Pests and Parasites

I'm going to share two very reliable pesticides, that as far as I can tell do not harm the pollinators, but care must be taken.  First, I use Diatomaceous Earth as a natural pesticide against the hard shelled insects.  I do take care, not to dust the blooms, though.  I've searched and read both warning and safety comments regarding honey bees and DE, so I avoid dusting the blooms.

The other pesticide I use, first came about by accident.  I had planned to make my own Tabasco sauce last year, but wasn't real sure about it, so I just bought a couple of bedding plants at a local nursery.  As it turns out, they were mislabeled.  I thought the peppers seemed an odd shape compared to the pictures on Tabasco sauce bottles, but I figured, "What did I know?"  So, I put a few of those almost round, with a point, red peppers in the blender with some water.  When I removed the blender lid, my eyes began to water.  I knew this was not Tabasco sauce in the making.

I had thought they looked like habaneros, and sure enough, a quick Google search showed images of habaneros that looked exactly like the hundreds of peppers that were growing in my garden.  Well now, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with these peppers, but I knew I had no intention of eating them.  Last year was a particularly difficult year due to drought.  It seems the only thing really thriving were the grasshoppers, and they were making short work of my garden, when I noticed something.  The habanero plants were beautiful!  There were no leaves missing, no hoppers jumping!

That's when it occurred to me, to at least try it.  So, the concoction in the blender went into a spray bottle and out to the garden.  It didn't take long for the grasshoppers to move on.  Now, I make a point of raising one habanero plant on my deck.  It keeps the pests from the other plants and produces enough peppers to make my pesticide!

Jerusalem Artichokes

This site definitely promotes the concept of purposefully providing food for ourselves and our families, but we also want to take the time to point out and remind our readers that YHWH may already have some pretty amazing things already planted in your neck o' the woods.

I'm including a couple of photos of Jerusalem artichokes.  The edible part is the root, but they are just beginning to bloom in the Ozarks, which means everyone north of the seventh growing zone probably still has time to be watching for these lovely bunches of yellow flowers.  The blossom itself, to me, resembles a daisy in size, but much larger and all yellow, not just the center.  Some have compared their appearance to miniature sunflowers, as they do often stand quite tall.


The appearance of the root is something of a small potato in color, and very tuberous looking.  The texture is similar to that of water chestnuts, with a mildly nutty flavor.

I'd urge you to do a bit of research, then be watching.  We just never know what special treat our Creator has placed in our path.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	304 kJ (73 kcal)
Carbohydrates	17.44 g
- Sugars	9.6 g
- Dietary fiber	1.6 g
Fat	0.01 g
Protein	2 g
Thiamine (vit. B1)	0.2 mg (17%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)	0.06 mg (5%)
Niacin (vit. B3)	1.3 mg (9%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.397 mg (8%)
Vitamin B6	0.077 mg (6%)
Folate (vit. B9)	13 μg (3%)
Vitamin C	4 mg (5%)
Calcium	14 mg (1%)
Iron	3.4 mg (26%)
Magnesium	17 mg (5%)
Phosphorus	78 mg (11%)
Potassium	429 mg (9%)
Link to USDA Database entry Percentages are roughly approximated from US recommendations for adults

Getting it Together

If we could just get the folks in the second link connected with the entrepreneur in the first link, we'd be accomplishing something!  "Nuff said!"

http://www.growingpower.org/  This site has some fascinating information!

NO GMO

Make Something Grow

I usually speak in rather broad terms, as I never want to indicate everyone must be limited to specific foods or specific methods.  Grocery Underground is aimed at using our talents for the glory of our Creator, being creative in moving away from worldly system dependence, and protecting ourselves from "frankenfood."  We, here at Goshen do not proclaim dogma, nor do we try to stir fear, but today I have to make a specific suggestion.

Our food is costing more while offering less nutrition.  We get caught up in busy schedules, falling back on instant and prepackaged.  Most people, even apartment dwellers have a house plant and at least one window.  Many even have balconies.  Here's the plan that provides an instant snack with actual nutrition.  Make a vegetable or fruit a house plant or use a window box for raising a mini garden.

See what you are good at and see how quickly something will grow.  I have actually kept fresh lettuce and salad fixin's growing all winter in a sunny window, before I got my greenhouse.  My favorite handy snack are radish pods.  One radish will produce hundreds of them and they are snappy tangy little snacks along the lines of sugar snap peas.

I'm not suggesting you'll raise your entire food supply in a window box, but fresh snacks are a definite option!

Long Term Shelf Life without Artificial Preservatives

Many of our natural groceries can be stored for prolonged periods of time without unnatural preservatives.

Winter squash will stay good for two to three months in a cool dark place, as will onions, beets, and cabbage.

Dried grains and herbs will remain good for several months, as long as bugs cannot infiltrate the packaging.  I keep rice, flour, herbs, and spices, etc. in glass jars.  I still use red peppers I dried several summers ago.  I am seeking ideas away from rice, as I haven't yet perfected the growing process.  By the statement "not yet perfected the growing process"  I mean, so far it's been a dismal failure, but I'm not giving up, just looking into alternatives.  I know I do not want to eat GMO rice that contains the DNA of human liver.

Potatoes will keep quite awhile, but lime sprinkled on them keeps them even longer.  When our society was agrarian, potatoes were a definite staple on the family dinner table, and the last of them in the root cellar toward the end of winter became the seed potatoes of the next year's crop.

Depending upon the growing season for your region, many vegetables can be planted for a second harvest.  Green beans are very quick to mature, so a second crop can be planted after the first one has died out.  When I plant a second crop of green beans, I have to get the seeds in the ground by late July.  I enjoy most salad produce a second time around, replanting lettuce and radishes when the days begin to shorten and cool in late August.

Spring gardens are in and yielding produce by now.  The full on canning season isn't quite here, yet, so do a bit of checking.  You'll be amazed at how much food you can plant later in the summer to enjoy this winter.

What to Do When Healthy isn't So Good

Many parents are switching from soda to juice for their kids and that's good, but . . . prepackaged fruit products that do not contain preservatives can come with risks, as explained in the included link below.

We are going to have to face facts in this nonstop, always on the go world, we've made for ourselves.  When we eliminate preservatives, which is a great idea, prepackaged becomes much less desirable.  Preservatives and prepackaged tend to go hand in hand, and did from the onset.  I, personally, would not want to serve my kids or grandkids something that was prepackaged, that I could not see the contents, yet contained no preservatives.

As one who cans and preserves everything from fruits and vegetables to milk, I use natural preservatives, and excessive heat and pressure.  My natural preservatives are salt or vinegar, sometimes both, and heat not only serves to kill anything that could potentially "grow," it also serves as the catalyst to the vacuum process of canning.  In this process, however; I am using jars I can see through and lids that clearly indicate a good seal or the lack thereof.

These boxes with plastic liners, although I'm sure meet all the high tech standards, do not afford the simple checkpoints most moms and grandmas have always relied upon.  We truly have no idea of the process used that somehow manages to keep liquid in a plastic bag in a cardboard box through temperature changes and shipping.

The simplest way to avoid any chances of contamination while still providing healthy preservative free snacks is to make snacks at home, keep them in the freezer if time is an issue and it always is, or fresh for after school snacks and outings.  As for beverages, filtered water or spring water is always best, especially if there are sports activities.  The body needs plenty of good fresh water and salted nuts or seeds are a great source of protein as well as providing the salt that can be lost in summer activities.  Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are easy to grow, easy to roast and do last quite awhile when stored ahead, when salted in the roasting process.

I think you'll find the linked article very informative.  Why I Stopped Buying Juice Boxes

When "Life" Hands You Lemons

Say Thank you!  Lemons have so many useful purposes.  Our Creator made a real gift in this bright yellow fruit.                                                       

The rest of the old saying . . . "make lemonade."  Life handing one lemons used to be a metaphor for difficulties and yet lemons contain many valuable properties.    Lemon is acidic, so it has wonderful antibacterial properties.  It is also very soothing for sore throats as well as the nervous system. 

Here are 45 reasons why you might be glad to have lemons on hand.

When life hands you lemons; there are so many more options beyond making lemonade.