Planting seedlings
I read your post this morning and in answer to using peat pots you included some information new to me. If your seedling is leggy you plant it deeper when moving to a larger pot or garden. I had beans that sat too long in starter cups (having had the flu for days!) When I set them out into the garden it was very windy the next day and several were broken. Does this hold true for all veggies, and how deep can I place them? Hope that you are feeling better.
Judith Almand
Lithia, Florida
I, personally, haven’t done it with beans … yet. But I really can see no reason it wouldn’t work. In New Mexico, I’d put a tin can with both ends cut out over young veggie starts that were tender so the wind wouldn’t break them off and damage the leaves. I chose cans that were just a tiny bit taller than the plants — that worked well. Yes, I’m definitely feeling better and raring to go! — Jackie
Non-electric kitchen range
We live in a conventional, grid-tied house and have really been enjoying our small homestead for over four years now. I try to do a lot of canning, and we have a large family of 10 children. We have a kitchen that is in need of remodeling, and that is where I am hoping you can help me. I am trying to think of things that would be really helpful in canning or other types of food processing. I will have a large kitchen, which is helpful when you have a big family. I intend to get a new range as my current range is powered by electricity. As we don’t have natural gas where I live, I am planning to use propane. I am even considering making sure I have more than just a standard 4-burner range (maybe 2 ranges) as there have been many times that I find myself trying to can something using both large burners and would also like to have a pot of soup going for dinner. I never seem to have enough stove room when I am canning. Anyway, do you have any thoughts as to a good range for use with propane or what I should be looking for. Unfortunately, I am not at a time in my life where I feel like I could use a wood stove for cooking. I would like to be able to rely on my stovetop at least during a power outage, but if I could use the oven too, that would be a big bonus. Any other thoughts you have in regards to designing a kitchen that is great for canning would be appreciated!
Rebecca Whisonant
Chester, South Carolina
There are several high-end ranges that are out of my price range with commercial ovens and extra burners. For me, I want heavy burner grates next time. The ones on my stove are lightweight and wiggle around too much, making sliding heavy pots difficult. I also like a range with standing pilots, which are hard to find now. Ones with electronic pilots are fine if they have back-up battery operation but most do not. In a power outage, you can still light the burners but the oven usually won’t work. You might consider one range and a built-in counter cooktop. A lot of folks use them in island installations and I really like that because they are usually lower, making canning much nicer for shorter or older folks. Lots of counter space is always a plus as is a single deep sink instead of the usual double sink. Large pots and cookie sheets fit flat in my sink and I LOVE that! Lots of drawers are also a plus as you can keep all your canning supplies, lids, jar lifters, lid lifters, funnels, etc. in one drawer and rings in another. The best of luck with your remodel! — Jackie
By accident I ran across a story from the past, where someone had built a ‘summer kitchen’ on an old flat bed trailer; it was used to house two women hired to cook for the extra summer hired help. They put it on a trailer so it could move as the help did, field to field. It had large screened in windows with shutters that would drop down over them when they had to move, or could be wedged open and used as awnings for shade. This was long enough ago that the stove was wood burning. I would like to build a permanent summer kitchen, on a smaller scale, in the back yard. The story did give me some ideas, though. Can you hook a small gas cook stove to the smaller propane tanks, and if so, anyone know how long they might last? There is no gas lines in my area, and propane tanks are not permitted due to covenants. I don’t know much about the burners that set ?counter height? that are sold. More research for me. I know, this doesn’t help with a nice kitchen remodel, but thanks for letting me ramble on.
gen
If I ever have the money to redo the kitchen we ARE putting a pot filler faucet on the wall behind the stove. Hauling pots of water to the stove for canning or corn or the like sucks big time.
Love the AGA stoves, but there’s no way to put one in this house unfortunately. I love the idea of an additional countertop range though. Even an extra two burners would make a difference when you’ve got the canners going on the regular stovetop!
Tim,
many members of my family had outdoor kitchens, or dog trot homes. Never had to worry about heating up the living quarters, especially when AC units were unheard of. Also kept the chance of a fire from burning down the house. I’ve been dreaming up plans to put one in my back yard, got plenty of room for it.
Thanks for writing about the area you use.
We use an old ‘el cheepo’ electric range in our canning kitchen. Nothing fancy, it came out of a house my son bought. Too good to throw away, not good enough for real family use anymore. Works fine-just not pretty. Here’s the point. We set up a canning kitchen in our workshop building. We only use it during the summer months and it is great for processing chickens, sweet corn, tomatoes, canning, freezing etc. When the weather turns cold, we shut off the water, pack away the supplies in plastic tubs and drain the pipes. Not much invested but wow is it handy. All the mess and stink are in the shop building and we can process a ton of stuff with little bother in the house. My grandmother always had a summer kitchen and now we know why. Mop the floor? Nawww. We power wash it!
We have a Premeir gas range/oven. Standing pilots unfortunately are now illegal in the USA. We did find the Premier and got the battery powered for the igniters. The oven has a pilot but it is also via battery. We had a propane/gas stove prior to this one but the glow bar that ran the oven ate up electricity and we had gone solar and this would not work for us anymore. The one we have now had no electricity to it at all and we love it. We did get the model with the center burner/griddle and like that. If you get the standard 4 burner you can get the burner grate in cast iron but with the 5 burner/griddle they only come in enameled. Having no plug means your oven light is now a little flashlight that sits right next to the stove (in our case on the top of the fridge). Works great for us and cans well. We also like the fact we can can outside on our double CampChef propane camp stove. Keeps the house much cooler in the summertime.
A 4 oven AGA cooker costs about $11,000, oh my (2 oven model is about $7,000). At 5-6 feet long and made from cast iron you’d need a very sound structure and floor and large kitchen for one. But oh are they lovely to look at, and useful. LOL I’d have to build an addition on my house to have one!
We just have a regular 4 burner range like most but what worked out well for us is we picked up a very nice but used apartment stove, kind of a small 4 burner. It was set up for propane and we set it up in the wash house right out the back door. Had to use it with a regulator but run it off a small propane tank.
The only time we need the extra stove capacity is during the height of canning season and when we have a family gathering, the extra oven space is especially handy.
With some looking the stove we found was only $30.00 and we had the regulator and tank already.
I upgraded from a 26″ drop in electric stove when it died to a very nice 30″ gas stove with heavy flat grate. It works well for regular cooking but my large canner keeps frying the motherboard. I am trying to convince my husband I need a commercial, non-computerized stove. I will happily accept a used stove.
If I were you, I would look at a restaurant supply store. The one locally will also assist in space planning & the person I spoke to told me canners like their stoves which come in various widths.
Zelda, I love the look of Agas. I have not priced them. The Vikings are lovely also.
Belle, I will have have to look at the Foster, I have not heard of them.
I really, really would like a faucet over the stove, to fill the big pots. Not sure the name of it, but it would save moving big pots of water from sink to stove. Just a thought. It folds back against the wall when not in use.
I have a gas range, just a plain one and love it, would hightly recommend a large single sink, I have one and it is wonderful when canning, everything fits in it.
Good luck with your remodel.
right on Zelda, my sink is a Foster from Italy.doesnt look fancy but made of stronger grade stainless and is way bigger than the big box stuff.my big pots can fit in it.
I got ‘cheap ‘ wood counter from Ikea and butted them together over old cabinets,hifi stuff. I have 2 working heights.And will this be a one butt kitchen or more makes a difference on design.
My dream range is an AGA cooker or a Viking (haven’t owned either one), but parts and service might be a negative issue. Jackie’s points about height and sink size are right on. I’ve often wished my kitchen had varied counter heights to suit different activities. A super large triple sink (mine is large double, no space for a triple) would save so much time. You might want to look at universal designs for kitchens because the principles of universal design are to create spaces that will work for you even if you become disabled, old, have limited mobility but the ideas make sense no matter what your needs are. Multiple specialized faucets and space to safely turn and move while carrying large pots will make your kitchen activities easier and safer. You might want to also look at purchasing a stainless steel kitchen restaurant trolley to save stress on your body.
I used to have a restaurant grade Vulcan range. 26,000 btu per burner and bullet proof.comes in 6 burner size. I changed to a Bluestar ,made for homes. It has 22,000 btu on 3 burners and 15,000 one one. They will make it the way you want. It is much more expensive but I was concerned about the vulcan not being up to code.It has no insulation and when you baked you also heated the house. The vulcan has no electrical startup.The bluestar comes with different burner configurations and all the parts are basic and available.To me the range and the sink are command central to the house…spend your bucks with them.At the high end stores they will hook up the range so you can check it out.
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