So far I've canned 12 pts and 4 qts of B&B pickles all from *one* volunteer cucumber plant growing just outside a flower bed and running across the lawn. It has about 8 runners loaded with flowers and small cukes. They sprout as fast as I pick them. The ground there is packed hard and has never been fertilized or amended in any way. All veggies should be like that cuke plant. :) Our limestone soil here is loaded with calcium so no one sprays their plants with it. There's so much it binds the iron so iron must be added to the soil for good crops (when you're over limestone as we are.) Some people water the plants with an iron solution. I also use some sulfur to bring the PH down a little and make iron more available. I'm out of compost. We can't make as much as we need. No organic based ferts here either. Our gardens are too large. We buy the 10-10-10 in large bags at Lowe's, and till in all the compost we can make each spring. Most of our compost consists of chopped leaves mixed with whatever kitchen waste we have. No one on the road has livestock anymore so I can't get manures.

We make a hot pepper jelly by using frozen apple juice concentrate, dried mint, and finely sliced Thai chili. Dry the mint, make a quart of really strong mint tea, let cool, mix with two-three cans of thawed apple juice concentrate, leaving a more concentrated solution than normal juice, add a bit of sugar and Pomona pectin to taste, heat to a boil and dissolve all the stuff, stir in sliced chili with seeds, put in hot jars, water bath for 10 min (pints) and cool. We have to keep an eye on it, inverting now and again, as it jells to that the bits and pieces of hot pepper stay in suspension. This is wildly popular. Combo of mint, apple, and heat, and makes a heckufa Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich.

Jim, Are you just harrassing me? :) You know how to make jelly so I'm going to condense the directions. Inferno Wine Jelly Put the stuff in a pot, bring to a boil, add the liquid pectin, boil again for a minute, skim, put in jars. Balsamic Red Pepper Jelly Dice 1/2 cup red pepper and set aside. Puree the rest of the peppers and garlic in blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to dampened jelly bad or strainer lined with dampened cheesecloth over a deep bowl to drip undisturbed for 30 minutes. Measure 1 1/2 cups of pepper juice. If you don't have enough, add 1/2 cup boiling water to remaining pulp to extract additional juice. Transfer pepper juice to saucepan. Add the rest of the stuff up to the pectin. Bring to boil. Add sugar, bring to boil again. Boil one minute. Put in jars.

The first is the one referenced by Dave; the second is one I copied from an earlier thread -- but I can't tell you which one or which forum: Pineapple Pepper Jelly Recipe #133862 Adding this recipe per a request on the forums. Number and type of peppers can be adjusted to suit your own personal taste. by Jellyqueen 3 1/2 pints 1 1/2 hours 1 hour prep 3 cups juice (2 medium fully ripe pineapples, see directions below) 3 jalapeno peppers, finely ground (I would use a mini chopper) 6 1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl 1/2 teaspoon butter (optional) 2 (3 ounce) envelopes Certo 1. BRING boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. 2. Drain jars well before filling. 3. PARE and finely chop or grind pineapples. I prefer grinding because it releases the juices better. 4. Place 3 layers of damp cheesecloth or jelly bag in large strainer over bowl. 5. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closedand let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. 6. Measure exactly 3 cups juice into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. You should have enough juice, but if you don't you can add up to 1/2 cup water, or unsweetened canned pineapple juice. 7. Add finely ground peppers to juice. 8. STIR sugar into juice in saucepot. 9. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. STIR in pectin quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & skim off any foam with metal spoon. LADLE quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids.dd boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to gentle boil & process 5 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. ______________________________________________________________________ Posted by: roselin32 7TX (My Page) on Fri, May 5, 06 at 10:58 Pineapple Pepper Jelly 3/4c apple cider vinegar 2 1/4 c pineapple juice 5 c sugar 1 tps (or more to taste) red pepper flakes 1 6 oz bottle liquid pectin Bring all ingredients except pectin to a boil stirring constantly. Add pectin all at once; bring to boil again and boil one minute. Ladle into hot sterile jars and seal. Yields: 6 8 oz jars. RL` Here is a link that might be useful: Recipezaar