[greeneyes]

Yes, you just basically use the same type of seasonings that you do for your favorite jerky recipe, only instead of cutting all those thin strips of meat, just mix it up with the very lean hamburger.

Spread it in thin rectangular shapes on a cookie sheet, and bake it on the low oven setting for several hours or follow dehydrator directions.

I like it better because it is easy to chew, and I am missing some jaw teeth, so ease of chewing is important for me.LOL

[Marcella]

The bag of squirrel repellent pellets came and I've got a problem. They shouldn't be used around pets. I think I can solve this by:
The dirt garden part backs up to the back fence. The top of the back fence is where the squirrels first land, then jump into the dirt garden. At the front part of the dirt garden, I have a metal border in the ground to keep the dirt in the garden. After the metal border is the brick Riverwalk where rainwater drains through the exists at the other side of the brick Riverwalk. In front of the Riverwalk is where the deck starts.

I'm going to have to stick plastic fencing in the ground just before the metal border starts. It wouldn't take a very high fence to keep my Yorkie from getting in there. I then saturate the dirt garden and the top of the wall with the anti-squirrel pellets. The plants that are in the grow bags would be sitting among the pellets on the ground.

If the squirrels don't get past the dirt garden laden with pellets, they won't be on the deck. So, the next step is get plastic fencing. Only would need to be 12-14-16 inches to keep Yorkie out.

The white fencing might even add to the “ambiance” of the garden. :o)

I have a question to all who know the answer to this:
What exactly is Stevia? Did I read somewhere it's sweet and can take the place of sugar? If so, are there seeds to be bought? So, what does one do with Stevia?

My baby tomato plants are now in the large tomato planter. There are four Sunspot Sunflower plants in grow bags. These Sunflowers should be planted in spring but I planted them anyway and have more for spring.

Those containers plus the Sweet Potato grow bag are together on the deck with net over them and I put row cover over them at night to make sure the squirrels don't attack in early morning before I am up. The row cover plus the net seems to keep them out. The deck is much closer to the house than the dirt garden so they have to be more brazen to come onto the deck but they would if the plants were not protected.

The stub of the one Sweet Potato plant that is left after the squirrels ate the rest of the plant before I moved them on the deck, is growing back a leaf so maybe it will survive.

I have a method to get oil out of black oil Sunflowers. Those Sunflowers will be planted in early spring as will the Jerusalem Artichoke Sunflowers that make the edible tubers.

I ordered two packages of Tromboncino squash seed that is resistant to bugs. Johnny gets some of those. The beauty of this squash is one can eat it when it is green or leave it and the skin turns tan and becomes like a Butternut Winter Squash. That's an almost all year food.