Homestead at Bridle Creek

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Archives for August 2015

“Of Course I Can!”

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Of Course I Can posterThis picture is of a poster that was printed and circulated by the United States Government during World War ll.  It was part of a campaign that encouraged people to grow their own “Victory Garden” and preserve what they produced, in order to reduce their dependence on limited food rations.  Of late, there has been a substantial renewal of interest in the art of canning and preserving food at home.

Canning and the preserving of food is something that has been done in my family for years. Some of my earliest memories of summer include sitting on a kitchen stool, watching my mom and her sister’s-in-law as they canned peaches.  The kitchen was filled with steaming hot kettles, bags of sugar, lugs of peaches, jars as far as the eye could see and conversation.  Lots of it.  I remember longing for the day that I would be old enough to join in.  I knew that there was something special going on, and I couldn’t wait to be a part of it. Peaches were not the only thing that were “put by”, but the taste and smell of  tree-ripened summer peaches will forever be imprinted in my memory.

The tradition of “putting food by” and many of the recipes from those times have been passed on, but with the passage of time, many of the methods and guidelines for safe canning have changed.  As I share recipes and methods on this site, please be aware that you should always check with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s  National Center for Home Food Preservation for the latest updates.  At the end of this post, I have included a link to their website, where you can download a PDF file of their latest version of the Complete Guide to Home Canning.

There are just a few very important things to remember when you are preserving food at home.  Fresh is Best.  Be Clean.  Be Thorough.  Be Patient.  Be Prepared.  Make sure that your food is as fresh as possible.  Make sure that your hands, your utensils, and your work area are clean – really clean.  Be thorough in following directions.   Be patient – you can’t rush safety or success.  And lastly, be prepared – to experience the satisfaction that comes from providing for yourself.  Be prepared for the requests that you share what you have done with family and friends. Be prepared to share recipes and ideas.  Be prepared to be linked to a community.

My experience in home canning is much different from that of my childhood memories.  My kitchen is not filled with the helping hands and happy voices of family and neighbors working together. But in my canning endeavors, I am still part of that experience.  I am connected with generations of women who came before me, who spent many hot summer days in their kitchens, surrounded with family and friends, canning, chatting, and solving the problems of the day.  Yes, it is in my DNA.  “Of Course I Can!”

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

Happy Canning,

Kathy

 

Late Night Gardening

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cucumbersIt’s 11:30 p.m. –  and yes, I am just coming in from the garden.

It has been a good day at the Homestead.  My little helpers and I were in the garden this afternoon,  weeding the cucumbers – or what was left of them –  in the cool of the afternoon shade.  Between grasshoppers, birds, sowbugs and the poor germination rate  of my seeds, the cucumber patch this year has been weak at best.  But those plants that have made it have been doing well.   That is, until my littlest weeding helper arrived on the scene.

The four-year old was proving to be my best helper, and so proud of all of the big weeds she was removing.  I, as any good grandmother would do, was praising her efforts and cheering her on – until I looked behind me and saw that she had single handedly removed every cucumber plant from the row she was working on.

Resigned to a new beginning, I calmly reminded her of the difference between the good plants and the bad plants.

We continued weeding, and finished the project – with dirty hands and big smiles for a job well done.

So, tonight, after the dishes were done, rock-a-byes were sung, the girls were safely tucked into bed and grandpa was in deep reflection in front of the television,  I returned to the garden, with head lamp burning brightly, to plant cucumber seeds  for the last time this year.

I have never planted cucumbers this late in the year. . . only time will tell.

Yes, there may be very few cucumbers for pickles this year.

Yes, the harvest and brining of the dills will, if my late night adventures in planting are successful, be taking place months later than usual.

Yes, I am fully resigned to the fact that my efforts may be completely in vane.

No, I would not trade the afternoon spent in the garden, weeding with my precious girls for all the cucumber plants or pickles in the world.

Today’s harvest was far more important than anything that has ever grown in my garden.

 

Kathy

 

I’m in the Garden

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Lettuces1

The gardens at the Homestead serve two main purposes – to gladden the heart and nourish the body and soul. Many, if not most of my daytime hours are spent outdoors, prepping, planting, tending, harvesting – feeding, cleaning, repeat.

There is something very powerful that happens when we become closely connected with the food we eat.  The great interest in ‘farm to table’ food speaks to this.

Hopefully through this portal, you will find help and inspiration in your gardening endeavors, whether your fields be acres of fertile ground or a gathering of pots on a small sunny porch.

Here’s what’s Happening on the Homestead

Spring.  Just the word congers up images of blossoms and bunnies, eggs and chicks. . . . and catalogs filled with tableware, linens and all the fresh spring color imaginable. . . . so when my spring edition of the Pier1 catalog arrived – I was immediately drawn to devour every page.  The dinnerware, table settings, linens were, in typical Pier1 form, a wonderful feast for the eyes. pier1-catalog-page

But, there was one thing that especially drew my attention. . .their adorable folded napkins – especially the little bunnies in the upper right corner of the page. The catalog directed readers to log on to their website for instructions  – which I immediately did.

Upon arriving at the page, I  searched for the Bunny Fold pier-one-bunny-ears-directionsand found this.   I grabbed some cloth napkins (which happened to be from Pier1) and, following their directions, began folding.  It only took me to the 4th step to figure out that there was a real problem with the directions – they were rolling from the wrong side of the napkin. . . and by the final step – it was unmistakable.

wrong-way-bunny-napkinI had created this.  I took an unfolded napkin and the directions to my husband – who, as a builder, reads instructions for a living  . . . and his response was immediate – these are not right.  They have rolled from the long side and not the point – and used directions for a granny knot.  It needs to be an ‘overhand’ knot.  (50 plus years of scouting – he should know his knots!)

After making a few simple changes – rolling from the point and using an overhand knot – the finished product looked like the one in the Pier1 picture.  Success!    folded-bunny-napkin-perfection

 And so, as much as I LOVE Pier1, no one is infallible.  I have done my own set of instructions, including pictorials, for your use should you be wanting to try these little treasures.  Such a simple way to dress up a spring  or Easter table.

Just Click Here to go to the instructions.  Happy Spring!

Enjoy,

Kathy

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Established in 1989, the Homestead at Bridle Creek has risen from acres of oaks and scrub brush to a  [Continue Reading …]

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