Will is still working on developing our new pasture, clearing corners, expanding the size, etc. Yesterday, I couldn’t stand it any more. I HAD to learn to run “Old Yeller.” Of course, I have spent a lifetime driving various tractors and a skid steer loader and have watched David and Will run our old 1010 crawler, so I felt relatively sane.
I got a few last-minute tips from Will and climbed aboard. Oh boy, was THAT FUN! It didn’t take long before I was shoving stumps and logs into a pile and even pushing down smaller trees. Of course I couldn’t stay down in the field long because I needed to keep a watch on Mom, but I really enjoyed learning to run a bulldozer. I’ll definitely be back aboard, soon! It makes hard work oh-so-simple.
We’re already deciding on where the corners, gates, and fences will go and what to plant. Just wait till spring!
Readers’ Questions:
Mold on outside of bean pods
So happy to read that you will be writing an article on seed saving. I have tried with little success. Please address the “rust” issue on beans. I had a few spots on the bean sides which I did not consider good enough to eat. Then I had some beans with the rust in a small circle line around the part of the bean where it sprouts. I wasn’t sure those were good enough to plant, but kept them. Then there is always the weather. We had a very wet Summer and Fall and it was hard to let the beans dry on the vine in the garden. When I got to them, the pods were moldy and grey/black although some of the beans inside looked good. ANY help with the seed-saving thing will be most appreciated.
Also, I finally found popcorn at a Sam’s Club in another area…not in a 5 lb. bucket, but in a 50# bag. It was for a popcorn machine. How should I store this?
Jan Eylar
Savannah, Missouri
I’ve also kept beans and peas that had mold on the outside of dry pods, but not inside. They germinated perfectly fine. Some years you just get certain problems; this year was so wet, we had the mold problem, too.
I also buy 50 pound bags of popcorn at Sam’s Club. I store it in a 35 gallon, new garbage can and just take out some if I want cornmeal or popcorn for “Saturday Nite at the Movies” when we watch a video at home. So far, it’s not only stored well (past 2 years now), but still pops great.
Be watching for the seed saving article for more answers. — Jackie
Rhubarb
I would like to know. If you get a rhubarb root from someone out of their garden can you get fruit off of that same root that year or not and why?
Linda Walters
Mineral City, Ohio
No. If you take the stalks from your newly divided rhubarb root, you’ll weaken the plant, as it is desperately trying to establish itself in its new home. You may even kill the plant. Much better to be patient and wait till next spring, when the plant is well established and healthy! — Jackie
Canning cheddar cheese
I followed your recipe for canning cheese from your book “Growing and Canning Your Own Food.” My cheddar cheese turned out to be permeated with holes when I opened it. Did I do something wrong or does cheese always do that?
Also when I used it in a casserole, it seemed dry. Is it advisable to increase the butter/oil in the recipe to compensate?
Chuck
Livermore, California
No, cheese often does this because you never get it melted quite perfectly, and there are air spaces in the melted cheese. If your cheese seems dry, add a little milk to your recipe and you’ll have a great, creamy cheese sauce. — Jackie
Canning potatoes
I found a good deal or russet potato so I canned some up using the method from your new book. Problem is the water turned milky cloudy color is this normal? It also thickened like a medium syrup, is this normal?
Richard
Keyser, West Virginia
Yes, this is normal. It is only the starch from the cut potatoes. You can use the potato water to make the best bread you ever ate! The yeast LOVES potato water! Otherwise, the potatoes are great in soups, stews, and roasts. Of course, you can also use them for “cheesy” potatoes, mashed potatoes, or refried potatoes, too. — Jackie
Canned tomatoes for salad
My husband and I were hungry for salad this week and thought we would treat ourselves. At the grocery store there are only tomatoes grown in MEXICO. What is this about? What happened to the California ones? There are also some beef steaks and other beef MEAT products from Mexico. Do we not grow beef in this country anymore?
Needless to say I walked away empty handed. We are very uncomfortable eating even a tomato from Mexico much less meat. Is it possible to use tomatoes from our canning jars on a salad or are they too mushy? Could you use the tomato juice that is left to make a salad dressing or for something else?
I’ll just warn anyone reading this that the signs are very small that say “A product of Mexico.” You have to search for them sometimes. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think this is right when there is produce in this country! Now I’m wondering where the tomatoes etc. come from that restaurants use?
Cindy Hills
Wild Rose, Wisconsin
Let me say “AMEN” to your comments! I’ve gotten so I not only read every little sign in the grocery store, but ask to see the box out-of-season produce has come in. I, also, will NOT buy foods from Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Vietnam, etc.
YES, whole tomatoes that you’ve canned are great in salads. I save the juice to use in soups, chili, etc. I also use my fresh-tasting canned salsa in salads, on burgers, and as a relish. Not only does your own product TASTE better, but you feel oh-so-good, eating something you had control of during its growing and processing. — Jackie
Bugs in oatmeal
Can you please give me an effective, safe way to store rolled oats? I have been keeping them in a plastic storage container with the tight sealed lid. I have been using out of them fairly regularly, but when I got them out today, there were little bugs or weevils crawling all over them. I have never had this problem before. I purchase them in bulk from a local Amish store, so I would like a long term storage solution.
Rebekah Robbins
Richmond, Indiana
Unfortunately, this sometimes happens. Usually it’s because there were eggs in the product (flour, cornmeal, or other “cereal”). To avoid the possibility of this happening, many people put the bags/containers of food in the freezer for a few days. This will kill any eggs, making a “surprise” like you had much less apt to happen.
If you find bugs in any other of your pantry foods (usually a cereal or flour product), I’d recommend that you pick up some pantry moth traps and use them to catch any of the little flying moths that may be hanging around in your pantry or kitchen. They are small and can squeeze into many storage containers, although I doubt that they could have gotten into your plastic container unless the lid got left partially unfastened at some point. — Jackie
Canning water in beer bottles
For a canning question, (which I am just learning because of your recommendation), Can I can in my used beer bottles? I’ve been thinking it might be a good idea to can water against emergency needs. As an occasional brewer I tend to save them around, and have a capper for them. Would they be capped before pressure heating, (since water has no acid), But I wondered if the caps should be crimped after heating? How long should they be processed? I imagine the caps should have plastic rather than cork seals.
Glenn Willis
Redondo Beach, California
Sorry, Glenn, but I’ve never canned water for long-term storage; I have canned it to test lids, etc., but never for potable water. Have any of our readers ever found information regarding canning water in bottles with crimp-on lids? — Jackie
For storing water all you need to do is take plastic juice jugs and clean them well and fill with water and put the cap on. They will store for years. When ready to use them put a few drops of plain clorene bleach in the water and stir then let sit for a while to let the bleach evaporate. Make sure you use only non-scented bleach. Also I read one time that a gal put water in her empty jars and canned them in a water bath for about 5 min. It was her way of storing her jars as she didn’t want to store them empty !
Beer bottles are generally twelve ounces and one needs 2 gallons of water a day. It seems like canning water would not be cost or labor effective. Get some of those Walmart 6 gallon jugs or bigger ones. Put a tiny bit of bleach in it and rotate once or twice a year.
regarding canning potatoes. I was given 100 #s of potatoes and have no good place to keep them so canned them. I did the first canner load by the book and they turned out almost a thick liquid. The potatoes fell apart and I could not use them for any thing but potato soup. I raw packed the rest and they were wonderful. I fried some, heated others up and mashed them and put them in soups and stews. I will never cook mine again to can them.
RE: Canned tomatoes for salad
I do my best to eat locally and boy, oh boy, this time of year I CRAVE fresh tomatoes and greens (I live in a zone 3)! I don’t buy produce at the store, especially since my daughter has an organic farm a mile down the road! So this time of year I eat dried tomatoes like candy, grow salad greens in my window sill, and use my canned mexi-style tomatoes for salads. I spoon the tomato chunks onto my salad and mix the juice and little floaty bits into some mayonnaise for the dressing. I’ve also mixed the juice/floaty bits with white balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil for a lower fat dressing.
Ma,am,
In regards to the food from Mexico issue. I live in SE AZ, near the border. If I didn’t eat food from Mexico, there would be weeks at a time that fresh produce and meat woudn’t be possible. I will not eat food produced in China though.
Please make sure that the label says product of Mexico, not just a mexican sounding brand name. We have produce producing areas here in AZ that have mexican names, but are all American.
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