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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/using-season-extenders-means-more-food-web-jpeg.jpg\" "\\"using-season-extenders-means-more-food-web-jpeg\\"")
<\/a>\nReaders\u2019 questions:<\/p>\n
Ideas on cornmeal Gail Erman Manure tea Janice Groulx Snow pea pods John Goodwin Canning matters Question:\u00a0 I have an opportunity to buy very inexpensively, and old 2-decker (holds 14 quarts!) pressure canner.\u00a0 How safe are these if I can find parts if needed?\u00a0 The man mentioned canning at 15 lbs. Also, I have @ 200 baby food jars w\/lids.\u00a0 Any uses besides crafts? And can I use mayo jars at all?\u00a0 Curiosity, about how many jars to you keep for canning?<\/p>\n LOVE your articles!\u00a0 You are my homesteading hero!<\/p>\n Tammy\u00a0 Amland Does your new canner have a dial or weighted vent?\u00a0 In Minnesota, no one needs to can at 15 pounds as there isn’t an altitude here that requires that.\u00a0 You would over proces food and also risk blowing some of the liquid out of the jars.<\/p>\n Parts are usually pretty easy to get, so that isn’t usually an issue. I would have the gauge checked (if it has one), to make sure it is still accurate.\u00a0 Your local Extension Office should be able to do this for you for free or very cheaply.<\/p>\n You can use baby food jars for jams, jellies and preserves.\u00a0 I wouldn’t can other foods in them, as the lids ARE being reused.\u00a0 But for these foods, the jars will certainly work.<\/p>\n I use ANY jars that a canning lid and ring will fit on properly and haven’t had any problem with them at all.<\/p>\n I’ve never counted my jars.\u00a0 Eeek!\u00a0 I probably wouldn’t want to know how many I have.\u00a0 But I pick up many new-to-me ones every year so I can increase my pantry.\u00a0 I have full jars in the pantry, then use some and wash them out, storing them in a cupboard until I use them again, so they are constantly moving about. — Jackie<\/p>\n Love your canning tips Jennifer Joyner Double stacking jars? Jack\u00a0 McDonald Praying for you Dianne Williams Dehyrdating fiddleheads Susan Carmichael You can buy morrel mushroom (and many other kinds!) spawn from Fungi Perfecti. Morrel’s are wonderful mushrooms, one of my very favorites! — Jackie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After taking a downturn, Mom’s doing much better today, and because my sisters were there to visit her, I took the day off to work in the garden.\u00a0 I’m kind of behind, and my boyfriend, Will, is coming for a two week visit on Thursday.\u00a0 (Yes.\u00a0 I’m EXCITED!)\u00a0 But I’m tired out, too, and things […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nI am praying for your mom’s health.\u00a0 Meanwhile, I want to buy bulk corn to grind for cornmeal etc.\u00a0 Can I use corn from the feed store and rinse it before use.\u00a0 The salesman said it was only good for animal feed and not cleaned well enough for humans–so what if I just clean it myself.<\/p>\n
\nPalisade, Colorado
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\nYou could probably clean that corn and dry it well; field corn IS dusty and sometimes is stored in bins that have rodent problems.\u00a0 Another idea is to buy 50 pounds of popcorn at a Sam’s Club or other bulk store and use that to grind for cornmeal.\u00a0 Popcorn is flint corn and makes excellent cornmeal.\u00a0 Do remember that homeground cornmeal is a whole grain and will go rancid faster than store cornmeal, just like whole wheat flour will.\u00a0 It’s best to grind just before you plan on using it for the freshest taste. — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nI have been using the same garden tea, made from manure for about 7 years.\u00a0 I just keep adding to it, but now I am wondering if this is safe ,bacteria wise?\u00a0 Should a new batch be made every year?<\/p>\n
\nMontrose, Michigan
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\nI think you’re safe with your manure tea.\u00a0 Just don’t pour\/spray ANY manure tea on plants you will be eating, such as greens, tomatoes, etc.\u00a0 Your manure tea would probably be stronger if you dumped the old batch and used fresher manure, though. — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nEverthing I see on “putting up” “Snow Pea Pods” is that you have to scald them and then cool them and then freeze them. Is there any way to can them in jars using my pressure canner and if so, how would you reccomend they be done. And, anything special for them.<\/p>\n
\nHaines City, Florida
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\nSnow pea pods really aren’t the best canned.\u00a0 You can certainly DO it, but snow pea pods are best fresh, just steamed a bit or stir fried.\u00a0 If you are going to can them, pack them in your jars, then pour on boing water and add salt as you wish, then process for the same time you’d use for fresh garden peas (shelled). — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nI haven’t read BHM since 2005 and just now re-upped, (due to financial circumstances.) I want to express my sincere sympathies about Bob as that is the latest issue I have. I know you and David are strong people. And it appears you have your log home built now?\u00a0 Congratulations!\u00a0 Also, our prayers and thoughts will always be with you — and a speedy recovery to your Mom! I understand about aging parents.<\/p>\n
\nHoward Lake, Minnesota
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\nP.S. My sister is just south of you in Virginia, MN.
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\nGlad to have you back, Tammy!\u00a0 Thanks for your kind words.\u00a0 Bob’s death was hard on us, but we got through it with time.\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 We got our log home built, although we are still working on it as we are paying as we go.<\/p>\n
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\nJackie,\u00a0 I thank the Lord that I found you.\u00a0 I have been trying to learn to can on my own.\u00a0 Was starting to think no one did it anymore.\u00a0 I love your tips!\u00a0 I will add you and your mother to my prayer list.\u00a0 You get some rest and remember God Loves you!<\/p>\n
\nSt. Mary’s , Georgia
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\nThank you so much for your prayers.\u00a0 Mom seems to be on the mend, so we’re heaving a huge sigh of relief!\u00a0 I took today off and enjoyed the garden and flowers.\u00a0 You’re right; I did need the rest!\u00a0 And I know I’m lucky because God does love me! — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nAm making storage shelves in our pantry so my wife can store all the food we can.\u00a0 So can determine shelf spacing, I need to know: is it safe to double stack pint jars of home canned food (NOT boxed)when storing them?\u00a0 Don’t want to do anything that would compromise the seals.\u00a0 Have searched all over the web and can’t find an answer to our question.\u00a0 My wife seems to recall hearing somewhere that its not safe to double stack the jars.<\/p>\n
\nRexford, Montana
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\nIt is not recommended that you double stack your jars.\u00a0 I’ve been a bad girl and have done it at times and haven’t had a problem with seals failing.\u00a0 It would be better if you had a piece of OSB or plywood that you could put on top of the bottom layer of jars, then put the top layer on that.\u00a0 In that way the weight of the top layer would rest on the RIMS of the jars, not the centers. — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nI didn’t know any other way to contact you – sorry if this is the wrong place. Just wanted to tell you I’m praying for your mom’s and YOUR health. I’ve taken care of the elderly family members, too, my mom lived with me for several years. ‘It’s hard’ is an understatement, but Oh, so worth it all!!! God bless you all.<\/p>\n
\nBirch River, West Virginia
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\nThanks, Dianne.\u00a0 Everyone’s prayers have certainly helped; Mom is doing much better now.\u00a0 It’s great to have such a large “extended family”! — Jackie<\/p>\n
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\nI would like to know if you can dehydrate fiddleheads.\u00a0 They are in season here now and I don’t have a lot of freezer room and I don’t like them canned.\u00a0 Also, is there some place I could get morrel mushroom spores I would like to grow some have never tasted them but love all other kinds of mushrooms.<\/p>\n
\nHoulton, Maine
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\nYes you can dehyrdate fiddleheads.\u00a0 Clean them of their papery “husk”, then boil them for one minute.\u00a0 Drain well, then lay out on your dehydrator tray in a single layer.\u00a0 Dry till very leathery, like green beans.<\/p>\n