My best crop so far!

[majorcatfish]

wow how to reply to that...

 

[baymule]

Well gosh darn baymule, before the Texans' heads get too big ... it seems Alaska has bigger stuff like Brown Bears, Kodiak Bears, Polar bears, huge Moose, biggest horns on carriboo, Salmon, l o n g e r days and nights, more land, more snow and glaciers, more trees, tallest mountain , as well as North Pole, Alaska ( a town where all things are Christmas) things like that than Texas ! Who knew...

Alaska can keep the bears, glaciers and North Pole. The rest is pretty cool and I don't mind one bit that Alaska is bigger than Texas!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

the Texans just get a better head start over the rest of us. but i wouldn't trade my later season start for all the bugs and other poisonous/venomous critters you have down that direction! the few critters we have this far north that are poisonous/venomous here just seem to be more relaxed or harder to find! yes, we have a type of rattle snake and a poisonous spider here that can cause some damage if bitten, but they just seem to leave us alone. and the bears just want to mess with your bird feeders if they were left out.

i certainly look at dandelions in a different way now that i have chickens, peahens and the bunny. i look at it as good green food that is free!

 

[digitS']

Here you go Thistle'.

Two of your favorite crops: dandelions and potatoes (from the 1940's & Heinz):

digitS'

 

[thistlebloom]

Ha! That's a keeper! I just got my early croppers in and most likely will have plenty of dandelions to serve with them when I rob some hills for new potatoes.

 

[ducks4you]

I gotta ask--on the Horse Forum somebody posted photos of a "pretty pony in a field of pretty dandelions" and someone else was losing it over the possibility that dandelions could poison your horse. We also had a link to a similar plant that grows in Australia, that IS poisonous. (Of course, there are SO MANY poisonous animals and plants in Australia, I'm not surprised.)
Anybody here know of any toxins associated with dandelions?

 

[thistlebloom]

If they're toxic then a whole lotta people on this forum are in big trouble!

My horses have always eaten dandelions, never saw any ill effects. I say some people are just all aquiver with over cautious hysteria.

 

[ducks4you]

Agreed.

 

[baymule]

I picked 390 dandelion flowers in my garden this morning and made jelly. Oh my goodness! That stuff is awesome! I got 6 half pints plus a little more that we tried on toast at supper. I used this recipe.



Dandelion Jelly makes about 5-8 oz. jars

4 c. dandelion flower petals, green bits removed
4 c. water

1. Place the dandelion flower petals in a pot and add the water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes, then turn off heat and allow the pot to cool.
2. Use a jelly bag or coffee filter to strain the flowers out of the water, you need 3 c. of dandelion infusion, but may have some extra.

3c. dandelion infusion
1 T lemon juice
1 box Sure-Jell powdered pectin
4 1/2 c. sugar

3. Place dandelion infusion, lemon juice, and pectin powder in a large pot. Whisk together and bring this mixture to a rolling boil.
4. Add all of the sugar at once, stirring constantly, and return the mixture to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute.
5. Remove the jelly from the heat, skim the foam from the top and ladle into sterilised hot jars. Cover, and process in a water bath 10 minutes.

 

[digitS']

After you have washed your sticky little fingers, you should give yourself a good pat on the back, Bay'!

That is great!

Thank you for sharing :bouquet!

Steve