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m$mM Equipment and methods change, but satisfaction same By Dorothy DQkm While the harvest season has just about wound down I think df the changes in equipment and methods used by my mother, and I get a feeling of personal pleasure and under- standing. It is almost as if my •mother were here again, guid- ing me, smiling knowingly and approvingly. That feeling was glad at first Certainly our way of doing things and even our purpose of doing it has changed substantially from mother* s day. Gardening and preserving was a way of life then; a prac- tical necessity if people were to survive. But they were mother's pleasures too, and that is why she smiled. Old timers, mother in- cluded, had a word for it, 'putting up.\ It summed up a womens' feelings when can- ning was over and she looked at her larder stocked with ^ares that would get her fam- ily through the winter. She felt downright good about ;what she had accomplished. There was more than food packed into those jars, there >as love and concern and pride jind skill. Above all, there was Satisfaction of a job well done. Jj4o wonder mother smiled then Jtfid would smile still. ;' We may not garden and preserve for the same reason she did, although that is be- coming an increasingly debat- able point under the press of inflation. But we do derive the same pleasure and pride form ithese tasks. They may be eas- iier and safer, but they are no jess filled with satisfaction, !prudence and love. So as the canning season winds up, it is B pleasure to know that mother would understand and , yes, .approve of our efforts. Life ; hasn't changed so very much, after all. Even though the frost has hit most of our gardens there is still a few hardy vegetables 4eft growing that can be turned into delectable dishes or pick- les. If you happen to have some beets and onions you haven't -preserved yet, why not try this tasty beet and onion pickle: :;. 2 quarts peeled, cooked :small beets 2 cups sugar ; 1-1/2 tablespoons mustard .seed '.; 1 tablespoon celery seed 1 tablespoon dill seed ; 1-1/2 tablespoon salt : 3-1/2 cups white vinegar ;; 1-1/2 cups water '. 1 quart thinly sliced white ionions. I To cook beets, wash and \drain leaving two inches of I Stem and tap root on each beet. ^ Cover with boiling water, cook - until tender and the skins begin *to slip off. Remove skin and -Cap roots and peel. Cut beets - Into halves or quarters as nec- essary. Combine remaining in- -gredients, except onions. -Bring to a boil, reduce heat, I and simmer 15 minutes or until ; syrup is is slightly reduce. ; Layer beets and onion slices : into hot, sterilized jars, leav- # ing one half inch head space. ; Pour boiling syrup over beets, I leaving one-quarter inch head ! space. Adjust caps. Put into ! boiling waLsx bath canner. : Process 30 minutes. Makes six I pints. I If the. green tomatoes that iyou picked x> npen indoors I are catching up to you, here is a good recipe for spicy Chili Sauce: 4 quarts peeled, cored, chopped red ripe tomatoes (about 24 large) one and a half cups chopped sweet green peppers 2 cups chopped onions one and one half cups vine- gar one and one half cups sugar one tablespoon salt one tablespoon celery seed one teaspoon ground gin- ger one teaspoon cinnamon one teaspoon allspice one teaspoon ground cloves. Combine all ingredients. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer until desired con- sistency, about one to two hours. Stir frequently to pre- vent sticking. Pour boiling hot into hot sterilized jars, leaving one-half inch head space. Adjust caps. Put into boiling water bath canner. Process 15 minutes. Makes eight pints. Sunshiny days and cool crisp nights, crackling leaves and Holloween usher in the golden autumn season, and the pumpkin. The hugh pumpkin often seems to appear sud- denly, bursting dramatically from its bowery bed, its size and brilliant color amazing us. Just where has it been hid- ing all summer long? Botanically, the pumpkin, like its relatives the cucum- bers, gourds, squashes, and melons, is a member of the gourd family. Pumpkins can grow any- where with three to four months of hot days. Although melons require hot nights and full sun, pumpkins can stand cool nights and have be suc- cessfully grown in gardens with less than six hours of direct sunlight. For each hill, one or two weeks before the last expected frost in the spring, dig a large hole two feet across and 18 inches deep, and fill it with well-rotted manure or com- post mixed, with equal parts of soil. Mound soil over this mix- ture and punch in five or six seeds, one and one-half inches deep. Hills should be six or eight feet apart unless a bush type is planted. In a week or so, thin out all but the two strongest Seed- lings. Mulch well and wait, keeping well weeded. At first vining and again at small fruit set, fertilize with manure or a balanced fertil- izer. Scatter about one-half busher manure or one cup 10- 10-lOcommercial fertilizer in a circle around the hill about one or two feet out from the center. Although pumpkins do not transplant easily, an early start is possible by planting seed in peat containers where roots will not be disturbed. Trans- plant after all danger of frost by putting the whole container in a hill prepared as suggested previously. A light straw cover will protect these very, very tender seedlings from sun, wind, and cool nights. Short season gardeners should purchase seed for early maturing varieties such as \Small sugar/'\Spim/' \Cin- derella,\ or \Funny Face.\ Pumpkin vines are monoecious, male and female flowers blooming on the same vine. A close look reveals a small bulge at the base of the female blossom, the future fruit The first few flowers are usually male, so do not be dismayed if they wither with- out producing fruit. The fe- male flowers come soon enough. Vining crops are fooler. Although they often show signs of wilting after long hot days, irrigation is probably not necessary unless wilting oc- curs in the morning. Three to five weeks before the first expected frost in the fall, pinch back vine tips and remove the small fruits that have set too late to mature. Vine strength and nutrients can then concentrate on the re- maining more mature pump- kins. The pumpkins will be ready to harvest when they are completely orange. After the first light frost, harvest with a sharp knife leaving about three inches of stem. Leave in the field three weeks to cure. Cover if the temperatures dip below freez- ing. A shingle or rug mat placed under them will pre- vent insect damage on the bottom. When ready to store, place in a cool dry place at 50-55 degrees. • Probably the squash vine borer is the only pumpkin pest you'll encounter. If you no- tice a wilting arm of a larger vine, start searching . At the base, near where the vine comes out of the earth, slit the stem lengthwise. Sometimes some sawdust-like grass is a clue. Slide the pest out with your knife; mound and firm soil over the damaged stem. It will reroot itself. If squash bugs are visible on the leaves in the morning, crush them or flick them into a can of kerosene. Destroy tiny egg clusters. But don't let all this practi- cal talk about pumpkins de- stroy the mysterious quality of these autumn omamenis. A great use for leftover wine (ifthereissuch a thing): Don't toss that half empty bottle of wine. Instead, brew your own fancy vinegars. Add a couple tablespoons of white vinegar to each cup of red or white wine. Let stand, covered with cheesecloth a room tempera- ture for a week or two. Strain, rebottlc, seal, and store in a cool place. To flavor vinegars, add herbs and spices to your homemade brew, then let the bottles stand a few days. Strain out the herbs (it keeps getting stronger if you don't). Pour into clean bottles, seal. Here are some guidelines ior amounts: Add onecuploosely packed fresh leaves or sprigs (bruise the leaves) to very pint of vinegar. Use two teaspoons dried leaves, crumbled for each pint. Add one half ounce seeds, crushed per quart. Creating flavor combina- tions is part of the fun, but here are some favorites: curry powder and shallots; Tarragon, peppercorns, and thyme; Celery seed and sage; Basil and oregano; Thyme and rosemary; Chives and garlic cloves; Coriander seeds and allspice; Marjoram and sliced onion; Mint and strips of lemon peel, or Rose geranium leaves. Another time, add oil to a jar of fresh herb leaves, you'll preserve the leaves and flavor the oil to boot When you're ready to use the leaves just take them out of the oil. I was very fortunate to have had the pleasure of meeting two Mormon ladies at a farm- ers market seminar last year. It was very interesting to learn how they stored their harvest Drying, with its special econom ics and conveniences, is an age-old method of pre- serving food. After genera- tions of neglect, it is being revived in this country. But among members of the Church of Later Day Saints of Jesus Christ, drying food never went out of practice. It has always been an important part of the Mormon custom of having year's supply of food on hand at all times. \It is a practice that strength- ens the family through self- sufficiency and means that in an emergency we are not only able to take care of ourselves, but would have something to share with others,\ the ladies said. \The food we store is like money in the bank next year, and you don' t have to report it to the government\ \Of all preserving meth- ods,\ they say, \drying is the oldest and most natural, any you can get started without expensive equipment\ Both of these ladies have dehydra- tors, but to begin with they suggested I use my oven. Getting StSTtfrdi The two Muscle power That's what Cory Hance of Gouverneur was using recently as he was \wrenching\ on lug nuts to remove the wheel on his three-wheeler and giving It a mechanical once before winter. g women picked ripe but un- blem ished fruit and vegetables in their own gardens or from nearby farmers. After clean- ing the foods, the pieces are laid on drying racks, leaving plenty of air space between the pieces. In oven drying, set the thermostat at 160 degrees for fruits and 150 degrees for vegetables for the first half hour of the drying time, then lower to 150 degrees and 140 degrees, respectively, to fin- ish. If the oven is electric,prop the door open one-half inch to one inch; if gas, prop the door open about one-eighth of an inch to allow for adequate air circulation. Count four to 12 hours of oven drying for vege- tables, and six hours and up for fruit, depending on the thickness and juiciness. It is recommended that you load your oven with no more than four to six pounds of food to dry at one time. You can stack drying trays as long as there is three inches of air space between racks. Rotate the trays during the drying period to insure even drying. An easy way to improvise oven racks is to stretch clean cheese cloth over those you have, and borrow a few more from neighbors. Don't place food right to the edges. You should leave two or three inches of space for air circula- tion. Testing and storage. Fruits and vegetables can be dried in pieces or pureed and dried in a thin sheet called \leather.\ As a rule, both dry fruits to a leathery consistency. Fruit is ready for storage if there is no moisture when the sample piece is cut and pressed. Figs and cherries are apt to feel a little sticky when just right. Vegetables have a lower sugar content than fruit and, since sugar is the preserva- tive, this dictates these be drier for storage than fruits. The cut vegetables should be really quite tough, even brittle, and peas and dried beans should be hard enough to shatter when hit with a hammer. Since excess moisture will cause spoilage, it is recom- mended that beginners take precautions against under drying. Try hanging foods for a week or two in a big, loose cheesecloth bag in a dry, airy place. Feel occasionally for evidence of moisture. The dried foods can be stored in a big screw-top con- tainers, such as peanut butter jars and mayonnaise jars; plas- tic containers with air-tight lids also are excellent Make sure the foods are thoroughly cool before packing, and check foods every few days for moisture during the first week of storage. If you find any moisture, remove the food and dry it a little longer. Produce should be good for a year or more stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Preparing the food for drying. Select fruits and vege- tables of the highest quality. They should be fresh and fully ripe. Food made defective by decay, bruises, mold or infe- rior maturity may affect the entire batch, so discard it im- mediately. Work with enough food to make one load at a time. S team blanching is the recommended pretreatment for all vege- tables. 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