In The Garden

Fermentation and pickling are different in that fermentation is when the veggies make a brine of it’s own juices where pickling uses a brine made from vinegar. They’re similar in that they preserve using a brine to store the veggies. Sandor Katz has a great book on fermenting called Wild Fermentation. I also recommend taking a class as well as reading a book on fermentation to get started.

Freezing is fairly easy and rewarding. Tomatoes are ridiculously easy to freeze, for example, I wash them, put them in a gallon bag in the freezer, then remove the skin when I thaw them to prevent peeling. This is perfect for soups and sauces in the winter. Most vegetables need to be blanched before freezing so do some research on what you’re freezing and make sure it doesn’t end up going to waste.

Today, home canning is done almost exclusively in glass Mason or Ball jars. There are 2 ways to process canning jars and it’s extremely important to note the difference. The hot water bath method is for high-acid foods like fruit, jams, and tomatoes or vegetables with a vinegar brine like pickles or dilly beans. Low-acid vegetables like beans or corn should be processed in a pressure canner. I recommend getting a book or searching online for the best method specific to the crop you’re trying to can.

One of the best things about gardening is having a steady supply of home-grown foods throughout the year. The objective of storing your harvest is having enough crops through the winter until next year’s crops come in.

Original Air Date: July 7, 2018  - Lawn Care There was a question last week about lawns, so I thought I would run through lawn basics.  The first thing is to test your soil.  It probably is on the acid side and needs lime but the test will answer tha...