Canning potato soup
Potato soup, can I put potatoes, onions, and celery in a quart jar and can it all together for 40 minutes? In your book it says 30 minutes for pint or half pint of celery, 30 minutes for quarts of onions and 40 for quarts of potatoes. So 40 should be okay for the three together I would think.
Nancy Foster
Dallas City, Illinois
Yep, you got it! I can up tons of different mixed vegetables and mixed chicken and other meat with vegetables for stews and soups. It’s so handy! — Jackie
Building up poor soil
I am currently reading your book, “Starting Over, Chronicles of a Self-reliant women” in your book you mention many times, that you had lived in New Mexico. Can you tell me where, and how on earth did you get ANYTHING in this New Mexico soil. We have 10 acres east of Albuquerque, I have a flock of (60) chickens. We sell the eggs. I want to become more self-reliant. but first I have to get something to grow in this SOIL.
Gina FitsEmons
Edgewood, New Mexico
MANURE, MANURE, MANURE is how we grew a good garden in Caliche. Fortunately, our garden was in an old homestead barnyard where the woman had kept beef cattle sheltered for years. We tilled it up and grew a great garden, using plenty of water, of course. You’ve got chickens, so add that manure and beg for cow or horse manure from neighbors.
The only downside of our old barnyard is that it also grew tremendous weeds. I think those pigweed (and other) seeds had lain dormant for decades. With tilling and water, they exploded. We even had to use a chainsaw to keep them cut down so they wouldn’t go to seed! But after three years, we got ’em whipped. Be tenacious and you’ll grow a good New Mexico garden, too. — Jackie
Congrats
Congratulations on purchasing the “Lower Forty.” Remember, they aren’t making any more land!! It is good to get all you can now for yourself and for your kids. It has been so wet here in SE Mich. we haven’t been able to get any cold crops in the ground. The raised beds are even too wet, Have a good day.
Jim Bruce
Petersburg, Michigan
Thanks Jim. We’re really tickled to have bought our “north forty”. And you’re right, they’re NOT making any more land and we needed both the elbow room and pasture. We’re having a wet spring, too. All the rivers are over the banks and even our little creek is flooding into the woods. Luckily, our house is a hundred feet above the creek/pond, so if we flood, I’ll be looking around for Noah and the ark! — Jackie
