The Pinnebog General Store Community Board

Busy week at the ol’ general store and all sorts of tips, ideas, recipes, etc. hanging on the community board with Sept. almost gone and October approaching looks like everyone around town wants to make sure neighbors and friends get their fall chores done, LOL

So without further ado lets see what we all got pinned up on the board…

I see there is a recipe for quick dill pickles hanging:

Says to get:

8 Cucumbers fresh and crisp
1-1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1-1/2 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
15 peppercorns
5 sprigs of dill

then you’re suppose to slice them babies up long ways into 4 sections and stuff them into a quart canning jar. Then in a pot put the vinegar, salt, sugar, pickling spice and peppercorns and bring to boil. Then pour that concoction over the pickles in the jar and stir in them dill sprigs. After that let the puppies cool to room temp., seal the jar and put in refrigerator overnight. Says they’ll last about 2/3 weeks in there…

Seems to be a paper pinned with a list on stuff to do in the garden now, like:

· Start moving houseplants indoors. Check for pests first
· Seed a fall spinach crop
· Seed cover crops on bare spots in the vegetable garden
· Plant new trees and shrubs, to give them at least 6 weeks before frost
· Plant spring flowering bulbs
· Begin “dark treatments” with your saved Poinsettia plant
· Dry and store gladioli corms before a frost

Then it says make sure to get your October chores done too:

· Plant garlic and shallots
· Have your soil tested and amend as needed
· Harvest Brussel sprouts after a hard frost
· Clean up garden debris. Remove all vegetable plants and fallen fruit.
· Remove dead annuals from the garden, after a frost.
· Cut back perennial foliage to discourage over wintering pests. Leave flowers with seeds for the birds.
· Start raking and composting leaves

WoW! Lots of work outdoors before that cold winter gets here…

Remember though while you’re out there to take time and “smell the roses”

Looks like we have a different type of pumpkin bread recipe also hanging in the corner;

Needs:

2 cups of fresh cooked pumpkin OR one 16 ounce can of canned pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (not self-rising flour)
2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten (Note for vegans: each egg can be replaced 1 tablespoon of flax meal mixed with 3 Tbs. water (mixed until it develops uniformly sticky consistency). That's 4 tablespoons of flax meal in total. The bread takes about 15 minutes longer to bake and is a little more dense but very good after a day of refrigeration.)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Water: 1/2 cup water if you are using fresh cooked pumpkin OR 2/3 cup water if you are using commercial canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and sugar
Add the eggs, water, oil and pumpkin.
Stir until blended. Pour into two lightly greased and floured 9x5" loaf pans.
Bake approximately 1 hour at 350 F (175 C) Remove from the oven and cool slightly (10 minutes)

Well I think that ought to keep everyone busy this coming week and if not remember you can always;

Build a tent with blankets and sheets, chairs and chip clips with your kids, go pick apples, make that Halloween costume, decorate your house for fall, plants mums, go for a hayride, invite friends and neighbors over for chili and watching football on TV or build a fire and snuggle with someone or read a book

Have fun all, enjoy yourselves and Live - Simple!