Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[sharron]

I haven't figured out how to grow enough of my own to can here... When I lived in VA, most weekends had at least one day for canning... Same setup, different weather??? Next year I'm gonna see if I can trade some eggs for extra tomatoes.

well, these that i canned this morning, only got 8 quarts, bought these at the auction cause my red ones haven't come on yet, i planted my pineapples and peaches first but did buy these just in cause it gets cold here before mine ripen
as for the one day canning, i can when i get enough to make it worthwhile, when mil was alive we did it together and sometimes we canned 2 bushel of whole tomatoes and 2 of tomato juice and then she would take the next bushel and make just tomato sauce, that was enough for her and pap for the winter. what's your soil like in tn? i know in florida, parents could never grow tomatoes that well down in the panhandle, but had enough to eat at a meal

 

[rjohns39]

what's your soil like in tn? i know in florida, parents could never grow tomatoes that well down in the panhandle, but had enough to eat at a meal

Like nothing... Perlite. My tomatoes and peppers grow hydroponically, it was the only solution I found to get a decent tomato in VA. The weather here isn't that much different then VA, but it does have a higher heat index and my plants start dying off in July. I'm going to add some shade cloth next year and see if that helps.

 

[sharron]

Like nothing... Perlite. My tomatoes and peppers grow hydroponically, it was the only solution I found to get a decent tomato in VA. The weather here isn't that much different then VA, but it does have a higher heat index and my plants start dying off in July. I'm going to add some shade cloth next year and see if that helps.

i see, altho i've never tried hydroponically myself, i have tried some veggies that were grown that way, prefer the ground. if i get to the stage where i can't grow my own, the auction is a source of fresh veggies and theres always amish country about three hours away
maybe between a shade cloth and watering you should be able to come up with a nice crop

 

[R2elk]

i see, altho i've never tried hydroponically myself, i have tried some veggies that were grown that way, prefer the ground. if i get to the stage where i can't grow my own, the auction is a source of fresh veggies and theres always amish country about three hours away
maybe between a shade cloth and watering you should be able to come up with a nice crop

We always made the fall trip to Chambersburg for peaches and canned them by the bushels. I loved the peach fritters.

 

[sharron]

We always made the fall trip to Chambersburg for peaches and canned them by the bushels. I loved the peach fritters.

wow, thats a drive and a half, peaches have been selling here for awhile, have you made your run yet?

 

[R2elk]

wow, thats a drive and a half, peaches have been selling here for awhile, have you made your run yet?

That was back when I lived in SW PA like you do. I really miss those Chambersburg peaches.

 

[rjohns39]

I need to develop farm contacts here like I had in VA... Just haven't had the time since moving here but hopefully that is changing. I belonged to a CSA in VA and got to meet the local farmers who provided stuff. I would go visit them on the farm, see how they grow stuff, etc... I visited a couple farms with no plants, just a big walk-in fridge... Generally stayed away from them and any growers adjacent to GMO farms. Those who met my needs were on my short list. So when I was ready to can and didn't have it myself, I could order "Canning Vegetables" Walmart has started marketing them as "Ugly Vegetables" but they were perfect for canning (vine ripe) and headed to compost if not bought, so they were always really cheap.

OK, I admit I'm a bit of a food snob. As I re-read this I remember how offended the Co-op was when I asked what farm they bought their Non-GMO grains from for my feed and told them I'd provide both the fish meal and the vitamin pack for my feed.

 

[sharron]

I need to develop farm contacts here like I had in VA... Just haven't had the time since moving here but hopefully that is changing. I belonged to a CSA in VA and got to meet the local farmers who provided stuff. I would go visit them on the farm, see how they grow stuff, etc... I visited a couple farms with no plants, just a big walk-in fridge... Generally stayed away from them and any growers adjacent to GMO farms. Those who met my needs were on my short list. So when I was ready to can and didn't have it myself, I could order "Canning Vegetables" Walmart has started marketing them as "Ugly Vegetables" but they were perfect for canning (vine ripe) and headed to compost if not bought, so they were always really cheap.

OK, I admit I'm a bit of a food snob. As I re-read this I remember how offended the Co-op was when I asked what farm they bought their Non-GMO grains from for my feed and told them I'd provide both the fish meal and the vitamin pack for my feed.

i try to grow my own when i can, since we don't spray any pesticides i think my veggies are safe to eat, altho i have to admit, sure hate cleaning broccoli, not the worms so much but the webs they leave, since i'm from florida, use to worms on the greens so look them good before i cook them, just a little meat never hurt anyone , when we're in florida for winter, we've found a farmer that sells out of his plantings, if he knows you he'll let you help pick otherwise he does the picking but hes getting up there, hes 82 now altho he doesn't have tomatoes, those we have to buy from walmarts til a gentleman starts setting up on the highway and selling what he buys from farther south. since we're in florida we can buy local fish or shrimp , oysters from the gulf

 

[sharron]

night everyone

 

[sharron]

morning all