KitchenAid Flex Edge Beater

KitchenAid has launched the new Flex Edge Beater. It’s a coated, flat beater designed with a silicone edge to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix simultaneously. The Flex Edge Beater eliminates the need to stop the mixer and scrape the bowl manually, saving you time and energy.

4.5 Quart Flex Edge Beater

While the only size currently available is for the 4.5 and 5-quart, tilt-head mixers, KitchenAid will have a Flex Edge Beater for the 5.5 and 6-quart bowl lift models available for purchase in the near future.

Other companies have developed beaters with silicone edges imitating the KitchenAid beater. WARNING: The use of an imitation beater will void the warranty on your KitchenAid Mixer. Genuine Flex Edge Beaters by KitchenAid are available on our Web site.

Has anyone used this beater yet? How did you like it? If you don't have one will you be likely to buy one in the future?

Happy Baking!

Canning Equipment Repair Needs

Have you ever brought home or harvested a Bushel (or two) of apples with the intention of making applesauce as soon as you got home and pulled out grandmas old Victorio 200 Food Strainer, only to discover that the there are a few repairs that need to be done before you can actually use it?

It seems this is the story of my life. I get a wonderful idea only to discover a small detail is holding me back, such as a broken or missing piece. Until I get the repair part I am stuck and my wonderful idea is put on hold until further notice or I have to come up with a different idea so the apples don’t go bad.

With this tragic possibility in mind I post the following thought:

Get you canning equipment out now before you need to use it! Test the gauge on the pressure cooker, check the seals and gaskets. Test your food strainer, make sure the seals and screens are still good and that you still have all the parts. That way you are ready to process and preserve when the produce is ripe.

If you are in the neighborhood bring your pressure canner over to our store and we’ll test the gauge for free. If you need a new part for your canner we’ll install it for you.

If you are not living in the vicinity call your local Cooperative Extension Office and find out if they test pressure canner gauges; some do and some don’t. If no one in you area tests gauges you can send the canner lid to us and we will test it and ship it back to you.

Testing the gauge on your pressure cooker is really important for food safety. Gauge’s ware out over time and loose there accuracy. If your gauge is reading high then you could be at risk of under processing your food causing it to go bad or worse making anyone who eats it very sick.

If the gasket on your canner is stiff, cracked or it’s falling out of your lid then it’s time for a new one. Worn out gaskets can prevent the canner from sealing and then your canner won’t get up to pressure. Find the model number on your canner and then order the gasket online. If you are unsure about your gasket, give us a call, we are happy to answer your questions.

If something does need to be replaced, like a vent pipe, overpressure plug, or gauge don’t panic. Most parts that need to be replaced on canning equipment are pretty self explanatory and very easy to install on your own. If you’re really having trouble installing it yourself, call us and we will walk you though it.

Have you got you canning equipment out yet? Have you ever had the gauge tested on your pressure cooker? Post your thoughts and questions below.

Hickery Holler Farm: 2010 Canning Tally

Imagine if 90 percent of the food you eat was grown on your own land. How cool would that be? This lady has got it down. Check out this Blog!
Hickery Holler Farm: 2010 Canning Tally

Seed Swap for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day I would like to propose a seed swap. One advantage of a seed swap is that you can save money and still get a wide variety of plants in your garden and the seeds will get planted before they get too old to sprout.

To host a seed swap you will need:
• Small Envelopes
• Labels and Pens
• Location with table space
• Willing participants with non-hybrid seeds

Invite family, friends and neighbors to bring their extra seeds. You can make your swap into a bigger event by telling your guests to spread the word and bring their friends with them. By doing this you will have a greater variety of seeds to exchange.

Or you could keep it private and much more coordinated buy limiting it to a small group of friends and assign each person a basic garden staple like carrots, beans, corn or pea seeds; that way you can all save money on your basic seeds and still buy something unusual you’ve never tried before to share with you seed swapping buddies.

To save time instruct everyone to bring their extra seeds already packaged and properly labeled with planting instructions. Be prepared with envelopes and pens just incase someone needs them.

Decide before hand how you are going orchestrate the seed swap. There are several ways to do it. Some use a tally and ticket system others prefer to go by an honor code and trust that participants won’t take more seeds than they contributed. Be sure to plan ahead of time how you want to organize the actual exchange and any special rules or instructions so there is no confusion.

If there are any seeds left donate them to someone in need or to a local community garden.

Have Fun!



“Seed Swap” looks like in interesting documentary. Check out the trailer.
http://youtu.be/xUZ38FJfIhE


Comments appreciated!
How do you organize your seed exchange? What method works best? How could you improve on the next one?

A Time to Sow . . . Sow What?

As gardening season begins here are some ideas about what to plant in your garden depending on what food you want to preserve for the winter.

First thing to consider is what will you actually eat? If you don’t like beats don’t plant them. If you enjoy green beans plant some and plan on canning or freezing the excess. Home grown green beans taste great and are easy to preserve for the winter.

Vegetable soup is a tasty way to get your vegetable intake for the day. If you like soup, decide what kind of vegetables you like best in soup and plant them in your garden; like carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes and garlic.

Spaghetti makes a great meal and is even better when the sauce is made from scratch using produce you have grown yourself. It takes a lot of effort but it’s worth it in the end especially if you make a huge batch and seal it in jars using a pressure cooker. Plant tomatoes, onions and, garlic and depending on how ambitious you are you may even want to plant an herb garden for seasonings.

There are more reasons to plant pumpkins than for Jack-O-Lanterns. Making your own pumpkin puree is super easy and you can’t beat the taste of fresh pumpkin in homemade pumpkin cookies. Really it’s unbeatable.

With all the necessary ingredients grown in your own backyard you will feel a great sense of pride at what you have accomplished. That fresh produce from your garden doesn’t have to go to waste if you can’t consume it all; you can share it with your friends or preserve it for later. Invest in home canning equipment and begin the joyful and satisfying process of food preservation.

Make sure to use a trusted source for your canning recipes and that your jars have all sealed properly before you put them up for storage. Canning is not an experimental process and must be done properly to keep dangerous bacteria from growing.

Think of the possibilities! Decide what you want to can this year and then order the seeds to plant in your garden. Please post your comments below. We love comments.

Planning a garden design tool: Better Homes and Gardens
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/design/nature-lovers/welcome-to-plan-a-garden/

Planting Zones Map

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html