Berries

I found the nicest people to work with for berries. And I am so excited to develop a relationship with them and hopefully get a good deal on berries from here on out.

They have marion blackberries (a smaller seeded blackberry), blueberries, red raspberries, strawberries, loganberries and more.

I've got to get the order placed soon (tomorrow), so I just thought I'd update you with what I've been up to these days.

If you'd like to be added to my email list for updates when we get fresh fruits and veggies in, please let me know and I'll add you. It is quite the adventure and we are having fun doing it.

Amazing Cherry Pie Filling (with Recipe)

Okay, so I've been asked for the recipe enough, I need to just print it here on my blog - and as promised yesterday that I would publish it today... here it is:

Cherry Pie Filling
yields about 7 quarts of pie filling

Ingredients:
6 quarts pitted cherries (I use sour pie cherries)
7 cups sugar
1-3/4 to 2 cups clear jel-A
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
9-1/2 cups cold water
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
1/2 cup lemon juice (bottled concentrate, not fresh)

Combine sugar, clear jel and cinnamon in a LARGE pan. Add water, almond extract, and food coloring. Heat on medium until it boils and thickens. Add lemon juice. Boil 1 minute. Fold in cherries. Fill clean bottles to 1/2 inch from the top. Process in a water bath canner for 40 minutes at 3001-6000 ft altitude. (For other altitudes, feel free to contact me for the variations.)

Remove and Let cool so seal will set.

Enjoy.

p.s. I have really only been able to find clear-jel A in only a very few places. One place is out of state, the other place has been my local health food store. Try that, if you don't know where else to look.

Cherries are in Season

I received a question a few days ago about what to do with cherries. Well, here are some ideas - since cherries are now in season in Idaho.

First suggestion is a post I did a while ago - great pictures and talk about cherries: homemade-american-cherry-pie-filling

I have friends that love to dry (dehydrate) cherries. It is very easy to do - just pit them and "break their backs" by turning the flesh out so they dry better. Place them on a tray and in the dehydrator for a few hours until dry.

Next suggestion would be just canning cherries - like rich flavorful Bing cherries. You want to make sure you can the flavorful ones - not just the early cherries that don't have much flavor to them. So, how do you bottle cherries? you ask.

Well, here are some guidelines for easily canning sweet or pie cherries:

Wash cherries. Remove pits, if desired.

(My favorite method for cherries:) Raw Pack - Pack cherries. Shake jar to obtain full pack. Cover cherries with a boiling syrup (I use a light syrup - using about 9 cups water and 2-1/4 cups sugar. Boil until clear.)

Then you water bath process them (at 3001-6000 feet) for 35 minutes. If you live at a different altitude, feel free to contact me for the changes in information.

I use (sour) pie cherries for cherry pie filling. They usually come on later in the fall. I'll post the recipe tomorrow, so I don't overwhelm you with too many options and recipes at one time in the same post. =)

Farmer's Market

The last week or so, our life is revolving around getting ready for the Rexburg Farmer's Market. Our first market will be tomorrow (Friday, June 26, 2009) from 4-8 pm in the Rexburg Tabernacle parking lot (between the Tabernacle and Taco Bell).

They are planning to have a very family oriented evening with a firetruck to explore (barring there are no fires), old tractors, live music, and other fun things, plus all the vendors to explore at the market. Sounds like it will be a fun time.


Our booth will be full of fresh fruits and veggies (especially as the season progresses - corn will be in August), we will also have hard white wheat available, spelt (as long as supplies last), flaxseed, and of course we will feature our Geneva Springs handcreams.

Other booths I hope to visit will be the chocolate truffle booth, homemade granola booth... there will also be crafters for cards, baby items, etc.

So? Are you coming? If you do, make sure you say hi to us at our booth. We are looking forward it.

Hope to see you there. (Assuming you live in Idaho.) =)

Flaxseed = 1 Egg

You know how you use eggs in a lot of recipes? Do you have powdered eggs in your food storage for when you happen to run out? Or if the egg industry totally tanks and no eggs are to be found?

What will you do?

I just found a great substitution for eggs! Flaxseed. It works great if you are trying to prepare more vegan meals, or really you just used the last egg for something else. Flaxseed adds a little bit of a nutty taste, but it works great for substituting eggs in muffins, waffles, cakes, breads, cookies, and the like.

Another bonus? Whole flaxseed will last practically forever in your food storage, so you can always have some on hand for when you need it. Just grind it before you use it so your body will be able to absorb the maximum nutrition from the flaxseed.

Here is what you do:

Grind 1 Tablespoon (golden) flaxseed in a small coffee grinder
Add to 3 Tablespoons water (in a small bowl)
Whisk together.

Ta da ... you have a great substitution for 1 egg by following this quick and easy recipe.

Try it... you might like your recipes better with this substitution!

p.s. Flaxseed can also substitute oil in some recipes, too. More on that later.

Steam Canner - Not Entirely Safe

So, after I created and went live with my canning page and products, I started hearing rumors that these steam canners are not recognized as safe in most states.

Utah used to recognize them as safe and I think they were the only ones, but now I understand they have restated their position.

These steam canners are supposed to replace water bath canners for processing acid foods.

Some of the benefits of steam canners are promoted to be:
less time to pre-heat
less water used
cannot boil over
saves energy
less time to return to a boil after jars are placed on the rack


I've been discussing the issue with the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System. Here is their position:

"There are some major problems with the use of steam canners for canning acid foods:

* Cold Spots: may occur due to pockets of air trapped between jars or under the dome. The temperature in these cold spots can be below 212 degrees F.

* Release of steam may occur if heat is maintained under the canner at too high a temperature. The increased pressure may build to a level high enough to life the lid off, allowing much of the steam to escape and cool air to enter reducing the termperature.

* Increased jar breakage may occur since jars are not separated bya rack in the canner.

* Underprocessing may occur because home canners may not be able to differentiate between steam and an air-steam mixture. Water begins to give off a vapro, which can be mistaken for steam, at tempreratures as low as 170 degrees F.

* Uneven heating may occur since jars are not separated by a rack in teh canner. Jars may be jammed next to each other so the steam cannot equally penetrate the jars from each side.

* Steam burns may occur since it is difficult to remove the dome cover safely.

The USDA Center for Excellence in Food Preservation has conducted research on steam canners. They found the maximum temperature of the product being canned was significantly lower in products canned in steam canners than in the same food canned in a boiling water bath. The lower termperature resulted in less killing power of bacteria, underprocessing and considerable risk of ecomonic spoilage. The USDA and University of Idaho do not recommend the use of steam canners for hom canning of acid food."

(And low acid foods should be pressure cooked/canned.)

So, even though it is a great concept, it seem to have some flaws. If you are thinking of purchasing a steam canner, you might reconsider for the safety of your food and most importantly, your family.

I am pulling the steam canner page from my site. I'll start looking for someone who can wholesale me a quality water bath canner.

Until next time...
Jamie

Information is power.

Passionate about farming

So, my husband came upon a new site the other day. He was really excited to read the articles it had and the information seemed accurate and informative. It is all about farmers and what really takes place with us.

If you are not a farmer, I still recommend you click on the link and check out this site http://www.thehandthatfeedsus.org/ - I especially love the farm policy fact of the day.

Here are a few for you that you may or may not know:

“Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.” - William Jennings Bryan

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." - President John F. Kennedy

Did you know those facts? They are true.

Do you want to know why Wheaties prices (General Mills cereals in general) are going up?Check out the website and this article: http://www.thehandthatfeedsus.org/farm2fork_its_grrrreat.cfm
Did you know that farmers are in the same boat as many other people? Yeah, sure, you may have heard that wheat was up to $12 a bushel last year, but now we are somewhere between $4 and $6 - depending on what type of wheat we are selling. And we weren't making tons of money last year (if we sold our wheat) because all of the input costs (like fuel to drive tractors and trucks, fertilizers, and payroll expenses) are just skyrocketing along with all the other prices of everything. At best, we might break even and hope to stay in business.

Did you know that something like 70% (I couldn't find the article again) of the government farm bill went towards the food stamps program!?!? I know farming and food are connected, but seriously, how are food stamps helping agriculture and farmers? Money should go where it really helps - like to control the deficit.

Okay, I'm done ranting and raving for a moment. So, support farmers by learning more about them (us) on this site: http://www.thehandthatfeedsus.org/ and then tell your friends and educate them.

After you check out the website, let me know what you think about it. I would love your feedback.

One more time: http://www.thehandthatfeedsus.org/

Talk to you soon...