Book Read Free

The Backyard Homestead

Page 38

by Carleen Madigan


  cauliflower, 20, 21, 29, 31

  blanching, 61, 61

  harvesting, 61

  pickled, 64

  saving seeds, 53

  when to plant, 37, 37

  cayenne, 152, 156, 173

  celeriac, 73

  celery, 27, 32, 44, 68–69, 155

  combining with tomatoes, 57

  saving seeds, 53

  storing, 73

  chamomile, 158, 158–59, 172, 173, 177

  Champagne D’Argent rabbit, 291, 291

  Chantecler chicken, 226, 227

  chanterelles, 325

  chard. See Swiss chard

  Charolais cattle, 281–82, 282, 284

  cheese press, how to make, 413

  cheese, homemade, 305–14

  cheddar cheese, 313

  cheesemaking terms, 305

  Colby cheese, 313

  cottage cheese, 306

  cream cheese, 306–7

  garlic-herb cheese, 307

  goat cheese, 307–8

  hard cheese, 305, 310–11, 313

  ingredients for making, 306

  mozzarella, 30-minute, 308–9

  Neufchâtel cheese, 306–7

  rolling cheese, 307

  Romano cheese, 313–14

  soft cheese, 305–9

  yogurt herb cheese, 306

  cherries

  drying, 127

  wild, 325, 332

  cherry trees and shrubs, 116, 118. See also fruit trees

  chervil, 155, 177

  Chester White swine, 287–88, 288

  chestnuts, 140, 144, 144

  American, 144

  Chinese, 145

  Chianina cattle, 282

  chicken breeds

  bantams, 227

  dual-purpose breeds, 226, 226–27

  egg breeds, 223–24, 225

  endangered breeds, 226, 227

  exhibition breeds, 227

  meat breeds, 224–25, 225

  Mediterranean, 232

  chickens, 222–39

  acreage needs, 13–15

  allergies to, 223

  bleaching sequence, 229, 229

  broilers and fryers, 224, 234

  butchering, 221, 234

  choosing the right breed, 223–27

  coop blueprints, 236, 236–39

  egg production, 227–34

  freezing the meat, 292–93, 293

  good laying hens, characteristics, 228, 228–29

  how to cut up a chicken, 235, 235

  lazy layers, 228–29

  meat protein comparison, 291

  poultry weights, 234

  pros and cons, 221, 223

  pullets, 227–29

  roaster, 224, 234

  rooster, 222–23, 234

  sausage recipe, 300

  chilies, 155

  Chinese cabbage, 31, 53, 60, 60, 68–69

  Chinese goose, 251, 251

  chives, 14, 26, 150, 159, 159

  cooking with, 155, 177

  in a kitchen garden, 152

  in herb butter, 156

  chorizo sausage recipe, 299–300

  cidermaking, 136–37, 137

  common apple varieties used, 136

  equipment, 137

  citrangequats, 125

  citrus, 125, 125

  Colby cheese, 313

  cold frames, 36, 36

  cold or flu

  herb garden, 152, 152

  herbal broth, 156

  cold smoking, 301

  collards, 20, 31, 61, 62

  coltsfoot, 135, 174

  Columbia sheep, 271–72

  compost, 17–18, 23, 39, 61

  coneflower. See echinacea

  container gardening, 17, 28–29

  self-watering container, 11, 17, 28, 28, 29

  Continental (European) cattle breeds, 281–83, 282

  cooking with grains, 192–205

  bread, 197–202

  cornmeal, 195

  pasta, 202–5

  polenta, 196

  cool season crops, 31

  coriander, 174, 177

  corn, 20, 21, 32, 62, 180

  combining with limas, 57

  corn bread recipe, 195

  cornmeal, 193, 195

  drying and storing, 184–85

  harvesting, 183–84

  nutritional values, 193

  planting, 37, 37, 62–63, 181, 182–83

  polenta recipes, 196

  pollinating, 63

  popcorn, 32, 53, 183

  saving seeds, 53

  tasseling, 63

  corn salad, 31

  corn sugar, 211, 216

  cornelian dogwood tree, 325

  cornflower. See bachelor’s button

  Cornish chicken, 224, 224

  Corriedale sheep, 272, 273

  costmary, 159, 159

  country chicken sausage recipe, 300

  cow, 257, 277. See also cattle

  crab apple tree, 117

  cream cheese, 306

  crop rotation, 20, 22

  successful practices, 24

  sun-blocker rotation, 20, 20

  Crossbreed swine, 287–88, 288

  cucumbers, 18, 20, 21, 26, 32–33, 44

  cages and trellises, 48–49, 49, 63

  combining with onions, 57

  crop rotation, 24

  making pickles, 64

  on a small plot, 19, 19

  planting, 37, 37, 63, 63, 65

  plastic row covers for, 34

  saving seeds, 53

  culture, 305

  cumin, 155

  curd(s), 305–11

  hanging curds to drain the whey, 308

  currant shrub or hedge, 116, 118

  D

  dairy breeds

  cattle, 278, 279

  goats, 259–62

  dandelions, 332

  bitter ale recipe, 218

  coffee, 334

  digger, 334

  flowers, 333

  growing for tea, 174

  harvesting, 332–34

  leaves, 332–33

  roots, 333–34

  wine, 129, 135, 334–35

  Darwin, Charles, 222

  daylilies, 332, 335

  decoction, herbal, 171–72

  dehydrator, 79, 128, 153–54, 184, 333

  hours needed to dry fruits, 127

  Delaware chicken, 226

  Dexter cattle, 280

  dianthus, 30

  dill, 26, 155, 159, 159, 174, 177

  Dominique chicken, 226, 227

  Dorset sheep, 272, 273

  double-dig your garden, how to, 39, 39

  drugstore fold, 294, 294

  drying

  fruits, 127, 127–28, 128

  vegetables, 79, 79

  ducks

  about, 246

  average mature weight, 250

  breeds for eggs, 248, 248

  breeds for meat, 248–50, 249–50

  butchering, 253–54

  egg profile, 249

  feathers, using, 253

  feed conversion, 252

  freezing the meat, 292–93, 293

  raising for meat, 252–53

  roasting the meat, 255

  storing the meat, 254–55

  Duroc swine, 287–88, 288

  dwarf fruit trees, 108

  E

  echinacea, 152, 159–60, 160

  growing for tea, 174

  tincture, 160

  edible flowers, 30, 158

  egg production, 227–34

  collecting and storing eggs, 230

  determining freshness, 231–32

  ducks, 249

  estimating harvest, 15

  gauging egg quality, 231

  geese, 251

  good laying hens, characteristics, 228, 228–29

  lazy layers, 228–29

  nutritional value, 230

  preserving and storing eggs, 233

  replacing pullets, 229


  shell color, 232

  eggplants, 20, 21, 29, 32–33, 46

  combining with zucchini, 57

  planting, 37, 37, 65, 65

  saving seeds, 53

  eggs, cooking with fresh

  beating egg whites, 234

  hard-boiled eggs, 232, 234

  how many eggs to use, 234

  Egyptian goose, 250

  elderberries, 332

  Embden goose, 251, 252

  endive, 21, 31, 69

  Epsom salts, 72

  erosion, reducing, 23

  F

  feathers, duck and goose, 253

  feeder pigs, 286–87

  feijoa, 116, 125

  fence trellis, 48, 48

  fennel, 31, 155, 161, 161, 174, 177

  fermentation, 60, 64

  fertilizer and fertilizing, 22, 28 10-10-10, 54–55 5-10-10, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 77, 78

  blueberries, 98

  grapes, 100

  seedlings, 41

  feverfew, 161, 161, 174

  fiddlehead ferns, 325, 332, 335

  fig tree, 126

  figs

  drying, 127

  freezing, 95

  filberts, 140–41, 145

  fish emulsion, 75, 78

  fish, freezing, 292–93, 293

  Florida White rabbit, 291, 291

  flour mill, selecting a, 191, 191

  flower fritters, 335

  fluorescent lights for seedlings, 41, 41

  foam insulation in a cold frame, 36

  foraging, 325, 330–35

  harvesting, 331–32

  permission, 325, 330

  rose hips, 332–33

  tools, 331

  wild food favorites, 332

  fox grapes, 332

  freezing

  corn, 185, 185

  eggs, 233

  fruit, 56–57, 95, 95

  herbs, 156

  meat, 292–93, 293

  sausage, 293, 298

  vegetables, 56–57, 78–79

  frost

  average dates (maps), 37, 37

  protection, 33–37, 90

  resistant plants, 50

  fruit trees, 107–114

  diameters of full-grown trees, 108

  drying fruit, 127, 127–28, 128

  dwarf fruit trees, 108

  estimating harvest, 15

  fruit varieties by zone, 107–8

  harvesting the fruit, 112–13

  planning an orchard, 107–8

  planting in three simple steps, 110, 110

  pollination requirements, 107, 109, 113

  pruning, 111–12, 111–12

  subtropical fruits, 125–26

  thinning out early fruit, 114

  fruit vinegar, 139

  fruiting glossary, 86

  fruits and nuts

  acreage plans, 13–15

  backyard history, 85

  G

  Galloway cattle, 280

  garden fork, 39

  garden journal, 18

  garden planning, 10–15, 20–21. See also vegetable garden

  chart, 21

  checking local ordinances, 11

  designing on a grid, 20

  saving your plan, 57

  seasonal plans, 26–27, 26–27

  garlic, 11, 18, 20, 27, 32, 155, 161, 161

  braiding, 162, 162

  cold and flu garden, 152

  cooking with, 177

  growing for tea, 174

  herbal broth for colds, 156

  in soft cheese, 306–7

  geese

  average mature weight, 251

  breeds, 250–52, 251–52

  butchering, 253–54

  egg production, 251

  feathers, using, 253

  feed conversion rate, 252

  freezing the meat, 292–93, 293

  getting along with, 246–47

  raising for meat, 252–53

  roasting the meat, 255

  storing the meat, 254–55

  Gelbvieh cattle, 282, 282

  geraniums, scented, 166, 166, 172

  germinating seeds

  indoors, 41

  outdoors, 43–44

  ginger

  growing for tea, 174

  how to grow, 151, 151

  goat cheese, making, 307–8

  goat milk, 264–70

  contents of, 264

  goat vs. cow milk, 270

  how to milk a goat, 265–66, 265–66

  lactose intolerance, 269

  milk handling, 265

  milk output, 266–67

  milk stand, 265

  milking equipment and supplies, 264

  raw vs. pasteurized, 268–69

  whole and skimmed, 270

  goats, 257

  acreage needs, 15

  anatomical parts of a goat, 259

  dairy breeds, 259–62

  fiber goats, 259

  meat breeds, 262, 262

  meat wether, 259

  miniature breeds, 263, 263

  polled or horned, 261–62

  raising, 258–59, 260

  traits of a good milker, 261

  gourds, trellises for, 49, 49

  grains

  acreage plans, 13–15

  adding grains to family diet, 192–93

  cooking with, 192–205

  nutritional values of, 193

  planting, 181

  sprouting, 193–94, 194

  granite dust, 73

  grape melomel, wine recipe, 133–34

  grapes, 100–106, 119

  calculating vineyard size, 106

  drying, 127

  fox, 332

  gallery of great grapes, 102–3

  homemade wine secrets, 104–5

  planting grapevines, 100–101

  pruning, 101, 101, 104–5, 104–5

  soil needs, 100–101

  suggested wine grapes by region, 105–6

  wild, 325

  greenhouse. See cold frames

  greens. See also lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard

  harvesting, 50

  leafy, 20

  on a small plot, 19, 19

  greensand, 73

  Guernsey cattle, 278, 279

  gumi

  fruits, 325

  hedge, 119

  H

  hackberry tree, 119

  Hampshire sheep, 272–73, 273

  Hampshire swine, 287

  hardening off seedlings, 42–43, 43

  hardy and semi-hardy plants, 37, 50

  harvest, estimating output, 15

  harvesting vegetables, 50

  Hays Converter cattle, 284

  hazelnuts, 145, 145

  hedgehog mushrooms, 325

  heifer, defined, 277, 277

  herb garden, 11

  acreage plans, 13–15

  cold and flu theme, 152, 152

  growing herbal teas, 173–76

  kitchen theme, 152, 152

  making more herbs from cuttings, 168, 168

  planting from seed, 150

  starting from existing plant, 150

  herbal

  tea, 13, 171–72, 173–76

  vinegar, 169–70

  herbs

  32 most popular, 157–68

  bouquet garni (culinary blend), 167

  broth for a cold or flu, 156

  butters, 156

  cooking with, 177

  de Provence (culinary blend), 163

  drying, 153–55

  freezing, 156

  in cheese, 306–7

  in wine, 129, 134–35

  Hereford cattle, 281, 281

  Hereford swine, 288

  hickory nut, 140, 146, 146

  shagbark, 146

  shellbark, 146

  hog casings, 296, 299–300

  Holstein cattle, 278, 279

  homestead plan

  half an acre, 13, 13

  quarter acre, 14, 14

  tenth of
an acre, 13, 13

  honey

  comb, 329, 329

  estimating harvest, 15

  flavors of, 329

  how bees make, 328

  hops, 211

  fresh hop ale recipe, 217–18

  growing for beer, 207–8, 207–8

  growing for tea, 175

  horehound, 161, 161, 175, 177

  horseradish, 65, 65, 68

  hot bed, how to make, 34, 34

  hot caps, types of, 35, 35

  hot pepper jelly, 72

  hot smoking, 301

  huckleberry bush, 120

  hyssop, 162, 162

  I

  ice cream, making, 320–23, 321–22

  basic vanilla recipe, 322

  butterfat content, 322

  churn, 320–21, 321

  ingredients, 321

  sweeteners, 321

  vanilla variations, 323

  infusion, herbal, 171

  inoculating beans, 55

  insect pests, discouraging, 22

  IRT-100, 35

  J

  jalapeños, 72

  jams and preserves

  basic strawberry jam, 90

  hot pepper jelly, 72

  making pectin, 90

  peach preserves, old-fashioned, 113

  Japanese knotweed, 325

  jerky, making, 303–4

  Jersey cattle, 278, 279

  Jerusalem artichokes, 65, 65–66, 73

  johnnycakes recipe, 195

  jujube plant, 120

  Juneberry plant or hedge, 116, 120

  K

  kale, 18, 20, 21, 27, 31, 50, 66

  crop rotation, 24

  fertilizing, 66

  mulching, 68

  saving seeds, 53

  when to plant, 37, 37

  Katahdin sheep, 273, 273

  key limes, 125

  kitchen herb garden, 152, 152

  kiwi arbor, 14

  kiwifruit vine, 120–21

  Kniffen system, 104–5, 104–5

  kohlrabi, 20, 21, 31, 53

  kumquat, 125–26

  L

  lactose intolerance, 269

  LaMancha goat, 260, 261

  lamb

  freezing, 292–93, 293

  meat protein comparison, 291

  lamb’s quarters, 332

  Landrace swine, 287

  landscaping with fruiting plants. See luscious landscaping

  lavender, 13, 162, 162, 175, 177

  lavender mint tea, 172

  leaf crops, 44–45. See also spinach, celery, lettuce

  leeks, 20, 21, 27, 32, 53

  blanching, 66, 66

  wild, 325, 332

  Leghorn chicken, 224, 224, 227

  legumes, 20. See also beans, limas, peas

  lemon balm, 152, 162, 163, 172, 173, 177

  lemon verbena, 163, 163, 172, 175, 177

  lettuce, 20, 21, 29, 31, 44–45, 50

  ‘Arctic King’, 50

  ‘North Pole’, 50

  ‘Rouge d’Hiver’, 50

  ‘Winter Density’, 50

  crop rotation, 24

  curing with brine, 60

  cutting leaves to prolong harvest, 67

  harvesting, 50

  on a small plot, 19, 19

  planting, 37, 37, 66–67

  saving seeds, 53

  succession plantings, 26–27, 26–27, 66

  light for seedlings, 41, 41

  limas, 20, 37, 55–56

  combining with corn, 57

  limes, key, 125

  Limousin cattle, 282, 282, 284

 

‹ Prev