Author Archives: Durgan
Long Gourd (Cee Gwa)
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HVUSR 20 September 2010 Long Gourds These were grown by accident. I thought they were sponge gourd, but they are pretty anyway. The longest is about 45 inches long, far from any record. Other names: Luffah, Chinese okra, Dishcloth Gourd, … Continue reading
Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FMOHK 18 September 2010 Tomato Juice The tomato season is coming to a close, so the scarred and damaged tomatoes were collected, trimmed and juice was made. There was also some Okra available, so it was added. For liquid processing … Continue reading
Making Carrot Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OVOGA 16 September 2010 Making Carrot Juice. The carrots are finished for this year, and to utilize the pristine remainder, it was decided to make carrot juice. Storage has been tried in the past and the quality deteriorates so much … Continue reading
Viking Potatoes Harvested
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZLDZE 15 September 2010 Viking Potatoes Harvested The Viking is a beautiful white tuber. The yield per plant is low in number, but the tubers are quite large. This is a welcome addition to any garden. The yield is 33 … Continue reading
Chieftain Potatoes Harvested.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RUDKB 15 September 2010 Chieftain Potatoes Harvested. Chieftain is the king of the six types that I grow. The largest tuber was two pounds, and it was not hollow in the center. The tubers are prolific and very large.
Alaska Sweetheart Potatoes Harvested
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MNCMQ 15 September 2010 Alaska Sweetheart Potatoes Harvested The tubers are small and the yield of 17 pounds from seven plants is low, but may be typical, but the potatoes are excellent quality, and are utilized whole as small potatoes. … Continue reading
Agria Potatoes Harvested
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ATRDM 15 September 2010 Agria Potatoes Harvested Potatoes were harvest for Winter storage. This depicts the Agria, which is a fine quality potato. There was no damage with any of the potatoes and very few were discarded. They will be … Continue reading
Okra (Clemson Spineless)
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TRKPF 11 September 2010 Okra (Clemson Spineless) The garden was neglected for three weeks and the Okra produced extensively. The okra was too large for ordinary use, being somewhat fibrous, so the fruit was frozen to make soft and boiled … Continue reading
Concord Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KFLCT 11 September 2010 Concord Grape One plant in the fifth year produced 30 pounds of excellent quality grapes. The fruit was processed into 15 liters of juice with about a quarter of the juice being processing water. The grapes … Continue reading
Russian Blue Potatoes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FBQWE 11 September 2010 Russian Blue Potatoes. Ten plants were grown and the average weight was 3.2 lbs per plant. The smallest yield was 2 lbs and the largest 5 pounds per plant. From previous years three pounds per plant … Continue reading
Yukon Gold Potatoes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKWAI 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes Yukon Gold Potatoes were harvested today. A total weight of 23.5 pounds was harvested from the 4 by 4 foot test area. The quality is excellent. Another plant could probably be … Continue reading
Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis)
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CLOEC 22 August 2010 Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis) When removing the spent corn stalks some corn smut was seen on two plants. The fungus has culinary prospects. Here is the URL to an article about uses of this rather interesting … Continue reading
Handling Spent Vegetation from the Garden.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CPQFI 22 August 2010 Handling Spent Vegetation Spent vegetation is handled by putting through the Chipper/Shredder a 10 HP Yard Machine Unit. The chopped vegetation is blown onto the compost pile. The shredding speeds up composting, and reduced the labor … Continue reading
Produce Picked Today.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BZVQB 21 August 2010 Produce Picked Today. A care package was prepared for a friend who lives in the city. The main crop of tomatoes, corn, is almost finished. The only item rather strange is the purslane, which grows everywhere. … Continue reading
Pear Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GGLEQ 19 August 2010 Pear Juice Pears were converted into juice. Pictures depict the method. After processing the jars were placed in a pressure canner to sterilize for long term storage. For relatively immediate use this step can be omitted.
Black Cherry Tomato
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?STLSD 19 August 2010 Black Cherry Tomato Black Cherry Tomato is dark flesh colored, and is probably my favorite small tomato. The plant is similar to Sweet Million and is equally prolific.
Food Preservation in the Home
Food preservation is always a problem in the home. The traditional methods are boiling water canning, freezing: and storing in a cool place like the refrigerator or a cold room. All these methods have shortcomings. Boiling water canning usually involves … Continue reading
Niagara Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SZGLW Niagara Grapes Twelve pound of grapes were picked from my one plant. The grapes were pristine, and were processed into juice for long term storage. Process is to place in a pot with about a liter of water to … Continue reading
Sovereign Coronation Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NWGQY 19 August 2010 Sovereign Coronation Grapes. Sovereign coronation grapes were picked, and processed into juice, and sterilized for long term use. This one arbor produced 10 pounds of perfect grapes. From one arbor ten pounds is typical and anything … Continue reading
Pressure Canning
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TOZTY 17 August 2010 Pressure Canner. A Presto pressure canner, 23 quart size, was purchased to enable me to process and store safely (sterilize) various juices in the cold room. This unit is the same as a typical Presto pressure … Continue reading
Elderberry Last picking.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ABXRH 16 August 2010 Elderberries. Thirteen pounds of elderberries were picked this morning and processed. Juice will be made and stored in the refrigerator for relatively immediate consumption. A Presto pressure canner has been ordered so the juice can be … Continue reading
Making Blackberry Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VCJSF 14 August 2010 Making Blackberry Juice. Many blackberries are available, so juice is being made of the excess. A container of four cups of berries is filled with water, placed in a pot on the stove and gently boiled … Continue reading
Making Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ETBYM 14 August 2010 Tomato Juice There are many tomatoes ripening simultaneously, so it was decided to make tomato juice. The most ripe tomatoes were selected, placed in boiling water for three minutes to loosen the skin, then mashed in … Continue reading
Corn
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MEHSP 13 August 2010 Butter Gold SE Corn This is the first corn picked. The cobs are good quality, but the taste is marginal when they were cooked. Corn has been so modified over the years, that the old taste … Continue reading
Redhaven Peach Tree
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QKMNN 13 August 2010 Redhaven Peach Tree There is one peach tree in the garden. It produces a fine tasting fruit. Most of the fruit has some skin damage which is Peach Scab, a fungus, but this does not penetrate … Continue reading