Garden

my onions and garlic are up and running. Yesterday Sugar(the big goat) stuck her head through the fence and ate 3 of my red onions. I didn't realize that a goat would eat onions. I didn't think that any animal except humans would eat onions. Boy was i wrong. I replanted the bottoms so that they will come back with little damage.

My potatoes are doing well. I need to weed and mulch them. i was using the old hay around the pole shed to mulch them but my husband got a bee in his bonnet and racked it all up and burnt it. I told him what i was using it for but he said all i was doing was planting bermuda.

My first attempt at chinese cabage. They are doing great. I have green leafy lettuce right behind it. Although it is doing well things keep eating it and i am only one of those things. Right now i have it double fenced. I have the garden fence and then netting around it. Salads taste better out of the garden.

Canning Part 1

The modern homemaker is often inclined to depend upon commercial agencies for preservation of her winter's supply of food or else to rely upon fresh foods. The latter method is extremely expensive and not altogether satisfactory since vegetables, particularly, may change in nutritive value during shipping and marketing. Home canned and dried foods are usually more economical and often more tasty.
Canning is the process whereby food is sterilized and kept under sterile conditions in which bacteria, yeast, mold, etc., are not allowed to grow.
Firm, ripe fruits which show no signs of decay and few blemishes should be selected. Vegetables should be canned while they are yet tender and full flavored. They should be gathered early in the morning and canned shortly thereafter.
After essential preparation such as peeling, shelling and washing, foods either may be cooked and placed in the jar, or may be can-cooked, that is, cooked or processed in the can. In the can-cooked method, the food is packed in the can either raw,blanched, or precooked. Since blanching and precooking cause loss of flavor and nutritive value, they are used only in cases where they aid in peeling, in packing, and in preventing excessive shrinkage in the cans. The only foods which need to be precooked are asparagus, green beans, spinach and meat; others may or may not be, as desired. Blanching may be done by dipping in hot water for a few minutes which makes the removal of tomato and peach skins easier. Precooking is most satisfactorily done by steaming.
All jars and lids should be sterilized. This is done by placing them in water kept boiling for 15-20 minutes. Do not let the interior come in contact with unsterile materials before using. Do not boil rubber rings; soak them in soda solution made with 1 tsp. soda per cup of water. After the food and cans have been carefully prepared, in the can-cooked method pack the cans firmly and securely, but not too tightly. Exceptions to this rule are peas, shelled beans, corn and meat which should be packed loosely to insure thorough sterilization. Cover with hot water to within 1/2" of jar top and 1 tsp. salt per quart of food for vegetables. In the case of fruits, a sirup of desired consistency usually takes the place of water. Place the lids and tighten as much as possible with thumb and finger, or tighten completely and then turn back 1/4".