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jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
The best way to tell if a pear is ready to harvest is by taking the fruit in your hand and tilting it horizontally. The mature fruit will easily come away from the branch at this angle (as opposed to its natural vertical hanging position). If it is not yet ready for picking, it will hold on to the branch.
Once harvested, most pears will require about a week to ripen at room temperature (about 65-72ºF). If you store the fruit in a paper bag, you can speed up this process so that it will ripen in just a few days. You may also choose to store your harvested pears with an apple or banana — fruits that are more prone to releasing ethylene gas, which accelerates the ripening process, I'll have to test my pears today!
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
Had some pretty strong wind yesterday and the pears have started falling from the tree. So I'll pick them all in the next couple of days and put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana to ripen them. I'm hoping because they're small that the flavor will be intense. And I pulled the last of the tomatoes and wound up with a full dishpan so will have more salsa yet. Only things left to harvest are the leeks, sweet potatoes and collard greens. The last cantaloupe just fell into my hands when I picked it up to inspect it so it was ready. Now the hubby is getting us started with hydroponics so I can grow veggies in the basement all winter. :D
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
9/18 Picked the pears this morning and put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana..wonder how long they'll take to get ripe!
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
I've heard that Gerbena Daisy's are good for cleansing the air in your home so I dug up a very healthy specimen and potted it for inside. It's still blooming and very pretty.
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
and glad I got that all done yesterday as it's 37 this morning and feels like 32. Time for more winterizing!
 
Tennesseahawk

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
Juju... what canning method are you using? I stumbled upon steam canning, and am doing some more research on it. It looks interesting, and without the normal canning headaches.
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
Tennesseahawk said:
Juju... what canning method are you using? I stumbled upon steam canning, and am doing some more research on it. It looks interesting, and without the normal canning headaches.
Click to expand...
Hawk, I use the standard water bath. My cousin uses the oven..20 minutes at 250 degrees, leaves the jars in overnight and she says they seal. I hadn't heard about the steam method though.
 
Tennesseahawk

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
jujubeans said:
Hawk, I use the standard water bath. My cousin uses the oven..20 minutes at 250 degrees, leaves the jars in overnight and she says they seal. I hadn't heard about the steam method though.
Click to expand...

Found out the steaming method doesn't necessarily cook the middle of the jar. It's still an unproven science.

I DID find out more about pressure canning vs hot water bath. There are a lot of veggies you can't can using hot water bath... particularly low acid. I didn't know that.

I think we're going to get a pressure canner, and use both pressure and hot water.
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
Tennesseahawk said:
Found out the steaming method doesn't necessarily cook the middle of the jar. It's still an unproven science.

I DID find out more about pressure canning vs hot water bath. There are a lot of veggies you can't can using hot water bath... particularly low acid. I didn't know that.

I think we're going to get a pressure canner, and use both pressure and hot water.
Click to expand...
If I remember correctly I think green beans are low acid, but then I generally just blanch, dry and freeze my green beans. The salsa uses the hot water, and the pickles use neither...just hot jars, hot brine, hot lids and tip them upside down until they seal. What are you going to can this year?
 
Tennesseahawk

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
jujubeans said:
If I remember correctly I think green beans are low acid, but then I generally just blanch, dry and freeze my green beans. The salsa uses the hot water, and the pickles use neither...just hot jars, hot brine, hot lids and tip them upside down until they seal. What are you going to can this year?
Click to expand...

Nothing this year. Just preparing for next year. We're growing a little bit of everything, it seems like. So I need to get reading.
 
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