Innehållsförteckning för May - June 2019 från Grit

We receive a lot of new books about dirt in the Grit office. They tell us how to improve soil with compost, how to dig out a pond, even how to build an earthen home. But the books I find most compelling have been written by people who believe dirt is good for your health. There’s a movement afoot to bring dirt back into our lives. After years of being told that sterile environments are critical to our well-being, now we hear that microbes should be embraced. Children should be encouraged to revel in dirt — playing in it, digging in it, even eating it. Some studies have found that children who grow up on farms have lower rates of respiratory diseases and autoimmune disorders. Want to reduce your risk…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION A simple luxury: knowing how to make butter makes everything better. (www.Grit.com/How-to-Make-Butter) William Laut: This is one of many things I want to explore after I’ve moved to my rural property, namely, finding dairy farms where I can purchase raw milk to culture into crème fraîche, as well as to make artisan cheese. I understand there are some risks associated with raw milk, but I want to explore the health benefits of its probiotics. Jerry Myers: Cannot beat fresh cream off the top of a 1-quart jar from the refrigerator! POPULAR ON GRIT.COM “DIY Plans: Build a Garden Harvest Basket” by Craig and Elizabeth Williams “After several years of hauling our beautiful homegrown produce from the garden to the kitchen in grubby old plastic buckets, my husband…

“Help! We canned several jars of chili a few weeks ago, and now they’re popping! There’s chili all over the pantry. Can it be salvaged?” The friends who sent me this email are experienced home canners. They didn’t want to lose all their hard work, but realized they had a problem — and a mess — on their hands. So why did they call me? Because I’m a Master Food Preserver. Master Food Preservers are volunteer citizen scientists who expand the reach of their local county extension offices. Building on the success of the Master Gardener program, the Master Food Preserver program began in Washington State in the mid-1970s alongside the back-to-the-Earth movement and a renewed interest in preserving homegrown foods. For many, canning skills had been lost with the…

When most people think about growing their own berries, the usual suspects come to mind: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. But suppose you’re looking for something different, something special, something a little more — refined? What berry conjures up visions of English teatime with biscuits and jam, or French cuisine with exquisite sauces and garnishes; proper place settings and etiquette, and maybe even restaurants with Michelin stars? What berry can bring posh distinction to your garden or orchard, and make it more sophisticated and more provincial all at once? That would be the currant. Currants are beautiful little berries from Europe, closely related to gooseberries. There are a few American currant species, but they’re rarely cultivated, so I’ll focus on European black, red, and white currants. Species names get a…

■ ‘Climbing Prairie Rose’ Rosa setigera Native from Quebec to Florida, and westward to Missouri and Texas. Up to a 15-foot spread, with clusters of 2- to 3-inch flowers. Thornless cultivars ‘Inermis’ and ‘Serena’ are ideal for high-traffic areas, while spinier forms would serve well as intruder deterrent. ■ ‘Virginia Rose’ Rosa virginiana Native from Quebec to Georgia, and westward to Missouri. Extremely similar to ‘Pasture Rose’ in growth habit, with glorious golden fall color. ■ ‘Nootka Rose’ Rosa nutkana Native from Alaska to California, and eastward into the Rocky Mountains. Two to 10 feet tall and prone to suckering, with flowers up to 3½ inches across. Typically close to thornless, and suitable for containers. ■ ‘Pasture Rose’ Rosa carolina Native from Quebec to Florida, and westward to Texas. Up…

Buttons made from deer antler add a truly authentic, natural vibe to your leather projects. Better yet, these rustic fasteners take just a few minutes to make with ordinary hand tools. Antlers, a type of bone, adorn the heads of members of the deer family (Cervidae). The most common North American species are white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, and caribou, all of which shed their antlers and grow a new set each year. The parts of an antler are the pedicle, beam, tines, and points. The pedicle is the gnarly knob at the base where the antler attaches to the deer’s skull. The beam is the central shaft of the antler that extends from the pedicle. The tines are the parts that branch out from the beam. The points…

Forget to wear your gloves? It’s easy to do. I often find myself reaching down to rid the garden of a few pesky weeds, and before I know it, I have a huge pile for the compost and a pair of dirty, stained hands. Here are two simple tips that involve using fresh lemons or green tomatoes, both of which work well to clean and refresh your hands. Remember to moisturize well afterward, because these methods can be drying to your skin. ■ FRESH LEMONS: Lemons are natural astringents and disinfectants that’ll leave your hands clean and fragrant. Cut a lemon in half and rub the fresh juice all over your hands. Leave the juice on your hands for 5 minutes, and then rinse well with warm water. ■ GREEN…

The image of Dutch ovens that used to come to mind was my mother’s enormous crimson Le Creuset pot, which she always used on the stove to cook homemade chili or potato soup. But after spending time with the participants of the National Dutch Oven Gathering (NDOG) in Hutchinson, Kansas, I realized my mistake. A true Dutch oven actually looks much different. Dennis Slane and Barry Trimmell — experienced Dutch oven cooks, members of the Ozark Dutch Oven Group, and teachers of NDOG’s “Dutch Oven 101” class — refer to the flat-bottomed Dutch ovens we use on kitchen stovetops as “bean pots.” To them and many others, a true (or “camp”) Dutch oven is a castiron or aluminum pot that sits on three short legs and has a flat, handled…

CORK OAK (Quercus suber). Hardy to Zone 8, and possibly to Zone 7 with frost protection while young. Produces the highest quality cork. CHINESE CORK OAK (Quercus variabilis). Hardy to Zone 5, and used for commercial cork in its native Asia. AMUR CORK (Phellodendron amurense). Hardy to Zone 3, quick to naturalize and can become invasive. Produces thick, coarse cork that may be useful for construction.…

“My letter to the editor needs to be perfect. Have you seen this magazine? Dutch ovens, BBQ, recipes — they’re serious about their food. We must be clever purveyors of wit and wisdom.” “You know we’re chickens, right?” “Good point. How ‘bout I submit a corn recipe?” Our Store HEY ROO, WHAT’S A WHEELBARROW? A Beautifully Illustrated Farm Story for the Kiddos ▪ Get your kids excited about life on the farm! In this quirky tale, author and illustrator Michael Haun recounts the adventure of Roo the Rooster as he takes his friends on a trip around the farm. Through fun, beautifully drawn illustrations, this book answers several questions that kids ask about everyday experiences on the farmstead. If you enjoy Haun’s illustrations in each issue of Grit, you’re sure…

Grilling is the world’s oldest and most universal cooking method, practiced in virtually every country and culture on six continents (seven if you consider the cookouts staged by grill-obsessed scientists in Antarctica). Especially during the warmer months, enjoying food fresh off the grill in the company of friends and family can be the epitome of comfort. But there’s a lot more to grilling than throwing meat on the grill. Here, you’ll learn how to grill pork in all its smoky glory, as well as glean some new techniques to make your hot dog grilling game even better. Insider tips, cooking advice, and gear recommendations pair with each recipe, so you’re ready to cook the best meat you can. And now, ladies and gentlemen, fire up your grills! BLACK PEPPER BABY…

If you prefer a more manicured look to your currants, they can easily be trained to a standard or tree form. When you plant a new currant, cut off all but the healthiest, strongest-looking shoot at ground level. Prune the remaining shoot back to 8 to 12 inches in height, and stake it vertically. As it grows, trim off all side shoots. The following spring, cut it back to about 8 to 12 inches of new growth, and continue removing side shoots. After another year or two of this treatment, it should be about 3 feet tall. Allow the top side shoots to develop into a “treetop” effect. Keep the trunk below clear of side shoots, and prune the top for good airflow and to remove old, dead, or diseased…

When applying antler buttons and toggles to your own home-tanned deer hide projects, you can attach them with short lengths of leather thong. You can purchase thong or invest in a thong-cutting tool, but for small, more rustic projects, all you need is a piece of buckskin leather that’s relatively thin and supple, and a high-quality pocketknife. There are a number of techniques for making the cut, but all rely on a super-sharp blade for best re sults. One easy method requires laying the piece of deerskin on a cutting surface (wood or plastic) and then laying a relatively rigid straight edge (dimensional lumber or brass bar) over the top along one edge. Simply slide the straight edge to the uneven edge of the leather piece, press down, and carefully…

PINE (Pinus spp.) Trees in the pine genus are easy to grow, widespread in North America, very cold-hardy, and the most resinous option by far. SWEET GUM (Liquidambar styraciflua). Hardy to Zone 7. Can be cultivated for a culinary resin or a substitute for ambergris, an expensive perfume ingredient. MYRRH (Commiphora spp.) and FRANKINCENSE (Boswellia sacra). Both are hardy to Zone 10, but fussy to grow. Their resins produce an intoxicating incense and are used in cosmetics too.…

Pricing is always a difficult decision: How do you determine a price that allows the customer to position their product competitively, and earns both you and the brewer a reasonable profit? Growers should keep in mind that brewers need to meet their production costs. Still, most brewers are glad to pay a premium for your product, especially if you have a well-established relationship with them. The ability to move relatively large amounts of produce at reasonable prices is a win-win situation for both partners in this relationship. Personally, I charge brewers somewhere between my usual wholesale price and my retail price.…

A NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT My father is a 78-year-old veteran who doesn’t get out much. He mostly just goes to church. He’d love to receive letters from your readers. Paul Estep 830 E. Zion Church Road Shelby, NC 28150-9214 RAT RELIEF I’m having rat problems in my pig barn and have tried everything from live traps, to baited traps, to poison, but I can't seem to get them under control. I'm looking for ideas on how to get ahead of the problem. The only thing I haven't tried is cats. Matt Gilara 2100 Gowdy Road Fryburg, PA 16326-1012 SHEET MUSIC I’m looking for older piano sheet music. Will pay postage and reasonable compensation. Daniel Adams 4311 Hayes St. Wayne, MI 48184-2221 QUILTING PEN PAL I'm looking for quilt fabric pieces,…

PROJECT FIRE A Radically Righteous Take on Grilling Techniques ■ Where there’s smoke, there’s fire! And where there’s fire, there’s Steven Raichlen. The New York Times best-selling author brings us a stunning, full-color celebration of the best of contemporary grilling. Drawing on a combination of classic and boldly contemporary techniques, America’s master of live-fire cooking presents 100 inspired recipes that capture the full range of what grillers want to cook today. Learn the essentials: Achieve the perfect T-bone smartly tattooed with grill marks and lavished with sizzling beef fat, or sear a steak right on the coals. Then go beyond the basics: Learn to grill mussels in hay, squash on a salt slab, and salmon steaks on a shovel over a campfire. From breakfast (Bacon and Egg Quesadilla) to cocktails…

The accepted wisdom on roses is forbidding: The Queen of Flowers requires the richest soil, drip irrigation, and a bed of its own. She has expensive fertilizer dependencies. She must be pruned at precise 45-degree angles, and if not cared for just right — poof — the luxurious shrub with its delicate flowers turns into a single spindly cane. North America’s native wild roses need no such pedestal. You can burn them, weed-whack them, step on them, and eat them. They’re equally at home growing by train tracks, on the edges of swamps, or in frozen tundra as in the most pampered garden. They’re so tough that the U.S. Department of Soil Conservation once tested them as highway medians, finding that they could stop a car. And despite their bearishness,…

If you’re interested in purchasing either earth-moving equipment or implements, don’t overlook the used marketplace. With internet access, you can check equipment availability in your area from home. Your local implement dealer can also be a great source for used equipment, and, because their offerings are probably local trades or purchases, they may be able to put you in touch with the original owners if you have any issues with the equipment. Dealers may also offer some type of warranty on a used-equipment purchase, unlike private sellers.…

NATURAL BEAUTY FROM THE GARDEN More than 200 Beauty Recipes with Ingredients from Your Own Garden ■ Finding the right body, bath, and hair products can be a daunting task, and trying to pick out the best option in a sea of labels with ingredients you’re not sure how to pronounce is never easy. With the help of Janice Cox and her book from sister publication Mother Earth News, however, finding the right products for your lifestyle is not only easy, but fun! With more than 200 recipes, such as the Alpine Strawberry Mask or Turkish Face Wash, you’re sure to find one or many that fit your needs. The best part of it all is that the featured ingredients are natural (such as cucumbers, sunflowers, and geraniums). With easy-to-find…

EDIBLE FIGS (Ficus carica). Grown outdoors as far north as New York City, figs release a flow of latex when injured during the growing season. The ancient Greek poet Homer mentions using fig latex as a substitute for rennet in cheese production, and recent research supports this use, though it might be problematic for folks with latex allergies. It can be harvested by tapping, but you might also be able to harvest enough for home use by pruning new growth that hasn’t yet hardened off. HARDY RUBBER TREE (Eucommia ulmoides). Hardy to Zone 4, this traditional Chinese medicinal tree produces a latex that can be extracted to make rubber. However, harvesting large amounts requires a costly extraction process, as the latex won’t flow when tapped. Hardy rubber trees are better…

Few animals in history have been so misunderstood and maligned as bats. For centuries, these flying mammals have been associated with evil and death, and reviled as carriers of disease. The media has perpetuated these myths, portraying them as frightening, bloodsucking, rabies-infested flying vermin, giving a bad rap to creatures that really do a lot of good. However, in the last couple of decades, thanks to the efforts of conservation groups and federal and state wildlife agencies, bats are being seen in a different light for the valuable role they play in our ecosystems. North America is home to 47 species of bats. Most are insect-eaters, the exception being three species that feed on nectar and pollen and are found throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico. Texas holds the…

Smooth-surfaced gourds with long necks, such as ‘Golden Cushaw’ winter squash or a fully mature crookneck squash (typically grown as a summer squash), make lightweight darning tools — and you could grow enough in a single season to have a gourd for every pair of socks you darn! Squash prefer fertile, well-draining soil, and need plenty of space whether they’re bushy or vining. Direct-sow seeds after the threat of frost has passed, and water regularly throughout the growing season. Be mindful of common pests and diseases; in humid areas, powdery and downy mildew may appear, and squash bugs and vine borers must be eradicated quickly to save the crop. Harvest fruits when the rind is hard to the touch and the vine has shriveled; mature gourds will survive a light…