The Two Types of Tasty Tomatoes

The tomato is the most popular plant in gardens around the world. Originally a tropical fruit, they can now be grown by nearly everyone, just about anywhere. Store-bought tomatoes can only dream of having the fresh, sweet taste of a ripe tomato from your own garden. There are two major types of tomato plants � determinate and indeterminate. Which one is better for you depends on your growing conditions and what kinds of tomatoes you want from your garden.

Determinate tomato plants are sometimes called "bush" tomatoes. The typically grow to approximately four feet in height and don't necessarily require caging or staking, though it can help. The plants stop growing with the fruit sets on the top or terminal bud and the tomatoes will ripen at approximately the same time, usually within a two week period, then they will die off.

Since all the fruits ripen around the same time, determinate tomatoes are popular for those making and canning tomato sauce, salsa and other tomato-based foods. It's much easier to cook up all your tomatoes at once rather than spread the process out over the entire season.

Determinate tomato plants should not be pruned as it severely reduces the crop. Some popular varieties are Roma, Rutgers and Marglobe. Because of their relatively compact size they are recommended for containers, and do best in containers at least five or six gallons in size. Many people use five gallon plastic buckets, which are cheap and readily available.

Indeterminate tomato plants are also called "vining" tomatoes. They will keep growing and making tomatoes until they die off from frost or other external reasons. They can reach heights of over ten feet and need cages, stakes or other forms of support. Unlike determinate tomatoes, the plants will bloom, create fruit and ripen fruit all at the same time.
Pruning and removal of suckers is usually recommended thought not mandatory. Experiment and see which works for you. One method might work better or worse depending on growing conditions. Popular varieties of indeterminate tomatoes include Big Boy, Beef Master, Early Girl and most heirloom varieties.

Because of their size and need for sturdy support, indeterminate type tomatoes are best in a regular garden. Remember that they will grow quite high and block the sun. Many people plant them along a fence and tie the plants to the fence to support them.

Now that you know the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes you can scour your gardening catalogs or your local nursery and find varieties that will work best for your garden and your taste buds!

Raising Chicken Secrets?

Although there is definite interest in the self-sufficiency benefits keeping chickens affords, so many just aren't sure if keeping chicken is worth their efforts. To those yet to be convinced, one only needs to look at all the benefits raising chickens provides.

For instance, in terms of breakfast, there is nothing as good as fresh eggs from your own backyard. At least the source of the eggs is certain. In addition, backyard eggs have rich, big and orangey yolks, which have a nice flavor unlike the other eggs bought from stores that have pale yellowish yolk.

But once you have a genuine interest in raising chicken�
�you need to familiarize yourself on poultry requirements to maintain the new flock. Some people just jump into rearing chicken without giving it much thought, and then once they start with raising their chickens, find it's too hard for them because they have no idea.

It is best to understand the requirements needed in order to properly raise chickens. For individuals to successfully keep backyard chicken, it is important for them to have proper equipment and housing for the birds. With proper tips on how to raise backyard chicken, this venture will be successful and enjoyable.

Prepare for your chickens' arrival

The chicken needs plenty of care and attention, so it is important to make necessary arrangements before the birds arrive. Make sure the new home or the brooder is ready, even if it is an elaborate or cardboard box set up.

It is necessary to have enough clean bedding because chicks make the place untidy by pooping a lot. It is also important to have a source of heat, chick waterers and chick feeders. The bedding can either be straw or wood shavings, which should be 2 inches thick. Most people prefer wood shavings since the chicks always start scratching as soon as they are on the ground. The bedding should be dry and clean as much as possible and that means the brooder must be cleaned regularly.

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Take care with the feeding

There are special waterers and feeders that are worth investing in. However, a waterer can be made from canning a plate and jar. It is important to keep in mind that the water and feed should be kept free of any contamination. The chicks should be provided with enough food as soon as they are placed into the brooder. During the first days, the owner may have to dip the chick's beak into the water as a way of teaching them where and how to reach for the water. Afterwards the chicks will be able to do it on their own.

When a new flock of chicken is brought home, the first thing the birds do is try to find something to eat. The type of chicken feed to be purchased depends on the age or stage of the birds. There are so many types of chicken feed available in the stores, so the owner should find the one that is right for the chicken. It is also important to have storage containers to keep poultry supplies so that other animals can't get to it. This is because as the chicken feed, they tend to scratch causing food to spill and spread which inevitably attracts other pets. Therefore, find containers that can be used to keep food supplies.

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Make sure your chickens are warm

The feeder should always be kept full and close to the source of heat. In terms of heat, backyard chicks require a temperature of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit in their initial weeks. However, as the chicks become stronger and bigger, the temperature can be reduced by 5 degrees every week.

In most cases, heat lamps are always used. The heat lamp should be suspended about 24 inches from the floor. The heat should be from a 250-watt light bulb, although there are other people who use 100-watt bulb. Whatever the case, the lamp is usually suspended at the centre of the chick's brooder so that the chicks can get away from the heat easily if there is need to. The coolest section of the brooder must not be less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

By carefully preparing for your chickens' arrival before you bring them home, you're doing all those necessary things you need to in order to maximize the beneficial experience that raising chickens can provide.

Old Fashion Recipes for Preserving Garden Vegetables

There is just nothing like opening a jar of delicious pickles on a cold winter day to remind you of summer and the day you picked and canned the cucumbers that are now pickles. Or how about some yummy marmalade that you made from the abundance of zucchini in your summer garden? Here are recipes to help you make that happen! When I was a child in Southern Indiana, we planted two or three gardens and enjoyed the fruits of our labor all winter. As a young housewife, I continued that tradition. If you have never tried canning, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

BROWN SUGAR BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

1/3 cup salt
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups white sugar
3 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp celery seed
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 lb sliced onions, separated into rings
20-25 cucumbers
8 cups ice

Homemade Canning - Know What Foods You're Preserving - Because Knowing Is Half The Battle!

Food preservation is an art that allows you to store food without any loss to its quality, edibility and nutritional value. There are a number of food preservation methods, which prevent the growth of any bacteria, yeasts or fungi on the foods. Other than maintaining nutritional value, food preservation keeps the texture and flavor of the item being preserved intact. In history there have been some old methods of food preservation, which drastically altered the character of items being preserved. Common ways for preserving food at home are dehydrating, canning, freezing and pickling.

Home canning is a way of preserving food in an easy and cheap way. With prices of canned food increasing, many people are considering canning food at home. By following a home canning recipe you can enjoy so many things from canned apple butter to zucchini. There are different home canning methods that you can adopt like pressure, water bath and open kettle methods. Without having to invest on any expensive equipment, you can easily do the canning at home. There are many home canning cookbooks as well to help you prepare a mouth-watering dish that everybody in the family is going to enjoy.

Easy Recipes for Canning Your Own Fruits and Vegetables - Candied Dill Pickles and Easy Apple Butter

Home canned fruits and vegetables is a great way to preserve your garden goodies for year round use. You can also take advantage of good buys at Farmer's Markets. Some of my fondest memories, now that I am a senior citizen, are of the times I spent helping my mother and grandmother on "canning days." From washing the jars to stringing beans, shucking corn, etc, my sister and I enjoyed those days. Even as children, it was incredible to hear those jar lids popping as they sealed and seeing the beautiful jars sitting on the kitchen counters. And there is nothing like enjoying the fruits of your labor during long winter days. This article has recipes to help you make homemade goodies to enjoy year-round just as I did as a child!

EASY APPLE BUTTER
Sooo good on toast and hot biscuits!

16 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 lb granulated sugar
1 1/2 lb brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Fried Chili Chicken: Recipes to Die For!

When it comes to delicious meals, you can have healthy too! Today more than ever, delicious foods are geared at providing healthy benefits in a scrumptious dish that will be a favorite for years to come. Fried chili chicken is a delicious blend of healthy chicken spiced to perfect without the unnecessary additions of added fat or sugar.

Instead of depending on additives that enhance the flavor of the meal, this is one meal that takes simple ingredients and makes them into one dish easy to fix and enjoyed by everyone. Take a closer look at why this is a favorite in my house!

Fried Chili Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp flour
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
4 chicken breasts, cubed
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup chili p owder
1 tbsp hot New Mexico chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

Homemade Canning - Where's the Beef? Canning Your Meat, Poultry, and More!

Why limit your home canning to produce? Scoop up a great seasonal deal on meat, poultry, or fish and experience the ease of meal preparation with canned meat. The best part is you know what is in the jar, there are no added flavors, no undisclosed spices, and no MSG.

The Art of Mince Meat

Mincemeat is really an overlooked delicacy and method of preserving meat our ancestors came up with. Originally, it was a mix of lean beef, suet, apples, citrus fruits, raisins, brandy or hard cider, and various spices. There is no need to stick with older recipes that call for a long list of ingredients that are exotic by today's standards. Unless your family has a taste for old-fashioned mincemeat, feel free to come up with your own version.

Simply use a roast beef recipe and cook as directed. Add such spices as garlic, onions, savory, marjoram, salt and pepper or use your favorite blend. When the meat can easily be pulled apart and chopped, allow it to cool and then chop it up. It will then be ready to slip into the freshly boiled and cooled jars and slipped into a homemade canning device.

Roast carrots, whole onion, garlic cloves, and potatoes or other vegetables like cauliflower and chop them up with the meat. Drain excess broth before canning the meat and vegetable mixture. Can the broth separately. Now you have jars of ready-to-go beef broth and jars of meat that are perfect for sandwiches or one-dish meals that are perfectly seasoned.