What did you do in the garden today?

[FrannyNZooey]

Good morning Gardeners ! My brussle sprouts and potato are the only things in the garden.

What kind of potatoes are you growing? Just curious because I’m also in the Pacific Northwest. Hey neighbor!

 

[akroberts1085]

Wow. I went from 8b to 9a.

I'm in 9a also.

 

[jerryse]

All Honey is NOT the same!

I try to grow lots of the food we eat. I'm getting better at it. However, Dear Wife would go into the Amish open market on Saturday morning and pick up some great produce that either we don't grow, or just failed for us this year. Their produce always looks better than what we see at the big box stores. I don't know how the cost of the Amish produce compares to the big box stores, but it is nice paying the farmer directly.

Well, the Amish market had natural honey canned in quart jars for $12.75. That comes out to $0.39 per ounce. Normally, I buy little Honey Bears at the Dollar Tree and pay $1.25 for 1-3/4 ounces, or about $0.71 per ounce. Dear Wife and I decided to buy a quart jar, thinking that natural honey should have more health benefits for us, and it was even less expensive buying it in a big jar.

The honey we got is unprocessed. It's like spreading jam or jelly on your food, and if the food is warm enough, the natural honey will melt. I was OK with that, although the store-bought honey is always liquid, and you just squeeze the Honey Bear and the honey pours out.

Well, turns out that I really don't care for the taste of the natural honey. The store-bought honey is just a lot sweeter to me. Maybe I just prefer the store-bought honey taste because that is what I've always had? I have pretty much decided not to buy another jar of natural honey because of the taste. But maybe there is something I am doing wrong with the natural honey? Do you have to heat it up or something else to make it sweeter?

I prefer to eat most natural foods over processed foods. So, I was thinking the natural honey would be even better. Having said that, if I don't like the taste of any food, then it's just not worth it for me to buy. Case in point, I only buy name brand ketchup because the off-brand ketchups just don't taste as good to me. But most food items we are fine with the less expensive store brand food and save lots of money compared to buying the name brand item.

I can't believe that I would rather pay twice the price for artificial honey in a Honey Bear than buying natural honey with great health benefits as about half the cost! Somebody help me, please!

I have bees and the taste of honey depends on what the bees made it from. Clover honey is very good and light in color. The darker honey is often called wildflower honey. It is said basswood makes a very good honey. I do not have basswood trees but they are common in your area. Many beekeepers will not harvest honey made from goldenrod. They leave it for the bees. Some say they can smell goldenrod when they open a hive during the goldenrod bloom.

 

[Birdsonghill]

All Honey is NOT the same!

I try to grow lots of the food we eat. I'm getting better at it. However, Dear Wife would go into the Amish open market on Saturday morning and pick up some great produce that either we don't grow, or just failed for us this year. Their produce always looks better than what we see at the big box stores. I don't know how the cost of the Amish produce compares to the big box stores, but it is nice paying the farmer directly.
Well, the Amish market had natural honey canned in quart jars for $12.75. That comes out to $0.39 per ounce. Normally, I buy little Honey Bears at the Dollar Tree and pay $1.25 for 1-3/4 ounces, or about $0.71 per ounce. Dear Wife and I decided to buy a quart jar, thinking that natural honey should have more health benefits for us, and it was even less expensive buying it in a big jar.

The honey we got is unprocessed. It's like spreading jam or jelly on your food, and if the food is warm enough, the natural honey will melt. I was OK with that, although the store-bought honey is always liquid, and you just squeeze the Honey Bear and the honey pours out.

Well, turns out that I really don't care for the taste of the natural honey. The store-bought honey is just a lot sweeter to me. Maybe I just prefer the store-bought honey taste because that is what I've always had? I have pretty much decided not to buy another jar of natural honey because of the taste. But maybe there is something I am doing wrong with the natural honey? Do you have to heat it up or something else to make it sweeter?

I prefer to eat most natural foods over processed foods. So, I was thinking the natural honey would be even better. Having said that, if I don't like the taste of any food, then it's just not worth it for me to buy. Case in point, I only buy name brand ketchup because the off-brand ketchups just don't taste as good to me. But most food items we are fine with the less expensive store brand food and save lots of money compared to buying the name brand item.

I can't believe that I would rather pay twice the price for artificial honey in a Honey Bear than buying natural honey with great health benefits as about half the cost! Somebody help me, please!

Hello friend! I was a beekeeper and helped manage a friend's over 800 hives and queen and package bee yards. There is a lot of types of honey sold as nectars collected by and processed by the bees. Honey may be primarily from one source or many different flowers or even sugar water may taint the sources. Pure clover honey is most common or blends of clover and other honeys. Tupelo honey, black Locust honey, heather honey , wildflower honey an others. Black locust honey is rare due to the trees blossoms often timing with spring rains and late cool snaps. It is clear as water when not contaminated with clover and wildflower honey that comes later in the blooming season. Wildflower honey is usually dark and with a stronger more pronounced flavor. Filtering honey may change the flavor profile somewhat. You likely, just like the typical clover honey that is most common and popular. Some commercial brands may be adulterated with sugar water fed to the bees or diluted with syrups. though that is illegal without labeling it as a honey product not pure honey. it has been done. Wildflower honeys may vary a good bit in flavors and degree of darkness, but do tend to be strong by comparison. Many local producers are selling mixed honey from clover and other wildflower sources usually. Just like wines, honey varies and is wonderful in many varieties, but you may not like them all!

 

[fuzzi]

All Honey is NOT the same!

I try to grow lots of the food we eat. I'm getting better at it. However, Dear Wife would go into the Amish open market on Saturday morning and pick up some great produce that either we don't grow, or just failed for us this year. Their produce always looks better than what we see at the big box stores. I don't know how the cost of the Amish produce compares to the big box stores, but it is nice paying the farmer directly.

Well, the Amish market had natural honey canned in quart jars for $12.75. That comes out to $0.39 per ounce. Normally, I buy little Honey Bears at the Dollar Tree and pay $1.25 for 1-3/4 ounces, or about $0.71 per ounce. Dear Wife and I decided to buy a quart jar, thinking that natural honey should have more health benefits for us, and it was even less expensive buying it in a big jar.

The honey we got is unprocessed. It's like spreading jam or jelly on your food, and if the food is warm enough, the natural honey will melt. I was OK with that, although the store-bought honey is always liquid, and you just squeeze the Honey Bear and the honey pours out.

Well, turns out that I really don't care for the taste of the natural honey. The store-bought honey is just a lot sweeter to me. Maybe I just prefer the store-bought honey taste because that is what I've always had? I have pretty much decided not to buy another jar of natural honey because of the taste. But maybe there is something I am doing wrong with the natural honey? Do you have to heat it up or something else to make it sweeter?

I prefer to eat most natural foods over processed foods. So, I was thinking the natural honey would be even better. Having said that, if I don't like the taste of any food, then it's just not worth it for me to buy. Case in point, I only buy name brand ketchup because the off-brand ketchups just don't taste as good to me. But most food items we are fine with the less expensive store brand food and save lots of money compared to buying the name brand item.

I can't believe that I would rather pay twice the price for artificial honey in a Honey Bear than buying natural honey with great health benefits as about half the cost! Somebody help me, please!

Most of the name brand grocery store processed foods have added sweeteners or sodium to make them more palatable, and also addictive.

 

[gtaus]

Most of the name brand grocery store processed foods have added sweeteners or sodium to make them [honey] more palatable, and also addictive.

Seems to have worked on me.

 

[fuzzi]

The weather was mild today, about 70°, so I decided to work more on the weedy slope in front of the house.

Last Friday:

After 3 hours last weekend, and 3 more hours today:

The growth on the fence to the right of the tree is on the neighbor's side. He gave me his permission to cut it back, but warned me that there was a nest of "ground bees'" in that area. I told him I was going to wait until colder weather!

 

[Birdsonghill]

hey southern ohio i think im zone 5b. thank you

Yes, your too late for this year to plant turnips in the garden! Likely, mid July on through first half of August would be better up there for most fall crops. Check with the local state Ag agency or university ag program in your area for recommendations. Cold frames and row covers make a lot of things possible some years. Knowledge from experience and research of other growers in your community is best! Best wishes for your gardens and keep on growing! Every year I learn something and every year I forget something it seems! Sorry , I do not have recent pictures of crops with row covers. I just lost my phone and many photos not down loaded to my computer.

 

[akroberts1085]

Today I picked all the peppers and pulled the plants out. Now I am making some breakfast lunch with a few of them.

 

[akroberts1085]

I'm drying my pepper seeds. I know I have jalapenos and sweet peppers if anyone wants me to send some just let me know and as soon as they are ready I'll get them in the mail.