{"id":226,"date":"2008-06-27T00:13:16","date_gmt":"2008-06-27T06:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/?p=226"},"modified":"2008-06-27T00:13:16","modified_gmt":"2008-06-27T06:13:16","slug":"our-wheat-is-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/2008\/06\/27\/our-wheat-is-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Our wheat is up!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\nBecause of the escalating price of wheat, we desperately wanted to get in even a small patch this spring.\u00a0 But where???\u00a0 Our garden was a whole lot bigger, but not ready to plant wheat, yet.\u00a0 Will was here, and had cleared out our orchard so beautifully.\u00a0 And when we were walking through it in the evening, we suddenly saw a wheat field among the fruit trees!\u00a0 WOW!<\/p>\n

So we picked rocks, threw roots and whacked off small brush.\u00a0 Then Will found an ad for a small 6′ disc in the local shopper…cheap.\u00a0 We called and bought the disc that afternoon.\u00a0 Soon, we had a nicely worked-up orchard\/wheat field-to-be.\u00a0 I filled my little plastic hand seeder and walked back and forth over the ground, spinning out wheat to beat the band.<\/p>\n

Then Will jumped on the four wheeler and dragged our old ratty bed spring over the wheat to cover it lightly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Now it’s UP!\u00a0 And it is beautiful, even and four inches tall already.\u00a0 Double WOW!\u00a0 Not only will the wheat be great for our bread and other baking, but it will help choke out weeds in the orchard and later the left-over straw will add organic material to the soil.<\/p>\n

Already we’re talking about a spot to make a designated wheat patch next year.\u00a0 Our orchard wheat is only a start.\u00a0 But what a wonderful start it is!<\/p>\n

Readers\u2019 questions:<\/p>\n

Grinding nuts\/recipes
\n<\/strong>
\nGrinding nuts — peanut, cashew, walnut, etc.\u00a0 Can you suggest a hand grinder for this purpose?<\/p>\n

I have read, but cannot recall where, that roasting nuts destroys much of their\u00a0 nutritional value, but improves the flavor- do you know anything about this?<\/p>\n

Got any recipes for making home made nut butter? I would give up the roasting to keep more nutritional value.<\/p>\n

Bob Taylor
\nPoulsbo, Washington
\n<\/em>
\nYou can make nut butter in most flour mills.\u00a0 Even the old Corona style mill makes great nut butter.\u00a0 Or you can use your blender.\u00a0 Just dump in 2 cups of any type of nuts you want and grind them till the puree is oily and as smooth as you want.\u00a0 If it is not “spreadable” like you’d like, simply add 1 or 2 Tbsp of sunflower or peanut oil.\u00a0 You may also add honey or sugar, and a bit of salt, if you wish.\u00a0 It is true that roasted nuts do make a tastier butter; I’m not sure I’d worry about the nutrition thing unless you are eating a LOT of nut butter.\u00a0 Chances are if you eat a relatively healthy diet, your nutrition is already fine. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Canning potatoes with skins still on
\n<\/strong>
\nI just subscribed to your magazine this morning when I came across your web site while searching for a recipe to can potatoes – every recipe I come across suggests peeling the potatoes – I have small fingerling s and just could not possibly peel them – is there a problem with canning un-peeled potatoes? I look forward to receiving my first magazine.<\/p>\n

Treva Burbine
\nEllijay, Georgia
\n<\/em>
\nHeck no!\u00a0 I can a whole lot of new potatoes and fingerlings with the skins on.\u00a0 No problem at all.\u00a0 Just process as per peeled potatoes.\u00a0 If you’d like, when you open a jar to eat them, you can simply squeeze the potato and the skin slides right off. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Frozen trout with guts still in them
\n<\/strong>
\nHi Jackie, me AGAIN.\u00a0 I just have lots of questions and you are the answer lady!!\u00a0 Friends brought me enough trout they had caught for me to can.\u00a0 However, they did not clean (gut) them before sticking them in the freezer. Are those fish still eatable if I thaw and clean them, then can?\u00a0 or are they cat food? Also, can you can spinach\/chard?<\/p>\n

Gail Erman
\nPalisade, Colorado
\n<\/em>
\nHi Gail!\u00a0 Ask away.\u00a0 Eeeeuuuu.\u00a0 Frozen trout with the guts still left in them.\u00a0 Sorry, but I’d have a real hard time eating them, let alone canning them.\u00a0 Yeah, in an emergency….maybe.\u00a0 Here kitty, kitty….<\/p>\n

Yes, you can home can spinach and Swiss chard; I do it all the time.\u00a0 Just simmer to wilt or steam.\u00a0 Pack jars with hot wilted greens and cover with boiling water to within 1″ of the top.\u00a0 Process in a pressure canner for 70 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.\u00a0 I also can lamb’s quarters and red rooted pig weed. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Adding ash to compost
\n<\/strong>
\nI love your “Ask Jackie” column, and I’m so happy you’re online with a blog!\u00a0 I’d like to ask you if it is okay to add the ash from my corn stove to the compost pile.\u00a0 I hate to see it go to waste if there’s a good use for it.<\/p>\n

Bob Bader
\nRockwood, Maine
\n<\/em>
\nYes, you can add a reasonable amount of your ash to your compost pile or sprinkle it right onto the garden, which is what I do with our wood ashes.\u00a0 Just don’t over-do it. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Canner recommendation
\n<\/strong>
\nCan you recommend any companies that have canners that are not too expensive?\u00a0 We are new to canning etc.\u00a0 I don’t want anything too complicated.\u00a0 Another note, you are an amazing woman.\u00a0 You do just about everything I can think of. My hat goes off to you!!!!<\/p>\n

Julie\u00a0 Jaco
\nSenatobia, Mississippi
\n<\/em>
\nYou can pick up a good quality new canner at many local hardwares and even WalMart and Kmart for a reasonable price.\u00a0 Most are “down to business” pieces of kitchen equipment; nothing fancy.\u00a0 Do yourself a great favor and get a reasonably large canner; don’t get a pressure cooker.\u00a0 They just don’t do the job you need them to.\u00a0 Welcome to the satisfying world of home canning!\u00a0 Enjoy the trip, and let me know if you have questions along the way. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Using smaller canning jars
\n<\/strong>
\nProbably a silly question, but a few years ago I canned some pickled red cabbage and some corn relish in 1\/2 pint jars.\u00a0 Since I am the only one who likes these items, sometimes I would have to toss the remainder of the jar if I didn’t get it used up quickly enough.\u00a0 I have some smaller than 1\/2 pint jars.\u00a0 Would there be any problem with using these smaller jars in the hot water bath?<\/p>\n

Ruth Dixon
\nGold Beach, Oregon
\n<\/em>
\nAbsolutely not.\u00a0 I do the same thing myself.\u00a0 I also can up these small jars full of chicken, pork, venison and beef pieces to add to casseroles etc. for flavoring.\u00a0 It sure makes a little canned meat go a long, long way!\u00a0 And with the future meat prices, hold on to your hat! — Jackie<\/p>\n

Raising chickens and turkeys
\n<\/strong>
\nFor some reason my husband has recently become allergic to beef, pork, venison,lamb, etc…(pretty much any mammal meat),he is also allergic to baking yeast and milk.\u00a0 This has totally depleted my long-term storage.\u00a0 I had to get rid of everything that had these ingredients and things that used fat or lard. My husband can eat fowl and fish.\u00a0 We also have three gardens that we eat from, fresh and canned. Is it possible to can chicken and turkey?\u00a0 I have some things frozen but if something bad happens these foods will have to be eaten quickly and with his condition we can’t hunt to supplement his diet.\u00a0 How long would canned chicken and turkey last on the shelf?<\/p>\n

We have ten acres with 1 dairy cow, two dairy goats, assorted chickens, and guineas.\u00a0 Would raising turkeys be a viable option for us?\u00a0 Do they need to be kept seperate from our chickens? (read something about “blackhead”)\u00a0 Which breed would be best, which breeds are hardy and can reproduce easily?\u00a0 Finally how many would I need to start out with, since they will be our primary source of protein?\u00a0 I’ve been looking through catalogs but different hatcheries disagree on characteristics, and I’m getting really confused!\u00a0 Thank you so much!\u00a0 Any info will be greatly appreciated.<\/p>\n

Josie Killough
\nRienzi, Mississippi
\n<\/em>
\nSorry to hear your problem.\u00a0 YES, you can certainly home can poultry of all types.\u00a0 Yes, you can certainly raise turkeys.\u00a0 I know the experts say not to raise turkeys with chickens, but I always have and have known a whole lot of other homesteaders who do, too.\u00a0 You will want a lighter breed of turkey.\u00a0 Most modern turkeys are Broad Breasted Whites or Bronzes.\u00a0 The toms get so heavy that they tear great gashes in the hens’ backs when they mount to breed.\u00a0 You will be better off with a lighter breed turkey.\u00a0 Bourbon Reds, Slates, Royal Palms and Nargansetts all mature at lighter weights than do the “giant” breeds, and because they do, the toms are able to breed the hens. I would also advise you to get some good dual purpose meat chickens, such as White Rocks.\u00a0 They don’t get as big as turkeys, but they do reproduce on a much larger scale, over a year, giving you more eggs to hatch.\u00a0 Turkeys only lay for a short period in the spring. — Jackie<\/p>\n

Is it mold or not?
\n<\/strong>
\nMy Mom died and I am cleaning out her cupboards.\u00a0 She has some home canned salsa.\u00a0 It looks fine on the bottom, but the top looks greyish.\u00a0 Do I throw it out or is it OK.\u00a0 Why did it do that?<\/p>\n

Leona Martel
\nStratford, South Dakota
\n<\/em>
\nOpen a jar and take a good look.\u00a0 If the “greyish” is mold, toss it.\u00a0 If the top is just dried out from not being covered with liquid and the salsa smells fine (and the jar’s seal was still good; it was dented firmly down in the center, it is fine.\u00a0 If it is mold, either the jar was not sealed or the salsa wasn’t processed long enough to heat it high enough to kill the mold spores. — Jackie<\/p>\n

First pressure canner
\n<\/strong>
\nToday I got my very first pressure canner.\u00a0 I am very excited, and I can’t wait until my garden gives me something to put up… I am close to being ready for snap peas (which I’ll likely eat up too quick to can), turnips, and the dark leafy greens.\u00a0 Are the leafies ok for canning?\u00a0 Do you have any recipes for turnips?\u00a0 Also, I am nervous about the canner.\u00a0 My stove has cabinets right above it (that were poorly placed way back before we were existing).\u00a0 Would I be better off outside with a propane burner?\u00a0 Thanks :)<\/p>\n

BTW:\u00a0 I love your blog… I am learning a lot from you and I am so grateful that you are out there in this crazy processed world to help educate us newbies!<\/p>\n

Maria Spillane
\nEaston, Pennsylvania
\n<\/em>
\nCongratulations Maria!\u00a0 You have a right to be excited.\u00a0 You’re starting on a real fun adventure that will provide years and years of great eating and food security.<\/p>\n

Have fun! — Jackie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Because of the escalating price of wheat, we desperately wanted to get in even a small patch this spring.\u00a0 But where???\u00a0 Our garden was a whole lot bigger, but not ready to plant wheat, yet.\u00a0 Will was here, and had cleared out our orchard so beautifully.\u00a0 And when we were walking through it in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8,9,11,13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226"}],"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=226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/JackieClay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}