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The Garden of Eaten

By Mark Walters

Hello friends,

I am leaving in the morning for a week of backpacking on The North Country Trail, the following column is buying me some time! I live a way of life that is as independent as possible when it comes to food, heat for my house and my income. The following is my annual gardening story and this year I have the biggest of my life.

Potatoes, I have 130 hills of Norland Reds and 130 hills of Yukon Golds. This spring was the earliest and the worst that I have ever witnessed for the Colorado Potato Beetle, aka potato bug, as they were actually eating my plants before and right at emergence.

Several rounds of Sevin Dust “Carbaryl” ended that problem, but it was stressful and would have cost me my entire crop had I not been on top of it.

The following is a very simple recipe for the best hash browns of any that I know of including restaurants. This fall at least 100-pounds of the following will be made into 1 and 2 serving bags for the freezer.

1. Peel and boil potatoes in rapidly boiling watering for about five minutes until half cooked.

2. Place in cold water for at least 6 hours, shred, and place in freezer bags/freeze. You will be amazed. This year I have 26 tomato plants and 32 pepper plants of various types, and they are doing very well and in the end the tomato plants should hit 6-7 feet tall.

Until last year I raised cattle (I want back in) and had excellent soil for my gardens. I saved some of my manure and over the last year froze about 200-pounds of fish carcasses from filleting my catch.

Every pumpkin, squash, tomato, and pepper plant had fish carcasses along with mulched manure put below the plant and it seems that my garden is very happy.

Sweet corn: last year I froze 50- one-quart bags and put corn in 20-gallons of chili and 50 quarts of salsa. In reality, the above is three of my favorite yields from the garden. Of all of my garden columns this tip gave me the most feedback, so I am going to write it again.

Elaine’s Frozen Corn! Chill corn on the cob, in kitchen sink! Cut 15 cups off the cobs, mix with 1.25 cups of sugar, four cups of ice water, and 2 teaspoons of salt, bag accordingly. Simple, no boiling, tastes as good as frozen corn can taste.

I pull the blossoms off from my tomato and pepper plants until July 1. I believe this allows the plants to become much larger and the yield of peppers and tomatoes much more abundant due to the larger plant.

I grow everything in my gardens for my chili and add venison burger, no noodles. I freeze it in 1 quart and 1-gallon bags which are double bagged. I literally have zero freezer damage and what a simple and tasty meal as well as gift.

With what the world has gone through with the supply chain due to Covid 19 and could happen again and maybe worse, I believe living as independent as possible helps soften the blow when the shelves are empty in grocery stores or inflation is really hitting home.

The closing argument on this subject is the taste. Homegrown potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, sweet corn etc. Lots of work and responsibility from tilling to harvest but what an awesome sight it is to watch brown become green and then brown and come winter go to the pantry, freezer or root cellar for supper!

Addicted to the garden!

This year’s crop of potatoes looking great despite the “potato bug”!