Elderberry

The last lecture I attended was on Elderberry: Growing, Harvesting, Using. The presenter was John Moody. He also is a part of the Roque Food Conference. Not unlike the rest, this was chocked full of information and the added fact that he is a very funny person. 

We learned the best way to grow elderberries; one of the easiest besides purchasing from a nursery is planting cuttings. You don't need any root tone from a cutting. You only have to wait two years to harvest the fruit. You should harvest the flowers for the first two years to allow for root growth and establishment. Something I was not aware of they is a water-loving plant. And they also have shallow roots that help fight against erosion. All things I did not know about.

If you read my last post, you already know how everything can kill you in the correct amounts. Some are much less than others. Elderberry is on the less can kill your spectrum. The berries are highly poisonous and must never be eaten raw. They can only be eaten after they have been cooked, fermented, or dried. Once they are prepared properly, you can make some wonderful syrups, cordials, and wines with them.

Elderberry is a wonderful immune buster and is extremely helpful in the fight against viruses. It helps greatly in cold and flu season. If you don't have access to fresh elderberry or dried. You can find syrup in health food stores and most groceries and drugstores as well. It is a wonderful thing to have, and if you have bushes, you can pick the blooms to make elderberry flower teas and tinctures. The flowers are not poisonous.

We have collected a plethora of information from the classes and lectures. There is still more to come; we did attend one more event on Saturday. More on that later, plus some other fun stuff. Till then.

Herbs and preparations for viruses

Saturday was an easier day to get into the conference. We had no trouble and got in early, which gave us a chance to visit with vendors. More on that later. 

My first lecture of the day was presented by The Southern Herbalist, Darryl Patton. He talked about all kinds of herbs to use with different kinds of viruses. He even gave us a formula for a viral syrup. The man has such a wealth of knowledge in the herbalist field. It was amazing how much information we got from him in a short amount of time.

One of the things he discussed was how some of the most helpful herbs are actually poisonous. Before you get all stir crazy, you need to understand something. Everything we ingest, consume, or take into our bodies is poisonous in the correct amounts. Understand most of that would take great quantities to kill us. Or a large concentration of one thing or the other. Yet, still possible.

He was actually talking about Pokeweed, which is poisonous. The leaves are eatable if boiled. You would want to use the fresh young leaves for that. The seeds in the berries are also poisonous. The poison is only released when the seeds are broken. This means you can take a whole berry like a pill without ill effects. Sassafras is another one, as is comfrey. The problem is that all of these have been used for years without any problems. 

I am not telling you to use any of them, nor was he. I am not a doctor, and I'm not giving you health advice. I am just relating what these herbs are and how in the past, they have been used. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful lecture, and I hope he does more in the future.

How to keep your bees alive.....

 

The final lecture of Friday was on bee keeping through the winter. The presenter was Kaylee Richardson She is of course a bee keeper specializing in raising bees more than honey production. She actually has a You Tube Channel were you can see all of her adventures. The cool thing is she sells her bees that she raises. She does have a website, plus she is on Facebook, Twitter and she has a podcast as well. She keeps you informed and is willing to help you if you need.

We learned some fun tricks to help help keep the moisture out of the hive in winter. And in reality we learned how to se the hives through the entire year. She does raise bees in that having hives for honey is a little different not much.

I also learned of a new (I really don't know how new) hive that is horizontal. I have never heard of this before. The same concept of a vertical hive the difference being there are no supers. There is just one box of I believe 20 to 24 cell frames. It's defiantly an interesting concept and from what I gather it does work. Something to check into. 

The other hive that I actually didn't hear anything about is the one you can harvest the honey directly from the hive. I had though that one was interesting. I think the traditional one will be the start at the farm. That will be coming soon enough.

The lectures I have been talking about are only a quarter of what was offered. Ed was attending different lectures, plus the other four or so being offered at the same time. You really needed to pick and choice what you wanted to learn.

Next time I will be talking about Saturday lectures. Just as informative as Fridays. Till next time.

Old time ways to preserve your harvest

Next on the lecture agenda was to learn more about preserving. The presenter was Ann Accetta-Scott. Her site is A Farm Girl in the making. We covered fermenting. I already knew a lot about that topic. In reality, we covered Root Cellars, Cold Cellars, Spring houses, Smoking, Drying, Curing. You may not know this, but canning is a relatively new way to preserve food. Since these were old ways that never came up in the discussion.

Ann kept asking questions if anyone knew what this was? Or if anyone did this? Things like that and always came over to my side of the audience. We just tended to know more about the subject. 

There was one thing I never heard of, Water Glass Eggs. These are a way to preserve your fresh laid eggs for winter with hydrated lime and water. They, of course, must be covered entirely, newly laid, and totally clean so the bloom isn't disturbed. I currently don't have any chickens. We are going to be bringing them back. I will have to try this to have eggs over the winter.

Another fun and informative lecture. We had a great experience with the day. There is one more lecture for Friday, and we'll talk about that one next time.

Greenhouses

The Second lecture of Friday was The Homestead greenhouse-from pop up to High tunnel. The presenter was Paul Hutcheson from Windmill Heights Garden Center. It was a wonderful lecture with a wealth of information on starting your seed in the spring to extending you growing season.

I had thought I new the difference between greenhouse, high tunnel, cold frame and low tunnel. Actually I thought they are the the same with some slight differences and what was but in them. A greenhouse is pretty easy. What I didn't know is that for it to be a green house it needs to be heated.

A high tunnel also known as a hoop house is not a greenhouse. First you actually plant in the ground of a high tunnel. Plus there is no heat, if you add heat then it will become a green house. High tunnels are used to jump start the growing season and extend the season. That part I did know. I had always considered in a green house.

The next one is a cold frame. I actually grew up with cold frames and thought they low to the ground green houses. You could plant in the or put your seedling in them. Well, that isn't true, totally anyway. You use cold frames to harden off your plants before you plant them out in the garden. Interesting enough I was going to make some cold frames to start some plants next year. I will have to rethink that.

The final thing was the low tunnel. I think we all know what these are. Truly they wouldn't be a green house so much anyway. Low tunnels are covered with a frost cloth. it also help to keep bugs out and of your plants. It's that white cloth, it also helps shade your plant which would be a help with plants that you don't want to rocket into seed. You also see them in use when the threat of frost in the spring is looming. They use it to keep the warmth in the tunnel and around the plants.

Another wonderful lecture, don't worry there are several more coming. Till then.....

Some more on fermenting and the first lecture of the conference.

 I do realize I did show any pics of what I made in class. The reason is I wanted to show you everything. I didn't have enough time to make everything yesterday. I did today minus one thing that is going to have to wait until later today or tomorrow. I have made the original and am making my version of it as well. I have a crazy idea and want to try it.

The very first thing we made was the honey garlic or garlic honey. The jar on the far right is what we made in class and will get darker with age. The next one with the white lid is the honey ginger I made with fresh young ginger I got at the conference. Enjoyable I made that one Sunday when we got home. There is so much water in the ginger that the honey thinned out very quickly. It will be consistent when it is done, or it may come out a bit thinner. We will see.

The next jar is the mixture of ginger, garlic, turmeric, and the last is just the Tumeric. The sold-looking stuff on the bottom of the last jar is actually honey. I had to liquefy it again since it crystalized. I don't really know who that one or the mix will turn out they both have the crystalized honey in. 

I would think it is too thin out and un crystalizes. I really don't know. We will have to wait and see. All the solids will fall into the honey over time. With honey, you will be able to keep them indefinitely. Honey never spoils.

The next ones we did were the sauerkraut and carrots. 

As I had mentioned yesterday, the kraut is just

salted veggies that have been massaged to release the juice from within. Once that happens, which can take a little bit of time. You can then fill your jars and pack them tight. With any ferments, you don't want air hitting them. Otherwise, it will spoil. We were given special weights and tops to keep everything under the juice and allow the gasses to escape from the jar, so nothing explodes.

The carrots are done with brine. Again, you need to pack the jar tight with carrots. Interesting, you will never fill that jar with a pint of brine. There isn't enough room with the carrots. Make half a pint of brine, and you should have some leftover. 

After the weight is put on, you will need to add more juice or brine if the weight isn't covered. And you have to make sure that the weight is low enough not to interfere with the top. The best rule of thumb is to pack no higher than the next of the jar. That way you should have enough room for the weight. 

Both of these need to ferment a week, and then you can start to taste them. You can also use sight as well. The kraut the brine hasn't even begun to cloud up yet. But the color from the red cabbage is being released. In either case, you need to check it and let it go until you like the results. Once you do, then you need to place it in the frig or other cool place. You can also remove the nipple top.

The last thing we made was the ketchup. That was a bit unexpected and a lot of fun. After adding all your ingredients, you shake it to mix. Then taste to see if you want more of something or another. Once you like it, leave it to ferment for three days and then put it in the frig.

Something we talked about and didn't make was fermented tomato sauce. I made some of that today from the tomatoes I have in the garden. You can add your veggies and tomatoes to a chopper or food processer to chop them to the size you would like. You add your salt, and just like the ketchup, it needs to ferment for three days. Then you can place that if the frig or cool place till you use it.

Something I should mention whenever you use regular lids and not the nipple or fermenting lids, you need to burp the jars. If not, they can explode, and what a mess that will make. You just open the jar once morning and night to let the gasses out. Close it up and let it continue fermenting.

The sauce which is in the quart will ferment for three days. To use it instead of heating it up in the microwac=ve or on the stove. Drain your pasta and add it to that, letting the pasta warm the sauce for you. That way, you won't kill any of the beneficial bacteria.

That was all the things we made in class. We did talk about kombucha, which is a fermented tea. Instead

of making any there, we took some plain kombucha home to make a SCOBY ourselves. I wasn't going to and then decided after learning how to do the second ferment to give it a try again. I made the kick starter tea, and all I had to do was wait for the SCOBY to form. This can take up to two weeks. We must have some patients people.

The final thing we discussed and also didn't make was the apple brandy. In these parts, we call it applejack. It is made the same way. It's really just sugar, raisins, apples that are layered. that's it, nothing else

I am planning on making my version of applejack as well. I'm not going to reveal it just yet. I want to see if it work out first. It should; one never knows. Once your jar is filled, it needs to be left alone and forgotten about for almost a year. Then you can remove the fruit and strain out the liquid. It is a fruit ferment which means there is a low amount of alcohol in it. No driving and no kids. 

I told you we learned a lot, and let us take a few moments to talk about the first lecture on Friday.

Due to unexpected numbers of people attending this year's conference. The first day was challenging to get into. I actually could only stumble into the lecture at the tail end for the question and answer. That doesn't mean I didn't get something out of it.

Janet Garman was the presenter who was talking about who to care for your sheep and harvest wool. I was upset that I missed it. I was able to see her later in the day and pick up her book on natural dyeing. Plus, I got to talk with her; she is a beautiful person that I am glad to meet.

She, of course, has a website, Facebook, and the lot. If you are interested in learning more about her, I would check out her website.

That is enough for today. I wish I had more of the first lecture. That wasn't possible till next time.

The Basics of Homestead Fermenting, by Off the Grid with Doug and Stacy

 The first day of the conference really was a setup day for vendors. You had the opportunity to sign up for a class from carpentry to beekeeping, butchering, cheese making, fermenting, marketing, and more. Ed chose to do the marketing class, and I did the Fermenting course. Doug and Stacy are beautiful people. They are more than happy to help you in your quest to be self-sustainable. 

Doug and Stacy have a very famous Youtube page. Anyone out there that is into videos for homesteading may have come across them. If you haven't, I suggest you do. There are lots and lots of videos out there they have done that can help you out.

They also have a website that has their videos on, plus Stacey has created a cookbook, plus they are taking preorders for her fermenting book that will be out later this year. I do have a copy of the cookbook, which has some beautiful things. One of which is fermented ketchup that we made during the class. Is it every good? It only takes three days to ferment, and after it is done, you store it in the frig. Personally, I think if it's no better than in flavor than the commercial varieties, it is right up there. It's excellent.

The class started with history. We don't realize how far back humanity has been doing and creating these ways to preserve food. Some of them, if not all, have been found out by accident, and we have learned that if we salt cabbage and let it rest for some time, it will last us through winter and keep us feeling good. We talked about veggie ferments, dairy, fruit, and even kombucha. The class was very diverse in information, and we, of course, got to make several ferments to bring home.

There are two significant ways to ferment with salt. Either simply salting the vegetables as in making sauerkraut or using a brine. We actually did both. The first was sauerkraut; Stacy's is slightly different from what I have made in the past. Ed really doesn't like sauerkraut. He has only ever had it made from just cabbage. The one we made had several ingredients in including caraway seed and other veggies. She had brought some along for us all to try. It's delicious, personally, I like just cabbage sauerkraut, the one we made was fantastic. 

The next thing we made was fermented carrot sticks. Those are done with brine and them too. You can add some spices and herbs actually; you could add pickling spice just like you do with pickles. She had them. We didn't make any but dilly beans. You can use the brining method to pickle any kind of veggie, and the best time is known in the fall to preserve the last bit of harvest from the garden.

The first ferment we made for the day was honeyed garlic. I have read and heard of it before; I was always leary of trying it. My mind was thinking sweet garlic. That isn't actually true; we got to have some samples on that as well. After it has been fermented, which does take months, you can eat the garlic and use the honey. You know the garlic is garlic, it's not overly sweet, and it's not excessively strong. The honey, to me, didn't have a strong garlic taste either. It is very unique and highly healthy. You can do this with other things as well, such as ginger, turmeric, even elderberries. You can also do a combination of several. I am actually going to be making not only ginger and turmeric honey. I am going to make a combination of ginger, turmeric, and garlic. To see how I we like them.

The last one of the day was kombucha. Ed hates it; when we first met, I was making it. He despises it back then. It was just a plan. I didn't know anything about a second ferment which is when you had your flavor. I wasn't going to take any kombucha home to make. Then I decided I will and do a second ferment to flavor it. 

I had an amazing first day of the conference. Learned so much and, in this case, got to bring home some goodies. More tomorrow.