Donna Lockey

Hullo all

Winter is the time to preserve.  I love the convenience of pressure canned meals, and preserving my garden harvest.   I didn't like that pressure canning loses some of the nutrients, weighs a lot and is a lot of sterilizing.
So I bought a freeze dryer.    I loved that fact that shelf life is so long (they tout 25 years!) And I can freeze dry stuff that is close to the best before date, wasting not.
Some things I do still pressure can and water bath can btw.  

Anyone else figuring out recipes and meals for their freeze dryer?

Donna

I have a soil blocker. So for shits and giggles I put parnsip seeds in them just to get them to the germination stage and carefully planted them to the correct spacing.
Note that I said carefully?   And just to germ stage (ya know , where the seed sends out a root?)

Works pretty well. No thinning.  I know its germinated.
Yes, they will fork if the plant is disturbed.  So be gentle!

Hullo Alan.  
Tell me about your book.  
I have a 200 foot hedge row, but most are planted as a wind break, for colour in fall and moderate privacy. I have Saskatoon in there, but think its time to incorporate small fruiting trees that can be grafted with different  varieties.  I also have 4 elderberry varieties in pots.

Dear Growers of all things squash.  Vine borers...

Tinfoil around the stem at the base .Yes its time consuming but anything to keep those darn squash vine borers from laying eggs at the base of the plant!

Inspect weekly. Any holes with frass (poop)?  Inject BTK  organic pesticide to kill the grubs which eat the vine from the inside out.

Good luck!

We are what we are.
I like to philosophize a lot. And dream a bit. Okay...a lot. While I look at my garden and drink a beer.  Critters can't do that, can they?

What am I like now? An ant. Busy, busy, busy!

If I had a choice, a Macaw. I could converse with you! I look amazing! I live a long life, so many things to encounter.  Wild tyvm.

Wouldn't want to be lower on the food chain. So below the birds is a no-go.

Okay, this may seem a little gross, but, BUT it worked for me. Medical disclaimer...I did this for me, just ask your doctor about it.

Yeast infection.... not nice. I read about fecal implants many years ago and was suffering from a yeast infection at the time. Thought, hmm what about douching with warm water and a couple of lactobacillus capsules dissolved in water?  I was also reading about women who used yogurt, but thought EWWWE!
The pH in the vagina is out of whack. This is why yeast can grow. Ick.  Yeah, not a fav time in my life.

Thank-you for sharing this. I recently bought a used copy of "I Contain Multitudes" by Ed Yong. I do have a health practitioner background, but not in microbiology and wish I had this 'beginner' book far sooner. It is fascinating! I also purchased 'Virus' An illustrated guide to 101 incredible microbes by Marilyn J.Roossinck  and by Paul Stamets' "Mycelium Running", which is influencing me in creating better garden soil therefore happy microbes and nutrients for happy digestion.

I have IgG immunodeficiency disorder.  Thanks Mom and Dad for sharing some wonky genetics!  Currently I use human replacement IgG, so thank-you so much BLOOD Donors, you help save my life!  So yes, I am in awe of people who research, finding information bit by bit that helps make our lives better.

May you and wife have many more blessings in this life.

And yes, wash your hands and cover your mouth with your elbow when your cough, even when you don't have a cold.  Us Immunity people ( with immunity disorder and cancer) need all the help we can get!  

Are you grafting them Roy?  Call them something, just don't call em late for dinner!

Morning all.

I am looking for other amateur  apple tree growers to share scion wood with. Yes, I know its fall. But I thought I would set up an apple growing group for Zone 4, in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada.  Or perhaps there is one already I don't know about? I have Jonagold, Royal Gala and Northern Spy.