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Why are my tomatoes burning in the dehydrator? When cherry tomatoes are on, they are abundant! It can be hard to get them all used, but when its winter we know we will miss them! My favorite way to preserve cherry tomatoes is to dry them. They dry more evenly and quickly than sliced larger tomatoes in the dehydrator, and the skin makes them into tiny delicious morsels of concentrated flavor that rival any dried fruit. If you use overrripe tomatoes, it is likely they will burn. This is because the acid content of overripe tomatoes, or even tomatoes harvested...

Temperatures at which to harvest: 35 Basil, Basil Seeds 32 Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Zucchini, Cucumber, Winter Squashes, Sunflowers, Non-hardy flowers, Storage Onions, Beans 28 Potatoes ~20 Cabbage, Celery, Celeriac ~15 Carrots, Bunching/green onions, Turnips, Collards, Kale, Beets, Most Lettuces, Spinach 0 Leeks Ripening fruits such as tomatoes and peppers may appear unharmed after a freeze but the flavor will be compromised. The flavor is not as strong, maybe even bitter, and the texture is pithy. Tomatoes harvested from dead vines also lack much of their natural acidity and are therefore not recommended for canning or drying. For storage and biennial...

Pictured above are pansies and pansy babies coming up all around them in the mess of spring, seeds which I did not have to buy, plant, or water! As every green thumb knows, growing a successful garden is relentless business.  Especially this busy time of year, I am always looking for clever ways to get myself more free time.  Though springtime in the garden is amazing, I want to break away and catch it in the mountains too!  One way I am finding myself more time is by growing self-sowing annuals.  These are crops whose life-cycles are one year long...

Proper watering in the greenhouse can make or break the success of seed germination and seedling growth. Shallow flats of potting soil dry out fast, especially in hot greenhouses. Over-watering can overly cool the soil, cause roots to rot, as well as increase the risk of damping off and other diseases. 1. Pre-soak flats before planting them. Potting soil will get hydrophobic when it has been allowed to dry out. When this happens, water splashes off the surface of the soil, causing a big mess and washing seeds away. Pre-soaking flats before planting, especially when dealing with dry potting soil,...

Finding the perfect potting soil for seeding vegetable starts poses a particular problem to the organic and frugal small farmer. Organic potting mixes must use organic amendments to provide enough nutrients released over time to sustain the plant while it's in pot, but not so much initially as to inhibit seed germination or attract pests and diseases. Organic amendments can get expensive, and we are always concerned with what other farming and resource harvesting practices our own farm is supporting. It's an area of small farming that could be a lot more creatively explored than it is, with successes potentially...