Thinking of buying this (really want to can some cooked pheasant this year). What do you folks think, any other recommendations?

• Presto Aluminum 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker

I’ve been considering getting a pressure canner for a while but haven’t done it yet. All American seems to be the top of the line, but the Presto model in this review is less expensive and has good reviews

https://m.bestreviews.com/best-pressure-canners

to date, I have only canned things that I can process in a water bath canner.

No meat canning for me either. I don't even have a pressure canner.

I do a lot of pickling and some canning of high acid foods that don't require a pressure canner like Annies's Salsa, ketchup, diced/crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. All other veggies get frozen or dehydrated. We have a large upright freezer and a 15 cu/ft chest freezer that is currently empty.

In a couple months we will have a couple of our cows processed and the meat will be split between 3 families. Our share should be around 700-800 lbs. I plan to make a lot of jerky out of some of the roasts and 90% lean burger.

We usually have plenty of pasta, ramen, and dry goods on hand as well as bottled water.

I've also been stocking up on beer but it keeps disappearing :-p

Not much news on the gardening front. About 1/2 of the brassicas are up. Caulliflower is always a couple days slower than broccoli. All but a few lettuce are up as well. Also had a Jwala and cayenne pepper pop up sometime yesterday. The Jwala is a tiny little thing.

I'll be buying my seed potatoes and Dixondale onion bunches next week. I'll chit the potatoes for a couple weeks and plant them mid March.

might want to consider getting a vacuum sealer.

there's no limit to what you can seal, frozen foods (vegetables, meats, etc) stay perfect for more than two years.. and if you get some mason jars, you can also vacuum seal if you buy the attachment (not overly expensive). i vacuum seal fresh greens and herbs and they last 2-3 weeks easily compared to 3-5 days. anything that is already dried (dry spices, grains, etc). will last almost indefinitely.

you can make trail mixes / beef jerky and seal them go camping, etc. and they remain air tight, no worries about water. best investment you can make if you're into preserving foods, living off the grid or preparing for armageddon ;-)

stevie - I totally agree! I use my food saver when freezing all of my veggies. I use it for meat too when I buy a whole loin of steaks or chops. I put the meat into a bag with one end sealed and then put the bags in the freezer for an hour or 2 and then seal the bags. That way you don't have the vacuum pulling the meat juices into the sealer.

Guess we all need to stock up on vinegar, too. We have one upright freezer. I have a vacuum sealer that I have never used. Not a fan of plastics.

It's windy and cold here this morning. Very windy, 20+ miles per hours, and 37 degrees out there.

Richard - How did your plants fair?

Cindy, I wrap all meats in butcher's paper and then vacuum seal in plastic bags.

What does it mean...?

One huge onion has shot up these thick greens -- love to put it in a pot, but don't know what would happen. Certainly don't need green onions, since my perennial bunching onions have already shot up!

Such a mild winter (zero snow for the first time ever!) that even the parsley did not die but is still producing!

Tony

Thanks for that tip, Tony.

Cindy, a bunch of the leaves on my potato plants froze, a couple of wild tomato plants froze, the sour gerkins froze, but I brought all the small tomato plants inside and the ones with tomatoes 🍅 on them were protected from the weather just enough to make it through. I also brought all my big containers up right next to the house. The unfortunate thing is that Now that they were all together I am sure the Septoria will spread even more.

All those squash that were all yellow looking now look almost as nice as the others. That light makes a huge difference-especially with squash as they outgrow almost anything else anyway and fight mercilessly to reach they light. Not sure I have seen deep yellow leaves turn green before, but I like it.

Need to know - Favorite red cabbage to grow? I forgot to order seeds, but will be running errands and can pick some up today or tomorrow.

I like Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage:

https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/cabbage/mammoth-red-rock-cabbage

Bought this Asian Delight (F1) Bok Choy (1000 seeds) last year. Very excited to grow it now!

"Slow bolting white-stem Pac choi. Nice and dense, fully formed mini heads. Longer harvest window than most white-stem types. Suitable for spring, summer, and fall production. Winter cropping possible in mild areas. Slower bolting and with denser heads than Shiro. AAS winner. 37 Days"

No meat canning for me, although I guess I did can come vegetable soup which did contain some pieces of beef too, so maybe that's a yes!

I love my vacuum sealer. It gets a lot of use. Certainly in the summer when I'm packaging up veggies (first frozen individually on cookie sheets). Now that I'm using up those veggies, I open the sealed package, take out what I need for the meal, and then re-vacuum seal the package. Thanks, Jack, for the tip to freeze meat a bit before sealing the package.

Tony, I have noticed that my bunching onions look quite happy in my garden now. I need to give them a haircut so I can see how much new growth is coming along. That looks like a nice bok choy.

My broccoli seeds have sprouted. Yay!

Max wind speed at Dulles today: 47 mph.

Four Biker Billy have sprouted. Need at least four more for myself but would prefer six because the first four are already sold.

Those who fear the Corona virus in the USA... just chill and have a chilled Corona...or 5....

Spring is gone. The spring peepers are silent tonight.

It's already down to freezing.

This afternoon I pulled back row covers and did an inventory of what is growing here south of Seattle:

Garlic bed 1

Mache ready to harvest

Peas look happy

Garlic bed 2 with a few overwintered shallots and onions

Lettuce in hoop house...cut some of this for supper tonight

More lettuce

It was a gorgeous day today with temp close to 60 and sunshine...rain coming back tomorrow of course...

DW has requested I get some Mexican Oregano seeds. I believe this is Lippia origanoides, for which no seeds appear to be available from my normal sources. Any leads would be welcome.

More inventory

Cool weather greens hardening off...this is day 5 so probably plant out on Saturday. Gave the alliums a sun bath too but they are not ready for prime time.

Peppers & ornamentals As usual started way too many little flowers

Parsnips are up in the tub surrounded by tomatoes, more peppers, and more flowers.

Close look at the Parsnips

Did not get photos of beets and chard in greenhouse...sad to say they are damping off and I can't understand it. I sprayed them with hydrogen peroxide but it looks like it is too late. Will have to replant because these are favorites around here.

Started canning fifty plus years ago and taught myself with a new, small canner and a Ball Blue Book.. We were stationed in San Antonio and had a peach tree and a Damson Plum tree. Made some delicious preserves. Advanced from that to veggies and other things. Then I became a certified food Preserver. My mother gave me her double decker Presto canner before she died. I've done soups and chili and even chicken thighs that are fall of the bone tender when done. Haven't done any beef or pork, but wouldn't be afraid to. And Annie's Salsa is the best. All my customers love it.

Madonna

Today is my parents' wedding anniversary- they have been married 51 years- 6 kids, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren (if I counted correctly haha- there are some blended families in there also, but some of the "blended" kids have been a part of the family for so long that they are the same as biological grandkids)

My weekend plans include starting tomatoes! I will also pot up some seedlings and getting some blueberries and raspberries potted. We received them on Wednesday. The rest of them should be here in a couple of weeks. The weather should be ok- highs back into the 50s and 60s with lows in the 40s (except for tonight when it will be in the upper 30s). BUT we get more rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jamie - happy anniversary to your parents! It sounds like they have quite a herd of offspring!

Len - A place in MA is the only place I found online that has MX oregano beside a couple sellers on Amazon. OliveNation I bet you could have found seeds while you were in San Diego. Sorry to hear about the damping off on your beets and chard. Both in the same family may indicate there is something in the soil. Everything else looks like it's doing great!

Margi - I still need to divide my overwintered bunching onions. It's supposed to be in 50s today and the mid 60s this weekend so hopefully the soil will thaw out by Sunday so I can dig up the clumps.

Tony -

Madonna - I am curious to know what it takes to become a certified food preserver. With all your experience, do you have any thoughts on a pressure canner with a gauge versus one with weights? I have a weighted one and am happy with it. Seems like I've read that the gauge needs to be tested/checked periodically.

Len - It looks like you've had great success with your row covers and you're getting a jump on the growing season. Kudos to you!

Our March weather outlook came out today and they're giving us odds of a much warmer than normal month. Daffodils and forsythia are blooming all over, and the forest is greening up in the underbrush... I wonder how early last frost is going to be this year! It's supposed to be April 15th in my area but last year was April 1. We get a heat sink effect from being so close to DC, I think.

Good for your parents Jamie! Jack I just figured it out...we will pick up in Puerto Vallarta in April!

An update on my suggestion to use bleach in a trash can of water:

If you, like me, have one of the new trash cans that is lifted and dumped in the truck hydraulically, there's a problem. One of the lifting mechanisms is a metal tube that runs between two holes in the plastic can about halfway up the can. The holes are the issue. I think a large heavy plastic bag may help, but is going to be a real mess and probably not help much. Put the top of your tomato cages in towards the bottom before you dunk the end with the sharp pointy tips.

If you have a galvanized can and drilled holes in the bottom I'd guess the construction trash bags may enclose the whole can but as soon as you punch a hole in the plastic you're going to sanitize your driveway.

I'm getting myself organized to begin growing some veggie seedlings. I bought a bag of peat which I find better than the MG Potting Mix that I have at least 6 unopened bags of. I checked my 1020 trays and 36 cell inserts and I have the 3 sets I plan on using this year. Last year I grew tomatoes and 1 row of 4 of cucumbers. I also seeded cukes in amongst the starts that I put in the ground. This year I have a variety of peppers to try, thanks to Richard. And I'm going to start a few cabbages to supplement what I plant in the ground. I'll do the peppers first and then the rest sometime after St Patties day. Last year I started my tomatoes on April 1 so this'll give me a head start.

Len - that will work out perfectly! You sure do get around.

I just got back from my favorite mom and pop gardening store. I picked up my seed potatoes. 14 Yukon Gold, 12 Kennebec, and 12 French Fingerling. I selected small, 2 oz. or so, tubers so I don't have to cut them. Total cost $3.73. I'll chit them and plant out March 14 or 15 if weather allows.

They won't have the Dixondale onions until next week sometime.

John - you may want to over seed some of the hot peppers like Sugar Rush Peach, Fish, Serrano, and Brazilian Starfish that don't appear to have a high germination percentage or take a long time to germinate. I sowed 2 of each and still haven't seen anything after 2 weeks on the heat mat. I'm going to sow some more of each this weekend.

I don't think I have a trash can that my 22" diameter CRW cages would fit in!

I forgot to mention - I got some 3/8" nylon rope to try out a self-watering idea for our grow bags this year. I think I mentioned it last month & Chris directed me to some info he found that suggested nylon rope was a good wicking material. We shall see!

I plan to have a covered 5 gallon bucket (elevated but I don't know how high yet) filled with water with a piece of the rope running from it to a couple of grow bags. I'll bury the rope in the potting soil and run it around inside the edge of the bag. I don't know how many bags I could support with a single bucket, but I think it might be at least 2 and possibly 3.

Jack - I'll have to plant a lot extra. I don't even use a heat mat. I place my trays at a south facing window in the LR. There's a forced air duct. The thermostat is set for 70, but when I put my stem thermometer there it's usually at 68° or 69°F. Marginal but it works. I never sprung for a heat mat as I figure patience will win out. DW hates the whole seedling season, can't wait to get that s...junk outa the LR. I'm also going to try some 12 Oz foam coffee cups in the east window, that has no heat duct but gets more sun. They do much better, but can't get many plants, even tho it's a double-wide window.. I'll grow some peppers and a couple varieties of tomatoes and maybe one cup of cantaloupes.

I measured my trash can. It's 22" x 21.5" wide on the inside and the lift tube is 16" from the bottom. The tube is missing from one of my cans so I'll try and duct tape those holes and see what happens. Your CRW cages won't fit unless you force them and then you might not get them out! HaHa

I spray all my containers and trellises with a bleach solution spray in a pump sprayer. Let them sit a while and then spray bleach off with a hose spray nozzle. Is this enough to rid containers/trellis of any diseases. Or do they have to actually be immersed in a solution.

We will have peach blossoms in a few days

Yolos - I've sprayed my CRW cages just like you do but I don't wash it off. I figure the rain can do that for me.

Jamie - let us know how the rope wick works out for you.

I sowed more peppers this morning. 6 each of Sugar Rush Peach, Fish, Serrano, Brazilian Starfish and 3 each of Lipstick, Cayenne, Jwala, and Biker Billy.

As of last night none of my 6 Early Dividend broccoli had sprouted after 6.5 days where as all of the other broccoli and cauliflower had. I just bought a new packet of ED seed last week. I was ready to sow more today but when I looked this morning 4 of the 6 had finally sprouted. Yay! 2 more and I will have 100% germination on brassicas.

I'm going to start my sweet peppers next weekend but hold off on tomatoes until March 21 (maybe) haha.

I'm looking forward to the 60+ degree weather this weekend. Time to play in the dirt a little!

I'm going to rake the leaf mulch off my potato beds so they have a better chance of drying out and then dig the trenches next weekend and mix in some garden tone. I'm also going to harden off some of my indoor Salanova plants after I do one more harvest. I'm going to see how they do planted out after being root bound for a few weeks.

It’s certainly going to be an outdoors kind of day here with 70(!) predicted for the high. I will wait awhile before going out, however. It‘s only 33 now.

I hope to trim my peach trees and then spray them with dormant oil if they’re still dormant enough.

I will likely start some seeds in the basement. Perhaps peppers, not sure what else.

Happy Leap Day!

Happy Leap Year Day to you, too.

The warmth will not get here until Monday. And it's still below freezing here at 31 degrees. The high will only be in the 30s today, too. It will be an inside day for me.

Len - You might have better luck looking for a Mexican Oregano plant than the seeds.

Happy leap day ladies!

It's still in the 30s here too so I'll wait a bit longer to head outside.

I need to plant more herbs this year besides the basil and Arp Rosemary that i always have. My favorite gardening store always has a great selection of herbs. Probably have to do it in containers though. My Arp is going outside for good today. I'll pot it up to the half barrel in a few weeks when it starts to show some new growth.

I just finished pickling a 10 lb. batch of asparagus. 3 quarts and 3 pint and a halves. Just heard the last one ping! I want to pickle some of my purple asparagus this year now that it's in it's 5th year and should really start producing well.

My next door neighbors finally returned from their snowbird trip to Arizona. They left in early January. I need to take her a list of tomato and pepper varieties so she can choose what she wants me to start for her garden. Think I'l take them some indoor lettuce too. I'm off to the basement to harvest it now.

It looks like we will get a break in the rain tomorrow so I'm planning to clear a few trays from the greenhouse and put greens out in garden and hoophouse. Need to make some space in the house for the next batch of seedlings. I'm tempted to put all of the failing beet and chard plugs out now and let them survive or die in the garden.

Decided to look up the soil needs of potatoes and they are another veggie that likes acidic soil.

http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scenec6be.html

Cindy - I added lots of horse manure into my soil the fall before I planted my potatoes. There was a LOT of huge earthworms in that soil. I added a little wood ashes into my very acid clay soil. I saw the scab they mention at your link on two potatoes out of 45 row feet, I think they were both Red Norlands.

I thought potatoes were easy to grow and while you need to dig to harvest; I thought the production I got was worth it. The soil was so soft that I merely needed to push my fork into the soil maybe 6 inches from the stem and then slowly push the handle and the potatoes pop up and out of the soil. My neighbor who is 5 was able to dig some up.

I think because they're so easy to store that you get to enjoy 99% of the harvest. I replanted Canela Russets as I harvested Red Norland new potatoes and those late planted potatoes were ready to harvest in late fall. So I would say that you don't need or want to plant all your potatoes early in the spring.

My wife doesn't like the Canela Russets as "the skins are too thick". She likes the Kennebecs and the early Red Norlands. I think for us in our 53-58°F "root cellar" that the Kennebecs store better than the Canela Russets.

Good to know, John.

Apparently onions also like some acidity, too. https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/494/

What I probably should be asking is, what veggies do not like acidic soil?

Cindy - You're saying you have alkaline soil? Not good for potatoes.

The only veggie I knew that did well in alkaline soil was asparagus. Looking it up I found this. Seems like cukes and tomatoes are on the list of both acid and alkaline soil.

John - Kennebec store best for me as well. Moose's Tubers rank their storage as excellent. They rate Yukon Gold and French Fingering as 'good'. They don't offer Canela russet. I'll use the Yukon first and save the Kennebec for later.

Moose's tubers variety chart

If you want a great storing red potato grow Red Pontiac rather than Red Norland.

Cindy - I think most leafy veggies don't care for overly acidic soil but just about anything will grow well in the 6.0 to 7.0 ph range (with exceptions of course).

I'm on a break. I raked off the mulch on my potato beds and the soil was real nice. I expected it to still be frozen 6" down but it wasn't. I think I can dig my trenches tomorrow after it dries out a bit more. I also dug up about 3 dozen bunches of bunching onions and laid them out in the sun to dry before I'll separate them tomorrow morning. There must be 4 or 5 hundred individual plants. Anyone need some?

Garlic is starting to take off fast. I'm happy about that after having a couple not so great garlic years. I only counted 8 missing out of 133 cloves I planted.

John - No, John, my "original soil" is very much clay, red clay, which is acidic. I've added a lot of leaf mulch, top soil, vermiculite, coffee grounds and sand to it, especially within the last few years. I really need to have another soil test done as the one I did previously was at least eight or nine years ago.

For several years, I had quite a bit of potato scab. Not sure of the cause but I asked the Maine Potato Lady about it and she suggested that I add mustard meal, neem cake and fish meal which I have done and it has made a significant reduction in the occurrence of potato scab.

Thanks, Jack.

Jack - If I had a local source of seed potato I'd love trying different varieties from year to year. I think I invested 40 some dollars in seed potato last year, so I'm seeing this years free seeds as evening out the cost. I think I'd try Burbank Russet this year from a local source. Moose Tubers is Fedco. I ordered my apple, pear, and cherry rootstocks from them and a few packs of seeds. The seed potato I got last year was from Maine Potato Lady.

Cindy - When I moved here I hauled two pickup loads of the topsoil from my old garden. I sold that land to a developer and he was excavating the house 19 feet deep...under the house for a street. When I was loading the topsoil the cliff was there maybe 10 feet from the house. I can't remember if I backhauled the clay??? That gave me about 5x8'feet of nice soil. Since then it's been a lot of amendment like you've done including the horse manure with the woodchip bedding. Can't believe it but those chips were gone the following year. I've never added a bit of bagged fertilizer.

The only thing I grow that shows the effect of PH is tomatoes. They get blossom end rot. If I see it on early tomatoes I scatter some lime and the later tomatoes are fine. I've never done a soil test...yet. I think I could use one. I just wing it. I always add something to the soil, some years just uncomposted leafs and kitchen scraps.

I've never had a soil test done either. I figure why bother when I have 20+ raised beds and things grow well for the most part in all of them. Compost seems to keep the soil healthy and productive every year.

John - Potatoes are not a commercial crop grown in Missouri but I guess we are close enough to Minnesota where they are grown that they can be shipped in bulk economically. I believe potatoes are only grown commercially where the soil is sandy or silty from the last ice age glaciers. My local M&P gardening store has 11 different types right now. Most varieties are 75 cents a pound so they must sell them as a loss leader. The fingerlings were $1.25/lb. I can send you some Red Pontiac and/or others if you want to get a start on growing them. I'd be happy to!

I made this tonight for supper with a few modifications (I had a pound of ground lamb in the freezer to use)

I made it as a single pie and used kale leaves from the garden instead of grape leaves. I can never find grape leaves when I need them and forget buy them when I do see them. I also used a blend of cooked brown and black rice I had leftover from supper last night instead of orzo.

it was good though I think I would increase the amounts of cumin and oregano.

https://www.saveur.com/lamb-grape-leaf-tarts-orzo-feta-dolma-pie-recipe/

it would be good with any ground meat though (and probably good as a vegetarian meal with lentils instead of meat)

Looks great, Jamie. Going to pick up more lamb next time I go to the store.

I have seen grape leaves that are canned here locally.

I made the portabello mushroom recipe last night. Yum!

March!! https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5875821/veggie-tales-march-2020