tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post6193642885684733864..comments2023-07-01T05:39:29.658-06:00Comments on Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure: The importance of perpetuationMariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08264276199843769399noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-74539849545996214882008-11-13T18:14:00.000-07:002008-11-13T18:14:00.000-07:00I really do appreciate the directions you provide ...I really do appreciate the directions you provide on your blog--you have a way of making everything look easy. Thanks for your kind words, I hope everyone is increasing their food storage in whatever way they can, because you never know when/why you might need it (although with the economy you can sometimes guess, unfortunately.) Thanks again for the info--it couldn't have been more helpful or timely!Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08264276199843769399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-74591021126837104532008-11-13T08:50:00.000-07:002008-11-13T08:50:00.000-07:00Marie, I'm so glad that our post was helpful to yo...Marie, I'm so glad that our post was helpful to you. That is what I hope is about, helping others learn new skills. No need to reinvent the wheel. Always glad to share information with all. You too had help me in many ways. I am now able to say that our food storage is getting additions on a regular basis thanks to your information. Thanks a bunch. <BR/><BR/>ChrisThe Scavengerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14285656622244814026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-51510493969013281092008-11-12T12:40:00.000-07:002008-11-12T12:40:00.000-07:00Stephanie--Thank you very much for that informatio...Stephanie--Thank you very much for that information--I will definitely remember it for the future. I have read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, many times when I was a kid, but I didn't remember about the green pumpkin--in the "Long Winter" I remember them twisting hay to burn, and always wondered how they could make that last. I guess it's time for a reread.<BR/>My neighbors got some great yellow squash this year that they shared, so I know it will come out great here--I will have to try that.<BR/>Thanks again for all the great information, and it's a great idea to learn more about the varieties I'm planting. <BR/><BR/>Kristen--With all the economic problems, I'm afraid that some supplies just won't be available and that we will have to make do with what we can produce ourselves. I agree with you that if I had questions about what I did have in the garden, and no other options, I would cut away what I thought was bad, and try to use the rest. I would have to make do--that's one of the reasons I'm trying to learn now what is edible and what's not, and how to prepare it. Definitely a learning process for me--took the plan B option this time, but it's not guaranteed that there will always be a plan B available... Thanks for your comment!Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08264276199843769399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-82955266546586846842008-11-12T10:11:00.000-07:002008-11-12T10:11:00.000-07:00Just found your site...I feel the same way you do ...Just found your site...<BR/>I feel the same way you do about perpetuating storage. I have planned to increase my growing area next year, save seeds, can/dehydrate more. It's a process; learning what works and what doesn't. As far as using fruit/not using it, I think if we get hungry enough, we'll eat it. In the olden days, they didn't have beautiful foods at a grocery, they had their farms and they ate everything. Sorry I rambled.<BR/>KristenKristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14679600158510598106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-44106339570138433672008-11-12T09:33:00.000-07:002008-11-12T09:33:00.000-07:00The bug marks really wouldn't hurt anything bu...The bug marks really wouldn't hurt anything but how long it could stay in storage as a regular old pumpkin. That bug mark is where the deterioration will begin. If you could not can or freeze (has to root cellar) those would be the ones to use first. Cut away the spotty part and you are good to go. Of course look to see if deterioration has started and cut away any bad spots (kind of like apples & bruises).<BR/><BR/>Some pumpkins never do turn all the way orange. Some of it is genetice & some of it has to do with amount of heat in the season needed to develope the orange color (genetics in a different manner). Look at the catalog/seed descriptions can help. That is why when to harvest descriptions often have several ways as color is not always a good indicator. That said, it is possible to use a green pumpkin. If you read "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls, they used theirs to make a pie. In choosing seeds for home storage keep in mind that those giagantic ones are not really for eating. To support such a large fruit there is a lot of fibers or 'strings'. They can be eaten but after the strings the taste is blah - though there are a lot of seeds. (we have done the 4H pumpkin growing competition in the past)<BR/><BR/>Some grow butternut squashes or (other hard squashes) and use them for everything - including pumpkin pie. Might be worth trying.Stephanie in ARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05117946992633230458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-18480058335734621172008-11-11T19:52:00.000-07:002008-11-11T19:52:00.000-07:00Carl--Sorry about the stockpots, and thanks for th...Carl--Sorry about the stockpots, and thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes it's kind of embarrassing to admit that something doesn't work out, but hopefully there will always be a plan B. Thanks for your comments--they are always appreciated.Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08264276199843769399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1859227664304693752.post-53193184519091802692008-11-11T17:23:00.000-07:002008-11-11T17:23:00.000-07:00We have been canning and freezing and putting "stu...We have been canning and freezing and putting "stuff" away for 30 years with varying degrees of intensity. We continue to learn what works and what does not. This year we learned that cheap stockpots from India are cheap stockpots and food burns very easily to the bottom, thus making unusable pumpkin guts. You live and learn. Stay with it.<BR/><BR/>Carl In WisconsinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com