Whitehall Garden Club News: September

The September Whitehall Garden Club meeting, held at the EMS building, began with a historic "continental" brunch, brought in by Jayne Dean and Ann Palmer, honoring Our Founding Fathers' accomplishment of signing the newly written Constitution on September 17, 1787. We wondered what our Founding Fathers' favorite breakfasts were, so after some research, we discovered that GW loved hoecakes, JA had hard cider with each meal, and TJ enjoyed more of a "continental" style breakfast with muffins, a kind of grab-and-go breakfast. JM revered (not Paul!) Virginia ham, usually cold, and BF delighted in eating what he discovered while being a diplomat in France, and what later became known as the Benjamin Franklin Breakfast Bowl of chopped apples, yoghurt, and granola on top. Remember it was BF's adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away!" Of course, a non-tea drink was enjoyed....made from rose hips, using no tea leaves. At that time, most colonists were trying out coffee since real tea was in hot water (or the harbor!)

Jayne Dean gave a brief talk about the breakfast and interesting facts that have been true about human beings since the beginning of gardens!!

The Fast 10 Minute presentation was an interesting lecture on the idea of fragrance being an important part of a garden. "Stop To Smell The Flowers" presented by Glenna Waltee, discussed the obvious use of our eyes to enjoy a garden, to visualize what is or what could be, but it is our sense of smell memory that stays with us for a very long time, and we need to remember to incorporate the very essence of scent into our garden planning. Glenna suggested that it is never wise to plant two or more different strong-smelling plants close together, as they will compete with each other's ability to be enjoyed. Some flowers display their fragrance, perhaps in the early morning or evening, while others offer a wonderful scent that can be enjoyed by opening windows (like Oriental lilies) or at the entry to a house (like jasmine).

Everyone enjoys a fragrant-smelling flower, bush, vine, or tree, and what a good idea to plan your garden, especially a closed garden with fragrance in mind. Thank you, Glenna, for reminding us of the importance of our sense of smell in this beautiful world of gardens.

As harvesting from our gardens is upon us, WGC President Kathy Ross, a retired Home Economics Teacher at Whitehall Schools, presented a wonderful lecture on the Home Preserving of Food. Kathy stressed that SAFETY is the number one concern when preserving food. Whether dehydrating, water bath canning, freezing, or pressure canning, different steps must be taken to ensure the safety of the food being preserved, for the safety of those who will eat or use it. Fruits, vegetables, and meats all have specific steps for home preserving to ensure the best possible outcomes for safe, delicious foods. Kathy's first demonstration was about dehydrating foods. She had a most beloved dehydrator with her, showing us how it worked and all the different foods, from simple to fancy, that could be dehydrated, and giving us samples of dried apples. Next, Kathy discussed the major steps needed when freezing food. Although freezing is most similar to fresh, certain steps still need to be taken to ensure the best outcome.

Freezing doesn't kill bacteria, just stops their growth. So all fruits and vegetables need to be thoroughly washed and then dried. Blanching can preserve the fruit or vegetable as it is, then put it into a container, bag, and/or wrap it up air-tight for the freezer. Remember that ice crystal diminishes the quality of the food.

When water bath canning, certain vital steps must be adhered to. The sterilizing of jars, lids and rings, the use of a new lid for each jar every time, the use of appropriate canning jars, and water bath tips such as having the water at least 2" over the top of the jars, and to start your timing after the water returns to a boil. When removed from the boiling water, you can listen for the joyful little "pings" as each jar successfully seals for future use. If a jar lid doesn't seal, simply put it in the refrigerator to use within the next week or two.

When done properly, home preserving of food can be economical, ensure great flavors, and allow us to eat clean, wholesome foods. Eating the fruits of our labor is always a great joy. Thank you, Kathy, for an interesting presentation on preserving food for home use. There were many great ideas, reminders of essential safety techniques, and numerous "how-to" tips! Now, where are my canning jars?