How to Cook Pumpkin
After halving a pumpkin and removing the seeds, it’s time to make roasted pumpkin!

You can brush the flesh of the pumpkin with oil to lock in moisture and help the edges caramelize. Using coconut oil or avocado oil when adding to something savory. Then sprinkle with a little salt, place flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and pierce the skin a few times with a fork or knife.

For a 2-3 pound sugar pumpkin (also called a pie pumpkin), we like to bake it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45  minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the skin is tender when pierced with a fork.

Let the pumpkin cool slightly before handling.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the skin and add it to a high-speed blender or food processor.

Blend until creamy and smooth, adding a little water (only if needed).

​The Blender showed in this video is available on our Quapaw Food Preservation Rental Program.   

​Dehydrating or drying foods is yet another method for food preservation. It can be more time-consuming than other methods, depending on your food choices. Some of the most popular foods to dehydrate are meat products, but produce can also be dried and dehydrated. The cost to process is similar to canning, around $0.10 per pound or about $50 to process 500 pounds. Just imagine being able to snack on jerky for only a dime!

For this pre-mixed kosher dill pickle recipe, you will need a 22qt. water bath canner (Click Here to Rent a Canner), canning tool kit, a ladle, white vinegar, jars, unused canning mason jar lids, and the accompanying screw rings or bands. 

• Before you jump into canning pickles, get to know your canning tool kit.  READ MORE

Sterilize Lids 

• Before you prepare to can your preserves, you must get your lids prepared. In a pot or bowl, submerge the lids in hot, but not boiling water for at least five minutes to soften the gaskets. When done, carefully pour the hot water into the canning pot, turn the stove to HIGH heat, and bring the water to a boil. While heating, begin the next step. 

Prepare the Cucumbers and Brine 

• Selecting the right cucumber
  • We selected Boston Pickling Cucumber for this tutorial, an heirloom variety, that, as the name implies, is excellent for pickling. However, this variety is also excellent for salads. For this recipe you will need 9-11 lbs of cucumbers.
• Washing cucumber
  • There's no need to use soap or a produce wash. Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
• Cutting cucumbers
  • Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard. Leave cucumbers whole, cut into spears or slice. For the tutorial we thin sliced all cucumbers. 
• Prepare the Brine (Makes 6-7 Quarts)
  • 3 ⅓ cups Mrs. Wages® Pickling & Canning Vinegar or other commercial white vinegar (5% acidity)
  • 7 ⅓ cups water
  • 1 pouch Mrs. Wages® Quick Process® Dill Pickle Mix 6.5 oz
  • Combine white distilled vinegar, water, and Mrs. Wages® Dill Pickles Mix into a large non-reactive saucepan. Do not use aluminum. Bring mixture just to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture dissolves then remove from heat.

Pack the Jars 

• Pack your thin-sliced cucumbers into the jars and pour in the brine leaving. Leave 1/2" headspace. The space is important to get a good seal.   

Remove Air Bubbles

• Using the clean bubble popper, run it around the interior periphery of the jar. This is called bubbling; it releases any trapped air in your jars. Trapped air could also compromise the seal. 

Clean the Rims 

• Use a clean paper towel dipped on white vinegar to wipe any brine or cucumber residue from the rims of the jars. Any matter left on the rim could compromise the seal of the lid, and cause spoilage.  

Add Lids

• Remove your lids from the hot water and set one on top of each of your filled jars using the magnetic lid lifter to keep the lids clean and sanitized. 

Put a Ring on it 

• Screw the rings onto your jars, but only until finger tight. In other words, turn them just until they give resistance, and then give a little more. If you screw the rings on too tightly, air cannot escape, and the lids may not seal properly. 

Add Jars to Canner 

• Using the canning tongs, lift each jar, keeping it vertical, and lower it directly into the boiling water. Once all the jars are in the pot, they should be submerged in about 1” of water. If necessary, add more boiling water to cover the jars. Bring the water to a full rolling boil and start your 15-minute timer. 

Remove Jars 

• After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Using your canning tongs, carefully lift each jar vertically up and out of the pot. Make sure not to slosh the contents which could interfere with the seal of the lid.  

Cool Down 

• Place each jar on a heat resistant surface, cooling rack, or towel. Do not set jars directly on a counter or other cool surface as the temperature differential can shock the jar and cause breakage; also make sure the jars are not in a place with a lot of cold airflow. Allow the jars to sit for at least 12 hours undisturbed.  

Check Seals and Store 

• You should hear popping noises within a few seconds or minutes as the lids flex and seal. Once completely cooled, remove the rings as they are no longer necessary. You should be able to pick up the jar from the lid without the ring.  If any lids do not seal, reprocess using the same method, or store in the refrigerator to consume within 30 days. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year. 

  
Enjoy your pickles! 

Learning any new skill can be overwhelming, but having access to the right tools and knowing how to use them makes all the difference. Every canning recipe shared by the Quapaw Farmers Market is made with the same canning tools that are included in each rental kit. This blog explains how to use each tool so you will be prepared to preserve your first batch of food:  

• Jar Lifter 
  • Designed to safely remove any size canning jar from boiling water, keeping hands safely away from heat. Easy lifting vinyl coated grip clamps securely on jar tops, reducing the chance of breakage 
• Jar Wrench 
  • Opener utilizes durable, plated steel for a study grip that tightens lids effortlessly, ensuring your preserves and canned goods will stay fresh.  
• Wide-Mouth Funnel 
  • Extra-wide mouth funnel transfers large quantities of liquids or dry ingredients with fewer spills and mess. Perfect for canning! 
• 12-Inch Tongs 
  • Long tongs keep sterilized canning components sanitary before/during and after use. 
• Magnetic Lid Lifter 
  • Picks up one lid at a time, safely removing canning lids from hot canning water. It also helps to keep lids sterilized. 
• Bubble Popper 
  • To make sure air bubbles have not been trapped inside the jar, run a bubble popper around the edges of the jar, gently shifting the food so that any trapped air is released.  Convenient measure marks on one end for measuring the head space in your jars to avoid overfilling.   

Once you are familiar with common canning supplies, it is easy to get started with your first recipes. We suggest starting with pickles or sweet corn, but there are many great recipes available! Quapaw Farmers Market’s equipment rental program makes it easy and affordable to start canning today with just a $25.00 deposit (refunded when equipment is returned). Call 918-238-3168 or click here to book an equipment pick-up appointment. 

Have you ever thought about becoming a gardener but aren’t sure how to start or maintain a healthy garden that will provide for you and your family? You aren’t alone. A lot of beginner gardeners feel intimidated by upkeep and care because of lack of knowledge or budget. This blog includes several budget-friendly and free options that any home gardener can experiment with to maintain tomato plants.   
Is that blossom end rot destroying the bottom of your tomatoes? You can fix this calcium deficiency with a 4-lb bag calcium nitrate granules for less than $10 at your local hardware store, but you can also substitute eggshells as a free alternative. Instead of discarding those eggshells you have after making your breakfast, toss them into your garden soil to supply a great source of calcium and add ample nutrients to your soil to reduce blossom end rot.   

If you don’t regularly (or ever) fertilize your plants, they can develop a nitrogen deficiency. You may notice that the more mature leaves will begin to lose their color and transition to a light green or yellow color. Don’t panic, sprinkle your coffee grounds at the base of the plant each morning as a DIY fertilizer to add nitrogen back into the soil. Not a coffee drinker? There are a wide range of store-bought fertilizer options available for every budget.   
 
If your tomato leaves turning yellow and brown towards the bottom stem, tomato blight is likely the culprit. Blight is induced by water and soil splashing up onto the plant foliage. Baking soda and dish soap are both easily accessible and will kill the blight by altering the plant’s pH level. To remedy blight for free, you can regularly prune the bottom stem of excess limbs and suckers. This can also help increase the quality of your tomato harvest! Click here to watch a video from the University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center that shows how to prune a tomato plant. 

For a free and natural remedy to control those pesky hornworms and cut worms, you can pick the worms directly off the plant and either remove them from your garden beds or treat your chickens with a healthy snack. If you’re short on time, you can also treat these with Dipel Dust or Diatomaceous Earth for less than $10 from the local hardware store.  
Aphids are tiny bugs that suck that feed on the fluid inside your tomato plant’s leaves and flowers. Neem oil is a natural and relatively inexpensive way (around $10 per bottle) to control aphids, but you can also tackle the pest by hand. Simply spray soapy water onto the affected plants or knock the aphids off into a bucket of soapy water, whichever you prefer. 
There are many different challenges that can come your way in your gardening adventure but there are also many different solutions no matter what your budget is. Be sure to “like” the Quapaw Farmers Market Facebook page for more helpful videos. Happy gardening! ​

Easy Steps to Pressure Canning Corn:
 

1. Harvest corn: Shuck the corn ears and pull the silks from the corn cobs.  

1. To remove the corn kernels from the cob, use a cutting board or a bundt pan. If using a bundt pan, place the cob in the middle holder, using a sharp knife, slice straight down along the sides of the cob. The kernels should easily come off and fall into the pan or on the cutting board. The bundt pan makes for easy collection of the kernels in one location versus the cutting board.  

1. Due to the high temperatures involved with pressure canning, the canning jars do not need to be sanitized beforehand; however, for peace of mind, you may want to sanitize the canning lids and bands. If sanitizing the lids, prepare them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  

1. When cold/raw packing corn for canning, after removing the kernels from the cob, you can add the corn directly into the jars without the need for additional cooking preparation. Make sure to leave an inch of headspace near the top of the canning jars.  

1. Next, add one teaspoon of canning/pickling salt to each canning jar you are preparing. A good rule of thumb is ½ tsp per pint or 1 tsp per quart. 

1. Add boiling water to the jars leaving an inch of headspace near the top. The corn should be submerged but the jar should not be overflowing.  

1. You will want to wipe off the jar tops and edges to ensure a proper sealing. Leftover crumbs or excessive moisture can limit proper sealing techniques.  

1. Secure the lid bands to a light hand tighten 

1. For a 22 liter pressure canner, we added 2.5 quarts of water. Make sure you add the proper amount of water based on the size of your pressure canner. A general rule of thumb is to add 2-3 inches of water. 

1. Lay the pressure canner base in the bottom and place the prepared corn jars in the canner. Evenly space out your cans, so as not to cluster them.  Secure or lock the lid in place. Some pressure canners will not allow you to remove the lid once it is fully pressurized for safety precautions. Should you need to make adjustments, wait until your pressure canner is fully depressurized before removing the lid and other items.  

1. Allow some time for the pressure canner to heat. When the pressure canner starts to steam, allow it to steam for about 10 mins.  

1. After allowing it to steam, add the pressure valve to the canner and reduce the heat.  

1. Continue heating until the pressure valve starts moving (rattling/shaking). The valve should spin on most pressure canners.  

1. Once the valve has begun moving, allow the pressure canner to continue to heat. For corn the time is 50 minutes.  

1. After 50 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the canner to depressurize on its own. The pressure valve will drop back down to show that the canner has fully been depressurized, allowing you to remove the lid and canning jars inside.  

1. Use heat tongs  to safely remove the jars from the canner. Never hand grab the jars directly from the canner 

1. Allow the jars to completely cool before testing lid seals. Once cooled, the lids should not make a “pop” sound when pressed in the center of the lid.   

 
For additional information, visit one of these resources below: 

• For information about preparation methods- http://ccetompkins.org/resources/lets-preserve-sweet-corn-penn-state 
• For the procedures and helpful tables about hot pack & pack methods- https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/corn_kernel.html  ​

Canning is a second option for food preservation. Canning operations are more variable than freezing due to the different techniques, ingredients, and additives. Canning is also dependent on your food choice’s yield and acidity. For example, low-acid produce, like most vegetables, will use a pressure canner while high-acid foods, such as fruits used for jams and jellies, use a water bath method. Canning is perfect for storing seasonal foods to be enjoyed all year long; however, it is critical to properly follow canning instructions to help prevent food spoilage and foodborne illnesses. Canning is also a heavy storage-required method, so make sure you have enough space to keep your food. While canned goods at the grocery store can cost between $0.50 to over $1 per can, canning at home often costs less than $0.10 per quart. This means you can process 500 pounds of food for under $50!  ​ ​

While food preservation can save your family thousands of dollars over your lifetime, be aware that there may be both initial and ongoing expenses associated with preserving. You can minimize start-up costs by renting equipment rather than purchasing your own materials.  The Quapaw Farmers Market offers a free equipment rental for all community members. Ongoing costs include items such as electricity, optional added ingredients (such as sweeteners), or the value of your time spent preserving.  
 
Finally, food preservation gives you control over your nutrition and diet. By choosing preservation methods and foods you enjoy, you are creating your own “whole foods” approach to your nutritional lifestyle. Combining food preservation with farming and gardening can give you ultimate control over your food resources and nutrition. If you are looking to save money, take control of your food choices, or to enjoy seasonal foods throughout the year, consider food preservation. Click here to book an equipment pick-up appointment today.  ​

​​There is nothing like plucking fresh apples, pears, or peaches right off the tree. There are many varieties of fruit trees to choose from, but not all are suitable for every climate or growing season. When choosing a fruit tree for your yard consider its winter hardiness, disease resistance and the ripening date of the fruit. Here, we’ll discuss planting and caring for apple trees because they are well-suited for Oklahoma’s climate. Apple trees are extremely popular to plant because of their value as nutritious snacks that are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. 

​Knowing Your Hardiness Zone:
The US Department of Agriculture’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the United States into zones according to the expected coldest winter temperature. Northeast Oklahoma falls within Zones 6-7 where winter temperatures are expected to get as cold as -10º F. Make sure that your chosen variety is fit for this zone to maximize fruit production.

Sunlight:
Fruit trees love sunlight, so place your tree where it can receive direct sunlight throughout the day. They need 6 to 8 hours of full sun, but avoid planting them during the heat of summer. Fruit trees should be planted in early spring, after the last frost.

Watering:
All fruit trees require well-drained soil that allows water to drain at a moderate rate without pooling and puddling. To test the drainage of your soil, dig a hole 1-foot deep by 1-foot wide. Fill the hole with water and record how long it takes for the water to completely drain. The ideal time is between 10 and 30 minutes.  If you do not have well drained soil you may add amendments such as compost, peat moss, vermiculite, wood chips, or sand.
 
Spring in Oklahoma coincides with the rainy season, so there may not be a consistent schedule for watering. The best way to determine when trees need water is to check the soil. What you’re aiming for is moist — not soggy — soil. In the absence of rain or moisture, check the soil with a garden trowel to a depth of two inches. If the soil is dry to the touch, your tree needs water.  During a summer afternoon, up to half of the water can be lost to evaporation. The best time to water is in the morning or evening, so the roots have a chance to absorb most of the water.
How often you should water will depend on the size of your tree, soil conditions, and weather conditions. Newly planted trees require much more water than established ones.  Remember that clay soils can hold more water while sandy soils may need more frequent watering.

​Spacing:
Most apple trees require cross-pollination. That means a single apple tree without other compatible apple trees nearby may blossom but never produce fruit.  You’ll need to find a compatible variety for your apple tree that has the same bloom time. Dwarf apple trees need a spacing of 6 to 8 feet, semi-dwarf trees about 15 feet, and standard or full-sized trees about 25 feet. You’ll also need to observe your surroundings to make sure you don't run into future problems such as overhanging electric lines, underground pipes or cables, locations too close to foundation or sidewalks.

​Pruning:
The best time to prune apple trees is in late winter or early spring while the tree is still dormant before active growth begins for the season. Buds are easier to see to work around and cut wounds have a chance to dry up before insects come out in the spring. You will see less effects on winter hardiness and overall tree health. Pruning is especially effective with apple trees. See the graphic for a basic illustration on how a pruned apple tree should look over time.

Planting:

• Dig a hole about a foot wider than the diameter of the root ball and deep enough to allow the tree to be planted with the graft union, a raised lump or “bump” towards the root ball on the trunk, two to three inches above ground.

●    Carefully place your fruit tree into the hole, centered on the mound, and spread its roots.
●    Fill the hole with clean topsoil (with added amendments, if necessary), carefully covering the roots. Pack the soil in by gently stamping it down with your feet.
●    Water the tree with two to five gallons of water, poured slowly enough so that water absorbs into the ground and doesn’t run off.
●    All newly planted fruit trees benefit from being staked. This will result in a straighter tree with more growth. Staking is especially important for trees planted on a wind-blown site and for dwarf trees.
●    Use mulch, herbicide or cultivation techniques to create a weed-free zone at the base of the tree that extends out to form a circle with a diameter of two to three feet. Nutrient rich mulch doubles as an excellent fertilizer, helps soil retain moisture, and creates cooler micro-environments at the base of the plant.
Now that we have shared some helpful tips on planting apple trees, get out and plant! Remember proper planting techniques, selection of fruit trees, pruning, and watering to make the most out of your new apple tree. ​