Stop Thief!

The corn a day after the first raid. Garden hoses sometimes deter pests like deer and crows.

A few days ago, I noticed that six stalks of corn had been ripped out and about seven cobs eaten. The silk, stalks and leaves were scattered nearby, so the culprit stayed to enjoy its meal. There were no footprints anywhere. At first, I suspected an aerial attack by crows. I heard a murder of them early that morning. I cleaned up the damaged plants and had to pull another half a dozen out that had been trampled.

The cobs would have been ready for harvesting next week. So close. Then, I laid pieces of garden hose on the ground. If crows were the culprits, they may mistake the hoses for snakes.  The garden hose pieces seem to deter deer and some claim they also deter crows.

The carnage from the first attack.

The next evening, I headed to the garden to some much needed watering and noticed that some of the stalks were swaying. There was no wind at all. Strange. I approached slowly and quietly with the hose in hand. Within five feet of the corn beds I saw the culprit – an adult raccoon munching away on a cob. It was enjoying that sweet corn and managed to trample countless others that haven’t matured yet.

At first, it just looked at me, but after I yelled at it, the ‘coon bolted. I found how it got into the fenced garden and tried to fix the security breach. I’ve been told that cayenne pepper is a deterrent for many pests, so I sprinkled about four cups of it on the stalks, cobs and ground around the corn beds. Cayenne pepper sprinkled on and around one of the composters last year eventually deterred a young bear from ripping the composter apart.

Would cayenne save the corn from a determined raccoon?

Nope. This morning the sight was shocking. Eleven stalks ripped out, 15 cobs eaten, 10 stalks damaged. One raccoon did all of this? Unbelievable. I cleaned up the mess; not a fun task given the intense humidity and swarms of mosquitoes. I knew that a garden raider was inevitable, but nonetheless, I was not impressed. Next week, all of that corn would have been ready for picking – by humans!  So close.

Raccoons love corn. I don't love raccoons.

After the second raid, about half of the corn are still standing.

I sprinkled the remaining corn stalks and cobs with baby powder, which some claim deters raccoons. A few hours later, it started to rain and a massive storm system is on the way. So much for testing the baby powder theory.

Some say coyote urine sprayed around the plants is a deterrent, although I don't know if or where that stuff can be bought. Maybe bone meal sprinkled at the base of the stalks? At this point, I'm going to try anything to stop the raccoon from returning. The squash will be ready for picking in a couple of weeks. I have a sinking feeling that this is the beginning of a battle.

Maybe the storm will keep the raccoon home tonight, I hope. In the meantime, hubby is working on a plan to improve the fence and we are bracing for the storm which could bring up to three inches of rain in a few hours. It might be an interesting evening.

Today’s harvest, Blue Birds and monster zucchini

Yikes! It's so hot the thermometer gave up.

Wow - another scorcher today. It’s mid-day and the thermometer has risen past 130F (50C). The humidity isn’t too bad and the house is surprisingly cool. Luckily, I watered the gardens and greenhouse at 6:30 am, then spent another hour harvesting today’s bounty and doing some light weeding. Even with the heavy morning dew, the plants get pretty thirsty dealing with this heat.

Cool morning was perfect for picking.

The birds must have known the heat was coming because they were busy collecting insects and berries early this morning - robins, blue jays, sparrows, finches, woodpeckers, flycatchers, chickadees, nuthatches and blackbirds.

Blue birds are feasting on pesky grasshoppers.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been seeing flocks of Blue Birds around the yard. I had no idea what they were until I found them in my bird book. They’re feasting on grasshoppers on the yard and garden. They, along with a lot of other species of birds, are doing a great job cutting down on the insect problem. I sipped my coffee under the arbor watching the birds. There's never a dull moment around here.

By 10 am it was time to head inside to close all windows and blinds, and get the fans going. After washing this morning’s garden bounty, I decided to whip up some chocolate zucchini bread.

More zucc.

Nearly 15 inches long!

Zucchini and chocolate? I know it sounds weird, but try it. The zucchini makes the bread incredibly moist. Or, omit the coco powder and add some lemon zest. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable; I use it in a lot of recipes like sauces, stews, breads, desserts and pasta dishes.

Chocolate zucchini bread is easy to make and delicious.

Chocolate zucchini bread recipe

Chocolate zucchini bread

Zucchini makes baked goods moist.

This recipe makes two loaves.

3 eggs beaten

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla

3 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

3 tsp cinnamon

½ cup nuts (optional)

½ dates or raisins (optional)

In a large bowl, mix ingredients in order given above. Divide batter evenly into two greased pans and bake at 350F for one hour.

Tip: Grate extra zucchini and put 2 cups in individual freezer bags so you'll have some on hand to make recipes like this during the winter months.

Look who came by for breakfast

Doe getting breakfast.

There are many white tailed deer in our area, but sometimes we don't see any for weeks. I was talking with my husband the other day, wondering why we haven't seen deer very often this month. The bugs? The heat? Predators? We did see a doe and her fawn running on the front yard last week.

White tailed deer love crab apples.

Just after 7 am today, a lone doe came by to snack on some crab apples about 20 feet from the house. She plucked them from branches and the ground. What a pretty girl. The pictures are a bit grainy because of fog.

Are you looking at me?

I'm off to check out the garden. Someone's been munching on corn. Must investigate.

Garlic dill pickles - preserving

Pickling cucumbers from the greenhouse

The house finally cooled off so it’s time to make garlic dill pickles.  I’ve only been making preserves for a few years, but one thing I’ve learned thus far is that being organized is a key part of the process. In late summer, I keep my canning equipment near the kitchen because it never fails - the forecast says sunny and hot, but it turns out to be rainy and cool, which is great  for making some preserves. I always make sure that the pantry is well stocked with pickling salt, whole garlic cloves, vinegar, pickling spices, dried herbs, sugar and pectin (powder and liquid). There’s nothing more frustrating than having a perfect day to make preserves and at least one key ingredient is missing from the pantry. There’s no grocery store in my neighborhood. If I don’t have it, whatever I want to make has to wait until the next trip to town. Let's make pickles.

Garlic dill pickles

Makes eight pint (500mL) jars. You can reduce the ingredients and number of jars to make smaller batches.

Ingredients
5-6 pounds pickling cucumbers
5-6 cups cold water
½ cup pickling salt
4 cups white vinegar
4 cups cold water
4 Tbsp pickling salt
8 large heads of dill or 4 Tbsp dried
24 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp mustard seeds
ice

Equipment
Eight pint (500mL) jars
Small paring knife
Vegetable scrubber
Large non-reactive bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Stainless steel ladle
Large non-reactive saucepan
Large canning pot
Small spatula
Wooden spoon
Jar lifter
Lid lifter
Small towel
Wooden cutting board

Wash and gently scrub cucs.

Cut a thin slice off of each end.

Before I get anything out, I wash, scrub and cut a thin slice off each end of freshly picked cucumbers from my greenhouse. I like to make large batches of dills, so I pick about 5-6 pounds of pickling cucs at a time (I use a food scale). In a very large non-reactive bowl (I use stainless steel), add 5-6 cups of cold water and ½ cup pickling salt. Mix until the salt is dissolved. 

Pickling salt

Pickling salt and water.

Add the cucumbers and three cups of ice. Put in a cool place or the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. I find that this chilling process makes the pickles crunchy. Make sure that you don’t fill the bowl with too much water as the ice will melt and you’ll end up with water everywhere (memories of my first batch of dills). 

 

Add ice to the cold water and set bowl in a cool place or in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

The 24-hour chill gives me plenty of time to organize my pickling supplies, dig out some “chick flicks” to amuse myself for the two-hour canning process the next day and get other daily chores done so that I can focus on successfully getting the pickles done.

Garlic, dill, salt and mustard seed.

The next day, drain the cucs into a large colander and rinse with cold water. Peel the garlic and separate the dill heads.

Fill canning pot with water and set on high heat. When water is steaming (but not boiling), add canning jars to sterilize and increase temperature. 

Jars in the canning pot.

 

I use the hot canning method for food safety reasons. Keep the jars fully submersed in the hot water just before you pour hot liquid into them.  Pouring hot liquid into cold, unsterilized jars is not good.

The pickling brine.

 

In a non-reactive saucepan, add the vinegar, pickling salt, mustard seeds and water and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat to a low simmer, just to keep the liquid hot and steaming while the jars are being packed with the cucs, garlic and dill.

Canning lids' rubber softens in hot water.

 

Add the canning lids to the hot canning water and leave them in for about five minutes to soften the rubber seal.

Take one hot jar out of the canner at a time.

 

Take a jar out of the hot canning water one at a time. Snugly pack the cucs into the jar, along with at least three cloves of garlic and a generous sprig of dill or ¼ tsp dried dill per jar. 

Pack 'em snugly.

Leave 1/2 inch head space.

 

With a ladle, pour the boiling vinegar mixture into the jar and leave at least ½ inch of space at the top of the jar. This is important because many foods expand during the canning process and if there isn’t enough headspace, the jar contents may boil over or the lid won’t seal properly.

Put a small utensil like a spatula or small wooden spoon into the jar and gently move the contents around a bit to release air bubbles. Dip a corner of a clean cloth into the hot canning water and wipe the outside and inside of the jar top. 

 

Wand has a magnet on the end to lift lids.

Then, with a magnetic canning wand, remove one lid from the hot canning water and center it on top of the jar. 

Put the screw band on and tighten with your fingers only. With a jar lifter, place the sealed jar into the hot canning water and fill the remaining jars, one by one. 

Bring the water to a rolling boil, then set the time.

I usually process five to eight pint jars (500mL) at a time. When all of the jars are in the hot canning water, turn up the temperature and put the lid on the canner until the water reaches a rolling (steady) boil. Be sure the water level is at least one inch above the top of the jars. Once the water is boiling, start timing. Based on my elevation, I process for 15 minutes. Keep watch over the pot as some water may boil over onto your stove. Adjust the burner temperature to maintain a rolling boil, while minimizing water splashing all over your stove top.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, and let the jars rest in the canner with the lid on for five minutes. Remove each jar with a lifter without tilting it (to preserve the seal) and place on a towel or wooden cutting board, away from drafts and direct sunlight.

The jars and its contents are very, very hot and yes, jars will crack if placed near cold drafts or open windows; I know this. It's disheartening when all of that hard work ends up all over your kitchen counter top and floor. You’ll hear the lids popping from time to time as the jars and contents cool to room temperature. Properly sealed lids curve inwards. Jars that don’t seal can be put in the refrigerator after the contents cool and the food can be used for up to three weeks, normally.

Now the hardest part – not touching them for at least 24 hours. Once I take them out of the canner, I leave my jars alone. I don’t tighten the screw bands, either, until the jars have set for a full 24 hours. Leave everything to cool down and settle. Do the dishes. Have a glass of wine and listen for those popping lids. The next day, the wipe the outside of the jars with a clean, damp cloth, label and store in cool, dark area such as a pantry, in a basement or cellar. An unused armoire, dresser or filing cabinet are good storage options, too.

Let the jars set for 24 hours, then put in a cool dark place.

I let my pickles rest in the cool darkness of my basement for at least a month. We just finished a jar made a year ago and they were still crunchy and delicious. And, the garlic was fantastic, too.

Preserving garden veggies

Fresh picked yellow beans ready for preserving.

It's been a very busy week. The hot weather has kicked every plant into overdrive. Last week's scorching temperatures have continued today, which is great for the squash, tomatoes and peppers that are finally ripening. But, it also means that beans and peas have been growing like crazy.

As part of my sustainable living goals, I am using three methods to preserve veggies and fruit: dehydrating, freezing and canning. It's all a learning experience. For several years, I've been researching regularly on the Internet and in magazines and books, but there's a huge difference between what works in theory and what actually does work in reality. I'm using methods that work for me in our climate, with our available resources and the types of food we grow. My methods might not necessarily work for everyone else and their circumstances.

Fresh green beans cut into 1-inch pieces.

This year, I planted yellow and green beans and two types of peas. So far, I have picked eight pounds of beans and nearly six pounds of peas (shelled)! After washing and thoroughly drying the beans (a salad spinner works great), I cut the beans into 1" long pieces and lay them on the dehydrator trays. Since I have a nine-tray unit, I prepare as many veggies as possible to fill every tray and set the temperature for 125F. For this batch of beans and zucchini, the veggies were dehydrated in about seven hours until they were brittle. I don't bother blanching beans before putting them in the dehydrator; some folks do.

Beans after spending seven hours in the dehydrator.

I envy folks living in sunny, dry climates who can use the sun's power to dehydrate food. I plan on building an outdoor solar dryer next year just to test if it's possible in this climate. Our summers last only a few months and the humidity can get pretty high, which isn't ideal for drying food outdoors. It's something I've always wanted to try, so a solar dryer goes on the To Do list for next year.

August has been unusually hot.

I'm so impressed with the peas this year. Before the heat and humidity sent us scrambling in doors again yesterday (+130F), I managed to pick about half of the peas in the 4' x 8' raised bed. It took more than an hour to shell them. Of course, I had to do some sampling to ensure the peas are OK. They burst with flavor. It's unbelievable how fresh and tasty garden peas really are.

However, the question is, what to do with six pounds of peas and another six or more pounds yet to be picked?

Shelled peas from my garden.

I put a single layer of peas on several baking pans and place the pans flat in the freezer until the peas are frozen solid, about 10 hours. I then put the frozen peas in a freezer bag, zip the bag shut, but leave a very small space at one end to slide a straw inside the bag. I then suck as much air out of the bag as possible. My grandmother taught me this trick.

Quickly pull out the straw out before air gets back into the bag and zip the small opening shut. I have a vacuum sealer, but only use it when I have a lot of food preserving to do. If you plan on storing veggies in a frost-free freezer, using a vacuum sealer might be the best method to help ward off freezer burn. But, the straw method has always worked just fine for me. I have kept blanched beans in the freezer for up to six months without a hint of freezer burn. I'm already looking forward to making homemade pea soup in my campfire dutch oven this fall.

Suck as much air out of the bag as possible using a straw.

Frozen zucchini slices with air sucked out of the bag.

Our small side freezer is jam packed already so hopefully, the stand up freezer I ordered will arrive next week. There are six zucchini in the garden ready to be picked, six more in the basement, a mess of tomatoes, peas and beans still to pick. Yikes! I've been waiting months for the harvest, but now that it's here, I wonder where I'll store everything. That will be another blog topic very soon. Later, when the house cools down (it's currently 85F), I'll make some dill pickles.

Food dehydrator

Dutch oven

Pickling postponed due to heat

No pickling today

A couple of weeks ago I was wishing for hotter temperatures to help the corn and squash. That saying, "Be careful what you wish for" is ringing in my ears.

Today, I'm eating my words. It's a balmy 87F in the living room; the dog and I retreated to the basement where we will end up staying the night. Even after drinking more than 90 ounces of water throughout the day, I'm still thirsting for more.

It's almost 8 pm and it's still 105F outside with a hot breeze. I'll be watering the greenhouse and garden under the full moon listening to the wolves howling nearby.

Pickling will commence tomorrow night - I hope!

Zucchini, cucumbers and beans - oh my!

A wet July has finally paid off.

Last month, I wondered if I'd be harvesting anything from the garden thanks to record setting rainfall. However, the garden is producing so much now it's difficult to keep up. Today's rewards are: five pounds of beans, eight zucchini, one slicing cucumber and six pounds of pickling cucumbers. One zucchini is 12 inches long. Not a record for my garden (the largest I've ever grown was 18 inches long), but it's a keeper.

We've had a lot of bees this summer, despite reports in other parts of North America that bees are dying off. Our bees have been very busy. We have a lot of clover, goldenrod and other wildflowers that attract pollinators. They've been working their magic in the greenhouse, too. Tomato plants are loaded with fruit that's still green, but ripening little by little each day.

Busy bee collecting pollen from a sunflower.

Now comes the conundrum: What to do with all of those zucchini? As much as I love zucc, I'd rather not eat it every day. So, I'm preserving veggies in a few ways: canning, dehydrating and freezing. I love the dehydrator. Three medium sized zucchini took six hours in the dehydrator and once dried, they fit in one medium-sized Ziploc bag which saves a lot of storage space.

Three zucchini after dehydrating.

Three zucchini fit in a medium-sized Ziploc bag, with room to spare.

My pantry is quickly filling up with dried Saskatoon berries, veggies (some store bought) and fruit (apples, oranges, bananas and pineapple). Four trays of fresh picked beans and five trays of sliced zucchini are in the dehydrator right now. I look forward to enjoying my home grown edibles in the middle of winter when fresh produce prices are ridiculously high. I've already made half a dozen jars of traditional BBQ relish, and will start using my new pressure cooker/canner when the next batch of beans is ready for picking.

BBQ relish made with my zucchini

Tonight after the house cools down a bit, I'll be making another batch of garlic dill pickles. Last year, I made 36 jars of dill and bread and butter pickles. We just used the last jar of dills a few weeks ago and they were fantastic, so much tastier than store bought. Preserving food is an ongoing learning process. I can honestly say that I'm never bored!

Hearty stew with cornbread

Stew and cornbread made over a campfire

Made my first meal outdoors this summer with my new cast iron dutch oven. I prepared and cut the veggies in the morning so I could relax around the campfire with family and friends while tending to the meal.

Hearty stew
Serves 6-8 people

1.5 lbs stewing beef or chuck cut into 1" pieces
1 onion diced
4 potatoes cut into 1" cubes
2 cups carrots diced
1 cup zucchini cubed or 1/4" slices
1 cup celery chopped, with leaves for flavor
1 cup mushrooms diced
1.5 cups beans (I use dried navy beans, black eyed peas, or kidney beans, etc., soaked overnight in filtered water)
3 cups filtered water or broth
1 cup green or yellow beans cut into 1" long pieces
2 tomatoes diced
1 green pepper chopped

2 tbsp oil (I normally use canola)

1/4 cup flour (your choice)
2 bay leafs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp oregeno
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning (or whatever you choose)

Cooking times are approximate. This stew was cooked over an open fire.

Prepare the veggies and put in a large bowl.

Prepare veggies in bite sized pieces

Put flour, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder and seasonings in medium sized bowl. Mix well.

Coat beef cubes with flour and seasonings

Add beef cubes and coat each one thoroughly. The flour will help to thicken the juices into a sauce.

Shake off excess flour and set the floured pieces on plate or in a clean bowl.

Add oil to a large dutch oven and set over medium heat to warm the oil. Carefully add the coated beef cubes and gently simmer, stirring often to ensure that all sides of the beef are brown, about 10 minutes.

Enjoy the campfire and some company while making dinner

Add the veggies, bay leafs and water/broth and bring to rapid simmer. Lower heat to medium (or raise the pot higher above the fire) and gently simmer for three hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes or until all veggies are tender and meat is thoroughly cooked. You may need to add more water while cooking to ensure that there is ample liquid to make the gravy. Be sure that there is enough liquid so that the stew doesn't boil dry and burn. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Of course, you can substitute the beef with chicken, pork or lamb or omit the meat to make vegetarian stew. Accompany this meal with cornbread.

Read about cooking stew over a campfire.

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Skillet cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil  and 2 tbsp oil (I use canola)
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup liquid honey
2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, honey and sour cream. Mix until well blended.

Mix dry and wet ingredients thoroughly.

Cook over medium heat or coals.

Add 2 tbsp oil to skillet and coat well. Heat on medium flame. Drop a dot of cornbread mixture onto the oil. If it sizzles, it's pre-heated. Pour mixture into skillet.


Bake up to 45 minutes, occasionally lifting sides to check that it's not burning. Rotate skillet often if cooking over a campfire.  

The edges will cook first, so check them often to ensure they aren't burning.

  
Enjoy these simple recipes and experiment with the ingredients. Warm cornbread with honey and butter is delicious.

More campfire cooking tips.