Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

[nw_arizona_granny]

I just mix it in the cats’ food and they pay it no mind. Worm free cats - no poisons needed! Supposedly it adds useful minerals as well.<<<

Excellent idea and as I feed a bunch of feral cats, they need it.

LOL, yes, it would taste like dirty water.

Maybe it could be mixed with honey and made into a pill.?

[nw_arizona_granny]

Cool and dry is the ticket, sealed in a coffee can is good and either use the packets of ? that pull the moisture out or some use dry powdered milk, which could be contained in an old sock or a coffee filter, made into a packet.

I do freeze for a month, the seeds that I save from fruit and intend to plant.

You may never get fruit on the tree, but in the desert, any tree is a blessing, so I keep trying them.

LOL, so ok, I admit it, I like planting seeds and seeing something grow from them.

[TnGOP]

As for the packet of drying material, that is another use for diatomaceous earth! I just stopped the wife from throwing away a coffee can yesterday. Now I have a use for it. Thanks.

[JDoutrider]

I looked at that Lehman site for pressure cookers... never knew they were that spendy! What is a good pressure cooker brand besides theirs... Anyone?

[ErnBatavia]

I admit it, I like planting seeds and seeing something grow from them.

Ditto me....we're trying something new; "tub farming"...planted this stuff from seed (except for the patio tomatoes) on January 10 here in our desert.

[DelaWhere]

IMO Lehman's has the right brand but you can save about 20% off their prices. The All American has some unique features that I really like. One, there is NO RUBBER SEAL - don't have to worry about replacing them - it is a metal to metal (tapered) seal.

Just this last year, I replaced one my parents had forever. It was only carried by Montgomery Ward (long gone) and it had to be constantly monitored to get a good cook. After really looking hard at them, I decided on the All American 921 which lets me do 7 quarts, 19 pints or 24 half pints in a batch. It is very heavyweight cast aluminum and doesn't lose temp too fast. I like having the bobble pressure regulator and the pressure gauge.

[JDoutrider]

Thanks for that information! I’ll have to look around for a better price... MMM! 20%? Could you point me in the direction where you found that price?

[DelaWhere]

Sorry for interruption in last post -

You can get cheaper ones (less pricey) but the Mirro and others that cost less have rinky-dink pressure latches that sometimes hang and cause problems - Please consider it an investment for a lifetime - once you start using it, you will use it more and more. Please though, don't buy a pressure cooker and expect to use it for canning. Remember, you want a really accurate cook that will assure all critters are killed. Also think of it as a sterilizer for making bandages in case of a disaster or sterilizing medical equipment as needed. Definitely a must have in my book.

[WestCoastGal]

bookmarking and bumping

[DelaWhere]

Don't know which model you are interested in, but here are a couple of examples:

Model 921

Lehman's $249.00

All American Canning Co. $209.99

Red Hill General Store $209.99 (this was $199.99 last year when I got mine here)

Model 915

Lehman's $230.00

All American Canning Co. $195.99

Red Hill General Store

or All American Canning Co.

I got prompt service from Red Hill (it was drop-shipped from the factory in Wisconsin - received in about 4 days)

Hope that helps.

[DelaWhere]

Granny, In an earlier post you were talking about your canning book being out of date - The last revision was in 1994 and can be found here:

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning

They should be updating it again within the next year or two.

Of course the old stand-by is the Ball Blue Book - but if someone buys one on eBay, they need to be sure it is the current edition.

It sure is hard to keep up... First we can make cake in a jar and bread - then nope - not safe then we can do puree of squash and pumpkin, then oops somebody might not pack it hot enough and so now we shouldn't do it.

[JDoutrider]

Indeed it does! Thanks again!

[nw_arizona_granny]

Looking for something new? Find information about production of floral, forest, fruit, grain, herb, industrial, nursery, nut, vegetable or other specialty plants, seeds and products.

List of Alternative Crops and Enterprises for Small Farm Diversification

USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
Lists alternative livestock species and livestock-related enterprises with links to Extension sources that help evaluate and start non-conventional farming enterprises.

Missouri Alternatives Center: Link List
University of Missouri. Cooperative Extension Service.
Offers Web site resources which include an on-line newsletter and a comprehensive database of full-text, on-line Extension and related how-to publications from all states and on many farming alternatives “from Asparagus to Watermelons, and Aquaculture to Worms.”

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Lists publications about Field Crops and Horticultural topics as related to sustainable agriculture.

Crop Production
USDA. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
A selection of books and bulletins available for purchase and online access on the topic of successful crop production systems for farmers and ranchers.

Plants National Database
USDA. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The section on Alternative Crops provides Web links to production and marketing information for crops suitable to small-scale farming and based on the selected crops and States.

NewCROP
Purdue University. Center for New Crops and Plant Products.
Provides several sources of information such as the New Crops Symposium series articles available through the Table of Contents for each volume, the CropEXPERT listings and the CropORGANIZATION directory about a wide variety of both common and unusual crops.

Plants for a Future
Plants for a Future.
Located in the United Kingdom, “Plants For A Future is a resource centre for rare and unusual plants, particularly those which have edible, medicinal or other uses.” Its services include an on-line database which currently consists of nearly 7,000 species of plants. The database is searchable by scientific name, common name or family; edible, medicinal or other use; or search for plants native to a particular area or a particular habitat.

Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Search plant, chemical, activity and ethnobotany databases. Includes an ethnobotanical dictionary and links to nutritional, cancer treatment and other plant related databases.

New Crop Opportunities Center
University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture.
“Provides production and marketing information on new crops and value-added versions of current crops.”

Crops

Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.
Includes information on many alternative commodities in categories including cereal, fruit, greenhouse, vegetable, oilseed, pulse and medicinal plant crops.

Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook
University of California. Small Farm Center.
Presents selected profiles from the 2nd edition of this unique publication. The complete print document may be order from the University of California Small Farm Center.

Alternative Crop Suitability Maps
Illinois State Water Survey.
Provides summary information and requirements for over 400 crops. Maps provided on this site are specific to Illinois, but other information should be of general use.

Last Modified: Aug 15, 2008
Links referenced within this page (Hide Links on this Page)

List of Alternative Crops and Enterprises for Small Farm Diversification
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/altlist.shtml

Missouri Alternatives Center: Link List
http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
http://attra.ncat.org/

Field Crops
http://attra.ncat.org/field.html

Horticultural
http://attra.ncat.org/horticultural.html

Crop Production
http://www.sare.org/coreinfo/crops.htm

Plants National Database
http://plants.usda.gov/

Alternative Crops
http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=alt_crop.cgi

NewCROP
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/

New Crops Symposium series
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/default.html

CropEXPERT
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/experts/experts.html

CropORGANIZATION
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/organizations/orgs.html

Plants for a Future
http://www.pfaf.org/

Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/index.html

New Crop Opportunities Center
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/welcome.html

Crops
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/index.html

Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/speccrop/default.asp

University of California Small Farm Center
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/publications.asp?view=5

Alternative Crop Suitability Maps
http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/data/altcrops/

from:

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=2&tax_subject=298

[nw_arizona_granny]

As for the packet of drying material, that is another use for diatomaceous earth!<<<

It should work, you don’t want to pull all the moisture from the saved seeds, or they will not be alive, maybe try half with the D.earth and half with powdered milk.

Finding a cool dry spot for the can, hard to do.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Looks good and healthy to me.

I like your watering system, good idea.

Thanks for sharing the planters, LOL, I have a tub with a split in the bottom that has been tempting me to do the same project.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Dela Where for giving such good information on both the canners and the canning books.

I think mine is a Mirro and more than likely I bought it from the Sears Catalog.

Now that it is gone from my mail box, I save a lot of money.

LOL, I just don’t buy anything.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Detailed plans for a Solar Fruit Dryer. [pdf]

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPubs/Plans/6244.pdf

[nw_arizona_granny]

Detailed plans for the tobacco grower:

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm#Tobacco%20Plans

TOBACCO PLANS
Plan
No. No.
Pages Plan
Description
T4009 2 TOBACCO BARN. 32’ x 60’ FOUR TIER POLE CONST. (TOBACCO EXP.STATION)
T4038 1 TWO WHEEL PIPE FRAME TOBACCO TRAILER. (KENTUCKY)
T4143 2 24’ WIDE TWO TIER SIDE LOADING TOBACCO BARN.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm#Greenhouse%20Plans

GREENHOUSE PLANS
Plan
No. No.
Pages Plan
Description
5941 2 PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE/COLD FRAME. 8’ x 18’ WOOD FRAME.
5946 1 PORTABLE PLASTIC GREENHOUSE. 9’ x 12’ ARCHED ROOF.
5971 1 HOTBED AND PROPAGATING FRAME. PLASTIC COVER. 6’ x 6’.
6029 2 GREENHOUSE FRAMING. 23’ x 48’ RIGID WOOD FRAME.
6064 2 LATH HOUSE. 22’ x 48’.
6080 1 MINI HOT BED AND PROPAGATING FRAME. ARCHED ROOF. 42” x 5’-0”.
6163 1 GREENHOUSE BENCHES. 6 TYPES. WIRE AND WOOD.
6181 2 HOME GREENHOUSE. 10’ x 12’. PLASTIC OR FIBERGLASS COVER.
6185 3 PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE. 28’ x 96’ WOOD OR PIPE FRAMING.
6206 2 HOT BED. 3’ x 6’ OR 6’ x 6’. ELECTRIC CABLE HEAT.
6217 2 ARCHED CONDUIT GREENHOUSE. 20’ x 80’. (CONDUIT BENDER SHOWN)
6222 3 PIPE FRAME GREENHOUSE. 28’ x 96’ PLASTIC COVERED. EVAP COOL.
6251 2 PLASTIC GREENHOUSE. 12’ x 16’ POLE FRAME.
6293 5 PLANT NURSERY WAGON WITH FOUR WHEEL STEERING.
6298 1 GOTHIC RAFTER GREENHOUSE. 21’ x 40’. PLASTIC COVERING.
6311 1 PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE. 21’ x 40’. SCISSORS TRUSSES.
6312 1 PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE. 20’ x 48’. PIPE(CONDUIT) FRAME.
795-3 2 HOBBY GREENHOUSE. 12’ x 20’. PLASTIC PIPE ARCH CONSTRUCTION.
(Subject Index)

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PLANS
Plan
No. No.
Pages Plan
Description
5192 1 ROADSIDE STAND. 24’x 28’ FRAME.
5193 1 LARGE ROADSIDE STAND. 17’x 24’ FRAME.
5695 1 SMOKE HOUSE. 7’ x 8’ WOOD OR CONCRETE BLOCK. (REPLACES 5029)
5982 1 TWO DISPLAY STANDS FOR PRODUCE. PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION.
5983 2 PERMANENT ROADSIDE STAND. 8’ x 16’.
6027 3 ROADSIDE MARKET WITH REFRIGERATED ROOM.
6119 1 PLYWOOD PALLET VEGETABLE BOX. 47” x 47” x 24” DEEP.
6120 1 PLYWOOD PALLET VEGETABLE BOX. 47” x 40” x 24” DEEP.
6121 1 PLYWOOD PALLET VEGETABLE BOX. 47” x 47” x 46” DEEP.
6145 3 FRUIT STORAGE BUILDING. 24’ x 52’. COLD STORAGE ROOM.
6202 2 FRUIT DRYER. ELECTRIC FORCED AIR HEAT.
6228 1 FRUIT & VEGETABLE STORAGE FOR HOME BASEMENT. 10’ x 10’.
6244 2 SOLAR FRUIT DRYER.
6252 1 CASSETTE FRUIT DRYER. (USES PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER).
6314 1 APPLE STORAGE AND PACKING FACILITY. 40’ x 170’.
6380 1 WALK-IN REFRIGERATOR FOR FARM MARKET. 8’ x 12’.
6383 2 INSULATED DOOR DETAILS FOR COLD STORAGE.
6386 3 TWO TEMPERATURE WALK-IN REFRIGERATOR. (REPLACES PLAN 7102)
6414 1 WOODEN PALLET VEGETABLE BOX. 38” x 47” x 32” DEEP.
T4179 1 60’ x 250’ FARMER’S MARKET WITH 36 SALES STALLS.

[This is a small sample of the free plans available here...granny]

[DelaWhere]

Oh, Granny... You are bringing back memories. My father worked for Sears for about 12 years. He was a problem store Manager which had us moving 26 times in 8 of those years. Then for the last 4 years we were in Cuba where he set up the warehouse and mailorder throughout the island. (Before Castro!)

I certainly remember the catalogs - my favorite was the farm book. (Ok, I’ll admit that as young boys we looked at all those risque models in bras and panties too, even had our favorites we watched for in each general catalog that came out) You sure are bringing back some memories.

You know, I sure wish I had a David Bradley 2 wheel garden tractor like we used to have when I was growing up... They had just about every attachment you could ask for. Plow, disk, planter, cultivator, sicklebar mower, generator. They don’t make equipment like that anymore - I have searched and searched and about the only place they still have that type of equipment is in the far-east.

That farm book had everything you could imagine... incubators, brooders, day old chicks, milking equipment, right up through field machinery.

Well, can’t turn the clock back, so guess I better get used to dealing with the times and resources we have.

[steve0]

Water in that area could be cut-off by the enemy very quickly. Everyone there should store water.

[JDoutrider]

Interesting... Very Interesting!

I may never leave my plot once I get going with all these dreams and plans~!

[nw_arizona_granny]

[A poll to Freep]

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pj-dQ-ivCZlO0jFXNU0hISQ

Ypsi Chicken Survey & Petition

The City of Ypsilanti currently does not allow the keeping of chickens, goats, bees, or other “farm”-type animals. A minor change in the city ordinance involving agriculture is on City Council meeting agenda on February 17th, 2009. That meeting will include a public hearing (the first of two) on that ordinance change. While the proposed change does not (explicitly) allow for the keeping of these animals, it gives an opportunity for community feedback about urban agriculture and specifically the allowance of chickens. This brief survey aims to gather community input on potential ways the ordinance could be changed in the future, as well as identify potential supporters of urban agriculture. The cumulative results will be shared with City Council and in the community by Growing Hope.

Easy poll to answer....granny

[nw_arizona_granny]

That farm book had everything you could imagine... incubators, brooders, day old chicks, milking equipment, right up through field machinery.<<<

Yes, my 100 egg incubator came from there...

It was so easy to order from the catalogs and LOL, my friend Mary taught me to look and note the pages, wait a day, make out the order, wait a week and mail it or call it in.

Always amazed me how the order shrunk in a week, as reality set in.

I have on a cotton blouse right now, still good enough for going out in, must be 25 years old.

In Texas, with outhouses, there would be a catalog.

I felt lost when Sears stopped them.

You did lead an exciting life, but then travel can be good for a kid, if they actually live the life of the new area.

So much in this world that we are missing.

If you live in an old farm area, start putting ads up on that Craigs site or do a google search for it by name or type, you may find one, I did some searching for my brother and there were all kinds of tractor sites, sales sheets for old ones, etc.

Also check Yahoo groups, you may find a group there.

My idea of a tractor is at least a 2 row Farmall.

[combat_boots]

ping to the JimRob, Kristinn DC We are Free People and want to stay that way mission.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2180833/posts

[combat_boots]

ping to the JimRob, Kristinn DC We are Free People and want to stay that way mission.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2180833/posts

sorry for the double posting.

Boots

[nw_arizona_granny]

You are correct and our local water company knows how much the danger is.

I have been at meetings in the past, where the water board had a letter from the Arizona Health Department, warning them to protect the water and of the possible dangers, do be done by “drive by” terrorists and that was before 9-11.

Are you in the Kingman area?

Welcome to this thread, thanks for reading it and please do join in.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Laughing, as I doubt you planned on building the barns for tobacco, but the cart might be of interest.

There are many plans on the page and they have real details, I checked a couple of them.

Can you include the hot tub in the lean to greenhouse?

That would be wonderful, it would be heated by the sun and in the winter, the hot tub heat would help the plants.

[nw_arizona_granny]

ping to the JimRob, Kristinn DC We are Free People and want to stay that way mission.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2180833/posts
<<<

Thank you for the alert on the needed phone calls.

Ohh, you should know that now you have sent double posts, you are welcome to come and read our thread and join in.

[Yes, I am smiling at you.]

[combat_boots]

Cool. Count me in..........

Boots

[nw_arizona_granny]

[I think Bill would have banned me from checking this web site.
granny]

http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/02/bike-powered-washing-machine.html

[there is a video at above link]

A Bike Powered Washing Machine
Via Bike Blog NYC, the Mayapedal Washing Machine:

We dig the inclusion of a derailleur to make the washing experience shiftable (apologies to the fixed gear hipsters out there). Based in Guatemala, Mayapedal has welded up a bunch of clever “Bicimáquinas” or bike machines that you check out here.
Posted by Homegrown Evolution at 12:47 PM
Labels: bikes, greywater, washing machine
4 comments:

Melissa ~ Wife to 1, Mom to 5 said...

That is AWESOME! Now I want one!!
1:15 PM
ChristyACB said...

Okay, that is too cool and I definitely want to try one for myself!
4:56 PM
Ian said...

Really awesome!
8:35 PM
jhm said...

How is this supposed to work, exactly? It seems to me that the clothes will not agitate, but simply plaster themselves against the barrel wall.

The idea of pedal power is cool, however, and I suggest it be used in connection with something like http://www.Staber.com/

[Staber.com is a made in the U.S. washer of a different design and there is also a dryer....granny]

---

http://mayapedal.org/bicimaquinas_in.html

[Down the page, there is a photo of the one eyed mule, Grandpa Ira made for me to plow with, not the same but close enough to give an idea for yours.....lots of good ideas here....granny]

What are bicimáquinas?

Bicimáquinas (translates as “bicycle machines”) are pedal-powered machines that act as an intermediate technology to assist the family economy in obtaining a higher production capacity in agriculture and in small business. Each bicimáquina is produced individually in our shop with a combination of old bikes, concrete, wood, and metal. So far we have developed several original designs that have proven to be both functional and economical.
Models Prototypes

* Bicycle Mill/Corn Degrainer
* Bicycle Blender
* Bicycle Water Pump
* Microconcrete Vibrator (Roofing Tiles)
* Tricycles and Trailers
* Bicycle Coffee Depulper
* Bicycle Metal Sharpener
* Just Bikes!

* Bicycle Washing Machines
* Bicycle Electricity Generator
* Soil plow/till/hoe
* Bicycle Nut-Sheller
* Bicycle Wood Saw

Contact us with your ideas and suggestions!

---

[nw_arizona_granny]

Excellent choice on your part.

LOL, honest it is not all women talk, look at the post between our posts, it will give you something to think about.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.homegrownevolution.com/

Make your own earth box:

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf

Sunday, February 01, 2009
Spreadin’ Seed
The past week was spent feverishly spreading genetic material around. No, we weren’t backstage with Metallica. We’re talking plants. Here’s a few ways we’ve been spinning the genetic biodiversity wheel in the past week:

Seed Swaps
Yesterday was International Seed Swap Day of Action, sponsored by Food not Lawns. We celebrated the day in Altadena with a bunch of local gardening enthusiasts and countless boxes of seeds. We got seeds for Armenian cucumbers, red ruffled pimento peppers, feverfew, echinacea and zucchini among others. In return we gave away okra, cosmos, and mystery seeds from my mom’s Greek neighbor. A seed swap makes a great excuse for a party and a great time was had by all.

The Neighbors
My mom’s elderly neighbor, who spends each summer in his native Greece, loves to garden and grows, among many other things, at least four different kinds of arugula, which he calls, “the Greek Viagra”. He gave us seeds for two different arugulas, some basil from the northern mountains of Greece and countless other untranslatable plants, and packed them up for us in blue medicine bottles. We’ve grown his vegetables before and, while we can’t vouch for the aphrodisiac qualities and don’t stoop to Viagra jokes, they taste really great.

Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit member supported organization that maintains a seed bank of over 25,000 varieties of vegetables. You can order seeds from them at www.seedsavers.org.

Catalogs
We’ve been obsessed with the Italian seed company Franchi for almost ten years now. Meeting the west coast distributor Craig Ruggless at the seed swap and seeing his display racks of seeds was the horticultural geek equivalent of bumping into a rock star. Craig’s got a blog here and, in addition to distributing seeds at local nurseries, he can be found at the Sierra Madre farmer’s market on Wednesdays. Craig doesn’t have a mail order operation—for Franchi seeds by mail go to www.seedsofitaly.com. You can also become a Franchi fan on Facebook here.

Lastly, if you aren’t already, consider collecting as many seeds as possible from your garden to save and share. Here’s some seed saving directions for common vegetables.
Posted by Homegrown Evolution at 7:36 PM
Labels: seeds
2 comments:

Luigi said...

Sounds like a week very well spent! Do you know our list of seed sources? http://agro.biodiver.se/seed-exchanges/
12:12 AM
Comfortable Shoes Studio said...

My favorite seed company is Botanical Interest. Its a great company, small, family owned with an interest in spreading seeds of heirlooms. Almost every seed they sell is heirloom. they sell a lot of organic seeds as well. Back when I was in the floral business I had the great opportunity to met one of the owners and I can say that I drank the kool aid. I appreciate businesses that stand behind their product and have a tremendous set of core values.
At the end of the season the company does a buy back of their seeds and then ships those seeds to developing countries to help the local grow their own food or flowers to sell. Anyway. I love their company and think everyone should check them out.
2:24 AM

http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/02/spreadin-seed.html

[Lots of hidden links above.]

[nw_arizona_granny]

[There are local groups, see list]

International Seed Swap Day of Action
January 31, 2009 is International Seed Swap Day of Action. Host a seed swap in your neighborhood in solidarity with Food Not Lawns, the White House Organic Farm project, Eat the View, and other organizations urging Obama’s new Administration to support and encourage local food networks, permaculture, and sustainability, in this Nation and beyond.

http://www.foodnotlawns.net/

[also at above link]

How To Organize a Community Seed Swap
How to Organize a Community Seed Swap
By Heather Coburn Flores
as printed in Back Home Magazine’s Ask an Expert column, March 2007

---

Video and petition for an Organic garden at the White House:

http://www.thewhofarm.org/

---

Henry Ford and TheWhoFarm
Nov 24 2008

With all the hype surrounding the auto industry bailouts, it seems that now would be as good a time as any to revisit Henry Ford on Self-Help, circa 1932.

According to a Time Magazine from that era, Mr. Ford “presented [his ideas] directly to the public by a series of three newspaper advertisements throughout the land. His company paid for them as ‘a contribution to public welfare.’ They summarized the fundamental economic philosophy of the man whose factories supply more industrial employment than those of any other individual.”

This particular ad included the following:
“The land! That is where our roots are. . . . No unemployment insurance can be compared to an alliance between a man and a plot of land.”

Were he alive today, it seems likely that Mr. Ford would have signed our petition to President-elect Obama.

Click here for a PDF of the entire advertisement.

http://www.thewhofarm.org/blog/

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.eattheview.org/

Edible landscapes for all: can you dig it? Yes, you can!

The future is going to be more fresh, juicy and delicious than a lot of us realize. That’s because edible landscapes are going to be more integrated into our yards, neighborhoods, towns, and cities in the future than they have in the recent past. So, rejoice: good, clean food is on the way!

To make this happen, though, we need more people asking for and digging these landscapes. Please join our campaign. Here are a few things you can do to help:

1) Identify a landscape near you that you think should be “edible-ized”. Chances are that you won’t have to look far. Start with your own yard, neighborhood, or child’s schoolyard. Then, why not ask your elected officials at the state and local level to lead by example. The Governors of Maine, North Carolina and New York are already eating from gardens planted at their official residences.

2) Sign our “White House Food Garden Petition” which we will deliver to the Obamas along with a diverse collection of heirloom seed packets.

3) Contact President Obama directly here. Tell him you’d like him to replant an organic garden on the White House lawn. There’s an opportunity to attach a photo to your request. You can grab one here.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Must be hundreds of links to reports and articles on solar cooking:

http://www.solarcooking.org/

---

This page has plans for solar, it covers many subjects and should be checked out by everyone, too much info to list:

http://www.builditsolar.com/

---

This page says Fun and Educational, I did not go to the link, but the one photo is interesting, a Pop Bottle greenhouse, and by golly they have a large plastic wall standing, the kids are building it.
granny

Greenhouse from pop bottles

www.reapscotland.org.uk/reports/greenhouse%20v1.pdf

This is a greenhouse built by kids with using 2 liter pop bottles.
The finished GH could be used for any number of solar heating and growing experiments. A great demonstration of how simple solar can be.
(from HomesteadingToday.com)

[many other ideas on page, very interesting....]

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Educational/educational.htm#PopGH

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.papayatreenursery.com/

Be Sure To See The Fruit Gallery Pictures
Of The Exotic Fruits That We Offer
The Papaya Tree Nursery was founded in 1985
by David And Tina Silber.
The Nursery is run today by their son Alex, who continues the
tradition of providing top quality fruit trees from all over the world
and expert advice. Some examples are tropical guavas, mangos,
cherimoyas, starfruit, and litchees.
Papaya Tree Nursery offers unique varieties specially suited to
Southern California climates.
Papaya Tree Nursery Proprietor
Alex Silber

Look for us at the
Green Scene
at the Fullerton Arboretum
on April 18th & 19th, 2009

[does not sell mailorder, so take a vacation and go shopping.
granny]

[nw_arizona_granny]

The more that I read on this page, the more I learn, interesting uses for all kinds of things. I did not dare click on the link to the older projects.
granny

http://www.homegrownevolution.com/

---

Make a Garden Work Table from a Pallet
Pallets are a ubiquitous building material, your free lumber yard in tough times. Homegrown Evolution patched together the garden work table above for use with seedlings and storing pots and watering cans. Hopefully the picture is all you need to put one together yourself.

Some tips for working with pallets:

1. We prefer projects that don’t involve disassembling the pallet. The nails in pallets aren’t meant to be removed. Trying to take one apart with a crowbar will, in most cases, result in a lot of split, useless wood. A Sawzall reciprocating saw would work better if you must take one apart. For the table above we simply cut the pallet in half with a circular saw and handsaw.

2. Use screws not nails and predrill all holes. Pallet wood is very brittle and splits easily.

For some other design ideas check out:

This nice coffee table. Note that you simply use the whole pallet.

And this cool idea: an art/architecture collective Municipal Workshop has a nice way of avoiding the problem of pulling pallets nails. They cut pallets apart and use all the small pieces of wood like tiles. Here’s some more info on their “Autotron Unit”, pictured above.

[A neat looking building is in the photo....granny]

[a comment]

Jenny said...

Hey, a friend sent me a link to this. Cool! We use pallets for a lot of things around here, but my favorite is the ceiling that my husband built in our strawbale house. You can see it at my blog www.ironwoodfarmproject.blogspot.com and click on the sidebar The House. There’s a photo of it now and if you scroll down there are some construction photos. Nice blog!

http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/01/make-garden-work-table-from-pallet.html

[nw_arizona_granny]

I do not know where to start, so many fantastic recipes for Artisan Breads:

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/

Five Minutes a Day for Fresh-Baked Bread

Discover this ridiculously easy — and cheap! — technique that revolutionizes home baking.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx

[nw_arizona_granny]

Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients

Basic truffle ingredients

* 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher)
* 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Optional base flavorings:

* Mint leaves (1 bunch, stems removed, chopped, about 1 cup)
* Cinnamon and cardamon (1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods)
* Amaretto (1-2 tablespoons)
* Almond extract (1 teaspoon)

Truffle coatings

* Cocoa powder
* Finely chopped walnuts
* Finely chopped almonds

Method

1 In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (this may take a while, be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).

If you are using one of the other recommended flavorings, stir it in with the cream (and ignore vanilla in the next step). If adding mint or other solids, after the cream simmers, remove from heat and let seep for an hour. Then strain away solids, and return the cream to a simmer and proceed with recipe.

2 Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. (This chocolate base is called ganache.)

3 Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

4 Roll in cocoa powder or chopped nuts and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

Makes 30-40 chocolate truffles.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007403chocolate_truffles.php

[nw_arizona_granny]

Braised Turkey Legs
Ingredients

* 2 turkey legs and 2 thighs, about 4 lbs
* Olive oil
* 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
* 1 cup of finely chopped celery
* Salt, pepper, and cayenne
* Water or other braising liquid (dry wine or stock)
* Corn starch
* Parsley, chopped, about 1/4 cup

Optional winter vegetables such as:

* Potatoes, peeled and quartered
* Carrots, chopped
* Turnips, quartered
* Rutabagas, quartered
* Parsnips, chopped

Method

1 Sprinkle turkey thighs and legs with salt and pepper. Brown the turkey thighs and legs on medium high heat in a little bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan with high sides. Add chopped onion and celery to form a nest under the turkey pieces. Sauté an additional 5 minutes.

2 Add enough braising liquid - either water, stock, wine, or a combination - so that the liquid covers the bottom inch of the pan, about 1 cup. Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer covered for an hour and a half, or until the turkey is so well cooked and tender that the meat easily falls off of the bones. Remove the turkey meat from the pan and remove the bones, taking special care to remove the many small narrow bones of the legs. Remove the skin.

Optional: At this point you can use the liquid remaining in the sauté pan to cook the potatoes, carrots and turnips. Add the vegetables to the pan and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cook covered until they are done, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan so you can reduce the remaining liquid without overcooking the vegetables.

3 Reduce the liquid remaining in the pan to intensify some of the meat juices for added flavor. Take a teaspoon of cornstarch and dissolve in a 1/2 cup of water. Add cornstarch mixture a little at a time to sauce, adding more liquid, until the sauce achieves the desired body. Adjust seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed, add a little cayenne or Tabasco sauce. If the sauce is too sweet, add a little vinegar or lemon. Add parsley.

4 Add the turkey meat back in the pan with the sauce. Serve immediately over rice or bread or with the vegetables if you have chose to make them.

Serves 6-8.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Dad’s Turkey Stew
Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 lbs turkey thighs (preferred) or legs (skin on, bone in)
1 medium-large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 quart vegetable stock
2 medium carrots, peeled, 1/4 inch slices
2-3 medium turnips, peeled, 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium rutabaga, peeled, 1/4 inch slices
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon herbes de provence*
Pepper

One Dutch oven with cover.
Method

1 Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a Dutch oven on the stove top. Wash and pat dry turkey pieces. Brown turkey pieces, skin side down, 2-3 minutes on each side. You may need to brown in batches if necessary. In the last 3 minutes of browning of the last batch, add the onions and celery.

2 Add salt and 1/2 of the stock. Bring to a simmer, remove from the stove top and put in the oven, covered, for one hour.

3 After an hour, remove from oven and add the rest of the vegetables - carrots, turnips, rutabaga, and potatoes, the herbs, and the rest of the stock. Return to the oven, covered, and cook until tender, another hour or more.

4 Remove bones and skin, discard. Season to taste.

Serves 6 to 8.

*Herbes de Provence is a delightful French blend of herbs - Winter savory, thyme, basil, tarragon, and lavender flowers.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Mom’s Stuffed Bell Peppers

Red and yellow bell peppers have a very different flavor than green bell peppers. The red ones especially are much sweeter. Any bell pepper can be used for this recipe; use the type you like the best.
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked white rice (starting from about 3/4 to 1 cup raw white rice)
* 4 to 6 bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), use 4 large, or 6 medium sized
* 1 to 1 1/4 lb of ground beef (ground chuck, 16% fat)
* 6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil)
* 1/2 teaspoon dry summer savory
* 1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram (or 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped)
* (Can substitute herbs with other herbs such as an Italian herb mix)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* Paprika

Method

1 If you haven’t already made the rice, start cooking the rice following the package instructions (usually 1 cup of raw white rice plus 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.)

moms-stuffed-peppers-1.jpg moms-stuffed-peppers-2.jpg

2 Cut the tops off of the bell peppers. Remove and discard (compost) the stem and seeds. Place bell peppers cut side up on a steaming rack over an inch of water in a large covered pot. Bring to boil, let steam for 10 minutes.

3 Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl mix together the ground beef, basil, summer savory, marjoram, salt, several turns of black pepper, and rice.

moms-stuffed-peppers-3.jpg moms-stuffed-peppers-4.jpg

4 Remove bell peppers from steamer pan. Place cut side up in a pyrex or other oven-proof casserole. Gently stuff the peppers with the ground beef rice mixture. Drizzle olive oil over the stuffed peppers, along the outside of the peppers, and into the pan. Rub the oil over the outside of the peppers; it will help with browning. Sprinkle the tops generously with paprika.

5 Place on middle rack and cook for 25-30 minutes, until meat is cooked through.

Serves 4 to 6. Serve with ketchup.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

This baked chicken recipe is one of those recipes that every home cook should have in their repertoire. It uses a minimal amount of ingredients - chicken, olive oil, salt and pepper (and if you want gravy, chicken stock or white wine) and is especially useful on those busy days when you are just too busy to get creative. My mother makes this chicken about once a month and usually serves it with mango chutney and Spanish rice.

Classic Baked Chicken
Ingredients

* 3 to 4 lb chicken, cut into 8 parts (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings) excluding the back
* Olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 cup of chicken stock* or white wine for the gravy (optional)

Method

baked-chicken-1.jpg baked-chicken-2.jpg

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil. Rub some olive oil over all of the chicken pieces in the roasting pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the roasting pan so the largest pieces are in the center (the breasts) and there is a little room between pieces so they aren’t crowded in the pan.

2 Cook for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 10-30 minutes more (approximately 14 to 15 minutes per pound total cooking time) until juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 170°F and the thighs 185°. If your chicken pieces aren’t browning to your satisfaction, you can put them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking, until browned sufficiently.

3 Remove roasting pan from oven. Remove chicken from roasting pan to a serving plate. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

baked-chicken-3.jpg baked-chicken-4.jpg

4 To make gravy for the chicken, take the roasting pan with its drippings and place on a medium setting on the stovetop. Use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add a quarter cup of white wine or chicken stock* to the pan to help deglaze the drippings from the pan.

baked-chicken-5.jpg
Pour the wine/stock and dripping mixture into a small saucepan and heat on medium high to reduce to desired thickness.

*While the chicken pieces are baking, if you bought a whole chicken that was then cut into pieces, you may have the back, the neck, and some gizzard pieces to use for making chicken stock. You can chop up the back a little, put it and the neck and gizzards (not the liver) into a small saucepan, barely cover with water, bring to a simmer, cook while the chicken is cooking. When the chicken in the oven is done cooking, use the stock from simmering the extra pieces to make the gravy.

Serves 4. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or Spanish rice.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

Under the headings of quick, easy, and a good way to stretch a half pound of pork, I present my friend Heidi’s Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles. I’ll admit that I was skeptical at first, but it’s surprisingly good and uses ingredients most of us can find all year round. Next time I think I’ll add a teaspoon of grated orange peel or some sliced kumquat for an added citrus edge.

Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles
Ingredients

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 2x1/2-inch strips
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 pound egg noodles, cooked, drained
Method

Get the water boiling for your noodles...

1 In a small bowl combine cumin, salt and pepper. Add pork; toss to coat.

2 In a large skillet heat oil over medium hight heat. Add the pork and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until browned.

3 In a small bowl blend the broth, orange juice, vinegar, and brown sugar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth mixture. Pour all but the reserved broth mixture into the skillet with the pork and garlic. Add the carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook 7-8 minutes.

4 Blend corn starch into reserved broth mixture. Stirring constantly, pour the corn starch mixture into the skillet to thicken the sauce. Add the green onions. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 more minute.

5 Toss with the noodles. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

[TnGOP]

I'm simply amazed by what I have found on this thread. Pedal powered stuff, greenhouse plans, things to plant, what to plant together, and not to plant together. The word "eureka!" comes to mind. I've found the mother lode. Here is one for Tennesseans, from the UT website. It tells planting times for most veggies, what kind of trees grow well here, insect control, greenhouse info, and much more - all from a Tennessee perspective. Here's the link:

Tennessee Gardening From UT

My sincere and profound thanks to ALL of you that have contributed. You have helped me learn, given me reading and gardening tips that will improve my knowledge base and productivity, and most importantly, you have brought me out of my shell here on Free Republic. A daily lurker for hours a day for 8+ years now feels confident to post at will, flame suit donned if needed (on other threads). Thank you all so very much. This information may well save lives when things go bad.

I had just about gotten to a level of cynicism that I no longer believed in the inherent goodness of our people or nation. There ARE good people out there, and I've found some of the best on earth right here. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me restore my confidence, which has been lacking for sooooo long.

[TnGOP]

And now that I sent the above post, and cleared the “blurry screen” problem I had while posting it, I must know more. Pecan storage, anyone? We picked up about 8 gallons yesterday. My mom always puts them in the freezer in the shells. Is that the best way? How about already cracked or shelled nuts?

[DelaWhere]

Wow, a goldmine! (pecans)
I've got to tell you that your Mom's method - putting the nuts in the freezer first may have some merits - it would kill any insects and I think I will try that on my walnuts.  I have tried many times to use some of the walnuts I have growing around here.  The problem always is that by the time the husk has dried, so you can run it through a corn sheller to remove the husk, the bugs have totally consumed the nut inside.  Like I do with my wheat, barley, rice, I am going to try giving them a week in the freezer before I proceed with drying.  Maybe that will work.

Your post got me looking as I was planning to plant some pecan trees (this was reinforced yesterday in the grocery store - 4 oz. of shelled pecans  ready?  $7.49  1 oz. $2.29 ) So, I found the following from a Google search:

Harvesting Pecans

Pecans are usually harvested from mid-October through November when the shuck loosens from the shell or splits. The trees in commercial production are harvested with trunk or limb shakers that literally shake the nuts off the tree to be collected by various means.

Homeowners usually use a long cane pole to whap the nuts down or find some 10-year-old kids willing to spend an entire afternoon throwing baseball gloves or old sneakers up into the tree to knock nuts down. That's how my mother got hickory nuts for cakes and cookies many years ago. Wait to pick up the nuts that fall to the ground naturally, and you're competing with the wiley squirrel-and may well lose.

Squirrels can be a real barrier to successful back yard pecan growing. It has been estimated that a single squirrel can consume about 50 pounds of pecans in a single season-the total production of two trees. Nuts can be stored in their shells for about four months at room temperature before becoming rancid. They'll last up to nine months in the refrigerator and a year or two when stored in the freezer.
........................................................................................................
Harvesting Pecans:
Pecans are mature and ready to harvest anytime after the shuck begins to split and open.

Storing Pecans:
We prefer to store pecans in airtight heavy-duty plastic freezer bags with a zipper-type closure. Pecans can be stored in jars or plastic cartons that can be made airtight. Label with the month and year of purchase.
Pecans should be stored in the refrigerator for six (6) to nine (9) months or preferably in the freezer for up to two (2) years. Pecans can be thawed and refrozen and not lose their quality. Also, frozen pecans need not be thawed to be used in recipes. If pecans appear shriveled or smell too strongly, discard them.
.......................................................................................................

"Sweetening" Pecans:
Pecans have two sources of bitterness -- naturally occurring tannins in the kernel and pieces of corky material from the inside of the nut which can adhere to the kernel.. Washing can eliminate this bitterness.
To "sweeten" pecan meats, place the kernels in a bowl and fill with lukewarm water. Stir and tumble the meats in the water for several minutes; the water will be discolored. Pour off the water and repeat the process at least once more. Spread the pecans on paper towels and allow them to dry for 15 minutes or so.
......................................................................................................
Harvesting & Storage

Harvesting pecans occurs from mid October through November, and occasionally into December. For home harvesting, gathering falling nuts can be an option, but you usually have to fight the squirrels, who are master nut gatherers. Small harvests can be achieved by tapping limbs with a padded stick to help with nut drop, or commercially tree shakers are used. Mechanical shakers are fascinating to watch. Once secured on the trunk of the tree, they are turned on and the tree shakes rapidly, causing the nuts to drop like pelting rain. Standing nearby, even the soil vibrates. Then the nuts are gathered, removed from their outer husks and sorted. Pecan nuts lose quality very quickly on the ground, especially during wet weather, so it is important to harvest soon after shaking. Fresh pecans need to be air dried for two to three weeks before storing.

Pecans will oxidize or turn rancid more rapidly in light and out of their shell, so nuts will store longer when they are in their shell. If you don’t intend to use them right away, you may want to buy unshelled nuts. They are best stored in a cool, dry, protected location. If you plan to store them for more than a month, you might consider freezing them. For the highest quality product it is recommended that they not be stored for more than one year in the freezer, but they have been known to do fine for several years.

Mmmm sticky buns, pecan pies, homemade fudge loaded with pecans Makes my mouth water!

[DelaWhere]

Also found the following from University of New Mexico for storing times for pecans:

Table 1. Relative storage life of pecans held at various temperatures

Temperature      In-shell (Months)      Shelled (Months)

70°F                           4                             3

47–50°F                      9                             6

32–36°F                     18                           12

20–25°F                   20–40                     18–24

0°F                         24–60                     24–60

[DelaWhere]

Granny,
Thanks for the recipe (actually the idea mainly)
Guess what we are having for dinner today.

I have several bags of frozen green pepper halves -
I make my stuffing with rice (oh, I always use 2 cups water to one of rice and do it in an open pot, stirring once and simmer till water gone) Mix that with one quart of my homemade canned chili - and stuff, then top with shredded cheese, sprinkle with diced bunching onions and some chopped cilantro - then bake.

Will pick some lettuce from my coldframe, add some diced dried tomatoes, celery, diced onion and topped with my vinaigrette dressing, some homemade pickled vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and onions on the side and a goodly helping of my canned applesauce and since the oven will be on, might as well make a pan of cornbread (gotta make the cornbread to try out the corona grain mill I bought yesterday for $29.00 new)

The only part of the above that I was not grown by me is the rice. (grin)

Thanks again!