Harvested three sweet chiles yesterday and just picked six yellow summer
squash today. Looks like stir fry for dinner tonight.

George Shirley wrote:

Harvested three sweet chiles yesterday and just picked six yellow summer
squash today. Looks like stir fry for dinner tonight.

enjoy!

i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

On 5/3/2015 4:50 PM, songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote:

Harvested three sweet chiles yesterday and just picked six yellow summer
squash today. Looks like stir fry for dinner tonight.

enjoy!

i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.

Last time I made pear jelly I ended up with twenty odd pints and another
fourteen half pints in one batch. That's the norm most of the time. The
exception is figs, our fig tree is not a big producer yet so fig jam
comes in one or two pints at a time.

This coming Wednesday the "pick your own" fruit farm is opening.
Blueberries in May and June, blackberries in June, figs in July, pears
in July, citrus in October/November. Probably be picking at least once a
month. Prices are cheaper than in supermarkets and we both can pick
large quantities in a short time. As it is the wild blackberries are
ripening right now.

On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

On 5/3/2015 7:32 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

I've been diabetic since being diagnosed in the early nineties and have
made jams, jellies, and preserves with Splenda many times. Very good
recipes in the U of GA book, "So Easy to Preserve." Plus more recipes at
the Splenda site. None were freezer types. I would maybe some day make
freezer jam but it would have to be after we have eaten everything in 25
cubic feet of freezers. G

I shoot 45 units of Levemir every morning, lasts up to 24 hours with me.
Started years ago with 70/30 insulin, shooting four times a day, much
easier with the new long term insulins. Probably could shoot less if I
can get my weight down some more. Used to weigh 272 lbs at 5'8" tall and
am currently at 196 and have shrunk to 5'6" and nearing 76 years. I'm
trying but it sure is hard to give up all the good stuff.

George Shirley wrote:
songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote:

Harvested three sweet chiles yesterday and just picked six yellow summer
squash today. Looks like stir fry for dinner tonight.

enjoy!

i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.

the taste is different enough that as long as i have
freezer or fridge space i'll keep making it. it doesn't
have to be frozen if you eat it within a few months. i
also like that it uses less sugar and doesn't need the
oven or stove on in the middle of the summer.

i've only done this with strawberries, i'm not sure i'd
like it with any other fruit but some day if i get a
bunch of something else i may give it a try. blueberries
we usually eat fresh.


Last time I made pear jelly I ended up with twenty odd pints and another
fourteen half pints in one batch. That's the norm most of the time. The
exception is figs, our fig tree is not a big producer yet so fig jam
comes in one or two pints at a time.

in a few more years you'll be making large batches
of fig jam.


This coming Wednesday the "pick your own" fruit farm is opening.
Blueberries in May and June, blackberries in June, figs in July, pears
in July, citrus in October/November. Probably be picking at least once a
month. Prices are cheaper than in supermarkets and we both can pick
large quantities in a short time. As it is the wild blackberries are
ripening right now.

i hope you make a haul!

looks like we might get some rain tonight.


songbird

On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:14:35 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/3/2015 7:32 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

I've been diabetic since being diagnosed in the early nineties and have
made jams, jellies, and preserves with Splenda many times. Very good
recipes in the U of GA book, "So Easy to Preserve." Plus more recipes at
the Splenda site. None were freezer types. I would maybe some day make
freezer jam but it would have to be after we have eaten everything in 25
cubic feet of freezers. G

I have an upright, a chest and two fridges' worth of freezer. How they
are all at capacity all the time is beyond me.

I will check out the cooked jam recipes for Splenda. Thanks for the
info on that. I will try using it again, but my success with it in
other than freezer jam has been zip.

I shoot 45 units of Levemir every morning, lasts up to 24 hours with me.
Started years ago with 70/30 insulin, shooting four times a day, much
easier with the new long term insulins. Probably could shoot less if I
can get my weight down some more. Used to weigh 272 lbs at 5'8" tall and
am currently at 196 and have shrunk to 5'6" and nearing 76 years. I'm
trying but it sure is hard to give up all the good stuff.

I was on diet and exercise for a long time, but am on metformin now. I
am glad I can keep it at that for now. My dad, several of his
siblings, 2 of my 3 siblings....genetic predisposition curse, I tell
ya.

On 5/4/2015 8:26 AM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:14:35 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/3/2015 7:32 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

I've been diabetic since being diagnosed in the early nineties and have
made jams, jellies, and preserves with Splenda many times. Very good
recipes in the U of GA book, "So Easy to Preserve." Plus more recipes at
the Splenda site. None were freezer types. I would maybe some day make
freezer jam but it would have to be after we have eaten everything in 25
cubic feet of freezers. G

I have an upright, a chest and two fridges' worth of freezer. How they
are all at capacity all the time is beyond me.

I will check out the cooked jam recipes for Splenda. Thanks for the
info on that. I will try using it again, but my success with it in
other than freezer jam has been zip.

I shoot 45 units of Levemir every morning, lasts up to 24 hours with me.
Started years ago with 70/30 insulin, shooting four times a day, much
easier with the new long term insulins. Probably could shoot less if I
can get my weight down some more. Used to weigh 272 lbs at 5'8" tall and
am currently at 196 and have shrunk to 5'6" and nearing 76 years. I'm
trying but it sure is hard to give up all the good stuff.

I was on diet and exercise for a long time, but am on metformin now. I
am glad I can keep it at that for now. My dad, several of his
siblings, 2 of my 3 siblings....genetic predisposition curse, I tell
ya.

Same here, Dad was diabetic the last ten years of his life, only family
member other than me that had it. Must have come from the white side of
the family, his Dad was full blood Choctaw and died of a heart attack at
56. His mother was full blood, blue eyed blonde white woman, died at 89
of old age. My mothers family was half blood Cherokee on both parents
side, Mom passed at 89 too. Both my great grandmother's died at 89,
makes me wonder. I will be 76 in September, so far outlived my Dad,
Grandad, Great granddad's on both sides. Thank you modern medicine. Now
if they could only find a way to reverse the problems I've got from
multiple strokes, 42 micro strokes, four major. The major strokes came
in twos, have a stroke, thirty minutes later another one strikes. I
believe they were caused by a medicine I was taking at the time but the
doc who prescribed it croaked and his wife destroyed his records. Can't
sue the pharmaceutical company without proof. Dang! I could have been a
wealthy old guy with a little brain that still worked. Would have made
my wife happy anyway. G

What the heck! I've still got most of my brain, a lovely wife, two kids,
five grands, six great grands, and lots of "married into family" young
people who are wonderful too.

And I can still garden, need to get another garden seat with wheels
though, the old plastic one is wearing out. We're harvesting yellow
summer squash almost daily now. Still have a bunch shredded for bread in
freezer along with several bags of potential squash casserole's in
there. Sweet chile's are coming along nicely, the corn is finally up as
are the crowder peas. Lima and green beans are climbing above the
netting and blooming like crazy and we will be picking cucumbers by the
end of the week. Can't get much better than that.

I wonder if state law allows for bodies being composted rather than
buried. Hmmm, could always be cremated and add the nice body minerals to
the fruit trees. That would be nice.

On Mon, 04 May 2015 10:38:50 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/4/2015 8:26 AM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:14:35 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/3/2015 7:32 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

I've been diabetic since being diagnosed in the early nineties and have
made jams, jellies, and preserves with Splenda many times. Very good
recipes in the U of GA book, "So Easy to Preserve." Plus more recipes at
the Splenda site. None were freezer types. I would maybe some day make
freezer jam but it would have to be after we have eaten everything in 25
cubic feet of freezers. G

I have an upright, a chest and two fridges' worth of freezer. How they
are all at capacity all the time is beyond me.

I will check out the cooked jam recipes for Splenda. Thanks for the
info on that. I will try using it again, but my success with it in
other than freezer jam has been zip.

I shoot 45 units of Levemir every morning, lasts up to 24 hours with me.
Started years ago with 70/30 insulin, shooting four times a day, much
easier with the new long term insulins. Probably could shoot less if I
can get my weight down some more. Used to weigh 272 lbs at 5'8" tall and
am currently at 196 and have shrunk to 5'6" and nearing 76 years. I'm
trying but it sure is hard to give up all the good stuff.

I was on diet and exercise for a long time, but am on metformin now. I
am glad I can keep it at that for now. My dad, several of his
siblings, 2 of my 3 siblings....genetic predisposition curse, I tell
ya.

Same here, Dad was diabetic the last ten years of his life, only family
member other than me that had it. Must have come from the white side of
the family, his Dad was full blood Choctaw and died of a heart attack at
56. His mother was full blood, blue eyed blonde white woman, died at 89
of old age. My mothers family was half blood Cherokee on both parents
side, Mom passed at 89 too. Both my great grandmother's died at 89,
makes me wonder. I will be 76 in September, so far outlived my Dad,
Grandad, Great granddad's on both sides. Thank you modern medicine. Now
if they could only find a way to reverse the problems I've got from
multiple strokes, 42 micro strokes, four major. The major strokes came
in twos, have a stroke, thirty minutes later another one strikes. I
believe they were caused by a medicine I was taking at the time but the
doc who prescribed it croaked and his wife destroyed his records. Can't
sue the pharmaceutical company without proof. Dang! I could have been a
wealthy old guy with a little brain that still worked. Would have made
my wife happy anyway. G

What the heck! I've still got most of my brain, a lovely wife, two kids,
five grands, six great grands, and lots of "married into family" young
people who are wonderful too.

And I can still garden, need to get another garden seat with wheels
though, the old plastic one is wearing out. We're harvesting yellow
summer squash almost daily now. Still have a bunch shredded for bread in
freezer along with several bags of potential squash casserole's in
there. Sweet chile's are coming along nicely, the corn is finally up as
are the crowder peas. Lima and green beans are climbing above the
netting and blooming like crazy and we will be picking cucumbers by the
end of the week. Can't get much better than that.

I wonder if state law allows for bodies being composted rather than
buried. Hmmm, could always be cremated and add the nice body minerals to
the fruit trees. That would be nice.

The question is, does anyone track what you do with the ashes after
you get them? My husband and his sister dumped both of this parents'
ashes down the well. It is not a well that is in use nor has been for
over 50 years.
--
USA
North Carolina Foothills
USDA Zone 7a

On 5/4/2015 11:29 AM, The Cook wrote:
On Mon, 04 May 2015 10:38:50 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/4/2015 8:26 AM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:14:35 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/3/2015 7:32 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 18:20:31 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:



i am finishing up the last jars of freezer
jam from last year and making room in the
freezer for more (hope!).


songbird

All the years I've been preserving our own food I've never made freezer
jam. I guess it's just so easy for me to make canned jellies and jams
and a lot at one time. In addition both freezers stay full of prepared
meals, meats, and frozen veggies.


Freezer jam is ideal for use with sweeteners such as Splenda, which
comes in handy for a diabetic. And it is great for strawberries, too.
Never found another fruit that is it better for, however.

Boron

I've been diabetic since being diagnosed in the early nineties and have
made jams, jellies, and preserves with Splenda many times. Very good
recipes in the U of GA book, "So Easy to Preserve." Plus more recipes at
the Splenda site. None were freezer types. I would maybe some day make
freezer jam but it would have to be after we have eaten everything in 25
cubic feet of freezers. G

I have an upright, a chest and two fridges' worth of freezer. How they
are all at capacity all the time is beyond me.

I will check out the cooked jam recipes for Splenda. Thanks for the
info on that. I will try using it again, but my success with it in
other than freezer jam has been zip.

I shoot 45 units of Levemir every morning, lasts up to 24 hours with me.
Started years ago with 70/30 insulin, shooting four times a day, much
easier with the new long term insulins. Probably could shoot less if I
can get my weight down some more. Used to weigh 272 lbs at 5'8" tall and
am currently at 196 and have shrunk to 5'6" and nearing 76 years. I'm
trying but it sure is hard to give up all the good stuff.

I was on diet and exercise for a long time, but am on metformin now. I
am glad I can keep it at that for now. My dad, several of his
siblings, 2 of my 3 siblings....genetic predisposition curse, I tell
ya.

Same here, Dad was diabetic the last ten years of his life, only family
member other than me that had it. Must have come from the white side of
the family, his Dad was full blood Choctaw and died of a heart attack at
56. His mother was full blood, blue eyed blonde white woman, died at 89
of old age. My mothers family was half blood Cherokee on both parents
side, Mom passed at 89 too. Both my great grandmother's died at 89,
makes me wonder. I will be 76 in September, so far outlived my Dad,
Grandad, Great granddad's on both sides. Thank you modern medicine. Now
if they could only find a way to reverse the problems I've got from
multiple strokes, 42 micro strokes, four major. The major strokes came
in twos, have a stroke, thirty minutes later another one strikes. I
believe they were caused by a medicine I was taking at the time but the
doc who prescribed it croaked and his wife destroyed his records. Can't
sue the pharmaceutical company without proof. Dang! I could have been a
wealthy old guy with a little brain that still worked. Would have made
my wife happy anyway. G

What the heck! I've still got most of my brain, a lovely wife, two kids,
five grands, six great grands, and lots of "married into family" young
people who are wonderful too.

And I can still garden, need to get another garden seat with wheels
though, the old plastic one is wearing out. We're harvesting yellow
summer squash almost daily now. Still have a bunch shredded for bread in
freezer along with several bags of potential squash casserole's in
there. Sweet chile's are coming along nicely, the corn is finally up as
are the crowder peas. Lima and green beans are climbing above the
netting and blooming like crazy and we will be picking cucumbers by the
end of the week. Can't get much better than that.

I wonder if state law allows for bodies being composted rather than
buried. Hmmm, could always be cremated and add the nice body minerals to
the fruit trees. That would be nice.

The question is, does anyone track what you do with the ashes after
you get them? My husband and his sister dumped both of this parents'
ashes down the well. It is not a well that is in use nor has been for
over 50 years.

I've always planned to be cremated and have said I would prefer they
scatter my ashes on salt water. The Gulf of Mexico is about fifty miles
from where we live now so it would be easy. My best friend said he would
do it for me and I was suspicious. Asked how he would do it, said he
would flush me down the toilet and, eventually, my ashes would get to
the Gulf. Said it would save on gas and there would be no problems with
the law. I decided to have the US Navy do it as they will and do it
right, ie. scatter the ashes from a warship instead of off the trash
barge. G Reckon they could just add me to the garden too. I don't
think anyone follows where the ashes go.

Friend of mine died young many years ago. Was cremated and his wife
keeps the urn beside her bed and says good night to him every night
according to their son. I just wonder if her new husband minds.
Particularly since she didn't wait very long before remarrying.

Just got in from the garden, need to harvest sweet chiles and squash
again. The figs are getting bigger all the time and I do believe I am
seeing baby beans. Turned the soaker hoses on for awhile although it is
supposed to rain tomorrow. Raised beds with Mel's Mix get dry quickly.

Jam season is coming gardenettes!!!!!!!!!!! wooohoooo

On 5/7/2015 10:46 AM, Derald wrote:
George Shirley wrote:

Harvested three sweet chiles yesterday and just picked six yellow summer
squash today. Looks like stir fry for dinner tonight.
I'm getting a few English peas. They're heavily into their first
flush of blossoms and just beginning to fill pods. A second variety,
untried by me, is just coming into enflorescence. We've had a stretch
(well, a few days) of cooler temperatures resembling "spring"; maybe
they'll help peas' yields a bit. The first planting of two varieties of
snap beans, yum, is just beginning to fill pods and the second is just
starting to bloom. Finding space for more is a bit of a challenge but
most years I can plant beans productively as late as late May or the
first week of June.
Cukes and summer squash are still juvenile but growing apace as are
cowpeas, okra. The eggplant is not thrilled to be in the shade of the
collards so I guess I'll be planting more elsewhere. No peppers yet.
No tomatoes. This year, am reverting to past practice of cultivating
jalapeño and Tabasco peppers AWA (maybe) eggplants as perennials in
containers (small enough to carry indoors).

Was out in the garden early this morning, another large zucchini found
hiding deep in the zuke forest and a fairly large yellow squash. The
green beans are getting bigger each day and the cukes are coming on
strong. Need to get out there and net the fig tree, mockingbirds love
the figs and so do I.

Need to harvest the chard again. I am amazed at how long the chard in
the front flower bed have been producing. If I remember correctly we
planted them in the spring of 2013 and they're still producing heavily.
Luckily they are out favorite green good both steamed and raw in a
salad. The dwarf Barbados cherry bushes are loaded with blooms this
year, may get enough to actually make at least a jar of cherry jelly.
Seedy little devils but I can always sieve out the seeds. Neighbors
Pineapple guava is full of young fruit, I'm hoping they grow well as
they have offered any fruit to me for a share of the jelly or jam.

Cool and overcast today, possibilities of more rain. Rain is always
welcome here as municipal utility district water is expensive.

Wish I had as much garden space as you Derald, it's hard to get a decent
crop on a 6500 square foot property. With a large house, driveway, etc.
there's not much room for crops but we're pushing it. In addition we're
situated on five feet of Houston gumbo clay so lots of hard digging to
plant trees, bushes, etc. One reason we garden with raised beds, much
easier for old people. Reminds me I need to reinforce my Ames Garden
Buddy scooter.