Dry canning

When dry canning can you do a product that has yeast? Also, this may be crazy but as another emergency water source could you hot water bath water as a way for long term supply?

Terry Windham
Center, Texas

I wouldn’t dry can a food that contains yeast. Yeast is a living plant and can be killed by heat.

Yes, a lot of folks can emergency water. Some just add a few jars of water to each partial batch of canning they do, while others just can a batch of plain water. Personally, I would rather just store larger containers of water without canning them, which wastes jars and lids, then just renew the water each year to keep it fresh tasting. Five-gallon containers work well but I really prefer a large, vertical water tank in the basement, if you have one. Ours holds 300 gallons and we have two. (As we are off grid, we only run our generator to power such heavy draws as our water pump which pumps water into those tanks in the basement. Then we have a 12-volt water pump in-line to supply water pressure throughout the house without having to turn on the well.) It’s amazing how much water you use in a day and how fast those quarts of canned water will be used up. — Jackie

Small squash

I got some Hopi Pale Grey seeds from a Seed Savers Exchange member a few years ago. I have grown them a couple of times and they are always in the 3 to 4 pound range. The description from Baker Creek lists them more like 10.

I was wondering if mine are like the ones you have. I actually like the smaller ones as there isn’t so much to use, but the meat isn’t very thick.

I’m saving the seeds; one squash had large seeds and the next one had lots of smaller seeds. I tested germination and they both did well. I’m mostly wondering about the size of the squash–if they are true to type.

Sylvia Gist
Polson, Montana

It often has a lot to do with the soil type and how much water the squash receive during the growing season. For instance, mine are usually in the 7-12 pound range but we got ours in quite late last spring and it was very hot. We watered the garden, of course, but as we have sandy loam, I’m sure we should have watered more. Last fall, we only had five over 10 pounds and 85 in the 3-5 pound range. The smaller squash had smaller seeds and also thinner meat. This was quite unusual and it was the same seed I’ve saved over the past 18 years. I’m sure it was the growing conditions. Hope this helps. — Jackie