RESULTS
I picked up my entries yesterday. The $140 check was a big surprise as I had entered nearly half what I did last year. It is fun regardless of the color ribbon or the size of the check. I am considering entering some of my beautiful pickles in the Oregon State Fair at the end of August.
- 2010 Winnings!!
Don’t forget about the upcoming classes at Allyson’s Kitchen at the Old Mill Marketplace. I’ll demonstrate the basics for canning, freezing and dehydrating all kinds of foods. Check out their website: www.allysonskitchen.com
The next picture shows most of my winning entries displayed in my hutch outside on the deck. It is becoming a tradition for me to display them on the deck long enough to take a photo.
Fair Display
I spent this afternoon hanging out at the Preserved Food display. It is very fun for me to discuss the subject with “would be” preservers and “old timer” preservers. I am pleased with the standard used by the judge – pretty tough – but consistent.
Fair Entries
Home Preserved Food Display
Yesterday we delivered twenty- something jars of home preserved food items as well as a “special occasion” table setting. All of the china, flatware & glassware was my Mom’s. I am happy to have the opportunity to present it as a proper table setting for a romantic (anniversary) meal. All of the entries to be judged tomorrow. Next post to be the outcome!!!
peas!!!!!
Peas
We harvested many peas that took hours for three of us to shell. They are delicious – even had them on our taco salad for dinner.
Left the Gate Open
The upper garden near the house has a short fence with gated entries on both ends. The other night we left one of the gates open and found deep foot prints and many plants had been munched by morning. Also, the cold frames have been left open every night without incident until now. The critters are hungry – I guess!
Websites with food preserving information
It is of utmost importance that you use tested recipes from verified sources. Be careful when surfing websites that provide home food preservation recipes as the recipes may not be safe.
The website provided by Jarden Co. (Ball jar manufacturer) is a good site. Also, Ball Blue Books – published since 1996 are good. http://www.freshpreserving.com/
University of Georgia is a great website for all things related to safe home food preservation. : http://www.uga.edu/nchfp
The OSU Extension offers a site as well: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fcd/foodsafety/foodpres.php
A toll-free “Hot-Line” for food preserving questions in Oregon: 1-800-354-7319
A reduction in lane County Extension Service funding resulted in a reduction of the time period this service is offered this summer
LocaVore
Gain control over your food!
The Ultimate Definition of a LOCAVORE is “HOME GARDENER”.
Locavore is a relatively new term that describes a person who attempts to consume foods that are produced locally. This usually means obtaining higher quality fruits, vegetables and meats than those grown and raised on large corporate farms thousands of miles away. These foods have higher levels of nutrients and often are free of unnatural substances such as pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. This also reduces the carbon footprint of foods and increases the control one has over their family’s diet.
Those with the notion of buying local, in-season food products may wish to learn the time-honored skill of food preservation While maintaining a healthy respect for Botulism toxin and carefully following tested recipes, you can preserve your garden fresh vegetables, freshly caught fish, wild game and other local meats purchased by the half or quarter animal.
Allyson’s Kitchen Preservation Class
I am scheduled to lead a class at Allyson’s Kitchen ( Old Mill Marketplace, Bend, Oregon) Saturday August 28th. It will be a demo class covering the basics of safe and successful food preservation. I’ll demonstrate blanching vegetables for freezing and drying, pretreating fruits for freezing and drying, pressure canning a low-acid food (vegetable) . We’ll also make enough fruit jam for everyone to take home a jar of the freshly preserved spread.
To sign up and check on class availability call Allyson’s Kitchen at (541) 749-9974
or stop by the store in The Old Mill District, 375 SW Powerhouse Drive, Bend.
Tween Pickling Class
Several neighborhood boys joined my grandson for a lesson in pickling. They all love pickled garlic so we taught them how to do it themselves. Fran & I complicated things by making them do the arithmetic for a fraction of a batch. It was a fun afternoon – we also taught the notion of ”delayed gratification” – in that the pickles take a minimum of two weeks to become “pickles”
The Value of Vegetable Gardening
The true value of growing your own vegetables is sometimes elusive if one is focused solely on the economic aspects. The resurgence of interest in backyard vegetable gardening is in part due to the recession and in part due to a desire to eat local, organic foods and to have some control over our food sources.
Are you planning on saving money this year by growing your own vegetables? There are a few things that you may want to consider. Have you already invested in the infrastructure of the garden space? Most urban gardens will, at the very least, require some pots filled with potting soil. The pots can be used plastic buckets, fancy glazed ceramic pots or anything in between. The bagged potting soil that is recommended for container gardening can be quite expensive. The rural gardener will need to consider the costs of deer fencing and soil amendments. All vegetable gardeners will invest in fertilizers, season extenders like frost cloth, greenhouses & cold frame, irrigation systems, seeds and or seedling plants. For someone starting a new garden from scratch, the initial investment may be such that the monetary value of the resulting 1st year harvest pales by comparison. This economic disappointment will surely be increased if your harvest is so abundant that it ends up as compost or gifts.
Hopefully you’ll be ready with a plan to preserve the summer’s nutritious vittles by freezing, drying or canning. Again, the monetary economics of home preserving will seem to be a negative if you must invest in the necessary equipment and supplies all at once. However, it is good to remember that freezers, canners and jars will last for years and the cost can be amortized to determine the “true” cost per year. Clearly the initial investments required to grow and preserve your own vegetables overwhelms the monetary value of the 1st year production.
It is important to recognize that the value of growing your own vegetables includes aspects beyond the financial consideration. The experience for your children & grandchildren gives them the basis to understand the importance of preserving the environment and hence gardening with sustainable practices. The control you gain over all aspects of the food you grow & preserve is priceless. Don’t forget about the therapeutic (mental & physical) aspect of the time spent working with the soil in the sunshine and watching your seeds become food.
Let’s get busy planting and carefully tending the food you’ll be eating throughout the year. Don’t forget to watch the weather & have a frost plan or your entire investment of time & resources might end up with a miniscule harvest (eg. a single $50.00 tomato). It’s best to plan for success by learning how to preserve the bounty safely and successfully.
