Daelith

Have you found the gardening book helpful? Worth spending the money on?

Well not canning yet, but cooking down so that I can. Got 30 lbs of tomatoes yesterday for spaghetti sauce and they're now simmering on the stove top. House smells like an Italian restaurant. In doing this I discovered that my Victorio Strainer is extremely cantankerous. Took three tries to get everything together just right so that it would work properly. Also discovered I don't have a pot big enough to handle 30 lbs of tomatoes. (Water bath canner is old and has some rust spots so I didn't want to use it for the cooking portion.)

Anyone here have her Gardening book - Growing Your Own Vegetables?

I've wondered about that too, Jeepers.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living is on it's 40th Anniversary edition. I think that is the most recent. I've seen that green covered one too. There are so many out there. I've got plenty of books with old fashioned recipes (have all the Farmer's Wife cookbooks), so I'm wanting something with more homesteading information. I may just take the chance and get one to see. Figure I can't really go wrong with it.

I'm glad it wasn't the remote too. I've had to replace ours due to angry dog not liking be left at home. Hope DD2 gets well soon.

I have a question about some of the Carla Emery books available. The Encyclopedia of Country Living The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book Are these 2 the same thing with different titles? Anyone have both copies or looked at them to know if one is better than the other or how they might differ? Just reading the descriptions on Amazon, they appear to be almost the same.

Great find on the Left Behind series. They grab your attention pretty fast. I had to pace myself through that series. Of course, I didn't have all of them on hand when I started reading them.

This one and the Left Behind series are really good. Most of the others ones I've read so far have been fantasy/sci-fi/post-apocalyptic. Can still pick up some preparedness ideas from them though while being entertained.

I just finished reading One Second After. Been sitting in my TBR pile for a few years and I finally got to it. I thought it had some good points. Definitely a wake up call to those who haven't started prepping already.

Oh how true!! I keep thinking I would like to be further away from the city than I am, but y'all have made some good points. DH and I are not getting any younger and the up keep on the property gets harder and harder.

Now I'm glad I haven't done spaghetti sauce yet.

Sprouts had peaches for .48/lb so I got 8 lbs and put up 5 quarts. I'm still waiting on our garden to produce. Was late getting it in this year due to all the rain.

My grape and cherry tomato plants are loaded. Larger varieties are just getting started. I was concerned if any of my plants would make it. I was fighting early blight in late May.

Everyone must be too busy canning to post lately. This weekend I did some Chocolate Raspberry sauce and weekend before I made some Strawberry Margarita Jam. Waiting on the garden now so I can start the vegetables.

I'm going to have to watch the jar tipping myself. Especially the items I water bath.

Got 7 half pints of caramel apple jam done yesterday.

Thank you! It's yummy. You can definitely taste the orange in it as well as the sweetness of the amaretto. Blueberries are not overpowering. I've been eating on store bought bread like Oroweat Oatnut, but I hope to get to try some on my homemade sour dough this weekend.

Been meaning to come back and post some pictures of my results with this.

Your vacation sounds like the way mine usually go.

Taco salad for us tonight.

Good question about the cooking time Suncat. I kept looking and finally found this - http://www.sbcanning.com/2011/01/citrus-and-blueberriesits-whats-in.html Might try this instead, just strain out the rind. (Don't like rind.) I have not tried pomona pectin, but I've heard of it.

Hoping someone here can help me. I saw this recipe in the Better Homes Canning magazine for Orange Blueberry Freezer jam, but I was wondering if I need to do anything different to water bath it. I don't want to freeze it. Add some lemon juice for starters? Or is the orange juice enough? Found the same recipe at Taste of Home site - http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/orange-blueberry-freezer-jam Thank you

What do you ladies store your sour dough starter in when you refrigerate it? I'm thinking of using one of the quart mason jars, but worried about ventilation. I wondered about punching a small hole or two in the lid. While searching online for this, I saw where someone said they put coffee filter over the top of the jar. Any suggestions or recommendations?

I can sympathize Kappydell! I would at least still speak to my father and visit even after all the things he did, but my brother would not have anything to do with him. He would not even come to the funeral when Dad passed. I wish you the best of luck with the move.