Preparing the Garden for a Freeze

 The weather forecast predicts a early fall freeze and your garden is still going strong.  What can you do?  What should you do?

Understanding frosts and freezes is the first step.

What is a frost?

According the Farmer's Almanac, “Frost” refers to the layer of ice crystals that form when water vapor on plant matter condenses and freezes without first becoming dew.

• Light Freeze:  29-32 degrees, tender plants killed

• Moderate Freeze:  24-28,  widely destructive to most plants

• Hard Freeze:  24 and colder with heavy damage

• Many plants can survive a brief frost, but very few can survive a hard freeze. 

Late planting of spinach will be covered and so delicious after a frost.

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Covering Your Crops

The easiest way to protect plants from frosts is to cover them with a blanket or row cover. This material traps the heat to keep plants warmer.  Is it worth your time? Yes, sometimes an early freeze is a freak incident and there are many days of great weather and gardening to follow.

• Row covers are made of non-woven polyester. Garden stores will sell “row covers” of different weights or thickness. I like to purchase a roll and cut to the size I need.
• Bed sheets, fabric drop cloths, or medium-weight fabric will also make suitable covers for vulnerable plants. Do not use plastic. 
• Drape loosely to allow for air circulation. Do not let the material rest on the plants. Use cages or stakes to keep off the plants.
• Secure to ground with rocks or bricks or stakes to keep the covering from blowing off.
• Keep sheets or row covers at the ready, stored somewhere dry, neatly rolled up and off the ground. 
• It’s best to have all covers in place well before sunset 
• Before you cover the plants in late afternoon or early evening, water your plants lightly. Moist soil retains more heat.

• Remove any covers by mid-morning so that plants can get full exposure to the warming sunlight.

Row Covers

How a Frost Affects Crops 

Summer crops will not generally do well in any frost or freeze, so the best thing to do is to pick as much as possible and clean out the garden beds.  If it is a light freeze and you want to try to save a few plants you can cover them with a row cover which will add a few degrees of protection.

Dried beans should be picked when brittle.

Tender crops

The following vegetables are damaged by light frost. They should be protected from frost or harvested before frost.
Beans
Cucumber
Eggplant
Muskmelon
Okra
Pepper
Pumpkin
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Sweet corn
Sweet potato
Tomato
Watermelon

Very Tender crops to pick:

• Peppers are very tender.  Good news is regardless of the size and color you can pick all you peppers and dry or freeze them
• Muskmelons if not ripe meaning they slip from the vine, will not ripen after being picked.  Feed unripe melons to chickens or livestock
• Watermelons will also Not ripen after being picked so dispose of in the compost or feed to livestock.
• Herbs such as basil are very tender so you can clip stems and dehydrate or freeze dry.
• Pumpkins need to be picked and stored in a garage until the freeze is over.  Then the ripe ones whose rinds you cannot piece with your fingernail can be cured and stored.  Unripe can be used to decorate for fall and to feed to livestock.

Storing Pumpkins and Winter Squash

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  Summer squash needs to be picked and pulled.  By now you are probably happy to not see any more zucchini, right?

• Tomatoes:  pick all ripe and partial ripe tomatoes.  Pick mature green tomatoes with no white that are shiny and firm. Reffer to the post below on how to ripen green tomatoes.  There are also many canning recipes using green tomatoes.  Also save seeds from some of you heirloom tomatoes.

Ripening Green Tomatoes

This can also be the colors of fall as you pick the last peppers and tomatoes before a frost.

• Green beans:  pick all green beans and process as you desire.  When pull green beans you can clip the stalks and leave the roots in the ground.
• Dried Beans:  If you are not growing beans to use as dried beans you should.  They are an easily healthy crop the stores well.  These can be used to eat and as next years seeds. Remove all brittle dried pods.  If the pod is not completely dried do not bother picking because they aren't viable or ready to store.
• Cucumbers:  Pick any that are large enough and remove vines.

 

Hardy Vegetables (Frost hardy; below 28° F):

Can withstand freezing temperatures and hard frosts for short periods without injury.
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Collards
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Mustard Greens
Onion (sets and seeds)
Parsley
Peas
Radish
Rutabaga
Spinach 

Turnips

 

Swiss Chard a cool season crop that does great in the summer heat and cooler fall weather.

Broccoli and cabbage all tolerate light frost.  You can harvest the cabbage and cauliflower at any size.  Broccoli can be left to have harvests of side shoots

Kale loves a light freeze and it actually sweetens up the kale.

Frost-Tolerant Vegetables (can withstand light frost; 28 to 32° F):

Beet
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chinese Cabbage
Endive
Jerusalem artichoke
Lettuce
Onion, garlic, chives
Parsnips
Potatoes
Rhubarb

Root crops such as carrots, beets, rutabagas, radishes, parsnips can be covered with a row cover or mulch around.  They should be fine unless the ground freezes. They actually sweeten up after a light frost.

You want to cover potatoes with layer of mulch or the best option is to dig potatoes cure and store them.

How to Store Potatoes

Purple Viking my favorite potato.  White fleshed and so yummy!

Red La Soda potatoes best disease free red potatoes

There are other factors that can influence whether your garden will experience a frost.  The location makes a difference.  Gardens on slopes are less affected than gardens in the lowest spot on your property.  Slopes allow cold air to move on down the slope and settle in the lowest spot.

If your garden is near wall or the house that can radiate heat that will also temper the cold air.

Wind is beneficial in moving cold air.  If the day was sunny and warm you are less liking to experience extremes. Cloud cover keeps temperatures warmer also.

For most people they are content to move on and let the first frost claim victory over the garden and welcome in the cooler weather.  Either way be gratitude for the harvest you enjoyed and embrace all the finicky weather that fall brings.

Apple Preserves Recipe

 

While most people associate "preserves" as any type or method of preserved food, there are actual preserves.  Preserves are soft spreads made from small whole fruit such as strawberries or cherries or large whole fruit such as peaches, apples, and apricots.  In preserves the fruit is evenly distributed throughout the jar in a clear, thick syrup.  True preserves are prepared in a way to maintain the shape of the whole fruit.

Apple preserves are one of my favorite.  These preserves are delicious on crepes, pancakes, waffles, muffins, ice cream, toast, scones, and on a plain cake with cool whip.  They are good enough to eat out of the jar!  So to clarify a jam has small bits of fruit while preserves are packed with big chunks of fruit or whole fruit. 

They are absolutely delicious!

I slice the apples then peel the skin and put them in a solution of lemon juice and water.

Special Tips

Because the fruit is left whole or in large pieces, the key to success is to replace the air and part of the liquid in the cells of the fruit with with sugar.  Dense fruits or fruits cut into large pieces are usually combined with sugar and set aside to macerate for a few hours.  During this process the fruit releases juices and absorbs sugar.  When cooked, sugar loaded fruit softens and becomes transparent.  The fruit will maintain its shape without becoming mushy. (Blue Ribbon Preserves, Linda J Amendt)

The addition of butter to preserves and other canning recipes reduces the foam (air that becomes trapped in the juice during cooking and rises to the surface) This foam should be removed before adding preserves to canning jars.  This prevents air bubbles in your jars and a cloudy appearance.  Alway use unsalted butter in canning.

Floating fruit is often an issue when you want the fruit evenly distributed. Do not invert jars after canning.  Instead remove the stock pot of preserves from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before filling the jars.  Use a plastic knife to remove air bubbles and help distribute the fruit, pushing some to the bottom of the jar.  

Apple Preserves

Now to our recipe!  Apple pie fans will love apple preserves because its like apple pie in a jar.  Your house will smell delicious when canning these preserves.

Make About 6 half-pint jars

7 cups cored, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch think tart cooking apples (7-9 large apples)

1 cup apple juice

2 Tbs strained fresh lemon juice or bottled lemon juice

1/2 tsp unsalted butter

5 cups sugar

1 (3 ounce) pouch liquid pectin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg (optional if you like nutmeg)

Recipe from Blue Ribbon Preserves

• Combine peeled and sliced apples, apple juice, lemon juice, and butter.
• Over medium heat, bring the apple mixture to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes this replaces air in the fruit with sugar. If you used cooking apples they will maintain their shape
• Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time stirring very gently between each addition.
• Heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Increase heat bring mixture to a boil.  Stir in contents of pectin pouch.
• Return to a full boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat, skim foam off and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Add cinnamon and nutmeg stirring gently
• Gently stir to distribute fruit.  Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Wipe rims and threads with a damp cloth.  Apply lids and screw rings.
• Process half pints for 10 minutes, add 10 minutes if above 5000 ft altitude
• Process pints for 15 minutes, add 10 minutes if above 5000 ft altitude.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

"Happiness is Homemade,"  
especially if it is 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.

Combine the following dry ingredients in a bowl:

3 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

Mix wet ingredients:

4 eggs 

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups canola oil

2 cups homemade pumpkin puree

Combine dry ingredients and wet until just moist.  Add 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Pour into your favorite greased loaf pans.  You can use any size just adjust the cooking time. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes.  Insert a knife in the center if it comes out clean they are done.  Allow to cool before cutting.  But be sure to enjoy a few warm pieces.

Making your own pumpkin puree is easy.  Pie pumpkins are make the best puree and are easy to grow.

Growing Pie or Sugar Pumpkins

The pumpkins above are Winter Luxury, a heirloom sugar pumpkin.

Duck eggs are great for baking. The pumpkins puree on the left can be frozen.

Pumpkin puree

The Best Tomato Sauce! Tomato Basil Sauce

I've been on a quest to find the best canned tomato sauce that you can use straight from the jar without adding anything. Something for a quick easy meal. I think I found a keeper.  This recipe, Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce comes from "Better Homes and Garden Special Interest Publication: Canning," with some of my own additions.  Never adjust or admit the lemon juice.  This ensure you have the proper acidity to use a water bath canner.  Herbs you can adjust to your liking.

Last night I breaded some tenderized chicken and just dumped the sauce on top and baked it.  The last 10 minutes I added a slice of Mozzarella cheese on top.  I cooked pasta to go with it.  It was an easy and delicious chicken Parmesan.  This sauce is great on any pasta, my family likes spirals or on zucchini, eggplant, or pasta mixed with sautéed zucchini.

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

• 12 lbs peeled tomatoes
• 3 Tbs packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbs salt
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

To peel tomatoes, submerge them in a pot of boiling water until the skins split.  I put them on a large cookie sheet as I remove them from the water.

• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves or 2/3 dried basil
• 1 cup lightly packed assorted fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, Italian flat leafed parsley or 1/3 dried herbs.
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 to 1 Tbs crushed red pepper
• 6 Tbs lemon juice. 1 Tbs is added to each pint jar
• 1/2 cup Clear Jel
• 2 small cans tomato paste to thicken

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Any tomato can be used.  Paste tomatoes require less cooking time to reduce the sauce but a mixture of tomatoes offers a great combination of taste.

• Put peeled tomatoes in a small batches in a food processor and pulse.  Do not over process
• Place in a stock pot.
• Add brown sugar, salt, vinegar, and pepper to tomatoes bring to boil for 60 minutes.
• When reduced, stir in remaining herbs and crushed red pepper
• Mix a small amount of sauce with the Clear Jel and whisk til smooth and then add to tomatoes along with 2 small cans of tomato paste.  Simmer till sauce thickens.

Basil, oregano, and parsley from the herb garden.

• Add 1 Tbs of lemon juice to clean pint jars.
• Ladle hot sauce into jars leaving 1/4 inch head space

• Wipe the rims and adjust lids

• Process in a boiling water canner for 35 minutes adjust time  for altitude. In New Harmony add 10 minutes to the time.

• Remove lid of canner when time is up and leave jars for 10 minutes in canner before removing them to cool

• Remove jars to cool and check for a seal.

I like using a crock pot to reduce sauces.  I feel like I can leave the sauce and get something else done.  On a stove top you cannot do that. Just remember to stir occasionally. I do not do that with this sauce but if it is more convenient for you to do this it works well.

 You can add one cup of snipped sun dried tomatoes that you dried yourself to add to the tomato flavor.  Do not use sun dried tomatoes in oil.  

Meet the Heirloom Tomatoes Meant for Sun Drying!

I love that this recipe uses so many herbs from the garden.  I like that the seasoning out of the jar does not require any additional adjustment.  My family agrees this is a great canning choice for tomatoes.

The Italian seasoned tomatoes below is another favorite.  I do add additional seasonings to this depending on the recipe I am using.

Italian Seasoned Tomatoes 

Salsa Ranchera! A Jalapeños and Cilantro Salsa!

When it comes to salsa some like it hot and some not!  This salsa is a happy medium.  This is a water bath canned salsa from The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. This is an awesome book to add to your collection if you are looking for fresh innovative ways to add to your pantry.  After sharing the recipe, I will share a fun way to use this salsa.  The Huevos Rancheros meal is also from the book I mentioned.

Be sure to start with fresh homegrown paste tomatoes. You can use different varieties and colors.  Paste tomatoes are less juicy with fewer seeds so they make great sauces.  After roast and when you chop tomatoes place in a colander before adding to the salsa to allow some of the juices to drip off.

Recipe:

Make about 4 pint jars

3 lbs plum tomatoes

3/4 lb jalapeños

4 garlic cloves

1 medium white onion cut into 1/2 thick slices

2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup bottled lime juice

1.  Preheat oven to 425F Line a baking sheet with foil.  Slice tomatoes in half or quarters depending on the size.  Slice jalapeños in half lengthwise and seed. Add sliced onion to a tray also  Roast veggies at 425F for 20 minutes or until soft and beginning to char.

2.  Allow to cool

Roasting veggies enhances their flavor and brings out their sweetness.

3.  Remove skins from tomatoes, coarsely chop onion. Add to a stainless steel pot.

4.  Add 2 tsp salt

5.  Peel jalapeños and chop. You can dice and roast jalapeños which saves you from peeling them.

6.  Add jalapeños and minced garlic to pot

7.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer 2 minutes

8.  Ladle hot salsa into hot jar leaving 1/2 in headspace.  Remove air bubbles. wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and add a ring adjusting to fingertip tight.  

9.  Place in boiling water canner.  Process for 20 minutes adjusting for altitude.  In New Harmony that meals adding 10 minutes to the processing time..  Begin timing when water begins to boil

10.  Turn off and remove canner lid.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the jars.

11.  Store without rings.

Need a new way to use this delicious salsa?  Try Huevo Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Corn tortillas

Olive oil

Eggs

Refried Beans

Toppings:  grated cheese, avocado slices, fresh cilantro

Cook tortillas in oil in a non stick pan until crisp

Fry 2 eggs per tortilla  

Spread refried beans on tortillas.  Top with eggs, salsa, and toppings of choice.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

It's that time of year! With fall harvests, it is time to enjoy pumpkin desserts and treat.  Using your own pumpkin puree from pumpkins you harvested makes everything pumpkin even better.  Making pumpkin puree is simple but a little messy.

Jarrahdaleis a beautiful blue gray heirloom from New Zealand.  Wonderful used in winter squash recipes and pumpkin recipes.

Kogigu  a Japanese squash with deep ribs and a waxy brownish orange color.

Kogigu Squash

Pie or sugar pumpkins or winter squash  grown specifically for eating are sweeter, less stringy, and contain less water than a pumpkin grown for carving.  They are beautiful coming in many shapes, sizes, and colors.  They can be used to make puree or roasted using your favorite winter squash recipe.

Winter Luxury is a 1893 heirloom that makes smooth velvety puree.  One of the best!  Unique nettled skin 5-7 lb pumpkins.

Long Island Cheese Wheel

STEPS TO MAKING PUMPKIN PUREE

1. Select your pumpkin.  Use any that do not have stems or appear to be seeping first.

2.  Wash outer skin

3.  Cut in half and use a ice cream scoop to remove seeds.  Save seeds for roasting.

4.  Place face down in a cookie sheet with sides or a shallow pan.

5.  Add water to the bottom of the pan

6.  Roast at 350 for 45-60 minutes until it can be easily pierced with a fork.  The roasting time will depend on the size of the pumpkin.

7.  Allow it to cool slightly.  Scoop out pulp with an ice cream scooper. 

8.  You can puree pulp in a blender or use a stick blender.  You will probably have to add a little water.

9.  Store in pint canning jars or freezer bags in the freezer if you are not using it immediately.

Use in your favorite pumpkin recipes for desserts or soups.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread