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Post by Mumsey on Aug 6, 2020 11:20:01 GMT -5
Lots of projects today. 3.25 mile walk, check. Bouquet for neighbor, check. Eggplant cooked to freeze, check. Beet seeds planted, check. To local farm fleet for pickling vinegar and canning salt, check. Next is a sink full of celery to freeze. I cut more than a 5 gallon bucket packed full. Some will go to Dad for him to freeze. If I don't run out of steam I will put pickles to soaking. pepperhead212, I'm going to try that last link you posted. I have 4 lbs of cukes!
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 6, 2020 11:24:26 GMT -5
Yes, Mumsey , the usual way to add this is to put it in the jar, before placing the cucumbers in, along with the seasonings. I put 1/2 tsp to a pint jar, or a tsp to a quart jar. The calcium chloride dissolves during the canning process. I have seen some links about using calcium chloride, which say to add 50% more than this, and the original amount, when it first came on the market, was only 50% of this, but this amount is the usual amount called for, and it works great for me.
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Post by breezygardener on Aug 6, 2020 12:51:33 GMT -5
Helped Mr. Breezy move our game camera from its former post monitoring our trash cans to a new job exposing who is visiting my deck garden during the night & decimating my tomatoes, cucumbers, & parsley. Was hoping to start a few new things this week, but want to wait until I know "who" I'm dealing with. I strongly suspect it's the groundhog family we've been hosting, as the youngsters, cute as they are, are reaching the point where they're spending a lot more time out & about on their own without "mom". We came home last week from grocery shopping to find one of the little buggers right next to the deck steps looking wistfully upwards.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 6, 2020 18:56:35 GMT -5
I made some pickled okra today - first time I've tried this. I found a recipe by Alton Brown that looked good, so I tried that one. www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pickled-okra-recipe-2040456I only made 3 pints - actually, half liters, because those jars were slightly taller, so the okra fit in better. I only changed it by using 2 small crushed cloves of garlic in each jar, instead of one, one on bottom, then another on top, after packing it. I added a half tsp. of calcium chloride to one of the jars, to see if it makes any difference with these. I put about half the stems down, and half up, to pack as tight as possible, but the amount of pickling solution was still not enough (I made up 3/4 of a recipe, for the 3 jars) - I had to quickly make up some more, for the last jar. I processed them for 10 min. - the recipe doesn't call for this, but most do, and I won't be eating them quickly! A dry run on packing the okra in the half liter jars. About 7 oz per jar. by pepperhead212, on Flickr A packed jar of pickled okra, before processing. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Finished pickled okra. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by emmsmommy on Aug 6, 2020 19:25:54 GMT -5
Puttered in the garden a bit this morning. Pulled up the onions and harvested a pot of potatoes. My mom mentioned wanting a corn cutter and was unable to find one locally so I ended up ordering two different ones from Amazon last week as just about everywhere else I checked was out of stock or back ordered. They arrived just in time as she harvested a bushel today and I took them down as soon as UPS brought them this evening. The one she picked out worked okay but was a bit awkward. When she tried the one I picked out she fell in love. The good news is that I got to bring home all the corn we practiced with and some cut short beans as well. Tomorrow I head back to the chiropractor as I'm still having issues with the shoulder though back is much better. So I'll have to get up early and get any garden work done as I know hubby will insist I take it easy tomorrow. Sounds like time to find a new book to read.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Aug 6, 2020 22:16:46 GMT -5
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Post by emmsmommy on Aug 7, 2020 3:39:19 GMT -5
SpringRain🕊️, I'll look for some Lucky Tiger today as I generally walk down the block to the pharmacy and back after I get out of the chiropractor. My back and shoulder are much improved from what they were so hopefully today's visit will get me back to normal or close to it. My friend's daughter is having a yard sale today and I spotted a new cedar raised bed kit in the pictures and have made arrangements to swing by and pick it up this morning. That will be the ultimate punishment as I'll want to put it together and fill it with soil and hubby will insist I do nothing for the rest of the day. I do have a new gardening book I haven't read yet though so maybe that will keep me occupied.
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Post by Mumsey on Aug 7, 2020 3:59:38 GMT -5
pepperhead212, Locally I was able to find Mrs. Wage's Xtra Crunch which is calcium chloride. It says to add 1/8 tsp to pints and 1/4 tsp to quarts. What do you think?
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Post by tom 🕊 on Aug 7, 2020 10:41:55 GMT -5
Helped Mr. Breezy move our game camera from its former post monitoring our trash cans to a new job exposing who is visiting my deck garden during the night & decimating my tomatoes, cucumbers, & parsley. Any sightings?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 7, 2020 11:00:47 GMT -5
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Post by James on Aug 7, 2020 11:16:04 GMT -5
200 yard dash out back to shut off a water line. 59 degrees, clear and calm. It is a beautiful day!
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Post by desertwoman on Aug 7, 2020 11:19:21 GMT -5
Its been hot hot hot so I've done little in the gardens the past couple of weeks. Mostly a little dead-heading and starting to pick a few chiles and tomatoes. Pole beans are flowering but no beans yet. Sugar pie pumpkin vine has 5 (that I can see) from golf ball to softball size. My perennial gardens are looking a little shabby but that's usual for this time of year. Once it starts to cool down a bit I will have them cleaned up. In the mean time these dog days of summer have me reading a lot.
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Post by breezygardener on Aug 7, 2020 12:02:57 GMT -5
Nothing last night, but we had rain & I guess their little umbrellas don't fit between my tubs & pots.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Aug 7, 2020 19:26:00 GMT -5
Passed again on planting squash because of passing showers and wet ground, so I picked more tomatoes and okra. The kitchen is getting full, but that's what it's all about. Drier tomorrow, so planting squash and picking beans mañana. Meanwhile, another Caprese salad in the works.
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Post by Mumsey on Aug 8, 2020 5:16:24 GMT -5
Did some garden cleanup yesterday. Made 7 pints dill pickles, haven't done that in years. Picked beans and tomatoes. Froze a sink full of celery. Made fresh spaghetti sauce out of the ripe tomatoes, not enough to can up yet. We'll be eating spaghetti for 3-4 days. Did some sewing, 6 masks for niece in New York and a project for a neighbor.
Planning to do some watering today, beans and eggplant especially. Some of the potted plants are being dismantled, tired looking. Normal for August.
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