Canning okra
I have smothered okra with onion and tomatoes before putting in the freezer. I would like to smother the okra and then can it instead of freezing it. How would I be able to do this? Water bath or pressure cooker? My husband bought your book for me and my life has never been the same. I am grateful for you and your books.
Penny Thibodeaux
Arnaudvlle, Louisiana
I’m so glad you like my book! To can up some okra in tomatoes and onions, remove the stem and blossom ends and slice it. Peel and chop your onions and tomatoes and put into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add okra and any spices you wish. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Ladle hot into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add 1/2 tsp. salt to pints and 1 tsp. to quarts. Remove air bubbles. Process pints for 25 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a pressure canner. (If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult your canning book for directions on increasing your pressure to suit your altitude.) — Jackie
Treating for flies
We recently found our dream farm and bought it, a certified organic farm around lacrosse that had up till now only been used for dairy. What is your best organic method for treating flies? There are tons around here, and while we will keep organic, we do want to keep our food prep areas as clean as possible.
Mike Seidel
Downers Grove, Illinois
Congratulations on your dream farm! What an adventure you have in store for you! I’m sure you’ll find that when the cows have left, your fly problem will disappear next year. Just moving our milk cow, from our goat barn near the house down to the training ring, about 500 feet down hill from our house totally eliminated our fly problem. Fly predators, which are tiny wasps that lay eggs in fly larvae will do much to help you out quite quickly. Parasitic wasps can be purchased from several suppliers. These parasites, applied periodically in the old manure piles (composting the old manure piles) and adding several jar-type fly traps around the buildings will do a whole lot to help, too. Good luck with your new homestead. — Jackie
Jackie you are dead on correct here! The parasitic wasps are GREAT (for folks not familiar with them, don’t freak! These are tiny (very tiny) nocturnal critters that lay there eggs in the fly pupae and do NOT bother livestock or people!). Also, as to the fly traps……. I have tried many. My goat pen is less than 12″ (inches) from my cabin. We have been doing deep litter and I have not been successful in getting help to clean pens/shelters. The best fly traps we have found are the ones that Wal-Mart (!!!!!!!!) sell! They out catch the other brands (at least here they do!).
That must be the Yankee way to make Okra Gumbo. LOL. We brown bacon pieces, then sauté the onion and tomato. Then add the okra. I would leave the okra undercooked, then can like I would for a meat sauce.
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