All I had left was some lettuce and I let it go night before last. It had quit growing.

I have the book, Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening and they say you can keep cabbage over by pulling it roots and all, stacking each one upside down in a protected corner. Cover with at least a foot of leaves or straw. Should last until spring.

I have huge piles of leaves still in the yard. I would like to get them back to the garden.........

We have been busy moving cattle around, treating a sick heifer that I thought I would never get out of the field.

I have made my second batch of mozzarella. I think I will try it on pizza for lunch. I did make a fairly tasty cottage cheese. I thought the curd was a bit small but the texture and taste was great. Even DH ate it....and he, like your husband, is wary of anything "different".

I also made three batches of peach jam from frozen puree. I am giving the kids various jams for Christmas along with the frozen peaches and apples. I will make some more soap next week, trying cow's milk instead of goat's this time.

That's my world now.

I can not believe your energy, Glenda. Ceresone what does kolrabi taste like? I am thinking it is a turnip like thing. Why are tough men such wimps about food. My friend got trapped at Sam's Club by a log jam of carts in line for their Christmas tasting promotion. He was stuck by the lobster bisque line and got no sympathy for me when describing this ordeal. The smell was making him want to puke.

Let's see,
Since I didn't really put in vegetables last year. I have been buy in any veggies I find on sale. then chopping an freezing them. An storing potatoes and the such. sort of a dry run for next year. I know the store bought won't keep the same as home grown. It gives me a little work out for the cold spell ahead.
I still have mums and pansy's in bloom. The mum I think is crazy?? All the others have gone down for the year except that one. Who knows.
Have been baking cookies for christmas and freezing them. will wait ti ice/decorate w/thawed.
I keep wondering how my city neighbors would like it if I had a couple of chickens. lol. Oh well I can think about it any way.
gldno1 I have read that about the cabbage as well. Also celery and there were one or two others that they kept that way. One book talked about a man that had kept things of that nature in his cellar. Next to the wall in a row of sand. I thought that was interesting. But like others here I do not have a cellar.
I am going to bake bread today. So was really thinking about all that home made butter...
Bonnie

I think I missed the point of this thread. I am going outside even on cold days for a little while in the warmest part of the day. I am excavating an area getting the rocks out to make a bed for next year. I am putting the rocks in the back of the yard where water comes in when it floods. I figure this exercise is good for me; I just do a wheel barrow or two of rocks a day. I think part of my yard was a stream bed at one time; you would not believe the rocks. I have mulched my hosta and pansy bed with chopped up leaves and made a dog bed. How are they supposed to know I didn't put leaves down for them? I am also trying to think of a solution to the garden junk problem I have in winter when all my pots, buckets, garden carts, stakes and other assorted ugly shows up. I need a hiding place maybe some lattice or attractive screen. I have a Canadian hemlock tree that I could trim to make a hiding place.

Helen,
Please if you do make a hididng place for those treasures. Please of please get out to them before your snake friends show up for the new year of gardening. I just get a chill thinking about it. Sorry just had to throw that in or would have ate at me all night ;-)
Bonnie

Bonnie, I am careful when I turn over things in summer. I see copperheads in July in the evening a few steps from my back door under the elm tree where all cicadas come out of the ground. When they come in your back door there isn't any safe place in the yard.

Helen, you need a small garden shed.....the people over on the Cottage Forum go bonkers about garden/potting sheds; some of them, you could live in!

I wish you had one of my outbuildings. We have so many it looks like a small town. I am currently using the old milk parlor to store and pot things.

It's been a very busy month so far but gardenwise, I haven't accomplished much, except putting some mulch around my Black and Blue salvia. Hope it comes back. I had a couple pots of B&B on my patio that I moved into my garage. The tops had died back but there was also some new growth coming from the base.

Helen - If you decide to use latice to hide your garden junk, get the heavy duty stuff so you can put flowering vines on it. I'm liking my coral honeysuckle so far. It's a non-invasive (I'm told) native honeysuckle, red flowers, long bloom time, attracts hummingbirds really well.

Looks like the snow they were predicting for Monday night and Tuesday has been changed to rain. That's fine with me. I'd like for it to wait until all my shopping is done then I can just stay inside and watch it through the window. lol

Helen, I guess the point of this thread, is that there is NO point to it-Just a way of keeping up with all our friends in the off-gardening season.
William, where are you? and the rest of our interesting friends? I say interesting, because each and every one of you do interesting things, as least to us "house-bounders".
Oh, and Kolarbi tastes like a much better version of a turnip--crisper, and sweeter. I dont know if I'd like them cooked, they never make it that far.
I took about 80 of my fanciest Iris to my daughter in Springfield, my Mother used to trade flowers cross-country-wouldn't she have loved the internet!
Hope everyone in in a situation to survive the recession.

Anyone grow Collards? It's a cool weather plant, similar to Kale, whose flavor is enhanced by a couple of frosts.
Frankly, I had never heard of this southern "Soul Food", until the USAF sent me to Alabama, where it's a staple and one of the traditional New Year's Day servings, alomg with a generous helping of Black-eyed peas, Ham hocks and cornbread! For good luck during the coming year, they say.
I developed a taste for properly prepared and cooked Collards and we enjoyed them frequently, in season, until my Cardiologist placed them. along with all other green leafy vegetables, on the forbidden list of foods.
Too much Vitamin K, he pronounced, therefore not good for you. (Vitamin K counteracts the blood thinning rat-poison, Warfarin (Coumadin), that I must ingest daily)!
I suppose that saves us money at the grocery, because the price of fresh vegetables has gone through the roof around here! Someone is making a lot of profit, maybe everyone involved, from the producer to the grocer.
Rb

Yes, I second that bout the recession. Help us all.
We are one step ahead of those who never grow any thing or no idea where their food even comes from.
Oh your dairy/potting area sound so wonderful. I bet it is nice an cool in the hot part of summer. I found an old door last summer and laid it across the top of two old tall waste baskets I had. It works for me a potting bench. I also us an old kitchen rack, you know the kind that has the wind area under it. it has a tile main shelf and the rest are wire. I use that to store most of my garden things on next to the bench. Works out well no messy shelf to wipe just falls through! Any way.
I bet your mother would have loved the internet. I often think that about my mother in-law. She loved to garden any and everything. I think it is a marvel at most times. A large book of knowledge for me to soak up.
sun is out here today. I'm w/you Christie, the snow can hold off until after we are all ready and safe where we need to be.
Going to go out and see abut my compost today while it is not freezing outside.
Yes I think it is very nice to hear from everyone!
Bonnie

staying busy through the winter with different cedar projects. have refurbished all our bluebird houses, topped off all the raised beds for vegetables with shredded leaves, re-doing my hoop bean/ cucumber bed,have cut enough wood for 10 bluebird houses, re-doing windmill and building a 10 ft long compost bin and built another cedar birdbath.
started on my tomato/ pepper list for next yr. hate this. for sure aunt gertie's gold and dr. wyches yellow will be there and maybe brandyboy f1. don't know why my tomato list is so tough to finalize. want to try indian stripe this spring too.
weather here has not been too bad. low 20's is about all we have had and that is ok with me.
thanks for the thought ceresone and i would like to hear about your tomato list for next yr. how did the san marzano redorta do for you?

william

Hi everyone:)
I finally have all annuals cut up and put into the compost pile.The leaves are all raked up, but more are falling down each day, so I will have to rake again soon. It would be hard for me to live without my out building. That is where I store all my pots and gardening items.

I have also been busy looking at online sites to buy seeds and plants for the spring.

Growing up we also ate collard greens and blackeye peas with ham hocks each New Years day for good luck for the up coming year. One year we live in Phoenix, AZ you should have saw the look on the store workers' faces when my dad would asked for ham hocks. It took him several weeks, but he finally found some at a small grocery store.

Would you believe I have never had collard greens. Mom and Dad ate ham hocks, pigs feet and ears and tails, but never collard greens. I don't have a clue what they taste like. I tried swiss chard and sure didn't like that or mustard greens.

Maybe that is a more southern food that say Tennessee or Missouri?

We took a lonnnng break after winterizing plants in the greenhouse. Haven't had to build a fire in it yet but keep a ceramic electric in it to break the chill. Coldest we've been here was 23 and I stilll have petunias and some roses blooming! Looking out at the tropical bed is kind of sad now..remembering how it looked in early winter..what's left now are just sticks..

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1123068}}

Looks as if its going to be a nice day today, the calm before the storm?
Pearl Harbor Day, and 31 years today since I lost my Mother, I remember both.
I'm waiting on Jungs catalog to decide for sure on my tomatoes, William, Homesteadingtoday has suggested several determinate kinds, I'm little tired of trying to corral 15' tomato plants--on a 4' cattle panel. I will have to have Ananas Noire, and a good striped, perhaps also A (1) pink oxheart. Still the best paste tomato I've ever had is the Opalaka. They've all done good for me,perhaps thats why I plant too many. Still determined not to this year.
Anyone know if Corn Gluten retards growth on plants?
I've never grown Collards either, just didnt seem to appeal to me, might have to give it a try.
A lot of this year, I want to try to get my block beds in, slowly, because such a expense.
Remember the experiment to freezing Chinese Cabbage, Worms and all? ( Now, here's where some will quit reading) Well, it worked! I double bagged it, and put in spare freezer> Took one out last evening, chopped it fine, put cracked corn and boiling water over it--let it sit a bit--and by this morning, the CHICKENS hadn't left a bite!!
I'm afraid I'm a bit lazy with potting, I just pot everything on the back deck, and that way I can just sweep the mess thru the cracks, I do envy Glenda all the spare buildings-but then i"d just have to fill them up!!
I , too, need to get more Blue bird houses up--but I dont think I could top their "high-rise" We have a floodlight thats burned out on a pole in our back yard, noone will replace bulb cause pole is a bit "shakey", but the bluebirds hace a hole above where the bulb screws in, into the dome top. Last 4 years, they've nested there, many a time we've watched bigger birds set on the wires, instantly bluebirds come from everywhere and run them off. I've seen 8 at a time, sitting on the wire, guess admiring Mom and Dad's fancy home.
Glad to see everyone responding.

Sorry about your ceresone.
I went to see the memorial when I was over there. I couldn't get on the boat to go see it. They had some problems an told us it could be 4 hours before they would start again. we went to see the battle ship Missouri. I had no idea that it had been used in Desert Storm. I didn't know it had be commissioned any time during the not so distant past.
An the cabbage for the chicken, well I have to confess. I put my compost in to baggies or a bowl in the freezer and then take them all out at one time. I kept having nats in the kitchen w/all the banana peels we have even in a bowl w/a lid. It seems to work well for me and I can take them out when "I" am ready.
Kaye, I can imagine the feeling of seeing you wonderful tropical garden go to rest each year.
:-) cross your fingers I will get that way next year.
William, If you run out of things to do this winter you could always travel w/hammer and nails. [big smile].
Bonnie

Kaye, that tropical bed looks exactly that! It is amazing what a change freezing weather brings to things. Everything here is long gone, except for my leaves. They are still laying in a pile in the front yard waiting for me to move them to the garden.

Ceresone, that's a good idea...freezing green stuff for the chickens....they would love that. Too late for me this year except for the little dab of lettuce I had left. I need to pull that and give them.

rb- lived in ga for 20 yrs and you see collards all over the place. when they are cooking, the kitchen is not a place to be. black eyed peas have always been very bland to me. jalapeno cornbread is great!
william

I grow the Tam Jalapeno's, or Fooled You-some of the heat, but not burning. I can them up in half-pint jars (vinegar) for nachos. I think I would like them in cornbread, but.
Hope everyone got the nice rain, about a inch here. Good for the new trees, going into winter.
Does anyone know if plants can be smothered? I filled milk crates with leaves and pine needles, and upended them over my blueberries-all but the 2 in the ground, and I covered them completely up with leaves.
Put up a Christmas tree this year, small, but I do like seeing lights, put it up on our aniversary (Dec.2--42 yrs) like we used to do. Morale booster, you know?
Almost 2009, can you believe it?
Hope everyone has a good day-and remember to pray for Ch.3 weatherman Brandon Beck, undergoing major surgery today. Has 3 small boys, and seems to be a fine man.

Calling for maybe an inch of snow here later today.
Wind was something else yesterday!
I had to water my pansies the other day. they were all laying down. Now we get rain. Isn't that how it works.
It was a year ago yesterday we had the first ice storm. I think I walked an eggshells all day yesterday.
I have seen many family members eat greens an such. But I never developed a taste for them. Turnips I just never did like, maybe the way my mother fixed them. Gives me the shivers to think about them.
I really like jalapenos. I think we eat them w/just about everything.
William do you put the corn into your cornbread too?
Haven't had a christmas tree up here in 3 years. I have just been decorating the mantel of the fireplace and the rest of the house and door. I just like it this way better. We all go to my daughters for christmas any way so don't see the sense.
I don't know about the leaves. I pile them on top of my hosta bed after the first good cold snap/freeze. Then leave until it starts to warm up or the spring rains come which ever is first. Then go take all of them off so they wont rot. I do that w/my EE's too. but I dug them this year so could divide and move to the new tropical feel garden. Man I sure know why I don't dig those things every year. That is a lot of hard work to get down that deep to get all of those roots.
Everyone stay warm an have a nice day.
Bonnie

Our weather forecast has been bouncing around a lot. I just noticed at NOAA, they had forecast a wintery mix with freezing drizzle for tonight but now it just says snow. I've been watching what it's supposed to do Saturday because of the Christmas parade but it keeps changing. It went from 32 degrees to 60 and now back to 50.

I hadn't heard that about Brandon Beck. There's some info about his surgery on ky3's website.

Here is a link that might be useful: ky3

ceresone, I wait until it gets cold and stays cold then mound leaves over pots of things covering them completely.

Yes, we are holding Brandon Beck in our thoughts today too. He made a very descriptive talk, maybe yesterday, about his being gone and what they were doing. It sounds scary as heck but I guess the alternative wasn't good in the long run. He is our favorite on KY 3. I have seen him at Wal Mart with the boys. They are pretty young.

william...
You are correct about the offensive(to some) odor, when cooking collards. Adding a couple of Tbsp. of white vinegar seems to tame it down somewhat, plus removes any bitter taste from those that haven't had enough cold temperatures in the garden. Waiting until near the end of the cooking cycle to add salt(If used), makes them more tender. Of course, you have to cook them with a generous portion of streak-of-lean or fatback!
I have tried whole kernel corn in cornbread, didn't like it at all. I use a medium sized Texas yellow onion, finely chopped, in the mix. It disappears during baking and only a hint of onion taste remains. It keeps the bread moist, so it doesn't become as crumbly. Haven't used any hot peppers yet, as I would have to eat the entire pone! No one else in the family will eat anything with hot peppers in it.
Bought a loaf of Jalapeno Cheddar sourdough bread at a craft fair last Saturday. What a disappointment! They used so few peppers, there was no taste at all. When sliced, found only a few bits of pepper in some, other slices had none.

Snow is on the way! Doesn't appear to be much, but cold temps are riding along with it.
Rb

in the ole days, i used to eat jalapenos from the plant. no more. i still like them diced in potato salad, macaroni salad, chicken salad and turkey salad for a little spice. think i am going to plant hot hungarian wax for this spring. looking for something a step below a jp.

we have never used whole kernels of corn in cornbread.

william

I just ask because I knew someone who fixed hers that way.
I don't like whole corn in my cornbread either.
Sometimes a pinch of sugar, other times peppers. Depends on what it is going to be server with.
Bonnie

Monday's forecast looks interesting. I hope they are wrong! I have not used my wood stove this year. I got up on the roof and shoved a metal chimney brush down the flue. Now I need to take the stove pipe off in the house and get the black stuff out so the hole is clear. I wonder why I have put this off? It always scares me when I start fires at first each year. Years ago my mother had a chimney fire that stayed in the flue and did not do any damage except to scare us. I heat with electricity since my mother came to live with me; she needs a more even heat. I get the living room hot with good oak wood and then it is cold in her room because the thermostat is in the living room. The wood stove is great for a backup if the electricity goes off.

helen, I love wood heat, but we don't use our stove much for the same reason. The thermostat is in the room with the wood stove....dumb!

Yes, next week sounds a little scary.

Isn't that crazy?, having the thermostat in the same room with wood heat! We, too have central heat and air, gas, but mostly use our fireplace. Its a fireplace insert, in a 12' wall of rock, about as safe as can be--its heats the entire house, about 2,000 sq. foot, does excellent job. But, like you say, gas furnace never comes on, because thermostat is in the warmest room.
I have a big trailer of wood to unload today, so my SIL can move it out of the back yard, before storm hits. Also need to move at least 10 bales of hay into the barn to make feeding easier. I had the bright idea of putting them into a more secure building-but the horses dont adapt to change-insist of being fed where they have been for last 15-20 years.
This next week is my week for buying feed and groceries-think I'll get into town? We only live 3 miles out, and I drive a Jeep, but roads are one hill after another. Best to stay home if theres snow and ice.
It does seem horseradish is expensive, dosent it. I have 1/2 barrel I can plant in, actually 2, and I got to thinking about what William decided to try--but the cheapest roots I find are 12.95 apiece. And I am still convincing myself to concentrate on the concrete blocks and watering systems this year.
But, then, you all know I have a time listening to me!!
Everyone be careful in the week ahead, hibernate, if at all possible??

ceresone- haven't done a lot of research on prices but i picked up last yrs jung catalog and crowns were going for 3 at 4.95. sets were 5 for 5.95.
william

Thats more in my price line. was wondering if supermarket starts would cause problems, like I've heard potatoes might.