Broccoli; king of cool weather!

Because we’ve had record cool weather this summer, our cole crops are doing fantastic! We’ve been eating broccoli, kohlrabi, onions, and carrots nearly every day. And to keep up with the broccoli, I’ve been dehydrating it. Broccoli really isn’t very good canned (cauliflower and cabbage are.) so I dehydrate it. I just cut it into flowerettes, blanch it for three minutes, drain it, cool it, then cut it up into pieces about the size of the end of my thumb. Then into the screened dehydrator trays they go, in a single layer. I plan on doing this on laundry day, on days Will is using power tools on the storage barn or some such other energy hog day when the generator is going to be on quite awhile. In a few hours, the broccoli is pretty dry and the summer heat finishes the job nicely. When it’s crisp, it goes into a quart jar and the lid is shut. Each batch is added until the jar is full. It’s great in cream of broccoli soup, cheddar cheese/broccoli/bacon potato toppings, casseroles, etc. It rehydrates nicely and retains its color and flavor. Pretty darned good! And this year we don’t even have cabbage moths! Wow!

Readers’ Questions:

Mushrooms in the garden

I have “mushrooms” growing in my raised beds. The beds were built and filled last year with trucked-in, screened topsoil. They were planted in vegetables last and there were no mushrooms then. The weather here has been dry and cool this summer. Do you know if these things will contaminate this year’s vegetables or if they will come back in future years? Or…maybe they are no more of a problem than all the other weeds!

Mary McEnulty
Priest River, Idaho

Don’t worry about fungi in your vegetable beds. The spores probably rode in with the topsoil and took awhile to develop. It isn’t a problem. Just pull them if you don’t want to have them around. — Jackie

Harvesting Hopi Pale Grey squash

A while back I asked you for some seeds for Hopi Pale Grey squash, which you kindly sent me. I finally got some to grow this year, and I was wondering how big these squash get, and when best to harvest and use them. I have a few squash that I think are the Hopis (the squash patch is sort of overrun!), and they are quite large.

Mark Pressler
Momence, Illinois

Hopi Pale Grey squash vary in size from just larger than an acorn to more commonly a roundish, pointed on the ends, larger than a football shape. They are light blueish gray in color. Remember that squash of the same species will cross, so to save pure seeds, be sure you didn’t plant any squash that are C. maximas, such as many Japanese squash, giant pumpkins, hubbards, etc. — Jackie

Canning frozen broth

I have been collecting the broth and left over veggies every time that I roast chicken thighs. I have been freezing it with plans to turn it into chicken soup. I just bought my first pressure canner, and would now like to make the soup and then can it. Can I use the frozen broth to do this? All of the broth is less than six months old.

Lisa Johnson
Plainfield, Indiana

Yes, you can use your frozen broth. Just thaw and can it like it was fresh. — Jackie

Adopting children

I have a question regarding adoption. I have read in some of your articles and answers to questions that you have adopted children with special needs and I think that is wonderful, but I would like to ask you from your experience is there an age (age of the parent) that you would not consider adopting. I figure from what you said that you have been thru a lot with all the children that you have had and are there any things that an older couple (in their early 50’s) should consider before taking such a plunge and we are talking about developmentally delayed children. I love your articles and how you open up your life and experiences for people to learn from. If this is too personal I understand, but appreciate any feedback. Oh yes, the children are under the age of 6.

Michelle Chapin
Fresno, Ohio

I don’t really think your age matters a whole lot, but your patience and disposition do more, regardless of age. Like all homemade kids, adopted kids will try you and require lots of your energy and patience along the way. I have to laugh, thinking back. One night I was in the living room, helping 7 kids with homework. They were spread out all around the room. First one, then the next would call out “Mom! Can you help me?” After four of them did it, my daughter, Munni, from India, started giggling. “Just listen, Mom!” and she pointed at first one, then the next. In seconds we were all laughing so hard tears came!

Be prepared for lots of visits to specialists, schools, etc. And expect lots of questioning about WHY you adopted in the first place. A whole lot of people just don’t understand and think you’re “in it for the money.” Ha! Ha! I never received a penny for adopting special needs children, but folks wouldn’t believe it.

It’s exciting to adopt children and they quickly become truly a part of your family. Good luck! — Jackie

Canned corn turning brown

I looked through the archives and I could not find anything: how do you keep your canned corn from turning brown?

Carole-Anne Hopkins
Riverton, Wyoming

There are several possibilities when canned corn turns brown. The corn could have been too mature and starting to get starchy; use corn that is still very milky when you pop a kernel with your thumbnail. It could have been processed at too high a temperature. (Have your gauge checked if your canner has one; it may be faulty.) The water/juice may not have covered the corn; watch pressure to avoid liquid from blowing out of jar during drops/rises in pressure. A few varieties of corn are suspected of browning during canning. These are usually the super sweet varieties with high sugar; try a different kind if that’s the case, next year.

Better luck next time! This is not real common. — Jackie

Keeping pickles in the refrigerator

I made some of your “Fresh Pack Pickles” today (from the Backwoods Home Cookbook) but when I processed them my stove flame had blown out and so they just sat in the hot water rather than actually boiling. Whoops. I don’t want to reprocess them for fear of jarred MUSH so I just put them into the fridge as soon as the jars were cool. How long will they keep in there unopened? I would think a long time but I thought I’d get your opinion.

Cathy Ostrowski
Amherst, New York

They will keep indefinitely; pickles are quite forgiving, especially refrigerated ones! — Jackie

Watermelon jelly

My watermelons have exceeded my eating capacity. I’m wondering if there’s a recipe you might have for making watermelon jelly?

Matt Remsing
Daingerfield, Texas

Sure, Matt, try this one. WE won’t have watermelons this year; it’s been way too cold; the plants are only six inches high!

4 cups seeded, chopped watermelon meat (no rind)
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 pkg. powdered pectin

Place chopped watermelon in a large pot. Slowly heat, mashing with a potato masher; simmer until soft. Add 6 Tbsp. lemon juice and stir. Stir in powdered pectin and bring to a boil, stirring to avoid scorching. Add full measure of sugar and bring to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Boil 1 minute, stirring well. Ladle hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe rim of jar clean, place hot, previously simmered lid on jar and screw down ring firmly tight. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. — Jackie

Eliminating salt from canning

My husband needs to watch his sodium intake. I’d like to can some beef cubes, and the recipe I have calls for 1/2 teaspoon salt per pint. Can I halve that, or even omit it altogether?

Julie Hamilton
Lititz, Pennsylvania

Good news! You don’t need to put salt into anything you can. The “add 1/2 tsp salt” directions are only for taste enhancement. It does nothing to keep the food good. This goes for meat, vegetables, and poultry. You DO need to use it for pickle recipes, but you can choose ones with less salt in the recipes to help. — Jackie

Gophers getting potatoes

I have been digging potatoes and found that at least half have been eaten with chunks taken out of them. Is this a mole? We live in Ohio so I don’t think we have gophers and I could not see anything above ground that would have led me to believe the potatoes were being eaten. I’ve never had this happen before. Should I have dug a hole and buried my fencing?

Deborah Motylinski
Brecksville, Ohio

This can be either pocket gophers or voles…usually gophers. Look for mounds of dirt, like mole hills or tunnels in the area…not necessarily right by your potatoes. We had this problem in Montana and even lost a lilac bush and cherry tree to underground gopher activity; they ate the roots! Traps or a good cat work wonders! (So does a .30.30! I had one smart gopher that avoided the traps and cat, but I spotted it poking its head out one morning and grabbed my coyote rifle. My son, David, witnessed the kill and dryly commented “Don’t you think that was a little overkill, Mom?” I agreed, but the gopher was definitely GONE. — Jackie