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Merit Badge Chit Chat:                  putting away for winter   | 
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                 Loretta 
                Farmgirl in Training 
                   
                16 Posts
  
                Loretta 
                Hainesport 
                New Jersey 
                
                USA 
                16 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jan 17 2019 :  5:47:42 PM
                        
                      
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                      My three farm girl sisters had a very satisfying day of "Putting Up" onions,peppers and blanching and freezing string beans. Our goal is to do our own crops next year but it was great going to our local road stand . | 
                     
                   
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                 MaryJanesNiece 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                7965 Posts
   
                Krista 
                  
                Utah 
                USA 
                7965 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jan 18 2019 :  11:57:42 AM
                        
                      
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                      Way to go Loretta! It's always nice having those vegetables on hand for when you need them. And it will be so nice to use your own crops next year! 
  Krista | 
                     
                    
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                 Red Tractor Girl 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                6838 Posts
   
                Winnie 
                Gainesville 
                Fl 
                USA 
                6838 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jan 19 2019 :  09:29:09 AM
                        
                      
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                      Loretta, I know how satisfying it is to put up your own garden harvest or farmer's market  harvest.  It sure does help make sure that you have the basics for Winter!  I bet it was fun too doing it with your Farmgirl Sisters!!
  Winnie #3109 Red Tractor Girl Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 FGOTM- October 2018 | 
                     
                    
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                 loribeck 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                588 Posts
  
                Lori 
                Alvordton 
                36 
                USA 
                588 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jul 15 2019 :  6:39:59 PM
                        
                      
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                      We had such a wet spring that I could not get a garden plowed up. I am going to use the farmers market for produce this year and try again on the garden next year. This is our second summer out here in the country. The first year here I didn't do anything as I couldn't due to a traumatic brain injury from an accident. I am feeling better this year and wanted to get a garden out. Hopefully next year it will work
  Lori Beck | 
                     
                    
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                 AussieChick 
                Sharpshooter 
                     
                404 Posts
   
                Cindy 
                Esk 
                Queensland 
                Australia 
                404 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - May 24 2021 :  11:51:02 PM
                        
                      
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                      We are coming to the end of autumn, so it is time to start “putting away for the winter”. At this time of year, we have an abundance of citrus, and my passionfruit vine is dropping ripe passionfruits every day. I also have more rosella calyxes than I currently need, so I have chosen to freeze these products.  I find the best way to freeze citrus is to juice them, then put the juice into ice cube containers. This makes it easy to pop out a few tablespoons of lemon or lime juice as needed for recipes throughout the coming months. If I know I’m going to need a larger amount, for example when I make Lemon Butter, then I can put the juice into larger containers.  The passionfruit pulp is easy to scoop out and put into small containers for freezing. I like to add the pulp to desserts or smoothies.  The Rosella bush produces red edible calyxes that are high in vitamin C. They have a pleasant tart-sweet flavour that goes well in salads, jellies, red sauces, jams, cordials, syrups, fruit teas and wine. First, sever off the stem, then cut a slit lengthwise along the calyx and pop out the seed pod using your fingers. This will leave you with the sweet calyx flesh, intact and ready for cooking. I freeze the calyxes in zip-lock bags ready for making jam, and I freeze the seed pods separately. I boil these and add the strained liquid during the jam making process.
 
   
 
  Farmgirl #6058 Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
  "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". | 
                     
                    
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                 Red Tractor Girl 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                6838 Posts
   
                Winnie 
                Gainesville 
                Fl 
                USA 
                6838 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - May 26 2021 :  07:44:04 AM
                        
                      
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                      Cindy, your photos of your fruits are beautiful.  I have never had passion fruit , which I think grows here in the US somewhere, and rosella calyxes is totally new to me.  Fall is mfavoirte season of the year.  What sort of Fall happens where you live?  Do you grow pumpkins or have any fall holidays that are special?
  Winnie #3109 Red Tractor Girl Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 FGOTM- October 2018 | 
                     
                    
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                 MaryJanesNiece 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                7965 Posts
   
                Krista 
                  
                Utah 
                USA 
                7965 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - May 26 2021 :  1:11:49 PM
                        
                      
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                      Great work Cindy! I also haven’t heard of Rosella calyxes. I like the idea of squeezing the lemons and freezing their juice. Great way to use up the lemons before they go bad.
  Krista | 
                     
                    
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                 AussieChick 
                Sharpshooter 
                     
                404 Posts
   
                Cindy 
                Esk 
                Queensland 
                Australia 
                404 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jun 01 2021 :  11:47:10 PM
                        
                      
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                      Thanks Ladies! Rosellas are thought to have originated in Sri Lanka, introduced to Australia by Indonesian fisherman. Having grown here for thousands of years, they have developed characteristics that make it uniquely Australian — despite all being the same species, our variety differs to the Hibiscus sabdariffa of New Guinea, Indonesia and China. In the wild, you can find this edible hibiscus growing in the forest, rainforest and sand dune regions of our tropical north. The Rosella bush produces red edible calyxes that are high in vitamin C. It has been a long-standing tradition in our family to make rosella jam. Yum!
  Our autumn (or should I say "Fall") weather has been quite mild really. Our day time temperatures can still get up in the high 20s  celcius (80s Fahrenheit). Yes, we do grow pumpkins here. The most popular varieties are the Queensland Blue, Jap Pumpkin, and Golden Nugget. Unfortunately, we don't really have any special "fall" holidays, although there are lots of country shows happening at this time of year (locals showcasing their harvests, prize farm animals, crafts, and talents) culminating in the Royal Brisbane Exhibition in August.
  Farmgirl #6058 Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
  "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". | 
                     
                    
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                 Dreamer42 
                True Blue Farmgirl 
                      
                2833 Posts
   
                April 
                Central 
                Oregon 
                USA 
                2833 Posts  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Jun 21 2021 :  09:18:44 AM
                        
                      
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                      How fun, Loretta!  I do a very small amount each summer, but I always always enjoy the process and the end result!  Am going to try to get a 2nd freezer this summer so I can do more.  Makes my heart happy and I'm ridiculously nostalgic that way.  And, I will never apologize for that!  LOL!  AND, Cindy, your citrus look amazing!  I wonder if we even have anything like that offered in our little gourmet shops - will have to check it out!  They are absolutely beautiful inside as well!
  Dreamer42 Farmgirl Sister #7038 | 
                     
                    
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Merit Badge Chit Chat:                  putting away for winter   | 
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