The Inadvertent Farmer

Book Review...of sorts. Composting circa 1969!

I love old books...the yellowed pages, the stained covers, the old book smell.  There is something about an old book with out of date writing style and pictures of people from long ago that I just adore!

My favorite bookstore to hunt for old books is Powell's Books.  If you old book obsessed then Powell's Books in Portland Oregon is truly a spiritual experience,  if there is a bookstore in heaven it will be Powell's!  A few years ago when I was wandering its maze of aisles I found myself in the gardening section...ok I admit that is usually where I end up!  I spotted among the new and shiny garden books, with their covers of perfect cabbage roses and sophisticated Japanese maples,  this plain water stained cucumber green, enormous but squat book. It had  nothing on the cover but the words "The Complete Book of Composting by J.I. Rodale and Staff"  My first thought is how in the world could there ever be over 1000 pages worth of information on just composting?  My second thought is darn this is one ugly book!  I flipped to the Introduction page,

"Compost is the core, the essential foundation of natural gardening and farming.  It is the heart of the organic concept"

Across the page was written "SIXTH PRINTING-DECEMBER 1969"! 

I didn't know that there even was an "organic concept" in 1969!  Next I checked out the Table of Contents, here are just a few of its 27 chapters:

The History Of Compost,   The Basics of Compost,   Composting Methods For The Gardener,   Applying Compost On The Farm,  The Earthworm's Role In Composting, Personal Experiences,   Compost And The Health Of Animals and Man,   Humus-The End Product, and even Compost And The Law

I was hooked, its old, its about composting, and not just a superficial look at composting either but a 27 chapter 1000 page behemoth of composting . With its great old black and white pictures and price tag of only $8.95 how could I resist?

After owning this for years and referring to it often I can say that anyone who has either an old book or compost fetish then this is a great addition to your library...if you can find it!

 

Never judge a book by its cover!

 

You've got to love a woman who composts in a dress with her hair done up!  Very attractive compost bin.

 

I thought this was a novel idea.  A compost bin with a cement floor that slopes down to grooves that funnel the rain water turned 'compost tea' in sunken cans in the ground.  With the amount of rain we get around here I would need a couple of 5 gallon buckets!

White Grape Jelly...recipe and pictures

 

This turned out almost too pretty to eat...but too yummy not to!  I love the color it almost glows a pinkish apricot color.

This is made from the grapes I harvested a couple of days ago from my old grape vines that are so neglected I'm surprised they produce at all.  They not only produce with no pruning, watering, fertilizing but they produce almost more grapes than I can handle!  I shutter to think how many jars of jelly I would have to can every year if I took care of the properly!

WHITE GRAPE JELLY...low sugar

4 Cups Grape juice

1 box no sugar pectin

2 cups sugar

Stir pectin into juice in large saucepan.

Bring to full rolling boil over high heat stirring constantly

Add sugar, bring back to boil, stirring

Boil for 1 minute, stirring

Pour into hot sterilized jars, put on hot lids, screw on rings

Process 10 minutes in water bath (approved method) or 12 minutes in steamer canner (the method I use...for jams, jellies, and fruitsauces only)

Makes 5 1/2 pints

I love how every batch is a little different color depending on the color of those particular grapes in each juicer full!

 

Over 70 jars of jelly in the past 3 days! Blackberry/Grape Jelly and White Grape Jelly. Next is applesauce!

Blackberry Grape Jelly...newest recipe experiment!

Every year I experiment with new types of jams and jellies.  I had an over abundance of both grapes and blackberries so I have tried 3 different recipes for Blackberry/Grape Jelly in the last two days.  I finally came up with the one I liked best.  It is lower in sugar so it has some 'zing' which I like in a jelly.  It has a nice firm set and a beautiful color.

Blackberry Grape Jelly

5 Cups juice (approx 1/2 grape and 1/2 blackberry)

1 box no sugar pectin

2 1/2 Cups sugar

Stir pectin into juice in large saucepan...stir well to prevent lumps

Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat stirring constantly, then add sugar

Stirring, bring back to full boil and boil for 1 minute

Pour into sterilized, hot jars.  Put on hot lids, screw on lids (don't overtighten)

Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes (approved method)  or 12 minutes in a steamer canner (the method I use but only for jam, jelly, and fruitsauces )

Makes 6 1/2 pints

Note:  you can use a higher juice to pectin ratio than in a typical 'no-sugar' recipe because of the natural pectin in the blackberries.  Just make sure your juice is at least 50% blackberry juice.

      

      

Juicer making grape juice                        Steamer working away

 

YUMMY!

If you can't kill 'em...shave 'em!

Well since I couldn't bring myself to kill the big pain the arse (Why do I want to kill him? ) I decided to take another route.  As I was falling asleep the other night it hit my like 'duh'!  I suddenly knew just the thing to keep Gizmo from touching and ultimately leaning over  the electric fence and eating the garden.  I needed to shave him to get most of that hair off so the wire would make better contact with his neck. 

Who do you call when you need something sheared?  Well Katie of course...she is my sheep- raising, lifelong 4-H member, home-from-college-this-weekend neighbor.  She has the shears and the know-how and agreed to help me out. 

Luckily Gizmo will do just about anything for grain, including standing tied to a fence having his neck sheared. 

Still you have to admire a girl who has the gumption to stand under a camel with nothing between them but a pair of shears!

4-H kids rock!!!

A little more off the sides please

I'm Stylin'!

So far it has worked wonders.  He has left the fence alone.  Good thing too because next time Katie said she could shave him BALD!!!

Picking grapes for the very first time

“We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.”  E.B. White

 

So I'm not much into sorting laundry...or washing, folding or putting it away for that matter.  I do on the other hand very much enjoy picking grapes.  So does the baby who got pick and eat them right off the vine for the very first time yesterday!