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1. Canning & Freezing Foods from Your Garden
By Alice Henneman, UNL Extension Educator
One of the joys of living on an acreage is having ample space to plant a garden, have a berry patch and/or grow some fruit trees. Perhaps you'd like to preserve some of your summer produce to enjoy later in the year!
Using the correct canning and freezing methods is important in preserving the flavor and quality of your fruits and vegetables. Except for tomatoes, all vegetables must be canned in a pressure canner to ensure their safety. Most frozen vegetables benefit from a process called "blanching" that stops enzymatic action and helps maintain their taste during storage.
For more information and specific directions and tips for canning and freezing, visit Canning & Freezing, http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodpres.shtml
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2. Freezing Raw Tomatoes With and Without Their Skins
By Alice Henneman, UNL Extension Educator
You've grown an abundance of tomatoes? Can they be frozen? Or, do you have to can them?
It is possible to quickly freeze raw tomatoes without blanching them first.
They may be frozen without their skins or frozen whole with their skins.
Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked foods such as soups, sauces and
stews as they become mushy when they're thawed.
Continued...
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqtomatoes.htm
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3. Healthy Cooking with Fresh Herbs
By Alice Henneman, UNL Extension Educator
Adding fresh herbs is a quick way to transform ORDINARY meals into
EXTRAORDINARY meals. Besides helping flavor foods when cutting back on
salt, fat and sugar, herbs may offer additional benefits of their own.
Researchers are finding many culinary herbs (both fresh and dried) have
antioxidants that may help protect against such diseases as cancer and
heart disease.
If you've ever wondered whether or not to pronounce the "h" in "herb," the
answer is: In Great Britain, the h is pronounced; in the United States,
it's pronounced "erb"?
Continued...
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftapr03.htm
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4. Culinary Herbs
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Herbs are generally fragrant leaves or tops gathered from herbaceous or shrubby plants native to temperate climates. Spices are aromatic seeds, fruits, bark, roots, or resins from tropical plants. Twelve of the most commonly used herbs include:
Basil, Ocimum basilicum, leaves and stems are used fresh or dried. It is widely used to flavor all types of foods as well as vinegars and teas.
Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, has the flavor described as a combination of orange peel and sage. Ground seed is called coriander but the fresh leaf stage is known as cilantro. The seed is used to make curry powder, the leaves are used in Chinese and Mexican cooking.
Dill, Anethum graveolens, is used either fresh or dried. The seeds, stems, and leaves can all be consumed. It is used to flavor many types of foods from meats to breads and desserts. One of its most common uses is in flavoring dill pickles.
Mint, Mentha spicata and/or M. x piperita, has sweet, fresh aromatic leaves that are used either fresh or dried. The refreshing tastes are used not only to flavor meats, soups, desserts, vegetables, salads, and dressings but also to make wonderful iced drinks and teas.
Oregano, Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, has a sharp aromatic flavor. The leaves are used fresh or dried. It is widely used in Mexican and Italian dishes to flavor meats, soups, vegetables, salads, eggs, and cheese dishes.
Parsley, Petroselinum crispum, has a refreshing peppery flavor. The leaves can be used fresh or frozen. The most common use is as an edible garnish.
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, has a pungent flavor. The leaves are used either fresh or dried to make excellent tasting sauces, fish, vegetables, stuffings, and meats.
Sage, Salvia officinalis, has a strong, musky flavor. The fresh or dried leaves are a natural flavoring for poultry, veal, game, lamb, and pork dishes as well as vegetables and tea.
Savory, Satureja hortensis or S. montana, has a peppery, spicy flavor that works well with boiled meats, chicken, fish, lamb, veal, and seafood. It is commonly used in various soups and stews as well as flavoring vegetables, gravies, and sauces. It also makes a wonderful flavored vinegar.
Sweet Marjoram, Origanum majorana, is a sweet, fragrant herb whose leaves can be used either fresh or dried. It is used for flavoring fish and meat, soups and stews, and egg and vegetable dishes.
Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa, has an aniselike flavor that adds an interesting taste to poultry, seafood, lamb, and veal. Like savory, tarragon can be used to flavor vinegar, sauces, and vegetable dishes.
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris, has a strong pungent flavor for all kinds of meats, soups, vegetables, seafood, and breads.
Today, gardeners are enjoying the wide variety of herbs and spices that fit with our individual styles of cooking. If you are not a cook who experiments with many flavors, try some of the plants listed above for a flavorful cooking experience.
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5. Harvest Waiting Periods for Fruits and Vegetables
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
As gardeners plant their fruits and vegetables, they anxiously look forward to their harvest. For some vegetables, the wait is short. Radishes may be ready to harvest in 30 days. Apple trees, however, may not bear fruit for several years. Some small fruits and tree fruits may flower and produce fruit before the plants are well established. While it may be difficult, it is advisable to remove these flowers and not permit the plants to bear fruit. Removal of the flowers will maximize vegetative growth and increase yields in later years. Vegetables, such as asparagus, also need to be well established before the plants are harvested. The harvest waiting period for several fruits and vegetables are listed below.
June-Bearing Strawberries - Remove all blossoms during the first growing season. Go over the plants about once a week and pinch off any flowers. Flower production on June-bearing strawberries should end by July 1.
Day-Neutral and Everbearing Strawberries - Pinch off all blossoms until about July 1. Flowers that bloom after July 1 may be allowed to develop into fruit.
Apples and Other Tree Fruits - Remove all fruit that form during the first three growing seasons.
Asparagus - No asparagus should be harvested the first year. The asparagus planting can be harvested for 2 weeks in the second year, 6 weeks in the third year, and 8 weeks in the fourth and following years.
Rhubarb - Rhubarb should not be harvested during the first two growing seasons. In the third season, rhubarb may be harvested for 4 weeks. The harvest period can be extended to 8 weeks in the fourth and following years.
The establishment period for some fruits and vegetables is critical. If not harvested or allowed to fruit during this period, they should reward us with bountiful crops for many years.
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6. Harvesting and Storing Vine Crops
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
The proper time to harvest some vegetable crops is fairly easy to determine. Tomatoes turn red when ripe. Onions are harvested when the tops fall over and begin to dry. While some vegetables exhibit clear signs, the proper time to harvest other crops may require a little more knowledge and experience. Below are guidelines for harvesting and storing various vine crops.
Watermelon
Harvest when the underside or "belly" of the melon turns from a greenish white to buttery yellow or cream. This color change is especially pronounced on the dark green skinned varieties. It is often less noticeable on lighter skinned watermelons. In addition, the fruit tends to lose its slick appearance on top and becomes dull when ripe.
Thumping or tapping the melon is generally not a good indicator of ripeness. Rapping an immature melon with your knuckles produces a metallic ring. A ripe melon gives off a hollow or dull ring. Most individuals, however, have difficulty differentiating between the sounds.
The browning of the pig's tail (light green, curly tendril attached to the vine near the melon) is also not reliable. In some varieties, the pig's tail may turn brown 7 to 10 days before the melon is ripe.
When harvesting watermelons, leave 2 inches of the stem on the fruit. Watermelons can be stored at room temperature for about one week. The storage period can be extended to two to three weeks at 40 to 50 degrees F.
Muskmelon
The fruit of muskmelon or cantaloupe are mature when the stem pulls (slips) easily from the melon. The melon is not ripe if the stem has to be forcibly separated from the fruit. Other indicators of maturity are based on touch, appearance, and aroma. The flower end (the end opposite the stem) of the melon should be slightly soft. The skin between the netting turns from green to yellow. Finally, a ripe melon produces a strong "muskmelon" aroma.
Muskmelons can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Before refrigerating, place the melons in a plastic bag to prevent the muskmelon aroma from favoring other stored foods.
Honeydew
A slight softening of the flower end of the fruit is the best indicator of ripeness. Also, there may be subtle changes in the fruit's color.
Winter Squash
The fruit of winter squash are mature when the rind or skin is firm and glossy. A thumbnail will not easily penetrate a mature fruit. The portion of the fruit resting on the ground will be cream to orange. When harvesting winter squash, leave a portion of the stem attached to the fruit.
Pumpkin
Harvest pumpkins when uniformly orange. Retain a portion of the stem.
Pumpkins and winter squash should be cured at 80 to 85 degrees F for a few days prior to storage. Store in single layers at 50 to 55 degrees F.
Spaghetti Squash
Harvest spaghetti squash when the fruit color changes from ivory white to golden yellow. When harvesting, leave a portion of the stem attached to the fruit. Store mature fruit on shelves in a cool, dry location.
The maturity of vine crops can be approximated by counting the days after flowering. It takes approximately 40 to 50 days for muskmelons and 50 to 60 days for large-fruited watermelons to mature after pollination. Acorn squash requires 55 to 60 days, butternut squash 60 to 70 days, and hubbard squash 80 to 90 days . These figures are based on warm weather. Cool weather will slow growth and delay maturity.
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7. Harvesting and Storing Potatoes
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Potatoes grown for winter use should be harvested after the vines have died and the crop is mature. To check maturity, dig up one or two hills of potatoes. If the skins on the tubers are thin and rub off easily, the crop is not fully mature and will not store well. Wait a few more days before harvesting. The skins on mature potatoes remain firmly attached to the tubers. When harvesting potatoes, avoid bruising, skinning, or cutting the tubers. Damaged potatoes should be used as soon as possible.
Before placing the potatoes in storage, the tubers should be cured. Cure potatoes at a temperature of 45 to 60 degrees F and high relative humidity (85 to 95 percent) for two weeks. Healing of minor cuts and bruises and thickening of the skin occurs during the curing process.
Once cured, sort through the potatoes and discard any soft, shriveled, or blemished tubers. These potatoes may spoil in storage and destroy much of the crop. Potatoes should be stored at a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees F and relative humidity of 90 percent. Store in a dark location as potatoes turn green when exposed to light. If storage temperatures are above 45 degrees F, the potatoes will start to sprout after two or three months. When stored below 40 degrees F, potatoes develop a sugary, sweet taste. Sugary potatoes may be restored to their natural flavor by placing them at room temperature for a few days prior to use. Do not allow potatoes to freeze.
Most modern homes have few good storage places for vegetables. A cool garage or basement may be the best site. Another possibility would be a second refrigerator. Do not store potatoes with apples or other fruit. Apples and other fruit give off ethylene gas which may promote sprouting of potatoes.
Green tubers are caused by exposure to light while in the garden or during storage. The green tissue contains glycoalkaloids which give the affected areas a bitter taste and can make one ill if eaten. When preparing potatoes, green areas should be cut away and discarded.
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8. Vegetable Garden Weed Control
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Judging from the number of calls concerning weed control, this may be the year of the weed. Gardeners have several options when it comes to controlling weeds in the vegetable garden. The oldest method of weed control comes with cultivation, either hand hoeing or through the use of a rototiller. Cultivation works well for annual weeds such as crabgrass or purslane. However, with perennial weeds, cultivation may initially create a larger problem. Cultivation breaks perennial weeds and their root systems into smaller pieces which grow into entire plants. Frequent cultivation is often needed to control perennial weeds. Be sure to remove as many weed parts as you can so the weeds are not allowed to reroot and grow. A second disadvantage of cultivation is that many vegetables have shallow root systems. Frequent cultivation can damage their roots and reduce potential yields. Use care when cultivating around such plants as squash, cucumbers, melons and tomatoes.
Mulches, both organic and inorganic, can be effective in reducing or eliminating annual weeds. Unfortunately, most perennial weeds have enough food reserves to push through a layer of organic mulch. Mulches prevent light from reaching the soil surface and inhibit weed seed germination and growth. Mulches also conserve moisture, prevent erosion, and reduce soil compaction. Organic mulches also keep soil temperatures from rising to high levels. Apply organic mulches, such as grass clipping, straw, or shredded leaves, after the soil has had a chance to warm in the spring. Warm season crops require warm soils for good growth. Another advantage of organic mulches is they return valuable organic matter to the soil as well as small amounts of nutrients.
A final method of weed control involves the use of herbicides. Both pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides are available for use in the garden. Pre-emergence herbicides are an effective way to control annual grasses and some annual broadleaf weeds. Pre- emergence herbicides work in different ways to prevent the seedling from emerging through the soil surface. A pre-emergence herbicide commonly used in the home garden is Preen (trifluralin). It controls a number of weeds and can be used with many garden vegetables and flowers. It is important to remember that it can not be used with every garden plant. Be sure to read the label for a list of vegetables and the proper vegetable plant stage for herbicide application. If your particular vegetable is not on the label, the product can not be used. Another type of herbicide commonly used in the vegetable garden is the non-selective herbicide, glyphosate (Roundup or Kleenup). Glyphosate can be used in the garden prior to planting several garden vegetables. After 7 days, the seeds, rooted cuttings, or transplants of many garden vegetables can be planted. The biggest exception is tomatoes. Tomato transplants cannot be planted for 30 days; however, seeds may be planted 7 days after the use of glyphosate. Again, the label lists the plants and proper waiting intervals for planting.
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9. Avoid Raw Eggs When Making Home-made Ice Cream
By Julie Albrecht, UNL Food Specialist
Home-made ice cream can be a special treat for any summertime occasion. However, it is important to choose a recipe that is safe and won't invite bacteria to the celebration.
Bacteria can be found in home-made ice cream made with raw eggs. Eggs are used to thicken ice cream and give it a rich texture. However, raw eggs also may carry salmonella, a common bacteria linked with food poisoning. Therefore, it is important to find recipes that do not require raw eggs.
There are three alternatives to making ice cream with raw eggs.
- Use a recipe that doesn't call for eggs at all.
- Use a recipe that requires raw eggs to be cooked during the ice-cream making process to help ensure all bacteria are killed.
- Use egg substitute in place of raw eggs.
Other ingredients should not cause reason for concern because the product will be kept cold. However, it is a good idea to use pasteurized milk as well.
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10. Bees and Wasps Sting to Defend Their Colonies
By Barb Ogg, UNL Extension Educator
Many people see bees and wasps as a threat because they may sting, but this is backwards thinking. Bees and wasps are beneficial insects. Some species pollinate crops and produce honey; others are predators of insects and spiders. Bees and wasps sting because something is threatening their colony or the bee itself.
In general, there are two types of bees and wasps. One type builds large colonies and are called social bees and wasps. These include honey bees, bumble bees, yellow jackets and paper wasps. These insects tend to be somewhat aggressive and will sting if someone threatens their colony or the bee itself.
Yellow jackets are a type of paper wasp that usually builds colonies underground, in old mouse burrows. They aggressively defend their colony and may attack people who get too close to it. Vibrations from a lawn mower will trigger aggressive behavior.
Honey bees are much less aggressive. Many beekeepers work their bees with no protective clothing and may hardly ever get stung.
The other type of bees and wasps is referred to as solitary. These bees and wasps do not build large colonies. They usually are predators and prey on spiders, crickets, cicadas and other insects. Solitary wasps, such as the cicada killer wasp, paralyze their prey and drag it to a burrow. They lay an egg on the paralyzed prey, which hatches into a larva that feeds on the paralyzed insect. Solitary warps are not aggressive and would only sting someone who is foolish enough to handle the live wasp.
The body’s normal reaction is a local reaction around the sting, characterized by swelling, redness, itching and pain. Some people have a greater reaction to the sting, but this is still considered to be a normal reaction -- although the individual is more sensitive to the bee’s venom.
To minimize the reaction to a honey bee sting, remove the stinger. To reduce swelling, place a cold compress over the sting or take an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, to reduce swelling. A bee sting will heal on its own and generally shouldn't need treatment by a doctor.
Difficulty breathing after being stung is a symptom of an allergic reaction and should be brought to the attention of a doctor immediately. Those who are allergic to bee stings may not realize they have an allergy until they are stung a second time, because their body's reaction to the sting will worsen the more often they are stung.
To avoid bee stings, stay away from locations known to have colonies. Second, do not swat at bees and wasps -- quick motions may elicit stinging behavior. Third, perfumes and hairspray may attract bees and wasps – do not wear fragrances when you are picnicking in the late summer and yellow jackets are foraging near trash bins. If you are allergic to bee stings, it may be necessary to remove a colony of yellow jackets in your yard. Contact a pest control professional the local extension office.
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11. Take Preventive Measures To Avoid Tick Bites
By Barb Ogg, UNL Extension Educator
A mild winter usually means small insects and arthropods survive well. Ticks are abundant this year and can be expected to be active throughout the spring and summer months.
Most ticks have four developmental stages: egg, 6-legged seed tick, 8-legged nymph and adult (male or female). At each stage the tick must find its blood meal or host to survive which means it needs at least 3 hosts to become a breeding adult. Smallest ticks often feed on small animals, such as rodents or rabbits. Due to their need for hosts, most seed ticks do not survive to become adults. In order to compensate for the low survival rate, female ticks lay thousands of eggs.
Ticks are most common in rural areas, where wild animals are abundant. They live in tall grasses and enjoy humid temperatures. Ticks find their host by detecting carbon dioxide given off by the animal. They climb to the top of a blade of grass and stretch out their legs until they grab onto a body, animal or human.
People can prevent being bitten by using insect repellants, such as DEET or picaridin-based products. Wearing light-colored clothing allows a tick to be more easily seen as it crawls on a person. Another preventive measure is to wear socks on the outside of pants and tuck in shirts, so ticks are less able to crawl under clothing. After being outside, people should have someone inspect them for ticks.
Pets should be checked if they spend time in tick-infested areas and then come indoors. The most effective method of preventing tick bites on pets is to regularly use repellent and control products. A veterinarian should be consulted to help select safe and effective products.
There are several method of removing ticks that are dangerous. Burning a tick with matches or a cigarette is not recommended. Neither is spraying the tick with hairspray or alcohol. Squeezing the tick’s swollen abdomen can make the blood in its stomach go back into the body, which could increase the chance of disease transmission. The most effective way to get rid of a tick is to grab the tick with tweezers as close to the head of the tick as possible. Gently and steadily pull the tick, but do not jerk. After a couple of minutes the tick will tire and release its hold.
The most common tick throughout Nebraska is the American dog tick. This tick is a vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Although, outbreaks of Rocky Mountain spotted fever aren't common, it does need to be treated by a doctor. The longer an infected tick feeds, the greater the chance of disease transmission.
Another common tick in southeast Nebraska is the lone star tick, named because the female lone star tick has a single white spot on their back. These ticks can transmit a disease very similar to Lyme disease.
People living in rural areas or acreages may be frustrated with ticks and want to spray insecticides to kill them. Because ticks have a leathery body and are not easily killed with insecticides, this type of control usually is not very effective. A more helpful solution is to maintain a short grassy lawn which is not a very conducive environment for ticks.
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