Learn Something New

One of my favorite parts about our new life here on the farm is the unending opportunities to learn new things. Whether it is planting trees, brewing beer, blazing trails, making compost, extracting honey, or changing the furnace filter, I feel like I'm constantly boosting my brain cells. Yesterday, was one such opportunity.

I was invited to Foxhollow Farm to participate in a dry run of one of the new classes that are being offered through the Foxhollow Folk School. My Maggie (Galloway) and Maggie Keith were teaching a class on the art of canning, using both hot water bath and pressure canning. While I had canned a few jams and some beets and beans this past year, I had never tried pressure canning.

The two Maggies led us through canning exercises using produce from Foxhollow's own garden. We pressure canned butternut squash and hot water canned pickled beets. It was a nice to spend a cold afternoon in the toasty kitchen at Foxhollow Farm learning a new skill.

The Maggies have plans to offer the canning class throughout the year. So even though I've taken this class, I'm planning to sign up for the one in the spring where we can jams and ones in the summer that feature okra, beans, cucumbers and other summer crops.

The Foxhollow Folk School is also offering classes in natural beekeeping, felting, how to make the perfect french baguette, artisan cheese making, and bluebird house building. I think most of these classes are sold out, but more are being planned. Check out the schedule and let me know if there is a class that interests you. I'd love to take it with you. Let's keep those brain cells multiplying.

With the butternut squash that I learned to can yesterday, dinner can be ready in five minutes.
Just saute an onion, add some chicken broth, a bit of nutmeg, salt and pepper and voila!: Butternut Squash Soup.