Stressed Plants

Have you ever looked out your window and seen your plants look like this? This is bad. Unfortunately my poor Pumpkin plant looks like this a lot. It is nothing a little water can't fix though!

In no time the leaves will look like this. Even though this is my zucchini plant...my pumpkin plant did look like this...just not in time for me to take a picture of it.

Thanks for listening.

The Vertical Cuke!

You may be wondering why I blog so much about my own garden. It isn't because I think you really care that much about MY garden but because I think gardening is a very valuable skill that takes time to perfect.

My Dad is a master gardener...I am not. But I am like a sponge when it comes to gardening, whether it comes from him or through books or from the internet. There are so many things to consider...

• What grows well in my yard?
• What will my family eat?
• How to I fortify my soil so it is nutrient rich?
• If my soil is lacking, what do I amend it with?

Because these answers only come with time, it is critical to start today, when we have time.

OK, I am off my soap box now...let's talk about growing cucumbers vertically.

This is what my cukes looked like before I started...a nice, viney bush sitting at the base of my trellis. As long as you don't get a "bush" variety, getting them to grow up a trellis is a very easy task.

All you need is a trellis...whatever kind suits you.

Some sort of twine or yarn to tie up your vines.

And a trusty pair of scissors. Not much to it.

Now, when you go to buy your cucumber seeds, look on the back of the package to see if they can be grown vertically. If they can, they will grow these wonderful tendrils that will grab onto anything...lovely little things!

After about 10 minutes I had this...vines tied up and trained to grow to the sky. This picture was taken right after I tied them, but after a few days my plant is bushy, thick and vertical...can't get much better than that!!

Your 3-Month Supply

Here are a few things on sale this week...either use them to build your three month supply, or just enjoy a great deal!



DANS FOODS

• ShurSaving Gallon Milk Skim, 1% or 2%- $1.59 (and save .75 of a gallon by printing off THIS Group A coupon! Print it twice.) Price after coupon- .84


• Western Family Block Cheese 8 oz.- .93 ( save $1 if you buy 2lbs of cheese by printing off THIS Group A coupon...you need to buy 4!) Price after coupon- 4 for $2.72


• Western Family Cottage Cheese- .93


• Oven Roasts- $1.69 lb. (great to freeze for later use!)


• Western Family Large Eggs 18 count- $1.48


• Western Family Frozen Orange or Apple Juice (from concentrate)-. 93

SMITHS

• Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk Skim, 1%, 0r 2%- $1.50 (use previously mentioned milk coupon for .75 off a gallon, print twice) Price after coupon- .75


• Mountain Dairy Gallon Whole Milk- $1.67 (use .75 off coupon) Price after coupon- .92


• Smiths Large Dozen Eggs- .99


• Kroger Orange Juice Gallon- $1.99

To check out all of the deals and your favorite stores, click on THIS link to access the Grocery Smarts Link.

Pruning a Tomato Plant

Julia...this is for you!

I have spent countless hours on the internet trying to learn how to prune my tomato plants and have not found any great tutorials. This will probably be another bad one to add to the list, but I thought I would give it a try. I must say though, you don't not NEED to prune tomato plants. You can just plant them and let them grow, but to optimize growth and get bigger and better fruit...pruning can help. Also, remember that tomato plants LOVE our dry, hot weather! So don't overwater.

This is a small section of my cherry tomato plant.

See this little stem? He is bright and green and beautiful, but in the name of pruning...he can go. He does not posses any "buds", so I can remove him and subsequently give more energy to the rest of the plant.

Now if you look closely at your tomato plants you will notice these little "suckers" growing in between in the main branchy thing and a "non-budding" off shoot. If allowed to grow, it will get nice and big and produce lots of little blossoms that will result in lots of cherry tomatoes. Depending on how big you want your plant to get and how many tomatoes you want your plant to produce, you can snap these little guys off. I personally don't snap them all off...but I do remove a bunch as I want my plant to produce fewer but better fruit, and not a million little guys.

These are the little buds that will soon become nice, juicy tomatoes...you don't want to prune them!

This is post pruning...they look a little bare don't they. No need to fear, they will be big and bushy again in no time.

Sad isn't it!

But I left a good amount of these guys, so not all is lost.

And just in case you were wondering...this is how I make my bush into a tree back into a bush. Scary!

The ULTOMATO!!!

I was recently asked in a comment what tomato cage I would suggest...oh, have I found a spectacular one!!!

THE ULTOMATO

tomato cage!!!

I am telling you...this truly is the ultimate tomato cage and I will tell you why it has worked so well for me.

1. They are long lasting. The posts are made from a poly plastic material that will not rust and will last season after season.
2. The side supports are adjustable. So if you are like me and your tomatoes tend to get away from you, you can just trim the plant, open up the tomato cage, and put it all back into the support without breaking a thing.
3. They do not fall over. My tomato plants are HUGE this year and the cages are holding strong!

They are sold in containers that look like this. I bought mine at Home Depot for around $9.00. I wonder if they might be cheaper now considering most of the planting season is behind us.

This is what they look like all set up.

And this is one of mine. I pruned my plant down to nearly nothing, stuffed the limbs back in the cage and wondered what I had done. My tomato plant looked more like a tree than than a bush. But...tomatoes like a little pruning, it allows the fruit to grow bigger and as you can tell, it doesn't take long to fill right back out!

Family Home Storage: A New Message

I went on the Church's Provident Living website the other day and saw a link for an article entitled " Family Home Storage: A New Message". I remember reading it in the Ensign a few months back and I thought it was worth passing along.

http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/PDF/Magazines/Liahona/English/2009/LI_2009_03_04___04283_000_005.pdf

If you have a few minutes, take a look at it.

The Topsy Turvy

For years I have watched those "Topsy Turvy" infomercials and wondered if they were really as great as they advertised. When I spotted one early this season, I thought I would try it out for myself...and so it begins, my journey with a Topsy Turvy...

It all began with a small cherry tomato plant that was very confused which way was up.

With nourishment and great care (and a lot of water) my confused plant turned into a small bush.

A real beauty isn't she! What she lacks in size she more than makes up in quality. :)! OK, not really, she actually has been a slow bloomer and compared with her sister that was planted in my grow box...she is a real runt.

The plant on the far right is her container mate...there is a bit of a size difference. OK, a HUGE size difference!

But after all is said and done, she is producing these...and that is why she was planted...good job my little confused tomato plant who resides in a Topsy Turvy!

All joking aside, if you have ever considered using a Topsy Turvy for garden production...here is what I have learned.

• Make sure the plant you put in it has a base stem that is at least as thick as a pencil. Mine wasn't and although it figured it out, it was a bit behind the curve.
• Use a good potting soil and good plant food when you start out. This is the only nourishment, other than sun and water of course, your plant will get. And I think your results will be MUCH better if you use good, high nourishing stuff.
• Make sure your plant gets plenty of water. They dry out much faster than anything planted in the ground.
• Hang your basket in a VERY sturdy place. When you fill that bag up with soil and water, it is VERY heavy.
• Although your plant may (and probably will) do much better than mine, don't expect a huge harvest. My plant is clearly not huge and will not produce an endless supply of cherry tomatoes. But...that is just what I wanted ( as you can tell by the size of my other tomato plants). I will love having a tomato plant right outside my kitchen
  where I can grab a handful of tomatoes to toss on my salad.

So there you have it...my take on the Topsy Turvy. Do with it what you wish. If anyone has had a different experience with one, I would love to hear it!

Food For Thought

Spencer W. Kimball

April Conference, 1981

"Where you have a plot of land, however small, plant a garden. Staying close to the soil is good for the soul. Purchase your essentials wisely and carefully. Strive to save a portion of that which you earn. Do not mistake many wants for basic needs."

Spencer W. Kimball

October 1976 Regional Representatives

Seminar Address

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program."

Glenn L. Pace

Quoting Marion G. Romney

April Conference, 1986

"He made the process sound so simple. "Brother Pace, don't make things so complicated! All we have been trying to do is make our people self-reliant, because the more self-reliant one is, the more able to serve he becomes, and the more he serves, the greater his sanctification."

Your 3-Month Supply

If you live around here, I thought I would let you know of a great sale going on at Dan's Foods this Saturday from 6 am-10 am.

MORNING MADNESS

Breakfast Sale

1 dozen large eggs- .79 (limit 6)

Minute Maid Orange Juice (half gallon)- 2 for $4 (limit 2)

16 oz Strawberries- .99

1 pint Blueberries- .99

1/2 pint Raspberries and Blackberries- .99

Reser's Hashbrowns 20 oz.- 10 for $10 (no limit)

Farmland Sausage Links or Patties (12oz links or 16 oz rolls)- 5 for $5 (no limit)

All of these items can be frozen and are great for your 3-month supply or to eat right away!

Dan's is also offering a FREE Continental Breakfast.

P.S. How is your garden coming? :)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

So, we have talked about Whole Wheat Bread and Cinnamon Rolls. Why not add another to the mix...Whole Wheat Pizza Dough! The best thing about this dough is it is just 1/6 of the Foolproof Bread Dough. So in one fell swoop you can whip out 2 loaves of bread, 1 batch of cinnamon rolls and a pizza! I did this last night and it was great! I had the main dish and dessert whipped out, just added a salad and Voila! I full and healthy meal with minimal effort.
To get the bread recipe, click HERE.

To make...

• Prepare your dough according to the bread recipe
• Roll out to desired shape
• Cover with toppings
• Bake in a 475 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
  

The other great thing about making your own pizza is that it is easy to store all ingredients. The crust has food storage written all over it, as does commercially bottled pizza sauce (although I am sure you could make your own and can it), cheese, meat, and veggies such as peppers and onions can easily be frozen, and you can store and use canned mushrooms and olives. The possiblities are endless. Who knew eating food storage could be so tasty!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are to die for...seriously...OK, they may not be worth death, but they are seriously good, seriously addicting, you should seriously make them!

Start by making the Foolproof Bread Recipe. If you would like the step by step instructions, click HERE.


Once your dough is made, divide it into three equal parts.

Then, roll out the dough into a nice, even rectangle.

It doesn't have to be perfect, as you can see, you just want your large "roll" to be as even as possible.

Then sprinkle with your toppings. I use cinnamon and brown sugar. The great thing about these cinnamon rolls is you don't need to lather the dough with butter. Nice and healthy...well, mostly. I actually like to make my own brown sugar, it is AWESOME!! If you would like the recipe...

Brown Sugar

1 Cup sugar

1-4 Tablespoons molasses (depending on desired flavor.) I use 2

Stir together with a wire whisk.

Top generously.

Then roll it up, nice and even.

Now it is time to slice it up. I have a sharp knife I use, but you can also use yarn, string or even dental floss (unflavored).

Lay them out on a jelly roll pan...if you have parchment paper, use it! It makes prep and clean-up SO easy. Then let them raise on your counter until they are double in size.

When they come out of the oven they should be nicely golden brown in color.

I like to frost them right when they get out of the oven, that way the icing just melts all over the rolls...I am telling you, crazy delicious!

At the end you get this. Whoa!

Make some today...you will be glad you did!!

Cinnamon Rolls (makes 1 dozen)

1/3 FOOLPROOF BREAD RECIPE (I usually make two/three loaves of bread and one pan cinnamon rolls.)

Roll into rectangle 3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, and any other topping you would like (I just do brown sugar and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon). Roll as a jelly roll. Cut 3/4 thick. Place in 1/2 size bun pan covered in parchment paper (I use a jelly roll pan). Let rise until almost double in bulk. When raised bake in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Ice and remove from pan while still warm.

FROSTING:

2 C powdered sugar

1/4 C soft butter

2 TB water

1tsp vanilla

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread...Step by Step

Oh goodness...it has taken far too long to get this post finished! I did spend a little time away on a small family vaca in the mountains...in a tent trailer...without even an outhouse! AAGGHH! But that is a story for another day, so for now, let's talk about whole wheat bread making...step by step!

This recipe is the one I use, I have posted about it before, so it is probably not new, but I thought it might be helpful to do a step by step tutorial for anyone who has tried to make it and it didn't work out, or just hasn't made it in awhile. Now, if you have a KitchenAid and don't think your machine can handle such a big recipe, give it another try by cutting the recipe in half. I have had others try this and have success.

Here we go...

Combine your warm water and a few cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour.

Does your machine have a "jog" switch? If so, use it a few times to just incorporate the water and flour a bit. If it doesn't, just turn your mixer on for 10 seconds or so, the two ingredients don't have be well mixed.


Now start to add the rest of your ingredients...oil, honey (do it in this order and your honey will just slide out of the measuring cup), salt, vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer, and SAF instant yeast.



What is Vital wheat gluten and Dough enhancer you might ask? Vital wheat gluten improves the elasticity in your bread while Dough enhancer makes it softer and improves the shelf life. Do you HAVE to use these things? No, but they will improve your final product over the long term.


OK, now turn your mixer to the lowest setting and start adding the remainder of your flour.



I usually add about a cup at a time for a few cups, then I add 1/2 cup at a time.





Keep adding...



Notice how my dough is sticking to the side of my bowl? I slowly add flour until the sides of the bowl start to become clean. If you are using a KitchenAid and you don't see this happening, just stop your mixer now and then to check the texture of the dough...you want it to be tacky, but not sticky, you need to be able to work with it. But as a general rule, it is better to add TOO LITTLE flour that TOO MUCH, so if you dough is a bit sticky...don't worry, you will still have great bread.

Just let the dough knead in the mixer for about 10 minutes.

By this time, you can see that the sides of my mixing bowl are completely clean. That is what you want.

You want a nice glob of dough...is that an appetizing word, glob? Sorry.

Next, move your dough to an oil sprayed surface (like PAM) not a floured one. At this point you have achieved your desired dough consistency, you don't want to be adding more flour.

Divide the dough into three equal parts (the recipe below says it makes 4 loaves, I make 3 because I use 4x10 bread pans). I rarely accomplish this on the first try, I am usually weighing the dough in my hands, cutting off a piece from one and adding it to another until I get fairly equal loaves.

Then either roll or flatten with your hand each dough segment (one at a time of course). This helps work out any air bubbles in your dough.

Next, roll the dough into a nicely shaped loaf. Sorry about the gimpy hand picture...I was trying to do two things at once...apparently not very well!

Your loaf should look something like this.

Now, put it into a greased loaf pan.

Then it is time to rise. You can do this two ways. #1...on your counter. #2...in a slightly warm oven. You can decide what works for you. The oven method is very fast, but my oven is acting weird, so I raise mine on my counter. Which ever way you choose, just wait to bake until your loaves are double in size.

Here are my loaves...ready to go in the oven.

If you choose to raise your loaves on the counter and you let them get as big as mine, you will want to preheat your oven and stick the loaves in when the oven is about 200-250 degrees (oven thermometer necessary) and cook for about 25-27 minutes (depending on your oven), but if you don't raise them as much, put them in a cold oven and bake for 30 min. at 350 degrees.

And after 25-30 minutes this is what you get...warm and tasty whole wheat bread! Nothing better!

To test your bread for doneness, tap the top and bottom of the loaf and listen for a "hollow" sound. If you hear that, you are good to go. If not, stick the loaves back in for 3-5 minutes.

FOOLPROOF BREAD

(Bosch Kitchen Recipes)

Small Batch (4 loaves in 4x8 pans)
4 C warm water
1 TB Salt
1/3 C Oil
1/3 C Honey
1 1/2 TB Dough Enhancer
1-2 T Vital Wheat Gluten
2 TB SAF Yeast
7 C Wheat Kernels

Freshly grind wheat into flour (medium setting). Add water and several cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour to mixing bowl with dough hook in place. Mix using a few short bursts of the jogging switch. Add the salt, oil, honey, dough enhancer, vital wheat gluten and instant yeast and jog briefly. While the mixer is kneading at speed one, slowly add whole wheat flour until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl. This normally will take most of the whole wheat flour you have ground. It is better to add too little flour than too much flour. Allow the mixer to knead the dough until the gluten in the whole wheat flour is properly developed. This takes about 10-12 minutes. Your dough should have a slightly tacky texture. Turn oven on to preheat to 150 degrees. Shape into loaves and place in pans (previously well greased). Turn oven off. Put loaves in warm oven to rise until double in size. This will take approx. 25 minutes, but watch your loaves so you don't raise them for too long. When loaves are double in size, set oven to 350 degrees an turn it on (leave loaves in the oven). Bake for 30-35 minutes. When loaves are done, immediately remove from pans and let cool on wire rack. (Hint: so pans won't stick, wipe out while hot and don't wash them.)

Tomorrow I will be showing you how to use this same dough to make cinnamon rolls! I am telling you...you will be hooked!