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This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Planting garlic in the fall is the last garden chores of the season. A small amount of preparation at planting time will give you an abundant garlic harvest without much effort. Garlic is one of the easiest crops you can grow in your garden. It is a long season crop with a unique growing pattern compared to other garden crops. Garlic is planted in fall in order to give it a head start and enough time to produce a larger bulb. How to Plant Garlic in the Fall Planting garlic in the fall allows the roots to begin growing. When winter arrives and the ground freezes, the plants go dormant. Once the soil warms up in the spring, the garlic will start growing again right where it left off. Prepare Your Growing Bed Garlic thrives in full sun and loose soil. Choose a garden bed that has not grown anything in the onion family in the past two years and one that receives an average of at least six hours of sunlight each day. Remove weeds and spread some slow-release organic fertilizer according to the package direction. Add about 2-inches of finished compost and work it in the top 4-6 inches of soil. Plot out your growing bed 4-6 inches in all directions. Dig your holes about 4-inches deep. If you are using the square foot gardening method, plot 6 cloves per square. Divide Your Garlic Seed When you purchase garlic seed, you are actually getting heads of garlic. Garlic is grown from individual cloves. Each clove will grow into a bulb of garlic. Separate your cloves right before planting. Sort out your largest and healthiest looking cloves for planting. If you plant the largest cloves, you will grow larger heads of garlic for next year. Save the smaller and damaged cloves for cooking. Plant Your Garlic Cloves Plant a garlic clove into each hole, with the flat side down and the pointy end up. Cover and firm the soil. Mulch Your Garlic Bed Water the garlic bed well after planting and cover with a light layer of mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves. Aim for about 2-3 inches of mulch to keep the weeds down until the ground freezes. After the ground freezes, add another layer of 2-3 inches of mulch to insulate the soil. This helps prevent the garlic roots from being heaved out of the ground by alternate freezing and thawing. Once the soil warms in spring, you will see green garlic shoots growing through the mulch. If you used an all-purpose organic fertilizer at planting time, your garlic is off to a great start. Water the garlic bed during dry spells when the soil feels dry an inch beneath the surface. Feed with organic fish emulsion fertilizer if the foliage shows signs of stress (yellow tips). Follow the directions on the bottle. If you planted hardneck garlic, you will have an opportunity to harvest garlic scapes a few weeks before the garlic bulb is finished growing. These tender, mildly garlic flavored shoots are delicious.

I was talking to a friend about the soon to be released A Prepared Home food storage calculator and how it was going to be such a big help to figure out what you need in your food storage. She said that she and her daughter sat down and picked out their favorite recipes and started figuring out what food they needed to buy. After a while, she stopped because most everything she loved to cook and to feed her family involved large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Obviously, she can’t store a years’ worth of fresh vegetables; sometimes you are lucky if you can store a week’s worth of fresh vegetables. We talked about alternative storage ideas for vegetables, and these were the best ideas. First, I would suggest buying frozen vegetables. I am a really big fan of frozen vegetables; it doesn’t matter to me if you freeze them yourself or if you buy them frozen. Of course, you will need to consider what you are buying to make sure that it is healthy. If you buy frozen vegetables that are slathered in a delectable, yet unhealthy, sauce you might want to reconsider. But for the most part, frozen vegetables are far superior to canned veggies. The frozen vegetables are processed and frozen within hours after they have been picked so they actually retain more of their nutrients than do the fresh vegetables that have been picked, processed, trucked, and sit on the shelves at the store – slowly deteriorating. I also like the idea that all of the work has already been done and all you have to do is open the bag and pour out the amount that you need, saving the rest in the freezer for a later date – never once worrying about them going bad. I buy my frozen vegetables at Sam’s Club or Costco because they sell them in very large bags. It makes it affordable and convenient. A second alternative is the canned vegetable. I really don’t like canned vegetables very much, but there are some acceptable things about storing canned veggies. Most canned vegetables taste okay and can be eaten without much preparation, except for peas – there should be a law against canned peas. The real upside to canned vegetables is that you can store them for a very long time; you don’t need refrigeration until after you have opened the can and you can transport them the easiest out of all of the alternatives. I especially like to store canned corn, beans, potatoes, mushrooms (I consider the mushrooms a vegetable when it is in a can) and I keep canned carrots on hand for times when I might be desperate enough to use them. A third alternative is sprouting. It is always a good idea to keep seeds on hand for sprouting or growing a garden. Don’t forget to rotate your seeds because they can get old and not work and make sure to always buy good quality seeds. Since it is important to eat fresh food for certain types of nutrients, sprouting can offer you a quick and easy way to get the fresh nutrients in literally days instead of weeks. You will also find that sprouts have more nutritious value than their full-grown counterparts. For example, the broccoli sprout is much more nutritious than the mature broccoli and that is pretty hard to do since broccoli is the most perfect vegetable on the face of the earth. It would be a good thing for you to try sprouting some seeds to see how it is done. There are a lot of instructions on the internet and plenty of books that explain the best way to do it. I will bet that you will fall in love with sprouting and incorporate it into your everyday eating. Remember that there are a whole lot of seeds that can be sprouted – not just alfalfa seeds! Here is a tip for sprouting – use a metal grease splatter shield to sprout your seeds. Just wet the seeds down and spread them on to the shield. Lay it on top of moist paper towels next to the sink. When they start to sprout and are clinging to the metal screen, you can just wet them down and let them drain all while perched over the sink. The sprouts are easy to detach and eat and the shield can be thrown into the dishwasher when you’re done. Too easy. Dried vegetables are also an acceptable way of storing vegetables, but before you go out and buy a bunch, try them out first. I found that some brands taste really good and some would be better used as fertilizer to grow the fresh stuff. Make sure that the money you spend to purchase and store your vegetables is money put to good use, that of buying high quality food for the good health of your family.

My daughter gave me a cookbook by Zonya Foco, of “Zonya’s Health Bites” on PBS, for Christmas and I have been reading it, yes reading it, and I have really enjoyed it. (I have to say that I haven’t really read my Better Homes and Garden cookbook – I mostly just leaf through it). The reason that I like this cookbook so much is that she likes to cook like me – only she does it healthier. She isn’t into slaving over the stove for hours, but she is into presenting well-balanced meals that are appealing, healthy and quick. But the most important thing about how she cooks is that it is food storage friendly, very food storage friendly. In fact, at the back of the book there is a shopping list of foods that she suggests you have on hand at all times so that you can cook her meals quickly. She has one minute meals, five minute meals, 30 minute meals and slow cooker feasts. Basically, she has done all of your work for you; she gives you a shopping list, point by point on how to cook each meal and she doesn’t make you slave over the stove day and night – I really like her! This is such a good time of year to evaluate (or re-evaluate) your food storage because there aren’t any major holidays looming ahead. You now have time to analyze what you need to do to bring your food storage up to standard – one year’s supply of food and dry good sundry – including clothes and such. If you are going to make this work, then you are going to have to make specific plans. There are several ways that you can decide to take this on. One really quick way is to take your top 15 favorite recipes, multiply all of the ingredients by two and then again by 12 – then go buy however much your calculations say to buy. Remember, you don’t have to purchase it all at once. Wait for sales or just pick up a case here and there, whenever you go grocery shopping, and let it add up – it will add up quicker than you expect. Make sure that you have your 15 favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes – unless you only want to eat one meal a day. Another way to decide on what to store is to get online and download a list of what different agencies have determined to be the items that you need to survive for a year. After you get those items stored, you can spice your storage up by purchasing additional foodstuffs (e.g., mushrooms, olives, spices, and more) to make the meals that you create a little more fun and inviting. Remember, you want to build your food storage in such a way that you and your family will enjoy it when you use it – which should be an ongoing everyday thing. This is a really good time to talk about rotation. Remember that you should be using what you buy and then replacing it, always making sure that your food storage will be fresh, usable, and palatable. Remember – R&R, rotate and replenish. We will soon have A Prepared Home food storage calculator that will be extremely useful in managing and maintaining your storage. Good luck with your re-assessing endeavor!

How to make homemade butter How to make homemade butter Learn how to make homemade butter the old fashioned way using fresh cream and your KitchenAid stand mixer. No butter churn required! Freeze Dried Eggs Freeze Dried Eggs Freeze-dried eggs are an incredibly useful and versatile way to store eggs, whether for the short or long term. Freeze-dried raw eggs reconstitute quickly with a bit of cool water, and are perfect for use in all manner of recipes. Freeze-dried scrambled eggs, on the other hand, are best for a quick instant breakfast and are unbeatable when camping. Schmaltz (Rendered Chicken Fat) Schmaltz (Rendered Chicken Fat) A staple of Ashkenazi Jewish cooking, schmaltz—rendered chicken fat—adds rich flavor to the dishes it's used in. Use Sour Milk to Make Cheese Use Sour Milk to Make Cheese So much better than accidentally pouring it on cereal. Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam Rhubarb and Strawberry season comes and goes in the blink of the eye. In theory, it's in season from April to June, but depending on where you are, it can be much shorter. Moral of the story: When you see rhubarb, BUY IT. Then immediately make this jam! This is BY FAR my favorite jam in the entire world!! (I am not even kidding!) Canning Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling Canning Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling Canning strawberry rhubarb pie filling allows you to enjoy the rhubarb harvest well into the winter months. This rhubarb pie filling is tarts, sweet, and tasty! Canning rhubarb is extremely easy, but make sure to looking into other methods for how to preserve this springtime perennial. 2-Ingredient Fermented Oranges 2-Ingredient Fermented Oranges Preserve oranges when they're in season using the lacto-fermentation method. You'll be happy to have the bright flavor of citrus in a ready to use form for cooking! Preserving Kiwi’s Preserving Kiwi’s Great Healthy Snack, That Will Last Awhile!!! Mozzarella Cheese Mozzarella Cheese Learn how to make mozzarella cheese from scratch using this delicious recipe! You can create any shape you desire — try larger balls, small balls, or twists and knots. Store in the refrigerator. Homemade Cheddar Cheese Homemade Cheddar Cheese Step into the world of Cheddar with this wonderful recipe we have been perfecting for years. In addition to making your own Cheddar, you will learn why there are so many different varieties around the world and understand the history of this fantastic cheese. How to pressure can black beans How to pressure can black beans Learning how to pressure can black beans is so easy, and you’ll be glad to have your pantry stocked with easy convenience meals for those busy nights when getting dinner on the table is tough. Once you taste homemade black beans, you’ll never buy store-bought canned beans again. Please note: Posts may contain affiliate links As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon.com Services LLC purchases. Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños The original recipe says that they store in the fridge for up to two months. I have no idea because mine were eaten up way before then! I suspicion that they actually last longer than that, but why let them sit there all lonely like in the fridge when they could be keeping company with scrambled eggs? Vegan Honey (maltose syrup made from wheat grass) Vegan Honey (maltose syrup made from wheat grass) In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of making vegan honey using cat grass seeds and glutinous rice. Canned Cinnamon Apples Canned Cinnamon Apples Please note: Posts may contain affiliate links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon.com Services LLC purchases. Make your own cinnamon apples with this easy canned cinnamon apples recipe. Eaten as a snack, on top of ice cream, used to make a pie; the ideas are endless for these delicious cinnamon apples! Fruit Vinegar Fruit Vinegar Fermenting your own fruit vinegar from scratch is an easy and fun project. Preserving 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 ... 5

Copy Cat Recipes Beginner Little Caesars Crazy Bread Go crazy at home when you make your own crazy breadsticks like the ones at Little Caesars. Beginner Little Caesars Crazy Sauce Just as good as the original recipe. Beginner Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread This Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread is amazing!!! The crispy edge, the garlic butter and all that cheese! This Italian Cheese Bread will not disappoint – your family will be looking everywhere for the Little Caesars pizza box!

Side Dishes Beginner Baked Rice Pudding This baked rice pudding is warm, comforting, and makes for the perfect breakfast or dessert. Beginner Slow Cooker Fruit Compote I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. Beginner Cheesecake Fruit Dip This can be used as a fruit dip or delicious pudding Beginner Duchess Potatoes Duchess Potatoes are a fancy piped potato side dish that must make an appearance at your next dinner party. Rich, creamy, and cheesy with just a subtle crisp, these elegant baked mashed potatoes are unlike anything else! Beginner Homemade Hummus Homemade hummus is worth the effort! So yummy, so healthy, and best of all, so DELICIOUS! Beginner Papas Rellenas (cuban potato meatballs) Papas Rellenas are a traditional Cuban snack. The fried mashed potato balls are filled with ground beef and other fillings for a delicious appetizer or main dish. It’s easy to adjust these to your liking – no two recipes are exactly the same! Beginner Cheese Fondue Yummy! Creamy! And a fun family dish! Beginner Fruity Fluff Church Salad Delicious, delightful, easy to make, and a real crowd pleaser! Beginner Pork Cabbage Dumplings This Pork Cabbage Dumpling Recipe Is Amazing!! Beginner Easy Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread This cheesy pull apart garlic bread is easy to make with store-bought bread dough and flavored with lots of fresh herbs and garlic. Beginner Fried Pickle Dip Try this creamy Fried Pickle Dip with a crunchy twist! Perfect for parties, ready in 15 mins. Your new favorite tangy, delicious snack! Beginner Guacamole This guacamole recipe gets a tasty kick from cayenne and cilantro. You can serve it smooth or chunky depending on your tastes.