Salve for goats

I am making this salve. Is there anything in it that would hurt my goats?
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dried comfrey
1/4 cup dried calendula
2 oz beeswax (equals out to two of the 1-oz bars or 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons of honey (optional)
10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

Ann Hazelett
Litchfield Park, Arizona

Nope. Your salve won’t hurt your goats a bit. It sounds great. — Jackie

Bush scallop squash

I planted some white bush scallop squash this year for the first time. I assumed they were winter squash when I planted them but now I’m reading that we should have been harvesting them as summer squash for a better flavor. Now that we have waited and have so many of them, will they store like our butternut squash will? Should we cure them? We have quite a few and hate for them to go to waste. We enjoy your columns and your Q&A’s. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Amy Blattner
Fulton, Missouri

Even though scallop squash are considered a summer squash, I’ve found that they will store well over winter. Not as well as many winter squash, but good enough. You only have to pick them following a frost then store in a warm, dry location until you use them. They’re fine to eat. Not as good as my Hopi Pale Greys, but pretty good and as you said, you sure hate to waste food! — Jackie

Freezing weather

I have been watching the weather in Angora and see that it is down in the 30 degree range at night. How has this impacted your canning, harvesting, etc.? Any recent pics of the homestead? Did you get the corn and tomatoes canned? All the best and happy harvest.

Deborah Motylinski
Cadiz, Ohio

Yep, we got a hard freeze! We covered everything we could but it froze under the plastic anyway. Luckily the food (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) is okay. So I’m canning, canning and canning! I’ve been doing corn every day for two weeks now and guess what I’m doing today? Canning more corn. The tomatoes are late this year, so we’ll be picking them as they ripen then picking the whole bunch (a truckload!) if a freeze threatens. We’ve never had a better garden and we’re so thankful. — Jackie

3 COMMENTS

  1. Rick,

    Thanks for the concern, but scallop or patty pan squash will not cross with Hopi Pale Greys. Patty pans and other summer squash are C. pepos and Hopi Pale Greys are C. maxima.

  2. Wow!! scallop squash, when I was growing up the old folks called them Patty-Pan squash! Ours were white. I like to grow those and we eat them as a summer squash sliced about 1/2 inch thick, dipped in egg then corn meal and fried. They make a great sandwich especially served hot with butter bread and a thick slice of homegrown tomato, but I love them equally fried and used as a side veggie at dinner. Unfortunately I didn’t plant any this year as I planted the Hopi Pale Grey squash and wasn’t sure if the scallop squash can cross with the Hopi or not….if they will not cross pollinate I may grow the scallops next year for a few sandwiches. Anyway I applaud that you have some to use now. I have stored a few of the scallop squash short term in the fall but they didn’t survive the cast iron fry pan long enough for me to say if they store long enough for winter usage ……Rick

  3. Salve for goats (and other animals and humans): Sepp Holzer has an old time recipe for calendula salve in his Permaculture book that is quick and simple to make – two heaped double handfuls of finely chopped fresh calendula leaves, stems and flowers heated carefully while stirring in about 2 cups of lard. He says other fats like olive oil can be used. Let the lightly fried/cooked calendula sit covered for a day then warm it up again, filter through a cloth. To stiffen it up, add melted beeswax to the consistency you want. Calendula is also good for gardens where nematodes are a problem. Apparently the roots exude something that kills them. Be sure you get medicinal calendula seed. I’ve seen seed that has been bred only for the ornamental value of the flowers.

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