K-State Research and Extension

search

Category: July 2023

Canning Summer Produce? Let Us Help?

Posted on by djbechard

Canning your own garden produce or farmer’s market purchase can be rewarding and a great way to save your food for later use.

Food preservation recommendations have been updated. If you are new to canning, are using recipes that are more than 5 years old, or haven’t canned in a few years, it is important to start out by getting educating yourself on preserving food safely to prevent foodborne illness.

For canning fruits, pickles, jams, jellies, and most tomato products, a water bath canner or large stock pot with a lid and rack is needed. Water bath canners have fitted lids and removable perforated or shaped wire racks. The canner must be deep enough that at least one or two inches of briskly boiling water covers the tops of jars during the entire water bath processing.

For canning plain vegetables, some tomato products, and all meats, a pressure canner is needed. Today’s pressure canners may have a weighted gauge or a dial gauge for indicating and regulating pressure. Dial gauges should be checked for accuracy once per year.

With either method of canning, always read the manufacturer’s instructions before canning any food. Be aware that some canners cannot be used on glass stovetops.

Learn more about water bath and pressure canning at www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation.

If you have questions about canning safely, need trusted canning recipes, or would like to have your pressure canning dial gauge checked for accuracy contact Jamie Rathbun, 785-524-4432 or jrathbun@ksu.edu.

By: Jamie Rathbun

Harvesting and Ripening Tomatoes

Posted on by djbechard

Everyone looks forward to that first juicy tomato harvested from the garden. Many gardeners wonder if a tomato has to remain on the vine until it is completely ripe to develop that perfect flavor.  It often is surprising to find out that the answer is no.

Learn more about harvesting tomatoes here: https://ckdgardens.com/2023/06/27/harvesting-and-ripening-tomatoes/

By: Cassie Thiessen

Caring for Elders

Posted on by djbechard

Ten percent of Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse in the last year. This number is expected to rise with the growth of the aging population. For the first time in human history, the population of older adults will outnumber children in the U.S.

Because of this shift in balance, there will be fewer caregivers to look after the older generation, which creates a risk factor for elder abuse.

Caregivers, including family members, account for 90% of elder abuse. Abuse that comes from loved ones can make older adults hesitant to report it, so oftentimes it is someone outside the family who will see the warning signs.

The six common categories of abuse are:

  • Physical
  • Emotional/Psychological
  • Sexual
  • Neglect
  • Abandonment
  • Financial/Exploitation

 

Older adults are an amazing value to a community with their wealth of knowledge and experience.  Enjoy time with them, foster connections and look for warning signs of abuse.

By: Brenda Langdon

Spice Up Snacks and Meals with Salsa

Posted on by djbechard

Add taste without adding a lot of calories. A combination of tomatoes, onions, and peppers can add zest to chips. A mixture of fruit, herbs, onions and pepper added to meat or fish can add unique flavors to dishes. There are a variety of salsa options for different preferences and dishes such as spicy, hot, sweet, herbal, and aromatic.

Salsa ingredients and preparation tips:

  • Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Or use a commercial produce protector and follow the manufacturer’s directions.
  • Cover and refrigerate cut fruit and veggies until ready to serve.
  • Most salsas taste best if refrigerated for about an hour before serving to let the flavors blend.

Serve salsa safely.

  • Perishable foods like dips, salsas, and cut fruit and vegetables should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • If you will be serving items such as these for a longer period than this, set out a smaller bowl and then replace it with another one when it is empty.
  • Do not add fresh dip or salsa to dip or salsa that has been sitting out.
  • Refrigerate and use up any dip or salsa that has not been served within three to four days of preparation.

Source: University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Physiological Leaf Curl in Tomatoes

Posted on by djbechard

Every year we have calls from gardeners who have tomato plants with leaves that curl up. When tomato plants grow vigorously in mild, spring weather the top growth often exceeds the root development. When the first few days of warm, dry summer weather hit, the plant ‘realizes’ that it has a problem and needs to increase its root development. The plant tries to reduce its leaf area by rolling leaves. The leaves curl along the length of the leaf (leaflet) in an upward fashion. It is often accompanied by a thickening of the leaf giving it a leathery texture. Interestingly, leaf roll is worse on some varieties than others.

Though rolling usually occurs during the spring to summer shift period, it may also occur after a heavy cultivating or hoeing, a hard rain, waterlogged soil or any sudden change in weather. This leaf roll is a temporary condition that goes away after a week or so when the plant has a chance to acclimate, recover from injury, or the soil has a chance to dry out.

By: Cassie Thiessen

 

Organize Important Documents Before a Disaster

Posted on by djbechard

In addition to keeping yourself safe from the weather, it’s important to also prepare to recover financially from disaster.

One of the best things to do is create a ‘Grab and Go’ box. If bad weather is approaching and  you need to take shelter, take the box with you.  The contents of your box should contain the things you need to recover from any eventual loss.

Items that should be stored in a Grab and Go box, include paper copies of items such as:

  • Birth certificates
  • Social security cards
  • Marriage certificates
  • Passports
  • Driver’s license
  • Credit cards
  • Titles for vehicles
  • Insurance policies, particularly property insurance
  • Household inventory
  • Information about prescription medications.

Consider adding personal items such as photos, letters and various keepsakes, and even a small amount of money. The box should be waterproof and/or fireproof. If the items are in a safe deposit box, include the key in your grab and go box.

Many things can be accessed online, but we may be able to recover faster with paper copies.

When creating your household inventory, start with one room, or even one part of a room at a time. Videotaping documents with your phone, taking pictures, or doing a video of the contents of your home is a great place to start.  You will need to have some documentation about when things were purchased and what their value was, but video or pictures is helpful. Be sure you take your documentation from your phone and store it in a way electronically that you can access it if something were to happen to your phone.

Talk with your insurance agent to make sure you’re adequately covered for loss to the home and personal property.

By: Brenda Langdon