Posted on 11/25/2016 5:54:47 PM PST by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds.
From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - there is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.
My Grandmother was the best friend I ever had. She was more fun, active (despite severe arthritis), wise, interesting and as you can see there aren’t enough adjectives for me. When I was 26 I bought a house and acre near her. Not specifically to “care” for her but to be near my closest friend. When she did get old enough to be unhealthy it was a great honor to care for her. She passed away in 2003 holding my hand while I sang hymns. I treasure that also.
I said all that to say that I’ve been somewhat acquainted with you from NASCAR threads probably back to 02 or 03. Just knowing you from those and even talking gardening on NASCAR, I’d bet my favorite Dale Jr. hat that your kids and grandkids feel the same way about you and the Mrs. Close family is the best of lifelong friends. It’s what we do and it’s always a blessing.
My mom and dad are still hopping like they’re spring chickens and have 3 of us kids within a 100 mile radius. We spend much time together. I ended up marrying this excellent man in 2010. His mom is a loving Christian woman. The youngest of her 4 boys has been living with her and caring for her since my father-in-law passed away in 2012. That brother is disabled himself and until now they’ve been in a good situation, able to care for one another.
I’m now going to ask for prayer. The situation change is that my mother-in-law fell at work. She is 78, VERY social, and worked by choice in a deli because she loves social contact so much. After her fall, slipping on a wet floor, she’s not getting medical coverage to pay for her recovery. We need prayers for this very special lady’s healing INCLUDING re-establishing some form of the social contact with lots of people upon which she thrives.
Excuse the long post but I wanted to both explain to you how special I have come to see you and Mrs. Bender over the years and put forth my prayer request.
Thank you for that book description! Very detailed and I want one now for myself!
God bless you and that precious family you describe :)
P.S. I make wine jellies if you need tips. I also use my wine jelly recipe and use mint, lemon balm, lavender and whatever to make herb/wine jellies that are extremely popular with family and friends :)
Not sure if you questioned the wine jelly as to whether to give it or a recipe to make it.
I would be very grateful to have any tips, recipes, etc. where wine jelly is concerned. I have hot/spicy & savory/sweet items to gift; however, there are folks who aren’t into that sort of thing and interestingly, those are the folks who tend to like wine so I was thinking a wine jelly would be good for them. I have the Ball Blue Book which has a wine jelly recipe, but it’s pretty “plain”. I’ve seen some spiced ones online.
That Victory Garden Cookbook is also a good one for “getting lost” in during the winter months when you can’t be outside gardening. It’s one of my very favorite books. As to the recipes, Marian’s got a carrot cake recipe in there that I just love - best one I’ve come across and if I’m doing carrot cake, that’s the one I’m using. The book is just a treasure trove of “good stuff”! You can find a nice used one for a reasonable amount of money & that’s the way I’d go.
BTW, here’s a link to a blog post that has the carrot cake recipe - she gives credit to Marian Morash .... only thing it’s missing is 1 Tb finely grated lemon peel. I make mine in a Bundt pan.
https://southbyse.com/tag/carrot-cake/
I also noticed this blog has a recipe to old fashioned fig preserves ... we have a brown turkey fig & SIL next door has an Italian fig - I love figs & really want to do fig preserves & this looks like a pretty good recipe (love the pics, too on both posts).
https://southbyse.com/2013/08/17/old-fashioned-fig-preserves-never-go-out-of-style/
Got company on the way, will get you the recipe soon as they leave. But will tell you, I usually use sweeter wines for my wine-mint or other tasty herbs. I stuff wide mouth jars full of clean mint (or other herbs) then fill the jars with wine, close and set in the fridge for 2 to 7 days to flavor the wine. If you have those ingredients you might think of starting that. Or, give me the evening and I’ll copy you my super simple recipe :)
I’m not a wine drinker but the wine jelly is some of my favorite. It goes really well with cream cheese. My husband is a wine lover and he loves all my wine jellies from the ones I make with sweet and fruity light wines to the dry dark wines. He rarely eats any other kind of jelly.
Bless you and your family. I’m 83 and thank the Lord for the extra days he has given me to enjoy family and friends and the gift of a Lovely Lady with a heart full of love for all…
I’m allergic to mushrooms, but that kind of difference in yield is enough to make me consider growing them!
They convert oak chips directly to compost, and link to the plants to feed them. My gardener neighbor allowed me to put a small bed in the corner of her greenhouse and the wild strawberry plants next to the bed grew twice as fast took a cardboard box full of soaked oax chips and spawn and buried it flush with ground level with the lid closed. The cardboard kept competition for the chips at bay till the wine cap colonized the entire box. The mycelium then spread past the box In to the soil.
I need to remember to pour on fresh chips to put them to bed for the winter come to think of it... from what I read the fresh chips insulate the mycelium bed for the winter and becomes food in the spring.
Okay, here’s my base recipe for wine and other alcohol related jellies. I got this from my 1981 Sunset Book, Canning, Freezing and Drying.
1 - 3/4 Cup wine
3 Cups sugar
1 pouch (3 oz) liquid pectin
Prepare 4 half pint canning jars.
Mix wine and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Place over boiling water; stir until sugar is completely disolved (about 5 minutes.) Remove from heat, but leave jelly over hot water. Stir in pectin all at once. If foam forms on top, skim it off with a metal spoon. Pour into jelly jars, add a boiled lid and ring, set on a towel to cool.
I’ve doubled this recipe successfully but it’s a little more finicky about jelling in humid weather when doubled. When it didn’t jell, I redid the batch by pouring it all back in the double boiler, getting it hot and adding more pectin and it jelled. Lesson learned, that was a rainy day and I was taught not to make jelly on a rainy day anyway.
To make the wine/herb jelly I just soak the clean herb in the wine for 2 days to a week. Pour the wine thru a strainer to get the herbs out then use that wine in this recipe. I have once added chopped up mint into the jelly mixture but we did not like the texture of the minced mint in the jelly. Tasted fine but didn’t seem to add any more flavor.
I have also used this recipe to make Margarita jelly by making a straight margarita that you’d pour on the rocks and using that in place of wine.
My daughters always liked the jelly made from peach wine. Since they like the peach so much I mixed peach wine with peach schnapps half and half.
They’ve had me mix different concoctions of “mixed drink” jellies since they’ve been adults. Some have worked, some were just not right and some didn’t want to jell well but usually do if I reworked them with a second round of pectin. I wouldn’t do those myself to give away probably but it gets my adult daughters doing something with me. The margarita mix was a hit with their cousins tho.
I have used the plain wine recipe for nearly 35 years tho and its good and easy. Adding herbs I’ve been doing about 25 years and that’s never failed either. Just make sure you keep it all clean and sterilize properly.
Thanks so much! The wine jelly is probably what I’ll end up doing. I also saw a beer jelly recipe - not something I’m going to attempt this time around - maybe for next year.
I know you’ll enjoy the project whatever recipe you decide to use for the wine jelly. I can tell from your post and telling us about The Victory Garden Cookbook that you enjoy making new stuff as much as I do. When I can’t get out in the garden, I love to be doing new things in the kitchen.
I had to laugh at Diana in Wisconsin’s post #34 yesterday saying she sounds like an old Granny in her rocking chair. I think I’ve been like that since I was in my mid 20’s or even as a kid. I grew up most loving to be with my Grama or in Grama’s mother’s garden or kitchen :)
And Diana I heartily love the preemie project you mentioned. Now that our weather in Texas is also getting cold I’ve got to get back to my chair in front of the fireplace and finish a foot warmer for my dad that I started crocheting last spring before the weather got too hot to hold the thing in my lap. He asked me to create a “pillowcase-like thing” to keep his feet warm while he watches TV. Got to get that done ASAP then start crocheting on a baby afghan for grandbaby #21 due in April or May :)
Both of my grandmothers canned .... they cooked with very different styles and canned differently, too - one used metal cans and a big kettle on an outside fire while the other used jars, a roasting pan, and stove that was electric, but also had a wood burning chamber. Most of the canning interest comes from my grannies. Two things kicked me over the edge into doing it: #1 trying not to waste garden produce #2 my cousin gave my dad a little basket of herb jellies for his 90th birthday & I thought it was the best present he got - something homemade that required the gift of time.
Well, I crochet, too. While I do “the usual” sorts of things, the most satisfying is prayer shawls. I joined the prayer shawl group at my church, but to date, have been kept busy making shawls for my family/close friends. When someone has cancer or some other issue, doing a shawl for them gives me a lot of peace and comfort when I can’t “do” anything else and it’s a tangible representation of my prayers for them. So far I’ve done 12 ..... 5 of the shawl recipients have gone on to their Heavenly reward. One shawl was given back after an aunt died ... I treasure it because she loved it so & wore it every time she was in the hospital. I knit & have done some intermediate projects, but I find I’m still awkward with the needles & would rather crochet. Next on my list to get serious about is tatting - I have done some needle tatting, but want to get into shuttle tatting. My bucket list of projects is way longer than the time I’ll ever have to get them all completed.
We eat almost exclusively venison (rarely, if ever buy beef) - both of my nieces have gotten bucks this year - a 9 point during archery season and a 6 pointer yesterday. We also have some elk burger/steaks in the freezer - my brother & his business partner went on an elk hunt in September. They decided if only one of them got a bull, that they’d split the processing cost & the meat. The partner got a decent 5 x 5 so that’s why we have some elk in the freezer. There is a VERY nice, large buck showing up on our game cameras around here. This year, first time ever, some buck is thrashing/tearing up our small magnolia trees - he has one of them reduced to a third of its original size - I’m guessing it’s Mr. Big Buck. I’m personally ok with that because I didn’t plant the trees & they’re going to block the sun from my garden when they get bigger. The tree planters (who shall remain anonymous), are furious with that buck & would like to see him vacuum packed & in the freezer. There’s still a month of hunting left, so that might just happen.
Thanks again for the helpful canning/wine jelly tips. We have company coming Tuesday for a couple of days & after that, I’ll be finishing up the Christmas canning. I am crocheting one Christmas present this year (a cute ‘Boho’ backpack bag for a niece) & that will be done after today. This year, I plan on finishing early so I can really enjoy the holiday season.
I LOVE to crochet. I don’t go a day without it. :)
“This year, I plan on finishing early so I can really enjoy the holiday season.”
I’m way ahead of the curve this season for a change. Not working (outside the home) for a living has certainly made THAT possible!
February will give me my first full year of ‘retirement’ thanks to Beau. I’ve never NOT worked since I was a teen, so it has taken some getting used to - but now I hope I never have to go back to the work-a-day world.
There’s too much, cooking, canning, gardening, crafting and reading to do! :)
I love to crochet too :)
About 80% of my crochet time ends up being afghans for somebody or other (read grandkids, nieces and nephews). It just gets too hot for me sometimes in summer. Our A/C has been out this year and we’re still saving $$$$ for a replacement so the work on my dad’s foot warmer has been limited to doctor’s office waiting rooms since June.
I’m kinda new posting on this thread and don’t want to be out of line. I know politics is off limits and I know their are people here with all kinds of abilities and skill sets. No wish to get on anybody’s wrong side here on a “fun thread.” But 2 weird things have happened in my life about crocheting this year.
I grew up and lived in a rural, low income county. They’ve had farmers markets in the various little towns off and on for years. They kinda sputter starting and stopping moving from one little community to another as space allows. Some new people have moved from the cities and bought “play” ranches and try to integrate in. One of my friends and I have gone in together on a table over years selling whatever we had at farmers markets but this year they started a town organization for a farmer’s market on the court house square. That was convenient because it happens to be 6 blocks from my friends house and the house I lived in before i married hubby. Turns out, we were “disinvited” to participate in the farmers market because we tried to sell crocheted items from yarn we bought. They only wanted local people who raised their own animals, sheared, spun then crocheted. Ours was not allowed because it isn’t “artisian.” I thought “artisian” was a well and maybe they meant “artisan” but, no, they insisted “artisian” was what they wanted.
Now, this couple we had for company last night is where this “artisian” thing and politics really collide. (Altho my farmers market buddy and I blame that deal on libs from the city too.) Hubby and I recently met this couple thru his business. Hubby is self employed and contracts to some idustries in Dallas/Ft. Worth and Waco. (I’m like you Diana, because I married this terrific guy I now get to stay home and do the things I love) Like I said he met this guy professionally but turned out they moved to the country, bought abt 3 acres less than 1/2 mile from us. The wife is a Phd who works for a college. The first time we met them for dinner socially I mentioned crocheting. The lady got all excited because she’s just started crocheting in the last couple of years. She asked me where I got my yarn. I replied, “well, mostly WalMart or Hobby Lobby. Anyplace with a good sale but i love garage sale finds.” She replied, “oh, so you don’t crochet your own things?” HUH? Turns out she bought 3 alpacas and some goats she can shear. She pays somebody to wash it and card it then she spins it and crochets it. So again, she says she’s creating “artisian” projects. Last night she tried to explain why Obamacare isn’t working for hubby and I. It’s because we didn’t choose our options correctly. She also tried to convince us last night why all of “the right” is inherently racist. I let hubby respond and he did well but they left shortly after that discussion. I vented here over the crochet, I guess, because it just seems these leftists even messed up this craft I’ve loved since I was an 8 or 9 year old child and these people moved to MY NEIGHBORHOOD!!!
And now that we’ve met them, and hubby is professionally involved, and they live right down the road I have to deal with this. Grrrrrr.
You know what you should do? Kill her with KINDNESS!
Give her a call and ask her if she’d be willing to swap her ‘artisian’ *SNORT* yarn with you in exchange for crochet lessons, or a finished product that she needs or can sell.
Beat her at her own game! ;)
I have acquaintances that are Libs in my everyday life. I don’t even GO THERE as far as politics go, but I take what I can from them.
Pinheads. LOL!
In case you all want to get involved, here’s the link to, ‘Project Linus’:
You, too, can become a, ‘Blanketeer!’
Crochet, quilting or knitting. Even no-sew Polar Fleece blankets for the crafting-impaired. ;)
“Lesson learned, that was a rainy day and I was taught not to make jelly on a rainy day anyway.”
I once made some Rose Petal Jelly that didn’t gel properly. It was a small batch, so I used it up by mixing it with Powdered Sugar to make a glaze and then glazed muffins and sweet bread loaves that year. It was especially good to glaze a simple Pound Cake.
It was a big hit!
I went in that direction while they were here. I had to jump in to steer the conversation away from politics and God on a couple of occasions. Politics because the first item she mentione was obamacare. That sets hubby off in the worst way because it has messed up my healthcare and he views it as an affront to his wife. That's new and different to me but while nice in some ways I've had to adjust since I didn't marry him till I was 52.
But, I felt sorry for the poor lady because she didn't know she'd kicked the hornet's nest. Had to be her defender. More than once last night.
But I did share patterns with her last night. Showed her some things she's unfamiliar with crocheting that can't be done with her homemeade yarn. Asked her to show me her process for spinning etc. I was nice. You have to be with company.
Bugs me more when they go home.
I'm going over in a couple of weeks to meet her goats and alpacas. She's in administration where she works and is in busy season with time off coming up for the holidays so we'll see how it goes with our invite to their place. Hubby may have scared her off.
At any rate, she's made it to my prayer list. Has lots of anxiety issues which she was open about. Seems the bigness of creation frightens her and she rejects the concept of God. She did not want to look much at the stars on our deck because the vastness causes panic attacks and makes her fear. She said she felt the same thing while hiking in west Texas. I was observing her husband watch her with concern while looking at the night sky. When she expressed her panic and fear my husband tried to reassure her that the God who created all that cared more for her than all of those stars. I watched her bristle up at that but her own husband was shaking his head in the affirmative as if he wants her to understand that also. They left immediately after that. It was an odd evening, probably why I'm sharing this so freely today, in public. God probably put them here for His purpose and I've got to work on it.
We did Turkey Day on Friday. Fried one and smoked one. All the kids and grandkids made it except for #3 Son Taylor. He’s in South Korea with the Army for the next little while.
Didn’t do anything in the garden over the weekend, but the green beans that Mrs. Augie picked before the frost a few nights ago made a fabulous casserole for Thanksgiving dinner.
We’re spending this week in Branson with #2 Navy Son Clint and #1 Marine Daughter Leah. We’re going to hit a few of the local attractions, try to catch some trout and do a bit of relaxing while we’re here.
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