GenAcres Homestead

Winter Sown Seeds Have Germinated! Now what? So you’ve tried the winter sowing method and found out that it’s easy and it works. Mother Nature woke the seeds out of their sleep and now you’re getting lots of little seedlings popping up in their snug, cozy containers.

How to Harden Off Seedlings Getting your seedlings to a healthy state and ready for the great outdoors can be a challenge in itself. They've been loved and pampered indoors, probably under fluorescent grow lights with pretty consistent temperatures.  So there's no doubt that it can be a big shock for them when they are moved to the variable and sometimes harsh elements outside. 

  Four Reasons Canning Jar Contents Darken First, how pressure canners work to keep food safe. Pressure Canners basically heat the jars to a temperature high enough to destroy the microorganisms that could cause food spoliage and or foodborne illness.    The heating process also removes air from the product and creates a vacuum which helps to prevent recontamination by harmful microorganisms.

Parsley is a tender herb with soft stems and leaves.  It is popular for many reasons including its variety of uses, vitamin content and its ability to grow and give you a flavorful harvest even after a light snowfall.  Parsley has a light, peppery flavor that complements other seasonings.      Types of Parsley Curly Leaf Parsley.   Deep curled leaves and attractive appearance.  Only used as a garnish. Flat Leaf Parsley (AKA Italian Parsley) Preferred by cooks for its flat, celery-like leaves.  Pleasant tasting foliage can be eaten fresh or added to recipes.  Single Leaf Italian Parsley has a rich flavor that is best for seasoning cooked dishes.   Giant of Italy Parsley.  Huge, dark green leaves with great flavor.  Strong, upright stems make this one of the best parsley varieties for fresh-market sales. Starting Parsley from Seed Parsley is slow to germinate, but after you do get it to the plant stage, it's not fussy at all.  To speed up this process, soak or

The perennial shrub, Thyme, certainly deserves a place in every herb garden.  Not only is it one of the most useful plants in the kitchen, but it also has attractive foliage, long-lasting flowers and it's an easy-to-care-for compact plant.  English Thyme is used most often in cooking. Types of culinary Thyme include Thymus Vulgaris, also referred to as Common Thyme, and include summer, winter, and French Thyme.  Starting Thyme From Seed Thyme seeds are difficult and slow to germinate, but it can be done.  It will take a year to get a good-sized plant. Seed Longevity:                                           2 years. Seed Sowing Depth:                                    Cover thinly. Best Soil Temp for Germination:                  70 degrees. Days to Germination:                                    7-10+ days. Spring Sowing Sow indoors 6-10 weeks before the last spring frost.    Plant outside 2-3 weeks before the first last spring frost.

Pressure Canning Item List With this fast-paced and ever-changing world we live in now, there is no better time to learn to pressure can food. Many people are taking a renewed interest in learning to can food in light of the recent world events taking place. Pressure Canning Check List In addition to saving money by buying food in bulk at grocery sales and farmers’ markets, a pantry full of jars of food can give you confidence that your family will stay safely fed. Whether you are harvesting the food from your own large garden or farm or beginning to grow some veggies on your deck or porch, the art of canning food is a great way to stock up on items you regularly use. To learn the basics of pressure canning, a good book like this one is very important. There are some essential kitchen appliances that you will need to get started. The cost of some of these items may seem a bit daunting at first, but the investment will be well worth it. Pressure Canner First, you wi