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Lettuce Love

September 27th, 2008

My lettuce is loving this weather (and so am I). I’m looking forward to salad all fall with this patch and another one.

I have to put a fence around my lettuce or the rabbits mow it down, but that’s ok. Next year I’m considering putting up an electric fence around the back yard to keep all the critters out, but until then my little make-shift fences work.

Anyone have any great tips to keep the rabbits & groundhogs out of the lettuce patch?

8 Comments to “Lettuce Love”
  1. Carolyn on September 27, 2008 at 6:07 am

    We planted lettuce in our Garden. The other Co Op members were not as into it as me. We are going to try a different type next year. I hope they like it more. I love going to the garden, picking some lettuce and eating it for dinner!! I think that will be one of the things I miss most this winter. Growing and tasting your homegrown food really spoils you!

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  2. Susy on September 27, 2008 at 7:31 am

    I agree Carolyn! It’s so nice to run out before dinner with the salad spinner bowl and cut a few different kinds of leaves. This spring I grew arugula and a few more spicy kinds of lettuce. This fall I’m growing romaine and a green and red simpson. Next year I’m planning on buying some seeds from seed savers exchange for a few heirloom lettuce varieties.

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  3. Dianna on September 27, 2008 at 9:15 am

    I have a question. I’ve been trying to find out how to can fire-roasted tomatoes and found your site when I did a Google search. Could you please tell me how long to process them? I did manage to find one site that said to process pints for 40 minutes but I want to do quarts. I’ve canned regular tomatoes but not roasted and I’d like to give it a try. We have a ton of extra Romas. Please, if you would, send me instructions on how you did it. I’d really appreciate it! Dianna (in Michigan)

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  4. Susy on September 27, 2008 at 10:08 am

    Dianna, I processed the same amount of time as crushed tomatoes (because that’s what they are). Make sure you don’t add any oil during the process (if I’m going to use my tomatoes right away I usually lightly toss with olive oil before roasting).

    Directions for canning:
    Fire roast tomato halves, allow to cool and remove peels and seeds if desired (I only remove most of the peels, I leave some of the blackened pieces for flavor, I leave the seeds & cores in).

    Add the crushed roasted tomatoes to a pan & heat till simmering and cook for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to each hot sterilized quart jar and a teaspoon of salt if desired (I usually salt later when using), fill with tomatoes and leave 1/2 inch headspace add hot lid and ring and process for 15 minutes at 10lbs of pressure in a pressure canner (I’m using these guidelines http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HE174) and quarts should be water bath canned for 45 minutes (according to http://www.canning-food-recipes.com/canning_tomatoes.htm).

    Hope this helps. I pressure canned mine.

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  5. Joe on September 27, 2008 at 11:44 am

    Wow…your lettuce looks great! My seeds are just getting started. I have found that bird netting over the entire bed can help keep pests away.

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  6. Susy on September 27, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    Great idea Joe, I may try that. It would sure save me building little fences around things!

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  7. Joe on September 30, 2008 at 12:06 am

    P.S. I also just came into possession of an old rabbit cage…it’s completely protected and raised off the ground. I put my lettuce containers inside the cage! How’s that for stopping squirrels?

    ;)

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  8. Susy on September 30, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    Joe, you’ll have to put photos of your lettuce cage on your blog.

    Reply to Susy's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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