Fall harvest time requires work, but rewards are plenty

Fall

harvest time requires work, but rewards are plenty

Thoughts of

gardens, cooking and canning don't necessarily always start visions of

grandeur dancing in one's head; they're more likely to conjure visions

of work.

We think back

on the old wood cook stoves, women in bonnets, men in straw hats and washing

jars from daylight to dark. The work is not always easy and the sun can

take its toll on the body.

However, according

to one associate with the Appalachian Regional Studies Center at Radford

University, the rewards are so great the work is worth it. Jim Minick,

also an instructor of English at RU, says, "There is something phenomenal

about seeing seeds sprout. People say it's therapeutic and it is."

Respected in

the local area for his knowledge of blueberry gardening, Minick believes

gardening is "using energy to supply your body energy. It just makes

a circle in our lives."

Growing and

canning a family's food is the most economical means to feed a family

and those harvesting and preparing the food for preservation know what's

in it. "A garden is the cheapest food source and it's better for

you," said Minick. "You know what went onto the plants in the

garden and you know how they were cared for."

Minick also

believes that organic gardening is certainly not anything new to society.

"I had an 81-year-old farmer tell me the way I did my gardening was

the way they did it 50 and 60 years ago."

Less or no

use of chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides is how the older generation

gardened. "I believe there was less cancer being reported back then,

too," Minick says.

Gardening,

like everything else, requires commitment to the product. The one commitment

nobody likes to think about is that of spending time weeding the garden.

Minick doesn't believe there is a miracle cure for weeds but has found

that mulch placed around the plants and in the rows cuts tremendously

into weed growth.

When it comes

time to harvest the fruits of your labor, families may also want to think

about actually starting their gardens over in the fall, Minick says.

"You don't

necessarily need to burn the garden off," he says. "You can

plant garlic or even a cover crop of winter rye."

Winter rye

is a grain product that protects and enriches the soil. Garlic is something

that will grow year-round and can serve several purposes, both food-wise

and health-wise. "You can plan your garden and it can work for all

year," Minick says.

Beginning gardeners

may not realize there are foods that can even be grown in dimly lit spots

of the garden or yard. Lettuce, raspberries, spinach and the Shiitake

mushroom all can be grown in the shade, Minick has found. "All of

your space can be used wisely and with productivity," he said.

Barbara Chrisley,

professor of foods and nutrition at RU, has done research through the

Virginia Cooperative Extension offices and offer additional pointers and

tips on harvesting the garden.

Harvest vegetables

at their peak. Check garden often, pick vegetables when ripe and use as

soon as possible.

When canning,

make sure equipment is clean. Wash jars and ring bands in hot, soapy water.

Do not use cracked jars. Do not reuse lids.

If canning

fruit, select only the best of the crop. Use firm but not overripe fruits.

Freezing foods

slows the growth of bacteria that cause food spoilage. Select only containers

especially made for freezing food (i.e. freezer bags, plastic freezer

containers or special freezing jars).

Tomatoes can

be cooked, pureed or juiced before freezing. Choose young, tender tomatoes.

Always wash,

peel and trim away bruised areas on any foods.

Minick concludes

that when it's time to start thinking about next year's crops, people

could actually plant lettuce or greens in September. This would allow

families to have a salad through most of the winter season.