I got together with a couple of likeminded friends and we decided to challenge ourselves. Then we decided to open it up for other likeminded people to join us.
For 7 days, we are testing our individual Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage Plans. Each day will bring a NEW mock emergency, or situation that will test at least one of the reasons we strive to be prepared! And an opportunity to rate yourself and make a note of changes you need to make.
I hope you’ll join us here and take the challenge to test yourself. During the challenge, don’t take the easy way out and skip over the hard stuff, or cheat. No going to a store, or spending any money for the entire 7 days! And feel free to adapt the scenarios to fit your own family and situation.
Watch for follow up posts marked Day 1, Day 2 … and so forth.
Here are the daily report cards that you can print if you wish, for a self assessment on each day’s challenges.
For years this quote was over my kitchen door leading out to the garden. Sadly I had to take it down a couple of years ago to repaint the wall, but its in the plan to replace it. It is an essential life truth.
Is there a difference between home grown tomatoes and store bought tomatoes? Oh My! YES! The taste of a homegrown tomato is UNlike anything else this world has to offer. And a store bought tomato tastes nothing like it, even when grocer’s says they are “vine ripened” . . . . Let’s talk about “vine ripened” for a minute: what it is and what it is not. Ostensibly, that term should be clear right? It means ripened-on-the-vine. . . . Right? Allowing fruits to ripen on the plant before harvesting ensures the completion of its growing cycle, implying that all of nature’s nutrition is intact. But don’t be fooled; when you see a sign that says “vine ripened” with tomatoes that are together on a small branch. The whole truth is that those tomatoes ripened while still attached to that little branch. No one says that branch was on the plant or that the plant was still in the ground at the time they ripened, so yesssss, okay – by definition I guess we cannot dispute it, but by its truest definition – NO! They are NOT necessarily ripened on the plant. I hate when I see that term, because if we believe everything we read we’ll fall for the implication that THESE tomatoes are somehow better than other tomatoes we see on the shelf without the ‘sign’. I seriously doubt it. In most cases, the only difference is that little branch – those 4 or 5 tomatoes that are clustered together. And No, in most circumstances they were not ripened ON a plant which was still living.
In central Alberta even in our home gardens, it is not possible for all of our tomatoes to ripen on the plant before the season is over, so we pick the last of them green, allowing them to ripen in their own time. It’s the best we can do with approaching winter. Tomatoes naturally produce their own ethylene gas which causes them to slowly redden as they ripen at their own pace – even once they’re picked. This of course takes time. To speed up the process of ripening, many companies lock immature green tomatoes in an ethylene-filled chamber. This seems like a good solution on the surface, but it merely forces them to turn red, not affecting the “ripening” process enough. The result is that yes, they may be red, but they never had the chance to develop flavour – which is usually a natural companion to ripening AND an indicator of nutritional value. If like me, you have to pick some of your tomatoes not quite red or still green, allow them to ripen in their own time, the way nature designed. You will be richly rewarded by the homegrown tomato-taste, and its associated nutritional value.
Okay, thank you for the chance to rant a little – on one of my pet peeves. I’ll set that aside for now.
“A tomato may be a fruit, but it is a singular fruit. A savory fruit. A fruit that has ambitions far beyond the ambitions of other fruits.” – E. Lockhart
Several years ago I decided to put more effort into eating IN THE SEASON. The concept is encouraged by a directive in what I consider ‘scripture’. “All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man – Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof . . . .” 1 This is good counsel indeed, especially since we understand now that nutritional value begins to dissipate in the hour after harvest. The fresher the produce, the more nutrition it contains, so eating it in the season we are guaranteed to have the best that nature can offer. Keeping that tomato for months in it’s “fresh” state, gives us the outward impression that it is nutritional, but in actual fact it is impossible. In my opinion, we use the word “fresh” too loosely in this context.
Based on tomato retail sales, the average North American eats almost 30 pounds of tomatoes a year. If you like pizza or spaghetti, you probably eat more. If you like salsa, you probably eat even more. If you don’t like tomatoes, then I’m pretty sure I ate enough to make up for you. But what about those of us who grow and preserve our own? How would stats ever reflect that? I’m pretty sure no statistician keeps track of how many plants I grow (this year, 28 plants), or the fact that we eat FRESH tomatoes every single day from mid July through till the last one gets eaten in late November. I do not ever buy tomatoes from the produce department because they are almost always supremely disappointing. So based on sales of ‘fresh’ tomatoes, I wouldn’t even be counted, but make no mistake – our household consumes a LOT of tomatoes.
Let’s get it over with and off the table. Yes tomatoes are really ‘fruits’, and yes we eat them as vegetables. Why? Simply because their natural ‘sugar’ content is much less than other fruits, making it more suitable to be used in a salad or main dish rather than a dessert. In fact, because the seeds are inside (like a blueberry, gooseberry, currant or grape) the tomato is actually a ‘berry’. It doesn’t make any difference, we’re still gonna eat tomatoes as vegetables – but it is interesting.
where do tomatoes come from?
Tomatoes originated in South America where the indigenous people cultivated them to use in their cooking. Not surprisingly, it was the Spanish who brought them to Europe and ultimately to the rest of the world. Within a short time, they became very popular in Spain, and were distributed throughout the Spanish colonies in the New World, including the Caribbean, and Central America, even as far away as the Philippines. They grow easily in warm climates so it was an easy fruit to adopt, and it literally changed the way the world ate.
In Europe it took a little longer, as they were regarded with suspicion for a number of reasons. They were identified as part of the nightshade family, and though the fruit was edible, it was well understood that the plant itself was dangerous; that was hard for many to get over. As well, wealthy Europeans often ate off pewter plates. Pewter being a metal alloy includes tin, copper, sometimes lead, and sometimes silver. The acid in tomatoes reacts with many metals and lead poisoning could result when lead is present. It’s not the tomato’s fault, but the chemical reaction with tomato acid and the pewter dishware would definitely come to everyone’s attention. Consequently, in England and her colonies tomatoes were considered ‘unfit’ to eat. In fact in most of Europe (even Italy) for almost a century, tomatoes were grown primarily as an exotic ornamental plant in flower gardens. Ironically, the poorer people ate off wooden plates or pottery, so that chemical reaction would never have been an issue for the more common folk. Who could have guessed, that simply using clay dishes would make tomatoes wonderful, while using pewter dishes could make them deadly?
The plant’s ability to adapt and even to mutate, creating new and different varieties contributed to its spread throughout the warmer European countries. Still, it took a very long time for the fruit as a ‘food’, to gain favour among the general European population. Even in areas where the climate was perfect for growing them, the fact that they grew naturally along the ground suggested ‘low status’. Funny how people can be that way. Still it was a beautiful fruit, and for the rich, it became a tabletop decoration – not eaten, just enjoyed esthetically. Although tomatoes were embraced sooner in Spain and Portugal, it took nearly two hundred years before they were incorporated solidly into the bigger Mediterranean cuisine. But it was the invention of pizza in Naples, Italy in the late 19th century, that endeared tomatoes to Italians. By then, fears surrounding them had begun to fade, and tomatoes had grown immensely popular in America.
In the east, it was a very different story. From the Philippines (under Spanish colonialism), tomatoes spread to southeast Asian and then to the entire Asian continent. It was brought to India by Portuguese explorers and exploded in popularity as it was perfectly suited to the climate. Today, China is the highest consumer of tomatoes in the world, and India is second, but the sheer population of those two countries (being the most populace in the world) would account for that. Per capita, one might expect Italy to score the highest for consumption because we all have pizza, spaghetti, lasagna in mind, but in actual fact – Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Uzbekistan are all ahead of Italy. Yes, tomatoes play a big role in Mediterranean cuisine, but evidently they are pretty crucial in the cuisine of the Middle East as well. But the big surprise is the third highest consumer – the United States. 1. China 2. India 3. United States
and Now?
Tomatoes are the king of ‘versatility’, present in almost all cuisines. They can be used in soups and noodle dishes – like in China; curries – like in India; pasta dishes like in Italy; salads, grilled, gazpacho, and various stews in Europe and the Mediterranean; stewed – like in the Middle East; salsas – like in South and Central America; goulash in Eastern Europe – and an amazing cross over of all the above in our global adaptation to different cuisines. EVERYONE eats tomatoes.
Highly cultivated the world over – even in Russia and Scandinavia, tomatoes are one of the most popular backyard garden vegetables in North America. In northern climates like our own, they must be started indoors to extend the season long enough to make them viable, but that is not a problem when every commercial greenhouse grows thousands of them.
The varieties are endless, but there are essentially two distinct types of tomatoes: determinate and indeterminate. It’s easy to remember which is which because a ‘determinate‘ tomato is one that has a finite or ‘determined‘ size, and amount of fruit. It is a smaller plant, ‘determined‘ to grow to a ‘pre-determined’ height, with all its fruit coming on in a short amount of time – perfect for a climate like ours with a short growing season. Because of this, it is considered an annual even in its native land. It grows easily in a pot, or within the confines of a tomato cage, so for those who need something easily contained, it’s your best option.
An INdeterminate tomato on the other hand, will grow and grow and grow, continuing to produce new fruit until the winter kills it. In its native land or in warmer climates, it could grow for years, and left to its own it will be a trailing plant, continuing to grow along the ground. Everywhere the stem touches the ground is a potential spot for the plant to grow new roots, conceivably having innumerable new independent plants all along the trail. I have no idea how long it could grow, or how it would eventually die in its native Central and South America. In a temperate climate (with distinct seasonal changes) like our own, it is the winter that kills it, but during the growing season it never stops reaching to new heights.
are tomatoes good for you?
almost 2 1/2 pounds this tomato will be dinner tomorrow after a made a loaf of sourdough bread for it. It deserves a thick slice of toasted sourdough and some fresh pesto mayo. A September treat. These Romanian Giants are the best tasting tomatoes I’ve every grown.
YES! In a word, they sure are! Tomatoes are nutrient-rich powerhouses, packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Their secret ingredient is the antioxidant LYCOPENE, to which we owe the beautiful strong red colour. They reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, improve eye health, digestive health, and the risk of osteoporosis. In the kitchen in they offer immense versatility and flavour.
* Fresh (as in uncooked) tomatoes are rich in vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant which is important for skin, bones, and connective tissue. It also promotes healing and helps the body absorb iron. * Fresh tomatoes are rich in Potassium – needed to build proteins in the body, including muscle. * Fresh tomatoes are rich in Vitamin K – required for blood to clot.
Like most fruits and vegetables, it is preferable to eat tomatoes FRESH, straight out of the garden to get the best nutrition and benefit. But that doesn’t mean that eating tomatoes grilled, fried, roasted, sauced, dried or juiced aren’t wonderfully good for us too. One of the best things about tomatoes is their versatility in adapting easily to an infinite number of different cooking styles, and using them in their many forms and styles opens up their full range of nutritional benefits.
There’s a very good reason they’re so popular in dishes ranging from Greek Salad to Thai Curry to Italian pasta to Mexican Pico de Gallo to toasted tomato sandwiches. Tomatoes have a unique flavour that isn’t found in any other vegetable. They are acidic, but less sour than other acidic fruits. That acid causes the colour to remain bright, but also contributes to the texture of the dish it is in, including acting as a tenderizer.
That’s at least — in part — why so many cultural cuisines such as Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern etc rely on tomatoes in such a wide array of dishes. Foods like pasta and pizza sauces, stews, and casseroles rely on tomatoes. Because North American cuisine is made up of dishes and flavours from numerous immigrant cultures, it is no wonder we find ourselves reaching for tomatoes so often in the kitchen.
Growing
In North America, we generally plant tomato plants outside after all danger of frost is over. Starting seedlings indoors months in advance, is a must in Alberta, and if we cannot personally do so, not to worry – every greenhouse has a huge assortment to pick from. In Alberta, plan to plant them indoors by mid to late March at the latest. If you plant in February, they’ll be bigger, but sometimes that gets difficult to handle in the house. Expect to put them outside mid to late May, after all danger of frost has passed. You can grow them well into September in a typical year, but be prepared to cover up on cold nights, or to pick in a hurry if a cold front settles in.
Tomatoes love sun so pick the sunniest spot in your garden for them. Conventional wisdom suggests that crops be rotated every year, and for most vegetables I do that, but my one exception is tomatoes. In small backyard gardens its not always practical to change locations, and in mine, if they’re to have the sunniest spot, I am limited in my options. Growing in the same SPOT is not the same as growing in the same SOIL. My garden is set up for tomatoes to be in one spot, with a semi permanent trellis to tie them to. For this reason, my attention to soil amendment is important. Adding new compost and other organic matter every spring replenishes the soil’s fertility, and is my best line of defense against pests and disease. Rotating faithfully without taking proper care of your soil is only half the job.
When I plant a new tomato plant, I dig a DEEP hole – deep enough to bury all but the top 6 inches of the plant if possible. I put a raw egg in the bottom of the hole, crack it with my trowel and place the plant in the hole, laying it slightly if necessary to get as much of the stem below the surface as I can. This gives the plant a stronger base especially if your stem has gotten a little spindly before transplanting outdoors. If you look closely at the stem of a tomato plant (from the main stem to the little stems at the very end of each branch), you’ll notice thousands of little ‘hairs’ called “trichomes’. These have a distinctive ‘smell’ which is repugnant to pests, and their texture makes it difficult for ants and other insects to climb. You’ll also notice numerous small bumps or nodules along the lower stem – among the trichomes. These are potential root starts which will grow roots if that part of the plant touches soil. Burying the stem will allow all these little nodules to develop into roots, strengthening the base of plant. The broken egg adds protein to nourish the new plant as it grows, and calcium as the shell breaks down – which is an important nutrient for tomatoes.
Throughout the growing season, adding crushed egg shells to the base of your tomatoes adds the “promise of future calcium”. Calcium is important and egg shells take an entire season to break down, so its a long term commitment. Sprinkling egg shells will deter soft bodied pests like slugs and cutworms and will eventually breakdown to add calcium, so plan to add them often and throughout the growing time. Mulching with dry grass or compost around the base of your plants will keep water from evaporating too quickly and will add nutrients as it breaks down.
Tomatoes are a vine, but unlike other vines they don’t naturally climb up. They want to trail. Gardeners want them growing up to keep free air flow and to make best use of ground space. Stake them and tie frequently as they grow, securing them. I trim all lower leaves as the plant grows, at least for the lower 6-8 inches. As the plant grows and I can spare the room, I prune the lower leaves higher – as high as 18 inches. This prevents water from splashing on the leaves (which may cause decay and introduce disease), and allows light penetration and free air flow making for a healthier environment.
The tomato usually has a single main stem, but every branch has the potential of having a new stem grow out of its ‘elbow’, creating many other stems and directions for the plant to take. These additional stems are rarely suitable for staking purposes, so clip them out when you can. If your plant was allowed to grow for years and take over your garden, you might want to leave many of those sub stems on, but because of our shortened season, it is advisable to reduce them – encouraging the plant to put more energy into fruiting rather than building an empire.
Indeterminate tomato plants can easily grow 8-10 feet high, even in an Alberta summer. About the end of July, I begin topping mine off – pruning the growth that comes from the top, encouraging growth on the existing plant. By mid August I begin pruning all branches without fruit and the ends of the branches with fruit – reducing the energy going to green growth and redirecting it to existing fruit.
I plant a few cherry type tomatoes that will start producing early, ripening by mid July for early eating, and then bigger tomatoes for later eating and eventual harvest. That way I stretch the season of eating tomatoes out as long as I can.
Harvesting when they’re ripe
almost, but not quite ready. Give it another few days. These tomatoes are about 2 pounds each. Romanian Giants. As most heritage types, they’re not the prettiest tomatoes on the block, but definitely the most delicious I’ve ever grown. I’m committed to them.
Most of my earlier tomatoes are picked purely for eating out of hand or to add to garden salads. When the bigger ones start ripening and you’re picking to slice for a sandwich, look for firm texture and that beautiful red colour we all love. When the numbers increase and you can harvest more, then roast, grill or fry them to use as building blocks for pasta, soup, pizza, or to use as simple sides next to your favorite entrees. Two of our favourite ways to eat fresh tomatoes are on a toasted sandwich with pesto mayo, and in a fresh tomato bruschetta on focaccia or sour dough bread. Fresh tomato soup is a dish I wait all year for. For months not a single day goes by that tomatoes are not a major part of our meals. We’ve waited all year long for this season and I will not waste it.
When your tomatoes are ripening faster than you can use them – happy day. That’s when you look for ways to preserve the excess: can them in quarts or pints, make salsa to eat fresh or can, make roasted tomato sauce, freeze them whole to buy yourself some time, or freeze your roasted tomatoes, dry roast them in your oven with garlic, oil and a few herbs (my version of ‘sundried tomatoes’), or even dehydrate them in slices to use for tomato powder if you have enough.
Store at room temperature – in the kitchen – where you can see them and constantly pick out the ripe ones to use. They retain they’re distinctive acid-base flavour at room temperature. Never ever, ever store them in the refrigerator unless they’re ripening too fast and you intend to cook them right away anyway. Refrigerating them wrecks the taste of tomatoes and softens the texture. Once they’ve been refrigerated they’re only good for cooking.
On the other hand, a cut tomato must be refrigerated. Some say that storing it cut side down and wrapped in plastic is the best way, but time if of the essence. A day or two at most is all you can expect it to stay good.
Harvesting when they’re green
At the end of the season, covering your tomatoes with a big sheet for the night, is good protection for a short term frost. And its worth it, if there’s promise of another week or two of warm September weather. But if you have to do that every night, its time to give up and concede that summer is over. Get some big boxes out there and pick your tomatoes. Pull the plants out and turn upside down to see all the potential harvestable tomatoes. Twist and pull them off the stem and gently lay in the box. I separate the partially ripe ones so that I can keep a closer eye on them. Store them at room temperature.
Don’t waste anything: I prune the smaller branches off the main woody stalks and mow them up to add to our end-of-season compost. The big stalks I put in the city compost as they’ll take too long to decay in my little garden set up.
Saving seed
When you have a heritage tomato you’re in love with, do yourself a favour and save its seed for planting next late winter or early spring. Easy to do in a fully ripe tomato: simply use a spoon to scoop out some seed. Rinse in a fine sieve to get rid of additional pulp and lay the seed on a piece of paper towel in a single layer. Allow seeds to fully dry out on the paper towel, then roll it up, label the type and year with a black felt pen and store in in plastic or paper bag with your other seeds. That’s it. It really is that simple. When you’re ready to plant, gently remove the seed from the paper towel. If it doesn’t want to come off, no problem – just bury the piece of paper with the seed. It will germinate just fine.
Preserving tomatoes
CANNING: See my post Stocking Up: Food Preserving – Canning 101 for suggestions on canning tomatoes. Specifics: Blanching is important to help you peel them. The time table for canning tomatoes in a hot water bath is 35 minutes for a pint, 45 minutes for a quart. Use 1 teaspoon salt in a quart and 1/2 teaspoon in a pint. I also use 1 tablespoon lemon juice for quarts and 1/2 tablespoon for pints to up the acid level just a little. A friend told me this year that she adds coarsely ground peppercorns to her canned tomatoes which I think is a wonderful idea. I plan to do that. Might be my new thing.
FREEZING: When I freeze tomatoes I’m usually in a hurry – so I don’t prep them at all. I just put them whole in a freezer bag and try to lay them flat in the freezer till they freeze. I label them with a date of course, and I try to use them that first winter to free up freezer space and because freezing has a shorter shelf life than we might imagine.
tomato slices on a dehydrator rack
DEHYDRATING: is not my first choice for preserving tomatoes, and I would only use it as a method if I had lots to spare. Slice fresh ripe tomatoes, remove excess water and seeds, lay slices flat on your dehydrator racks. I try to keep the temperature around 110 degrees. It will take a good 24 hours+ to dry fully. When they’re crisp enough that you can break in half, they’re done. Store in a glass container out of the light. Use in soups or chilies. Or put them into the blender to powder them. Use the powder in place of tomato paste in any recipe.
yes its true I could make my own tomato powder, but its hard to beat the quality of Thrive Life products, so since I rarely have a harvest big enough to justify dehydrating, this is the tomato powder I choose to use. With a 25 year shelf life, its the perfect addition to my long term food storage.
This post is too long to add tomato recipes, so I’ll create another post for my favourite recipes. I’d love to hear some of yours too.
Homegrown tomatoes are my favourite garden crop. I hope you’ll grow them and discover the value of them and how easy it is to add them to your life. I’d love to hear your comments and your experiences with tomatoes.
Food does not last forever. It must be properly cared for and rotated or you will lose it. And what a waste of money and resources that is! The idea of permanent food storage – or food that lasts indefinitely needs to be discarded. It’s ridiculous. Food will deteriorate even under the best conditions. The secret to success is to work within the facts, to take advantage of the best storage-ability of nutritious (excellent quality) foods, and to make a habit out of USING it, and continually replenishing – “Rotating” – to keep it at its best. That’s the secret in a nutshell; if you live by it the rest is a breeze.
Our early years of storing food
Shortly after Dan and I were married, we began to give serious attention to establishing our own food storage (such as it was possible in a small 2nd floor apartment). And we took more than our fair share of ribbing about it (especially me), from friends and family. Some family members were like minded, some were not – but respectful, and some outwardly ridiculed. And you know what? That’s just the way some people are – no use losing sleep over, adjusting your priorities for, or being offended because some people see life differently (no matter how rude they are).
“Food Storage was never meant to be an inheritance for your grandchildren.”
What is food storage?
I think a good way to explain what food storage is, is to understand what it is NOT. Food storage does not involve ‘panic buying’, and does not involve ‘shelf clearing’, buying on credit or hoarding. It does involve INTENT, coming up with a plan, working on that plan, priorities, budgeting, strategies, vision, some sacrifice , short term inconvenience in the beginning which transitions into long term convenience, satisfaction, comfort and peace of mind. It also requires some dedicated space. It does not have to be accomplished quickly, in fact it shouldn’t be – for a number of good reasons. It doesn’t have to be a whole lotta money upfront – quite the opposite, it can save you a lotta money. It can be accomplished one day at a time. Starting Right Now.
Food storage is all about preparing for adversity by having a basic supply of food, water and necessities on hand. There are two types: short term food storage – 3 months (which is usually just the first stage of a bigger plan) long term food storage – 1 year+ A critical component of any good food storage plan is WATER – for drinking and also household use. I am not including ‘water’ in this post, but only for the sake of room. It will be its own discussion.
Panic buying is based on FEAR, and it causes us to do things that we later might regret with regards to what we purchased or how we purchased it. When we haven’t planned ahead, and are suddenly faced with an emergency, we can find ourselves being very self centered. In that scarcity mentality, we may buy too much, and we may put our perceived needs ahead of every one else’s. We clear shelves. We think we deserve something more than somebody else might, simply because we got there quicker. When Covid first became a thing, we saw items flying off the shelves, people taking much more than they needed with no regard for others. The behaviour was a symptom of fear, but was completely avoidable with a little forethought and planning.
First of all, we are not the most important person in the world – even though we may think we are. And we are not more deserving than any one else. When we remove FEAR from the equation, it changes everything. That scarcity mentality becomes an abundance mentality. Go ahead and shop the sales as you can afford them – in times of plenty. There really is enough for everyone.
8 Hints for Success
Don’t buy more than you can afford
Start small
Picking up an extra can or two when you’re able (and they’re on sale) adds up soon and is Visibly satisfying
Re-allocate a few dollars where you can. In many cases, saving $ from one impulse fast food stop on the way home could be enough to add a case of some food-storage essential.
Be open to try new things. Open your eyes and you mind.
Rotate items to prevent them from expiring.
The freezer is NOT food storage. It is convenient and important, but not dependable in an emergency. It depends on a resource you cannot control: electricity.
Remember, for the most part, electricity is your best friend, and it will not let you down. But there are times it will.
So WHY food storage? That’s the big question . . . .
It seemed that in 2022 more people have opened their eyes to the idea of food storage. Some who may previously have only given it a cursory thought, and others who have never felt the urge or even saw the wisdom of food storage before now – were suddenly getting on board.
For years, governments on all levels, communities, social agencies and even religious organizations have urged people to prepare themselves by storing extra food, water and other necessities at home. With the recent changes we’ve all seen in these unsettling times, the wisdom of doing so is becoming more and more apparent to many of us. There is no replacing the peace of mind that you have when you know you’re prepared. And that doesn’t have to mean the radical preparations of a doomsday prepper. It can mean something as simple as not having to go out for groceries for a week when you’re sick, or for a month when you’ve been laid off. It can mean something as simple as being prepared to live with less income than you currently are.
The sad reality is that when we receive a few days warning of an impending hurricane or blizzard or other disruption in services, stores are crammed with people trying to get the last loaf of bread, the last bag of apples, the last jug of milk, or that last package of toilet paper because they’re not prepared. Or as we’ve all seen, hoarding those commodities preventing others from buying them – out of some sense that “WE” need it more than “they”. But truthfully, without warning, each one of us may face a personal emergency in our own lives. A job loss. A health crises. A death in the family. A pandemic. Let’s face it, life’s emergencies can be sporadic and unpredictable. Being prepared to weather these storms is not as difficult as you might think. What if you could relax, take that veritable load of worry off your shoulders? You can of course. It simply requires a plan, some focus, and some intentional action working toward the goal.
Food Insurance
Food is usually the second largest expense in any family budget, coming in a close second to the cost of shelter. And I’m sure you figured out that food prices only go up, increasing at a shocking rate these last few years. I can’t see that changing any time soon. Can you?
You’d be hard pressed to find someone without household insurance. Most of us agree that life insurance is important, and it’s mandatory to have car insurance. We buy travel insurance when we travel, and medical insurance. So why not for something as important as food? Food insurance! That’s pretty much what food storage is. But its surprising how many of us fail to protect our family with the most basic insurance of all – protection against an interruption in our ability to buy groceries. And with the recent Covid pandemic fresh in our minds, and subsequent shortages in nearly everything, we’ve all seen first hand, things we didn’t ever think we would.
The big difference of course, is that Food Insurance doesn’t disappear at the end of the month like fire insurance. We eat it. For the cost of “insuring” our family against the unthinkable, or simply against an interruption in our income, we can literally BUY peace of mind in the area of food. “Full Coverage Food Insurance“, ready when we need it. And no insurance broker to deal with LOL.
Building your food storage may seem daunting at first, both in effort required and the financial investment. Here are some steps to get you started.
1. Where to start?
When I was a little girl, fruits and vegetables in food storage were in cans or bottles. They were stored in our cold room and brought up daily for meals. Meat was stored in the freezer. Flour and sugar were stored in pails. And pasta was stored in cardboard boxes. (we always had lots of macaroni). When my kids were little, it was more of the same with the addition of more dehydrated foods (more than just raisins), a lot more home bottled fruits, vegetables and even meats, and a bigger variety of grains and beans. These days, I keep some of those same foods, with a few adjustments, improvements, additions and editions I’ve learned over the years.
When you’re just starting out with Food Storage, there is always the question of *Where on earth do I begin(?). And then the follow up questions of *What to get? *How much to get? *Where to get it from? *How to afford it? *How to store it? *Where to store it? *How long will it last? *How to prepare it? *Where to find the time to prepare it? *How to rotate it to keep it ‘fresh’? *How not to waste it? *And will my family eat it?
Nowadays, we have a new player in the food storage game. Ironically, it is not so new, its more a matter of more people becoming increasingly aware of it. And its the answer to all the above questions. FREEZE DRIED FOOD. Nutritious. Convenient: easy to use. Tasty. And get this – shelf life of 25 years. It adds “SMART” to traditional food storage of cans and bottles.
STORE WHAT YOU EAT.
Having a Food Storage may be one of the smartest things you do for your family. But there is one very important rule that everyone must follow. Your Food Storage may not look like mine or anyone else’s, and it shouldn’t. You need to Store what your family eats! Foods you like, that are easy to prepare but more importantly, that your family is used to, and will enjoy. In our younger years, there were often times that we relied on our food storage. Groceries were the only flexible thing in our tight budget, but I never wanted my children to feel that life was harder this month than last month. I wanted every day to be comfortable and normal. So we ate the same way, in good months and difficult months. If I could not buy groceries in any given month, or my budget was reduced for some reason, I didn’t want my kids to notice. I cannot emphasize the rule of “storing what you eat and eating what you store” – enough. When life is hard on so many levels, it is soothing to know that your family has good food that they’re accustomed to, on the table. Store what you eat, but then EAT what you store.
MAKE room.
That’s different that having room. Most houses these days offer no accommodation for food storage, but they’re also bigger than houses of yester-year. Ironic isn’t it? If you can’t find room, then MAKE it. Be creative. You’re the boss. Ideally it should be in the basement where it is cooler, but if you don’t have a basement, convert a bedroom, or a storage room or a portion of your garage if you must, or even a closet. Think outside the box. If possible, keep everything together. When we moved into the house we currently live in, it took us a few years of experimenting with where to put our food storage before we finally ‘found’ the room. We had to put up a wall and create a small room where there wasn’t one.
AFFORD. Never, ever ever EVER invest in something as important as food storage with money you don’t have. It doesn’t matter how good that bargain was, if you’re paying 25% interest on it, its a bad deal. Shift your budget if you need to, do without something else if needed to add $100 a month to your food storage, but do NOT buy it on credit. Debt is contrary to the principle of being prepared. Debt is the quickest way to either lose everything you’ve got, or to be held hostage by it. Preparation can be accomplished on a budget.
ROTATE. Everything has a shelf life, even you! Trying to stretch food too far past it’s recommended shelf life will result in an inferior product – especially in its nutritional value. An important part of using the food in your storage is ‘rotating’ it. First in, first out. Replacing it as you use it keeps it current and puts your ‘food storage’ into the same category as ‘groceries’, which normalizes it. Rotating also gives you experience using the food you’re storing, and lets face it, sometimes we can use the practice right? The shelf life of food varies widely, but here are some basics that might help you estimate.
CANNED FOOD (home canned or commercially canned) has a shelf life of up to 2 years. If your canned food gets too old, you’ll end of discarding it, and that is a sad waste of money.
FROZEN FOOD has a shelf life of 3 months to one year – depending on what it is. So yes, its convenient, but don’t count on it for the long term. And of course we all know that frozen food is 100% dependent on our access to electricity – which may be disrupted without notice. DEHYDRATED FOOD has a shelf life of up to one or two years. If you’ve ever kept raisins longer than two years, you know they’re not very good. Too dry and crystalized.
FREEZE DRIED FOOD has a shelf life of 25 years (sometimes more). Not sure how anyone can beat that, but even 25 years doesn’t mean forever. You’ll be surprised one day to find out how quickly that time has slipped by. But when you’re using the food, and constantly replenishing – it is completely without the stress of worrying about its shelf life. Once you open it, most freeze dried foods will last a year if properly sealed and protected from the moisture in the air.
TODAY. It’s true that those who began investing in Food Storage many years ago, are advantaged. They simply maintain what they’ve been doing all along. But as Maya Angelou once counselled “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, DO BETTER.” I love this simple piece of advice. It is wisdom to me, and I have adopted it as my personal motto. It reminds me not to beat myself up for mistakes I made in the past, and opportunities I’ve neglected. I did the best I knew how with the resources I had at the time. But now, I know better. And my obligation is to act on my new knowledge and awareness. I am accountable for my actions based on what I understand. Truly the best time to get my food storage together was a long time ago. But if I didn’t, I didn’t. It can’t be changed. The point is, that I can start NOW. The next Best time to do better is always right now. TODAY.
2. What to get?
When I was a young girl, my mother answered that questions with the same answer my grandmother gave – “whatever fills the hollow spot“. She gleaned that philosophy from being a child of the depression and war years. While I respect the practical experience, I’d like to think that we have a more enlightened perspective of nutrition nowadays that would influence the question of what to invest in.
When you’re in a situation where you’re living on your food storage, you want the best nutrition for your family. In fact, if letting “food be thy medicine” was ever important, it will be critically important in times of need. Nutrition is key. Make sure the food you buy has something more to offer than calories. Having said that however, calories will be very important too. Calories are where energy comes from, just make sure they’re super nutritious calories.
All produce (fruits and vegetables) begins to deteriorate in the hour it is harvested, so eating fresh from the garden is of course optimal. But as lovely as that is, most of us cannot do it consistently, at least not all year round. And food storage generally consists of preserved food, so lets look at options. Rule of thumb to remember when choosing the type of food for your food storage: * Canned food (whether home canned or commercially canned) retains about 40% of it nutritional value. This is not the original food value of what it was in the hour it was picked. It represents 40% of the nutritional value of the food when it was put into the can or bottle. When I first learned this, I was very disappointed because I canned fruit all my parenting years, and we relied on canned fruit all winter long. But I was not surprised.
If you’ve ever canned peaches, you know that those peaches are in a hot water bath of 212 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Of course nutrition is going to be affected. And of course, when we buy those peaches (that were picked green before all the nutrients were fully developed), we usually have to wait a few days till they’re fully ripened and perfect for canning. This time means further nutritional loss. Still 40% is better than no peaches in February right? And home canning is still the easiest and most reliable way to preserve food long term at home. So let’s just be mindful of its pros and cons. * Frozen food retains about 60% of its nutritional value and is generally flash frozen very quickly after harvesting. It’s biggest draw back is the limited shelf life. * Dehydrated food is difficult to pin down for nutritional retention, as there are so many factors involved in dehydration. Was it commercially dehydrated? Or dehydrated at home? Sulfur dioxide is a preservative often used in commercial dehydrating. Most raisins, prunes and apricots contain it, and while this sulfite extends the shelf life of dehydrated food, but it is very bad for us. Generally you can count on dehydrated foods having close to 80% original food value, but for how long? And dependent on so many factors, it is difficult to have confidence in it. * Freeze dried foodretains up to 95% of the original food value. This is astounding, especially when considering its exceptionally long shelf life. Look for brands that guarantee their produce was picked RIPE and flash frozen within hours of harvest. This ensures the best possible nutrition right from the beginning. How is this possible? Here’s a good explanation in a nutshell . . . .
3. How much to get?
Following the SMART rules above will help you with most questions you might have, but . . . how much? How much is enough? And how much should you start with? My strong suggestion is to not bite off so much that you are overwhelmed and give up. There are two ways to start slowly:
Add extra Simple adjustments like – if you would normally buy two cans of tomato sauce, buy four. If you would normally buy three cans of tuna, buy six. If you would normally buy a box of cereal, buy two. And so on. Focus on non perishable items. Put them away, in your pantry or in your new ‘food storage’ area. Next time you go shopping do the same thing. Gradually these extras add up and you will be amazed to see the results after only a few months. *hint: always write the date you buy it in permanent marker on the package. This is a loud reminder of keeping it properly rotated.
Two weeks Think of seven meals your family enjoys – one week’s worth. Easy ones, with non-perishable food in them. Perhaps your list is something like this: spaghetti, chili with cornbread, potato chowder, chicken parmesan, lasagna, cheesy chicken and rice, sloppy joes, Italiantuna salad with orzo, refried bean burritos, Indian dahl . . . . whatever your family enjoys. SEVEN meals. Multiply by two – to make fourteen meals. Break each meal into a recipe shopping list like for instance, your recipe for spaghetti might call for one package of spaghetti, two cans of tomato sauce, a pound of ground beef, an onion and some herbs – write it down. Multiply that by two. Add double of each of those ingredients to your shopping list. Go to your next meal. Perhaps your recipe for lasagna calls for one package lasagna noodles, one large can of tomato sauce, one pound of ground beef, one onion, garlic, one pound of mozzarella cheese, one container of cottage cheese and some spinach. Multiply that list by two. Two meals down.
What other meals does your family enjoy? Write up your shopping list, and as you can afford those ‘extra’ items necessary to make the meals, purchase them. Easy peasy. You’ve got two weeks worth of dinners stored. Add breakfast items like porridge, pancake ingredients, juice, etc.
Either of those methods are a great place to start small. But don’t stop there. Once you’ve got two weeks packed away, reset your goal to one month, Then three months. Then six months. Then one year. It’s a process. Celebrate each milestone, and then push toward the next goal. I promise, you’ll feel great about your progress and success. This is easier than you thought.
4. Where to get it from?
For the most part, you’ll want to buy the majority of your food storage items wherever you normally buy your groceries. That is where you’re comfortable. You know what they have, and what you like. Bulk stores or wholesale outlets are good resources for those items you want to buy in larger amounts.
Ask around. There might be places around that you don’t necessarily frequent. Open your eyes and your mind to try new things and new sources. You might find some great resources on line, to have delivered right to your door. While I am all about shopping locally, there are some food items I cannot buy locally. Those, I am happy to be able to order them in.
The industry leaders in the freeze dried world is undoubtedly THRIVE LIFE. They are the largest company in North America, with the biggest variety. Available in United States and Canada at this time.
5. How to afford it?
You afford it by starting small. You buy when you’re shopping already, a little here and a little there, just add a few more cans. Make whatever sacrifices you need to in order to ‘afford’ it. If you’re eating out once in a while, consider how much you could have added to your food storage with what that meal cost you. If you’re in the habit of buying junk food, consider how much real food that bag of chips or candy could have been converted into. Affording important things sometimes requires adjustments. Do what you need to do to accomplish your goal.
Investing large chunks of money will bulk up your food storage of course, but you don’t have to spend a lot to build it up. Just spend with a purpose, and spend differently. Using the illustration above, let’s assume my food budget was $600 a month. By re-allocating 1/3 of that budget into freeze dried foods (beginning with those I often waste), and continuing to spend the remaining 2/3 in my usual way, I slowly begin to introduce food that has zero waste, and long shelf life. As I began substituting the food I used to waste for freeze dried food that I will never waste, my grocery dollar started going a lot further. Within only a couple of months I noticed that by no longer wasting food, I actually saved money. No trim, no spoilage, no waste = saved money. More to invest into more food storage.
Having said that, for most of our parenting years we received tax refunds in the spring. We most often used those lump sums to bulk up on food storage – always watching the sales of course.
6. How to store it? and Where to store it?
Ideally, most foods should be stored in relative cool, with little temperature fluctuation. A shed outside? Absolutely NOT! Unheated garage? Depends where you live. If you can find a place where you can SEE what you’ve got, it will be a lot easier to use it, keeping it properly rotated. Underneath your stairs? Convert a closet?
Frozen food is not food storage. Yes, it is convenient and I wouldn’t want to do without my freezer, but anything that is as dependent on something completely beyond your control – like a freeze is dependent on power, is not something you can count on. Resist the temptation to invest a lot of money in frozen food.
*for more information on storage ideas, click here
7. How long will it last?
Go with accepted shelf life recommendations, and yes, I know you can push them a bit when they’re “best before” dates. But use those dates as a good guideline for trying to consume the food within. Frozen food – 3 months – 6 months – up to a year at most for some items. Canned food – 2 years. Dehydrated food – 1 to 2 years. Freeze dried food – 25 years.
8. How to prepare it? and Where to find the time to prepare it?
If you’re using food you generally use every day, you’ll have that pretty well sorted out. If you’re trying to incorporate some more shelf stable foods, then I highly recommend you start using them today to have all that figured out before a time of need. Remember – Store what you eat, and EAT what you store.
If time is an issue for meal prep now, welcome to the club. Preparing a meal with traditional food storage items like wheat and dried beans can be difficult when utilities may not be available. Using canned and dehydrated foods may be easier and less time consuming. Freeze dried foods are very quick to refresh and to prepare. Freeze dried meals that require only water to prepare, can be ready in about 10 minutes. That’s NO cooking. Very convenient in emergencies.
* a little about Freeze Dried Food It wasn’t that long ago that it was so new most people had never heard of it. Today it is readily available, being a fast growing industry in the food world. It IS the future. I firmly believe it is the answer to the problem of food waste in North America, and it is the vehicle people can use to secure a high quality, nutritious, long term food storage.
9. How to rotate it to keep it ‘fresh’? and how not to waste it?
Proper rotation is critical to a good quality food storage. So many buy food storage specifically for “food storage”, never intending to eat it. They say “Food storage is food storage and groceries are groceries.” The problem with that philosophy is, that your food storage gets dated while you’re not paying attention. And pretty soon, its nutritional value is questionable. You must pay attention. And using the food regularly ensures you stay on top of it. Storing it in the boxes, under beds and tucked away in closets makes rotation difficult. Remember the rule – Store what you eat, and EAT what you store. Abiding by that rule will keep your food fresh, and reduce any potential for waste.
Buying emergency food with the intention of sticking it in a hole in the ground in case of some zombie apocalypse is a good way to waste a lot of food, and a lot of money. No food will last forever. And there are a lot of real life emergencies that happen in the process of living, that can be relieved by a simple, well managed food storage. Imagine not having to worry about buying groceries for a week, or a month! Wouldn’t that take a lotta stress out of an already difficult situation?
10. Will my family / children eat it?
Some believe that when our kids are hungry they’ll eat anything. I suppose if they really are THAT hungry. But let’s hope we never get there. What about when you’re just trying to navigate a temporary interruption in income? Trying to make the best of a less than ideal situation? Familiarity is precisely why we should incorporate food storage items into our daily meals.
I discovered freeze dried foods when most of my children were already grown and gone, so most of them learned about it from an arm’s length distance. Some of my grandchildren however, have learned more up close and personally. My favourite example of this is my grandson Charlie.
When Charlie was a year old, he began spending a few days a week at our house while his mom worked. As he began eating finger foods, freeze dried blueberries were a healthy and delicious food to start out with. He loved them, and ate a lot! At one point, his parents wanted to increase the amount of calcium in his diet so they asked me to give him a glass of milk with lunch. One day while I was feeding him – with a glass of milk nearby, I thought about other excellent sources of calcium. Foods like fish, nuts, kale, eggs, broccoli . . . BROCCOLI. I had some freeze dried broccoli in my pantry. Whether he would like it or not remained to be seen – its a far cry from tasting like blueberries.
I retrieved the broccoli and showed it to him. I opened it up and took a piece out, ate it while he watched, then showed him the contents of the can and offered it to him. He took one and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, I half expected him to spit it out – I wasn’t even sure how many teeth he had. But he did not. When he finished it he asked for more. I gave him more, and he asked for more. And then more. And more. It was the beginning of a good thing. I encouraged his appetite for freeze dried broccoli, including it with every meal. I began calling him “Broccoli Boy”, and I even gave him small cans of it to eat in the car and at home. Those early exposures helped him develop a taste for freeze dried food, which is perfect, because its here to stay.
The point is, that Broccoli Boy wasn’t born on a different planet, transported here to become Broccoli Boy. He was molded and formed to become one, right here on earth. I created that alter ego, by introducing him to that wonderful, crunchy source of calcium early on. It made the perfect companion to his enjoyment of other ‘crunchy’ freeze dried fruits and vegetables.
Will your kids like the food? I think you can take it from Broccoli Boy. They will.
Learning to use foods that are less familiar to you – like freeze dried food, will make all the difference. Your family will be surprised to find out how delicious and satisfying it is. Exposing your kids to it early is very helpful. They get used to it. Again, its that ol’ familiarity thing right? Freeze dried food is easy to use, but it does require you to flip a switch in your brain. So flip the switch! Get used to it. It is the perfect food to insert into your Food Storage.
I’d love to hear ideas that worked for you when you first started out with your Food Storage. Or some of your favourite food storage items and or recipes. Or if you haven’t started yet, I’d love to hear about your journey. You can comment below.
Face it – by the end of August, we cannot deny the inevitable any longer. Growth has slowed down, fruit and vegetables are ripening, plants are drying out and going to seed. They’re all doing what nature intends for us all to do at certain times – get ready for bed.
In the spring, we’re all excited about our gardens, but tucking our gardens in for the winter is an important step that is often missed entirely. When the weather gets colder and things stop growing, we lose interest in being in the garden, but missing this final seasonal detail is a mistake. It’s tempting to be a bit lazy, and I get it. Its dark earlier, weather isn’t great, dead and dying perennials are kinda hard to get excited about. But don’t fall for it. Your garden NEEDS you. Putting your garden to bed is an important step in it’s health next spring. Come on, give yourself one more final push, then you can both rest in the winter – guilt free.
There have been years I’ve tried extending the season by planting things like spinach at the end of August hoping for a late crop. There have been years I’ve tried to extend the season by heating the greenhouse into the fall. But the simple truth is, we don’t have the sun for it in Alberta. In September, we have the same amount of sun as we do in March. No matter how many nights you heat the greenhouse in September, you cannot fake the sun during the day, and plants need sun. You’d have more success extending the season by planting earlier in the season than you would extending the season in the fall. Winter has its purpose, it isn’t the great enemy of gardeners that we sometimes make it out to be. My opinion? Give it up. Let fall be fall. And get on with your life. BUT. Put your garden to bed first! So you can both rest comfortably.
late summer bouquet
What to get rid of and what not to get rid of? That is the question.
By September, there are always a bunch of dead and dying plants, some that seem to be coming into their own, and of course lots of weeds going to seed. Some gardeners follow the philosophy of clearing everything out and leaving a nice tidy garden bed. I don’t have anything quite so tidy as a “garden bed” in my yard. I have lots of planted space but its not all together. I have perennial flower beds on all four sides of the house, sunny flower beds, shady flower beds, some flower beds under trees, some tucked into shady corners. I have repurposed horse troughs, a currant patch, rhubarb patch, raspberry patch, grapes, fruit trees dispersed throughout, a dedicated herb garden and three raised beds for edibles, with edibles planted here and there among flowers and herbs. There are still tomatoes trying to ripen and root vegetables that are doing just fine where they are for now. Every garden has its own needs. But there are some rules of thumb that I apply to all.
1. Clean up
There is plenty of debate in this area ranging all the way from getting rid of everything to leaving it all for spring clean up, and everywhere in between. I’ve listened to much of it, applied the counsel that made sense to me, and in the end, I’ve come up with my own pattern that I’m happy with. Truth is however, that sometimes life gets in the way, and you simply don’t ‘get to it’ in time. Don’t beat yourself up when that happens; there will be other years to do it better. But for now, here’s the ‘general’ plan. Keep in mind that life is about compromise and there are exceptions to every rule.
First of all get rid of the dead stuff. That’s a natural. For the most part: if its dead pull it out. Throw it into the compost. exceptions: If some of the weeds have roots or seeds or perhaps a plant has a disease – you don’t want to risk taking that into next year by putting them into your backyard compost, so either get rid of them in *the garbage or *Burn them! Otherwise, into the compost they go. (for more information on backyard composting click here) If it’s a perennial that has died back, cut it off at the ground.
Annuals are easy. Just pull them out and throw them into the compost. Most of the time, I throw big piles of compostables on the lawn. We mow them up and throw them into the compost, or into some of the beds that could use them. When I say ‘we’, I mean of course ‘Dan’. Getting rid of dead plants and other debris removes winter shelter for pests, preventing future problems next spring. There are some diseases that can overwinter. You don’t want that lingering over into a fresh new start in the spring time; if there is disease – get it outta there. Getting rid of weeds at the end of the season gets rid of their seeds and roots, reducing their annoyance next spring. Yes I know they’re no longer visibly causing a problem, but they’re going to seed or developing strong root systems (sneaky little jerks), so get rid of them.
RULE: *Healthy plants – even weeds – compost them. In my books there are good weeds and bad weeds. Good weeds to me, are weeds that we eat and that I don’t mind propagating next year, like chickweed and lambs quarters. (see Making Friends with your Weeds) Bad weeds are stupid weeds like Trailing Bellflower (devil-weed), or rooty weeds like dandelions, horse radish, and thistle – those I do not compost. Or other weeds that make a lotta seeds. Yes I know that compost may take care of most of these problems . . . but I usually don’t risk it. There are very few plants I feel the need to eradicate, so I’m not gonna waste time feeling guilty about them. They should feel guilty for disappointing me so much. *Unhealthy plants – get rid of them. No exceptions. And not into your compost.
Remove tender summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias and store them in your cold room or garage for planting next season. I personally have never brought my dahlias in for the winter, I just buy more in the spring, but this year I am in love with the dahlias I grew, so I’m gonna give it a try. Besides, I figure since I fuss for my geraniums, it can’t be much different. (see below for the geraniums)
But what about the plants that are not dead? I cannot bear to kill things that want to live so much that they thrive in the inhospitable dryness, reduced light and chilly nights of early fall. Those are the things I don’t get rid of. I still water them when needed and in return, they do what they do best – gladden my heart. They will die on their own when the cold of late October makes it impossible for them to do otherwise. I leave them where they are because they will trap snow which will protect all around them, and help with needed moisture when the snow melts in the spring.
There are also good bugs that need shelter in the winter, like lady bugs and their friends. So don’t clear everything out, find some balance.
RULE: get rid of the uglies – keep the beautiful; get rid of the sick and dead – keep the healthy and strong
2. Fall Planting
Fall planting is a way of taking advantage of the earliest that spring has to offer. SPINACH: Planting spinach in the fall before the snow flies, should give you an early yield. Select a spot that is protected, but that will get good sun in April and May. Lightly sow a patch of spinach. Throughout the winter, ensure it has a good covering of snow. When the warmth of April days melts the snow in some nice sunny spots, your spinach seed will sprout. They are not afraid of cold. They’ll just patiently wait till conditions are better and then start growing again.
DILL, POPPIES, CALENDULA and other herb and flower seeds can be sown at the time of harvest to pop up in the earliest days of May. Simply broadcast them in your desire spots and let nature do what she does best. The seeds need a winter, and protective snow.
Some plants that inadvertently get left in the garden, may resurrect in the spring. My rule of thumb is to let most things that want to grow – grow. You may have a sage plant that comes back, lemon balm, parsley, even kale. You may have volunteer lettuce plants start to grow because something went to seed last fall.
GARLIC: Plant your garlic before the ground freezes to harvest at the end of next summer.
Spring Bulbs. Yes I know fall is the time to plant daffodils and more tulips etc for spring blooms. I’m sorry. I’ve got nothing to offer here. I aspire to plant more bulbs in the fall, but its just one thing that I rarely find time for.
3. Bring them in
Some plants might be healthy enough to bring indoors. I always bring in some geraniums (see below), and often bring in a rosemary plant. I’ve tried lots of other herbs, but I simply don’t have the sun for them. If you have a beautiful sunny window, I strongly encourage giving them a try indoor. Prune down to about 1/2 its original size, trimming off everything brown. Shake the old soil off to get rid of any unwelcome hitch hikers, and maybe even rinse the roots off. Then replant in fresh soil, water well and set in your sunniest window.
GERANIUMS. I love geraniums, and they love me back. Red ones. Only red ones. I’ve tried other colours, but I kept coming back to red, and now I don’t bother with any other colour when I know that it’s red I really want. Their bright vibrant flowers cheer me all spring and summer long. At the end of it, I cannot bear to kill them, or let them them die while they’re still trying so hard to make the world a better place. So I bring them inside. In actual fact, though we think of them as annuals, geraniums are actually ‘tender’ perennials, and will tolerate temperatures down to about 7°C while still actively growing. That is truly heroic. Another reason I love them. I’ll bring two or three into the house and let them live in a sunny window all winter long. Their favourite temperature is between 12°- 18°C, which is ideal for in-house if you’ve got enough light. However, I find that in the winter even though I have a south facing bay window, winter sun is just not very impressive and they stop flowering shortly after they get moved inside. And by about January they start to get quite ‘leggy’. I just trim them as needed to try to keep them content. Its the least I could do for all the joy they bring me outside for five months.
geraniums at season’s end, still being beautiful
But I cannot invite all my geraniums into the living room, so I do something else. I put my three wooden window boxes in the garage. Ours is a heated garage though its usually pretty chilly out there. We only turn the furnace on when Dan’s working on a project, but apparently it fine for geraniums. Before a killer frost (so sometime mid to late September), I will hard prune the plants by about one third to one half, removing any dead, damaged or unhealthy parts. I check for stupid aphids (I hate aphids) or other problem critters or disease. I water deeply, then I put them up on a shelf in the garage, kinda out of the way but not so much out of the way that I forget they’re there.
I give them a drink of water a few times – maybe every 4-6 weeks. If they’re too outta sight, I’ll forget to water them, and even though they’re mostly dormant, they still need a little moisture now and again. By about March they start responding to the little bit of light they get from a frosted window and miraculously they start to green up. I am always amazed that they do this, and I regard it as one of nature’s miracles. It’s still cold outside, with snow and ice, but they start being true to their calling in life. March has about the same amount of sun as September. I take this new growth as a sign to give them more to drink. By mid April, I can start letting them sit outside on nice days, giving them more water. This gradually gets them used to outdoor light and regular watering. I don’t put them outside permanently till after May 1, and even after that I put a cloth over top if I expect freezing night time temperatures. I can’t risk losing them that late in the game.
I trim them back as needed, give them some healthy mulch and all purpose fertilizer, and we go right back to being old friends. They’re grateful to be back in their rightful place, and I’m grateful to have them. They resume bringing me joy, and I resume my supportive role as their care-giver.
Some garden herbs: I’ve tried pretty much all herbs in the house for winter and I just don’t have enough light, even with my south facing bay window. Yes, I know I can use grow lights, but most of my plants are in the living room, and I don’t want grow lights in there all winter long. There are some though, that seem to do better than others.
*ROSEMARY: I often bring a rosemary plant indoors. In fact for several years I’ve kept one in a pot that I moved in and out, but eventually I lost it by letting it dry out. It’s surprising how much water herbs require in the dry climate of a house in winter. If you have a particularly happy healthy rosemary plant, go ahead and dig it up. Trim it down by about half, remove the soil and gently rinse off the plant and roots. Be sure the pot is clean, and you’re using fresh soil, then transplant into its new home and bring it inside. Keep it in the sunniest spot and water when the soil surface feels dry to the touch.
*BAY LAUREL: I have a bay laurel plant I bring in and out and in and out, for about 8 years now. I am very invested in keeping this plant safe. I had a couple near misses this last year with it, but we weathered the storm together. I keep it in the same pot, so I’m not digging it up, but this year I was particularly careful about cleaning it. I trimmed all the ‘iffy’ branches or leaves (anything that wasn’t pristine), removed it from its pot, removed all the soil, gently rinsed the roots of all old soil and washed the pot. Then I transplanted it back into its original but cleaned up pot, and brought it back inside. It’s very happy.
*CUBAN OREGANO: Unlike regular oregano cuban oregano won’t survive our winter, so its best suited in a pot where it can come inside for the winter. Give it a sunny spot and it’s an easy-to-grow house plant that will be your friend for years with just a little care and attention. A member of the mint family, and often referred to as Mexican mint, it has characteristic thick, fuzzy leaves with a strong pleasing odor. Water when the soil surface feels dry to the touch.
4. gleaning – the final harvest
It’s true that in Sept and October, late fruits and vegetables are ready to harvest. Root crops like carrots, beets and potatoes; fruits like apples, plums and grapes. Some apples and plums may be ready in August, others in September or October. Generally, the grapes we grow in the Edmonton area are ready in September after the weather cools a little.
*BUT – There are hidden harvests that often get missed. Just open your eyes.
Gardens don’t cease to bless your lives just because its autumn.
dill seed ready to harvest
If you grew DILL this year, you probably have some that has gone to seed. Go get it. Pull the plant out of the ground, cut the head off and put it in a bowl. Shake or brush the seeds off the plant into the bowl. Broadcast a handful where you want dill next year, and gather the rest to save for more deliberate planting in the spring. Yes, there are many ways to use it in the kitchen if you have enough. I’ll admit it, I rarely allow my dill to go to seed, except for a few delegated plants off to the side. I do this because aphids usually accompany dill when it goes to seed, and I hate aphids. But this year, I had a ton of dill – way way way over planted. I picked all the green ferny dill weed that I could use, gave plenty away, and still had too many dill plants all going to seed at the same time. I watched for aphids but didn’t see anything excessive. I let them ripen, ever watchful, but I never saw a problem, so I proceeded. Lucky me, I got lots of dill seed to grow next year, and lots to bring into the house. Store your seed in a paper envelop, labelled and dated.
POPPIES. If you’re not growing poppies you’re missing out on one of nature’s loveliest offerings. Beautiful before they flower. Gorgeous iconic papery flowers. And just as beautiful in the late summer after they’ve gone to seed. You’ll know the seed is ripe when you can hear it rattle inside the seed pod. At that point, pull the plant out of the ground and turn upside down into a bowl. Shake the seeds out. Broadcast the seed from two or three heads at most (that’s a LOT of poppies) where you want them to grow next year, and save the rest for poppy seed bread, muffins, cake, cookies and salad dressing. BEANS and peas that didn’t get picked in time, are ripening and drying. When they’re fully developed, pick them and store them for seed next year, in a marked and dated paper envelop or lunch bag. CHIVES and GARLIC CHIVES have gone to seed, producing thousands of little black seeds. You can let them fall and have a million little chive plants growing everywhere next year, or you can harvest the seed to sprinkle on bread or over top other dishes. *hint: they’re entirely edible, but don’t expect too much in the way of flavour. GARLIC. Mid September is the time to harvest garlic, and to plant more. KALE is planted in various places throughout my yard. In the vegetable garden, in the rhubarb patch, the asparagus patch, and interspersed among perineal flowers and herbs. A few here and a few there. One or two act as a trap crop for annoying pests – thank you for your sacrifice. They’ll get eaten by chickens (who bytheway enjoy annoying pests). Don’t worry, I’ve got others. Kale is hardy, and even in September, it’s on stage doing a full encore. Beautiful. How can you not love kale? I pick it every few days to add to dinner, and if I pick more than we need, I dehydrate it. Super simple. Just strip leaves off the stems, wash and chop to put in the dehydrator. When dry, store in a jar to use all winter long. This spring I had an unexpected surprise. A kale plant over wintered and started producing harvestable kale by mid May. I let it do its own thing and as time when on, it began to flower and go to seed. So by September I have a lot of beautiful ripe kale seed in pods. A gift. NASTURTIUMS have been giving all season long. But as much as I used their greens and flowers, some flowers always get left behind to go to seed. This is good, as I am all about collecting seed right now. SWEET PEAS are annual climbing flowers, that are so bright and cheerful, and hardy that they can be friends with everyone. I’ve always thought they should be spring or at least early summer flowers, but they do best, as summer progresses into August. They’ll go to seed if you let the last few flowers ripen. Easy to collect. I highly recommend starting them in-doors well ahead of growing season. This year (2022) is the first year I’ve let mine go to seed so that I can plant inside next April. The pods look very similar to pea pods (who’d suspected right? lol), and as they ripen the seeds are so perfect that it would have been a shame not to collect them. Having said that, if you wait to long, they’ll open and drop their seeds, but I have yet to have had one survive the winter and volunteer in the spring. SUNFLOWERS are ripening. Cut the smaller flowers for kitchen bouquets, but let the bigger ones ripen. If the seeds are still immature (white), but a nice size, bring them in, they’re delicious in salads and stir fries as a vegetable. If they’re big heads, share some with the birds over the winter. I leave them face up in several different places throughout the yard where wild birds like to hang out when its cold. Our favourite place is just outside our kitchen window where we can enjoy watching them all winter long. Its a win-win.
Lots of herbs are still doing beautifully, but its time to cut them down for the last time and bring them in for winter use. Sage, rosemary, tarragon, stevia, mint of course, lemon balm, oregano, thyme, parsley, lemon verbena, . . . My lavender gave me some late sprigs to add to what has already been harvested. Thank you Lavender.
Look around you – there is more bounty than you may have expected.
5. Mulch and other ‘protection‘
Everybody likes a comfy blanket. In gardens we call it ‘mulch’.
homemade patchwork quilt
My mom, throwing an additional blanket over top of me in bed on a cold winter’s night, is a comforting childhood memory. It provided a little weight, and that weight provided warmth.
Our gardens would appreciate an additional insulating blanket against the harshness of winter too. Some plants might be a little sensitive to the bitter cold of some winters that we have no control over and cannot always predict, but sometimes its simply a matter of protecting the bare soil and friendly critters in it. What kind of blanket? Nice clean fallen leaves that are so plentiful in the fall, is a perfect mulch. Between one to three inches is recommended. In the absence of leaves, the final mowing of dried grass would be good, or chopped/mowed up straw. Don’t use wood chips in the garden; they detract from the soil long before they can possibly add to it.
In addition to protecting the soil and plants in it, mulch slowly adds nutrients and humus. Humus is the Latin world for ‘earth’ or ‘ground. It refers to that dark organic matter in soil which comes from the decomposition of plants and animal matter. That a good thing because it improves soil structure, aeration, and water holding capabilities. Aeration reduces the compaction of soil, allowing roots to take up nutrients and spread out healthily.
Leaves or straw won’t magically disappear over the winter, miraculously becoming humus. Some of it will still be quite identifiable as leaves and straw in the spring, but some (the bottom layer) has begun to decompose. I simply rake off the identifiables and mow them up with the first mowings of spring to be used to as a top layer in an area I want to amend, as mulch between rows, or the beginning of this year’s compost. A good winter’s mulch is a beautiful start in prepping your soil for spring. Just sayin’ . . . . .
winter protection from foraging animals
Most urban yards don’t suffer too much from animals like deer foraging over the winter, but rabbits can be a problem. They ate the bark from my daughter’s lilac tree a few winters ago, and killed it. If you live in an area where rabbits might be an issue for you, wrap the bottom three or four feet loosely with chicken wire. Why so high? When the snow is deep and the rabbit is sitting on top of the snow, that is where they’ll be nibbling.
tips to remember 1. Disease is not something you want to add to your compost. Get rid of those plants. Either burn them or garbage them. 2. Roots like trailing bell flower, horse radish and dandelion, and seeds like thistle are not things you want in your compost. Get rid of them. Either burn them or garbage them. 3. Its helpful to mow up your bigger pieces before putting them into your compost. This speeds up the process of breaking down, a good thing.
6. Watering trees in late autumn keeps them healthy and strong
clockwise from upper left: Red Elderberry, Spruce, Honeycrisp Apple, Evans Sour Cherry
While your trees are dropping their leaves, or just after, they would appreciate a good long drink. Give both evergreen and deciduous trees a long, slow, deep watering. This is important, but the timing is particular. Too early might signal the tree toward new growth and may slow the onset of dormancy. Dormancy is not a light switch, it is a progressive stage allowing trees to prepare for colder weather and eventual freeze up. Too late (after the ground freezes) prevents the water from seeping into the soil and reaching the feeder roots. How will you know when the time is right? Look to your trees. Deciduous (leafy) trees will tell you the time is right when their leaves have fallen. This will also be your hint to water their neighbours, the evergreen trees. Because evergreens don’t go into full dormancy, they will actively use water throughout the year, except for when its really cold, so its even more important that they get a good watering in the fall.
Don’t water mature trees right up near the trunk, as the roots that need water will be further out – closer to where the canopy of the tree extends. The exception to this rule is newly planted trees who’s roots might still be close to the initial root ball.
Put your hose on the ground and water slowly so that the water doesn’t puddle on the surface. You’re looking to moisten the top foot of soil around the perimeter of the ‘drip line’ (distance from the trunk to as far as the outside branches reach). “Moisten” does not mean “soggy”. Testing the moisture level is easy – insert a wooden stick or a metal rod into the soil. Where the soil is moist, the stake should slide in easily. When it meets with resistance, that signifies to you that the soil is dry. You’re looking for about a foot of moistened soil. Anything deeper is of no value and is wasted.
Watering earlier in the day gives the roots time to absorb the moisture before the temperature drops at night.
Bonus tip 1. Protect your garden tools and equipment
Hold on! You’re not done yet. I know its tempting to just go inside when the cold hits and shut the door, but pay attention to your tools. They deserve it. Whether you have a garden shed or space in the garage, or box in the basement – use it. Don’t leave your clippers or spade outside to rust.
Tools: Clean them and put them in a box. Seed trays and pots: Wash them and store them where they’ll be easy to retrieve in the late winter or early spring when you’ll need them. Maintenance: Now is the time to fix those annoying little things that have needed patching all summer long.
Bonus tip 2. Garden journal
Hopefully you’ve been keeping a garden journal all along, but if you haven’t right now would be a good time to start one. Record the dates you harvested this or that, and the general yield. Record the temperatures in these close out days for reference next year. Record the seeds you harvested. Make sure you store them in paper envelopes, labelled and dated. Record your successes and failures and your ideas for fixing them next year – while they’re still fresh in your mind. I promise you will not remember them otherwise. Record what varieties did well, and what did not, what you’ll be sure to repeat and what you will not. Maybe you are an avid journaler, maybe you’re more of a casual note taker, but whatever you are – DO SOMETHING. I promise you’ll be happy you did when you go to reference it next spring.
stand back and enjoy the immense satisfaction of a “job well done” . . .
In my case its a challenge to even know where to begin when its time to wrap things up for the season. I rarely have two or three days that I can devote to the work of putting my garden to bed, and my ‘gardens’ are all over the yard, full of perennials. I catch a few hours here and there to go out and work, but the job is pretty overwhelming when you’re doing it in pieces. I find the only way I can proceed with any feeling of accomplishment is if I start in one corner and proceed in a single direction. ‘Finishing a piece’ with no intention of coming back to it till spring, helps me systematically make it through the whole yard.
Standing back to admire what you’ve done once in awhile is satisfying. Standing back when you’re ALL done, is immensely satisfying, but the truth is, there are seasons, that I never completely make it through the whole yard. Yes, I wish I had, but life simply gets busy and sometimes the snow comes before I am ready for it. Nothing to do in that case, but get on with my life, and try to do better next year.
*hint: don’t wait till its COLD and the job is horrible. On September 1, you KNOW cold days are coming. Start the job of putting your garden to bed while the weather is still pleasant – removing (or pruning back) those plants that have already given you everything they have to give, and deserve their rest.
Good Night Garden. Enjoy your rest. I’ll enjoy mine.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences about getting your garden ready for bed and tucking it in for the winter, as well as your comments on some of the things discussed here.
– plant every fall for mid summer harvest. Garlic is a staple in the kitchen of course but there many other benefits that earn it an honoured place in every herb garden. The bulbs grown in your backyard garden may be smaller, but stronger, hotter and in every way more potent than the ones you buy in the grocery store. Use them in homemade salad dressings, pasta sauces, soups and in every other dish you might normally add onions to. Garlic and onions are best friends in any dish.
But medicinally, the key phytochemical in garlic is allicin which has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and antioxidant properties. It can also be anti-social. LOL I know, it seems too good to be true, but after a lifetime of using it, I am convinced it really is the super food it boasts about being with all of these properties. The thing to remember is that allicin is most potent when the garlic is consumed raw, and while some people swallow the clove whole, there is evidence to indicate that the allicin is best released when the fresh clove is chewed or crushed. But who wants to chew a clove of garlic right? (see below) Mincing the garlic and putting it into a salad dressing is a great way to eat it. The longer you wait the stronger it gets so you might want to eat it right away before it over powers the dressing.
Heart health: garlic reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke because it improves blood circulation and lowers harmful cholesterol. Studies have shown that garlic helps reduce blood pressure allowing blood to flow more freely,
Arthritis: Studies have shown that because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, garlic reduces the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Boost to Immunity: Garlic’s biggest benefit in my opinion is its ability to enhance natural immunity through its antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It is a surprisingly good source of Vitamins C and B, as well as the minerals selenium and manganese – all of which strengthen the body’s defense mechanism in fighting infections.
Garlic is an excellent treatment – reducing the severity and shortening the duration of common colds, flues and other viruses, as well as chronic respiratory conditions. Again it is the compound allicin that is responsible for this antiviral action.
Fungal infections: Garlic’s powerful antifungal properties make is an effective agent against fungal infections such as ringworm and athlete’s foot, and yeast infections such as thrush.
The answer of course is to include raw garlic in your diet. But we all know that garlic has a powerful taste and cannot always be eaten fresh, no matter how much I desire these health benefits. Especially when it should be eaten raw and ‘chewed’ or crushed to best release the allicin.
When my kids were young and more trusting, I could entice them to chew a clove of garlic when they were suffering with a cold. I would crush it and put it on a small piece of bread with peanut butter and honey, and sit beside them with a glass of apple juice to help wash it down. But when they got bigger, it was not so easy to talk them into this course of action. I couldn’t blame them. We use it as much as we can in our diets, but it is not that easy. In the case of garlic, I recommend using garlic oil (made from crushed cloves in olive oil), oil of garlic (essential oil), and high quality garlic supplements that you can buy in the health food store. Normally, I’m all about using what I grow in the garden exclusively, but sometimes garlic needs a helping hand, simply because it is so anti-social.
growing
Growing your own garlic is well worth the effort. A good time to plant in the Edmonton area is late September or early October. For mid season harvesting, you want them to have time to establish the beginning of a root system before winter, but not enough to sprout. I’ve also planted garlic in the early spring for harvest at the end of the season.
After your first year you can plant next year’s garlic with this year’s bulbs, but to start with, buy from a local garden centre instead of planting the garlic you buy in grocery stores. Select the largest bulbs with the plumpest cloves you can find. Make sure they are firm and clean looking, without any signs of mould or fungus. Break the garlic bulb into cloves. Do not peel them. Each clove will grow into a bulb by the next year but it needs that protective papery covering.
Choose a sunny part of your garden with well-drained soil. Mark the area so you remember where the cloves are next spring. Don’t crowd them. Plant the cloves about 6 inches apart and about 2 inches deep, sprinkling a little bone-meal into each hole as you go. Because you’re going to leave them for the winter, spread about 3 inches of nice clean, organic mulch over the area, chopped up leaves, wood shavings, straw, – to help insulate.
First thing in the spring, gently move the mulch over. You’ll soon see the tender green sprouts. Let nature take care of them, watering when necessary. Remember they don’t like a soggy spot, they need the soil to be well drained. Mid growing season the plant will develop curly tendrils of greenery that come up from the stalk. This is the plant wanting to flower and go to seed. Snip it.
harvesting
When the stalks start to die back, about the beginning of August, you know its almost time to harvest. Give it a week or so, then gently remove one plant to test. Its tempting to pull, but dig so you don’t risk breaking the stalk off. Garlic is ready when it looks like you think it should. Too early and the protective papery wrapping will be thin or non existent. In that case give it another week. When ready, gently dig them all with a fork and lay in a box out of the sun and rain for a couple of weeks to dry out. I like to braid them into a hanging, but you can also cut the stalks off at this point and store for winter.
* GARLIC CHIVES – wonderful flat chives with more than a hint of garlic in the flavour. Like chives, its root base is a clump of ‘bulbs’. You can cut a handfull just like regular chives to use in the kitchen, and just like chives its root base is a clump of ‘bulbs’. This is super convenient when you want a stronger garlic taste for your dish. Pull up a few stocks from the base to gently separate some bulbs from the rest of the plant. Presto! Garlic bulbs. I have no idea if any of the medicinal properties of garlic are replicated, but the taste sure is. It is the perfect answer for midseason garlic while I’m waiting for my other garlic to ripen.
GINGER
fresh ginger root
Ginger – nearly everyone can identify its flavour in baking, which is where it is most often used in North American and European kitchens. But the last few years have opened up a whole lotta versatility as we adopt it as a savoury seasoning, not just for desserts. This is very good news. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, candied, juiced or even as an oil. Fresh Ginger root is readily available in the produce department of most grocery stores and is so easy to use. It deserves a place in your kitchen. You jut need to discover why, and then make friends with it.
Ginger ale, Gingerbread, Ginger Molasses Cookies, Pumpkin Pies, pretty much any pumpkin dessert . . . Those are the ways we’re most familiar with, but open your mind, and make room for ginger. You’re about to fall in love.
Did you know it also has great health benefits? Ginger is often used to calm an upset stomach, indigestion, motion sickness and other forms of nausea including morning sickness! It stimulates digestive enzymes which is helpful in enhancing digestion, and relieving heartburn and indigestion. It’s an absolute must-have in the kitchen for those times that nothing else is working.
Make yourself a soothing cup of fresh ginger tea by simply steeping a few slices in boiling water. How many slices? Well, that depends on how strong you like it. Start with one or two, and go from there. Chill it as a refreshing cold drink on a warm summer day. Drink it hot in your favourite mug on those cold winter days.
Grate it up to add to a salad dressing, a homemade teriyaki sauce, a curry recipe, or your favourite stir fried vegetables.
Yes, you can buy a bottle of ginger powder from the grocery store, but when you find out how easy it is to dry and powder your own, you’ll never go back to store bought powder again.
growing:
Not so easy to grow ginger in Alberta, but in the spring of 2020, I planted three pots of ginger root just for fun. I chose ginger roots with visible nodules and cut the root to ensure each piece had a few on it. I planted shallowly in a soil, just enough to cover, and kept them in sunny locations on my patio. I nurtured them along, and brought them into the house for the winter. The next spring I brought it back outside, but half way through the season, I kinda got tired of the plant which was interesting enough looking (a couple of tall spears), but not very spectacular. I decided to dig them up, but when I did, I saw that the root was significantly bigger than when I first planted it, so I put it back into the soil and took care of it. Eventually, I dug it up and used it. I was pretty happy to do so, but as fun as the experiment was, we are still dependent on store purchased ginger root in this country.
using:
Ginger honey: I recently discovered something lovely. Ginger honey. It seemed like such a natural combination – good tasting, as well as a good way of benefitting from the wonderfulness of ginger. I made my very first batch this week and am anxious to taste it in the coming weeks as the ginger has a chance to infuse throughout the honey.
ginger honey
I began with one pint of honey and one tablespoon of home ground ginger powder. It seemed like a lot of ginger, but when I mixed it all in, the taste was surprisingly mild. I think to get the maximum benefit, I’ll probably add more ginger later (stay tuned for update if I do), but I’m gonna give it two weeks before I decide to do that. The reason I chose ginger powder as opposed to fresh ginger root, is shelf life. It stands to reason to me that fresh ginger being moist, it might eventually go bad, and I should probably refrigerate it. I might surprise myself to find out that the honey actually preserves the ginger . . . but then for how long? I just decided to be safe and go with powder for now.
I have creamy honey. I also have fairly solid honey. And I have liquid honey which is very old, given to me from my dad who has long since passed away. I chose to use the liquid because its easier to mix up. If you used a more solid form, I think you’d want to slowly heat it over boiling water to get it to the point that you could actually stir the ginger into it. Personally, I wouldn’t melt it in the microwave. Yes, its quicker and easier, but I think I’d choose a more gentle way of melting it – to keep ‘goodness’ the prime focus. I also chose to use a wide mouth jar, just to make stirring it up easier.
directions: Pour honey into a clean dry glass pint jar – half full. Add 2 teaspoons ginger powder and stir with the blade of a table knife or a chop stick. When fully infused, pour a little more honey into the jar and add another teaspoon of ginger. Stir again to fully emulsify. Top up with honey and stir once more to blend completely. Put the lid on, label with date and set aside for two weeks. Enjoy in every way you would use honey: on toast in the morning, in a cup of herbal tea, whatever.
Ginger Tea: 1. Pour hot water over a small slice of fresh ginger in a cup and let it steep 5 minutes. Add a little lemon juice just before drinking if you like. 2. In the absence of fresh ginger, add a small amount of powdered ginger to hot water with lemon juice.
Ginger water: Add a few slices fresh ginger to a jug of water and leave to steep in the fridge. Sip throughout the day.
Ginger Lemonade: Prepare your favourite lemonade recipe (using fresh lemons of course), and add grated fresh ginger. Let steep at least ten minutes before serving.
. . . . . more to come on ginger
. . . . .
Tell me about your experiences with these herbs. I’d love to learn from you too.
Rhubarb gets it’s own post because there’s just so much to say about it.
Rhubarb as a plant has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb for digestive complaints such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and stomach pain. Even for cold sores. Whether it was ever effective for any of those concerns, I don’t even have an opinion. My only interest in rhubarb is as a food.
Though perfectly suited to our climate, it is not a native of North America. Originally from central Asia, it was introduced to Europe in the 1600’s, and within a hundred years, made it here where its been at home ever since. Botanically it is a VEGETABLE, but its so often use as a dessert that we commonly think of it as a FRUIT. But we need to get over that type-casting, and let it be what it wants to be. I’ve always thought of it as the vegetable-who-wants-to-be-a-fruit, but in actual fact, it is probably the most versatile food in your garden, lending itself as easily to savory dishes as to sweet dishes. And contrary to what I believed most of my life, it doesn’t need a whole lotta sugar to make it palatable.
The leaves are poisonous so lets get that out of the way right off the bat. They contain a lot of oxalic acid which in the amount present is toxic to both humans and animals. Oxalic acid is in a lot of things we eat including the rhubarb stalks, many fruits, and leafy green vegetables, nuts and whole grains. We need some of it so its good, but not to the degree that rhubarb leaves contain.
You won’t die from eating some rhubarb leaves, so don’t fret about that. And neither will your kids, so don’t avoid growing rhubarb because of some perceived danger. It would take a LOT of rhubarb leaves to kill someone and they’d have to be pretty dedicated to eating them. Poison doesn’t always mean ‘kill you’. In this case the oxalic acid will upset your stomach, make you sick, and probably cause vomiting and diarrhea if you ate enough. I doubt you’d eat too much to begin with, especially if it made you sick. I don’t know why someone would, but you’d have to eat a LOT of rhubarb leaves to be poisoned, and the symptoms are stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, (with your body trying to get rid of it).
Sadly, I had a chicken named Lacey who had a thing for rhubarb leaves. No matter how much I tried to make it INconvenient for her, it was impossible to keep her out of them since she was free range in the yard. Seemed like she was addicted. I rarely caught her in the act, but she could polish off a leaf in record time. For a long time, she seemed healthy enough but since the most common symptoms of oxalic acid poisoning are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and difficulty breathing – its kind of hard to pin those down in a chicken. The other hens didn’t seem interested in the leaves at all, but Lacey couldn’t stay out of them. Poor Lacey; she slowed down over a few days until one morning she just didn’t wake up. I don’t pretend to know for sure what killed her. She was older than the other hens, and she could have been nearing her end anyway. Or it could have been the stupid rhubarb leaves. The other ones didn’t seem to care, and no previous hen ever seemed to care. You’d think that an animal would have an inner instinct not to eat things like rhubarb leaves, but I guess Lacey missed that memo.
I use the leaves to compost, and sometimes chop them up with the lawn mower first to use as mulch. The oxalic acid breaks down fairly quickly during the decomposition process. Some I know make a ‘tea’ from the chopped leaves to use as a natural pesticide in the garden, but I have never tried it. It seems like too much work to me.
The stalk is the edible part, and many people find it delicious. I can’t say I’ve always found the taste of rhubarb to be my favourite, and I never craved it, but I certainly would have missed it if I didn’t have it. Rhubarb always tasted like ‘spring’ to me. However, in the last few years, as I’ve learned to take better advantage of this wonderful garden offering, I can say that I have come to very much like the taste. I love the freshness it adds to a morning smoothie. Like a true friend it’s stayed with me all these years, selflessly giving to me, always under appreciated, and under used, until I saw it for its true value to me. And now you could say that our friendship has developed into a true love affair.
Rhubarb is always there for you – a true friend
Many of my friends and cousins as children, used to eat rhubarb raw in the summer, dipping the stalk in sugar or even salt. I could never do that – I’ve actually never even tried it, waaay too sour for me to even wrap my mind around it. Although I consider myself an excellent “tryer”, I just can’t bring myself to take a bite of raw rhubarb, and I cannot even think about eating straight sugar. Combining rhubarb with sugar and cooking it however, changes the natural tartness into something quite delightful. Whether in a jam, jelly, syrup, cake, pie or punch, rhubarb’s bitterness fades when combined with a sweetener, and it becomes uniquely refreshing.
I decided many years ago, that since rhubarb grows so readily in cool climates (my part of the world), I should learn to take best possible advantage of it and make it very familiar to my family. Loving the taste of something that we can grow and use freely, seems like a happier place to be than loving something exotic that might be difficult to get one day. For instance, while I love pineapple, it can be quite expensive in my world and it is impossible to get field-ripened-pineapple (which we know is the most nutritious) when you live in Edmonton. Rhubarb however, is in my garden and always at it’s plant-ripened-best when I pick it. I am all about IN SEASON, field-to-fork eating, and though my grow months in Edmonton Alberta are limited, I want to take full advantage of everything they have to offer. Though rhubarb is at its best in May, June and July, you can also pick from a well established plant as early as April and right through to the end of the growing season. How accommodating is that right? Rhubarb really WANTS to be your friend! Just don’t pick too much in the earliest part of spring, or the end of summer. Give it a chance to re-establish its strength.
why rhubarb?
Because rhubarb is good for you, that’s why. It lowers cholesterol, aids digestion and gut health, is rich in natural fiber and Vitamin K which improves bone density. It is an antioxidant powerhouse, containing as much or more as an EQUAL AMOUNT OF KALE. Since antioxidants support collagen production, that means healthier, younger looking skin, as well as protection from harmful free radicals that can lead to chronic disease. The antioxidant ‘anthocyanins’ (which gives rhubarb stalks their deep red colour), have been found to reduce inflammation, and improves heart health by reducing the narrowing and hardening of blood vessels. And rhubarb WANTS to be your friend. It’s easy to grow, is hardy in Alberta, is forgiving when you move it, separate it, or forget to water it for awhile, and doesn’t hold a grudge when you ignore it. And it’s versatile as heck, lending itself superbly from desserts to drinks, from salsas and chutneys to beautiful refreshing summer smoothies (all year long if you freeze some), from breakfast muffins and scones to deep fried fritters – and everything in between.
* I’ve had rhubarb doubters (and even those who considered themselves haters of rhubarb) tell me they converted to rhubarb after partaking of it at my table. It wasn’t something magic about my table, and it wasn’t that I am some amazing cook (heaven knows I’m not). It was simply because they had never really given rhubarb a second chance after tasting something they didn’t like. One man who attended a Food Drive meeting at my house in the late spring told me “I used to make fun of rhubarb, and believed no one really liked it. They just pretended.” If he reads this, I have no doubt he’ll recognize himself. He came for information about the upcoming Food Drive, and left – a convert to rhubarb LOL. You can never go wrong trusting rhubarb.
growing
Rhubarb is a perennial plant that will be at its best for close to ten years. Though it will grow and produce, much longer than that, its helpful if you dig it up and separate it once in a while. When selecting a plant, always go with a type of rhubarb with the reddest stalks. They’re sweeter and richer in anthocyanins and other valuable antioxidants. Rhubarb needs a dormant season – winter, and grows best in cool weather, so it’s one of the first garden fruits in the springtime. It wants sun, the more the better, so give it a nice sunny spot. It prefers slightly acidic soil, well drained and rich. Good to prepare your spot with well rotted compost.
If planting in your vegetable garden, plant along the edge so they can remain undisturbed each spring. They’d do well against the house or garage, or in the back of a flower garden. Allow about a square yard of space to grow outward. In the Edmonton area, you’ll be picking rhubarb by May, and certainly May, June and July are when it’s at its best. It will however, do well enough throughout the summer, unless it is an especially hot one, but even then – just make sure it has plenty of water. It really wants you to be happy and will seldom let you down.
If you don’t have a yard to grow your own rhubarb plants …. then ask around, often times people have more on hand than they can use. Next best place is a Farmer’s Market. Next best place is a grocery store. It is so plentiful however, that I cannot even imagine having to resort to buying it from a store. Just find more friends.
harvesting
Pulling vs cutting. Don’t cut the rhubarb stalks out. This leaves residue that will decay and invite disease. Pulling triggers the plant to replace what was taken. When harvesting rhubarb, select stalks that are firm and upright, and pull up gently from the base of the stem, twisting just a little. The stalk should pop out cleanly, but if it breaks off, pull out the remaining piece out. Don’t leave it there. See above about inviting disease. Remove all dead, or limp stalks and leaves to throw into the compost. Cut the nice big red stalks from the leaves, and throw the leaves into the compost. Trim any blemishes from the stalks and rinse to clean. From here you can chop into one inch pieces to freeze (in freezer bags) or to use right away. They can be kept a few days in the fridge if needed.
Officially rhubarb is actually a vegetable, but it is most often used as a fruit. Don’t be too quick to typecast it though, just because it’s most commonly used alone or in combination with other fruits to make desserts, doesn’t mean it can’t pull off a respectable part of the main event as a savory dish. Add it to a salsa, use it to make chutney or even as a marinade for meat.
Never harvest a plant completely, leave about 1/3 – the smaller less mature stalks to regenerate new growth. Pick the bigger stalks. At the end of the season, sometime in late August (in central Alberta) or early September, do your last picking, and then remove any plant debris. If you cover the base with a nice thick layer of compost before winter, your plant will be advantaged in the spring. It is not necessary to cover the plant in mulch or hay, but make sure it has a good covering of snow for the winter.
using
when dicing small amounts of rhubarb, you cannot beat an ulu knife and board
Don’t get stuck in the trap of always thinking rhubarb must paired with sugar, and don’t get stuck into thinking it always has to be eaten with a spoon. For years, I had the mistaken idea that because it was ‘sour’, rhubarb NEEDED sugar so I didn’t use it as much as I would have otherwise. It’s nutrition was compelling, but the sugar seemed to neutralize it’s goodness. Until one day, I was brave enough to use it without sugar, in a summer smoothie with other fruits. My eyes were opened! It was delicious, refreshing, and NOT sour, the companion fruits compensated beautifully. Fully converted, I chopped a stalk of rhubarb into every smoothie for the rest of the summer, and froze some to use for that purpose later in the year. Now I anxiously look forward to the fresh, crisp red stalks to get big enough for that picking. I have three rhubarb plants in my fruit garden, and two planted outside my fence for alley gleaners. Yes, I still use rhubarb as a dessert, but I am not bound by that rule.
rhubarb lemonade
Drinking your Rhubarb
*Rhubarb Lemonade Can anything be more refreshing than rhubarb and lemon in a chilled glass? Or more simple? for 8 servings: prep time 10 minutes, cook time 10 minutes. Ingredients: 2 c. chopped rhubarb; the redder, the sweeter 1 c. white Sugar 1 tbsp. Thrive Life Classic Lemonade powder or juice of two lemons 8 c. Water Directions: In large saucepan, stir together rhubarb and sugar into 2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, or till rhubarb is tender, stirring from time to time to prevent scorching. You want the rhubarb to be soft. Remove from heat and strain thru sieve to get a reasonably clear juice. Save the pulp for lots of other uses or to just eat. 🙂 Stir in the unsweetened lemonade powder or lemon juice. Let syrup cool. You can store this ‘syrup’ in the fridge for a few days. When ready to serve, pour cold syrup into a pitcher with 6 cups COLD water. Stir completely to blend. Serve over ice.
Rhubarb Slush I grew up on Rhubarb Slush. It was at every party, or gathering. Every mom had a pail or two in the freezer that they pulled out for special occasions. For all my early ‘mom’ years, I did too. If it was a big gathering, it was served in a punch bowl, if you only had a few guests, then you would scoop into a glass and top up with gingerale.
Basic Slush Recipe with suggested variations: 8 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb equal amount of water 2 cups sugar in a fairly large pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer rhubarb till tender. This will only take 5-10 minutes so don’t go too far while its cooking. You can puree in the blender at this point, or pour it through a sieve to remove the pulp. I mash the rhubarb with a potato masher and leave the pulp in it. I like the texture, it adds to the ‘slushiness’ of it in my opinion. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice. Stir well and freeze in an ice-cream pail. For lg jug or punch bowl, dump in the entire pail of frozen slush and top off with 2-4 litres of gingerale, or 7 Up or your fave pop. For individual glasses, thaw enough to scoop slush into glasses. Top up with pop.
variations: Add any one of the following, or a combination of your choice. You’re the boss of YOUR Rhubarb Slush. Create your own signature recipe. Add strawberries to the simmering rhubarb for the last 5 minutes. Cooking the strawberries too long will damage the colour. Add a pkg of strawberry jello to the hot cooked rhubarb, stir to dissolve well. This will add a lot of strawberry flavour, colour and slushiness. Add a can of orange juice concentrate after the liquid has cooled down a bit. Add a litre of pineapple juice after the liquid has cooled down a bit.
*Rhubarb Pie, Crisp or Cobbler There are many recipes to be found, but essentially the basics are to thicken with flour or cornstarch and sweeten with sugar. In a crust for a pie, in a dutch oven with a crumble topping for crisp, or a batter topping for cobbler.
Great combinations are: Rhubarb/Strawberry, Rhubarb/Raspberry, Rhubarb/ Saskatoon
*Rhubarb Coffee Cake or Muffins Such an easy variation to make to your favourite recipes. Just use your favourite recipe and add chopped rhubarb instead of whatever else it calls for. I like to add a little lemon powder to the dry ingredients, it just seems to perk everything up.
Soft Rhubarb Cookies Nice, soft cookies with just the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Makes 4+ dozen.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dice fresh rhubarb (about pea size), enough to make heaping 2 cups, and set aside.
In large bowl, cream 1 cup butter or margarine with 2 cup brown sugar together. Beat in 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. In separate bowl, sift 3+1/2 cups flour 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp each of salt, baking soda and baking powder together. Add to to sugar mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring to mix thoroughly between each addition. If it gets a little too dry add a couple tablespoons of milk. Add rhubarb pieces and fold in. Spoon onto prepared baking pan (I use parchment paper) and bake 12-14 minutes or until cooked through. Test by tapping gently with your finger. Cool for 2 minutes then remove cookies onto baking rack. Enjoy!
optional: We’re oatmeal fans in our house. Substitute 1 cup flour for rolled oats. optional: I like to add even more rhubarb. Another cup.
*Simple Rhubarb Sauce 3 cups chopped rhubarb 1/2 cup sugar Stir together and let sit (macerate) for an hour or more to draw out some natural juice. Bring to a slow simmer in a medium saucepan, 10-15 minutes or until rhubarb starts to soften and break down. Add more sugar if desired in small amounts taste testing as you go, and add a small amount of water if it gets dry. Serve stewed rhubarb over pancakes or waffles, ice-cream or in a bowl with cream. * Special treat, add a cup to homemade ice-cream during the mixing process. * Add fresh strawberries right at the end of the cooking process so as not to lose their brilliant red colour. * You will need a lot less sugar than you’re accustomed to expecting, so be cautious as you’re adding it, and taste as you go to prevent adding too much. * I love the added tart taste of lemon – I add a whole lemon worth of juice, 1/4 cup. Enjoy.
*Easy Pickled Rhubarb Okay, I’ll admit, I didn’t think I’d like this, but I determined to give it a try. After all, I like fresh rhubarb salsa . . . . Cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces. Then, julienne the pieces into matchsticks and toss them with red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar. Set it on the countertop or in the fridge for at least two hours, and you’re good to go! Add the pickled rhubarb to fresh salads, slaws, use as a pickle for sandwiches, or just eat it fresh. Just TRY it.
*hint: last time I made it I only had half the amount I needed of red vinegar so I topped it up with Raspberry Vinegar I made last summer. Oh.My.Goodness! It was amazing. I’m gonna do that from now on. So full of flavour. if you’d like to know more about flavouring vinegars and recipes, click on this link Vinegars from the Garden
rhubarb ketchup
*Rhubarb Ketchup 8 cups diced rhubarb 1 lg onion diced – enough to be about 3 cups 1 quart of home bottled tomatoes, or a 28 oz can diced tomatoes – undrained 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 T pickling salt *optional: 1/4 cup Tomato powder (or tomato paste) *optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon *optional: 1 cup white vinegar
directions: In a large saucepan, sprinkle the sugar over top the rhubarb and let it macerate for about half an hour. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Turn heat down, but keep it at a slow boil till thickened. Cooked rhubarb doesn’t have a beautiful colour, and I thought anything less than red, would be too difficult for my family to accept since I was passing this off as ‘ketchup’. I added 1/4 cup of tomato powder to intensify the tomato taste, and add to the colour. It was perfect! I’ll use it every time. If you want to know more about Tomato Powder click here.
Expect the process of reducing to take at least an hour, but probably not quite 2 hours. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. I set the stove timer for every 20 minutes so I don’t forget. When you’re happy with a nice thick consistency, turn the heat off and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in small jars in the fridge. This amount makes about 3 pints depending on the consistency you like.
The first time I made it I didn’t add the cinnamon or vinegar, but fully expected to do so at some point. It tasted amazing without either of them, and I didn’t want to spoil a good thing, so I didn’t. I will at some point try them both, just out of curiosity. In the meantime I love this recipe the way it is. Adds a lotta class to things you might typically use ketchup for: hamburgers, meatloaf etc.
* If I was going to can it, I’d be adding the vinegar just to be on the acid safe side. I would can it in pint jars and process it for 10 minutes just like for jam.
Fresh Rhubarb Salsa – use both recipes so that you get a feel for how easy and ‘varied’ it can be. Don’t ‘not’ make salsa because you don’t have some of these ingredients on hand. Be flexible, and use what you have.
Rhubarb in the early spring is almost alone in the garden. That’s when freeze dried veggies in the pantry come to the rescue.
Fresh SPRING Rhubarb Salsa this is what you make in the earliest part of spring, when the most courageous plant in your garden is your ever faithful friend – Rhubarb, and maybe your chives too. This is what you make before anything else in the garden is ready. Its my spring tribute to RHUBARB.
1 cup packed of finely chopped (by hand, NOT a food processor) rhubarb 2 T your favourite vinegar (I use a rhubarb vinegar I made the season before) 2 T olive oil (or your fave kitchen oil) 1 T freeze dried chopped onion – or 2 T finely chopped fresh chives 2 T freeze dried diced cucumbers 1 t sugar optional – juice of a small lime, or 1 teaspoon lime powder Put everything together, toss to dissolve sugar and mix everything well. Serve immediately, or make ahead a couple of hours. Remember YOU’RE the boss, recipes are only guidelines to get you going. I use these amounts only to give you an idea of measurement estimates. Its not very likely I’d ever make a single cup of this salsa. This is a great start, but if you like it a little sweeter, make it sweeter. If you like garlic, add a little garlic. I love the freeze dried cucumber in this version. If you’d like to learn more about freeze dried cucumbers, click here.
*Fresh Rhubarb SUMMER Salsa I call this ‘summer salsa’ because of the many other ingredients that are plentiful in a summer garden, but not so plentiful in the spring as early as rhubarb is ready. This combination is terrific, delicious all by itself. Who said rhubarb has to be sweet? When you use it as a vegetable, you’re a little more willing to use less sugar. Only 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with over 8 cups vegetables.
fresh rhubarb summer salsa
4 cups+ diced rhubarb 1 small red onion chopped finely (same size as rhubarb pieces) 1 lg green pepper chopped (*try to keep dice sizes uniform) 1 lg red pepper chopped * 1 lg yellow pepper chopped * 3 fresh meaty tomatoes (like roma) finely diced 1 T brown sugar 1/3 cup lime juice or 1 T Thrive Life powdered lime crystals 2 t coarse salt I added a few stocks garlic chives including the bulb – chopped slightly smaller than the other vegetables * optional: if you like a little heat, add 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper; if you love the taste of cilantro, add 1/2 – 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro. I didn’t have either of these on hand the first time I made it. It’s all about making what you have – work for you. I added about 1/4 cup of chive vinegar – home flavoured. It was a nice touch. * optional: I added a beautiful fresh nectarine – because I had one. It was perfect! * optional: I added two very small garden onions sliced and diced thinly
Directions: Chop the rhubarb quite finely, and measure packed. Stir all vegetables together in large bowl. Sprinkle sugar, lime powder and salt over top and stir to completely distribute. Use immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours. The first time I made this, I used it as a topping for a barbequed hamburger. Some used it as a relish. I put on about 1/2 cup – it was fabulous. It’s excellent as a side dish to serve with plain taco chips, or with anything else.
*Fresh Rhubarb Chutney I love the sweet spicy smell that fills the house with this gorgeous spiced rhubarb chutney. So delicious, you can eat it straight. Personally I wouldn’t can it, simply because I’d prefer not to cook it that long, but you can always freeze the fresh rhubarb so that you can make this a few times in the off season. So quick and easy, and the bonus is that your house will smell GREAT! Lovely served over pork roast, beef or chicken– or wherever you use chutney.
rhubarb chutney
ingredients: 5-6 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cloves garlic minced 1 t ginger powder or inch fresh ginger grated 2 t cumin 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t cloves 1 small onion diced (or use freeze dried onion slices) 1/2 cup raisins directions: Combine all in a saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and very aromatic. Cook only over medium low until rhubarb is tender and mixture has thickened slightly, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. (maybe 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely. Serve fresh, or make ahead and refrigerate a few days, like a fresh cranberry sauce.
preserving
Freezing, canning or making jam are the three best ways to preserve rhubarb. I’ve tried dehydrating it – bleh. But adding it to fruit leather is terrific. The nice tart taste is the perfect match for fruit leather – on its own or mixed with any number of other fruits: apples, raspberries, plums . . . . just a reminder: always pull the rhubarb off the plant rather than cutting it. See above if you forget why.
FREEZING Wash and pat to dry freshly picked rhubarb. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Most of the time I just throw the chopped rhubarb into a labelled (name and date) bag to freeze. If I’m planning to use most of it in smoothies – where I want it to come out loosely, then I spread the chopped rhubarb in a cookie sheet, then I freeze in the chest freezer. The next day, scoop the frozen rhubarb into a labelled plastic bag and seal. Frozen fruit is best eaten within the first year of freezing. I know plenty of people who keep their’s in the freezer for much longer than that, and while its safe to do that, the food value diminishes considerably. Not worth it to me. Just USE it.
CANNING Canning is still the most convenient way of preserving high acid fruit. It is easy to do at home with limited equipment: just good quality, CLEAN jars with proper canning lids and rings, and a pot deep enough for at least two inches of water to cover.
Prepare rhubarb by trimming off the leaves and cleaning the stems. Then chop into 1/2-1 inch pieces. Dump into a large sauce pan. Add a little sugar and stir to cook raw chopped rhubarb in a light dusting of sugar. A good guide is approximately 1/2 cup of sugar to each quart of chopped rhubarb. Let the rhubarb sit for a few hours to draw out the juice.
You can cold pack it or hot pack. Rhubarb is a high acid food so it can safely be canned in a hot water bath canner. Or if desired you can can under pressure.
Cold pack: spoon the fruit into a freshly cleaned pint or quart jar. Top up with juice to about 1/2 inch from the top, leaving this as a ‘headspace’. Add clean lids and rings and gently lower the can into hot water bath in large deep pot – ensuring you have 2 inches or more of water on top of jar. Bring the water to a boil and set timer for 15 minutes, keeping the water at a continued soft rolling boil the whole time. Gently remove the jars and place on insulated surface about an inch apart. Allow to cool without disturbing. Can lids should ‘pop’ when they seal, ensuring a good vacuum seal. You can also pressure can under 10 pounds pressure for 8 minutes. I always prefer hot water bath canning for high acid fruits.
Hot pack: Same preparation, but once rhubarb has sat long enough to draw juice out, slowly heat the pot up to a slow boil. Immediately fill HOT jars with HOT sauce and lower into HOT water. Return the water bath to a full rolling boil and set time for 15 minutes as for above. When the timer goes off, gently remove the jars and proceed as instructed above.
This may or may not be sweet enough for you. If desired, add a little more sugar when serving.
Use your canned rhubarb sauce all winter long as you would apple sauce.
I’d love to hear your rhubarb recipes. Please tell me in the comments below how you use your rhubarb.
The average North American throws out an estimated 170-183 kilograms (375-405 pounds) of FOOD every year. Each “individual“, not family or household! That make us among the Worst Food Wasters in the world! Not something to be especially proud of is it? And then what about if you have four people living in your home? That’s a whopping estimated 1600 pounds! Of FOOD! How can we afford that?
North Americans are among the Worst Food Wasters in the world.
I don’t even know what 1600 pounds of food-waste looks like, but to simplify, it works out to about 25 – 40% of the average grocery budget. I have a pretty good idea what THAT looks like. Yikes! If you’ve got a couple of teens in your house, you’re likely spending well over $1000 a month on groceries. If we took the most conservative estimate (1/4), then we’re still talking about $250 a month IN THE GARBAGE! That’s $3000 a year! What could you do with an extra $3000 a year? I don’t know about you, but I can think of a lotta things I’d rather do with $3000 a year!
If you’re like me, you’re probably saying “No way. Not me”. I prided myself on being quite resourceful and while I did not doubt the stats, I was pretty certain they didn’t apply to me. I figured that someone else must be wasting a lot of food to make up for me not wasting so much. So I began to seriously pay attention to everything I threw into my kitchen garbage. And it didn’t take me long before I had to reluctantly concede … “well, maybe, that might be me“.
What are we wasting?
Well in my case, it was mostly produce. I was full of good intentions when I brought fresh fruits and vegetable home. And perhaps if I would have personally washed and cut the fruit, and maybe peeled it for my family, and then FED it to them, they would have eaten more of it. But I didn’t have time for that nonsense, and they sure didn’t always take advantage of what I was providing them “fresh”. Conscientious mom that I was, I had to make sure I continued providing it. I was stuck in the routine of: – buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the store – a week later throw much of it into the garbage – back to the store to buy more “fresh” fruits and vegetables. – one week later throw most of it out. Repeat. – often – like doing that somehow made me a better mom.
Composting kitchen waste may be better throwing it into the trash, but I still didn’t purchase it just to throw most of it into the compost.
Round and around we went. More and more money into the compost. Did you know that ‘healthy eaters’ generate the most food waste? Doesn’t seem fair does it? Well, you could say I was “ripe for the picking” when I realized that there was absolutely ZERO waste involved in the new way I had begun to buy groceries. I admit I was first attracted to THRIVE LIFE freeze dried food because of its long shelf life, and I was astounded to learn of the exceptionally high nutritional value of it. But I was even more impressed when I began using it in my everyday meal plan, and noticed that I was no longer throwing out as much food. That was a bonus I hadn’t counted on (duh). The nutritional value might have been the selling feature and the convenience of it sealed the deal, but in a very short amount of time, when I realized that I was in fact saving money, that was the clincher! When you are no longer throwing out a quarter of your monthly groceries, you start seeing your dollar go a LOT further! And that was a happy realization for me.
On a bigger scale, while it pains me to admit it, I read a recent report that says the evidence points to Canada as being among the worst on the globe for wasting food. The report released by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation — “an environmental agency set up under the North American Free Trade Agreement — found when including all stages of the food supply chain, 396 kilograms of food per capita is wasted in Canada every year. That’s compared with 415 kilograms in the United States and 249 kilograms in Mexico.” I’m not sure how excited we can get about being ‘better’ than someone else, especially when that ‘someone else’ produces more produce than we do. So much for my wholesome Canadian pride. Sheesh!
So, I don’t pretend to have the answer to global problems, and I don’t have the energy to even worry about them. But I have always been of the mind that if we each take care of our own front porch, the world will be a much nicer place, so I am gonna focus my attention on what is in my control. What exactly IS in my control? The waste in my own kitchen. I control that. And where I choose to spend my hard earned dollar – I control that too. That is where I started. At home.
Did you know that when you buy a can of THRIVE LIFE freeze dried Spinach, that 0% (yup, a big fat ZERO) goes into the garbage? Every piece of spinach you buy gets eaten. By you. Or me. Compare that to the spinach I used to buy in the cellophane bag from the produce department in my grocery store. I threw some of that into my compost almost every time I bought it. Add to that injury, is the insult of discovering that spinach loses ALL of its Vitamin C within 4 days after harvest? I can promise you that the spinach on my grocery store shelves was not picked within the last 96 hours. And did you know that THRIVE LIFE Spinach is picked at the peak of perfection and flash frozen within 6 hours of harvest? And that it contains up to 6 times more Vitamin A than the so called ‘fresh’ spinach we buy from our local grocery store? Yup. Yup. And Yup. So add those facts to the fact that much of the so called ‘fresh’ spinach I was buying ended up in my compost pail, because really how much time do you have before that spinach starts to go slimy on the bottom of the bag? Lets just say the romance of fresh spinach began to lose some of its appeal.
Spinach is one of my favourite Thrive Life freeze dried vegetables. Certainly its one that I use the most.
Continuing on with the example of Spinach: a family sized can of Thrive Life freeze dried spinach is priced (at time of my writing this – July 2022) at $33.82 USD when purchased in a Delivery (best pricing). For my Canadian friends, converted at a 1.3 exchange rate, that works out to about $44 Cdn. (*hint: you get FREE shipping when your complete order tops $99) That same family sized can contains the equivalent of 11.5 bags of spinach! The size of bag that in my local grocery store cost $4.35 (10 ounces) each. To buy the equivalent amount would cost me $50 Cdn (I live in Canada). I asked myself: “why would I want to pay more for ‘not-so-fresh’ spinach, when I know that the nutritional value of ‘fresher-than-fresh‘ spinach from Thrive Life, is considerably more?” It didn’t make any sense to me. And that doesn’t even factor in the typical waste from that store bought ‘not-so-fresh’ spinach.
Even into Canada folks, that is a huge savings. And I am a sale shopper so I’m always looking for a bargain. When I buy Thrive Life Spinach on sale, I save even more. And you know how much of that goes into my compost pail? ZERO! That is 100% Food! In my pantry. Ready to use when I want it. With a 25 year shelf life. Even after the can has been opened, the shelf life is at least a year.
reducing food waste will save you a ton of money
This story just keeps getting better, and better. I guess you could say “Spinach to Win-it”. But remember, Spinach is just an example. We can repeat this scenario with every single food item that THRIVE LIFE has. Of course details will change, but the waste factor and the nutrition factor remain solid.
My way of reducing waste in this country is by reducing waste in my own home. Since doing so, saves me a lot of money, its a win/win situation. And that’s how I like things. Happy all round.
Cindy Suelzle Independent THRIVE LIFE Consultant and Leader
Simple things that can make a difference when its all about what YOU can do at home. An onion chest poultice is an old folk remedy that is often still used, because it is surprisingly effective. Among other good things, onion contain sulfur compounds that help fight mucus and promote the expulsion of mucus from your airways. Onion and its even stronger cousin garlic, are powerful natural antibiotics as well as being antiviral and antimicrobial. This makes them valuable for viral and bacterial infections. So yes make a poultice which will soothe from the outside, and that you’ll be able to inhale, but don’t forget to EAT them as well. Let them work from the inside too.
I love how Wendi talks about using fresh onions, but in the absence of them she shows us how to use dehydrated onions. This is so important and like her, I rarely have fresh onions in my house anymore unless they’re in my garden for the few months I can grow them, and maybe a few months after harvesting. I do keep dehydrated onions, but for the most part – I choose to use THRIVE LIFE freeze dried onions for most of the year. They come diced or sliced, and are always ready to use in all my favourite dishes. As with all Thrive Life fruits and vegetables, they’re flash frozen within only a few hours of harvest, sealing in all their natural nutritional goodness. This is very important to me. All the benefits of ‘fresh’, but easier and much more convenient to use, and with a shelf life of 25 years. That’s very important to me, because I’m all about long term food storage. Even after opening, we have at least a year to use them, depending on humidity in your area.
Wendi Bergin, the Joyful Prepper
These two pungent herbs (onions and garlic) are probably best known for their immune enhancing properties, but that’s another topic for another day. Many folk remedies suggest sleeping with onions wrapped onto the bottom of your feet! Don’t laugh. And don’t be too quick to discount things that seem too simple or even silly at first glance. In fact, garlic and onions contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that have been shown to relieve some forms of arthritic pain. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, one of which – the antioxidant ‘quercetin’, has been shown to inhibit inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins and histamines in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Yeah, I had to look them up too – lol.
Q: What are leukotrienes? A: chemicals your body produces, especially when you come into contact with something you’re allergic to. As a form of protection, they can cause coughing. build up of extra mucus and fluid in your chest and throat, as well as inflammation or swelling in your airway.
Q: what are prostaglandins? A: fatty acids made at sites of tissue damage or infection caused by injury or illness. They control processes such as inflammation, blood flow, the formation of blood clots and the induction of labour.
Q: what are histamines? A: chemicals your body makes to help expel allergens from your body through symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing.
While we shouldn’t want to get rid of these natural protective functions completely, they can cause a lot of discomfort. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was something natural and ‘normal’ you could eat, that could assist in alleviating the worst of those symptoms though?
Let Food Be Your Medicine
Onions are members of the allium family, which includes hundreds of species, and they are one of the most widely used vegetables/herbs in the world, with some types growing in every climate except the arctic. Ones we’re more familiar with are the ‘onion’ of course, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, green onions and chives. And even among these, there are many, many different types, each with its own special personality and qualities. In North America, the most popular onion to purchase is the yellow onion, for its long lasting quality. Named for its outside colour, not inside, it is cured (dried outside after harvest). If kept in a dry dark, semi cool place, it will last for months.
there are so many different types of onions, that could almost be a food group unto themselves.
They are a good source of nutrients and are known to offer a plethora of health benefits – many more than what we’ve reviewed here. Onions are a tremendously rich food source of flavonoids, in particular, the antioxidant quercetin (see above), which is known to prohibit the activity or creation of cancer-causing elements. A quercetin-rich diet is a recognized good defense against developing cancer.
Make onions more a part of your life.
– If you’re one of those people who don’t like the texture of onions, use freeze dried – they’re better than any alternative we can buy at the grocery store anyway.
– If you’re one of those people who don’t like the taste of onions, get over it and find a way eat them anyway. They’re really good for you. They’ve proven themselves enough times to be taken seriously, figure out a way to incorporate them into your daily diet. Hide them, disguise them if you must, but definitely EAT onions. Thrive Life’s freeze dried onions will help immensely with that.
– If you’re one of those people who have kids who think they don’t like onions, be the parent and find a way to use them anyway. If you need to hide them, then hide them! But use them! Thrive Life’s freeze dried chopped onions will become your new best friend.
Okay, its not possible for any food to have only good things said about it. I think we all know the one downside, and it has something to do with ‘the smell’. Not just the smell of onions, but the smell of ‘us’ after we eat them. Onions contain organic sulfur compounds, which are the reason onions have such a sharp, strong taste and smell. Yes, those sulfur compounds help reduce the level of cholesterol in our bodies, breaking down blood clots and lowering our risk of heart disease and stroke. BUT, those same sulfur compounds cause the only negative effects from eating onions – irritation to eyes when cutting, and body odor.
When our bodies break them down, those sulfur compounds react to sweat on our skin, creating what is generally considered to be an unpleasant odor. In our society, that’s a considerable downside. And in some individuals with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), they may increase gas and bloating. Small price to pay in my opinion, but I have found that freeze dried onions do not seem to create the same problems. As far as the tearing up aspect, try rinsing a peeled onion under water or chill it for 30 minutes before cutting. Or of course, you can skip the whole chopping step, and go straight for the freeze dried option.
As far as the onion poultice – this is new to me. I’m happy to know about it and appreciate Wendi’s thorough instructions. I have everything I need on hand and will take her advice to set aside some more clean, white cotton for that purpose.
Have you ever tried an onion poultice? Or any other type of poultice? I’d love to hear your opinion and your experience.
Tomatoes are nature’s most potent source of lycopene. What IS lycopene and why do we care? Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits, including sun protection, improved heart health as in lower risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as a lower risk of certain types of cancer. It is most effective when consumed in the form of lycopene-rich foods like tomatoes and other red or pink fruits. Studies indicate that lycopene reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL) levels. This balance is important because high cholesterol develops fatty deposits in our blood vessels, which can clot and lead to a heart attack or stroke. Remember, RED foods are good for the heart.
it is difficult to think anything but positive thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato
And now, you’ve got all that natural tomato goodness in a concentrated form right in your pantry! I know right? Who could have imagined that now you can: STOP buying those little 6 oz cans of tomato paste that you never use all of anyway STOP buying canned tomato sauce (in all their varieties) STOP buying tomato juice Because you’ve got all three of these wonderful foods right here in powdered form (just add water). And its a lot more nutritious because it hasn’t gone through the high temperatures of canning (which only retains 40% at best of the nutritional value). Tomato Powder is a super useful food to have on hand in the kitchen at all times. I can’t speak to all tomato powders, but Thrive Life Tomato Powder has a strong, clear tomato taste, like you just picked a ripe tomato out of your garden! It’s got all that wonderful natural tomato acid, because . . . . . . guess what? The ingredient (yes, that’s singular) is: TOMATOES. That’s it. The only thing in the can – is tomatoes. No salt, sugar, colours, flavour enhancers, or other additives of any kind. You can add your own salt to taste. Or not. You do you.
Making your own TOMATO POWDER
drying your own tomatoes for tomato powder
Making your own tomato powder is pretty straight forward. A little investment in the time department, but easy, and if you’ve got an excess of garden tomatoes, its a great use for them. Best practice is in a dehydrator, but you can dry in a slow oven, and if you live in a hot dry climate, you can dry them in the sun. I don’t – so that’s all I’ve got to say about THAT.
The meatier type of tomatoes is preferable, as they have less water and less seeds – like Romas. Simply slice and lay evenly in your dehydrator. All dehydrators might be different, but select a low setting and expect it to take a full day and night. How long exactly, depends on too many factors to estimate with any precision. Factors like: type of tomatoes you are using, and how much water they contain, how thick you sliced them, even the weather – is it cold and rainy, or hot and dry?
You’ll want to continue to dry them until they are brittle. Ensuring that you have removed all the moisture is critical to give you a good product in the end. Use a food processor or blender to grind the tomatoes into a fine powder. It may be helpful to break the tomato slices into smaller pieces as you add to the blender. You can sift the powder through a sieve to separate the larger pieces, which you can put back into the blender.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Nothing lasts forever, so plan to use it up in a year (or two at the most). Nutrition will diminish over time of course. Having it be VERY dry in the beginning is key to it staying dry, and it STAYING dry is key to longer shelf life. Keep it well sealed, as it will want to absorb the moisture from the air.
Thrive Life Tomato Powder is just that – tomatoes powdered. You would use it the same way and store it the same way as homemade tomato powder. Its just a LOT easier.
1. Tomato paste ratio 1:1-2 1/4 cup tomato powder + 1/4 cup water = tomato paste start with the lesser amount of water, and then add a tablespoon more at a time to reach the consistency you prefer
2. Tomato sauce ratio 1:4 1/4 c. tomato powder + 1 cup of water = 1 cup tomato sauce
3. Tomato juice ratio 1:8-10 1 T. tomato powder+ 1/2 cup (8-10 T.) water optional: add your choice of seasoning ie: onion powder, sugar, salt, pepper, to taste
4. Spaghetti sauce ratio 1:4
or use your own Mediterranean seasoning mix: any combination of oregano, thyme basil, rosemary, garlic, onion,
5. Pizza sauce ratio 1:3
or use your own Mediterranean seasoning mix: any combination of oregano, thyme basil, rosemary, garlic, onion,
6. Cream of Tomato Soup ration 1:16 Prepare a roux from 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour over low to med. heat Add 1/4 cup tomato powder – whisk in Add 1 T. chicken bouillon – whisk in Slowly stir in 4 cups of milk, whisking all along to prevent lumps from forming. Simmer over low heat, whisking to combine well, heat thoroughly and thicken slightly. Add more liquid if needed. *optional: I like to rub some Freeze dried chopped onions through a sieve to create onion powder. Nice addition to the soup. *optional: add 1 tablespoon of Italian or Greek blend of herbs, or your own combination of oregano, thyme and basil. *optional: add another tablespoon or two of tomato powder if you want it richer
Thrive Life Tomato Powder label
7. Ketchup 1 cup tomato powder and 3 +1/2 cups water 1/3 cup honey or brown sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1 t. onion powder or 2 T Freeze Dried chopped onion crushed to make onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder or 1 T Freeze Dried garlic crushed to make garlic powder 1 t salt + 1/2 t pepper 1/2 t dry mustard pinch of allspice and a pinch of cloves Combine all, and simmer over low heat stirring frequently to prevent scorching – till reduced to desired consistency. Expect it to take 30-45 minutes depending on your preference of thickness. Pour into jar and refrigerate. Expect 2 pint jars. Best to let it sit a day to allow flavours to fully blend.
8. Barbecue sauce 1/2 cup tomato powder 1 cup water 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 T. apple cider vinegar 1 T Worcestershire sauce 1 T soy sauce 1 T mustard 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T FD chopped onion 1/4 t Cayenne pepper (or your favourite dash of hot) or NOT Salt & pepper to taste Mix all ingredients in large saucepan, heat over low and stir 15 or so minutes till slightly thickened. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
9. to add that beautiful rich ‘tomato’ zest concentrated To any tomato based soup, stew, chili or pot roast – add a tablespoon or two of tomato powder just because YOU CAN! You’ll be surprised at how it richens things up.
10. As a garnish Sprinkle tomato powder over top potato salad, deviled eggs, hummus, even a lettuce and tomato salad. Be creative.
I’d love to hear your experiences with Tomato Powder, and your suggestions for recipes, please comment below.
If you want to see more tips like these, recipes and updates on Thrive Life Specials and promotion, click here – to sign up for my monthly Thrive Life newsletter.
Two of the most important things to remember about gardening is that 1) there are a lot of ‘rules’ 2) some of those rules should be obeyed, but some of them – you must be willing to break to move ahead
There are many things about gardening that one has to experience to understand what the rules are there for. These are the things that one must learn through experiences. But they don’t always have to be your own, we can learn from each others’ experiences too. One of these age old rules in my part of the world, says that we should plant our gardens on the May long weekend (3rd weekend in May). But statistics say that the expected last frost is anywhere from May 1-10. Obeying that rule straight across the board, amounts to a week or more of lost growing time – when there are only an average of 120 (give or take) frost free days in Edmonton.
I don’t pretend to be an astronomer or any other kind of expert, but there are some things that simply make sense to me. Consider this: The summer solstice in 2022 is June 21. It is longest day of the year – more daylight than any other. The center of “BEST SUN” days. Count back 7 weeks to May 1, and forward 7 weeks to August 9. Those days are going to be the BEST Sun days of the summer right? A reasonable assumption to make. In fact, in Edmonton, on May 1 – 2022 the sun will rise at 5:57 AM and set at 9:05 PM = 15 hr 8 min of sunshine. On August 9 – 2022, sunrise will be 6:03 AM, sunset at 9:14 PM = 15 hr 11 min of sunshine.
My point? My point is that after August 9, the sun is not as high, and not as present. In fact only one month later, September 9, the sun rises at 6:57 AM (54 minutes later than Aug 9), and sets at 8:04 PM (70 minutes sooner than Aug 9). That is 2 hours and 4 minutes LESS sun-time. In ONE MONTH! So yes, those may be frost free days, time for things to ripen, but the ideal growing time has passed. If we’re planting on May 24, that gives us only two and a half months of best sun days to grow. When we could easily have another month or more.
So, how does one make the best of those high sun, but possibly NOT frost free days of early spring? Answer: Plant earlier. The next obvious question then is this – what can we plant earlier that will not be killed or stunted by those chilly mornings of early spring? Answer: There are many hardy and semi hardy cool weather vegetables that thrive in our growing season. We just need to get to know them and learn to appreciate them. Here are some ‘hardy’ and ‘semi-hardy’ vegetables (and some notable fruits) that you can be growing in the average backyard garden in and around the Edmonton region.
HARDY VEGETABLES can tolerate a hard frost and temperatures between -5 and -10 Celsius
If you haven’t made friends with some of these yet, then open your mind and introduce yourself. They’re not only anxious to make friends, but are extremely forgiving and loyal. Hardy Vegetables include: Brassicas like Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Collard Greens, Kale, and Kohlrabi, as well as Leeks, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Radishes, Spinach and Turnips. THAT is a lot to choose from, and ALL of them can be planted as soon as the ground is dry enough to work in. If it snows again after planting – no worries, they laugh at snow. I planted my Spinach seeds on April 2 this year, but I could easily have planted them a week or two early. Its not simply a matter of them TOLERATING the cooler weather, they THRIVE in it. I’m sure you’ve noticed that as soon as the weather warms up in June, your spinach bolts (goes to seed). These cooler crops don’t like the heat, and they don’t do well in it at all. They are best grown in the earliest parts of spring. In some climates they are winter crops, but not for us in Edmonton LOL. See below for some advice on ‘some’ of these hardy vegetables. I don’t have experience with all of them, but maybe you do. I’d love to hear your opinions and suggestions from your own experience. Please share by commenting below.
KALE: Personally, I am not a fan of growing most brassicas because I’ve lost too many battles with the caterpillars that like them so much, but I make an exception for KALE. Knock on wood, I’ve never had a problem with kale (so far). It’s easy to grow, doesn’t attract pests, and it toughs out the cold weather in both spring and fall. It was a no brainer that we should become fast friends, I just needed to get to know how to use it more in the kitchen. That was the easiest part of all. I pick kale from May through September – a whole season of wholesome green goodness in salads, green smoothies, and everything in between. And it dehydrates beautifully for winter use. What else could I ask for? Depending on the weather, and the the type of spring we’re having, they can be planted outside by seed, as soon as the ground is dry and warm to the touch (anytime from April 1-30). And don’t worry if it snows – they won’t care. You can get a jump on the season by planting young seedlings outside around the 1st of May.
MUSTARD GREENS: are new to me this year, but I am excited to try them. A quick phone call secured me a pack at a local seed store. So it will be one of my 2022 experiments. I don’t have a whole lot to say about them at the moment, but stay tuned. I’m sure I will in a future post.
PARSLEY: has been a favourite herb in my garden for years, and occasionally even comes back in the spring – though at best it is still only a biennial, so its best to count of replanting seedlings every spring. But no need to wait till late May, parsley plants can be planted by May 1st for sure. Don’t bother planting seeds outside. They take too long to germinate for that. Either start them indoors in February or early March, or buy your plants from a greenhouse.
SPINACH: is wonderful, and one of the healthiest plants when eaten FRESH (within a couple hours of harvest). It’s leaves are tender and perfect for salads. I used to buy a lot of ‘fresh’ spinach from the grocery store, all year long, but I very rarely do anymore. We know that all produce begins deteriorating nutritionally within the first hour of harvest, and the sad new about spinach is that within four days – it has lost 100% of its vitamin C. I don’t know about where you buy yours, but I can pretty much guarantee that the spinach available in my local grocery store was NOT picked within the last 96 hours! So the very best source of spinach is the one that can it get to your table within only a few hours of harvest. That means its either grown in my garden, or its THRIVE LIFE Freeze Dried Spinach.
The tricky part about growing spinach is that it LIKES COOL WEATHER. That is its great strength as a garden vegetable in Alberta, since we specialize in ‘cooler’ weather. But wait. The convers of that fact implies that it hates hot weather. And it does. When the sun gets real hot, spinach goes to seed (it ‘bolts’ – see below). If you plant spinach around May 24, it will bolt in the heat of late June, and you are very likely to be disappointed. What to do? Plant it earlier.
Its good to know bytheway, that there are several other greens that grow well all summer long without bolting, so it doesn’t have to be “spinach or nothing”. But, back to spinach. Because it’s a cool weather crop, we can plant spinach in the early spring (early to late April depending on the year), when we can take advantage of the long ‘sun’ days that come with the cooler weather of April and May. Ironically spinach wants a nice sunny location, but doesn’t want the heat that comes with the sun, so its the perfect plant to extend your growing season. By the time your spinach has given up in the heat of summer, your swiss chard and other greens are ready to eat!
Is it worth it? Absolutely. If you can get your spinach planted early enough in the spring, you’ll get a beautiful crop that will flourish. Its the perfect opening act to your summer garden. And its a great source of iron, calcium and vitamins A, B, C, and K.
what is “bolting” and what causes it? Bolting is a common response of cool weather vegetables to stresses of summer – temperature stress, day length stress, or water stress. When the plant is in distress, it hastens it’s purpose in life – which is to go to seed. Long spells of hot dry weather may be good for peppers and tomatoes, but NOT good for spinach. Many other leafy vegetables do the same thing. Not much you can do about the weather in summer, so just work with it. Spinach doesn’t want what tomatoes want. So planting it when the days are cooler, and giving it as much cool time to grow as possible will make it happier.
In some zones, spinach might be a good fall crop, but I’ve found that the end of our growing season is too fickle. In Edmonton, the sun is less by the end of August, but the days are still very warm and dry. We could just as easily have snow in October as not, and if we do, temperatures could drop quickly. I’ve tried extending my growing season by planting spinach at the end of August, but experience has shown me I’m gonna have more success in the early spring.
Plant your spinach in rich soil – amended with old manure and/or compost. Keep it consistently moist, but not soggy. Water deeply and regularly. Spinach is a heavy feeder, so sprinkling blood meal around the plant mid growing season will encourage rapid growth of continuous new, tender leaves. Once you see five or six nice healthy leaves on a plant, go ahead and start snipping the larger ones off for spinach salad.
RADISHES and TURNIPS: I am not a fan of either of these vegetables for their roots, but I absolutely AM a fan of their greens! I grow both, only for their tops. They have a little zip that is great in a fresh garden salad or any other combination of greens, and are super nutritious – SO worth it. They’re best when they’re young, so start picking early while you’re thinning them out. Once the roots get big, the leaves are not as tender and suitable for salads, but they make a great Pesto. (click here Radish Green Pesto for the recipe)
SEMI HARDY VEGETABLES will tolerate light frosts and temperatures around freezing (0°C)
Semi-hardy vegetables can be planted quite a bit earlier than the May long weekend, but maybe don’t push it too far into April, unless its an especially warm spring. Some great Semi-hardy Vegetables include: Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Endive, most kinds of Potatoes, all kinds of Lettuces, Radicchio, Rutabaga, and Swiss Chard.
BEETS: good for the tops as well as the roots. Plant at the beginning of May.
young carrot tops are delicious as well as nutritious
CARROTS: for example, take up to 3 weeks to germinate, so getting a heads start on them is important, but planting them too early, when the soil is still cold won’t help. The first days of May should be early enough for carrots. If you haven’t discovered making your own SEED TAPE, then you are in for a treat. Super easy to make yourself, and prevent wasting a ton of carrot seeds.
Did you know that carrot greens are not only good to eat, but super nutritious? More vitamin C than the actual ‘carrot’. I use them lightly chopped when they’re young and tender (the thinnings) in garden salads and in smoothies. If I have more than I can use, then I lightly chop and freeze for later. They make a fantastic Pesto!
LETTUCE: of all kinds is fine with cooler temperatures and even the odd light frost in the beginning. They’ll germinate in a few days and will thrive in the bright light.
POTATOES: could have an entire blog post devoted to growing them, but don’t wait till the long weekend in May to plant them. Shoot for the end of April / beginning of May, depending on the spring, when your soil is nice and warm. You don’t want them to pop up before the last frost, so don’t push your luck toooo far, but two or three weeks before last expected frost should be fine. You can expect them to be ready to harvest in 120 days, but you can begin ‘stealing’ young potatoes in early to mid August (depending when you planted them of course). The best potatoes I ever grew were hilled completely in hay. An experiment that I am trying to recreate this year. Stay tuned.
RUTABAGAS: not to be confused with turnips. They are both root vegetables and have similar shape and appearance, but they are not the same. Turnips are usually harvested young – only 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and are a summer vegetable. Rutabagas are harvested closer to the end of the growing season, and are usually bigger. Turnips are white with a purplish top, rutabagas have a yellowish flesh, also a purplish top. Turnips taste a little like radishes to me, while rutabagas are a little milder and maybe even sweeter. Both can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, roasted or stir fried. Its all about personal preference when judging between the two, and tastes change over time, so I think its a good idea to come back to certain foods that we may not have liked in younger years. Turnips and rutabagas are the perfect example of that.
This year is a FIRST for me to grow rutabagas. I confirmed last year that I am not a fan of turnips, but I do like to oven roast the rutabagas that I buy in the winter, so I’m gonna give them a good try in my garden this season. Stay tuned for more information.
swiss chard early afternoon, destined to become spanakopita for dinner
SWISS CHARD: is one of my best friends in the garden. Fast Growing, Forgiving and Fabulous it is delicious, nutritious and very flexible in the kitchen. It is a staple in my summer kitchen, and the most important ingredient in my SPANAKOPITA. In fact I grow swiss chard especially for this summer delicacy.
Chard will tolerate the heat of summer much better than spinach, but hot dry days will still cause it to bolt. Watering well when its dry will help cool it down, but its important to pick continuously throughout the season.
Planting Non Hardy Vegetables must wait
Rushing the season with tender plants like tomatoes and peppers, is asking for trouble, so yes, for them – stick to the age old rule of May long weekend. For the others mentioned above, a little frost, a little snow – pshaw, we’re talking about SUPER HEROES here! They’re not afraid of cold. A late, cold spring, doesn’t have to shorten our season, or decrease our harvest, in fact, cooler temperatures are best for these cool weather vegetables. Be brave, and Be positive. You’re the boss of your garden. Begin looking at cold rainy spring days as SPINACH DAYS. And there’s other good news – in the early spring, there are fewer pests around to damage plants. It’s a total WIN!
Whether you’ve been around the block a time or two, or you’re just getting your feet underneath you in the garden, cool crops are a bountiful way to extend our season. And because they’re so forgivingly easy to grow, they are encouraging plants to start off with. Success means starting with winners. And the key is to EAT them. Broaden your horizons. Commit to experiment every year, with something new to you. Learn about one more vegetable that you never knew before. Plant it. Make friends with it, and learn ways to enjoy it.
SPANAKOPITA is why everyone should always plant Swiss Chard! There is no question that the world would be a happier place if we all did.
Hardy fruits:
There are many fruits we can grow in and around Edmonton, most notably – BERRIES. I hope you love berries because we grow awesome raspberries around here. And great red and black currents. And terrific honey berries (haskaps). And saskatoons. And plums and sour cherries. And rhubarb and apples. And all of these come back every year! We also grow excellent strawberries and even some types of grapes. So don’t limit your gardens to annual vegetables, open your mind and your arms to perennial fruits. But that’s another blog post for another time.
The one cardinal garden rule that everyone should obey is to: GROW WHAT YOU EAT, AND EAT WHAT YOU GROW. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your time and space.
Have fun in your garden this year, and have fun planning and planting it. Don’t wait till all the stars align, the sun is warm and everything else is perfect. You’ll have wasted valuable growing time. Embrace the hardy vegetables of cool weather. Put your jacket and garden gloves on and get out there!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on extending your gardening season. Please comment below.
At the time of this writing it is mid April 2022. We’ve had an unseasonably cold early spring. Snow has not completely melted. The world is in turmoil. War is raging in the Ukraine as they fight to remain autonomous from Russia. This is affecting food supplies all over Europe, and the fallout will be felt worldwide. We in the west, are still recovering from droughts, floods, fires, storms, and labour shortages. Food prices have skyrocketed along with fuel and energy prices, and everything related to them (which is pretty much everything). If ever there was a good time to plant a garden to supplement our grocery dollar, this year would be it!
