Lifestyle

Does the idea of having jars of delicious “fresh from the garden” home canned food in your pantry for those cold, dreary winter months ahead seem appealing? Does the idea of using a pressure canner or water bath canner to preserve that summer bounty seem scary and hard to do? You are not alone, many people particularly home gardeners find the idea of preserving their garden bounty appealing, but some are nervous about using canning equipment especially presser canners safely to prevent food borne illness. The good news is canning both pressure and water bath are not that difficult if you are willing to follow the latest research guidelines to ensure food is prepared, processed, and stored safely to prevent the growth of toxins that cause food borne illness.

A cover crop is grown after a main crop has been harvested in the fall with the aim of holding the topsoil in place by preventing it from wind and water erosion until the spring comes when the climate is beneficial again for new seeds. Many cover crops widely in use can suppress weeds and they can reduce nitrate and phosphate leaching by sucking up these minerals from the soil.