“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” Anthelme Brillat Savarin

 

As my husband and I sat down to eat dinner tonight, I realized that most of the food came from the garden! 

 

 On the Menu:

 

Sauté greens with onion and garlic...(all three from the garden)

 

Bread and Butter Pickles

 

Penne Pasta with Tomato Sauce

 

YUMMY!

 

 

 

 

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients.”

~ Julia Child

A DOE, THE BUCK, and TWO FAWNS

NO BLANCHING NEEDED-SAVING AND FREEZING PEPPERS

 

 

I first heard about freezing peppers from a elderly neighbor.  He would simply wash the pepper, pat it dry, place in a zip lock bag, and put it into the freezer.  It can not get any easier then that! 

 

Since then, I have come across several different versions, all just as easy.  Although freezing whole is an option,  I prefer to cut mine prior to freezing.  It is up to you on how you would like to do this.  Maybe think about how you may use the peppers in the future.  With that in mind, you could slice them into strips, chop them into little pieces, cut them into rings, or even half's. 

 

 

 

Wash the pepper and pat dry.

Remove the stem.

I sliced this pepper into rings.

Seeds and membrane removed.

Place on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Place in the freezer for about an hour.

After about an hour, remove from the freezer and place into individual zip lock bags.  I like to write the type of pepper, quantity, and date on the outside of the bag with a permanent marker.  Remove as much air as possible. 

Place the smaller zip lock bag into a freezer bag.  This will help protect from freezer burn.  Burp out as much air as possible.



Use the "first in, first out" method when using frozen peppers.  These peppers are good for about a year, or before freezer burn sets in.

 

 

 A cautionary note;  be extra careful when handling hot peppers.  Wear gloves and do not touch your face, especially the eyes and mouth.  If they are small enough, you may be better off freezing them whole, or cut into halves only. 

BEE FREINDLY VERMONT LAW SCHOOL

	Very exciting news!!!! This news release is via Organic Gardening Connect Newsletter <OGNews@organicgardeningnews.delivery.net

Vermont Law Goes Neonicotinoid-Free
Walking the talk as big supporters of the sustainable food and agriculture community, the Vermont Law School has become the first higher-education campus in the country to earn an official "neonicotinoid pesticide-free" designation from the Center for Food Safety's BEE Protective Campaign. Pollinators play a critical role in agricultural systems, and a growing body of evidence suggests that neonicotinoid pesticides are especially dangerous to bees. With any luck, VLS will be rapidly joined by many more schools, businesses, and individuals around the country.

Sign me officially neonicotinoid-free,

Jean Nick
Contributing Editor, Environment

Source: Vermont Law School 

Vermont Law first bee-friendly, neonicotinoid pesticide-free campus in nation

 News Release — Vermont Law School

Aug. 7, 2014
SOUTH ROYALTON –– Vermont Law School has partnered with the Center for Food Safety’s BEE Protective Campaign, making it the first higher-education campus in the country to earn official neonicotinoid pesticide-free designation.
“Honey bees and other pollinators play a critical role in agricultural systems,” said Laurie Ristino, director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems and VLS associate professor of law. “Protecting their health and safety is a reflection of Vermont Law School’s commitment to the environment and CAFS’ mission to support sustainable food and agricultural systems. We hope more will follow our lead.”
Vermont Law School’s partnership with the BEE Protective follows an Obama administration directive, announced in June, to create a “Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.” The presidential memorandum reports that “pollinators contribute substantially to the economy of the United States and are vital to keeping fruits, nuts, and vegetables in our diets. Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops each year in the United States.
“Over the past few decades, there has been a significant loss of pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, birds, bats, and butterflies, from the environment.”
BEE Protective is a national campaign established by the Center for Food Safety and Beyond Pesticides, and works with municipalities, campuses, and homeowners to adopt policies that protect pollinators from bee-toxic pesticides. For more information about the campaign, visit http://bit.ly/1kp3gSV.
The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law School supports scholars and practitioners in producing practical, robust scholarship for use by the food and agriculture community. CAFS offers an expanding curriculum in food and agriculture for law and policy students, and training and legal tools to help build sustainable local and regional food systems. For more information about the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, visit www.vermontlaw.edu/cafs/, call CAFS Director Laurie Ristino at (802) 831-1230, or email lristino@vermontlaw.edu.