Interesting topic. I live in the country (in Tennessee - so this is a Southern story), so I don't have neighbors to fight with on this issue, but I do know a little about trees and the health of forrests. On my own property, I am preparing for some selctive logging and thinning of the forrest. This is necessary because the old growth in some spots has gotten to the point of causing a DECLINE in bio-diversity. When you get trees that are 100+ feet in height, they can shade out just about anything else underneath. So shade-tolerant species are the only ones that can grow under the canopy, and they eventually create somewhat of a monoculture in the forrest. When the large canopy trees do die - as they all will - what's left are the shade-tolerant trees, and they prevent the next generation of hardwoods from growing. So eventually you loose the majestic Oaks, Hickories, etc. and are left with little more than Beech, Ironwood and Maple. These trees are not as good for the ecology, and don't provide much food for wildlife. Oaks and Hickories are the back-bone of the forrest, providing the lion's share of the food crops. An Oak tree also processes twice as much CO2 as a comparably sized Maple. But their seedlings are shade-intolerant. The Oaks will not grow back if the forrest is shady. So, if we never thin the forrest, and insist on preserving all the mature trees, the richness of our ecology declines. The forrest supports fewer species, and weedy species gradually become dominant. We have eliminated much of the natural "turnover" that occurred in the forrest, especially wildfires. We put them out with a vengence! Yet these acts of nature are crucial to clearning areas where Oaks and Hickories can sprout and thrive in the sun. The Forrestry service did a survey of my land for me and recommended selective thinning to allow a greater diversity of species to grow here. I'm negotiating with loggers who use low-impact logging techniques, such as the use of mules to haul out the logs, so as to minimize the impact on the land. No one loves trees more than I do, but we all need to realize we have a responsibility to manage the forrest, just as we would any garden. It IS a garden - just a garden of giant plants! Diversity and renewal are an essential part of any healthy ecology. I think those principles extend to urban neighborhoods and back yards too. :-) K4

Did you use liquid pectin or the powdered stuff? The liquid Certo pectin seems to work the best. Sometimes, if you let the jelly jars sit in a cool, dark spot for a week or so, they will finally set up. Good luck.

I pickle them when green, they stay firmer. I also use them as poppers. Cut top off and scrap out seeds with small spoon or melon baller. I simmer for about 5 minutes to soften some. Stuff with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, or whatever. Dip in egg. dip in bread crumbs. Important step: place in refrigerator for couple hours to set breading so it doesn't fall off. Deep fry til golden brown. Just as good as jalapeno poppers. john

Hah! I found this: Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 20, 13 at 22:52 Yum, those look delicious. They're reminiscent of a recipe that was a huge hit here a few years ago from Sol. She called them "Dirt Bombs" and they had cardamom. I went and bought cardamom on purpose to make them and they were so worth it but looking at your recipe I'm betting I could have just left it out. Ashley told me they tasted a bit like chai.... Dirt Bombs Yields: 12 muffins* 3 cups AP flour, minus 3 tablespoons 1 tablespoon baking powder ý teaspoon salt ý teaspoon ground nutmeg ü teaspoon ground cardamon þ cup (1 ý sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup whole milk ** Topping *** þ cups unsalted butter, melted ý cup granulated sugar 1 ý teaspoons ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 400ú F. Place the rack in the center position. Generously grease a 12-cup standard muffin pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cardamon into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl down half way through. Mix in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in two additions, mixing gently by hand to incorporate all the flour. The batter will be on the stiff side, but airy. DonâÂÂt over mix or beat the batter as this will make the muffins tough. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, without smoothing the tops. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, turn them out onto a wire rack. Add the melted butter to a bowl. In another bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Dip the muffins (top, sides and bottom) in the butter, using a pastry brush -if necessary- to cover areas not buttered by dipping. Immediately roll the muffins in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature. *I've made this twice, and both times, this recipe has yielded 16 muffins instead of 12. **I substituted whole buttermilk for whole milk because I always have it on hand and prefer it for baking. *** The amounts listed for the sugar and cinnamon are not quite enough to coat all the muffins, so I recommend you double it. Annie