CrisGzr's story about her father-in-law teaching her about country ways, and making her run for the house with the corn while the pot was on the boil, reminded me of my mother-in-law. She was an awful cook, and only went into the kitchen when she had to (lots of take-out food in that house). Years ago she called from Ohio while I was canning tomatoes and I told her how many quarts I had put up, and that I was doing green beans the next day. She made some noncommittal noises and we chatted a bit. A few days later I got a call from my sister-in-law, her daughter, asking me how far I had to drive to get to a grocery store, since Mom had told her there couldn't be a grocery for miles since I was, gasp, canning! When I told her about our vegetable garden, she said, "Everyone ought to have a hobby." I don't think she ever quite grasped the concept . . . .
LOL It takes all kinds but even if I had to run for that corn, it tasted better than anything I'd ever eaten in my life! As I was reading I thought maybe she'd show up for lessons LOL Has she tasted any of your canned veg? She is missing out! Of course, I am buying everything from farmer's markets so I'm not sure I should talk!
Buying it from the farmer's market is much better than buying it from the supermarket. Those farmers generally get up while it's still dark to pick the stuff they bring to the market. It's still fresh and is very good for you. Just one step up from growing your own. Or is that supposed to be just one step down from growing your own. dooley
Mart, I agree, but I'd still need a toilet paper bush, and a Pepsi tree (for the manure tea injector bottles!).
Cris, Make sure you ask if the person selling you the produce is the SAME person who grew it and picked it that very day or perhaps the day before. Look for the tell tale farmers tan and rough grime encrusted nails and fingers....etc. I get so aggravated at the purveyors of vegetables at our markets And then tell people that they grew it...I want to spit. Ask if this is a growers/producers market, too. Does it all look perfect or very uniform for the selection? if so, it is probably purchased and being resold...I have learned a lot since I started doing the markets.
My daughter told me yesterday, Mom you need a manicure. I just laughed and told her to go pull some weeds.
Gardener's manicure-- you use Lava soap to get the grime out from under the nail! My hairdresser (yes, I actually have one, and she is a very patient, long-suffering lady) keeps after me to "take care of my hands". I keep telling her my hands take care of me--picking, weeding, canning, freezing, etc.
Love Lava soap ! Have you tried shaving your legs with it ? I used to get terrible razor burn,,Looked like poison ivy on my legs. Broke me out terribly. Ran out of bath soap one day ( I think my little brother stole it for his bubble blower) used the Lava to shave with and never broke out again. Figure that out.
Hey MG,,give you a tip from my old doctor,after you shower at night, and while the pores are still open, rub lard on your hands, let sit 5 minutes and wipe excess with paper towel. Will keep hands soft and cracks in skin to a minimum.
Rinse your hands and feet and legs even your whole body, if desired, with 3% hydrogen peroxide. It will clean, disinfect and heal your hands....I have started this in the past few weeks and it makes a huge difference in how healthy my hands are.
Lard? Then I'll be kept awake all night with the cat licking my hands! I've been using udder balm and that really helps keep my hands from getting calloused and cracked. Also, the cat doesn't particularly like the taste of it. I'll try hydrogen peroxide on my feet--which are calloused and the callouses are beginning to crack. I hate that!
Another tidbit of info on LAVA soap: It will lather in salt water, so if you ever go to the beach or salt-water fishing take along a bar of LAVA for washing up.. Hank
