What did you do in the garden today?

[cj2024]

I am trying out this flower fertilizer from amazon. It's kind of expensive, but I think it's worth it, since I only need to use 1/4tsp per one gallon of water. This product should help make my pineapple fruit bigger.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I made bone broth out of lamb bones, fried them in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes, them pressure cooked them for 2 hrs, let the pressure release naturally and then added some veggies and pressure cooked them for another 2 hrs. I always add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, you really don’t taste it

 

[Sally PB]

I have 2 Nesco electric pressure canners that are basically the same thing, I think. They're 9.5 quarts each & just not big enough, I do a lot of broth at once. How big is your instant pot?

I have two IPs. I use the 6 quart for most things, and the 8 quart for bone broth or other large amounts of stuff. Mostly the bone broth, but I want to make as much broth at one time as I can.

I think this is the warmest February we've had in decades... All my trees and berries are budding out already so I'm praying March doesn't bring us an unexpected freeze.

We're either first or second warmest, and a week to go. I'm remembering a few years ago when we had 80s in March. The fruit trees budded, winter came back, and there was almost no fruit crop that year.

Our garden s still under snow.

Ours too, but it'll all melt today. I'm worrying about my cherry and apple trees, and the blueberry bushes. And for the farmers who have acres and acres of apple and cherry trees.

Schools are cancelled that day.

For a total eclipse? Oh, yeah. I'd call in sick. When we had a partial several years ago, the owner of the company told everyone that for the hour around the best part, we could take lunch and sit in the parking lot. One of my coworkers was really into astronomy and all things celestial, and brought a few pairs of glasses. He and his wife are going somewhere to view the total next month.

I think it's worth it, since I only need to use 1/4tsp per one gallon of water.

At 1-34-32, that's some heavy duty P and K! Let us know how your pineapples do!

 

[Sally PB]

I made bone broth out of lamb bones, fried them in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes, them pressure cooked them for 2 hrs, let the pressure release naturally and then added some veggies and pressure cooked them for another 2 hrs. I always add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, you really don’t taste it

The cider helps draw the minerals out of the bones. Bone broth is good stuff.

 

[Sueby]

I make bone broth in my Crockpot/slow cooker. No need to watch it, 12 hours on low is enough.

I was reading up on people making it in the oven. If I didn't have a double oven I would so try it. While reading that I read about people doing it in the crockpot - seems nice & easy. But not big enough for me.

I have two IPs. I use the 6 quart for most things, and the 8 quart for bone broth or other large amounts of stuff. Mostly the bone broth, but I want to make as much broth at one time as I can.

I found that making broth in them made a mess, like it spewed grease out the pressure release valve & it was all over the gasket & stuff - just a pain to clean. Does that happen to you?

The snow is slowly melting. Cold at night, above freezing during the day.

I'm going to thaw all my hot peppers & make DH his hot sauce this weekend. I think I'll just freeze it instead of canning, I'm not sure my back has canning in it. Be happy to get them out of the freezer.

 

[Sally PB]

I found that making broth in them made a mess, like it spewed grease out the pressure release valve & it was all over the gasket & stuff - just a pain to clean. Does that happen to you?

No, not at all. Here's what I do, and you can see if there's a difference in our methods that might account for that.

I save bones, meat scraps, and vegetable scraps in a big ziploc bag in the freezer. I put all the bones I can fit in the Instant Pot. I stuff vegetable scraps around the bones. Two bay leaves, a teaspoon of black peppercorns, a couple tablespoons of cider vinegar, and about a quart of water.

I use the Saute function first, as the shape of the bag doesn't fit the shape of the IP pot. As everthing thaws, I mash it down until it's broken up. Then I fill the pot with water to the "Max Level" line. Put on the lid, set it for 2 hours, and walk away.

Nearly all of my bones and meat scraps are turkey or chicken. Very occassionally I have a hambone, and last time I made broth I had a "soup bone" cut of meat that a friend gave me that "got lost" in the freezer.

The silicone sealing ring does smell like the broth. There are ways to clean it, but I've never bothered.

 

[Molpet]

Nah, you don't. We swing back and forth too much. As far as we go over normal, we'll swing back that far below normal. It's hard on your body.

This is when I usually lose some chicken hens . They look fine but I find them dead. They are a meat mutts mix from a CX pullet I kept back in 2016.

 

[Sueby]

Ha, I just ordered more seeds. Baker creek got me with a pic of some Cosmos. & I wanted celery seeds. & thyme. & rosemary.

No, not at all. Here's what I do, and you can see if there's a difference in our methods that might account for that.

I save bones, meat scraps, and vegetable scraps in a big ziploc bag in the freezer. I put all the bones I can fit in the Instant Pot. I stuff vegetable scraps around the bones. Two bay leaves, a teaspoon of black peppercorns, a couple tablespoons of cider vinegar, and about a quart of water.

I use the Saute function first, as the shape of the bag doesn't fit the shape of the IP pot. As everthing thaws, I mash it down until it's broken up. Then I fill the pot with water to the "Max Level" line. Put on the lid, set it for 2 hours, and walk away.

Nearly all of my bones and meat scraps are turkey or chicken. Very occassionally I have a hambone, and last time I made broth I had a "soup bone" cut of meat that a friend gave me that "got lost" in the freezer.

The silicone sealing ring does smell like the broth. There are ways to clean it, but I've never bothered.

Yep, that's exactly how I do it - to a T! It must just be my machines - just a greasy mess & I hate cleaning them. Maybe I'll try again next time & see how it goes.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

One of my silver maples is in bloom. About 1 month early

Here in Southern Delaware I see my Daffodil shoots halfway up already & the Blue Berry shrubs have berry buds. It is a bit soon, about 6 weeks early. We've had some surprise heavy snow events in March & even up to April 15th, in the past, so I'm not sure what is going on this Spring yet. I do know we have a caterpillar/butterfly that used to only be prolific south of here, in the Carolinas. Seems that little bugger has made it's home north now, so the climate has changed some. Climate change is part of this earth's history, but when I actually witness, in my short lifetime, some changes that have occurred, it makes me wonder. The Woolly Mammoth flash frozen while eating comes to mind...Lol

View attachment 3752939

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Yellow nutsedge is edible, I know turkeys will eat the tubers
https://www.slurrp.com/article/yellow-nutsedge-benefits-of-chewing-tiger-nuts-1651175541801

I'm telling DH we need 2 turkeys! I've had my eye on this type, Royal Palm.


Time to renovate a coop...add a pair of turkeys.