Zabby, The whole cloves (Spice World) peeled garlic that I buy in 3 lb containers aren't packed in anything. The minced garlic (I don't buy anymore) is packed in olive oil. Garlic remains the only thing that I have been unable to ferment by itself. Really convinced me just how good its anti-bacterial qualities are. Salsa...... Subbing chopped parsley leaves for the cilanto really helped for me. Yesterday batch #1 4 cups tomatoes 4 cups peaches 1 1/2 cups sweet onion 1 1/2 cups green bell pepper 1 Biker Billy jalapeño 2 Bhut Jolokia peppers (very hot) 7 garlic cloves 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1/8 cup canning salt 1/8 cup parsley 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup lemon juice 15 oz can tomato sauce 12 oz can tomato paste BWB for 15 min = 6 pints Batch #2 8 cups tomatoes 4 cups peaches 2 1/4 cups green bell pepper 2 tbs manzano pepper powder (hot) 10 garlic cloves 3 1/4 cups sweet onions 1 tbs cumin seeds 1 tbs fresh ground black pepper 3/16 cup canning salt 3 tbs parsley 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 cup lemon juice 15 oz can tomato sauce 12 oz can tomato paste BWB for 15 min = 7 pints and aprox 2 for the fridge to be frozen today. I forgot the tomatillos and will just chop them into the 2 or so pints that I'm going to freeze. Or I might pressure process them. The peach skin didn't seem to hurt a thing. The peaches were a bit hard, but I liked the flavor and they sure diced nicely in my new onion dicer. Tomatoes are the only thing that I have to dice by hand and they took forever as I am so stinking slow at things like that. Thanks again, Annie!! jt

Carol I finally got some jalapenos ... no reds and they were beginning to show crack lines. scrounged almost enuf for a half recipe, used red sweet peppers to get the weight, also used shallots and went with the honey. Have to wait til around Thanksgiving to see how I did, but from the way they looked while packing and in the jar after processing, I don't think they'll be as crisp as I like. I couldn't fnd any Pickle Crisp. I was puzzled about the temperature you specified above 180 degrees .. simmer. I had put the jars in the rack over simmering water before lowering. I had a hard time getting the temp down to 180 and the water was sorta steaming, but not what I call a simmer. My instant read said it was l0 or 15í degrees over. So I'm afraid I made mush. I had always thought you needed a rolling boil to process and a covered pot. Is this what they call pastuerizing? syrup tasted great. kay

Ann T, Cooper is loving having me home more than anyone else, I think, although Makayla and Bud are having a ball playing with me. Elery, well, I'm not so sure, LOL. dcarch, I can't get actually livestock other than the cattle and horses, which can get a week's worth of food and water at a time, until I move out there. We'll get feeder pigs from one of the 4H kids in the spring and slaughter them in the fall, but breeding stock will have to wait until I'm actually living there. I'm kind of leaning toward Mulefoot hogs, as they pasture well, we'll see. I sure want to make some more homemade bacon, though. The Poulet de Bresse rarely makes it out of France, but there is a Canadian variety of the Bresse called Blue Foot. It was nearly eradicated during the Avian flu scare but I understnad remaining stock is in California, so maybe, someday. The flavor is supposed to be far superior to other varieties. Having never eaten it, I can't remark on that. The girls do want to get some laying hens though, all different varieties, LOL. As long as I get good fresh eggs, I guess I don't care, I'd get half a dozen different heirloom varieties but they have to be sturdy enough to withstand Michigan winters without frostbite to their combs, etc. So, big gardens, fresh eggs, farm raised pork, oh yeah, I'm looking forward to eating well. And, of course, Elery is planning an outdoor, wood fired bread/pizza oven. Annie

Lyra, Annie, is it time to share this? Jeff Foxworthy Michigan Jokes (pretty funny and accurate) 1\. If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Michigan. 2\. If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Michigan . 3\. If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Michigan . 4\. If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Michigan . 5\. If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Michigan . 6\. If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, (or at the top of his ankles) you might live in Michigan . 7\. If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might live in Michigan . 8\. If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,! you might live in Michigan . 9\. If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 \- You know you're a true MICHIGANDER when . . . 1\. "Vacation" means going up north on I\-75 2\. You measure distance in hours. 3\. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once. 4\. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day. 5\. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching. 6\. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings). 7\. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. 8\. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them. 9\. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit. 10\. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow. 11\. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. 12\. You can identify a southern or eastern accent. 13\. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce. 14\. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age. 15\. Down South to you means Ohio . 16\. A brat is something you eat. 17\. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn. 18\. You go out to a fish fry every Friday. 19\. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost. 20\. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 21\. You find 0 degrees! "a little chilly." 22\. You drink pop and bake with soda. 23\. Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine. 24\. You can actually drink Vernors without coughing. 25\. You know what a Yooper is. 26\. You think owning a Honda is Un\-American. 27\. You know that UP is a place, not a direction. 28\. You know it's possible to live in a thumb. 29\. You understand that when visiting Detroit, the best thing to wear is a Kevlar vest. 30\. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Michigan friends.