid a coming rainfall.

FLOWERS!!!
The largest rose in the world resides in Tombstone, Arizona. Rosa Bankiae planted in 1855 at the Rose Tree Inn now covers over 8,000 square feet on a massive trellis. If you are ever in Tombstone this would be worth seeing.

The most expensive flowers: a hyacinth bulb from a variety called “ king of Great Britain” sold in 1774 for L100. This equates to over 200,000 dollars in today’s economy!

A scarlet and white tipped tulip (Semper augustus) sold for the amount of 5,500 florins. This would give it a current value of 70,000 dollars today!

TREES!!!!
The oldest living tree is the bristlecone pine (pinus aristata). The oldest one found is 4,900 years old. What an amazing specimen to have survived through so many eras! It resides in the Wheeler Peak area of Nevada.

The gingko tree dates back to the Mesozoic era. The same tree today closely resembles its’ ancestor and is also known as the “maidenhair” tree. Possibly one of the first fruit trees the ginko produces an edible fruit that is similar to a persimmon.

The fastest growing tree in the world is the acacia. Certain varieties can grow as much as 2 1/2 feet a month, which translates into a little over an inch a day! Fast and furious the acacia does not live much longer than 30 years.

Ever wonder where that cork in the wine bottle comes from?
It comes from the cork oak which is the only tree that can survive “bark harvesting” as it has two layers of bark.

BEEFY TOMATO
The biggest tomato on record weighed in at a hefty 7 pounds 12 ounces. It was grown by Gordon Graham of Oklahoma.

Did you know?
Slugs are hermaphrodites: they all have male and female reproductive systems. Yes, they can mate with themselves!!! They can stretch to 20 times their normal length enabling them to squeeze through openings to get at food.

Cinch bugs overwinter by producing an antifreeze chemical that protects their innards from becoming frozen. A plant that everyone detests was found in an area where several feet of rock and plastic sheeting were removed. This area had been untouched for at least 20 years. At the bottom was pure white bindweed, quite alive!

Tall grass: The giant bamboo originating from Asia can reach heights of 50 feet! It is a true grass.

Earth Worms: Have the power to move stones that weigh 50 times their own weight. They also ingest soil and organic matter equal to the amount of their body weight each day.

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May I always be the person my pets think I am

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Cats and Dogs

Grind up grapefruit or lemon rind. Spread over the soil.
2.

Use any thorny plant clippings like rose or raspberry canes to spread on the soil.
3.

Plant some catnip or catmint in an out of the way area to keep cats away from other garden spaces.
4.

There is a repellent sold at PetSmart called “Reppers” that quite a few people have said is very effective against cats.
5.

Make a tea from rue and spray the boundary. Cats hate rue. Try planting rue here and there to repel them and to have some to make your own sprays. Rue is a pretty perennial herb with blue, green leaves and yellow flowers. It can cause contact dermatitis in some people. Also try planting a thick groundcover like sedum acres, hardy iceplant etc.
6.

Maybe: Here’s an interesting trick. Place mouse traps with the trap side down on the soil. When they are disturbed they will pop into the air and scare the intruder. The trap is already sprung when it jumps so it won’t hurt the cats.
7.

Dogs and cats: Some folks have had success by sprinkling bloodmeal on the soil.

If you can get seeds from a sweet gum tree try using them as a barrier.
9.

Spread pinecones around.
10.

Try spraying full strength lemon juice where they get in the garden.
11.

Plant calendula (pot marigold) which repels dogs.
12.

Use chicken wire or plastic mesh disguised under some mulch in garden beds. Cats can’t dig so they won’t (hopefully) poop.

Deer Controls

There is no real sure cure for repelling deer other than tall fences. Some of the methods that follow may work better for certain types of deer than others. When food is scarce deer can and will eat just about everything. Experiment to see what make work for your deer problem.

Here is the definitive answer on deer fencing methods from Jan Reeves in West Virginia.
Our thanks to Jan for sharing this!

We have some very aggressive deer here in West Virginia. This is the only deterrent that has worked when the bush beans are in full flower. We’ve had this barrier broached once. During hunting season a spooked buck tore through the upper wires but he was running so hard he never noticed the garden. All the other deer have been content to trim our hedge and munch on marigolds.

Erect the usual 4 foot 12 gauge fence around the area. Place posts 6 vice 8 feet apart so deer can’t lean on the fence and bend it.
* Every 18 feet or so clamp 10-12 foot poles to the fence posts. String cheap electric fence wire between poles at about 2 foot vertical intervals. Tape Christmas tree icicles to wires at about 3 ft. intervals. This confuses the deer as to the height and density of the “extended” fencing.
* To be absolutely effective, erect a single wire barrier 27 inches up and 30 inches beyond the fence row. Deer get between the wire and the fence but can’t gather themselves for the jump.

1. When using Ropel for deer control it can be made much more effective with the addition of an antitranspirant such as Cloudcover, Wiltproof, Forevergreen etc. The actions of the antitranspirants along with the Ropel make the effectiveness of the treatment last all season long.

2. Plant time-released garlic capsules at the bases of trees or shrubs.

3. Wrap bars of “gold Dial deodorant soap” in cheesecloth. Hang bars at intervals of 4 feet apart and 4 feet above the ground.

4. To stop bark chewing: Mix bone tar oil at a ratio of 1 part bone tar oil to 50 parts water to. Paint on tree trunks. Nah, it won’t hurt your trees. Bone tar oil is available as Magic Circle Deer Repellant.

5. Egg spray: mix 5-6 raw eggs in 1 gallon of water and spray. This will cover approximately 17,00 sq. feet. The smell of decomposing eggs keep the deer away while being too faint a dilution for humans to detect. The U.S. Forest service has used this for years. Also including some antitranspirant in this mix will extend the benefits. An alternative is to use wettable sulfur which gives off that rotten egg smell. Mix according to directions and spray as a barrier.

More Homemade Deer Repellent Sprays:

2 raw eggs 1 cup skim milk 1 cup water 3 garlic cloves 1 Tbs. sticker/spreader (available at nursery) or dish soap. Application: Blend together, add to a gallon sprayer and fill to line with water. Spray oo plants as needed.
*

Homemade Deer Repellent with Eggs In a blender, mix two eggs to one cup of water. Blend well then add one cup of skim milk and any type of sticker such as soap. Put this mixture into a sprayer and spray a light mist over the plant. There will be very little odor but deer will not find it appetizing. This recipe is over one hundred years old and is suppose to be very effective.

6. Hot sauce spray: Mix 1-2 tsp. of Tabasco sauce and 2 tsp. of antitranspirant in 1 gallon of water. Spray. Must be reapplied after rain.

7. Plant some specific plants at the outermost perimeter of your yard for the deer to graze on. These plants can generally take the “natural pruning” done by the deer and flourish. Deer will eat just about anything when feeding conditions are poor.

Choices: Gambel Oak, Fourwing Saltbush, Rocky Mountain Smooth Sumac,
Saskatoon Serviceberry, Wood’s Rose.

8. Inside the feeding ground barrier a buffer of possibly deer resistant plants is wise. The following table has a selection of plants that are considered more deer-proof. When hungry deer will eat just about anything so nothing is infallible. For a great listing of deer resistant plants visit Rutgers University Deer Plant Page.
Trees Blue Spruce Bristlecone Pine Hawthorn Holly Tree Norway Maple Oaks
Trees Oregon Myrtle Redwood Smoke Tree Sweet Gum Tanbark Oak Walnut
Shrubs Boxwood Butterfly Bush Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany Japanese Barberry Junipers Natal Plum
Shrubs Potentilla Redtwig Dogwood Rhododendron Scotch Broom Star Jasmine Wild Lilac
Groundcover Aarons Beard Ajuga Irish Moss Lily of Valley Manzanita Myrtle
Groundcover Dianthus Peppermint Scotch Moss Siberian Catmint Spearmint St. Johns Wort
Vines Algerian Ivy American Bittersweet CA Fuschia Clematis English Ivy Virginia Creeper
Perennial Anemone Artemisias Asclepias Babys Breath Bee Balm Chrysanthemum
Perennial Daffodil Daylily Dianthus Coreopsis Echinacea Dusty Miller
Perennial Foxglove Hellebore Iris Lady Fern Lambs Ear Oregano
Perennial Oriental Poppy Pampas Grass Sword Fern Wood Fern Yarrow
Succulent Hen & Chick Sedums Spiny Cacti Yuccas

9. Try putting pallets flat on the ground around your garden. Deer usually will not walk on or jump over these. Usually your local newspaper is a good source for free pallets.

10. Hang fabric softener sheets in and around areas to be protected. Replace after several rains.

11. Mix a gallon bucket of clay soil and water with cayenne or any hot pepper and garlic. Paint this on trunks of trees and stems of shrubs. This will not harm the plants.

12.Hang deodorant type soap every 4 feet or so from your trees’ branches. Keep them at a height of 30”. One warning: ground hogs like the soap.

13. Coyote urine which is available commercially has been reported to be effective as a deer repellant. We have had quite a few people write in to the contrary that predators urine scents don’t seem to work at all.

14. From the Bartlett Tree Experts’ Research Laboratory in North Carolina is this interesting deer control technique. They have installed a post and rail fence strung with solar powered electric wires. Sure the deer might figure out how to get past it without getting jolted so Bartlett has come up with this behavior modifier. They put blobs of peanut butter on the fence which deer find irresistible. They come to get the goodies and the shock is such an unpleasant surprise that they remember the experience and don’t bother coming back to try and jump the fence!

15. We have been told that deer will avoid Russian Sage like the plague. Russian sage is certainly a beautiful perennial and worth a try! Bees love it.

16. To keep deer from bulb plants- soak them in Alum water before planting.

Moles, Voles and Groundhog

1. Castor beans or mole plants (Euphorbia lathyris) can be planted around or in a garden. The bean seeds can also be dropped in tunnels. However, both plants are very poisonous and should not be used where small children may come in contact with them.

2. Spray a solution of 1 tbsp. of castor oil and 1 tbsp. of liquid dish soap per gallon of warm water on soil and plants.

3. Place elderberry cuttings in the tunnels.

4. Sprinkle chile powder and powdered garlic into tunnels weekly.

5. Scatter ground red pepper into the runs.

6. Plant ornamental blooming scilla (squill) bulbs as a garden border or around susceptible plants to repel moles. Also known as “Wood Hyacinth.” Scilla comes in shades of white lavender, blue, and pink with nodding bell-like flowers. Over the years they will multiply and fill in. Easy to grow and an attractive spring flower.

7. Last resort: Place rolled up pieces of Juicy fruit gum in mole tunnels. Wear gloves to mask your scent when you unwrap the gum. Moles love it, but it clogs their innards, fatally. Or use Ex-Lax which has the opposite effect.

8 Find the entrances then put sulfur into the holes and seal all of them with soil.. Another option is to place small ammonia soaked sponges into each hole and seal.

9. Some people have had success at keeping moles at bay using hot peppers. Use jalapenos, habaneros, the hotter the better! Keep a bag full in the freezer to have on hand when you need them...ready to use against moles and for your bug sprays. What you want to do is tightly pack the peppers into the openings of the runs using as many as you need. Do this everywhere you find an entrance and at intervals along the tunnels if you can find them. Dig an opening then stuff with peppers. For every spot you pack with peppers be sure to fill it in with dirt and tamp down firmly.

10. Try placing dog or cat hair in the entrance holes and runs.

Rabbits

1. Tree guards: In fall wrap the lower portions of the trunks with commercial tree wrap, burlap, foil, or metal window screen. The wrapping should be 2’ above the height of the deepest snow expected, rabbits can walk on top of the snow. Remove wrappings from the trunks in spring.

2. Sprinkle or hang cheesecloth bags of bloodmeal around plants. If sprinkled it must be redone after rain.

3. Vinegar: Soak corn cobs (cut in half) left over from a meal in vinegar for 5 minutes, then scatter throughout the flower or vegetable garden. Two weeks later soak them again in the same vinegar. You can keep reusing this same vinegar again and again.

4. Spray a tea made from cow manure and water as a repellent.

5. Soybean plants will repel rabbits or some say they attract them.

6. Onions will repel them. So will bonemeal.

7. Use red pepper, black pepper, cayenne, paprika etc. as a dust to repel. Rabbits are always sniffing so they snort this up and it sends them packing.

8. Mix 1 well beaten egg, 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, and 1 gal. of water. Paint this on the tree trunks to prevent munching. This will not harm the trees.

9. Plant “Mexican Marigolds” (Tagetes Minuta) and garlic in the garden to repel them.

10. Set old leather shoes (from the thrift shop) around the garden to give it that “humans are here” smell.

11. Garlic Oil Spray may help to repel rabbits.

* To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain. Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castille soap to this. Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months. To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.

12. Try planting some crops that rabbits will eat instead with, we hope, the intention of deterring them from your other garden crops. Try annual crimson red clover, planted as a strip border around the garden. Now even if it is not successful as a distraction the clover will up the nitrogen content of your soil. Soybeans are said to be good munchies for bunnies but some say they act as a repellant.

13. Pepper and Glue Spray: Mix together 2 tablespoons of ground red pepper or Tabasco sauce, 1 tablespoon of Elmer’s white glue and a quart of water. Spray as needed but not right before you are ready to harvest as the solution may be difficult to wash off your produce.

14. A good rabbit repellent is a mixture of 85% raw linseed oil, 5% household detergent and 10% water. This can be applied with either a paintbrush or small sprayer. Use as a barrier spray but not directly on plant foliage.

Raccoons and Skunks

NOTE: Skunks have been known to go after sweet corn just like raccoons! To add to that not much will stop raccoons.

Raccoons usually have litters of between two to seven babies. They travel what we call “runs” and will use the same runs generation after generation for decades. They can easily scale high wooden fences. They are nocturnal and do their scavenging at night.

Skunks are also nocturnal or nighttime marauders and can claim up to 10 acres in their territory! Skunks habitually use old borrows left from other creatures or like to make a home in hollows underneath buildings and porches. They will, on occasion, dig their own burrows.

1. Plant anything with prickly foliage to deter them such as squash plants, oriental poppies, globe thistle, pumpkins, Kentucky Wonder pole beans etc. Raccoons have incredibly sensitive toes.

2. To keep them from corn plants: put 2-3 drops of Tabasco sauce near the tip of the ear at least one week before picking.

3. To trap raccoons: use baits like sardines, marshmallows, or honey soaked bread.

4. Surround the area with a horizontal border that coons and skunks don’t like to walk over-crumpled up black plastic, newspaper, or aluminum foil. Hold these in place with some rocks, landscape pins, or soil.

5. Use mesh fencing or chicken wire as a horizontal barrier. Raise these slightly above the ground with some bricks to make it even more of a hassle to cross.

6. Spread naphthalene flakes or balls around, raccoons hate the taste of this in their paws and they are said to also aid in repelling skunks.

7. Put paper bags over ears of corn and fasten shut with a rubberband.

8. When the ears are getting close to harvest time tape them to the stalks with masking tape!

9. Use any kind of old netting: fish netting, tennis net, whatever as a barrier. Stake loosely to hold in place.

10. Use rose bush trimmings as a barrier, or anything with stickers.

11. Plant cucumbers with your corn. Both raccoons and skunks hate cucumbers for some reason.

12. Sprinkle a barrier of lime around the perimeter to be protected.

13. To keep raccoons from getting the fruit in your trees: wrap a barrier of aluminum or sheet metal 2 feet in height around the trunk of the tree. Be sure not to make it tight you want to let your tree trunk breathe.

14. Soak old corn cobs in vinegar. Place them around the plant to be protected. Supposedly once they chew on these they will not come back. We found that last season this worked on both skunks and raccoons for about 2 months. Apparently after that they got wise and were up to their old tricks.

15. Skunk Spray: Make a spray out of 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon dish soap. Spray this around areas where you would like skunks to stear clear of such as garbage cans. Don’t get this on foliage.

16. Sprinkle flour around suspected nesting or sleeping areas.

Rat and Mice Control

1. For trapping mice: Use pumpkin seeds; you’ll find that mice can’t resist them! They sure are great roasted and salted, the pumpkin seeds, that is!

2. Scatter fresh or dried mint or holly leaves as a repellent. The mint works like a charm! We use it everywhere mice are a problem and they will not go near it. Smells nice too. We have had a good deal of email from folks that wrote us to say mint works great for them too!

3. Protect the bases of trees by wrapping loosely with 1/4” hardware cloth or foil. Be sure to keep any mulch pulled away from the trunks.

MiceControl.jpg (3241 bytes)There is always cats as an option!

4. Don’t mulch any perennials until after a few frosts. The rodents will have found a home by then and not in your mulch!

5. Encourage snakes and owls to stay near the garden to provide natural control.

6. Trap baits: nut meats, dried fruits, or bacon.

7. Plant “barriers” of perennial sweet peas (Lathyrus latifolius) which will repel mice. You will enjoy the beauty of these plants for many years to come too.

8. Spray Ropel on the plants that are being bothered by mice.

9. Keep the soil around plants bare, as mice do not like to come out in the open.

10. Daffodils (Narcissus spp.), wood hyacinth (Scilla or squill) and grape hyacinth (Muscari) are said to repel rodents. Plant a pretty spring blooming border of them to help protect your other plants year round.

11. Planting herbs with a powerful scent will repel mice. Best choices are alliums, camphor plant, dwarf elder, elderberry, euphorbias, any mints and wormwood.

12. If you are allergic to or cannot tolerate cats then there are certain dogs which will take care of mice for you. Certain terriers are well known as “ratters” and so are Italian greyhounds.

Snake Control

Snakes may seek refuge beneath buildings. If there is a gap or opening, they will enter and inhabit a building, just as house mice do. Sealing all cracks and other openings greater than 1/4 inch can prevent them from entering. Gaps beneath garage doors are often large enough to permit snakes to enter, especially young ones. In summer, snakes may be attracted to cool and/or damp places, such as beneath buildings and in basements. Access doors on crawl spaces should be inspected carefully for breaks or gaps. Use caution if you must crawl under a house or other building. Hot tub or swimming pool pump enclosures may provide cover if they are not well sealed. The dampness associated with ornamental water fountains, pools, and fishponds may also make the surrounding area attractive to snakes.

1. Burn the leaves of Comfrey, Rue, and Bay. Scatter where snakes are.

2. A barrier of “Flowers of sulfur” may repel snakes. This should be available at local drugstore or pharmacy and is also known as elemental sulfur. We have heard of this being used successfully where copperheads are a problem.

3. Wormwood: this herb when dried and scattered around may repel snakes. Planting a barrier of wormwood plants is another method. A perimeter spraying of wormwood tea may help.

4. Spray ammonia around the snakes hole to repel, then later fill them in with dirt.

What can be done for snake bite initial first aid?

* DO Try to calm the victim.
* DO Gently wash the area with soap and water.
* DO Apply a cold, wet cloth over the bite.
* DO Transport victim to the nearest emergency facility for further treatment.

What should NOT be done after a poisonous bite?

* DON’T apply a tourniquet.
* DON’T pack the bite area in ice.
* DON’T cut the wound with a knife or razor.
* DON’T use your mouth to suck out the venom.
* DON’T let the victim drink alcohol.

Squirrel Control

1. Bulbs: soak them in Ropel before planting and squirrels will leave them alone. You can also dust them with medicated baby powder.

2. Put sheet metal collars on trees to keep them from climbing the trunks. Prune back any access limbs also.
3. To keep squirrels from the bird feeders in winter try growing witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. It can be grown in the East and Midwest. They grow underneath trees and can continue blooming into December. The flowers form a seed pod that will eventually shoot out the seeds on the ground which supplies squirrels with some winter forage.

4. Sprinkle pepper or paprika around squirrel prone areas.

5. Using any type of “sticky barrier” can be effective as the squirrels’ hate the sticky feeling on their paws.

6. For pole type bird feeders: grease the pole with petroleum jelly. They will get the message pretty quick and go elsewhere for goodies.

7. Learn to get along with them. We have squirrels who do get into the bird feeders but in general cause no trouble at all! In 15 years they have dug up some bulbs one time and that is it!

8. Plant Fritillaria imperialis bulbs in the area of plants that you want to protect. Supposedly they have a particular smell that squirrels and chipmunks find repulsive. They are certainly beautiful plants and a great addition to your garden!

9. Beware that water features will attract squirrels and chipmunks too!

10. To keep squirrels and chipmunks from bulb plants- soak them in Alum water before planting.

Update: 07/12/09

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Spraying Basics
1. It is best to use any type of spray in the early morning or the cool of evening. Do not spray when temps are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit! Your plants may “burn” or have a reaction to what you are using in excessive heat. This is known as “phytotoxicity.”
2. Always perform a test on a small portion of the plant material first. Wait 24 hours to observe any negative reaction. Proceed if there is no damage.
3. Really and truly...more is not better. If you are not getting good results don’t increase the strength of these remedies without testing first.
4. Target just the area you need to treat. Be careful... try not to harm the good bugs! You don’t want to run off your allies.
5. When working with sprays or dusts always protect your exposed skin and face. Some of these ingredients can be very irritating to your skin, eyes and mucous membranes, especially any hot pepper sprays.

Specific Disease Controls

Apple tree scab: Grow any member of the onion family around the base of the tree. Chives work the best. You can also make a tea from chives and use as a spray on your apple trees to help protect from scab.

Brassicas: Keeping the soil pH around 7.0 to prevent club root disease.

Peach tree leaf curl: This is a common disease of peach trees. Sprays of horsetail tea, garlic (look further down the page for recipes) and seaweed can help to prevent this problem. Growing chives underneath them also helps.

Neem Oil will help prevent rust disease, black spot and can act as a general fungicide.

General Disease Controls

Apple Cider Vinegar Fungicide
For leafspot, mildew, and scab

* Mix 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar (5% acidity) with one gallon water and spray in the morning on infested plants. Good for black spot on roses and aspen trees too.

Baking Soda Spray
For anthracnose, early tomato blight, leaf blight and spots, powdery mildew, and as a general fungicide
Sodium bicarbonate commonly known as baking soda has been found to posses fungicidal properties. It is recommended for plants that already have powdery mildew to hose down all the infected leaves prior to treatment. This helps to dislodge as many of the spores as possibly to help you get better results. Use as a prevention or as treatment at first signs of any of the diseases.

To make: Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil with one gallon of water. Shake this up very thoroughly. To this mix add 1/2 teaspoon of pure Castile soap and spray. Be sure to agitate your sprayer while you work to keep the ingredients from separating. Cover upper and lower leaf surfaces and spray some on the soil. Repeat every 5-7 days as needed.

Chive Spray:
For preventing apple scab and downy mildew on cucumber, pumpkin and zucchini.

To make: Put a bunch of chopped chives in a heat proof glass container, cover with boiling water. Let this sit until cool, strain and spray as often as two to three times a week.

Compost and Manure Teas
Many people have success with manure tea keeping blight and other pathogens away from plant. Soak the area around plants and use as a foliar spray. Do not use on seedlings as it may encourage damping-off disease.
Fill a 30 gallon trash can with water. Let sit for 24 hours to evaporate the additives (use rain water if you can). Add about 4 shovels worth of manure to this and cover. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks, stirring once a day. Strain and apply as needed.

Various manures supply nutrients as follows:

* Chicken manure: nitrogen rich: use for heavy feeders such as corn, tomatoes and squash.
* Cow Manure: potash: use for root crops.
* Rabbit manure: promotes strong leaves and stems.
* Horse manure: leaf development.

Compost Tea: Make and use just the same as you would the manure tea. This is another terrific reason to compost all those prunings, grass clipping and kitchen wastes. Or you can use our HumAcid for a ready made foliar spray with all the goodness of compost!

Corn and Garlic Spray Fungus Preventative
This blend is surprisingly potent preventative spray to protect your plants.

* To make: Gather a handful of corn leaves, clematis leaves (any kind) and as much of the paper
y outer leaves of garlic as you can. Process thoroughly in a blender. The mix with sufficient water to make a thin liquid. Let sit for an hour, strain and spray on plants as a preventative.

Couch Grass Rhizome Tea:
for preventing mildew and fungus disease
To make: Put a handful of fresh rhizomes in a glass pot. Pour 1 quart of boiling water over rhizomes, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain, let cool and use right away.

Elder Leaf Spray:
Elder leaves have fungicidal properties and may be useful against mildew and black spot diseases.

* To make: simmer 8 ounces of leaves in 16 ounces of water for 30 minutes. Stir this thoroughly, then strain. Take 16 ounces of warm water and mix with 1 tablespoon of
Castile soap. Add soap mixture to the elder water, spray as needed. Note: Set your sprayer to a coarse or large droplet setting as this mixture will tend to plug a fine setting.

Garlic Fungicide Spray 1:
For leaf spot and mildews

* To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain.
* Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castile soap to this.
* Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months. To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.

Garlic Fungicide Spray 2:
Fungicide and Insect repellent

Put in a blender: 1 whole head of garlic, 3 cups water, 2 Tbs canola oil, 4 hot peppers and a whole lemon. Blend until finely chopped. Steep mixture overnight. Strain through fine cheesecloth. Use at a rate of 4Tbs per gallon of water. Store unused portion in the refrigerator.

Horseradish
(preventative for fungal disease)
Penn State University announced in 1995 that minced horseradish holds promise in decontaminating wastewater and now says it may clean contaminated soils as well!
Penn State’s center for Bioremediation and Detoxification reports that minced horseradish combined with hydrogen peroxide can completely remove chlorinated phenols and other contaminants found in industrial wastes. Experiments involve applying the mixture directly to tainted soils or growing horseradish in contaminated soil and roto-tilling the roots just before applying hydrogen peroxide!

The cleansing properties of horseradish have been known for more than a decade, however creating a purified form has been far too expensive. This method has proved to be just as effective, but at a fraction of the cost!

Horseradish Tea: You can also make a tea from horseradish roots to use as a preventative spray for fungal diseases. This is especially useful against brown rot in apple trees. The white flesh of the horseradish root also contains significant amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamin C.
To make: Process one cup of roots in food processor till finely chopped. Combine this with 16 ounces of water in a glass container and let soak for 24 hours. Strain liquid, discard the solids. Now mix the liquid with 2 quarts of water and spray.

Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment
To prevent bacterial and fungal problems on outdoor plants use hydrogen peroxide! Hydrogen peroxide will prevent the disease spores from adhering to the plant tissue. It causes no harm to plants or soil, however don’t use on young transplants or direct seeded crops until they have become established. Warning: Always test on a small portion of plant tissue first to check for any negative reactions. Do not proceed if there is any damage to plant tissue. Do not substitute food grade H2O2 for the common H2O2. Spray plants with undiluted 3 percent hydrogen peroxide that you can buy most anywhere. Be sure to cover tops and bottoms of leaves. Do this once a week during dry weather and twice a week in wet weather. This works as a preventative. If you already have problems use this as a direct treatment.

Milk for Mildew
Milk with its’ natural enzymes and simple sugar structures can be used to combat various mildews on cucumber, asters, tomato, squash and zinnia foliage. This works by changing the pH on the surface of the leaves, so they are less susceptible to mildew. Use a 50/50 mixture of milk and water. Thoroughly spray plants every 3 to 4 days at first sign of mildews or use weekly as a preventative measure.

Milk can also be mixed at a rate of 2 ounces milk to 18 ounces of water and used as a spray every 7 to 10 days to treat mosaic disease on cucumber, tomato and lettuce.

Tomato Virus Protective Spray
To prevent the many viruses that attack tomato plants this simple remedy really works! The antitranspirant protects the plant surface against disease spores. The skim milk provides the tomato plant with calcium. A calcium deficiency is common in tomato plants.
Antitranspirants can be used to protect many plants against bacterial disease before they attack. They are harmless and will not block the pores of the plant tissue.
To make: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of antitranspirant (like Cloudcover, Wiltpruf etc.) with 8 ounces of skim milk, and 1 gallon of water. Spray plants. Clean out your sprayer when done and flush with fresh water..
NOTE: an equivalent of prepared powdered milk may be substituted for the skim milk.
Removing leaves on the lower portion of the plant may help lessen contact with disease spores and certainly won’t hurt the plant.

Seedlings: Damping off disease
Always use a sterile growing medium like mixes with vermiculite and perlite for your seed starting as these should not contain the fungi that cause damping-off. Water your seedlings with warm water that has been left to sit for an hour or more to dissipate most of the chemicals that are present in tap water. Using cold water stresses the seedlings leaving them vulnerable to harmful organisms.

1. Chamomile Spray: Chamomile tea is an excellent preventative for damping-off. Use on seed starting soil, seedlings and in any humid planting area. Chamomile is a concentrated source of calcium, potash and sulfur. The sulfur is a fungus fighter. This can also be used as a seed soak prior to planting.
To make: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile blossoms. Let steep until cool and strain into a spray bottle. Use as needed. This keeps for about a week before going rancid. Spray to prevent damping off and anytime you see any fuzzy white growth on the soil. Chamomile blossoms can be purchased at health food stores and usually grocery stores.

2. Seaweed Spray: A seaweed spray which is so rich in nutrients and everything that seedlings require can also be used to prevent damp-off. Make a strong mixture adding 2/3 cup of kelp concentrate to 1 gallon of water, spray.

3. Horsetail Tea (Equisetum arvense)
The common horsetail plant, which is very invasive, is rich in silicon and helps plants to resist fungal diseases via increasing their light absorbing capabilities. Use on peach trees to control peach leaf curl. Use on most plants to combat powdery fungi, and on vegetables and roses to control mildew. You can use this on seedlings and plants in closed environments too! Great in greenhouses! Prevents damping off. Horsetail is one of the ingredients in Golden Harvest Fertilizer.

To make:

* In a glass or stainless steel pot, mix 1/8 cup of dried leaves in 1 gallon of unchlorinated water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for at least 1/2 hr. Cool and strain.
* Store extra concentrate in a glass container. Will keep for a month.
* Dilute this mix, adding 5-10 parts of unchlorinated water to one part concentrate. Spray plants that show any symptoms of fungal type disease once every 4 days. Spray your seed starting mixtures to prevent damping off.

4. Spread finely milled sphagnum peat moss on the soil surface of your seed beds or flats.

5. The best damping off remedy: Powdered cinnamon!
Sprinkle powdered cinnamon on the soiless medium surface. Don’t worry if you get cinnamon on your plants as it will not hurt the tender seedlings. We have been using this method for years with near 100% effectiveness.

Update: 07/12/09

http://www.ghorganics.com/page16.html

Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Use fully open blossoms from zucchini, patti-pan, any squash varieties.
Ingredients:
24 squash blossoms 3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
3 ounces cream cheese 1 green onion, minced
1 egg yolk 2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sour cream Vegetable oil for frying
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese Salt and cracked pepper to taste
Wash blossoms, trim off stem ends. Remove the stamens. Blend the cream cheese, egg yolk, sour cream, feta cheese and Parmesan. Mix in green onion and salt and cracked pepper to taste. Spoon a teaspoon of this filling into each blossom; twist ends to close. Roll in flour coating lightly. Dip in beaten egg mixture.
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a frying pan, add blossoms, turning until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Yield: 24 appetizers. Delicious!

Spicy Tomato Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
1 cup cucumbers (2 medium), peeled and sliced
2 medium tomatoes (early girls are great), sliced and drained slightly
1 large sweet red onion, thinly sliced
3 Anaheim chiles, seeded and thinly sliced (Galapagos if you prefer)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1/4 cup whole grain prepared mustard
2 tsp. sugar, salt to taste
Combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, green chilies, parsley and celery n a bowl. Combine mustard and sugar and added to sliced vegetables. Salt to taste. Let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings.

Sesame/Ginger Spinach Wilted Salad
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar White pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound spinach, steamed, lightly cooled 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Make the dressing: combine sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, sugar, pepper flakes, and white pepper. Stir this vigorously with a whisk. Pour dressing over spinach. tossing to coat well. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Yield: 4 side dish portions.

Nasturtium Salad
Nasturtium flowers, leaves and green seeds are delicious in salads, vinegars, pickles and flavored oils,
Ingredients:
4 cups nasturtium blossoms 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of violet leaves 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped chervil leaves 3 tablespoons olive oil
Trim stems off blossoms and wash these and violet leaves under cool running water. Drain on paper towels. Rub inside of a wooden salad bowl with garlic clove. Put blossoms in bowl, add violet leaves, chervil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice and oil. Toss gently and serve.

Daylily Bud Sauté
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) open for just a day. Hemerocallis is a Greek word translating to: “beautiful for a day.”
Ingredients:
2 dozen daylily buds 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil 3 eggs
dash of nutmeg salt and pepper
I clove garlic, finely minced
Cut the base off the buds. Sauté the garlic in a small amount of olive oil. Beat eggs and mix enough flower to make a thin batter. To this add the sautéed garlic, 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and the dash of nutmeg. Add a teaspoon of milk if the batter is too thick. dip the buds in the batter and sauté until a golden brown consistency.

Tomato Relish
Ingredients:
6 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 large onions chopped
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground mace
1 lb demerara sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
2 oz salt
chili powder and oregano to taste

Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan and boil for 30 minutes. Make a thin paste with 2 tbsp of plain flour mixed with a little vinegar and add to the pan. Boil for another 15 minutes then seal in jars. Store in refrigerator. Great with burgers.

Wilted Dandelion Salad
Dandelion leaves, flowers, stems and roots are all edible if you have an organic yard! The greens are filled with nutrients and vitamins and can be prepared as you would spinach.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of bacon 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled 8 cups young dandelion leaves, rinsed and dried
Fry bacon in skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels, crumble. Pour off bacon fat leaving leaving behind 1/3 cup in the skillet. Put vinegar, mustard and honey in the skillet mixing with a whisk. Add the olive oil. Add salt and pepper, keep this dressing warm. Toss the greens with bacon and cheese in a bowl. Pour the warm dressing over greens and serve.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Parsley Herb Sauce
Great on baked potatoes, salmon or asparagus.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced 1 tablespoon each Dijon mustard and lemon juice
Salt and cracked pepper 2 tablespoons chopped capers
2 green onions minced
In a small saucepan put the butter, mustard and lemon juice heating until the butter melts. Add capers, parsley, onion and garlic. Heat until warm throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with food of your choice. Yield: 1 cup

Gazpacho Grande
Had to include recipe for yet another version of this!
Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 large cucumber peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper seeded and chopped 2 mild green chiles chopped
1 46 ounce can V-8 Juice 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and cracked pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Toppings of your choice: avocado slices, chopped green onions, Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, sliced black olives, sweet corn kernels, croutons etc.
In a large bowl put the cucumbers, pepper, V-8 Juice, vinegar, salt, chiles and cumin. Stir until mixed, cover and chill for several hours. Ladle into bowls, pass around the toppings.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Broiled Radicchio
Radicchio is not the easiest of vegetables to grow. It is delicious prepared in this manner.
Ingredients:
3 heads of radicchio cut in wedges 2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt 1/4 pound of lean bacon, diced, cooked soft
Use your broiling tray lined with foil. Spray foil with vegetable spray. Arrange the radicchio wedges in a single layer on the foil covered pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the wedges, sprinkle with bacon pieces. Sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt. Broil until edges are browned turning one time. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 4 servings

Sun Dried Tomato Relish
Excellent relish for chicken.
Ingredients:
6 marinated sun-dried tomato halves from a jar
1 tablespoon pine nuts 1/2 of a dried red chile
1 teaspoon wine vinegar 1/2 clove garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil pinch of salt
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend till they are a paste. Or you can grind them with a mortar and pestle. Serve along side chicken.

Rose Petal Soup
A surprisingly refreshing and delicious cold soup.
Ingredients:
1 red or pink fragrant rose flower 1 pint cold water
8 ounces dry white wine Pinch of powdered cinnamon
1 16 oz. can pitted sweet cherries, drained 2 ounces of Kirsch
1/2 pint of sour cream 4 ounces of fine sugar
Pluck the rose petals from the head. Cut away the white basal (heels) portions and discard. Put aside some petals for a garnish. Put sugar, water and cinnamon in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Add the cherries and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the wine and rose petals. Remove from the heat and allow to sit until cool. Put this mixture in the blender or food processor; liquefy it. Stir in 8 ounces of the sour cream and all the Kirsch. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Serve in a large glass bowl swirling the rest of sour cream on top. Scatter with rose petals and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Mixed Weed and Flower Salad
!/2 cup small arugula leaves (large leaves are too bitter)
1/2 cup young dandelion leaves 1 cup lamb’s quarter new leaves
1/2 cup purslane, chopped 1 small head of butter lettuce, torn
1/2 cup tender nasturtium and violet leaves, torn 1/4 cup chive blossoms
1/2 cup nasturtium and violet flowers 2 tsp. fresh mint chopped and bruised
2 Tablespoons chopped, salted smoked almonds Salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon honey 3 ounces apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
Carefully wash all the flowers and greens, let dry on paper towels. Mix gently in a wood or glass bowl. Mix the honey and apple cider vinegar, whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pour dressing over the salad tossing gently to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds and serve. Yield: 4 servings

Traditional Horseradish Sauce
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons finely grated horseradish root 2 teaspoons super fine sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 pint cream salt and white pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients excluding the cream. Whip the cream to form soft peaks then slowly fold in the rest of the ingredients. Chill and serve cold.

Green Tomato Jam
Take 4 lbs. of green tomatoes, 4 lbs. of sugar, 1 cup water, and 2 ounces of preserved ginger. Wash tomatoes and cut in pieces; add remaining ingredients and cook until clear, which will require about two hours. Strain through a coarse strainer to remove the seeds. Pour boiling hot into sterilized jars, seal and refrigerate.

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Chickweed Purslane Salad
Ingredients:
3 cups purslane, chopped
1/2 onion
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 cup chickweed
1/2 cup amaranth leaves
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup mild cheddar cheese or smoked provolone cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Chop the purslane, chickweed, amaranth, and onion into bite sized bits. Add the avocado, peeled and diced. Add one hard-boiled egg, sliced. Mix in the shredded cheese. Squeeze the lemon over the salad, add the garlic salt, and mix well. If you like you can one tablespoon of mayonnaise to this salad.

Cold Cucumber & Mint Soup
Ingredients:
3 small cucumbers, peeled
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/3 cup mint leaves
2 large cloves, peeled and mashed
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
freshly ground pepper
1 Anaheim chile pepper
16 ounces of plain yogurt

Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Whisk in the yogurt. Chill thoroughly and serve with choice of toppings like:
Chopped tomatoes, chive blossoms, minced arugula and croutons.
Yield: 4 servings

Dandelion, Bacon & Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
3 cups of dandelion greens
4 ounces of very lean bacon, diced
2 cloves of peeled mashed garlic
2 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 slices of French bread cut into cubes
lemon juice
1/4 cup of purslane
Dressing:
4 tablespoons of hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1 teaspoon of salt (optional)

Peel and remove pits from avocados. Cut into chunks, sprinkle lightly with lemon juice tossing to coat.
Heat up the olive oil in a fry pan then fry bacon till crisp. Drain bacon on a paper towel.
Fry the garlic and bread cubes in remaining oil until bread is golden. Drain the bread on paper towel, discarding the garlic.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt and hazelnut oil together till creamy in consistency.
Drizzle over the salad, toss lightly and serve.
Yield: 4 large salads

Dried Tomatoes in Oil
Ingredients:
5 lbs. ripe, firm plum type tomatoes
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup of basil leaves (lemon basil is very good in this)

Dip the tomatoes into boiling water which loosens the skins. Immediately plunge them into ice cold water.
Peel, slice 1/2 inch thick. Dry in food dehydrator (or your choice of methods) till they are leathery but not crisp.
Combine the olive oil with rosemary, basil leaves and spices. Pour into a sterile quart jar.
Pack the jars of oil with the tomatoes till they are full up to the brim. Seal tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Horseradish Herbal Vinegar
Ingredients:
grind 1tablespoon each of the following:
wild allspice
sweet flag roots
sassafras bark
young tansy leaves
bayberry leaves
1 teaspoon wild garlic, minced
1 teaspoon horseradish, grated
1 quart of cider vinegar

Bring the vinegar just to a boil in a saucepan.
Add all the herbs to the vinegar, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring gently a few times.
Take the pan off the heat, cover and allow to cool to room temperature.
Put in a glass container, cover and let stand for 2 weeks in a warm place.
Stir and strain into a sterile bottle. Label and store in a dark place.

Minty Peach and Pepper Relish
A refreshing side dish!
Ingredients:
2 good sized ripe peaches
1 tablespoon fresh spearmint, chopped
2 tablespoons good, fruity olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted sweet Italian peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Fire up the grill. Combine olive oil, lemon basil, mint and garlic. Rub the cut side of peaches with half of the oil/spice mixture. Grill the peaches 2 minutes or so with their cut side down just until they have a golden color. Put them on a rack to cool.
Chop the cooled peaches and combine with the peppers, cider vinegar and remaining oil mixture in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.

Pickled Green Tomatoes
Hey home canners: This is a wonderful way to preserve all your green tomatoes before the first frost turns them to mush. A real treat in the middle of winter when you are planning next season’s garden.
Ingredients:
9 or so lbs. green tomatoes
2 cups thinly sliced red & white onions
!/2 cup celery sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise
1/4 cup canning salt
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tablespoon each mustard seed, allspice, celery seed and whole cloves

Wash and slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Layer them in a glass bowl with the onions, sprinkling with the salt as you add layers. Let this stand at room temp for 4 to 6 hours. Then drain well.
Heat the vinegar and stir until completely dissolved. Put the mustard seed, allspice, celery seed, and cloves in a square of cheesecloth tying up the top. Add to the vinegar with tomatoes and onions. If necessary add just enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and sticking. Tomatoes will be tender and transparent when properly cooked. Remove the spices and proceed to canning.

Fill sterile jars and cover with hot pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water bath: Pints - 15 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 20 minutes above 6,000 feet; Quarts - 20 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Note: Letting the pickles mellow for a few weeks vastly improves the flavor...if you can resist.
Yield: approximately 7 pints

Pinto Bean Fudge
No kidding: this is a delicious protein packed, low fat candy recipe!
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked pinto beans
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup of melted margarine
1 tablespoon of vanilla
2 lbs. powdered sugar
4 ounces of chopped pecans or walnuts

Mash the beans. Mix them with the margarine, cocoa and vanilla. Stir in the sugar and pecans.
Butter a 9 X 13 inch pan and spread the bean mixture in this. Put into the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.
Cut into squares, serve.

Plum & Peach Salsa
Here is a delicious and different use for peaches and plums. It is addictive!
Ingredients:
2 cups unpeeled fresh peaches, diced
1 cup peeled peaches cut in 1/4” dice
1 cup ripe plums cut in 1/4” dice
2 Anaheim chiles roughly chopped
1/4 cup minced Spanish onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 Tablespoons sugar

Put the unpeeled peaches, onion, chiles, and chicken broth in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Put the warm mixture into food processor and puree.
Put into a glass bowl, allow to cool and add the remaining peaches, lime juice, plums and sugar, mixing gently.
Let the flavors mellow overnight in the refrigerator.
Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips and grilled chicken. Beer in chilled glasses for beverage.
Yield: 4 cups salsa

Spicy Vinegar Marinade
Here is a tasty sauce using apple cider vinegar that miracle liquid with all its wonderful uses and properties.
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1teaspoon sea salt
1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons powdered red pepper
2 cups pure apple cider vinegar
4 ounces oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a 32 ounce bowl. Stirring until well blended.
Pour over meat or poultry setting one cup of vinegar sauce set aside for basting. Let marinate for 3 hours.
Grill meat basting with reserved sauce.
For an eclectic salad try dressing shredded Napa cabbage with some of the vinegar marinade!

Stuffed Savory Tomatoes
Ingredients
12 tomatoes, ripe but firm
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
19 oz (540 mL) can chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp butter
1-1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
1/2 tsp pepper + more to taste
1/2 tsp each: ground cumin, ground allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut off tomato tops; scoop out pulp with spoon. Reserve tops and pulp.
Heat oil in skillet over medium. Cook onions until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, pine nuts or almonds and cilantro. Cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in chickpeas, butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, allspice and cayenne.
Stuff mixture into tomatoes; replace tops. Place tomatoes side-by- side in casserole dish.
Season tomato pulp with salt and pepper. Pour between tomatoes. Cover and bake in preheated 350F oven 1 hour or until tomatoes are cooked.
Serve hot with juice spooned on top.
Makes 12

Sweet Pepper Slaw
A different, colofful and tasty slaw to make when your peppers are coming on!
Ingredients:
1 each large sweet red, green and yellow peppers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon coarse rind black pepper
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups packed shredded cabbage
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Quarter and remove seeds from peppers. Slice into very thin strips.
Using a medium size bowl combine the the cabbage and peppers.
Using a large jar with a tight fitting lid combine vinegar, mustard, oil, sugar, pepper,
celery seeds and salt. Shake it up with vigor to blend thoroughly. Pour over the pepper cabbage mixture. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
Toss and serve.

Sunchoke, Purslane & Radish Salad
For best results with sunchokes dig up only what you will use the same day, they do not keep well.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 bunch of radishes
2 cups of purslane leaves
8 ounces of Jerusalem artichokes
White wine vinegar (rice vinegar is tasty for this too)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Butter lettuce leaves
Chive blossoms and calendula petals

Scrub the chokes and slice thinly. Out in a bowl with enough water and the lemon juice to cover them.
Scrub the radishes and put them in a bowl of ice water.
Toss the purslane with vinegar and brown sugar. Drain and slice the radishes. Drain and pat dry the chokes.
Combine the radishes, chokes and purslane tossing gently to mix.
Serve on plates lined with butter lettuce leaves.
Garnish with chive blossoms and calendula petals.

Wild Green Sauce
Ingredients:
2 cups of the following mixed fresh greens
!/4 cup of chives
1/4 cup of sorrel
1/4 cup of lambs quarter (tender leaves only)
1/2 cup of dandelion leaves
1/4 cup of nasturtium leaves
1 peeled shallot
8 ounces of plain yogurt
4 ounces of small curd cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
Nasturtium and chive blossoms for garnish

Combine all the ingredients except yogurt in a food processor and process to desired consistency. Whisk in the yogurt. Serve immediately or put into a plastic container and refrigerate. Will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Use in a cold or hot pasta salad, grilled salmon or on baked potatoes. Whatever sounds good to you. This is a versatile concoction to experiment with. Enjoy!

Update: 07/12/09

http://www.thesimpledollar.com

Rule #11: Find and Work Toward Your True Passions.

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 07:00 AM PDT

14 money rulesA reader asked me if I could break down my ideas into a handful of principles. After some careful thought, I came up with a list of fourteen basic “rules” that summarize my money and life philosophy. I’ll be presenting these as a weekly series.

I’ve watched it over and over again: the people that succeed in a particular career path are the people who are able to tap into their natural passions and aim that fire hose into their professional life. They know what they love and they find ways to translate that into a way to make a living. Sometimes they make a nice income - and that’s awesome. At other times, they earn just enough to get by - and that’s awesome, too.

What matters is that, in both cases, it’s a joy to get out of bed in the morning and get started on your day. Your work itself fills you with joy and excitement. When you reach that point, the line between work and play disappears - you’re happy doing whatever your day throws at you. That has a value that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. It transforms your life.

I hear from many people who claim this is impossible. It’s not. Every single day, I get out of bed, excited to write. If anything, I write more each day than I did when my passion for writing was still new. I know others who feel the same way about what they do. It makes them want to get out of bed in the morning and get started. When you feel that passion surging through you, it makes a lot of the little difficulties of life not matter too much.

If this seems completely alien to you, you simply haven’t discovered your passion yet. I discussed this a while ago, but here are seven ways to figure out your passions:

1. Maximize your health. Eat well. Get some exercise. Get away from any and all situations that are emotionally holding you back. Get plenty of sleep. Without these pieces in place, it will be hard for you to open up to new opportunities and directions.

2. Ask lots of questions. If you come across something of interest to you, ask. Follow up with more questions until you’re satisfied - at least for the moment. Research interesting topics online. Do things like a “Wikipedia stumble” - start at a general topic you’re thinking about, then click on whatever article in Wikipedia that’s most interesting to you - and keep reading and following links.

3. Ignore what’s “cool.” Remember the idea that you should stop trying to impress other people? It comes through big time here. If you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter what others think. Don’t be afraid to dive into something that seems exciting to you over a fear that others might find it “dorky.” Their label says more about them than it does about the activity.

4. Dabble in everything. If something seems interesting, try it. You might not find it enjoyable or you might find it fascinating. It’s often hard to tell the difference until you dive in. For example, having a garden might seem interesting, but until you try it, it’s hard to tell whether it’s just conceptually interesting to you (but not necessarily in practice) or something that you truly enjoy.

5. When something piques your interest, dig in. You try it. You like it. So try it again. And again. There are many things that seem quite fun on the first shot, but grow boring quickly as you hit “the dip” (where the newness wears off but you’re not very good at it). If you’re passionate about something, you won’t mind that dip.

6. Associate with others that share this growing passion of yours. Look for events in your area where people might be involved with this interest. Look for groups online where people are talking about this activity. Join in, share your thoughts, and ask questions. Nothing’s better for fostering a growing interest than a group of like-minded people.

7. If it dries up, don’t push it. True passions are sustaining - you’ll keep coming back to them because you want to. If you no longer want to engage in it, don’t make yourself. Just back away and find another path. You may find yourself returning in the future, or you may find yourself on a completely different path.

You’ll know your passion when you find it. It’ll ring inside of you like a hammer hitting a church bell. It’ll consume your thoughts and your activities, even if you’re not very good at it yet. You’ll get up each morning excited to do more. This is how I feel about writing, for one.

What do you do if you discover your passion, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to translate that into income? After all, you have to pay the bills, and even though you’ve found something you love so much you’d be happy to do it every day, it doesn’t put food on the table.

There are countless avenues for channeling that passion into income. However, almost all of these paths require you to start doing it on a part-time basis. Give up the frivolous things you were spending your evenings on and devote some of that time to a new path. Here are ten suggestions for transforming that passion into cash.

Blog Start a blog on the topic you’re passionate about. Share something new every day on there. Put a few ads on the site to earn a bit of revenue.

Teach / tutor If you have patience, hang out your shingle and volunteer to teach your passion to others. This is a great avenue for a passionate musician.

Provide services Maybe you’ve found that you’re passionate about a particular task that others find to be drudgery - scooping snow or repairing computers. Sell these services directly to others.

Create videos If you want to teach how to do the things you love, consider making videos and sharing them online. Put them on YouTube and make a simple blog to share the videos. If you start gathering followers, sign up for their rewards program and you can translate this into solid income.

Sell at farmers markets If you make things, from soap to bread to wicker baskets, you can likely do well selling the items at farmers markets. It’s a great way to make some sales and meet people interested in what you’re doing.

Write freelance articles / books If you simply enjoy writing, practice and attempt to sell some of your best work as a freelancer. Expect plenty of rejections, but also expect feedback and suggestions, especially as you improve.

Develop projects through work Take what you’re passionate about and see how it can connect to your workplace. If you’re into catering, volunteer to spend some work time getting catering set up for a work event. If you’re into art, look for ways to incorporate your art into work projects.

Take classes Work towards a degree in the area of your passion. It’s a great way to get yourself into the marketplace and to connect with lots of like-minded folks.

Volunteer / apprentice Don’t be afraid to spend your spare time volunteering to share your passion with others. Time and time again, people who share their talents freely and build their skills find themselves in other opportunities to earn an income from it.

Sell by consignment If you have a product to sell, talk to local sellers and see if they sell by consignment. They provide the space and the sales work for a cut of the revenue, while you get to focus on what you love.

Finding your passion is a life-changing event. It pushes you in new directions that fulfill you in ways you’d never expect. If you’ve never found your passion, you’re missing out on life by not seeking it out.

[Check the comments for several ways to get the skin off the bell peppers]

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/marinated_roasted_red_bell_peppers/

Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Posted by Elise on Aug 28, 2009

Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Have you heard about the “canvolution” sweeping the country? Check out CanningAcrossAmerica.com for canning events and resources. ~Elise

One of our favorite products is jarred marinated red bell peppers. They’re convenient for recipes that call for roasted red peppers, and good to nibble on straight too. Usually we just buy them at Trader Joe’s, but if you can get a good deal on a lot of peppers, you can easily make and can your own. It takes a while for red bell peppers to fully ripen into their redness, which I suppose is why they cost more than the green variety. Late August is a great time to find them at a reasonable price at a farmers market or the supermarket. To make your own, just char the peppers in a broiler or over flame, remove the blackened skin and seeds, bottle with a boiled vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil marinade. If you just want to use up the peppers quickly, you can skip the canning steps and just keep them refrigerated in their marinade (they’ll last a couple of weeks in the fridge). Or process the jars in a water bath if you want to store them in the cupboard or for a longer period of time.
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Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers Recipe
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Recipe adapted from one in Eugenia Bone’s canning book Well-Preserved and a marinated pepper recipe from Michigan State.
Ingredients

* 4 pounds firm, fresh, clean red bell peppers
* 1 cup bottled lemon juice
* 2 cups white vinegar (5%)
* 1 cup olive oil + additional for roasting the peppers
* 2 cloves garlic, quartered
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 3 pint canning jars

Method

1 If you are canning for shelf storage (and not just chilling in the refrigerator), place a steaming rack at the bottom of a large (12-qt) pot, fill half way with water, bring to a boil. It takes a while to get a large pot of water to boil, so while the water is heating, proceed with the recipe.

2a Broiler Method Position rack in oven so that the top surface of bell peppers placed in the oven will be 4-5 inches from the broiler heat element. Rub the surface of the peppers with a little olive oil (this will help them blister faster). Preheat broiler on high. Place peppers either directly on the top oven rack, with a pan to catch the drippings on a rack beneath, or place on a aluminum-foil or Silpat lined broiler pan (a cookie sheet will warp). As the surface of the peppers blister and blacken, turn them with tongs so that they will blacken on all sides.

2b Stovetop Method If you have a gas range (or grill) you can place the peppers directly on the range top so that the flames lick the peppers. Work carefully so that as soon as one section of a pepper is blackened, you turn it to work on a fresh side. If you have an electric stove, heat a cast iron pan on high and place the peppers in the pan, allowing the peel to blister and blacken, turning so that all sides get blackened.

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3 When the peppers are all well blistered and blackened, place in a non-reactive bowl and cover. (The steam from the hot peppers will help dislodge the skins.) Once the peppers have cooled enough to handle, work with them one by one over a plate, gently peel off the blackened skins. Cut the peppers in half and remove and discard the seed pods, stems and all seeds.

4 Heat lemon juice, white vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and salt, in a saucepan until boiling.

5 Dip canning jars and lids in the boiling water from step 1. Distribute the peppers evenly among the jars. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the peppers to cover (try to make sure some garlic gets in each jar). Leave 1/2-inch head space on the jars. Wipe the rims with a clean, dampened paper towel. Place on lids and rings (do not tighten rings tight).

At this point you can store in the refrigerator for several weeks. If you want longer storage, or shelf storage, proceed.

6 Place filled jars in boiling water on a rack (from step 1). (Helps to use tongs and wear thick rubber gloves). Water should cover jars by at least an inch. Boil for 15 minutes. Let cool in pot for several minutes, remove. Let cool completely. You should hear the jars “pop” as the lids seal. If a jar does not seal, store it in the refrigerator and use up within a few weeks. Otherwise the jars should last a year.

Makes 3 pint jars.

Links:
Canning Across America
Canning Marinated Peppers - from Michigan State University Extension
Well-Preserved by Eugenia Bone

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/rose_hip_jelly_and_jam/

Rose Hip Jelly and Jam

Posted by Elise on Aug 15, 2009

Filed under Jams and Jellies

Rose Hip Jelly and Jam

“Can we make rose hip jelly?” asked my young (10) friend Alden as we walked along the beach bordered by sand dunes covered with beach roses. “These,” she said, pointing to the bright red jaw-breaker sized orbs in the thorny shrubs, “are rose hips. And mom says people make jelly out of them.” We were surrounded by thousands of them. “Sure!” said I. Thank God for the Internet.

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So, what are rose hips? They are the seed pods of roses; if you leave the flowers alone to wither on the plant instead of picking them, they will produce rose hips. Rose hips are edible (as are rose petals), though you want to make sure to pick rose hips only from roses that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. Wild beach roses are perfect, as are dog roses and sweet briars.

Rose hips do not taste like roses. Their taste is sort of tangy, like hibiscus. If you’ve ever had Red Zinger tea, it’s along that line. Rose hips are an excellent source of vitamin C; I’ve seen references from 8 to 40 times as much C in rose hips as in oranges.

alden-with-rosehip.jpg

rosehips.jpg

So we did, indeed gather buckets full of rose hips from the beach and made a couple batches of jelly and one of jam. Of the two, the kids seemed to prefer the jelly and the adults the jam. The jam is marmalade-ish given that I use an orange and a green apple to help provide pectin. The rose hips themselves have very little natural pectin. The jelly recipe uses commercial pectin.

In doing research for the jelly adventure, several sources mentioned that the rose hips are best picked right after the first frost, when they are the sweetest. We picked them in August, and tried to get them as red all around as we could, and firm, blemish-free.

Have you ever cooked with rose hips? Made tea with them? Jams or Jellies? If so, please share your experiences with us in the comments.
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Rose Hip Jelly and Jam Recipe
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Rose hips have seeds on the inside that are itchy and irritating. If you make jam, you will need to completely remove the seeds. If you make jelly, you can leave the seeds in if you want, or remove them; they will get strained out if you don’t remove them before cooking. On doing research for the jelly recipe, one source said that the seeds were slightly tannic and recommended removing them. I tried it both ways and noticed practically no difference in the resulting taste. Removing the seeds is rather painstaking, and for the jelly recipe can add an entire hour to the jelly making process.

Do not use aluminum or cast iron to cook the rosehips; use stainless steel.
Ingredients

Rosehip Jelly Ingredients

* 2 quarts rose hips
* 1 1/2 quarts water
* 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
* 1 package SureJell pectin
* 1/4 teaspoon butter
* 3 1/2 cups sugar

* 6 8-ounce canning jars and fresh lids

Method

Rosehip Jelly Method

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1 Rinse the rose hips thoroughly. Cut off the scraggly ends and discard.

2 Place rose hips in a large pot. Add 1 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour (or longer), until rose hips are soft and mashable.

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3 Use a potato masher to mash up the rose hips into a rough purée. Set up a jelly bag, or a large very fine mesh strainer, or 4 layers of cheesecloth over a bowl or large pot. Transfer the rose hip mixture into the jelly bag/strainer/cheesecloth. Let strain into the bowl for at least an hour. Squeeze the jelly bag or cheesecloth to get more remaining juice out.

4 Measure the juice. You will need 3 cups of juice for this recipe, so if you have less than 3 cups, add more water to the mixture (you can also add some boiling water to the jelly bag if you still have it set up, allowing more liquid to drain out).

5 Prepare canning jars. You’ll need 5 to 6 half-pint canning jars and lids. Sterilize the jars by either running them through the dishwasher, right before canning, or placing them on a rack in a large pot of water that you bring to a boil for 10 minutes, or by placing them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. To sterilize the lids, bring a kettle of a couple cups of water to a boil. Place lids in a shallow bowl and pour the boiling water over them.

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6 Place 3 cups of the rose hip juice in a large, wide pot. Add the lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil, dissolving all of the pectin. Add the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the butter. Bring to a hard boil (one that you can not reduce by stirring). The mixture will bubble up considerably. Boil for exactly one minute. Then remove from heat and pour off into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace from the rim.

7 If any jelly falls on the rim as your pour it into the jars, wipe the rim with a damp paper towel. Place sterilized lids on jars and rings to secure. As the jars cool you should hear a popping sound as the lids seal. If for some reason some of the lids do not seal (happens sometimes), store those jars in the refrigerator or process in a water bath. To process, place the jars on a rack in a large, tall stock pot. Cover with an inch of water and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, remove the jars from the water, and let cool. The lids should seal; if not, you will need to store in the refrigerator.

Makes 5 8-ounce jars.

Rosehip Jam Recipe

This jam is somewhat of a marmalade jam, given the inclusion of the orange. It uses orange and grated apple to supply natural pectin, so you do not need to add commercial pectin to this recipe.
Ingredients

* 2 quarts large rosehips
* 1 large orange
* 1 large green apple
* The zest and juice of 2 lemons
* 6 cups water
* 5 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon butter

* 6 8-ounce canning jars and fresh lids

Method

rosehip-jam-cut-rosehip.jpg rosehip-jam-remove-seeds.jpg

1 Prepare the rose hips. Cut away and discard the green scraggly ends. Cut the rosehips in half and scrape out and discard all of the seeds and thistle-ly hairy bits. With the remaining rose hip pieces, discard any bits that are blemished. Then roughly chop the rose hips. You will need 4 cups of clean, chopped rose hip.

rosehip-jam-orange-slices.jpg

2 Prep the orange. Cut off and discard the ends of the orange. Slice the orange lengthwise into wedges. Remove (and reserve) any seeds, and if you can, remove and reserve membranes. Take the wedges and cut each one of them so that you have a bunch of little triangles of orange.

3 Prep the apple. Peel the apple, reserving the peel. Then grate the apple with a cheese grater (large hole). Chop up the core and reserve.

rosehip-jam-pectin-bag.jpg

4 Place the chopped rose hips, grated apple, and chopped orange into a large (8-quart) wide pot. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the pot. Add the water to the pot. Take the apple core pieces, apple peel, and any orange seeds and membrane and place in a double layer of cheese cloth. Wrap them up and place in the pot with the chopped fruit and rosehips. (This will be a source of pectin.)

5 Prepare canning jars. You’ll need 6 to 7 half-pint canning jars and lids. Sterilize the jars by either running them through the dishwasher, right before canning, or placing them on a rack in a large pot of water that you bring to a boil for 10 minutes, or by placing them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. To sterilize the lids, bring a kettle of a couple cups of water to a boil. Place lids in a shallow bowl and pour the boiling water over them.

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6 Bring mixture to a hard boil, partially covered, for 30 minutes or so, or until the orange peels can be easily cut through without resistance. Remove from heat. Remove the cheesecloth pectin bag and place in a bowl to cool. Once cool enough to handle easily, gently squeeze the cheesecloth pouch to extract more of the pectin (it will be sort of gloppy). Add the extracted pectin-y juice back into the pan with the rosehips.

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7 Measure out the sugar and add to the rosehip mixture. Heat to high, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar has all dissolved. Add butter (will help keep the foaming down). Bring to a rapid boil, uncovered, reduce heat to medium high. Place a small plate in your freezer. After about 25 minutes begin testing the jam by placing a small amount on the chilled plate. Allow 30 seconds to pass and then run your finger through it to see what the cooled consistency will be. Boil for a few minutes longer if desired for a thicker jam. Do not overcook or the mixture will caramelize and give you an odd taste.

8 Ladle the mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars. Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a dampened paper towel. Seal them with the sterilized lids, leaving 1/4 inch of head space.

Makes 6 8-oz. jars.

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Links:
Research on rosehips
Rosehip Syrup and Rosehip Apple Jelly from The Cottage Smallholder
Drying rosehips for tea from Frugal Cuisine
Rosehip syrup from Hunter Gathering

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/elderberry_jelly/

Elderberry Jelly

Posted by Elise on Aug 1, 2009

Elderberry Jelly

If you are of a certain age, your primary, and perhaps only, reference to elderberries is likely an Elton John song, a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, or if older perhaps a Cary Grant film. So it was much to my surprise to learn from my friend Hank that elderberries grow wild all along the American River, less than half a mile from my home. We moved to Sacramento when I was nine; I have spent countless summers catching minnows and picking blackberries at the river. I can’t believe these elderberries have been there the whole time, right in front of me. Of course when I saw Hank’s photos I recognized them (those are edible?!) and as soon as I could, wrangled Garrett into joining me for elderberry picking and jelly making.

Garrett has a characteristically hilarious account of our elderberry picking adventure. Picking them was a challenge, given the star thistles poking through our jeans, constant vigilance for ticks (I really don’t like those) and rattlesnakes (have had a couple close encounters with those at the river). Speaking of rattlers, Garrett is the only person I know personally who has actually been bitten by one, ask him about it. The good news is that there are plenty of elderberry shrubs right alongside various paths and trails around the river, so you don’t have to do much bushwhacking to get to them. In most parts of the country they ripen in late summer; here in Sacramento they begin to ripen in early July and then new clusters ripen all summer.

elderberry-plant-3.jpg
One of the many elderberry shrubs growing along the American River

If you do go picking, wear long sleeve shirt, a hat, and jeans. Make sure you bring a plastic bag, otherwise juice from the fragile berries that will invariably get crushed will seep through and stain your clothes. Bring clippers.

elderberry-plant-2.jpg

In Northern California, the variety of elderberry we get here often has a white blush covering the ripe blue/black berries. You’ll want to cut the cluster from its base. Do not process the leaves or stems, as they may contain problematic alkaloids.

The truly time consuming part of processing elderberries is the stripping of the berries from their stems, after they’ve been thoroughly rinsed. It took me about 10 minutes to pick 4 pounds of berries on my last foray, and about 1 1/2 hours to de-stem them.

So, what do they taste like? A lot like blackberries, though they do have a distinctive flavor, and unless very ripe, they are a bit tart. They make a jelly much like concord grape jelly, though not as cloying. After Garrett and I made a couple batches and swore never to bother again because of the work de-stemming, I went out again on my own to pick more. Why? Because we love the way the jelly turned out. Absolutely delicious. I’ve been making peanut butter elderberry jelly sandwiches for lunch for all week long.

What follows is a recipe for the jelly, but you can also make elderberry syrup by making juice, adding sugar, and boiling it down, or elderberry liqueur. Or you can make wine from the berries. I’ve taken plain elderberries, sprinkled sugar on them, and added them to my breakfast cereal like blueberries. According to some studies, elderberries are naturally anti-viral, so the syrup or jelly is good to eat when you are trying to recover from a cold or flu.
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Elderberry Jelly Recipe
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Do not double this recipe. Make one batch at a time.
Ingredients

* 3-4 lbs ripe (not green) elderberries (after de-stemming)
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 packet MCP pectin*
* 4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon butter

*If using a different brand of pectin, follow ratios on package instructions for making blackberry jelly.
Method

elderberry-jelly-2.jpg elderberry-jelly-3.jpg

1 Rinse elderberry clusters thoroughly. Working over a large bowl, work on one small cluster at a time, gently raking your fingers across the clusters to dislodge the berries from the stems. Only use berries that are completely blue or black. Do not use green berries or partially green berries as they are not ripe. For each batch of jelly, collect 3 lbs of de-stemmed elderberries. Once de-stemmed, rinse again.

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2 Place berries in a large pot and crush with a potato masher to release some of the juices. Turn the heat to medium and continue to crush as the mixture heats up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

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3 Place a large fine-mesh sieve, or 4 layers of cheesecloth, over a pot. Slowly transfer the mashed berries and juice over the sieve to strain the juice out into the pot. Let strain for several hours.

4 Prepare jars for canning. You’ll need 5-6 8-ounce canning jars and lids. Rinse out the jars and place on a baking sheet, top up, in the oven. Heat for 10 minutes at 190°F to sterilize the jars. To sterilize the lids, bring a kettle of a couple cups of water to a boil. Place lids in a shallow bowl and pour the boiling water over them.

5 Measure out the juice. You will need 3 cups of juice to make one batch of jelly if using MCP pectin, 3 3/4 cups of juice if using SureJell pectin**. Any amount more than that you can reserve for making syrup, or add to another batch for jelly. Place 3 cups of juice into a large, wide pot (8-quart). Add the lemon juice and pectin.

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6 Bring to a boil. Add 4 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of butter. Stir with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil again. Watch the pot as the mixture will foam up considerably. As soon as the mixture reaches a rolling boil that you cannot diminish by stirring, watch the clock. At exactly 2 minutes, remove from heat and pour mixture into canning jars to 1/4-inch of headspace from the rim.

7 Wipe rims with a damp paper towel. Place lids on jars and rings to secure. Let cool. As the jelly cools you should hear a popping sound as the lids seal.

Makes 5 8-ounce jars.

**Note these are the guidelines from the pectin box instructions. I found that even half as much pectin will cause the jelly to set, though perhaps not as firm as the whole amount.

Links:
Elderberry Syrup - by David Lebovitz
Elderberry Season is Here - Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

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