Parsnips

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?JYRRP 30 September 2008 Parsnips

One parsnip root was pulled today, cooked and tasted. Parsnips were direct seeded on 20 April 2008. Parsnips can be left in the ground until freeze-up, and it is mentioned that they get sweeter with a touch of frost.The root has the flavour and texture of a sweet potato, and very pleasant to ingest, almost too sweet. There was no evidence of a woody center, and the root could be described as perfect. This vegetable is not often served, considering once it was a main crop substituting for the potato. It stores well, by placing in dry sand or peat moss, similar to storing carrots.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?AEIVL A short summary of this vegetable.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LKKVK 25 October 2008 Parsnip Harvest
Ten parsnips were harvested today. The largest weighed 4 pounds, and was cooked in its own juices in a closed pot in the oven and served with a bit of butter. The remainder were stored in a paper yard bag with a bit of sand, and stored in the basement. There are other methods of cooking, but I tend to keep the original as much as possible.


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?CXUOO Summary: Growing Experience.

Fall Garden Preparations

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GAHCL 29 September 2008 Fall Garden Preparations
Various yard work was completed today preparing the garden area for the Winter sleep. The ground cherry vines were pull, and shredded, time one hour. A load of wood chips were picked up at a city park and stored for Spring use, time two hours. The last of the tomato vines were pulled and shredded, time one hour.

Garden Colour and Context 28 September 2008

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?EMAXT 28 September 2008. Garden Colour Zone 5

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?MRMTK 28 September 2008. Context Zone 5

Garden colour this date. No killing frost to date.

Preparing Garden Beds for Over-wintering

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OMLUB 28 September 2008. Preparing Garden Beds for Over-wintering

I cleared most of my own compost bins, and spread on various beds throughout the yard. Sometimes I have cleared the compost bins in the Spring, but it is often frozen when the time comes, and spreading must be delayed, hence doing it in the Fall. Also, fall season spreading gives the compost some time to filter into the bed.

New Garden Bed 24 by 8 feet-Method

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?TFABK A new garden bed 24 feet by 8 feet

A new garden bed (24 feet by 8 feet) was made on the 24 and 25 of September 2008. The procedure was; Remove the sod, hand spade the soil, rototill the large spaded chunks, wood chips added for fiber and rototilled in, sod put through a chipper shredder to kill the grass roots and blown back onto the bed and worked in, a layer of vegetative compost added and mixed with the underlying soil. Total time about 12 hours of labour.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?TNKZN 26 September 2008 Completing New Garden Bed
Mini ties have been installed to have support walls for the raised bed. Total time one hour.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?IWBAU Summary: Making a new garden bed.

New Garden Bed Prepared.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?SXJII 22 September 2008 New Garden Bed Prepared.

The center bed was enlarged by about 100 square feet. The method: Sod removed, area hand spaded, chunks rototilled, Sod put through chipper/shredder to kill grass roots, compost added and mixed, wood chips added and mixed, planted in double cut red annual clover. The bed should be in excellent condition for planting in the Spring of 2009. Total labour time after sod was removed was 4 hours and 10 minutes.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GXGKG 21 September 2008 Removing Sod

Removing sod

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GXGKG 21 September 2008 Removing Sod

Deciding to enlarge the center garden bed, I removed the sod today. The area is 3 by 36 feet. The sod will be shredded in the chipper/shredder and placed back over the area. I have found empirically, that no grass roots survive after being shredded. Total time 1 Hour and 16 minutes.

Sweet Peppers (Bell Peppers)

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?QWTNX 19 September 2008 Sweet Peppers (Bell Peppers)

There are four plants in the garden, planted 1 June 2008 from purchased seedlings. Some have been used during the summer, and the last were picked today, since cold weather (frost) is due any day. No bugs attacked these peppers, which is rare in my experience.

Hot Peppers

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?PJCCB 18 September 2008 Red Hot Peppers.

Four plants in the garden produce about three quarts of peppers. These were planted 1 June 2008, purchased form a supplier with no cultivar name, just hot peppers. They will be dried and blended to produce a semi-powder used similarly as one would paprika.

The peppers are indeed hot, and have sufficient capsaicin for most palates. I like the larger hot peppers, since they are easy to pick and the capsaicin is more than adequate.

When growing, the plants are supplied with a cup of vinegar in about a liter of water periodically during the growing season to keep the roots in a local acid environment.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?MBGVD 30 October 2008 Processing Hot Peppers.
Hot peppers have been thoroughly dried in the shed for about six weeks. The stem ends are removed, and the peppers are pulverized in the blender and stored in a jar in the cupboard. This will be used to seasoning various foods. The blender container is dried with a hair dryer to thoroughly dry to prevent sticking of the powder. The condiment is extremely hot.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?QSRVX Summary: Growing Experience.

Making Tofu.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OIUHK 14 September 2008 Making TOFU

First start with some soy milk. I make my own, but I suppose even the store bought stuff will work, but have no experience with it. Here is how I make the soy milk.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LLHSD

Start with about four cups of soy milk. Heat to about 85C or just before boiling, add emulsifier to the soy milk and stir. The curds should form immediately. Let cool, and pour into a mold. The tofu will take the shape of the mold. Place a weight on top of the cheese cloth covered tofu in the mold to remove as much moisture as desired. If storing for several days the tofu should be covered with water. Depending upon the quantity of tofu desired judge the quantity of soy milk accordingly. Time about half an hour after having the soy milk.

Emulsifier can be Magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts), Magnesium chloride, Calcium Sulfate, or Vinegar. I find a cup of white vinegar per half liter of soy milk curdles quite well. Dissolve about two tablespoons of the Epsom Salts in hot water per half liter of soy milk. The idea is to utilize as little of the emulsifier as possible and achieve curds- maybe a bit of trial and error.

Use your imagination on a suitable mold. I chose some items from a kitchen supply store. Cheese cloth is available from most fabric stores.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YXFEO 23 September 2008 Soy Milk and Tofu making.
I decided to determine just how much soy milk was needed to make a reasonable amount of soy milk and tofu. My experimentation is now over and I can make the products with ease utilizing a liter of dried soy beans. The pulp left over from making the soy milk is rich in nutrients and can be utilized as a pleasant cereal. Soy beans cost about 60 cents a pound in bulk, so this is a cheap nutritional food.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YUHVD 3 October 2008 Utilizing Soy Milk Fiber Residue
Drying the soy milk residue fiber in the oven was found to be inadequate. Making paddies and cooking in the microwave for about three minutes dries the center of the paddy, then cooking in the oven at 375F for an hour browns the paddies to a nice consistency. I found cooking in the microwave individually does a better center drying than trying a a number of paddies on a plate-probably depending upon the power of one's microwave. These cooked paddies have a most pleasant taste, and may be utilized in many ways. Possibilities are serving like pancakes, or eaten like scones. This residue probably has as many nutrients as the soy milk, plus fiber. Mixing with vegetables and serving vegeburgers after the microwave treatment is another real possibility. Serving possibilities are only limited by one's imagination.


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?QNSVQ Summary: Experience of making Tofu.

Making Soy Milk

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GLDVK 14 September 2008 Making Soy Milk

My method of making soy milk. Total time one hours and 30 minutes after the beans have been soaked. Soy milk is the basic ingredient for making Tofu. The finished product is excellent, and as the maker, at least you will know what has been used.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LNCIL 14 September 2008 Soy Milk Residue.
This has been dried in the oven at 275F, and will be used as a morning cereal with cows milk. The residue has a most pleasant flavor, and would even make a nice finger snack.

On the 15 of September I experimented more with making soy milk. After straining of the mixture, I placed it back on the stove with some water and brought o a boil and strained again. This still made acceptable soy milk. The first straining is much stronger and smoother than later strainings. I strained three times altogether. I can only imagine what the commercial soy milk is in the final analysis. This soy milk is probably similar to 5% milk, 3.5 %, and 2 % milk as sold commercially.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YUHVD 3 October 2008 Utilizing Soy Milk Fiber Residue
Drying the soy milk residue fiber in the oven was found to be inadequate. Making paddies and cooking in the microwave for about three minutes dries the center of the paddy, then cooking in the oven at 375F for an hour browns the paddies to a nice consistency. I found cooking in the microwave individually does a better center drying than trying a a number of paddies on a plate-probably depending upon the power of one's microwave. These cooked paddies have a most pleasant taste, and may be utilized in many ways. Possibilities are serving like pancakes, or eaten like scones. This residue probably has as many nutrients as the soy milk, plus fiber. Mixing with vegetables and serving vegeburgers after the microwave treatment is another real possibility. Serving possibilities are only limited by one's imagination.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LLHSD Summary: Making Soy Milk

Killing Grass and Storing Wood Chips

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FCOVW 8 September 2008 Killing Grass and Storing Wood Chips

Garden area is being enlarged to 8 by 26 feet. A tarp was pegged over the grass ready for spring conditioning. The tarp is utilized for storing city supplied wood chips for Fall and Spring use. A half a cubic yard box in the van is used for transport, and a wheelbarrow for moving from the van to the garden area. Four trips were made today, and more will be undertaken, since about seven cubic yards is required.

Unfortunately, the tarp did not kill the grass, since there was too much light leakage of this particular tarp, and the grass thrived. The only portion of grass killed was the area that was covered with wood chips on top of the tarp, and the grass roots were completely killed in about two weeks. I had to remove the sod the hard way using the kick type sod cutter. The thrust is, insure the tarp selected is completely light proof, and a lot or physical labor is saved using this method, since the soil can be easily worked after the grass is dead.

Sugar Baby Watermelon

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?VYXVZ 4 September 2008 Sugar Baby Watermelon

This plant was started indoors about the 15 of May, and placed in the garden on 1 June. One smaller melon was picked yesterday and found to be ripe, so the larger one was picked today. It is excellent in taste and texture. Usually four plants are grown, for 8 to 12 melons.


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?BWPNT Summary: Sugar Baby Watermelon

Easter Egg Radishes.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OIXPR 4 September 2008 Easter Egg Radishes

My Spring radishes of two long rows were a disaster due to the flea beetle, so I planted a fall crop on the 10 August 2008, and the radishes thrived with little insect damage. The next point is what are Easter Egg Radishes? Read all about them here. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?KQVXB


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?SBATE Summary: Easter Egg Radishes

Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry)

Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry)
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GXAIE 25 August 2008 Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry)
There were some elderberry bushes growing along a local path, a few bunches were picked today, and added raw to some previously made juice. There are many way to prepare these berries, and the next bunch collected will be made into a pie.

There were many berries not ripe. Ripeness is determined by the berry being almost black in colour. The berries branches were cut with pliers, and at home the berries were simply pulled off the branches. This is easy if the berries are fully ripe.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YZEVA 2 September 2008Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) Pie Utilizing the fruit of the Elderberry.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?DYLBB 4 September 2008 American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Picked today.
I found an area of Elderberry bushes today and picked 21.5 pounds, by cutting the small cluster off the bush with scissors. the clusters were taken home and the berries removes. Total time 4 hours. The berries were in pristine condition, and perfectly ripe.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?WQLGT Summary: Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry)

Grape Juice

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?SYLHD 1 September 2008 Grape Juice made today

One of my four vines produces green grapes, which are pleasant eating, but too many for the table, so I decided to make juice. Procedure is to remove the grapes from the cluster, mash in a pot, bring to a gentle simmer for ten minutes, strain through a colander, then stain again through cheese cloth, then store. This juice is as pure as one can get. The name of the grape is unknown, but it is sweet tasting with only a bit of a tart taste. Total time 2 hours and 20 minutes.

One pound of grapes produced about a cup of juice, or 400 ml of juice. Total from the vine was 8 lbs so just over quart of juice.

The media periodically opinions that a daily glass of wine is good for people, since there is some ingredient in grapes that protects the heart. No doubt sponsored by the wine industry.