We are approaching the end of one of the coldest summers in recent Minnesota history. Friends who have lived here for 40 years cannot remember such a cold summer. Nighttime temperatures have struggled to get above 40s and 50s. Not your corn and bean growing weather, for sure! We have planted our corn and beans three (count ‘em…3!) times and still have struggling crops. But finally everything is seeming to be getting there. Our corn sure wasn’t knee high by the Fourth of July…some wasn’t even planted! But now we have our best corn starting to tassel out. Strangely enough (or not!) it is the old Native American corns, such as Santo Domingo Blue, Abenaki Calais Flint, and Bear Island Chippewa that braved the cold, germinated the FIRST time, and are growing decently. Hooray for those old corns! It may be my only canning corn, although they are cornmeal corns. One has to be flexible on the homestead and, after all, Native Peoples ate these corns “green” or as sweet corn is eaten today. Why can’t we? Of course we can; we have before and they were great.

Our tomato plants are loaded with ripening tomatoes; they are a bit late because of the cold, but they are doing well and today I mulched them with a nice layer of straw to hold down the moisture from the rains and soaker hoses.

The cold weather crops are great! We are eating broccoli, Swiss chard, onions, baby carrots, and kohlrabi. The cabbage is heading well and the cauliflower is starting. Our storage onions are already the size of your fist and we have another month or more of growing left. Wow!

You’ll remember that we planted a second crop of potatoes as our first ones came up poorly. Well, they’re doing absolutely great and are even starting to bloom. We WILL have potatoes, after all! Of course, we’re babying them like crazy, just like our corn. I’m SO glad we replanted. Now if we’ll just have a late fall…One can hope…

Readers’ Questions:

Rotel-style tomatoes

We are canning heirloom tomatoes and want to put up some Rotel. The only recipes I can find call for Roma tomatoes and contain sugar and vinegar. Is this because of the low acid in Roma tomatoes? I guess the real question here is…Can we just can our heirloom tomatoes with bell peppers, onions, and hot peppers and have Rotel? Do you have a recipe for Rotel with Heirloom tomatoes?

Cliff` West
Cabot, Arkansas

No, you can’t can tomatoes with onions and peppers (as you have in Rotel) without using the vinegar and sugar. The vinegar, in effect, raises the acidity of a low acid food (peppers and onions) and the sugar cuts the acid bite. You’ll also see this in salsa recipes, which are similar to Rotel. The recipes call for roma tomatoes because they are more meaty and the Rotel is less watery than if you used a juicy tomato, heirloom or not. There are lots of heirloom paste tomatoes. — Jackie

Jackie Clay autobiography?

I just finished reading “Starting Over” and just LOVED IT…I couldn’t put it down. When is your new book going to be available for purchase? I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Also – why don’t you write your autobiography? I for one would love to read all about you and your life.

Rusty McHale
Las Cruces, New Mexico

I’m glad you liked Starting Over. Gee, it seems so long ago that the events in that book happened! The new book on growing and canning your food is done and should be available very soon. An autobiography? Me? My kids all tell me I’m BORING! — Jackie

Canning kimchi

We have been looking for the proper steps to can kimchi after it has fermented. But no one has any answers as to how, but plenty of people are asking this same question. Should we just can it the same way as sauerkraut? Both are fermented cabbage so shouldn’t the canning process be the same? Should we use a water bath or pressure canner?

The answer we usually find is to put it in the refrigerator, but that defeats the purpose of finding a shelf stable way of storing it. When my husband was stationed in Korea he saw that most people kept it buried near their homes or stored it in jars on the roof. Neither of those options seem to be a practical way for us to store kimchi here.

Randy and Jamie Howk
New Ulm, Minnesota

I would assume that you could can kimchi like you do sauerkraut, as both are fermented, high acid products. BUT I could find no information for you on safe water bath processing times specifically for kimchi, so I can’t recommend it to you. This is not the first time someone wanted to can kimchi, and I sure wish I could help you. — Jackie

Fruit from a Prairiefire Crabapple tree

I have a Prairiefire Crabapple tree in my yard and it is always overloaded with fruit. I have always been curious if I can use the fruit for jams, etc. but as of yet have not been able to find out if this is safe for human consumption. So my question is can I use the fruit? If I can’t it’s going to go away in favor of a cherry or pear tree.

James Loomis
Burton, Michigan

All crabapples are edible and safe. Some are more tart than others and some make better jelly. I think you’ll be happy with Prairiefire. Make a batch of jelly and do a taste test. Maybe you want to plant a cherry tree next to it! — Jackie

Long-term food storage items

My parents recently got my family a subscription to BHM, and lent us their book of Emergency Preparedness and Survival Guide. Where we live everyone has a garden to help make it through the winter, but we are looking into longer term storage items after reading that book. Do you have a list or chart that tells exactly how long foods are good for that includes frozen, canned, home canned, and dried goods? We would appreciate anyone who can help us with that. Thank you for all your time and effort in helping people become self-reliant.

Melody Cloer
Bryson City, North Carolina

There are charts to this effect, but they are just general guidelines. Storage time depends a lot on several factors; how the food is packaged, how it’s stored (the freezer keeps food tasty for much less time than does canning or dehydrating) and the storage conditions. Generally, I look on the freezer as a temporary food storage, with canning providing nearly “forever” storage and dehydrated food falling in-between (generally 5 years or more). Frozen food will only stay good, in most cases, for a few months to a year before it becomes freezer burned and nearly inedible. AND if the power goes out, you’re in a position to lose all your food if it stays out for a lengthy time. — Jackie

Making jam with Jello instead of pectin

Thank you for all the great advice and recipes you share. My question is about making jam with Jello, in place of the traditional commercial pectin. I’ve seen recipes for this that always are for jam to be refrigerated, not processed. In a couple of your columns you have advised people to add a tablespoon or two of powdered Jello to a jar of “runny” jam to thicken it, and then refrigerate it. Why can’t jam made with Jello be water bath processed for longer shelf life?

Donna Herlihy
Wentworth, New Hampshire

It can. I have several recipes which use Jello instead of pectin. You do need to have recipes using Jello as you can’t just exchange Jello for pectin. My friend, Jeri, just gave me a recipe for a great cherry-rhubarb jam that uses Jello and cherry pie filling. She says it’s the best jam they’ve ever eaten and she cans a lot.. So I HAVE to try it! — Jackie

Beet pickles

I moved on my dad’s farm after his passing 3 years ago and have been trying to remember things as a kid, and living in the city for many years has not helped. I have planted a garden; I have a great love for beet pickles. Do you have a recipe for these? Can you cold pack them or do you need to use a pressure canner, which I do not have. I am trying to fix things up, buildings house etc.I live on my own and am on a very tight budget.Your items have helped me alot. I just wish I could build things like you do. How in the world have you learned all of these things? You are a great inspiration.

Sandra Wendt
O’Neill, Nebraska

Beet pickles are very easy to make and great tasting, too. Here’s a simple recipe:

24 small beets
2 cups sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp. whole allspice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups water

Cut tops off beets; leave 2 inches of stems and roots. Cook beets, remove stems and roots and peel. Combine all ingredients but for beets in a large saucepan. Bring pickling mixture to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes under a low heat. Remove cinnamon sticks. Pack beets into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid over beets, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim of jar clean and place hot, previously simmered lid on jar and screw down ring firmly tight. Process pints for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. (If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult a canning book for directions on increasing your processing time to suit your altitude, if necessary.)

How did I learn to build? My dad showed me a lot when I was young, and I’ve read a lot since then. AND I just build to the best of my ability. As with anything, the more you do, the better you get at it. Grab a hammer, level, saw, and square and you’ll soon be building stuff too! — Jackie

Flavoring canned turkey

My husband and I are approaching the self-reliant way of life; currently we are property hunting. My question is about canning meat. I canned turkey last year and it was yummy but I would like a recipe and how-to instructions for flavoring the meat with marinade, gravy, spices, and even stews all for pressure canning.

Joan Young
North Rose, New York

There are no special recipes for seasoning meats to can. Do what you’d do when you plan on roasting/cooking your meat. Go a little lighter on the seasonings, though, as sometimes during prolonged storage, spices get stronger flavored. You can always add more; you can’t take it away later on! Don’t use a thicker gravy; it can prevent adequate heat penetration to the center of the jar during processing. Instead, use a barely thickened gravy or better yet, a broth. You’ll find all your meats can up very nicely.

Good luck in finding your dream property! — Jackie

As several of our does and doelings are related to our Boer buck, Rocky, we decided to buy a new purebred Boer buck this summer. Well, we looked and looked and we couldn’t find anything we liked or that was even as good as our own stock here on the homestead. We want to improve our little herd. I cross Nubian dairy goats with Boer meat goats to get a heavier, stronger body, yet retain the milking ability of the dairy goats. So far it’s worked very well. I have two does that milk over a gallon a day and have produced stocky daughters and sons, too.

We were getting very frustrated after days of looking and having this and that herd not work for us. It finally looked as though we’d have to go to the Iowa/Minnesota border for a good buck when I spotted this GORGEOUS buck on the Internet. And he was only two and a half hours away, too! Let me tell you, it didn’t take too long for us to get driving! Minutes after I talked to the owner, Will was building a stock rack for our pickup. That was yesterday. My friend, Jeri, took care of Mom and off we went to McGregor.

The goat belonged to a young man, Beau Sorenson, who has a nice small herd of Boers that he shows in 4-H. We love to support youngsters in their animal endeavors, so it didn’t take long for us to strike a deal. We also bought one of this buck’s doelings from this year.

We’re so excited about this BIG, thick buck and all he can do for our herd. I could do without the horns, but most Boers come with them, so we’ll just have to live with them. But all his kids will be disbudded for ease of handling and their own safety. Oh, yesterday was my birthday, so WHAT a birthday present, huh? Wow!

Readers’ Questions:

Potato/tomato blight

I hope your weather is warming up for your garden. All of your projects seem to be coming along great. Enjoy watching your progress. I have a question about potato/tomato blight. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has been experiencing this blight for several weeks. Do you have any suggestions for protecting the plants from this destructive disease? Several of my neighbors have lost their entire crops of tomatoes/potatoes already. I am looking for something homemade, if possible. Thank you for any advice you can give. Also, do you have a date yet for the release of your new book? I am really looking forward to getting it. I am “hoping” to give it as Christmas gifts.

Rosemarie Wesolek
Mahaffey, Pennsylvania

This is a highly destructive form of late blight, which was also seen in the Irish Potato Famine in the 1800s. It kills the plants, causing the fruit to rot in or on the ground.

It seems to have been spread this time by the sale of infected tomato plants. It can be wind-borne, settling out on various host plants, chiefly tomatoes and potatoes, causing outbreaks.

It is caused by a fungus-like organism and is susceptible to fungicides. The recommended combination is chlorothalonil and copper, with copper alone working in some cases; the combination is much better. It is recommended to treat gardens and commercial plants in the “danger zone,” chiefly Pennsylvania, before any signs show in your plants, to protect them.

Annie Tuttle is madly at work finishing the last bits and pieces of editing and formatting the book so it can go off to the printers. (It may have already left; it’s that close!) So it should be available quite soon. — Jackie

Canning coleslaw

I can everything under the sun. I want to make the best use of my cabbage which is having a great year due to the cool summer. I want to can coleslaw, but I am concerned about the amount of oil in it. Also how long would you can it for? I use 1 head cabbage, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 3/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 cup oil, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. celery seed. Do you have a better recipe?

Patricia Harmon
Spencer, New York

Instead of coleslaw, why don’t you try pickled cabbage, which is a sweet, pickled, shredded cabbage that is quite crisp. I then drain it, add mayonnaise and have a good “canned” slaw base. You’re right; too much oil. — Jackie

Problem with gas stove burner

You responded to my question in the end of June, and I just got back from a trip and just now read it. You may remember that I was having trouble keeping the pressure regulated in my canner, that the pressure was too high with the burner all the way turned down. You asked if my stove was electric. No, it’s not. It’s gas. Turned down as low as it will go, it will scorch anything through the thickest cast iron I have, unless I keep half the pot off the burner, and continually turn it. I don’t have a propane stove like you mentioned, however I do have a few Coleman stoves, so maybe I will try it on one of those. It’s so frustrating for cooking, as well as now trying to pressure can on it.

Angela Billings
Stronghurst, Illinois

I would check with a gas repair person in your area. This is NOT normal and your burner may need an adjustment. I can just imagine how horrible it is to cook on it! — Jackie

Canning eggplant casserole

For the first time ever I’m growing eggplant (I’d never eaten it either). So I’ve been hunting recipes for it. I’ve finally found one. Now I want to know if there is any way I can can the ingredients. My major concern with this recipe is there’s very little liquid.
Here’s the recipe:

You’re right; there is very little liquid and also the butter and green pepper. I think I’d pass on canning this recipe. If you have a freezer, why not make batches up and freeze it? Or can the eggplant alone and make your recipe as you wish? — Jackie

Ceramic laundry discs

Have you ever used the T Wave Ceramic Laundry Discs by Tsunami Wave or any other laundry discs and are they as good as they say they are? They sound like a great alternative to laundry soap.

Ken Smith
Shenandoah, Iowa

No, I haven’t. Have any readers used this product? I’d like to know too. — Jackie

Using salt in asparagus beds

I have a 50-foot row of asparagus and it’s a pain to keep weeded. A friend told me that his grandmother used to salt her asparagus bed to keep the weeds down. Does this work? What kind of salt and how much do I use?

Betsy Palmer
Saybrook, Illinois

I tried the salt and it really didn’t help. Instead, I switched to a heavy mulch and that made a huge difference. Any weeds that do show up are easily pulled. You can use straw, pine needles, or wood chips. Then in the fall, after you weed it, spread a couple of inches of good rotted manure over that. The manure contains abundant nitrogen to feed the plants for next spring’s growth. — Jackie

10 acres of wheat

My husband and I have recently purchased a home on 10 acres currently planted in wheat. We do not have the equipment nor are we interested in growing wheat in the future. We are only looking to transform 1-2 acres into a garden for our vegetables but plan on planting several fruit trees on some of the other land. The rest we will leave as is. Will the unused portion of land need to be cleared or will it eventually “grow over?” We both work full time now but in the future when we retire (10 years) we may use the land for future gardens and/or animals and would like to do what we can now to prepare. What would you suggest – we would be happy to let someone harvest the already-planted wheat at no charge but what after that?

Jacqueline Chivleatto
Troy, Idaho

If it were my land, I’d probably plant it to a pasture crop, such as alfalfa, clover, etc. mixed with orchard grass, timothy, or another grass that does well in your area. Ask a feed dealer in your area. This will help keep the weeds down, which will help your future homestead garden, and will provide a nice pasture for any animals you decide to buy later on. Just leaving it wild will work, but you’ll end up with a lot of undesirables, weeds and other growth that you may have to deal with later on.
– Jackie

Canning green beans in the oven

Have you ever canned green beans in the oven? My mother use to can in her oven when I was little; she’s gone now, and I have been trying to can. I can’t remember how hot or how long you leave them in the oven.

Joyce Johnson
Inwood, West Virginia

PLEASE DON’T CAN YOUR GREEN BEANS IN THE OVEN OR IN A BOILING WATER BATH CANNER. I know in the past folks did these things, but it is not safe enough to continue doing now, especially the oven canning. Green beans must be pressure canned to kill the possible botulism spores that produce deadly toxin. — Jackie

Can pressure canning cause mushy food

Several of your recipes call for fully cooking foods before canning the food. Then during pressure canning the temperature is raised again and held at that high temperature. Does this not create mushy food?

Mary O’Brien
Nashville, Tennessee

No. If it did, I sure wouldn’t do it. Some foods are not changed by “double heating,” so to speak, where others do get mushy. Generally, the ones that do get soft are only simmered for about 5 minutes to heat them thoroughly before processing, but always check the directions on the food you plan on canning. — Jackie