Cat

The potato is just sitting aound, waiting to be used. It doesn't really care about anything, just kind of waits until someting happens to it... baked, mashed, fried... whatever. Then it gets a little bit older and starts to sprout a few extra "bits" here and there... it's the "eyes". It shrivels somewhat. Hmmm... Getting older and would like to leave a legacy... It's spring, the potato looks unappetizing (although it can still be mashed), and Mom decides to use these sprouted potatoes for growing more. She cuts each potato into golf-ball-sized pieces with several eyes on each piece. They are separated on newspapers to "heal" a bit... to get nice and dry, because the soil will be warm and damp. When the soil is ready... tilled, raked out, and a nice, 2-inch-deep trench pulled through it, Mom gathers the kids and hands each one a little bucket with potato pieces in it. She shows them how to put the potato firmly into the trench, with the eyes up, pointing toward the sun. They are placed about 10 inches apart. Some of the very small potatoes are still whole, so Mom tells the child to find the biggest eye and point *that* one up when planting. When all the potatoes are planted, Mom covers the rows up with soil, using the rake, and lets the children *walk* down the freshly-planted row. She says it "tucks them in", just like she does at bedtime. The potato just kind of sits there for a few days, thinking about things. But then one day when the sun is making things so nice above the soil, the potato decides it's going to go see what's going on up there! It uses the energy from the potato piece to push the sprouted eyes even further up. And then it sees that it will fall over if it doesn't grab onto something, so it starts growing roots *down* through the potato piece, and keeps "eating" the food from the potato. Eventually it pokes a sprout through the soil... HEY! It's nice up here! It suns itself and starts using the sun's energy to grow its plant bigger and stronger. The potato piece is nearly eaten away (rotted), and the roots are now taking food and nutrients from the soil, too. Mom gently covers the little plants over with a little more soil, knowing that they've now decided they'll just keep pushing up. And they do, pushing up, being covered, pushing further, eventually with a small "hill" of dirt around the plant. After a while there's not enough soil to "hill" around them any more. The plants are big and bushy. The plant pushes a new "root" out into the soil around its base, under the soil, and starts growing a new potato. That was easy! So it pushes out another one. And another. Soon there are many small potatoes under the ground, each one hidden away and getting fat from the sun above and the soil below. The rain helps it grow healthy and round. Mom sometimes spreads straw around the plants. It keeps the soil from drying out, and keeps the new potatoes protected from the sun. Green potatoes are not healthy to eat. So she keeps them covered up with a straw "blanket". Eventually the green plant just gets tired from making all those hidden potatoes. It starts to dry up, and eventually just kind of gives up and lies down. It's job is finished. Mom gets out the "potato fork"... called that because it's got tines that are at least an inch apart, so it's less likely to catch a potato. She sometimes uses a shovel or a spade, or just lets the kids dig in under the plants with their hands. Mom digs kind of far from the original plant... at least a foot away, until we start seeing new potatoes, and then she gently digs UNDER them. Damaged places on the potato invites germs in, and they will rot quickly, so any damaged ones are used first. The potatoes are dug, and set in the yard until the dirt dries on them. They can have some sun now, but it's too bright and they prefer the shade and the dark. Mom turns the potatoes a few times to let them dry well. Then with her hands she brushes off any heavy dirt and places them in baskets. Damaged potatoes are taken to the kitchen, and the rest are put into the basement, where it is cool and dry. For longer storage, Mom separates them in a box, with newspaper or fresh straw between them. Some people use sand. By next spring, there are a few potatoes left, shriveled and starting to sprout eyes... and you know what happens next! (written by Cat, April 2009)

Oh, I LOVE Araucana chickens!!! When do we get to see the chickens??? They're always so colorful!!

Yeah, it figures... Naked chicks with guns...

Awww, Shucks... You gals ain't seen NOTHIN' yet!!!

Yup, yup, yup... Look in "Mare's collection of money-saving mixes (repost)" in this same section of the Kitchen. It's the first recipe, but you won't be able to stop *there*.... http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21482

It's still a cool site!!! (bumping this thread up)

If you want to try these low-cost, natural dyes, start saving your scraps now to use. Freeze them in ziplock bags if you need to.

I doubt the tarp idea would work, for a couple of reasons. First, there would be a tendency for moisture to stay inside, even with a hole to "breathe". And second, you would actually be creating a *more* hospitable place for them to crawl into, since spiders would love the dark, mice would welcome the "safe place", and the snakes would follow. I would think that it would be best to do the "neat piles", which involves stacking as you cut & split, but it leaves ends exposed and I would think would invite less infestation. There's more light and exposure to the weather, even if covered with a tarp on top. You hammer stakes into the ground on both ends of your "pile", then stack wood in-between. You have at least one end of the wood exposed to air and light, and take wood from the top, gradually exposing more and more wood, and chasing critters elsewhere as you do. One pic, stacked between trees: http://www.jaygaulard.com/blog/wp-content/...e-wood-pile.jpg Illustration: one cord of wood square pile: http://olsonfirewood.com/images/cord_field.jpg And I would just always use a good pair of gloves when someone gets the wood. Protects your hands in several ways!

???? Green needle tea?? Any particular fir/pine tree needles used? I've never heard of it!

Would you feel better if we laughed and pointed? *giggle* I eat the salmon bones (but give those icky "strings" to the cat) because I've always heard they're good for women, in particular, for the calcium. I don't see where the others would be any different, for "organic" chicken. I've heard that multivitimins often don't help much... they kind of go right through. Any way to incorporate better *natural* nutrition is good.

Root Beer Jelly??? Be VERY careful to compare these recipes to the latest and *best* canning methods/times!

New "Victory Garden" links... For kids: http://kids-outdoor-activities.suite101.co...egetable_garden http://www.kidsgardening.com/2006.kids.gar...ws/mar/pg1.html History: http://www.cityfarmer.org/victgarA57.html http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farmingin...s/crops_02.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden For Today: http://www.revivevictorygarden.org/ http://www.ehow.com/how_2362818_plant-vict...mpaign=yssp_art http://www.helium.com/items/278657-how-to-...-victory-garden http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7...den.html?cat=22 http://www.heirloomseeds.com/victory.html (Seed packs for saving or planting... donation to Red Cross included) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/ (looks heavy on images, note for those with dial-up)

Bumping this to the top... The names of the posters are mixed up, but the information and links are *great* for understanding the concept of a "Victory Garden". We're hearing a lot of references to the Victory Gardens of WW2, so these can help explain and clarify.

UH-OH WELCOME, Karelle! If our Darlene is the , I guess that makes you the *Queen*! Now, Karelle, if there's *ANYTHING* I can help you with, just ask... we don't have to bother Darlene... I'm sure we'd have LOTS to talk about... Oh, and if you have any problems...

We'd like to help you find what you want. I understand that you may be unsure about actually posting, especially if you're new to forums. But to participate in a poll, all you have to do is click on an answer (or two, or three...). *You must be registered and signed in!* And no, you don't have to be new to vote. Any registered member can vote, and you're invited to comment on your choices afterwards if you'd like. Even if you've just lurked for years, you can do this. In these two polls, you may vote for as many choices as you want. Hopefully, your input will help us better meet your needs and pull up information you'd like to see. (The first thread about this lost its polls in the recent move. So we'll start a new thread, Part Two, which will give us a picture of *today's* concerns and needs.)

Who, Granny.... moi????

Looks like you figured it out...

If you'd like to add recipes to the new "recipe book", feel free to do that. Put the recipes where you think it will best fit. We will be adding new catagories and can move them later, if necessary. You *can* edit these. When you submit it, there will be a white page with an error message, but just click *back* and it will have posted or edited correctly. If you have any questions, just ask...

(((((((((((((((((Stacy and family))))))))))))))) I'm so sorry. Be sure your change jar is well out of sight of casual visitors and your childrens' friend... it's "temptation". There are more and more home break-ins. A local one had 4 guys... 2 stayed in the car, and 2 broke into the locked house and stole the TV *while the wife was WATCHING it*! The library often offers DVDs for free rental (ours charges 50 cents a day). What does DH teach? Maybe someone here knows of a position opening up??

Bumping this to the top...