Preparing for the Garden Season

Variety of heirloom tomatoes

Gardening is not usually on the minds of most people in winter;  however, to ensure you have a good productive season now is the perfect time to prepare and plan your garden.  Here's a list of what you can do in winter so you will be prepared for the season this spring.

1.  Make a list of what you want to grow this year include veggies, herbs, and flowers.

   Determine if you want a spring and summer garden. This requires different planting times and more space because some crops overlap.  Spring plantings or cool season crops include:

 potatoes, greens, lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, Swiss chard, onions, shallots, leeks, cilantro, parsley, beets, kohlrabi, kale, radishes and carrots.  

The purple carrots are Purple Sun.

A summer garden or warm season crops includes:

 carrots, beets, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, melons, pumpkins, summer squash, corn, winter squash, eggplant, tomatillos beans, basil, and other herbs.

What To Plant in Early Spring

Watermelon can and should be seeded directly in the garden.  Their roots don't like being transplanted.

 

2.  Determine what you will purchase as transplants and what you will direct seed in the garden.

Crops best grown from transplants include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos and tomatoes.  All other crops can be grown from seed in the garden. Root crops should always be seeded directly in the garden.  You can start your own seeds indoors if you have the proper set up to ensure you raise healthy transplants. 

How To Plant Seeds & Transplants

Starting Seeds Indoors

Seed Planting Schedule

A Chinese cabbage good in cole slaw, salads, and stir fries.

3.  Organize and order seeds and perennials

   Lots of varieties are already sold out so the earlier you order seeds online the better.  Before ordering inventory your seeds.  I don't keep seeds older than 3 years.  While the length of time you can store seeds varies, the longer you store seeds the lower the germination rate.  Having fresh seeds saves time.  Onions seeds need to be reordered each year. Order perennial crops such as asparagus and rhubarb.

Preparing for the Growing Season: Organizing and Ordering Seeds

How To Select Seed Varieties

How Long Will My Seeds Last

Heirlooms, Hybrids, & Open Pollinated Seeds

Asparagus is an easy to grow perennial.

4.  Determine what additions to the orchard, grapes and berries you want to add.

Don't wait too long to do this.  It's best to order barefoot for fruit trees and some berries such as raspberries come bare root.  Given the choice go with bare root.  Strawberries are best bought as a barefoot plants they come in bundles of 25.  Albion are my favorite strawberry.  Blackberries that are erect or semi erect do best in our area.  Generally those with Indian names and Triple Crown have done well. Triple Crown seems more prone to fungal infections.  I prefer everbearing to Juneberry with berries because you get fruit throughout the growing season until a freeze.  Plan carefully because these are permanent plantings so put some thought into it. All berries should be contained in boxes. Below are links to other helpful posts.

Albion strawberries are my favorite.  Everbearing variety with large sweet berries.

Everything You Need To Know About a Home Orchard

How To Choose and Plant Fruit Trees

Backyard Orchard: Choosing a Site

Brambles: Growing Blackberries and Raspberries

Growing Strawberries

White peaches are the best fresh eating.  They are a delicious dehydrated or juiced.  Too soft to can.

Bing cherries

 5.  Consider adding elderberries, gooseberries, currants, or jostaberries. Some of the other hybrid berries such as loganberries or boysenberries or tayberries may also do well certain areas.

Elderberries, gooseberries and josta berries grow well in our area.  Some berries prefer some afternoon shade such as raspberries, currants, and some varieties of elderberries and all the hybrid berries. My own experience is that hybrid berries without shade are not as productive.

  

6.  Consider planting a medicinal garden including elderberries, echinacea, lavender, catmint, lemon balm, thyme, peppermint etc.  These are perennials you can incorporate in beds within your garden or some make great landscape options.

6.  Purchase supplies

Winter is a good time to inventory and purchase garden compost, tools, organic fertilizers, and organic pesticides.  This ensures you have the products you need on hand when needed.

Amendments:  Complete dry organic fertilizer, azomite, greensand

Liquid Fertilizers:  Fish emulsion, sea kelp

Organic pesticides:  Neem, Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew (spinosad) which is for coddling moth and other caterpillars, dormant oil, Pyrethrin, Sluggo for pill bugs

Row covers to protect against frosts and insect damage

Compost

Favorite green bean Slenderette.  Favorite filet green bean Maxibel.

7.  Determine if you want to add beds or new growing areas to your garden and what materials you might need.

 

Winter Garden Recipes: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 

Normally garden recipes shared focus on summer crops.  Falls focus is on root crop recipes .  Winter is usually recipes from pantry goods and foods you preserved over the season.  However, if you are fortune enough to own a good greenhouse you have fresh garden produce available through winter and early spring before harvests outside begin.  So I thought I would share recipes from my greenhouse harvests that work perfectly for winter.  The first is Broccoli Cheddar Soup. 

 Broccoli does well in a greenhouse.  It also does well outside if you have a mild winter.  Broccoli that ripens in the cold is sweeter and much better tasting than summer grown broccoli.  It is a cool season crop for a reason.  My first harvest of broccoli from the greenhouse was in late December. I also have carrots in the greenhouse which are used in this recipe.  Soup seemed the perfect option for this harvest.

Growing Broccoli

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

4 Tbs butter

1 med yellow onion chopped

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups vegetable broth

3 cups chopped broccoli florets

1 large carrot finely chopped or shredded

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 cups mild cheddar

1/4 cup sharp cheddar

Directions:

-Melt butter in a dutch oven

-Add onion, salt, and pepper cook until softened then add garlic and cook another minute

-Sprinkle with flour and whisk continuously until flour turns golden.  

-Slowly pour in milk whisking as you pour

- After it thickens add broth, broccoli, carrots and mustard.

- Simmer until broccoli is tender

-Add shredded cheese and stir until melted and creamy.

Serve with a homemade crusty artisan bread

Look for more winter harvest recipes!

I used some freeze dried shredded carrots from my pantry.

 

Hawthorn                        

Enhances Cardiovascular Health and Reduces Anxiety

Latin Name: Crataegu spp.

Culture:  Hawthorn is a deciduous shrub or  medium sized columnar tree.  Hawthorn shrubs are often pruned as hedges.  Pruning is required to keep the tree form by removing lower sprouting branches.  As a tree, Hawthorn can grow 20 ft tall.  It has thorny branches, white or pink flower clusters, and orange or red berries.  It is a beautiful landscape species.  Mine has beautiful clusters of pink flowers in spring.  The berries ripen to a red and hang on the tree through winter.  They look like miniature bulbs on bare branches and give winter interest to the landscape.  The berries are a source of food for birds through winter.  You harvest the berries in the late fall or early winter.  Hawthorn grows well in my area, Utah; however they will need protection from deer.

Prune when dormant.  Fertilize with a dry organic blend and mulch around  the tree in spring.  Ferilizing needs are low so don’t feel you need to do so every year.

The apple like fruits are called “haws”.  Hawthorn is in the rose family.  Similar to rose hips there is a seed wrapped in a fiberous coating.  They are edible with a tart, acidic flavor.  They can be used in jellies, jams, wines, and syrups. 

The flowers are fragrant and attract pollinators like bees an butterflies.  They can thrive in a wide range of soil types and are hardy in zones 3-9.  The flowers are perfect meaning they have both male and female parts.  

Not only are Hawthorns a great option in the landscape, they have a history of medicinal and herbal use.  They are associated with cardiovascular health and have been used in many cultures throughout history. 

Medicinal Properties:

The berries, leaves, and flowers are all used for medicinal purposes most commonly for cardio health, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.  Hawthorn needs to be taken on a regular basis for best results. As with all herbs you should do your own research before using. 

Hawthorn berries are an abundant source of antioxidants and anti cancer phenolic compounds which protect against free radical damage.

Hawthorn is generally safe when used as directed. 

A hawthorn tincture is generally made with leaves, flowers, and fruits.  The leaves and flowers are harvested in the early spring and steeped in alcohol.  The fruits are then harvested late in the fall or early winter.   They can be cooked into a syrup with honey and water. 

The strained hawthorn/honey syrup is then preserved with the strained hawthorn flower tincture.  That gives you the benefits of the whole plant. (Ancient Remedies Revived)

Here is a link to make Hawthorn tincture and syrup. do your own research and discuss with your doctor.

 

https://joybileefarm.com/hawthorn-syrup-heart-tonic/?customize_changeset_uuid=

Hawthorn Jelly

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 to 2 lbs hawthorn berries
• 2-3 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Simmer the Hawthorns in water for roughly 30 minutes until they've completely disintegrated. Use a potato masher.

• Strain the mixture through a jelly bag. For every 2 cups of juice, add 2 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of lemon juice.  It takes roughly 1.5 to 2 pounds of haws to yield 2 cups of juice.

• Return the strained hawthorn juice, sugar and lemon juice to the stove and boil rapidly for 10-15 minutes until it reaches gel stage

• Pour the jelly into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude  or store in the refrigerator for immediate use.   
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Canning Pomegranate Syrup

 

Pomegranates are perfect for the holidays.  They ripen in November just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Pomegranate salad was a tradition in my home growing up.  One tradition I have tried to keep up.  But... pomegranate jelly was was my favorite!  It's beautiful ruby red color is perfect for the holidays. And it tastes amazing! My all time favorite jelly!

Pomegranate Jelly

Just as beautiful and delicious is pomegranate syrup!  This syrup is wonderful on waffles with butter milk syrup, pancakes, French toast or crepes.  It's also great added into your favorite shake or used to flavor a vinaigrette dressing for your favorite holiday salad.

So the recipe is an adaption from the Strawberry Syrup recipe in The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving . 

Always bring to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down

Pomegranate Syrup

Makes 5 pints

6 cups pomegranate juice

6 cups sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup bottled lemon juice

Combine juice, sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice.  Bring mixture to a full rolling boil.  Boil 1 minute.

Ladle hot syrup into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Wipe jar rims. Center the lid and adjust lids to finger tip tight.  Process jars 10 minutes adjusting for altitude.  At my altitude, I had 10 minutes.  After processing for given time, turn off heat, remove lid and leave the jars in the canner for 10 more minutes.  Then remove jars and allow them to cool.  Before storing, remove the rings. Label and enjoy!

Juicing Pomegranates

You can use unsweetened pomegranate juice from the grocery store.  You can also juice your own pomegranates.  My brother has 40 pomegranate bushes and juices every year in November.  Gratefully he shares the juice with me.  You can freeze the juice in smaller portions for use later.  If you are going to use the juice then allow it to rest for 24 hours.  You will see the sediment or solids settle to the bottom.  When measuring the juice do not pour or use the sediment.  The sediment will produce a cloudy jelly or syrup.  To be safe pour juice through 2 layers of cheesecloth when measuring.

If you have only a few pomegranates to juice you can use a heavy duty citrus juicer.  Juicing is messy.  I recommend doing it outside.  Pomegranate juice stains clothes and your hands, but fresh juice is worth the effort or your brothers efforts.

My brother juices into recycled plastic which you can freeze in or repackage in canning jars in smaller portions for use later.  You can freeze in wide mouth pint jars just leave 1" headspace. You could also freeze in freezer bags.

Setting Goals for Your Homestead

 Resolutions, goals, projects whatever you call them now is the time to implement and schedule them.  Tearing off the last calendar month of 2024, hopefully has you feeling satisfied with the person you have become and the direction you are heading.  If not there is always another year, a fresh start.

There are so many aspects of our lives. It can sometimes be overwhelming to know where to focus your energies. I know in my life that my priorities are faith, family, and freedom.  When I pay proper attention to them the important things fall into place and the unnecessary things falls by the wayside.  I never regret the time I focus in these areas.

 I also enjoy working with my husband on improving and taking care of our 5 acres which includes gardens, orchards, berries, herbs, dairy goats, chickens, ducks, and seasonal pigs.  All these provide food for our family as well and enjoyment.  We believe in being as self reliant as possible.

 
Our family approaches self reliance as a life style choice.  I believe it is our responsibility to provide and care for our families and to manage the resources the Lord blesses us with wisely so that we can be prepared to serve and help others.  It's about being a wise steward.

 It's not so much the projects but the process of what you become while learning to live providently that is so satisfying.  I value the intangible aspects of being a homesteader.....the satisfaction of work, the knowledge you gain and can share, the peace of being prepared, the security of knowing how to do it yourself, and a deeper appreciation for the blessings the earth offers.

"To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch their renewal of life. This is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing 
a man can do."

 With winter, comes a renewed dedication to my garden and farm.  Every time I open a jar of almond pears or spicy peaches I'm grateful I took the time to grow and preserve my own food.  

So What Now?

New year, new goals and a look back at what went well and where we can improve.  With the new year comes new ideas I want to try and of course the new ideas from years past that never came to fruition. Sometimes my new ideas and my husband's ideas aren't exactly the same so time is spent prioritizing our goals.  

I thought I would share how I set goals for our homestead.  I like to evaluate things in three areas:

1.  Maintenance

2. New Improvements

3.  Expanding or reducing the farm 

I do this in each homesteading area.  Here's some ideas

 



Maintenance:  

This includes repairs and general maintenance of what we already have in place.  Replacing aged garden boxes, maintaining water systems, replacing weed block in garden paths, adding mulch,  sharpening and repairing tools, painting barns and coops, fixing rain gutter, repairing fences. etc.

New Improvements:

This includes any new projects.  This is the fun part.  These can be practical or fun.  Ideas can be a herb garden, BBQ pit, play area for grand kids, milking equipment, adding beehives, a new breeding buck, root cellar, or greenhouse.

 Expansion or Reduction:

OK this is the hard part.  Is it practical to expand the farm or do I need to simplify and eliminate some areas? I struggle with that reality. Sometimes we simply bite off more than we can chew or health or current circumstances make it necessary to cut back.  

It's important to consider finances.  You can't be self reliant if you have to go into debt to maintain what you have. 

The family dynamics change.  When the kids leave home you have less help but also fewer people to feed.  

Determine if you enjoy what you are doing and the time it requires.  Perhaps you do not like milking goats or pruning an orchard.  Be honest and don't feel guilty about your decisions.
   

"The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do."

Take time to find joy in the journey.  Find pleasure in the task you are engaged in.  I've learned that there is always tomorrow.  Be content and happy with what you accomplish each day.  After all "gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and refined character."  Part of gratitude is believing you are enough, you have enough, and you do enough.

The pictures are from a 2015 snow storm.  So beautiful!

Christmas Gifts for the Homesteader

As the holiday season approaches finding that perfect gift for those you love can be challenging.  To me the perfect gift is first, affordable and within your budget limits.  It can be easy to get caught up in the seasons festivities and over spend. Second, the gift shows you know them personally and put some thought and love into the gift.  A gift from the heart is always appreciated and cherished.  

Gardeners and homesteaders are always fun to shop for if you are into those hobbies and lifestyle choices and challenging if you are not.  So here are some ideas for gifts. Keep in mind your homesteader may have some of these items but often new improved equipment is fun to get. Accessories and supplies for these items could also be your focus and may fit in better with your budget. Affiliate links are included in this post.

Incubator for hatching eggs 

Chicken egg rack or basket

Lots of styles and fun options to store eggs on your counter or look for a wire basket to gather eggs

Sourdough starter kit or accessories

Good kitchen scale

Useful for canning, sour dough bread making, and soap making.

Yogurt Maker

Insta pots often have a yogurt function.  Other items that are useful if using raw milk are a stainless stock pot, long whisk, and thermometer. 

Dehydrator

I have been using an older cheaper dehydrator but this has some features that would be wonderful to have like a quiet fan, even heating, auto functions, and temperatures high enough to do jerky. I might have to ask Santa for an upgrade. Got my upgrade an Excalibur.   Definitely worth it.  Produces a much better evenly dried product.  Great for jerky too!

Cheese making kits, molds, cultures and supplies

If new to cheesemaking a kit is nice.  If experienced there are molds, presses and always cultures that are needed.

Fermenting kit or supplies

A healthy, fun hobby to start

Pruners

I love my Stihl pruners they are lightweight and sharp.  I have both lopper sizes to accommodate different branch widths.  I always carry my hand pruner in a leather pouch on my belt. I have separate hand pruners to trim goat hooves.  Check out the battery garden pruner. That could be really handy. Can't say enough about Stihl products.  A must for the the garden and home orchard. Pick up at your local hardware store.

 Homestead and Gardening Books

I always have a gardening book on my wish list plus a gardening read included in my daily reading. 

 

   

Pressure Canner for canning

I like a weighted pressure canner.  Dial pressure canners need to be  checked every year to ensure the dial is accurate.  This can be done at an extension office so it's not a problem but maybe an inconvenience if you are not close.

 Stainless steel water bath canner

These are durable canners for the serious canner.  Don't forget accessories for canning if you are looking for a cheaper option or stocking stuffers.

Ball Canning books

Always used tested and trusted recipes.  Ball has some great options. 

Attachments for Kitchen Aid such as pasta maker or meat grinder

Homemade pasta is simple to make with the Kitchen Aid pasta maker. Beet or spinach powder can be added to make colorful healthy pasta.  If you raise beef, pork, turkeys or hunt a meat grinder is a great gift idea.

Smoker or accessories

I have a Traeger and love it. If your homesteader has a smoker look for accessories such as silicon gloves, sauce pots and basting brushes, marinade containers, racks for veggies and meats, pink butcher paper meat claws, prep and serve trays. Lots of fun options and a variety of price ranges.

 Rubs and sauces for smoking.  Herbs for canning.

If you can, BBQ or smoke then having a variety of herbs, seasonings and sauces is a must.  These are fun inexpensive stocking stuffer ideas. These can be bought in kits or individually.  Any hardware store that stocks smokers and BBQs will have lots of options.  You could put together themed herb collections for canning pickles, relishes, salsa or chili. 

Vacuum Sealer

Perfect to extend self life of products you are freezing and prevent freezer burn.  Great for raw or smoked meats, veggies and fruits. If you freeze leftover bbq and smoked meats you can just put the bags directly in boiling water to reheat and it keeps meat juicy, moist and delicious.

Mason jar vacuum sealer

I love this little gadget. Mason jars make great storage jars.  I use it for dehydrated and freeze dried fruits and veggies. Great for anything you store in mason jars that needs to be kept fresh!

   

Heated water buckets

These are a huge time saver for the homesteader and provide constant water for your animals in the winter months.  They come in different sizes and are perfect for chickens, goats, dogs, cats, and other farm critters.

Insulated bibs & gloves

Doing farm chores is much more enjoyable if you are warm.  Insulated bibs, flannel lined jeans, a durable jacket, and insulated gloves are all great gift options for any homesteader

cast iron kettles for fireplace or humidifier

For those with wood stoves these add moisture to the air. They not only add humidity but you can add cinnamon sticks, oranges, or cloves to make your home smell like the holidays. Be sure to look for rust resistant humidifier that have a porcelain enamel coating. 

 Muck buckets

You can never have enough buckets.  I really like the flexible ones with handles.  These can be used to haul supplies out to the garden or animals, for weeds, deadheading flowers, mixing fertilizers or potting soils. The uses are endless.  Any utility buckets or muck buckets are all great for the homestead.  

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knee pads or kneeling pad

Comfortable water resistant knee pads make weeding, planting, and harvesting much easier.  They can also be used to do household chores. Easy on the knees and inexpensive. 

Seed Saving SuppliesSeed Saving Supplies

If your homesteader saves seeds there are lots of fun gift ideas. Mesh sifters with assorted screen sizes, pollinator bags, and seed packets are a few ideas the seed saver would enjoy.

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Half gallon mason jars or other storage jar

These are perfect to store dehydrated and freeze dried product.  Add and few oxygen absorbers and vacuum seal the lids for longer storage.  Also great for pasta and grains.

Food processor

Makes slicing and grating quick and easy for canning, freeze drying, dehydrating veggies, fruits, and cheese.  Make biscuits, party, and pie crust with the dough attachment, and puree salsas.

Onion chopper

A huge time saver for chopping and dicing onions, peppers, cucumbers, potatoes and other produce for canning. All evenly diced!

Whole grain grinder

Having a mill or grinder for whole grains opens up the possibility for lots of healthy bread making options.

Other Ideas:

• Tickets to a local Farm Conference
• Good knife set
•  Cutting boards
• Pastry mat, bowl scraper
• Kitchen shears
• Clippers for goats
• Tattoo kit for goats
• More goats, chickens, cows, pigs, horses and ducks 
• Gift cards to favorite online nurseries and seed companies

I appreciate the holiday season as a time to reflect on the many blessing the Lord has given my family.  I enjoy the opportunity to think of others and give of myself.  I cherish the greatest gift of the season... Our Savior.  Merry Christmas!