Grab this quick-reference guide by Hobby Farm Home contributor Susan M. Why pass up the green and blooming bounty around your homestead that many count as weeds or decoration: Make something to eat instead!
Hurricane Camille in 1969 wiped out many of the plantations. We have long known that pressure-treated wood has arsenic and other substances that can leach from the wood and contaminate food crops.
That's right folks, a Japanese beetle might munch a Neem-covered lily leaf, but her eggs will not hatch, if she is even capable of laying them in the firstIt is safe to use around pets and children and it is harmless to any insects that feed on nectar...
If you start shopping around for a food dehydrator, you'll find an array of models at prices from $50 to $500. The trays dry more evenly, so you may not need to rotate them at all during the drying process (unlike my old dehydrator).
Ibag jerky in snack-sized portions, which then go into a heavy duty gallon zip-top bag for freezer storage.It takes up less room than the same amount of frozen meat, although it usually doesn't last long enough for space to be a concern.Beef jerky, a...
Drying times vary considerably when using either an oven or dehydrator, due to the types of foods being dried, the moisture conent and humidity in the room. To condition food, place it in a container such as a cloth sack or a clear, covered container...
It “jiggles” during processing releasing small amounts of steam in order to maintain the proper pressure.Pressure canners need to be checked on a regular basis. They are entirely safe if you follow the manufacturer's instructions and do not try to...
This is one large, nasty, biting fly. We can help reduce their numbers around our homes by getting rid of standing water. Survived blizzards dumping multiple feet of snow on us, fought off cabin fever.
The "clingy" side adheres just well enough to the screen to keep the edges of the wrap from blowing around, and the finished fruit leather peels off its backing very nicely. You may want to refrigerate or freeze the fruit leather for longer storage, but...
Apples don't have to be perfect to make pie!If you have a small patio or garden in pots, add one or two extras if you can. Many frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for an entire day.
“Planting a diversity of produce and a mix of crops helps support a manageable harvest plan as you can spread out your work based on these respiration rates,” Diffley adds. “Deciding what to harvest when is determined by each crop's respiration...
Place the seeds on a cookie sheet, and mix with oil or butter and your choice of seasonings. During the Civil War, persimmon seeds were dried, roasted, and ground into a coffee substitute, and the leaves were used for tea.
The red-orange persimmon fruit resembles a ripening tomato but grows on the branches of a tree. Persimmons have a flavor similar to a mango and become sweet when they are fully ripe.
In general, peaches are harvested before they are fully ripe, unless they are picked for immediate use. And, if the unripe peaches -- which are extremely firm when gently squeezed -- are left at room temperature, they will ripen quickly, often within...
Add olive oil until the jar is filled within 1/4 to 1/2 inch from top, with the last tomato slice 3/8 to 1/2 inch under the oil surface.Depending on how hard you pushed down on the tomato slices, after a few hours they may expand/rise up just a little.
Your winter salads will never be sprightlier!is a great place for subscribers to ask questions, share suggestions, and swap everything from seeds to recipe ideas, so please drop in!Pinch your herbs with abandon, add a few fresh leaves to every meal, and...
Oxygen is released into the atmosphere and glucose fuels the immediate functions of the plant or is stored until needed. Roots take in water from the ground and transport it to leaves.Sunlight provides the energy needed to tear apart water and carbon...
Very few bacteria produce endospores. However, there are many other species of Bacillus.Like other species of endospore-producing bacteria, Clostridium bacteria are gram-positive, indicating that they have similar characteristics such as cell wall structure.
Home growers imitate this relationship by sowing orchid seeds on a gelled, algae-based nutrient solution known as agar. The amount of each used will depend on the amount of growing medium desired, but a sample mixture would have the following ingredient...
Prematurely wilting flowers are frequently a sign of incorrect growing conditions that affect the overall health of the plant. Negligence can cause plants to stop flowering prematurely or wilt suddenly.Orchids need a controlled environment to produce...
Limes don't ripen off the tree; they must be picked and stored when they are at or close to maturity, but quality differences still exist. When choosing a ripe lime, let aroma, color, weight and texture guide you toward mature fruit.Look for all four...
The leaves are high in magnesium, which is important for hundreds of the body's chemical reactions, according to NIH.Juice both the stalk and the leaves of a piece of celery to enjoy all the benefits of this vegetable.
For a healthy meal, make a salad with goat cheese and arugula and nuts or seeds. Gently rub the skin while under running water.Cut the pear in half. "Pear" these with your favorite foods to add a sweet, toothsome crunch to sweet or savory dishes!
As with all plants, orchids require nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to grow. Place the ground up shells in a jar with water and allow them to soak for five days. Molasses will give the plant additional potassium for essential growth processes.Add equal...
If you do not live in these conditions and can't simulate them indoors, then it is not recommended that you grow key lime trees.Fill the pot with soil. Do not let the soil get too dried out or too waterlogged, as key lime trees like moist, warm conditions...
The herb was originally used by the Cherokee Indians as a topical wash to remove germs; historically, it has been used to treat inflamed eyes as well. Tea tree oil eliminates the bacteria that causes vaginal infections, and is often added to feminine...
In a food processor, combine the blanched almonds and sugar to make a fine powder. A variation of the recipes include cooking a combination of sugar, almonds and water until it reaches a smooth consistency, with almond extract added for additional flavor.
