Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
Zero-added sugar HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE. This a water bath canning recipe and SO easy. It was one of the first items I canned and I use this same recipe every year.
INGREDIENTS
8 pounds of apples, peeled and cored
1 cup water
1/2 tablespoon bottled lemon juice per pint jar
DIRECTIONS
Prepare a water bath canner on the stove and bring to a boil. Sanitize and warm pint-sized mason jars.
Roughly dice apples and place in a large stockpot. Add the water and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until apples are soft (about 7-10 minutes).
Mash the soft apples with a potato masher. Add more water if desired for a thinner applesauce. You can also puree with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. Allow to simmer 5 minutes more.
Add lemon juice to each jar. Funnel the hot applesauce into warmed jars, leaving 1/2ā headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean, and seal the jars finger tight. Place the filled jars into the boiling water bath canner. Process for 20 minutes until jars are sealed.
Remove the jars from heat and place on a towel on the countertop. Allow to fully cool before storing. Press each lid to make sure it does not fluctuate and a good seal has been achieved. Consume within one year.
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NEW RECIPE ALERT! An easy summer go-to with farm fresh honey. 2-INGREDIENT BALSAMIC GLAZE. I use it on panninis, caprese salads, pizzas, tomatoes, and even on grilled peaches as a dessert.
www.axeandroothomestead.com/recipesaxeandroothomesā¦
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Hey friends! I was asked to contribute to an article about MAKING GARDENING MORE COMFORTABLE for CNN UNDERSCORED. See my favorite picks for a fruit harvester, kneeler, planting drill bit, leather work gloves, and even a neck fan for extreme heat!
edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/home/products-to-mā¦
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Who needs a ladder when you have a Clydesdale? Honeycrisp apples are the first apples of the season on our farm. A class A variety, theyāre the first to bloom in spring and first to ripen in August. I planted these as a nod to my Minnesota roots, and theyāre also a great choice for fresh eating! Though we definitely have some worm apples, we have plenty of edible fruit too. You can see how I grow this fruit organically all over my feed here and on my YouTube channel.
Side story: Before Minnesota, I was in Michigan for elementary school. Apple education was a major part of the curriculum there. Field trips to the local Hiltonās Apple Orchard annually, memorizing apple varieties and their uses (Cortland and Macintosh for pies, Granny Smith for applesauce, etc.), cider makingā¦ Is apple info still so prevalent in schools, Michiganders???
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My TOMATO SAUCE CANNING TUTORIAL, a step-by-step guide with photos is available on my website now. Happy canning!
www.axeandroothomestead.com/blog/easy-homegrown-toā¦
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THE BENEFITS OF COMFREY //
The comfrey I am recommending and use in my growing spaces is Russian Comfrey, which produces sterile seed. This strain of comfrey does not become invasive. I use it heavily throughout my farm for its loads of value and function.
NUTRIENT ACCUMULATION
Comfrey has a deep taproot system that mines nutrients from the soil's sublayers, making them accessible for nearby plants.
CHOP AND DROP MULCH
Comfrey stores nutrients in its leaves and stems and benefits from pruning--a perfect chop and drop plant. Simply cut the foliage back to 1" or so above the soil and spread as you would mulching straw. As the leaves decay they add organic matter to the soil, attracting earthworms and decomposers, and release their nutrients.
https://youtu.be/G-e0_9FBKvo
MEDICINAL USES
If you practice herbal medicine or keep a home apothecary, there are loads of uses for comfrey.
POLLINATOR ATTRACTOR
Comfrey boasts little bell-shaped blossoms in a pink-purple hue. These little flowers are hugely attractive and beneficial to honeybees and native pollinators.
REPELLER
When comfrey is interplanted with fruit and vegetable crops, it tends to deter wildlife looking for a snack.
BIOMASS
Comfrey grows quickly. The foliage is thick and this rapid production makes comfrey an excellent contributor of biomass (biological matter) to the soil when applied as mulch.
FERTILIZER
Simply chop and macerate leaves and place in a 5-gallon bucket. Fill with unchlorinated water. Allow to steep for several days, until the contents are smelly/sludgy (gross, I know). Dilute to 1 part comfrey tea to 10 parts water. Use a watering can or weed sprayer to apply to your soil, stems, and plant leaves.
WEED SUPPRESSION
Due to the full growth habit of comfrey, weeds are quickly and easily choked out.
PROPAGATION
Comfrey can easily regenerate itself from a small root cutting. Simply dig up roots, separate them, and repot. This creates a steady supply with plenty to sell for a profit.
COMPOST HEAP ACTIVATION
Comfrey contributes heavily to the compost heap. Some folks believe it heats up the entire pile faster making compost available in less time. It also passes all of the nutrients it has absorbed into the pile along with biomass.
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I have a question, and Iām genuinely asking without judgement. We talk a lot in the homesteading community about self-sufficiency when it comes to food. But how self-sufficient can you really be if youāre not saving your seeds? Again, genuinely asking and this is a safe space. š
Today I was harvesting both produce and seeds. Every year I try to save more and more of my own seeds for both flowers and food cropsānot because Iām a worried about scarcity, government control theories, the world ending, etc. I do it because the DNA in those seeds contains information about my specific garden microclimate. If a plant does really well in my plots, with my weather patterns (as erratic as they may be), my approach to watering, my soil, etc., then I save those seeds so that their offspring are already āprogrammedā in a sense to my environment (note this only really works for heirloom crops, and maybe some open pollinated varieties depending on how close you grew those to other plants.).
Then I thought about the seeds I donāt save like some flower speciesā¦ how I just get lazy and tired come fall and decide, āIāll just buy those in the spring.ā For me, I think itās just different lengths of self-sufficient living. We canāt do everythingā¦ but what do you think?
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EVERY GARDEN NEEDS BORAGE //
Letās talk about another permaculture powerhouse plant thatās actually in the same family as comfrey. Itās borage and, hopefully, after reading below, youāll add it to your growing space too. š¤
š± Similar to comfrey, BORAGE has a taproot. It mines and releases nutrients, especially potassium and calcium. This makes it an AWESOME companion for tomatoes and squash crops. A soil deficiency in these can be what causes blossom end rot.
š± BORAGE is like chamomile in that if you sow it once, itāll reseed itself every year. Itās an annual but comes back with vigor. While not technically invasive, it can be hard to eradicate if you change your mind later. So plant with permanence in mind. I view this as a perkāless work for me.
š± BORAGE isnāt just a nutrient accumulator, itās also a mulcher. Chop and drop the leaves as garden mulch. Itāll release the nutrients it contains back into the top layers of the soil as it decays. This helps other plants.
š± Itās said cabbage worms and horn worms HATE BORAGE. Rabbits and deer also dislike it!
š±This plant is a pollinator magnet. Honeybees, native bees, beneficial wasps, etc LOVE BORAGE. Plant next to cucumber to increase your veggie yields.
š± Speaking of pollinators, BORAGE flowers are unique. They refill their nectar in just minutes, making this an incredible food source.
š±You can actually grow this as a cover crop. Cut and let decay in place in areas where youād like to improve soil.
š± Fertilize your garden with BORAGE TEA. Chop the leaves and soak in 1 part BORAGE to 10 parts water. Steep 24 hours, with a bubbler if you have one, and water your garden.
š± Thanks to all its nutrients, BORAGE is a compost activator. Toss in your heap to get the good microbes going!
š± BORAGE flowers are edible for humans!
š± There are said to be loads of medicinal benefits of BORAGE. If youāre into the home apothecary, this may help an excellent plant to research.
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This year Iāve planted true Italian San Marzanos. Itās said that the only real San Marzano tomato can be tasted just outside Naples, where the soil is rich in volcanic ash. While my soil may not have that volcanic element, Iām excited to be growing from authentic seed this season. I have 40 plants in the ground, and then a few Sungold cherries for snacking. My San Marzanos are absolute loaded with fruit and were so close to tomato sauce canning season. š¤©š¤©š¤© Itās the calm before the sauce-making storm. š
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BERRY SEASON // Perennial plants take a long time to establish. When I got into permaculture, I planted perennials like crazy; trees, cane berries, perennial veg, etc. This is the first growing season where I feel like weāre reaping the benefits. Not just a few measly berries here and there, but Iām finally seeing true abundance. My advice? Plant perennials as soon as possible. The sooner you plant, the sooner youāll be harvesting en masse. šš«
Photographed here is a sampling of the what berries Iām currently pulling in: loganberries, blackberries, currants, blueberries, and strawberries. Not shown that will be here soon from the berry family: white currants, pink currants, Jocasta berries, wine berries, black cap raspberries, heritage raspberries and wild blackberries. Our honey berries and service berries arenāt old enough to produce much yet. š¤
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Certified permaculturist through Cornell. Axe & Root HomesteadĀ®ļø is a six-acre plant-based permaculture farm based in central New Jersey.
Our goal is to grow as much of our own food as possible while mimicking patterns in nature. We strive to give more back to the land than what we're taking. We use ducks and geese, guineas, honeybee hives, draft horses, and sheep in our permaculture ecosystem.
Find our online classes and tutorials at axeandroothomestead.thinkific.com
Find us on Instagram @AxeAndRootHomestead