Soil is remarkably dynamic and incredibly diverse, made up of not only mineral matter, but organic matter, water and air as well. Soils in the Niagara Region are a mineral-rich mix of sand, gravel, loam and clay which at times can be challenging for home gardeners. While some parts of the region that are rich in loam are a gardener’s dream – those areas with heavy dense clay can be frustrating for even the most dedicated of […]
It’s funny how often we hear commercials for women’s facial creams that promote increased cell structure, volume and elasticity. This is what’s sold as needing improvement for your most youthful skin. Well, let me tell you; what Oil of Olay does for skin, calcium does for your Tomatoes and Peppers. Scientifically, calcium shows significant effect on the mechanical properties of artificial cell wall materials, making them more extensible. So, what does that mean? Imagine this;
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The tomatoes seem early this year? In fact I can’t ever recall making sauce this early in August, yet here I am with bushels of tomatoes that need to be turned into delicious homemade sauce and salsa. There’s been a couple of different recipes for sauce over the years, and this one is always met with great fanfare from my family. INGREDIENTS 20 lb tomatoes (about 60 medium Roma are great but most will do)
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If you’ve ever had a vegetable garden you know that harvest does not happen in nice meal sized bunches. Instead you are often left with a massive bounty that no one family could ever consume and your neighbours start to hide for fear of being given another bushel of whatever you’re toting. For this reason a good system for preserving food is critical. Canning covers two preservation methods but either way it’s a method of
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We often tout the reasons why its important to grow and eat organic foods, and how an organic fertilizer will ensure a pesticide and chemical free crop. But what are the other reasons you’d want to go organic from the ground up? Specifically, organic isn’t just good for you, it’s good for all kinds of living things. One of the common news stories heard now is the dwindling bee populations and the catastrophic results their
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