Community Chat

[wvumountiefan]

for everything my mom and dad taught their 9 children, and for growing up here in rural West Virginia. My mom and dad had very large gardens when I was growing up in the late 70’s and 80’s. My mom home canned everything she could get her hands on. (Those were her exact words.) 

Now that I’m older, we have a garden every year and while it’s not as big as my childhood, it’s needed now. We do enough potatoes to last us all winter and spring. This past year we canned green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans (which we got off of the local Amish.) Grant it there are still things we get from the store but I’m thankful for my mom teaching all her kids how to can and such. I know we will continue canning and our garden will probably be bigger this year. 

FYI, the Amish lady told me how to can the kidney beans and I hope to never buy them from a store again. No comparison! They are so good! Do any of you all can veggies or fruit? 😊 Share your stories! 

[Kalli]

@wvumountiefan , I don't have a garden, sorry no stories to tell, but the thought just crossed my mind to have one.

My mom used to can using a pressure cooker.  She was a pro at that!  Made jams and jellies, too.  Reminds me of happy times.  I miss her. 

I have enough room for a nice sized garden but we have a herd of 20-30 deer who cross our property 2x a day.  I've been treated for Lyme Disease and don't want to go down that path again.  So, I don't spend time digging and such.  Once the heat sets in which is end of June to mid Sept., I do weed around the house and in backyard since I've never seen a tick during those months.

[wvumountiefan]

@Kalli  The memories I will treasure! Life sure was fun and seemed so easy as a kid. ❤️😊

[cindyNC]

I just bought some seeds and patio planters.  Our soil where we are in NC is solid clay and my knees can't take prepping gardening beds. 

[happycat]

We use to do several small gardens, just the way our land is layed out. Last year, we just planted yellow and zuchini squash, tomatoes which didn't do well at all. 

Use to I'd plant enough bell peppers to freeze a lot, and I have missed that. Ended up buying several bags of frozen bell peppers at the store a few weeks ago. 

My husbands parents still do a hurge garden, or have up to this point. Father in law has had health issues, not sure if they will make on this year or not. 

My granny use to can everything she could get her hands on too. I've heard her say it, and heard my dad say it also. They had a huge garden, and my grandpa had honey bees, and they'd always have honey.  One of my favorite things was going into her kitchen, she had built in (very primitive) shelves with a curtain over them. In the shelves she had all kinds of things she had canned. I never could believe all that food. Even wild blackberries she would find on their property and along the road in the rural area where they lived. 

[wvumountiefan]

@happycat  We had a cellar for our potatoes. We also had an orchard with fruit trees and my mom, grandma and aunt would all share our fruits and would can applesauce and apple butter. My mom would give us trash bags and tell us to “go up the holler and get me some elderberries.” The absolute best jelly that I’ve ever had! Wow! I had an amazing childhood! 

[happycat]

@wvumountiefan, yes you did! There is a creek not far from my grandparents homestead. My uncle would go there every Sat., and catch fish and we'd have fried fish, fried potatoes and cornbread for dinner. Now, I'm gonna have to make some fried potatoes like granny use to make, lol. 

It was a blessed childhood, I miss my grandparents so much. They didn't raise me, but I spent a lot of time at there house. 

[DiAnne]

I am a city girl so I am thankful that we still have trash pick-up, mail service and UPS working.  I am thankful I can get my groceries delivered.  I am also thankful I am retired (from medical field), not in the stock market and have toilet paper!  These are really scary times. 

[Ifeelwicked]

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@wvumountiefan wrote:

for everything my mom and dad taught their 9 children, and for growing up here in rural West Virginia. My mom and dad had very large gardens when I was growing up in the late 70’s and 80’s. My mom home canned everything she could get her hands on. (Those were her exact words.) 

Now that I’m older, we have a garden every year and while it’s not as big as my childhood, it’s needed now. We do enough potatoes to last us all winter and spring. This past year we canned green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans (which we got off of the local Amish.) Grant it there are still things we get from the store but I’m thankful for my mom teaching all her kids how to can and such. I know we will continue canning and our garden will probably be bigger this year. 

FYI, the Amish lady told me how to can the kidney beans and I hope to never buy them from a store again. No comparison! They are so good! Do any of you all can veggies or fruit? 😊 Share your stories! 

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I am so impressed right now reading your post. (And a little envious.) I grew up in Ohio where my mom grew beautiful tomatoes and corn. What a treat! ...... However, in this case, the apple couldn't have fallen further from the tree! 😂  My goal every year is to grow pumpkins. (I love the fall!)    I am a So.Cal transplant and have even consulted the head of the AG dept. at Cal Poly Pomona. (They are known for their enormous pumpkin patch.) I was very hopeful and appreciative to have been given some of their best seeds. And, just as in years past, nothing! I get on 'ok size' vine and little yellow flower. Nothing more, sometimes less. 🤷‍♀️ If you have experience here I am all ears! (I realize this is a "first world problem."  But I have gone on in length about how I feel about the Coronavirus on this site. Felt good to talk gardening for a minute.😊) Have a safe weekend everyone.🌷

[rms1954]

If we are taught young to learn how to prepare and learn the simple concepts on how to be self-sufficient, we will be better off.  Yes we live in a world where things are so accessed by demand and we take it for granted.  But if you have the simple instincts, you'll be better off.