Bad Economy and fears of contaminated food spur newcomers to grow their own - Page 3

Moonglow · February 15, 2009

Very good thread!

We all have to start somewhere, and I am glad I started last year.

FlipTX · February 15, 2009

I've been trying to get my dad back into gardening. He tried when I was a kid, but he put up the garden in a very shady spot and naturally it failed. He was discouraged and didn't really try again, at least with vegetables. When he moved to a sunnier place, he grew wildflowers. I just look at his big, sunny unobstructed back yard with such envy and can't believe someone could have such a nice spot and NOT put a vegetable patch in it.

stormymater · February 15, 2009

In my freecycle travels for leaves, grass clippings & manure, I am running into all kinds of folks who have all the makings for awesome gardens - better soil, light, the leaves & clippings - but they have no interest in the establishment of viable beds. I'm not a work wench by any means, no digging for digging sake here for goodness sakes, but the beds are my absolute foundation so I dig & turn (standing on the edge of the 20 inch high raised beds - haha). I will admit to really liking seeing the big ole earthworms when I turn the compost & do look for them in my raised beds. I have my ongoing battle with the weedlings - would that vegies sprouted like my weedlings but I learn each year better ways to deal with them. Dunno - beats TV or the bars (LOL) for me.

brokenbar · February 15, 2009

When I am speaking to a novice gardener, I try to tell them that they should start out small and build from there. I think so many of them go hog wild, have no real garden plan and are quickly discouraged by rampant weeds, insects and other problems and they may very likely never garden again. I also try to spend a lot of time talking about "dirt" and the difference between Dirt and an enriched, light. fluffy, nutrient-packed growing medium. I think some of them think you just throw some dirt on seeds and Vouala...garden bounty.
Most have heard of composting but really have no clue about why one would do it and what it's good for.
I try to get them to plant a small garden that will give them some fresh things to eat that first year and not necessarily a "canning or preserving" garden right off the bat. You have to walk a fine line between encouragement and discouragement!

spyfferoni · February 16, 2009

Kat,
I started canning a few years ago. I found the Harvest forum on gardenweb to be a great place to get info and recipes. There is a recipe for salsa I got over there called Annie's Salsa, that is amazing. Do a search for it on tomatoville and it should come up, as a couple of us posted about it a year or two ago. Whenever I have a problem with something I canned I ask over there and get good info. Also, if you live near a county extension office they have recipes available. Mine sells recipes for the price of copies only, so you can get what you want for cents. I also bought my Ball Blue Book there for 5$.
Hope this helps. Canning is work, but is really gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Tyffanie

stormymater · February 16, 2009

Kat -

I like this site from the University of Georgia - National Center for Food Preservation -
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

Great recipes (I have used a bunch of them), lots of great information & even a free online course about canning & food preservation.

newatthiskat · February 18, 2009

Thanks for the info I have put the website in my favorites. About to look through Neva's Ball Blue Book.

Really looking forward to this season.
Kat

brokenbar · February 18, 2009

I wanted to advise those who are planning to can for the first time, buy your jars and equipment early as it looks like there may be a scarcity of those products by the end of summer. As talked about by others in this thread, Harvest Forum is a great site for those new to canning and preserving. Be prepared for a little more expense starting out, IE: pressure canner, boiling water bath canner, jars, tools like jar lifters and canning funnels, etc. It is important to note that the original expense is quickly paid back and a pressure canner in particular, will last you a lifetime (other than rubber seals and perhaps new weighted gauges.) And for those who don't wish to can, a vacuum sealer (like Foodsaver) is a great way to preserve food for freezing and generic bags are available on Ebay all the time which helps bring the cost down.

And this is just a peculiar ancidote relative to canning in 2008...lemon & lime juice, which is used a lot in canning recipes to raise acidity in those canned foods that do not have enough, was impossible to get last year to-wards the end of summer due to several factors. Some members on the Harvest Forum reported having to drive large distances to find it. Here, in the tiny town I live outside of, there was no lemon or lime juice for 3 months (I have not checked lately, probably should heed my own advice!)

I know several members on Harvest Forum have gone to local store managers and asked them to order specific canning items and the Store Manager's were delighted to do so.

So Google away to read up on the canning and/or other preserving methods, plan your garden so that you will have enough of those items you want to preserve, arm yourself with the Ball Blue Book, buy your necessary equipment, and you will be very prepared when harvest time comes along.

newatthiskat · February 18, 2009

Yea I just looked on Amazon and the presure cooker I ws wanted has now shot up from 79.99 to 96 dollars. I know that is cheap for a pressure canner but it is alot to me right now. I can't believe it went up that much n a couple of weeks. It is the only brand that you can use on a flat top eletric stove

Kat

brokenbar · February 18, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by newatthiskat

Yea I just looked on Amazon and the presure cooker I ws wanted has now shot up from 79.99 to 96 dollars. I know that is cheap for a pressure canner but it is alot to me right now. I can't believe it went up that much n a couple of weeks. It is the only brand that you can use on a flat top eletric stove

Kat

Kat, Check on Ebay...lots cheaper, even with shipping.

brokenbar · February 18, 2009

I visited with my local grocery store manager and he advised me that he was going to run a sale on jars left from last season and that new jars coming in would be nearly 2.00 more per dozen. I have not looked at Walmart for a while but think I better get with it.

barefootgardener · February 18, 2009

Dont forget to look at Yard sales, Goodwill etc. for deals on Canning jars. Last year I got some good deals on Quart size canning jars, a dozen for $1.00. I got 3 dozen . They were all in great shape. Be sure to inspect the jars carefully for cracks or chips before purchasing.

It might be harder to find canning jars at yard sales etc. this year due to the fact gardening and preserving our food is becoming popular again because of economy and food scare, But if your lucky you might find some good deals now so act early and quickly. People will be snatching them up as soon as they come in and not wait till canning season.

newatthiskat · February 18, 2009

I almost got one from ebay from my family for christmas. Money was taken from card but never got my pressure canner. They waited through Christmas and my birthday but it never came and person did not respond to emails. Luckily it was bought through pay pal so we were credited. I think I am sticking with amazon but I did check ebay anyway and it was same price or higher and I would have to pay shipping.

Kat

Ruth_10 · February 21, 2009

There was a news item yesterday or the day before that, due to the draught, farmers in central California would not receive low cost irrigation water. Thus they would need to draw their irrigation water from wells or other more expensive sources, and that this would drive up the price of produce.

Still another reason to grow your own.

brokenbar · February 21, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

There was a news item yesterday or the day before that, due to the draught, farmers in central California would not receive low cost irrigation water. Thus they would need to draw their irrigation water from wells or other more expensive sources, and that this would drive up the price of produce.

Still another reason to grow your own.

That and the fact that California is losing 15% of it's ag land to encroachment by housing every year. And water is getting scarcer and scarcer there, especially since the Colorado River Allotment ended. I am also hearing that because of not being able to use undocumented workers, wages have risen steeply (and I am not saying that I approve or disapprove either way) They are predicting a 40% rise in the cost of vegetable produced in California...

February 15, 2009	#31
Moonglow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Corte Madera, CA - Sunset Zone 16 Posts: 356	Very good thread! We all have to start somewhere, and I am glad I started last year. __________________ Moonglow Gardens Sustainable Gardening One Planter at a Time Sunset Zone 17 Apparently - - - Without the fog!

February 15, 2009	#34
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	When I am speaking to a novice gardener, I try to tell them that they should start out small and build from there. I think so many of them go hog wild, have no real garden plan and are quickly discouraged by rampant weeds, insects and other problems and they may very likely never garden again. I also try to spend a lot of time talking about "dirt" and the difference between Dirt and an enriched, light. fluffy, nutrient-packed growing medium. I think some of them think you just throw some dirt on seeds and Vouala...garden bounty. Most have heard of composting but really have no clue about why one would do it and what it's good for. I try to get them to plant a small garden that will give them some fresh things to eat that first year and not necessarily a "canning or preserving" garden right off the bat. You have to walk a fine line between encouragement and discouragement! __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time."

February 18, 2009	#37
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	REPLY Thanks for the info I have put the website in my favorites. About to look through Neva's Ball Blue Book. Really looking forward to this season. Kat

February 18, 2009	#38
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	I wanted to advise those who are planning to can for the first time, buy your jars and equipment early as it looks like there may be a scarcity of those products by the end of summer. As talked about by others in this thread, Harvest Forum is a great site for those new to canning and preserving. Be prepared for a little more expense starting out, IE: pressure canner, boiling water bath canner, jars, tools like jar lifters and canning funnels, etc. It is important to note that the original expense is quickly paid back and a pressure canner in particular, will last you a lifetime (other than rubber seals and perhaps new weighted gauges.) And for those who don't wish to can, a vacuum sealer (like Foodsaver) is a great way to preserve food for freezing and generic bags are available on Ebay all the time which helps bring the cost down. And this is just a peculiar ancidote relative to canning in 2008...lemon & lime juice, which is used a lot in canning recipes to raise acidity in those canned foods that do not have enough, was impossible to get last year to-wards the end of summer due to several factors. Some members on the Harvest Forum reported having to drive large distances to find it. Here, in the tiny town I live outside of, there was no lemon or lime juice for 3 months (I have not checked lately, probably should heed my own advice!) I know several members on Harvest Forum have gone to local store managers and asked them to order specific canning items and the Store Manager's were delighted to do so. So Google away to read up on the canning and/or other preserving methods, plan your garden so that you will have enough of those items you want to preserve, arm yourself with the Ball Blue Book, buy your necessary equipment, and you will be very prepared when harvest time comes along. __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time."

February 18, 2009	#39
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	Reply Yea I just looked on Amazon and the presure cooker I ws wanted has now shot up from 79.99 to 96 dollars. I know that is cheap for a pressure canner but it is alot to me right now. I can't believe it went up that much n a couple of weeks. It is the only brand that you can use on a flat top eletric stove Kat

February 15, 2009	#32
FlipTX Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 271	I've been trying to get my dad back into gardening. He tried when I was a kid, but he put up the garden in a very shady spot and naturally it failed. He was discouraged and didn't really try again, at least with vegetables. When he moved to a sunnier place, he grew wildflowers. I just look at his big, sunny unobstructed back yard with such envy and can't believe someone could have such a nice spot and NOT put a vegetable patch in it.

February 15, 2009	#33
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	In my freecycle travels for leaves, grass clippings & manure, I am running into all kinds of folks who have all the makings for awesome gardens - better soil, light, the leaves & clippings - but they have no interest in the establishment of viable beds. I'm not a work wench by any means, no digging for digging sake here for goodness sakes, but the beds are my absolute foundation so I dig & turn (standing on the edge of the 20 inch high raised beds - haha). I will admit to really liking seeing the big ole earthworms when I turn the compost & do look for them in my raised beds. I have my ongoing battle with the weedlings - would that vegies sprouted like my weedlings but I learn each year better ways to deal with them. Dunno - beats TV or the bars (LOL) for me.

February 16, 2009	#35
spyfferoni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 675	Kat, I started canning a few years ago. I found the Harvest forum on gardenweb to be a great place to get info and recipes. There is a recipe for salsa I got over there called Annie's Salsa, that is amazing. Do a search for it on tomatoville and it should come up, as a couple of us posted about it a year or two ago. Whenever I have a problem with something I canned I ask over there and get good info. Also, if you live near a county extension office they have recipes available. Mine sells recipes for the price of copies only, so you can get what you want for cents. I also bought my Ball Blue Book there for 5$. Hope this helps. Canning is work, but is really gives you a sense of accomplishment. Tyffanie

February 18, 2009	#42
barefootgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan Zone 4b Posts: 1,291	Dont forget to look at Yard sales, Goodwill etc. for deals on Canning jars. Last year I got some good deals on Quart size canning jars, a dozen for $1.00. I got 3 dozen . They were all in great shape. Be sure to inspect the jars carefully for cracks or chips before purchasing. It might be harder to find canning jars at yard sales etc. this year due to the fact gardening and preserving our food is becoming popular again because of economy and food scare, But if your lucky you might find some good deals now so act early and quickly. People will be snatching them up as soon as they come in and not wait till canning season.

February 18, 2009	#43
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	reply I almost got one from ebay from my family for christmas. Money was taken from card but never got my pressure canner. They waited through Christmas and my birthday but it never came and person did not respond to emails. Luckily it was bought through pay pal so we were credited. I think I am sticking with amazon but I did check ebay anyway and it was same price or higher and I would have to pay shipping. Kat

February 21, 2009	#44
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	There was a news item yesterday or the day before that, due to the draught, farmers in central California would not receive low cost irrigation water. Thus they would need to draw their irrigation water from wells or other more expensive sources, and that this would drive up the price of produce. Still another reason to grow your own. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.