We finally hit a new milestone at our suburban homestead last summer- preserving eggs! When we couldn’t keep up with the eggs our hens were laying we had to make some decisions.

What a wonderful problem to have. But I also wanted to make the most of our surplus for those winter months when the eggs dwindle. Especially because I knew that most of my girls were in for their first serious molting (usually happens around 18 months old) and so we’d be short on eggs come winter.

So, I did what most modern-day, first-generation homesteaders do- I took to the internet and started researching…

I found some conflicting information from some of my own trusted resources, but enough research to try a few different options. Because I have learned the hard way, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” (or mason jar).

So I chose to both Freeze and Water Glass my eggs. I had only frozen a few eggs before and it worked well, but I wanted to try both and do a side-by-side comparison of preserving eggs for our family – and for you all.

The most important thing to remember here is that you do what feels right for your family!

READ THIS if you’re thinking about starting your own flock.

Here’s our ‘Eggsperience’…

Preserving Eggs by Water Glassing

Water glassing is a process where you essentially overload the eggshell with pickling lime to nearly completely stop the exchange of air between outside and inside the egg. You’re trying to plug the microscopic air holes that allow a baby chick to breath, in order to keep the egg in ‘suspended animation’. Old school homesteaders did this as a way to hold eggs without the need for refrigeration. This method is used to get homesteaders through the lean egg time- over the winter when hens slow down laying because of the decrease in sunlight.

For preserving eggs this way they need to be PERFECTLY clean, with a full bloom still intact. Getting some poop into the lime water solution will allow any contaminants to enter the eggshell before it is sealed up.

Water Glassing Recipe:
1 ounce pickling lime
1 quart water

• Measure 1 ounce of pickling lime, add the lime to a sterilized half gallon jar (or ½ the recipe for a quart-size jar).
  Mix lime powder into water well; it doesn’t really dissolve.
• SLOWLY add eggs, trying to get pointy side down
• Add airtight lid
• Store in a cool dark place for up to a year
• Can add more eggs and water as you get them.

 Pros –

• Shelf stable (in a cool, dark location)
• Can last over a year
• Simple Process- mix pickling lime + filtered water, set eggs inside

Cons –

• If there is any chicken poop or dirt, it can enter the egg via the shell and you can get sick (salmonella not death)
• The eggs become more watery the longer they sit
• Your kids can easily crack an eggshell and the rest of the batch is ruined (ask me how I know

Preserving Eggs by Freezing

This method for storing eggs is as simple as it sounds. It is also more familiar to most of us as a way to preserve, but that doesn’t automatically make it better.

The only trick is that you crack and scramble the eggs before freezing, and have to use a freezer-safe container.

The eggs thicken after thawing, so I use two to three times as much water and/or milk to thin them out before making into an omelet or scramble. They work great for baking as is or thinned out a little too. They do take up space, but my 2 cup square freezer containers hold roughly eight eggs, perfect for my family of four. The containers measure 4”x4”x2” – about the same size as a single large muffin. You can also use large silicone ice cube trays and freeze in smaller portions. The typical ratio is 1 scrambled egg = ¼ cup.

Pros –

• Comfortable process and pretty foolproof as long as your freezer stays frozen
• Easy to use, almost end up with more egg ‘mass’ after freezing

Cons –

• Take freezer space and energy to preserve
• It’s best to take time to defrost them. DO NOT microwave these to defrost; you will be disappointed. Set in a water bath or take out the night before and place in the fridge to thaw.

Storing Fresh Eggs

You can store eggs fresh, unwashed from your backyard (or farmer) on your counter for two weeks. We have a rotating rack that helps us keep fresh eggs on the top and easily accessible.

You can store eggs in the refrigerator for up to six months, but the quality diminishes after a month or so- which is why we preserve them in other ways.

• Refrigerate: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator, away from the door and pungent foods, at a temperature of 40°F or slightly below. The temperature on an inside shelf is more consistent than the door, which is opened and closed frequently. Eggs can last about three months or more in the refrigerator, but unwashed eggs can last about two weeks unrefrigerated.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

My Preserving Eggs ‘Take Aways’

I will hopefully always have enough extras to be preserving eggs. But we’ll likely only water glass a few eggs, as we run out of plastic freezer containers. It was pretty heartbreaking (and stinky) to throw away 16 or so eggs in the middle of winter when I realized that something was wrong…

Also, if you want to try this- use more and smaller containers- because, even though I should know better, I put too many eggs in one 2 gallon mason jar…

You can also dehydrate scrambled eggs and freeze dry them if you have the right tools and patience. I might try and dehydrate some this summer as well… but freezing has worked best for us so far.

Also, there’s lots of ways to use those eggs during the summer! We hard-boil about a dozen a week, and even make lemon curd (recipe is in our book, Small-Scale Homesteading.)

Would you try water glassing to preserve your eggs?

Have you frozen eggs before?

Dig In,
Michelle

The post Preserving Eggs: Water Glassing vs. Freezing Eggs appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Who doesn’t love a good two for one? I’m here to show you that you can have your squash and eat the seeds too! So many of us skip over roasting pumpkin seeds and squash seeds because we’ve had a bad experience. Maybe you did it once and they were, well, stringy, chewy, like eating straw… and just not very good at all.

Well, that probably comes down to two main problems:

• The wrong seed
• The wrong preparation

So let’s get you back on track to using all of that pumpkin/squash/gourd! And if you’re into squash like I am, check out my Pumpkin Spice cake recipe, and my Winter Squash Lasagna recipe too!

Botany Moment

If you’re interested in the difference between pumpkins, gourds, and squash, it gets a little confusing… A squash is in the Cucurbita genus, and also, by the way, technically a fruit. Pumpkins are one type of a squash. Gourd refers to a different branch of the same family. Summer squash (like zucchini and yellow squash) have soft skins and are warm weather crops, compared to the long storage possibilities of the winter squash varieties. What does this mean to you? …not much unless you create a new variety of squash, but it is good plant trivia!

Winter squash typically produce lots seeds and any of these can be collected and eaten. I stay away from saving any Cucurbita seeds to plant as they are notorious for getting cross pollinated, so eating them makes even more sense!

Check out my blog post on ways to ecologically deal with the aftermath of your pumpkins/gourds/squash)

Eco Smart is Sexy!

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds: The Secret Is in the Seed

The best seeds are going to be those that are slightly immature to just mature. Many of our carving pumpkins are brought home very ripe, as we want that large, deep orange variety for our classic carving, right? Great for Halloween, but not so much for eating the seeds.

Look at the seeds once you slice into your squash; this seems obvious, but taking a minute to observe now can save you lots of frustration later!

*If the seeds have started sprouting inside the pumpkin (it happens!), you’ll do best to toss them to your chickens or compost pile.

*If the seeds are firm and plump, you’re in for a real treat!

*If the seeds are hollow feeling and small, you can pull one apart to see if there’s any ‘meat’ inside. If they are thin and empty, you’ll just be trying to eat the fibrous pod and that’s just as bad as eating a huge over-ripe pumpkin seed!

Now that we know how to pick the best seeds for roasting…

Let’s Get Cooking!

RECIPE for Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

• Squash Seeds
• Oil (EVOO)
• Salt/Seasoning

Prep Seeds

Start by scooping out those perfectly plump seeds and rinse them of the goop + gunk in a colander until mostly clean. Tip: Use a serrated grapefruit spoon or a heavy duty ice cream scoop to help with the scraping!

Soak in water (I set my colander in a bowl of water) where it is easier to pull away the stringy squash pulp. Drain and repeat a few times.

Secret #2 is in the simmer!

Then you’re going to place those mostly clean seeds in a pot of salted water and simmer for at least 10 minutes. I go heavy on the salt here: a full tablespoon of salt per 2 cups of water.

This step makes a HUGE difference and is my secret to delicious, crave-worthy roasted seeds!

100% Worth the Simmer

Rinse again in the colander, then pat dry.

Season Seeds

You’ll need to add some oil to the seeds to help them crisp up, and so you can get some seasoning to stick. You can either combine the seeds and oil in a bowl and toss, or add them to the pan and toss. I estimate about a tablespoon of oil per sheet pan full, so not much. And while I love my sea salt for lots of recipes, I actually really like popcorn salt for roasted seeds because of how fine it is and how it sticks to the seeds!

You can go savory or sweet here. I prefer savory as there are so many delicious options. A few of my favorites:

• Curry
• Onion + Garlic
• Chili
• Smoky Paprika
• Turmeric + Garlic
• Dill with S&P
• Aminos (Soy sauce) + Garlic

The spices listed would be in powdered form. And if you want to just roast with salt and oil and add other spices after, that works too!

Roast Seeds

Spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan (I prefer not using parchment for this recipe as I think they get crispier without it). Preheat oven to 350–375F and roast for 5–15 minutes. The top rack helps in my oven. *Each oven is different, so watch carefully!

Start checking after 5 minutes. The smaller the seed, the faster they’ll pop. Wait until you hear the popping and smell popcorn when you open the over door. This was a revelation to me. Yes, corn and squash seeds are very different botanically, but they’re both seeds that I’m “roasting” so it is not too weird that they smell the same!

You must let them cool a few minutes or you will burn your mouth!

Eat the Seeds

These are best eaten while still warm out of the oven, so if you can, wait until you can enjoy them. Cleaned, uncooked seeds can hang in the fridge for a few days before roasting.

*They can be reheated and crisped up with a quick toss in a skillet.

Hope this gets you to try roasting your pumpkin and squash seeds again this fall!

Dig In,

Michelle

The post Roasting Pumpkin Seeds + Squash Seeds appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

I think my deep love for beets may be in part because it was one of those vegetables my mother NEVER cooked. So, I got to discover it all on my own and there’s something simply endearing about that, isn’t there? Their flavor and nutritional powers are pretty good reasons to love them as well…

Variety Matters!

I also love beets because you can use the entire plant, literally roots to shoots. I admit it took me a few years to fully board the ‘beet green’ bandwagon- but I am quite comfy now not giving up my seat now!

The rest of my family grew to love beet greens as a substitute for half the greens in their salads last summer. They even preferred it to spinach as the season wore on… we’ve also been enjoying frozen beet greens this winter.

But the beetroot is still up for debate with most of them.

One HUGE step forward was growing Burpee’s Golden from Seed Saver’s Exchange and most recently, Territorial Seed Company’s “Avalanche” white beets. I don’t mind the ‘earthy’ flavor of beets at all, in fact I adore that flavor palette, but the rest of my family was a hard pass.

First off, homegrown beets (like all veggies) just taste better than store bought, so that’s one step closer. But the Golden and White varieties have truly decreased some of that flavor profile. This also corresponds to the greens (hence eating it like spinach). While there are beets grown specifically for their greens, I find the greens of the regular varieties we grow just as tasty.

Growing Beets

Like any vegetable, the flavors will reflect that soil that nurtured it- so making sure the soil is rich with humus and well-draining. They also like phosphorus, so for those of in Minnesota, where we typically have lots of phosphorus in the soil- this is good news. They tend to be a little picky with their pH, doing best between 6.5-7, a pretty small window. Besides making sure to water well so they don’t get tough, the other tip is to make sure you thin early and give them lots of space! I also like starting these really early. I direct sow the majority of my beet crop once the soil reaches 40F. But will also start a few in a winter sowing jug to get a jump start. More on winter sowing HERE.

Harvesting Beets

I usually just harvest as I need as they do hold well in the early summer and later fall. You can also harvest the “beet greens” the leaves similar to a cut and come again lettuce, taking the outer leaves as they mature. Always make sure to leave enough leaves to keep the roots happy. I use fresh beet greens just like spinach, and the baby leaves are every bit as tasty as any other green.  

Most beets can be taken a little earlier than their typical 50-60 days to maturity. While they don’t appear to change much, if they stay in the ground too long after their 60 days to maturity, they will get woody.

Eat Yer Beets!

I really enjoy raw shredded beets on salads, along with the more traditional roasted and sliced options. Grilling them the night before when we’re already using the grill (or oven if winter) makes it so much easier to incorporate these veggies into meals.

I’ll also give one more shout out to the Beet Greens

I also adore Beet Kvass. This is a fermented beet juice that is slightly salty and tangy and tastes like the winter to me. It can be an acquired taste, but I have definitely acquired it, and actually crave it in the depths of winter…

Beet Kvass Recipe

2 to 3 large beets, scrubbed but skins on.
Chop into ½-1 inch cubes.
Add beets, 1 tsp salt and cover with water in a glass jar or crock, making sure to dissolve salt.
Screw on lid tight and keep away from direct light.
Check daily (or more often) to mix and to release any build up of gas. I ferment for 3-4 days.
Strain off the fermented juice and enjoy.

I often eat the beets after draining too, and my chickens go BONKERS for them, although I do rinse off any excess salt before giving them to my hens.

Chef in the HOUSE

Another favorite way to eat them is in Chef Matt’s Beet Risotto! I’ve made his recipe a few different ways and loved them all. This is a versatile recipe that is delicious with different varieties of beets, from the blood red, to the golden and whites!

With my Avalanche White Beets, I shredded and added to the risotto right at the end, as shown in one of Chef Matt’s notes on the recipe below. But pink and red rice is fun, delicious and fitting for Valentine’s celebrations too! Remember, Food is Fun!

Chef Matt

Chef Matt is a stellar chef and local food aficionado (along with being my good friend)! He teaches online cooking classes via “Chef’s House”, prepares weekly “pick up’ meals and caters events large and small. You may also recognize him from the Cider table at our White Bear Lake Winter Farmers Markets…

If want to support a local small business and learn to cook local food at the same time, he’s your guy! Chef Matt is down to earth and explains things thoroughly- but also has a great sense of humor that makes the classes fun- and you’ll love eating the results!

Link to Chef Matt’s Online Cooking Classes

Beet Risotto Recipe

Ingredients                 Amount

Arborio Rice                          1.5 cups
Beets                                    2 or 3 each 
Yellow Onion                        1 medium Onion 
Garlic                                      3 Cloves
Chicken Stock       2 Quarts +
Oil, Vegetable or Olive    Varies
Salt and Pepper                   To taste
Parmesan Cheese              To taste
Butter to finish the dish and for the puree

Steps for Roasting Squash

1. Place whole, washed beets in a roasting dish.
2. I like to add fresh herbs, onion, garlic, apple or orange to the roasting pan, leave in large pieces.
3. All pieces will be tossed in Oil and Salt, pepper, and add ¼ cup of water.
4. Cover with Tinfoil.
5. Place in a 400 degree oven until fork tender and browned. Do not worry if the bottom of the pieces gets dark, it will add to the flavor.
6. Peel beets once they are still warm.

Steps for Beet Puree

1. Place warm beets into the blender.
2. Season with Salt, Pepper
3. Add ¼ cup warm water
4. Add 1 tablespoon of butter
5. Purée until smooth, if more liquid is needed use warm water

Steps for cooking main recipe

1. Get water or Stock heating up in a separate pot.
2. Cook onions and garlic in oil over medium heat. We do not want to get too much color on them, just sweat them to soften up.
3. Add rice and coat in the oil.
4. Cook rice till it starts to look translucent, or “pearlized”.
5. Once rice is looking clear, we will begin adding the liquid.
6. Risotto is about stirring the rice to get the starch to release and thicken the rice.
7. We will keep stirring and once the liquid is just about reduced and gone, we will add another ladle full.
8. Repeat stirring and adding liquid until Rice is al dente and a slightly thickened “sauce” is in the pan.
9. To finish, we will add some of the beet puree, Parmesan cheese, butter, and season with salt and pepper.
10. Garnish with sautéed beet greens if they are in good shape.

Recipe Notes

You could also grate the beets and then sauté them quickly with the onions and garlic and then let them soften up as you are stirring the rice and adding liquid. *This is my favorite way to use my white Avalanche beets!

Another nice beet dish is to use regular rice, cook it, cool it, add the cooked beets and any other veggies you want. I usually make a flavored mayo to use as a dressing.

THANK YOU CHEF MATT!

Deep Beet Love

Because my love of beets runs deep, I wanted to share one more way I enjoy eating them – home made beet chips! These are easiest in a dehydrator, but can be done in an oven (just watch them closely so they don’t burn). I’ve got them pictured plain with just a marigold microgreen (they are deliciously lemony) so you can see the chip- but I usually eat them with a smear of goat cheese and micros!

I really hope Chef matt and I have inspired you to both grow and cook more with beets!

Let us know what you think below!

Cheers to Digging into beets,
Michelle

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Are you a Zucchini lover or a hater?

Of course I’m a zucchini lover, I’m a sucker for a veggie that goes overboard and can be used in both sweet and savory ways!

I’ve finally gathered together my collection of recipes and ways I use and preserve Zucchini. I know lots of us vegetable gardeners joke about ‘ding dong ditch’ with these as the season progresses… This is the notorious prolific vegetable. And many get away from me and all gardeners each year (see picture at the end if you want proof of that ;-).

There are so many ways to make use of zucchini! This is such a delicious and versatile veggie. For those of with bounty, or if you just want to savor the sweet summer flavors into winter, read on!

Zucchini Growing Tips

I both start seeds indoors and direct sow- with similar results. I get earlier harvests with the plants started earlier, or more prolific but later with the plants I direct sow. Choose what works for you! They do like lots of compost and can be planted outside a fence, as critters (at least in my area) do not nibble. This is a great news because zucchini plants take up a LOT of space, easily three square feet. A little compost and mulch when planting and you should have oodles of zoodles!

*Hand Pollinating* Tip

If you aren’t getting good fruit set, you can hand pollinate, taking pollen from the male flower and dusting it onto the female flower!

Grab a paint brush and have fun!

I have had limited success starting a second round of zucchini and summer squash mid-July for fall harvests here in Zone 4b.

My Favorite ways to Enjoy Zucchini

Zoodle:

If you have a spiralizer, great- if not a mandolin is your BFF! I often use the ‘small shred’ option on my mandolin to make a salad base while my lettuce greens are slim picking during the hot days of August.

A quick sizzle with EVOO, Garlic, Onion, Oregano, Salt, Pepper and you’ve got summer stand in for pasta!!

In fact, I’ve got a flavor packed Summer Spaghetti Recipe as well!

Grill:

Sliced 1/4 -1/2″ thick drizzled in EVOO, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder + Oregano. Oregano plays really well with zucchini! Sear for 5-10 until al dente. Skewering chunks onto a kebab is another favorite way to grill this veggie- try alternating cherry tomatoes and onion slices in between the zucchini for a flavor pop!

Sauté:

I will often simply chop up fresh zucchini or summer squash and add any

f you want a savory take on the good old pancake- Zucchini Fritters are for you! I love two different versions of this recipe almost equally- but having just perfected the zucchini Cornmeal Fritter- this is our current go to quick lunch- served with a fresh Tzatziki Sauce (Cucumber + Yogurt Dip) these are out of this world! They’re also surprisingly delicious cold the next day .

RECIPES: GF Zucchini Fritters 2 Ways

Bake:

And of course everyone has their favorite Zucchini Bread Recipe. I love that fellow local homesteader Crystal, of @wholefedhomestead (yes you should follow her!) shared her gluten free zucchini bread recipes with us all!

And here’s my very own Decadent Chocolate Zucchini cake recipe.

Ferment:

Shredded Zucchini Kraut: A simple and zesty way to make your zucchini even more beneficial. I use this simple recipe from Cultures For Health.

Another favorite fermentation recipe is from Can It and Ferment It by Minnesota local, Stephanie Thurow, I love making the fermented Zucchini-Carrot Relish! I’ve eaten this like a side salad, plus it tops everything from eggs to burgers. Here’s a link to the book, Can It and Ferment It if you’re interested.

Can:

Zucchini makes a great substitute for cucumbers in relish and I actually prefer the texture. Follow my Zucchini Sweet Relish Recipe  to use those big ones that ‘got away’ from you. This is one of my most requested recipes!

Freeze:

The fastest, easiest and honestly the what ends up happening with most of my zucchini is shredding and freezing! Simply shred, squeeze out excess liquid and freeze in Ziplocs for winter soups, stews and baking! I’ll either wait until I have a good amount and bust out the food processor to shred lots fast, or shred one at a time with my mandolin. *No blanching needed* I usually freeze in 2 cup amounts, but you do you!

As always, if you’d rather give your extra produce away, find a local food shelf to donate to. Our local White Bear Lake food shelf accepts garden produce at certain times details here, so please call before you drop.

Have I made a zucchini lover out of you yet?

What is your favorite variety of zucchini, and how do you enjoy it the most?

Dig In,

Michelle

The post A Zillion Ways to Zucchini appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

This was the first herbal salve I ever made, years ago and it is still one of my all time favorites to use, pretty much daily. this Calendula salve softens, heals, soothes and calms my skin in ways that nothing else can.

Making salve is kind of the gateway herbal bath and body product. Once you realize that you can mix a few natural, quality ingredients and end up with a practical, beautiful and healing product most people feel empowered. I want you to feel that power too!

At a time when more and more of us are becoming aware of what we’re putting on and into our bodies – along with the carbon footprint the products we use leave behind… making your own salve is a great place to pivot.

These salves also make great gifts! As I am writing it is prime holiday shopping time, yet my gifts are being made from things I am already have in my home. Nothing beats a consumable, homemade gift as far as I’m concerned. Bonus that you can use canisters you already have, furthering your commitment to ‘reduce – reuse – recycle’!

Basic Benefits of Calendula Salve:

Calendula petals contains anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties, and is used to soothe a long list of skin ailments. Plus, it’s safe to use on babies (yes, even the finished salve with beeswax)! The oils and beeswax are both sustainable and deeply healing in their own right – so being able to swirl and melt them all together can make just about anyone feel like a healer.

Flowers First

Like all recipes, it’s important to start with quality ingredients. Growing my own Calendula adds so much to the garden, as both a trap crop for many common garden pests, and as a draw for beneficial insects – plus they’re gorgeous. I prefer Calendula Resina because it has the highest concentration of petal ‘resin’ aka the good stuff.

These are also great starter plant to seed save from; more on seed saving here. This is all before I snip off the buds to use their medicine. More in depth info on growing these and other beauties at my  Companion Planting Flowers for your Vegetable Garden.

Harvesting Calendula

Summer is in full swing when it is finally time to start harvesting the flowers. This is both rewarding and a great way to tidy up the garden. Picking them at their peak, with fully opened petals but not drooping- and after the morning dew has dried but not in the heat of the afternoon, will yield the best resin.

So, start with either homegrown calendula or skip that part of the process and buy your calendula from a trusted source. The only place I’ve been consistently happy with is Mountain Rose Herbs. They have an amazing selection and grow things they way I do.

Making Calendula Oil:

Once the flowers are cut, I usually let my calendula (and any other herbs/petals) wilt for a good day or two. Or sometimes I’ll place them in our dehydrator overnight to reduce the water content. This make for a more intense infusion and reduces the chance of mold in the oil as you let the plants sit and infuse.  After they’re wilted/dried a bit cover the petals with enough oil so the petals are fully submerged. This also helps keep any possible mold at bay. I use a mason jar and screw the lid on. I usually write the date I started the infusion on a dissolving label and let it set for at least 4 to 6 weeks – usually much more. I routinely let my oils infuse for 3 months.

Sweet Almond Oil was my go-to carrier oil for infusing, until I realized that folks with nut allergies are also allergic to almond oil. So while it has the softest feel, a good shelf life and healing properties of its own I only use it for recipes I know only my family will use. I now prefer Apricot Kernel oil. I’ve used a light Extra Virgin olive oil and avocado oil as well, they work great, too.

Infusing the Oil

Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time, a process often called steeping.

Herbal academy

Think of this as a cold brewed tea on overdrive. There are quicker methods where you heat the oil. I’ve never tried this, but if you want to check out the Double Boiler Herb-Infused Oil section of the Herbal Academy article, you can make the infusion in a day. It will not be as potent as the slower, lower temperature version.

*You can also slowly add petals to this jar as they bloom- just make sure they are dried a bit and remember to keep adding oil to cover petals completely.*

By the time I’m ready to make salve the bulk of my outdoor garden work has slowed down – and if you don’t have time to make the salve right away, just try to strain off the oil from the infusion within 12 weeks. This straining is as easy as leaving it to drip through a sieve, until the very end when you’ll want to get in there and squeeze out every last drop of goodness. The oil will be cloudier as you squeeze, this is totally normal.

Alchemy Time

Basic Salve Recipe

1 C Calendula Infused Oil (or less if adding other oils)

1 Oz Beeswax

20+ drops of Essential oil of choice.
Here’s a great list of essential oils for salves and their properties.

Now it’s time to get your other ingredient(s) and containers in order. Mainly, beeswax and any other oils you’ll be adding to the mix. One word about beeswax. If you can buy directly from a beekeeper, the raw goodness, plus the smell of honey will add another layer of healing to your salve. Local beeswax will keep the carbon foot print low as well!

I keep my salve recipes pretty simple and just add a bit of jojoba or emu oil to the pot as I’m warming the ingredients. And topping it off with essential oils just before I pour it off.

So Simple

Melt + Pour.

It really is that simple.

In a double boiler (see my cheater version above) or a heavy pan start warming the infused oil and beeswax. If you want to make a larger or smaller batch a good rule of thumb is 1 ounce of beeswax for every 1 cup of oil. You can play around with these ratios as much as you’d like. Adding more beeswax will give you a harder salve; some like a harder slave for summer so it doesn’t melt.

The only trick is to not let the mixture get above 140- low heat is the trick here! If adding essential oils (I do love this, but unless capped they loose their fragrance quickly) do so right at the end. I usually turn off the burner and add just before I pour in.

I usually opt for lavender or rosemary, but this time I let my son choose. I make this as much for his eczema as anything else, so I figured he could chose the scent…and I love that after smelling over 30 bottles he chose frankincense, which is an essential oil known for being wonderful for your skin!

Let the containers cool and cap in a few hours.

Congratulations! You’ve just made your first salve.

These are great as gifts, and you’ve solved the dilemma of needing an upstairs + a downstairs + a car + a backpack skin cream without any fake chemicals or plastic packaging. Well done!

I wonder what you’ll dig into next!?!

Michelle

The post Calendula Salve DIY appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Kale really is the QUEEN of the late Fall garden. It is by far one of the easiest plants to grow and it just keeps giving. Easier to grow than many other superfoods, this stuff was made for Minnesota gardeners.

Growing Kale

Kale can happily grow with only 6 hours of sunlight, and will still produce tender leaves – making it a great option for those of us struggling with the shady side of the garden. Like most leafy things, it likes a healthy dose of Nitrogen, my best practice is to add homegrown compost to the top before planting.

There are quite a few different varieties out there and they are not all created equally.

Kale Variety Role Call

Seed Savers Exchange Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch Kale has consistently tender leaves, and stay roughly one and half feet tall. One of my all time favorites.

The Westlander Kale from High Mowing Organic Seeds was a show stopper this season, producing the ‘Kale Trees’ loved by vegetable gardeners.

I prefer any kind of curly kale to Lacinato (aka Dino) Kale about 1000 : 1. So when I am raving about kale, keep in mind I do NOT mean the stuff pictured above. I mean nothing is 100% perfect, right…

Red Russian is a striking beauty that had a more leathery texture than the others I’ve grown, so I suggest using these in cooked form. Still very much worthy of a spot in the garden.

A single glorious Scarlet Kale from that OVERWINTERED (yes through last years insane polar-vortex temps) and is happily living its best life towards the back of my garden, partly shaded and loving it. I’ve now overwintered plants from the seeds of this kale.

I may have saved the best for last- this is for sure my new favorite for late season harvests and the fact that it is a true perennial in my Zone 4b Minnesota garden.

Homesteader’s Kaleidoscopic Perennial Kale Grex

Not only is this a perennial, but the variety of leaves coming from that single seed packet, from flat to curly, darkest green to purples- but all with the best kale flavor I’ve grown. This is also my go-to variety for blanching and freezing to use all winter long. The only company selling these amazing seeds is Experimental Farm Network.

Cold Hardy

Most kale varieties can easily handle temperatures down to 10F. So even up here in Minnesota we can keep these beauties growing into November. A few years back they lasted until our Christmas meal! Because of their size and ability to take the cold I have never grown these with any season extension covers or hoops.

After the first few frosts you’ll fall even more in love with this veggie. They get sweeter with each passing frost!

HARVESTING TRICK

Snap off those bottom leaves first working your way up the stalk as you go. This is a key to not being stuck with big, tough leaves! This is especially important if you want to keep enjoying all season long.

You can always snap off a few leaves and freeze them rather than having to eat tough leaves a few weeks later! This will also leave you with adorable kale trees at the end of the season.

Meet the Kalettes!

Kalettes are kale’s hipster little sister. They’re a mix of kale and Brussel Sprouts. These are gorgeous to grow, with intense purple stems, and purple coloring into the base of the leaf clusters.

They take up a huge space like Brussel Sprouts, and produce a lot of fluff – but the taste is pretty awesome! I’ll grow two or three plants next year instead of six.

Kale Recipes

We grow a LOT of kale, so here’s some of our favorite (kid approved) ways we eat it.
Kale + Collard Gratin Recipe

Sausage , Potato + Kale Potage

Fresh Eating

Chopped and ‘massaged’ (when you run olive oil into the leaves to tenderize them) salads, Here’s one of my favorite chopped kale salad combos as highlighted on my website‘s recipe page.

Kale Chopped Salad
Ingredients
3-4 Cups Kale, torn
Drizzles of EVOO, honey, 
1/2 Lemon juiced
S&P
A few Craisins
Directions
Toss into blender of choice and just barely pulse.
Can add fresh berries, parmesan cheese and nuts after blending 

Crispy

Kale chips are such a great way to sneak in ALL those Vitamins, minerals and Protein! We just tear and massage in EVOO, bake on a sheet pan for 5-10 minutes at 350F. You can use whatever seasonings you feel like that day- chili powder, cumin, onion powder, or go for an Asian taste and add in Aminos and red pepper flakes. One note; garlic powder tends to burn for me on these.

Steamed + Sautéed

Warm Squash and Crisped Kale Salad!

Have you ever cooked up a pan of kale and red onions? If not, this needs to be one of the next things you try. I’ll add a simple mix of kale greens, onions + garlic with chick peas and roasted squash and boom you’ve got your self a perfect fall salad. This recipe is included in my Market Meals post from last winter.
Add kale, onions and tomatoes to your egg scramble in the morning to boost flavors and nutrients.

Preserving Kale

Since we grow so much kale it is one of the veggies we preserve a lot of as well. I used to just wash tear and freeze kale. But I’ve found that it holds both its flavor and its texture better if I blanche it before freezing.

Also, steam blanching is better for greens that regular blanching directly into the boiling water as it helps retain more of the nutrients, plus you can skip the ‘ice water bath’ step! Letting it cool on some paper towels also helps it dry out a bit.

I then pack the blanched kale leaves into muffin tins and freeze overnight. *Someday I will upgrade to the Souper Cubes* but my muffin tins work well, too.

Then remove the ‘pucks’ which equal roughly 2 cups of fresh kale into freezer bags. With the air removed from the bag, its also a great space saving way to store kale. We use frozen kale in recipes all winter long.  Frozen kale is perfect for adding into soups and stews, you can also eat it just like steamed/creamed spinach – YUM.

*If your main use of frozen kale is in smoothies, I’ll suggest you DO NOT blanche it before freezing. There is something magical about the way kale crumbles and loses some of its toughness when frozen raw. If you’ve never liked kale in smoothies, I challenge you try frozen kale and let me know!

So, are there any Kale Nay Sayers left out there? What can I do to convince you of kale’s abundant awesomeness?

Tell me, which recipes are you going to dig into first?

Michelle

The post Kale Yeah! appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

The golden days of fall are that much better when you get to crunch into a crisp apple you just picked off a tree…

But not many of us grow enough apples to eat our fill- let alone make apple sauce, jelly, and baked goods we crave come fall. Enter the family trip to the apple orchard, one of many Minnesotans’ beloved traditions.

Organic orchard options are popping up around the metro as people are becoming more aware of how pesticides and herbicides often used in traditionally run orchards can come home on even those hand picked apples and harm our pollinators.

Around the Twin Cities there are now a handful of organic options to fill an ever growing demand for organic produce. Growing organic on a small scale is one thing, but growing a large quantity of fruit trees (monoculture) organically takes a combination of skill, grit and fast action. The movie Biggest Little Farm is a great example of this!

Most of these kinds of farms have CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares for sale plus on site farm stands with other products like honey, broiler hens and lots of veggies to pick  while you pick your apples.

Support the small family farm and pick your apples from an orchard free from any harmful pesticides!

Alternative Roots Farm

Alternative Roots Farm is a certified organic farm and orchard growing over 40 varieties of apples. From Honeycrisp and Haralson, to Golden Russet and Ashmead’s Kernal, we grow new and heirloom favorites – preserving diversity and heritage in South-central Minnesota.

They sell picked apples out of their farm store and do amazing deals with apple shares (like a CSA) and make a LOT of apple sauce! They’ve got a sweet deep winter greenhouse to keep locals in their greens over winter to boot.  Follow their Facebook Page for updates.

Carpenter Nature Center

The Carpenter Nature Center cares for a unique orchard started in the 1940’s. As a nature center they work to be as sustainable an entity as possible, but are not certified Organic. I’ve been to the orchard during their wonderful, down home Apple Festival and it is such a great family time. This year’s event is set for Saturday & Sunday, October 11+12, from 10-5.

Sweetland Orchard

Sweetland Orchard is on the West Side of the cities, in Webster and while not certified organic they manage the orchard through minimal intervention. This family operation grows over 30 varieties developed by the University of Minnesota, heirloom varieties, and cider varieties; and they have a passion for cider! They do frequent pop ups at lots of locations around town. Check their Facebook Page for updates.

Applecrest Orchards

Applecrest Orchards is not a certified organic farm but uses IPM, Integrated Pest Management, and common sense in growing great apples. They’ve got over 1,000 trees growing 20 varieties on the Northeast end of town in Hugo. Their IPM program consists of scouting, pest trapping and utilizing the the Cornell University NEWA offerings. This helps them specifically focus any spraying. “We make sure to mow any flowers prior to spraying so we do not contaminate bee forage. The pesticides we use are targeted to specifically mitigate any loss of beneficial insects”. I will say, walking through the orchards in September there is a myriad of insect life between the rows of fruit laden trees!

They sell at local farmers markets and usually have food trucks at the orchard on weekends during the season! They will also be at the WBL Winter Farmers Market again this year.

If you’re ready for a day trip, check out Sap Suckers in Mora or Hoch Orchard and Gardens in Southeast Minnesota, two established organic orchards. For other orchard locations you can check out the MN Grown website.

Make the Most of your Apples

And in case you’re wondering what to do with all those amazing apples once you get back home, I’ve got a blog post, An Apple A Day, to help you enjoy your apple stash for months to come!

I love learning about new farms and orchards, feel free to pass along any other organic orchards you’ve enjoyed- the more the merrier!

Looking forward to digging in to apple season,

Michelle

The post Organic Apple Orchards appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

I love seeing metal buckets and blue bags hanging on trees around town this time of year! Those bags are the symbol of two things I love dearly: Spring + Maple Syrup!

I’ve noticed that these buckets and bags have been multiplying in recent years! I hope the trend continues, because maple sugaring is such a simple way to forage your own food, reduce your carbon footprint, add nutrients to your sweetener—all while adding another homesteading skill to your list. Bonus: there’s very little that can go wrong; it just takes some time.

*This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.*

Drill In!

The maple sugaring process is easier than you think. And I’m sharing tips on how to make the process smooth like Sunday morning (pancakes).

Tool Time

A Spile (#1) gets ‘tapped’ into the tree, and brings the sap outside so you can collect it. There are a few different ways to collect sap, but for most backyard enthusiasts, sap sacks or buckets are the way to go. We use this 3-part sack system. You wrap the blue bags (#2) around the collars (#3) and slide into the holder (#4). There’s a hole in holder that fits tight to the notch in the spile. Once you get the sap sacks on, be sure to tug down to make sure the bags are nice and tight (I’ve had one bag get full and work its way off—lesson learned after one bag!). Some people have a hose running right from the spile to a closed bucket, but for us these sap sacks work great.

You can find my favorite maple sugaring tools on my Amazon page!

The only ‘modification’ we’ve had to make is because of the squirrels. One year they must have gotten a taste of the sap and wanted more, so they chewed a hole in the bottom corner of a sack! Saddest sap collection morning ever. So we took a page from the squirrel vs. bird feeder wars and put coconut oil and cayenne pepper on the outside bottom ridge of the bag. After that, they never bothered the bags again.

Tips and Tricks

We’ve been tapping our maple tree for nine years now, learning something new each season. Mostly, each sap run is SO DIFFERENT, and that is definitely part of what makes it so fun!

Some things we’ve figured out so far:

• Each tree is different. Our tree gets her juices flowing later than most—a true late bloomer.

• We are wood-fire lovers and will forever boil sap with a wood fire source.

• Wood ash in your sap doesn’t affect the final flavor …much.

• Straining sap through cheesecloth, or a ‘maple sap filter,’
  helps keep the final product clear.

• Our one big old maple tree with two taps in it *almost* yields enough syrup for our family of four for an entire year.

But by far the coolest and trickiest thing about maple sugaring we’ve learned so far is how to condense maple sap without ALL the boiling…

Freeze Maple Sap Before Boiling

Using the “Freeze then Fire” Technique

We collect the sap in sacks and pour that off into 5 gallon buckets, then use our chest freezer (or just leave it outside if it’s dropping below freezing) to freeze overnight or longer. After freezing, we transfer the frozen sap to a ‘draining bucket’ (another 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in the bottom) and let that sit at room temperature until about a third of it has melted. The melted portion has dripped through to the bottom bucket (usually ready by evening if we take it out in the morning)—that’s the precious sugary portion. 

Toss the still frozen ice outside and put the condensed sap back in the freezer for a repeat freeze-thaw cycle, this time keeping the first half of the melted liquid.  The result should be a liquid that has increased from 1–3% sugar to 5–16% sugar. This means a MUCH shorter boil time!

Tip: I use a wine corkscrew to screw into the frozen sap and lift it out of the bucket!

Sweet Success

I love this method because it allows us to hold large amounts of sap all together even if the weather gets too warm to keep it outside. It also helps with sap flow starts and stops and not losing any sap to getting too warm for too long. *You’ll know your sap has turned if it starts to look cloudy. This happens if the sap is held above 40 F for very long. We had to toss two full buckets our first year; it was heartbreaking!

Tap those Trees!

Yes, you can tap other trees besides maple trees.

All maple trees have the potential for syrup, with Sugar Maples coming in with the highest sugar content in aw sap—2.0%. Our Silver Maple is estimated to have about 1.7% sugar content. Other native Midwest trees that can be tapped include box elder and paper birch. There are lots of trees that can be tapped depending on where you are; here’s the LINK to the best list I’ve found so far.

I’ll also throw out there that apartment and condo dwellers can ask their associations if they can tap trees on the land surrounding their spaces. How about a Spring Syrup Social to bring us out of hibernation!

Why So Sappy?

Basically, it is the freeze-thaw cycle that gets the tree’s internal pressure pumping. Specifically, according to Botanics in the Kitchen article,

“Three primary processes can cause xylem sap to flow:  transpiration, root pressure and stem pressure.” Umm, have I mentioned I love nature lately?!

Time to Gear Up for Maple Sugaring

Lots of places have equipment for collecting sap, ranging from your simple taps, brackets, and bags to buckets and tubing galore. My online pick is Tap My Trees. Locally, Fleet Farm and Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply have got you covered. Egg|Plant has great staff that will talk you through any specific questions!

Want to see what tools I use? I rounded up my favorite Maple Sugaring tools on my Amazon page.

We love our maple sap for so many reasons… Pancakes taste better and my Crunchiest Granola Recipe wouldn’t be the same (or as cost effective) without homemade maple syrup. We also bake with it often, and use it to sweeten tea. And there are so many other trace elements and benefits to be found in that bottle of liquid sugar.

Burn Baby Burn

But first you do have to boil the heck out of it! Making syrup from sap means condensing sap in a ratio of about 40:1. That means it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Like I said, lots of boiling! We started with a very rudimentary setup (it looks ridiculous in the photo, but it worked for us. We burn wood that would otherwise sit around rotting, and we put basically no money into the blocks or stand (we use old shelving standards for cross pieces). It is not the most efficient way to do things, but it is the way that makes us happy, and the kids LOVE keeping the fire going!

We always finish off boiling the sap down inside on the stovetop. We go by a consistency and temperature reading from a candy thermometer. You want to aim for 7 degrees above boiling, so we shoot for 219F.

Professionals will tell you it is not syrup unless you can tell the brix (sugar content) is at 66%. But I’m simply too cheap to buy a hydrometer, and my taste buds thoroughly enjoy anything close to 66% sugar content in my maple syrup. I do store mine in the freezer, and it sometimes freezes a little… also a sign of less than perfect sugar content. Again, my taste buds never complain and it stays fresh a full year out.

Sweet Homestead Skill

My advice with maple sugaring is to start small, because once you collect it you have to boil it. Kind of like with all things homesteading, talking with someone who has done this before if you have questions along the way helps you take that first step. And I’m all about taking that first step; whether it’s drilling into your first tree or digging into your first garden. Ask away if you have any questions. Another great online community is the Facebook Group: Minnesota Maple Syrup Makers, just ask to join if you’re interested. This is a fun process, but it does take time to boil all that sap down!

Drill In,
Michelle

The post Syrup in the City: Maple Sugaring DIY appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

I know that sounds dramatic, but saving seeds is a big part of why humans hunkered down into communities and began our long march towards civilization (we’ve still got on our marching boots though, right!?). Variations of those seeds still sustain us today. 

Until a few generations ago, most people planted what they had saved from the last harvest. With a few additions now and then from neighbors or travelers.

But for me and many home gardeners, saving seeds had fallen off our radars. It is making a bit of a comeback and I am encouraging as many people as I can to jump on this bandwagon with me!

To start saving seeds please remember:
Not all seeds are suited for saving!

There’s a simple trick to buying the right seeds so you can save + grow again.

Grow Heirloom varieties, or open pollinated varieties.  Hybrid seeds will not produce the same vegetable that you took the seed from.

Garden Planning, my Favorite!

I love getting those seeds catalogs and will have larger than anticipated bills at a few seed companies once I finalize my orders, but I am proud to be able to skip over a few seed sections because I’ve saved my own seed stock from what I grew last year.

Saving seed is intuitive- if we stop to see the plants we nurture as part of Mother Nature. Everything has a cycle, and the whole reason tomatoes exists is to grow more tomatoes so they make it easy for us. Or as Michael Pollan suggests in a few books, like The Botany of Desire and TED talks, “the plants have us working for them”.

Back to the real world application of all of this-

We’re half way through one of the coldest Januaries on record across the northern US, so most of us are looking forward to those lazy days of summer even more than normal. Oh Summertime; being surrounded by lush green growth, the sounds of birds chirping and bees buzzing, smelling flowers, picking strawberries warmed by the sun… (the weeding, mosquitoes, heat and humidity have conveniently faded into the back of our memories.)

And this is the moment the seed catalogs begin storming in, right when they know we’re at our weakest, most desperate state. Well played seed companies, well played.

The colorful pages of these catalogs offer escape from the winter weather and promise sunny days filled with so much growth it overwhelms our senses, often including our common sense.

A sample of saved seeds from my garden. Picked, dried, stored and ready to plant.

As much as I still revel in these catalogs and all they promise I’m able to skip over a few sections now because I’ve been saving seeds of plants grown in last year’s garden.

There is something so empowering about growing your own food AND saving your own seeds so that you can grow more food again next season- without the help of anyone except Mother Nature.

The simple act of bringing in a seed connects you to a 10,000 year-old heritage of saving the best seeds to better the food we eat. It also makes sense to this frugal mama because you save cold hard cash on your next seed. With both reasons, you get to play with Mother Nature and see what happens.

Luckily for us (and our ancestors), the process is pretty intuitive with most seeds. You pick a seed and save it. But like all the things worth doing, seed saving is worth doing well.

And I’ve found just the local lady to help us ALL learn to do it well!

Pam talking with visitors at the WBL Winter Market.

I’d like to introduce Pam Larson Frink .

Pam started the White Bear Lake Seed Library in April of 2016 and has been gaining steam and seed stock ever since. She also holds a Masters in Environmental Education and a Horticultural degree, so she knows her stuff inside and out. For those of you that were able to attend the White Bear Lake Winter Farmers Market, Pam was there representing the seed library.

The Seed Library at the White Bear Lake Library.

She also thinks a lot like me, “I think saving seeds connects you to the food you eat. It’s so easy to buy produce at the grocery store that you don’t understand that it’s more than just food. It’s soil and insects pollinating the plant and clean water and sun to grow the plant. And if you don’t take care of the soil and the water and the insects you soon will not have food.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Pam often shares her knowledge of seed saving during seed packing events at the WBL Library. Sign up for the email list to get notices of when packing events, classes and seed distribution events are coming up!

I’ll suggest the highly regarded books, Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth and  Seed Sowing And Saving by Carole Turner and The Seed Garden by the former director of the Seed Savers Exchange Lee Buttala

And here’s where the planning comes in!  It is easy to forget when you’re looking at all the glorious varieties in the seed catalogs that…

If you want to start saving seeds, you have to start with save-able seeds.

Look for seeds labeled ‘open pollinated seeds’. This also means NO HYBRIDS, often labeled as F1! These are NOT good options for seed saving. They will not ‘come true’ if the seeds are planted, they will often revert.

Reverting

Johnny’s Potomac Custom Mix (F1) Snapdragon Seed, which I still order even though the colors will never stick, now I know why!

Pam had a perfect story from her early days of gardening that explains this “reverting”… She had grown a beautiful rainbow of colored snapdragon flowers. So she decided to save the seed to enjoy the color burst another season. Pam planted the next Spring, getting sturdy snapdragon plants. But every single flower bloomed pale yellow. This is nature saying nice try The seed of a hybridized plant most often does not “come true” and reverts to one of the gene pools it was hybridized from. In the case of the snapdragon seeds, this meant pale yellow.

Swinging Squash

Things get a bit more complicated with certain groups that cross pollinate; squash are the notorious for cross pollinating with each other. Some open pollinating plants will cross pollinate. Seed growers have tricks like growing inside greenhouses, growing miles apart or bagging seed heads to avoid cross pollination. I might try to bag a favorite zucchini after she’s pollinated this summer!

Before I understood that squash were ‘swingers’  I had already saved and dried a few butternut and acorn squash seeds. So, after talking it over with Pam, I’m going to do my own squash experiment, I might grow something delicious, or something horrible. Either way, I’ll be playing with Mother Nature which is a win for me!

The Seed Stacks

Seed Libraries are places where people can ‘check out’ seeds to grow on their own.  The hope is that you can save some seed and replenish the seed stock the following Fall/Winter. They’re usually housed inside public libraries, but also co-ops and community centers. Checking out the seeds are free, but some ask for  membership info or volunteer commitments.

Our WBL Seed Library asks for membership info, but as Pam quipped, “There are no seed Nazis around”.  Started in April of 2016, the WBL branch is serving the community well, going through over 1,000 seed packets in 2017!  They take both home saved and purchased seed. With a few necessary caveats.

Donating to the seed library? Please keep in mind:
Heirloom or open pollinated varieties only. If they are home saved seeds, a few choice vegetable varieties; Beans, Peas, Lettuce, Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes, plus native flowers.

This year the White Bear Lake See Library is especially looking for some native pollinator plants like Milkweed, Liatrus/Blazing Star and Monarda /Bee Balm– but only the native non-hybridized varieties.

To save seeds of native flowering plants, wait until the flower forms a seed head, knock off seeds (or cut seed head) and bag.

So far, I’ve only ever saved enough seeds to use the following year, and keeping them in paper bags inside paper envelopes has worked well for me. But if you want to save for multiple years you’ll be better off storing in an airtight container- like a mason jar. Just make sure they are completely dry before you seal that jar!

Seeds make tasty treats too!

I want to give a shout out to the people who have worked to secure our right to save and share our own seed, with a Minnesota bill signed in May of 2015. The business of seeds is BIG business, and without the efforts of many groups working together to protect our rights to save and share seeds, thank you!

A few more online resources:

• Seed Savers Exchange– One of the best nationwide sources for heirloom seeds, they have a stunning selection of seeds for sale (but don’t get sucked too far in!)
• They also have their actual “Exchange” program, outlined HERE
• The University of Minnesota, as always has gathered simple, accessible practical information about saving Vegetable seeds grown in MN. 
• If you’d like another online read about seed saving, The International Seed Saving Institute has some easy to read info as well.
• White Bear Lake area residents, be sure to check out the WBL Seed Library’s Blog site and sign up for their emails, its a great way to connect with other local gardeners!

Like all things gardening, saving seeds is less daunting and way more fun when you get to talk to someone else who either knows what they’re doing, or is making the same mistakes as you are

I hope you can join one of the many local  Seed Library ‘seed packing events’, this is such a great way to find your local garden family!

A special thanks to Pam for sharing her deep plant knowledge and vision to help the community and creating our local Seed Library, thousands of plants and pollinators are thankful!

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

Will you try to save any seeds this year? Which ones? I’m determined to save my tomato and peppers this year!

Can’t wait to Dig into the Dirt again with all this talk of seeds!

Michelle

The post Seed Saving Starts Now! appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

For our family that means comfort food cravings are in high gear; and that means soup. At least half our dinners are bowls of hearty, steaming soups. Which also means most of my lunches are soups too.  I know, I’m one lucky girl

And the one thing all my soups have in common is a LOT of veggies.

The only other meals that come close to the daring amounts of vegetables in my soups are stir fry or salad. And soups are simply more satisfying when the snow is deep and the nights are long.

Even in Winter  I try to start with as many local ingredients as possible- the surest way to do this is by going to one of the many Winter Farmers Markets popping up- or grow surplus in teh Summer garden to freeze or can for Winter use.

*Kid Tip*
The way I sell even the most vegified soup to my kids?? Pairing it with homemade biscuits/breads/grains + cheese. They will slurp every last drop to get another toasted cheesy anything!

My quitclaim; I am pathetic at sticking to recipes. This is very possibly why I love making soup so much. It’s like I get to play chemist with flavor layers. In my kitchen, a soup is never really ‘done’. I often add a few extra ingredients to a soup while heating it up for leftovers the next day. Ohh, I see you there garbanzos, leftover broccoli or peas.

I wish I’d started my cooking education with soups… they are massively forgiving and as simple or complex as you make them. You can feel in control of the outcome and learn so much about flavors as they mix and mingle in that bog old pot.

In that vein of brewing up something good, I’m going to state loud and clear the following are RECIPE OUTLINES ONLY. Just like my vegetable garden plans (that I am knee deep in right about now) you might veer off course while you’re putting it together, but end up exactly where you were supposed to be when you dig in. Trust your soup gut. (that should be a thing)

Soup Starters…

Bloom your Soup
I’m going to share a little soup starting MAGIC: Sauté the onion/garlic/leek/scallion/scapes in plenty of fat (oil/butter/bacon fat etc.) then add dry herbs + spices to let them ‘bloom’ (I love that term for letting the spices come to their full potential) which deepens their flavors fast. Then add the other veggies, for a quick sizzle and spin with the oil and spices- then add your tomatoes and other liquids.  This is typically an Indian cooking technique (ohh curry, how I love you) that truly adds oomph to any dish you’re making.

But we’re making soup… so onto a common question:
Stock vs Broth
Are they the same thing?
The easy answer; kind of…

Broth has been made with meat, Stock with bones. Also, Broth is usually seasoned, salted etc more. If you’re buying from a store, I’d recommend stock because you can play with seasoning and sodium. But if you make your own you don’t have to play by the rules- just go for the most delicious liquid you can get from simmering whatever meat and veg scraps (like carrot, onion, celery) you have and call it whatever you’d like. Craving more stock/broth info? the Kitchn has all the info and a good ‘how to’ HERE.

Let’s start with the veggy best, a good old fashioned everything but the kitchen sink vegetable soup. This recipe uses so many garden veggies that are lingering in the deep freeze in mass quantities- yes I’m looking at you chopped and/or shredded zucchini. Frozen diced bell peppers, all manner of beans, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet corn, tomatoes and edamame are other usual suspects. Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and even rutabaga and parsnip (in small amounts) are all fabulous additions.

The trick to an over the top veggie soup is to get a variety of textures and sizes all done at about the same time, so remember that you can add in veggies at different times to keep them from mushing out on you, hence the handy dandy cheat sheet over there. Or you can just think of how long you’d cook each veggie to serve as a side dish and gauge by that instead.

Of course you’ll need a broth to add another layer of flavor, your choice-  broth or stock.

Very Veggie

I had some leftover Chicken that made it into this batch too!

Ingredients:
1-2 onions or leeks (white only for soups) diced
2-3 cloves garlic crushed
herbs- sage, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf (or whatever)
2 ribs celery, chopped
½ -1 bell pepper, chopped
6-8 C veggies (see list above)
1-2 tsp salt (start with 1 and taste)

Directions:
Saute onions and garlic, and then use the “Bloom” method from above with your choice of dried herbs/spices. Sizzle any veggies that won’t get too overdone, add your broth/stock and tomatoes, potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, then add remaining veggies (green beans broccoli etc) and simmer for 5- 10 minutes.

And, if you want to bulk up this soup even more, add in some barley, quinoa, brown rice or even noodles. Yummy in my tummy. I’ve gotten into making these GF Corn Muffins from Gluten Free on a Shoestring with my veggie soups, probably because they use frozen (or fresh) corn kernels and bake up moist and fluffy (I’ve substituted plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream and they still worked great!)

I don’t go there often, but I do love the Olive Garden for their Zuppa Toscana and salad combo. Back at home, I make mine with WAY more veggies, and WAY less cream- and I’m happy to report that making it healthier does not make it any less fabulous. Also, a great way to use up lots of that frozen kale that’s hiding in the back of your freezer.

I’ve also found my favorite pork sausage to use in this recipe, from Gilbertson’s Farm.  They’re over in Wisconsin- hormone and antibiotic  free. Bam that’s good!

Vegified Toscana

Ingredients:
16 oz pork sausage,
1 onion diced 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 medium potatoes sliced thin
½-1 bell pepper chopped
1 C white beans (I had navy) par boiled/cooked
½ -1 zuchini chopped
1-2 C chopped tomatoes
1 big bunch of kale
24 oz stock or broth
1 C milk
Cream to drizzle into bowls
Parmesean to garnish
Salt + white pepper/red pepper flakes

Directions:
In a large pot sauté onion and sausage, adding minced or crushed garlic towards the end.
Remove and set aside onion and sausage draining most of the fat (I totally save this).
Add stock and boil potatoes until tender; 5-10 minutes. Add in remaining veggies and beans (use whatever veggies you have, still fabulous without all of them too) simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add in sausage/onion mix and kale- simmer for 5+ minutes. Add milk/cream as you want
I don’t need to add many spices to this one; a little salt + white pepper or red pepper flakes usually does it, to taste after cooking.

Crusty whole grain loaf and muenster please.

The Christmas Ham that made the soup. All homegrown veggies for our intimate meal.

This next soup is my family’s favorite way to make use of that Christmas ham bone. Simmer that sucker for a day and enjoy the hearty flavors. This can be a salty soup, depending on the saltiness of the ham so be sure to taste before adding any salt. This is a version of my Mother in Law’s family recipe- Hi Claudia! I’ve made this with both brown and red lentils. Did you know the red lentils are really brown lentils that they’ve removed the hull. That’s why red lentils tend to get mushy, they don’t have any skin to hold them together! You can feel free to use other beans and/or peas- just make sure to simmer them long enough to be past al dente.

Ham & Lentil:

Ingredients:
Ham Bone with some ham still on it
1 Diced Onion
3-4 Garlic cloves, sliced
2 Cups Dry Lentils, rinsed (brown or red)
2 Cups shredded zuchinni (frozen or fresh)
½ to 1 diced green pepper (frozen works too)
4-5 celery ribs sliced
1 Tbsp Mustard- (prepared yellow or dry mustard + vinegar- 1 Tbsp each)

Directions:
If there’s any good white fat on the ham, save a bit to sauté the onions and garlic later.

In a large stock pot, cover with water and simmer that ham bone as long as you can; MANY hours, like most of a day. Just give yourself time to let the meat left on it cool off before trying to pull off the bone (ask me how I know). I run the broth through a fine sieve to catch the unappealing bits. With the juice in a bowl and the ham on a plate waiting for me to pick it clean, I get the onions and garlic going.  Then the celery and green peppers for a quick sizzle, then I add in the rinsed lentils (it might just be me but I think frying these guys first adds a bit more depth) then add back in the broth and mustard.

This is killer with a rustic multi grain and swiss cheese!

And, because soups are my life right now, here are links to some of my other favorites:

Kowalski’s Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Oh, Kowalski’s White Bear Lake Market, you are so dangerously close to me that I have foregone making my own soups from time to time… and their Turkey Wild Rice is one of my family’s favorites. But of course I vegify it when I make my own I add at least quadruple the celery and carrots (and I chop the carrots, b/c shredded always get too mushy for me) and often throw in some frozen shredded zucchini, and use either all whole milk or some 2% milk and some cream or half and half.

Why yes, those are roasted beets next to squash soup- they went surprisingly well with the meal!

Sublime Squash Soup

The folks over at Serious Eats know their way around a soup bowl. Roasting the squash and carrots makes this so much more flavorful (I’ve roasted it in quarters before to avoid all that peeling and it was still amazing) – I’ve also roasted cauliflower along with the squash and carrots and tossed it into the mix (only about ¼ of the amount of squash) which lightened up the color but was pretty undetectable in taste. The spiced cream make it feel so fancy!

Roasted Acorn Perfection!

On my list to make by the weekend, squash and pear puree, and roasted beet and garlic soup.

I hope you try a new soup or two, or maybe try a twist on one of your favorites! If you find a new soup favorite, pass it along… I love trying new soups!

Can’t wait to Dig In (but with spoons not forks) to my next hearty bowl of soup.

Michelle

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