Q and A: canning in half-gallon jars, over-mature green beans, and storing dehydrated foods

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Canning in half-gallon jars Do you can anything at all in jars larger than quart size? I would like to use ½ gallon jars for soups and some veggies. Judi Almand Brandon, Florida I used to can...

Q and A: chestnuts, green beans, lima beans, and deformed peppers

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Chestnuts How do you use chestnuts? And do you can them as you do pecans or other nuts? Joyce Pierce Georgiana, Alabama You can roast them and eat them for a snack but you can also roast,...

We’re working on our bridge and we also made a “haul”

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While our friend Dale Rinne was here digging our pond, he also dug holes for the pilings for our new bridge over the creek. And last week, Will hauled some 8' pieces of heavy,...

Canning beets, Preserving yellow pear tomatoes, and Storing dried herbs

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Canning beets  I just harvested my Bulls Blood beets. I left 3 inches of stem and the roots on. I boiled them -- probably 25 minutes -- the water was red. I soaked them in...

We are truly thankful this year

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We all have our health, and with my previous bout with a scary cancer and David's wrestle with flesh eating bacteria 18 months ago, that's something to be thankful of! Mom is doing well,...