Monday, September 26, 2011
I Am Despicably Unobservant
In my defense, I was simultaneously making these incredible cookies and watching Two For The Money. However, in the mean time my front yard looked like this:
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Farmers Market Challenge: Week 3D
Final installment this week, and I PROMISE next week won't be ANYWHERE near as long-winded.
I Bought that basket of apples, intending to make applesauce with them. *Sidenote, Am I the only one that gets disappointed each time they dump the contents of a basket into a plastic bag instead of handing you the basket with the fruit, no matter how many times it happens?* Anyways, they did indeed become applesauce (3 quarts and a pint of it). But just like last week, I was stuck with a bowl full of peels and cores. I still had last week's saved in the fridgs 'cuz I had hoped Nick would boil them down and make wine of them (he's done that with pears before) but I had no such luck.
I Bought that basket of apples, intending to make applesauce with them. *Sidenote, Am I the only one that gets disappointed each time they dump the contents of a basket into a plastic bag instead of handing you the basket with the fruit, no matter how many times it happens?* Anyways, they did indeed become applesauce (3 quarts and a pint of it). But just like last week, I was stuck with a bowl full of peels and cores. I still had last week's saved in the fridgs 'cuz I had hoped Nick would boil them down and make wine of them (he's done that with pears before) but I had no such luck.
Farmers Market Challenge: Week 3C
Yeah...so, this 3 part series is now a 4 part series...but we're 3/4 there!
Canning tomatoes is one of those extreme controversies in the canning world. Forever, conventional wisdom stated that tomatoes were acidic enough to be canned on their own without added acid. Maybe that was true at the time, maybe it wasn't but a lot of people bought into it and very few of them died. A recent article I read actually said that the prevalence of heirloom tomatoes in the 70s introduced a lot of less acidic tomatoes into our diets and gardens and todays tomatoes are actually less acidic than those of days gone by. Whatever the case may be, the USDA recommends adding 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar or 1/2 tsp citric acid to each pint of canned tomato product (half that for pints).
I can't say I follow those guidelines to a T, but I come close and I'm comfortable with my canned tomato products. The USDA link above has all of their tomato guidelines tho, if you've got any questions.
Canning tomatoes is one of those extreme controversies in the canning world. Forever, conventional wisdom stated that tomatoes were acidic enough to be canned on their own without added acid. Maybe that was true at the time, maybe it wasn't but a lot of people bought into it and very few of them died. A recent article I read actually said that the prevalence of heirloom tomatoes in the 70s introduced a lot of less acidic tomatoes into our diets and gardens and todays tomatoes are actually less acidic than those of days gone by. Whatever the case may be, the USDA recommends adding 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar or 1/2 tsp citric acid to each pint of canned tomato product (half that for pints).
I can't say I follow those guidelines to a T, but I come close and I'm comfortable with my canned tomato products. The USDA link above has all of their tomato guidelines tho, if you've got any questions.
Farmers Market Challenge: Week 3B
Last week, my friend Jennifer sent me to see if I could pick up a few things for her at the farmers market. Her schedule just had too many things in it and the farmers market had to go. She wanted a head of french garlic, an heirloom tomato and a basket of romas all from "The Hydroponics Lady".
I arrived at the farmers market 15 minutes before closing time and was instantly flustered. I had a big list of my own plus Jennifer's list and the vendors were starting to pack up already! Guess that's what I get for always going at the end of the day. I set out looking for the hydroponics lady. Found her pretty quickly, asked for a head of French garlic, an heirloom tomato (she was out), some romas and 2 jalapenos for my salsa and grabbed everything else from one of the big stands and was on my way to the local high school to eat my dinner in the car before yoga.
I arrived at the farmers market 15 minutes before closing time and was instantly flustered. I had a big list of my own plus Jennifer's list and the vendors were starting to pack up already! Guess that's what I get for always going at the end of the day. I set out looking for the hydroponics lady. Found her pretty quickly, asked for a head of French garlic, an heirloom tomato (she was out), some romas and 2 jalapenos for my salsa and grabbed everything else from one of the big stands and was on my way to the local high school to eat my dinner in the car before yoga.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Farmers Market Challenge: Week 3A
This week's FMC will be brought to you in three parts because I actually got a chance to hang out and take pictures and talk to folks this week.
First Thing's First:
I went to the farmers market with $27 (notice how the number keeps going up? I swear it's not intentional) and I bought:
First Thing's First:
I went to the farmers market with $27 (notice how the number keeps going up? I swear it's not intentional) and I bought:
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Moulting
I was chatting with a regular patron in the library yesterday afternoon. She also keeps chickens and commented that she was stockpiling her eggs in anticipation of her girls moulting.
... I knew they did that, but I kinda forgot. Oops. Would I hafta start buying eggs again for a while?
*Research Time*
Apparently, Chickens stop laying and then loose all their feathers before resuming their egg laying again. This happens every year. Usually in the fall, but it is technically a response to extended egg laying or other stress on the chickens nutritional needs. As such, young hens who just started laying usually don't moult their first fall (whew!) because the egg laying has yet to take its toll on their bodies and because chicks moult 3x in their first 6 months.
So, I'm in the clear this fall. I've learned something new, and HOPEFULLY, I'll remember in time to do some stockpiling of my own come next fall.
... I knew they did that, but I kinda forgot. Oops. Would I hafta start buying eggs again for a while?
*Research Time*
Apparently, Chickens stop laying and then loose all their feathers before resuming their egg laying again. This happens every year. Usually in the fall, but it is technically a response to extended egg laying or other stress on the chickens nutritional needs. As such, young hens who just started laying usually don't moult their first fall (whew!) because the egg laying has yet to take its toll on their bodies and because chicks moult 3x in their first 6 months.
So, I'm in the clear this fall. I've learned something new, and HOPEFULLY, I'll remember in time to do some stockpiling of my own come next fall.
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