Dreaming of Chickens - Rocky and Carlo's

[Wannabefree]

They should totally call it "jarring"

 

[Dreaming of Chickens]

They should totally call it "jarring"

I totally agree!

 

[BarredBuff]

They should totally call it "jarring"

Good idea!!!

 

[snapshot]

That looks like a great canner!!!!!! Now I have canner envy!!! Mine is only 16 qt.

 

[Dreaming of Chickens]

We've been saving for it for a while now. I was going to get the 21 qt, but for $30 more I was able to get this one.

 

[cheepo]

congratulations....
I was so excited when mine arived...
I went for the same size too so it was possible to put in 2 layers of quarts...
but allready in a few months is looking quite seasoned...
but definately a great investment...

 

[ORChick]

They should totally call it "jarring"

In Great Britain (and Australia, and no doubt other places as well) it is called bottling. Just one more small useless tip of the day

 

[SSDreamin]

They should totally call it "jarring"

In Great Britain (and Australia, and no doubt other places as well) it is called bottling. Just one more small useless tip of the day

I was thinking that too! I always say I'm 'bottling butter' but call everything else canning

I am envious too! I need to start saving more of my pennies to get one

 

[Dreaming of Chickens]

It is time to start planting the first seeds of the year here in south east Louisiana. So, today I will be planting seeds in starter pots for broccoli, cauliflower, hot peppers, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Also, in January it is time to plant carrots. I'm gonna wait a couple of weeks for the carrots though. I have to direct sow them into the ground and I am not sure weather will stay as warm as it has been this winter......

Well, like many of my plans that didn't happen the day I posted it (1/16). But, I did finally get some seeds started last night. I planted 6 each of 4 different types of tomatoes, 2 kinds of hot pepper, and bell pepper. I also planted 18 onion. I have to get moving on my garden expansion plan because there is just no room in my existing gardens for all these tomato plants. I decided against cauliflower and broccoli, even though I was really looking forward to them, because it has just been too warm. I'll plant them in the fall.

So, the garden expansion plan: As I've said, we have a very, very small yard. It's ridiculous really. Our big garden is in the side ally next to the house, but it isn't big enough, so we need to expand. There is no more room in the ally, so expansion means adding gardens to the back yard. We can't do a whole heck of a lot of that because we have dogs and they need room to do their thing. But, I do have a plan. We have a storage shed in the yard (It will be torn down someday, but not now). Two sides of this shed are against the fence, but I can plant small gardens along the other two sides just about 18 to maybe 24 inches deep. On the shorter side of the shed the garden will be a little deeper because of the layout of that area. All of this will need fencing of some sort to keep the dogs out because, lets face it, my dogs are spoiled and they think if you put something in the yard, it's for their entertainment. They'd destroy a garden bed in about 5 minutes. I'd also like to add a 12 inch deep shelf on the long wall of the shed and either make it a planter box, or use it as a shelf for potted plants. That side gets a lot of sun for most of the day, so I could get a lot planted there. Then, probably next spring, I'll clean up the area by the back fence and either put in another 18-24 inch deep garden there or some potted tomatoes and peppers. This is going to wait until next spring because we are supposed to replace that fence.

We have some clean up to do back there before going forward with garden plans. Part of the clean up that I need to do is a small cemented area under my kitchen window. We have a big pile of old planting pots there and yesterday I was checking out which ones I could use for veggies. Then, it occurred to me that if I cleaned up that area and built a table there I could still keep extra pots under the table and I could put some plants on top of it. It would be high enough that the dogs won't get to the plants. I could also leave an area of table top open to use for potting. In the yard there is another little area that needs cleaning up. In that area there are two old saw horses. I also have an old door in the garage, so the saw horses and door will make a nice potting table to go under the kitchen window. I am so pleased with my plans, now I just have to follow through, because there is no way all of those tomatoes and peppers I started last night will fit in the current garden.

So, that's the plan. Lots of work but totally worth it. If I am going to put that new pressure canner to use, I need to be able to grow more of my own food. I think this will help out a good bit.

 

[Dreaming of Chickens]

Went out this morning to check on the tomatoes that decided to come in last month, still not ripe, and found that I have eggplants on that eggplant bush. I know it's been fairly warm all winter, but really? Tomatoes and eggplants in January? From last years plants? I don't know why, but it is making me nervous that this stuff didn't die off during the winter. I had planned on pulling all of this stuff up and mulching with leaves and some of the plants and covering it with black tarps for the winter. I didn't get to do that because everything kept growing. Guess I'm nervous because I had a plan for preparing the garden beds and I couldn't do it. I could have pulled up the beans, but some of them are still producing as well. I've just been picking and drying them for seed 'cause it aint enough to cook, freeze or can. Anyone down south have this same experience this winter?