I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging like usual, but Mom’s having a bad time lately. She’s having symptoms of a bladder infection (again), such as hallucinating at night, being confused and disoriented. But so far, nothing showed up on a UA at the lab. So more tests, more worried nights. And she is getting weaker all the time. I’ve not had much sleep and days have been a whirl. But in the greenhouse, our little plants are growing, thriving, and trying to keep us sane through everything. Pretty soon, I’ll have to transplant my first peppers. How exciting!

Last year, we used Miracle Gro potting soil to start the seeds and boy was that a bust! My friend, Jeri, did too and her seeds had poor germination and just didn’t grow at all, just like mine. This year, I bought professional seed starting mix from our local greenhouse and it’s made all the difference in the world. I’ve made my own seed starting soil in the past, but lately I just haven’t had the time. It’s made from good garden soil, well-rotted compost, vermiculite, and perlite. You bake the soil and compost to kill weed seeds and any pathogens present, then mix everything to lighten the soil. It works well and I hope to do it again soon. But for now, our plants are great and I can’t wait to get in the garden!

Readers’ Questions:

Bay leaves to deter moths

I am preparing a 12 month storage area in my home. I have read that bay leaves can be placed in grain to deter moths. Can bay leaves also be used in flour?

Jean Ann Wenger
Fairbury, Illinois

Yes. Place a few on top of your flour, inside its container, for best results. Don’t mix it up IN the flour. And make sure the container you choose is airtight, rodent proof, and moisture proof. — Jackie

Canning sandwich spread

I make a sandwich spread that of course contains mayonnaise. If I made a large batch of it could it be canned?

Tammie Stiltner
Vancouver, Washington

No. There is no current information on safe canning of mayonnaise or salad dressing. — Jackie

Salsa using canned tomatoes

Do you have a salsa recipe using canned tomatoes? Would I be able to can it?

I have gotten a lot of flack about canning salsa from already canned tomatoes – “not safe,” “will be mush.”

Alison Martin
Waretown, New Jersey

You can use any salsa recipe to use your already canned tomatoes. But it will be less chunky than fresh tomato salsa as tomatoes cook down quickly. It will be safe and tasty, though. — Jackie

Perennial vegetable bed

I talked to you on here before about a gas stove that wouldn’t go down low enough to let me pressure can. Just wanted to let you know we had a guy come and fix it, and now it works wonderful!

I recently ordered some garlic, walking (potato) onions, and horseradish from members of Seedsavers Exchange, and I was wondering about a perennial vegetable bed. I was thinking I would plant these all together, and was wondering if you had any advice on making a perennial garden bed. I’m concerned about it being taken over by weeds. Since all these items would need to be regularly dug up, my normal answer to weeds, semi-permanent mulch like black plastic, won’t work here.

Angela Billings
Stronghurst, Illinois

I really don’t think I’d plant these together, if it were me. You’ll be digging the garlic and horseradish at different times, in all likelihood, and the walking onions at another time, if you do (you often just use the top bulbs). Horseradish has a way of taking over a garden, so I’d advise against putting it in at all. Put your horseradish far away from your garden and flower beds and you’ll be much happier! My friend, Jeri, now has horseradish in her flowers, rhubarb rows, and along her greenhouse, from a small planting on one end of her flower bed.

The walking onions and garlic could go together in the same bed, but in separate areas for ease of harvest. — Jackie

Goats hair falling out

I have a six year old Nubian doe, about twice a year all of her hair falls out. It isn’t lice or fleas. And it doesn’t ever affect our other goat that is penned with her. Someone said to try brewer yeast in her feed, didn’t help. Someone else said she must be Vitamin A deficient, that didn’t help either. They have a mineral block, get grass alfalfa hay, and a handful of three way grain daily. Neither doe has been bred in several years. When her hair falls out, I mean all of it. Not just patches. And sometimes its in the winter here in Montana so we have to set up heat lamps for her. Any ideas?

Terri Ogle
Kalispell, Montana

Our wether, Oreo, does the same thing. It’s kind of shocking, but the best I can figure out is that it is his body’s way of changing hair coats from winter to spring and vice versa. You might consider making a goat coat for her, similar to a horse blanket, to save on electricity from those heat lamps. — Jackie

Canning on a propane turkey cooker

We have recently moved into a house that has a glass top stove. After watching the stove cook for a while, I have decided that I will need to come up with an alternative way to can. I know you have talked about propane stoves. I have a propane turkey cooker, would that work?

Cindy Adams
Florence, Alabama

I’ve never had or seen a turkey cooker in action, but anything that is sturdy enough to support a full canner and produces sufficient heat should do the job. Any readers have any thoughts here? I’m sure someone has a turkey cooker and could give Cindy some help. — Jackie

Canning pork loin

I canned pork loin on two different occasions months apart using the same instructions for raw pack loin with water. In the first batch the water is clear with no color. In the second batch the water has kind of a brothy color to it. It is still transparent just with a little tint. I’m wondering if the color difference could be due to different brands of pork or different solutions used when packaged back at the plant. I bought the loin at the same store just a few months apart. Should I be concerned with the difference?

Also, I wanted to let you know that we finally bought some chicks and I’ve been following the instructions in the Chickens: A beginner’s handbook. So far everything is going well. I look forward to gathering eggs late in the summer.

Marlana Ward
Mountain City, Tennessee

I wouldn’t worry about the color, provided you followed instructions and the jars are sealed. You’re right; it may be a different pork loin solution or even packing process. Some are packed with a mild brine to keep it moist; others are not. Enjoy it and have fun with your new chickens! — Jackie

21 COMMENTS

  1. In response to the use of propane turkey cooker for canning. We use ours to heat large batches of vegies prior to presure canning. Also have used it for waterbath canning. I’m not sure it would work for pressure canning because you may not be able to get the heat low enough. Love your new canning book. My husband, Harold and I refer to it constantly. Our motto is “get all you can and can all you get”. We have such fun working together. Harold said the other day how he would like to sit talk with you over a cup of coffee. We don’t sit much however, we both are fortunate enough to have full time jobs, maintain a large garden and have 73 chickens. Most days our shirt tail never hits our backsides. Keep up the good work. May God keep you close.

  2. Jackie, both you and your family are a guiding light to me at times. When I think I don’t know if I can go on with taking care of my mom, I think of you in the backwoods, and know I can. My prayers are with you, and your family at this time. My you feel the warmth and love that we all feel towards you.

  6. Jackie,
    You are in my thoughts and prayers. My dear Mother lived with us for a couple of months and passed away last Friday. I am so grateful for the time that I was able to spend with her. She, like your Mother, has taught me so much about living a good life.
    I hope that your Mother will soon be feeling better so that she can enjoy another spring with you.

  9. When the weather gets cold and damp here in Maine, we put old sweatshirts, with the sleeves cut off, on our goats to keep them warm.

  11. I cheat and just use a small canner on the glass top stove. I figured if it can handle a 3 gallon stock pot without cracking, it can handle a 5-quart pressure canner.

  16. You CAN use a turkey fryer for canning. Just make sure of how much propane you have before starting. We ran out once and had to start over, no biggy really just a pain when the clock is ticking. We use our canner that fits the best on it. We have one that is a little to small and it will cock over to one side we feel it would be to unstable when full. When useing it keep it out of the wind it will heat up fast &stay there better.
    We got one of those dumb glass top stove. Look pretty, but crap for folks like us. It tells you not to do any type of canning on the unit do to the top may crack or shatter. Ther is a gizmo that you can buy to use on them for canning, but you have to find it then there pricey. We have used an old heat dispurser on the stove it worked so-so.

  17. I am very sorry to hear your mom is not doing well, and know this is very difficult for all of you. I will be keeping you all in my prayers. Your plants look beautiful!

  19. I’ve used a turkey fryer base for canning for two years now with great success. The only issues I’ve run into are watching out for drafts and the resulting cracked jars, and boiling over of the canner (waterbath) as that sucker really gets going from the fryer burner if you don’t keep an eye on it! I bought my fryer just for canning, as I have a brand new smooth top stove that I really didn’t want to crack canning. I’ve found that the huge stock pot that the kit comes with works great for boiling up ears of corn and apples for canning as well. I have not tried pressure canning on the burner yet.

  20. Please know that we are all thinking of you and praying for you as you tend to your mama! I know personally how draining it can be emotionally and physically—because this IS your mama so it hurts doubly so! suzy a/k/a bamasuzy

  21. I’m so sorry your Mom isn’t doing well at the moment. Let her know that the blogosphere is thinking of her and pulling for her!

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