Hammered Ode to Joy

Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" played on the Hammered Dulcimer

Butterscotch Haystacks

Ingredients:


* 2 cups (4 oz) shredded unsweetened coconut
* 1 cup plus 2 tbsp butterscotch chips
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preparation:


1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and set aside for now. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.


2. Place the coconut in a pie tin or small baking pan, and toast it in the oven until golden brown. The secret to good toasted coconut is consistent browning, so be sure to stir it every 2 minutes until it is an even, light golden color. It will probably take 8-10 minutes, but monitor your coconut carefully.


3. While the coconut is toasting, place the butterscotch chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave them until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating.


4. Once the coconut is toasted and the butterscotch chips are melted, stir the salt into the butterscotch chips, and then stir in the coconut, mixing until coconut is entirely coated with butterscotch.


5. Using a small teaspoon or candy scoop, drop small, compact spoonfuls of the candy onto the prepared baking sheet.


6. After all of the haystacks have been formed, place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave until melted. Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then spoon the melted chocolate into a small Ziploc bag. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag, and drizzle the haystacks with melted chocolate.


7. Refrigerate to set the butterscotch and chocolate, at least 30 minutes. Store Butterscotch Haystacks in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.






Source: About.com

Greek Chicken

Ingredients:

4 pounds chicken, cut up
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper


Directions:


Cut up chicken and remove skin. Arrange in crockpot. In separate container, combine olive oil with all remaining ingredients. Shake or stir well, then pour over chicken pieces. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Source: CDKitchen

Poncho and Lefty

Townes Van Zandy performing "Pancho & Lefty" in 1993 on TNN's "American Music Shop"






John Townes Van Zandt[1] (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997), best known as Townes Van Zandt, was a country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet. Many of his songs, including "If I Needed You," "To Live Is To Fly," and "No Place to Fall" are considered standards of their genre. AllMusic has called him "one of the greatest country and folk artists of his generation."

Kolsch

• 10 lbs German Pilsner Malt
• 0.5 lbs German Munich Malt
• 1.5 oz Spalt hops (4% AA bittering for 60 minutes)
• White Labs WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch or Wyeast 2565 Kölsch

If you are an extract brewer, use 8 lbs of Pilsner LME and 0.25 lbs of Munich LME. Sometimes Spalt hops are difficult to find (especially with the hop shortage). You can substitute the Spalt hops with Saaz, Hallertau, or Tettnanger. Mt. Hood can also be used. The hop you select is strictly for bittering, because Kölsch should have little to no hop flavor and no hop aroma.

Mash the grain for 90 minutes at 150°F (65°C). This should give you a good fermentable wort. Boil the wort for 90 minutes. At the 60 minute mark, add your hops.

Ferment the beer at 60°F (15°C) or as close as you can get to 60°F (15°C). Once the fermentation is complete, find a cold place to store the beer for a few weeks. A lagering period will help the beer if you can do it, but don’t sweat it if you can’t.

At bottling, add 1 ¼ cup of light DME that is boiled in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. If you are kegging, carbonate the beer to 2.5 volumes.

Source:  Beersmith.com 

Picture by: Joe Marinaro

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The Grommater

Ingredients:


1/2 pound, pale malt
1/2 pound, crystal malt
1/2 pound, chocolate malt
9.9 pounds, dark malt extract syrup
1 pound, dry amber malt extract
3-1/2 ounces, Saaz hops (boil)
1/2 ounce, Hallertauer hops (finish)
lager yeast
3/4 cup, corn sugar (priming)


Primary Ferment: 1 week at 65 degrees
Secondary Ferment: 3 weeks at 45-50 degrees


Procedure:


Roast pale malt in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Crack grains and add to 1-1/2 gallons cold water. Bring to boil. Before serious boil starts, remove grains. Add extract and Saaz hops. Boil 60 minutes. Add Hallertauer hops and boil 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let hops steep 15 minutes. Strain into 3-1/2 gallons cold water. (Be sure to strain out as much stuff as possible.) Pitch yeast and ferment one week at about 65 degrees, then rack to secondary. Secondary fermentation should last about 3 weeks at 45-50 degrees.


Prime and bottle. Refrigerate bottles for about 1 month.


Source: Beerrecipes.org


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English Pale Ale

Photo by: Islandet

Original Gravity: 1.045         IBU: 25

Ingredients:

6.6# (2 cans) Light Liquid Malt Extract (LME)

1# Crushed Crystal Malt

1 oz. UK Kent Goldings Hop Pellets 5.5%AA (bittering)

1 oz. UK Kent Goldings Hop Pellets 5.5%AA (aroma)

1 Whrlfloc Tablet (Irish Moss)

11.5 gm. S-04 Dry Ale Yeast (Whitbread Strain)

Muslin Grain Bag

Procedure:

Begin by soaking the cans of LME in a bowl or pot of warm water to make it easier to get out of the can later.

Fill your brewpot (preferably a 20qt. stainless stock pot) with two gallons of cold water.

Place the crushed grains in the muslin grain bag and secure with a knot at the top.  Place the bag into the brewpot and begin heating the water.  When the water reaches a temperature of 170F remove the bag and discard.  Continue heating the water until it reaches a boil.  When the water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat and slowly add the LME and the DME stirring constantly to avoid scorching.  When thoroughly mixed return the brewpot to the heat and return to a boil.  BEWARE OF THE BOILOVER!  When the mixture first boils it may produce a heavy foam.  Watch for the foam to rise, and when it does, turn off the flame until the foam subsides (if using an electric stove, it may be necessary to lift the brewpot off of the burner).  After the foam has risen once, it will generally lessen, and it’s safe to return to a steady boil without foaming over.  However, sometimes foaming may occur again.  If so, simply repeat this procedure until foaming finally stops.  After you have achieved a steady boil, add the bittering hops and continue boiling.  After boiling for 45 minutes add the Whirfloc Tablet.  After boiling for 60 minutes remove the brewpot from the heat, add the aroma hops, and cover.

While the wort is cooling, fill your sanitized fermenter with 3 gallons of cold water.  Then proof your yeast by filling a sanitized measuring cup with about a cup of warm (about 80F) water, sprinkle the yeast into the water, mix with a sanitized spoon, and cover with a piece of foil.  In about fifteen minutes you should see some foaming and smell a “bready” aroma.  If you don’t, try it again with your spare packet of yeast (all good brewers keep spare yeast at the ready in the fridge), but 99% of the time it works just fine.

When the wort has cooled to under 100F, add it to the cold water in the fermenter (splashing is ok and even recommended to aerate the wort at this stage).  Try to leave as much of the sediment on the bottom of the brewpot as you can.  Take the temperature of the wort in your fermenter.  It should be below 75F.  Remove a sample to measure the Original Gravity with your hydrometer (do not return the sample to the fermenter when finished).  Then add the yeast and seal your fermenter with an airlock (bucket) or blow-off hose (carboy) and place in a spot where the temperature stays between 65F and 70F. Within the next 24 hours fermentation should start.

Source: Cape Cod Beer

Sanitation in the Home Brewery

By HomeBrewing.com Staff


The most frustrating aspect of home brewing is when a batch goes bad. The only way to improve your chances of avoiding this depressing situation is to maintain the highest degree of sanitation in your home brewery as is possible. There are also some other pitfalls of the modern age that require a closer look, and some basic tools that will give you the best chances of fighting bacterial infestations, vinegar cultures, and rogue yeasts in your home brew.


One factor often overlooked when cleaning and sanitizing home brew set-ups is that of the water used. Tap water in modern cities is sometimes good, sometimes terrible. It is wise to do some research and find out how your city water rates when analyzed for bacteria, harmful chemicals, and heavy metals. The quality of water used in making beer has a very strong connection with the quality of the finished product. But how to deal with it?


Read more: Homebrewing.com

Microwave Caramels

1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Line a 12 x 7 x 2-inch baking pan with lightly buttered aluminum foil. Set aside.


Place butter in a large microwave-proof mixing bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70 percent) power 1 to 2 minutes, or until melted.


Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Cover with plastic wrap, venting one corner. Microwave on HIGH (100 percent) power 10 to 12 minutes, or until bubbly and thick in consistency.


Uncover and stir well. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH for 16 to 20 minutes, or until candy forms a soft ball when small amount is dropped in cold water and flattens when removed.


Mix in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool at room temperature. Invert pan; peel off foil and cut into 1-inch pieces. Wrap pieces individually in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Store in covered container at room temperature.


Makes about 72 pieces.

Buckwheat Zydeco

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Buckwheat Zydeco (born Stanley Dural, Jr. on November 14, 1947) is an American accordionist and zydeco performer. He is one of the few to achieve mainstream success.


In 1971, he founded Buckwheat & the Hitchhikers, a funk band that he led for five years before switching to zydeco. He began backing Clifton Chenier, one of the most legendary zydeco performers. He set out on his own with The Ils Sont Partis Band; they debuted with One for the Road in 1979 and were nominated for a Grammy Award for "Turning Point" and "Ya Ya" (1985) after switching to the Rounder Records label. He soon signed to Island Records, and became the first zydeco act on a major label, and released On a Night Like This, a critically acclaimed album that was nominated for a Grammy as well. The band soon appeared in The Big Easy.


During the 1990s, Buckwheat Zydeco was less commercially successful than before, and switched labels frequently. However, the band remains a popular live draw, and continues recording today. Buckwheat's latest album, Lay Your Burden Down, was released on May 5, 2009 on the Alligator Records label.


His especially powerful and haunting version of the classic "Cryin' in the Streets" appears on the benefit album for Hurricane Katrina recovery, "Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast."

Sloppy Joes

photo by: manda_wong

Ingredients:


3 pounds lean ground beef
3 cans (15 oz size) sloppy joe sauce


Directions:


Cook meat in large skillet over medium-high heat about 7 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Place meat and sloppy joe sauce into 4-quart slow cooker. Heat on high setting 1 hour; stir. Reduce heat to warm setting to hold while serving.




Source: Super Sloppy Dip Crock Pot Recipe @CDKitchen

Type 2 Diabetes - The Cause And Symptoms Bares All

By Nash Burns




The pancreas is the organ responsible for producing insulin in the human body. Insulin is a hormone in the form of protein. Insulin promotes the absorption of sugar from the blood to the muscles.
It also converts sugar to another form of sugar call glycogen. By need the body cells convert the glycogen to glucose and use it as fuel. Effectively insulin acts as a regulator to regulate the amount of glucose level in the blood.


Diabetes type ii indicates that the cells in the patients do not react to insulin stimulation. There are two out comes of the failure; the body fails to store the glucose in the cells or to use the glucose as an energy source. This phenomena are sometimes referred to as insulin resistance..


The amount of glucose in the blood therefore rises. The body will counter this situation by increasing insulin production. Over a long period of time the body cannot maintain high level of insulin produce and it will eventually decrease.


Why do you get type 2 diabetes?


What is going on when the disease occurs is not entirely known. It may be cause by insulin itself or the cells surface structure. The most common denominator among patients is in the lifestyle.


Too high consumption of sugar and fat -Over-weight -Too less exercise over many years. Therefore diabetes type 2 can be prevented by a right diet and with regular exercise. The high level of glucose in the blood can affect the body in many ways such as: You’ll feel lethargic and tired all the time.


The molecular thickness of the blood increases. This causes water to be pulled out from the body tissues and into the blood. Tissues become dry and increase in the production of urine. Since the body constantly requires energy, the body will get it from another source i.e. protein and fat; causing sudden weight loss and muscle tissue break down.


How do you know when you get diabetes type 2?


This disease is the most common type of diabetes around. Nine out of 10 person are likely to get these type of diabetic disease. There use to be a time when most of the diabetes sufferer are middle age and older, however things are changing. The diabetes type II usually comes in different stages. The symptoms are.


-More urine are produced causing increased frequency of urination.


-Blurred vision and in severe case complete blindness.


-Dehydration and not enough water in the body.


-An increased in appetite


-Any physical injuries which normally heals fast, started to take a long time.


Over time the disease will developed into other types of diseases namely, heart disease and even stroke.
Find out how you can treat type 2 diabetes by controlling your carbohydrate intake. Find out more here and it's FREE.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nash_Burns




http://EzineArticles.com/?Type-2-Diabetes---The-Cause-And-Symptoms-Bares-All&id=481599

Alternative Medicine in Today’s Modern World

Author: plantstemcells


We live in a busy world, when almost everyone loves to take things within their reach. We live in a world where fast food, remote control, TV, automobiles, gasoline, and electricity are a prerequisite. Modernization has its own conveniences, but it has its own downfalls. It makes us become busy all the time with all the details, so that we don’t have the time to study new things. Take, for instance, the practice of medicine nowadays. A patient comes in, and, after examination and history-taking he is being bombarded with a handful of pills to take with illegible prescription handwriting. The same thing happens to the second patient, then the third patient, and so on. Modern medicine is so monotonous that doctors appear too busy to research on alternative ways on how to promote good health and well-being.


Few of us medical practitioners realize the importance of alternative medicine, and how it opens venues for future research and for the formulation of custom protocols for the individual patient. We think of alternative medicine as “quack” treatments, but do we ever pause to study and examine it in detail so that we can learn from it and apply it to our practice?


Alternative medicine has been defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) as a form of healing practice which is “used in place of conventional medicine, such as using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.” It is different from complementary medicine, which is a healing practice being used together with standard medical care, e.g. using acupuncture to help with side effects of cancer treatment; or, integrative medicine, which “is a total approach to care that involves the patient's mind, body, and spirit and combines standard medical treatments with CAM practices that have shown the most promise”. These three concepts are grouped together as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).


Do Americans use complementary and alternative medicine in their daily lives? Absolutely. The NCCAM has reported in 2007 that in the United States alone, 38 percent of adults (about 1 in 9) and approximately 12 percent of children (about 1 in 9) are using complementary and alternative medicine. It has also been found out that CAM use is greater among women and those with higher levels of education and higher incomes.


 Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is further divided into four major categories: biologically based practices, energy medicine, manipulative and body-based practices. In addition, complementary and alternative medicine involves whole medical systems, in the form of homeopathic medicine, which seeks to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself; traditional Chinese Medicine which uses herbs, meditation, and massage to obtain balance in the body; Ayurveda which originated in India; and Naturopathic Medicine, which supports the body’s ability to heal itself through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes together with herbs, massage and joint manipulation.


Naturopathic medicine trusts in the healing power of nature, such that it avoids synthetics drugs, radiation and major surgery. It stresses the importance of preventive medicine, that is, prevention of illnesses through a healthy, stress free lifestyle.


In this world of pollution, garbage, junk food, bacterial and viral gene mutations, the practice of naturopathic medicine among health practitioners is essential. Synthetic drugs are but a part of the traditional medical system which sees patients as a group, not as an individual. Have you ever wondered why, as practicing health care practitioners, some patients seem to get better than the others? This fact has nothing to do with compliance and risk stratification, as many compliant patients and many young, healthy patients die. This only proves the fact that each of us has a unique genetic make-up. Each patient is unique, thus patient care should be individualized and not commercialized for mass consumption. Thus, we should pave the way for revolutionary medicine—medicine which changes as the world changes; medicine which is not stagnant but is adaptable to change, dynamic and patient-oriented.


The latest breakthrough in naturopathic medicine is plant stem cells therapy. Plant stem cells is a form of therapy which used extracts from buds, young shoots and young roots. These plant parts were chosen to be made into extracts because they were believed to be the center of a plant’s energy and thus, they are the main source of therapeutic effects. These parts, made into plant stem cells, also differ from the adult plant parts because they are less exposed to toxins and pollution.


Plant stem cells contain biologic energy and the genetic information for future plants. Plant stem cells also have an abundance of precious substances such as growth hormones, including auxins, gibberellins, ethylene, abscisic acid, cytokinins, nucleic acids, minerals, oligoelements, flavonoids, vitamins and enzymes. Plant stem cells contain auxins, which are plant hormones which were discovered by Charles Darwin in 1880. These plant stem cells stimulate cell growth and strengthen the immune system. These plant stem cells also contain Indoleacetic acud which helps regenerate tissues and lessens inflammation.


Plant stem cells also contain gibberellins, which stimulate RNA and protein synthesis. The cytokinins found in plant stem cells protect cells as they go into the process of cell division, thus they show promise in cancer therapy. Abscisic acid, also found in plant stem cells create resistance to stress. Thus it is not surprising that plant stem cells are now being used for athletes, growth problems in children, replacement therapy for aging, adjunct to would healing.  Plant stem cell therapy increases exercise endurance, facilitates healing after illnesses and hospitalizations. Plant stem cells reverses skin and body aging, firms muscles, reduces weight and body fat, enhances memory, improves vision, makes skin soft, smooth and firm, reverses osteoporosis due to its osteoblastic action, and improves sleep.


Thus plant stem cells are a revolutionary type of therapy in the field of complementary and alternative medicine. Firstly, it is because plant stem cells, as a form of naturopathic treatment, makes the doctor practice the adage “primum non nocere” (first, do no harm), because this type of therapy is effective yet poses the least risk to humans. Secondly, plant stem cells support the healing power of nature inherent in each human being. Third is that plant stem cells remove the causes of diseases and does not suppress and eliminates the symptoms only, unlike synthetic drugs. Fourthly, plant stem cells make the doctor a teacher and a researcher because it encourages him to assume full responsibility over a patient’s health and not delegate it to pharmaceutical companies who do not recognize their patients as individuals but as a pack of people where they could throw their pills at without recognizing their specific individual needs. Fifth, plant stem cells treat the whole person and emphasize the condition of health to promote well-being and prevent diseases for the individual, community and the whole world.


By- Marie Gabrielle Laguna MD
Plant Stem Cells—a medical revolution that will heal the world over.
www.plantstemcells.net, about PSC
http://www.plantstemcells.net/general-information/custom.html


Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1051842_23.html

Creating Your Own Herb Garden

photo by: cathedralcityguide

By: Jamey Sackville


Herbs have been around since time immemorial and served different kinds of purposes. They have been used to treat illness and flavour cooking; they were even believed to have magical powers. Do you want to have your own herb garden? Here are a few ideas on how to establish an herb garden.


Plan your garden.


Consider the herbs you want to plant. Think about their types. Would you like annuals, biennials or perennials?


How much space will they occupy in your garden? If you want, you can purchase a book that can give you the right information on what specific plants you are planning to grow.


List or draw your garden on paper first. Separate the annuals from the perennials so when the time comes that you have to pull out the annuals, you won't be disturbing the perennials. Perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden so when it is time to till your garden they won't be in danger of getting dug up.


Another thing to remember is that you have to plant the tall ones at the back and the shorter ones in front. Also, provide your plants with enough space to grow. Proper position shall help you in this area.


If you would rather keep herbs out of your garden (and some are quite invasive) you could have herb pots. These are large containers with three or more outlets for the herbs. Fill the pot up to the first outlet and plant it before continuing on with the filling and planting process. Usually, the herb that requires the most water is planted in the bottom hole, while the variety that requires the least, goes in the highest hole.


Some Design Ideas


You can consider having a square herb bed. You can have your square bed divided into four by two paths crossing at mid point measuring 3 feet. You can border it with stone or brick. A wooden ladder may also do the trick. You can lay it down on your garden and plant your herbs between its rungs. You can also choose to have a wagon wheel bed. Planting here is like planting with the wooden ladders. Plant your herbs in between the wagon wheel's wedges.


Get Your Plants Growing


Of course, different plants have different needs, but many of them require alkaline soil. This is the reason why you have to determine the herbs you want to plant in the planning stage. This can more or less help you find out how you should care for your plants. If you germinate your herbs from seeds, remember to follow the directions on the packet for soil, watering and temperature.


Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. You just have to provide them with an effective drainage, sunlight, enough humidity or moisture and fertile soil. Even with just minimally meeting these requirements they will be bound produce a good harvest.


About the Author
Find tips about planting mums and planting daffodils at the Planting Tips website.

(ArticlesBase SC #868716)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Creating Your Own Herb Garden

Hard Candy

Ingredients


3 3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon orange, or other flavored extract
1/2 teaspoon food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
Directions


In a medium saucepan, stir together the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Without stirring, heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.


Remove from heat and stir in flavored extract and food coloring, if desired. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet, and dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Let cool, and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.


Photo by: L.Marie

He Leadeth Me

"He Leadeth Me" New Hope Praise Team courtesy of Jamey Williams

How to play the Dulcimer

Nice little intro video on how to play the dulcimer.

How to Use the Bow when Playing the Fiddle

Learn about bowing and how to use the bow when playing the fiddle with expert music training tips in this free online instrument instruction video clip.

Expert: David Kaynor

Contact: www.DavidKaynor.com

Bio: David Kaynor has over 30 years of fiddle playing experience. He currently teaches and plays the fiddle in the Connecticut River Valley.

The Differences between the Fiddle & the Violin

Learn about the basics of how to play the fiddle with expert music training tips in this free online instrument instruction video clip.


Expert: David Kaynor
Contact: www.DavidKaynor.com
Bio: David Kaynor has over 30 years of fiddle playing experience. He currently teaches and plays the fiddle in the Connecticut River Valley.

How Social Media is Changing Our Lives [Videos]

"Social Media Revolution has changed our life. We live in the age of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Google – strong forces which guide the way we behave, work, have fun and live our lives everyday.

Erik Qualman from Socialnomics has a deep understanding of this social media change and has created some amazing videos which highlight the ongoing social media revolution."

How Social Media is Changing Our Lives [Videos]:

Some Useful Home Vegetable Gardening Tips

Author: Clifford S. Magno


The popularity of home vegetable gardening has increased in the last few years and one in every three families does some kind of home gardening. There are some basic home vegetable gardening tips that you can follow to become a successful gardener.


Home Vegetable Gardening Tips


There is not much choice available for urban gardeners in terms of garden sites, but it still remains the most important aspect for successful gardening. Areas that are full of sunlight and that have deep, fertile and well-drained soil is ideal for any kind of gardening. Make sure that the plot is located near a water outlet and does not have other shrubs and trees.


Another important home vegetable gardening tip is to select the appropriate crop. Depending upon the size of the garden, you can choose the vegetables ideally suited for them. Crops like cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers and water squash need large spaces to grow. Beets, beans, onions, carrots, spinach and
tomatoes are small garden vegetables. Plantations can also be chosen as per family needs but make it a point not to over crowd the plot.


A good home vegetable gardening tip is to plan the garden just like you plan your house. A good planning reduces the effort you will have to put in later and will increase your return on labor. You need to separate the long-term and short-term crops so that long-term crops do not interfere with harvesting and care of short-term crops. Crop rotation is another home vegetable gardening tip as it helps prevent insect build-ups and
diseases.


An important home vegetable gardening tip is to have a soil that is fertile, deep and well-drained. Organic matter or sand can be added to the soil if it is heavy clay. Granular soil is ideal for planting and if you do thorough preparation of soil, it will reduce your work of planting and caring for the crop. Proper fertilization is another very important home vegetable gardening tip. The amount of soil required will largely depend upon crops and soil types. You should plant your garden early in the fall and spring so that vegetables will get ideal conditions to grow and mature. Spring is the time of nice weather and an ideal time for you to start your home vegetable garden.


Some good spring vegetable gardening tips are to involve your kids in the entire process, prepare the soil for spring vegetables, choose the appropriate vegetables, and make your child a part of each and every process. Gardening needs patience, and spring gardening can offer a good lesson of patience to your kids.


Another useful home vegetable gardening tip is to provide the plants with enough water at the roots so that the water is able to penetrate the soil up to the depth of six inches. To get rid of unwanted plants in your vegetable garden, use along-handled hoe. Avoid using chemical weed control, as it is not necessary in small areas. Mulching is a good home vegetable gardening tip that will increase the yield from your home vegetable garden. Control the pests using chemicals if necessary.


About the author:


If you love this article, you will also love another article written by this article's author on http://preventivepestcontrol.org/ and discount clarks pest control.

Chili Stout

5 gallons, partial mash; OG = 1.048 (12° Plato; FG = 1.012 (3° Plato); Bitterness = 30 IBUs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pale malt
• 0.5 lb. dark crystal malt (90°Lovibond)
• 0.5 lb. roasted barley
• 1/4 lb. black patent malt
• 4 lbs. unhopped dark dry malt extract (DME)
• 0.75 oz. of 9% alpha-acid Northern Brewer hops (7 AAUs)
• Irish Ale yeast slurry (Wyeast 1084 or equivalent)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar for priming
• 1/2 cup amber DME for priming
• 8-10 habañero ("Scotch bonnet") peppers, cut into 50 strips.

Step by Step:

Heat 6 quarts water to 163°F. Crush grains and mix into liquor. Hold at 152° F for 75 minutes. Runoff and sparge with 9 quarts at 168°F. Add DME, bring to a boil.


Add hops, boil 60 minutes. Cool, add to fermenter along with enough chilled preboiled water to make up 5.25 gallons. At 68°F or so, pitch yeast. Ferment at 65-68°F for two weeks, then rack to secondary. Condition at 60°F for three weeks.


Prime with DME and brown sugar. Bottle, placing a piece of habañero in each bottle, and seal. (Warning: wear gloves when you're working with habañeros, and keep your hands away from your face!) Condition at 55° F for three weeks.


source byo

Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Loss

Apple cider vinegar is advertised and sold my companies worldwide for a very wide range of ailments as a natural treatment.

Apple Cider Vinegar is proposed to improve weight loss success by stimulating metabolism in the body, curb your appetite and aids in breaking down fats and fat deposits. Researchers have not conclusively proven that these products have any fat burning benefits.

There is no scientific proof that by ingesting apple cider vinegar prior to eating that it reduces cravings or your appetite. For many people the use of apple cider to promote weight loss has been effective. Other people have not had success with this method.

For the people who did successfully lose weight using the apple cider vinegar and weight loss method it can most likely be attributed to lower intake of calories and increased exercise.

Many Companies and Websites Advertise Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Loss

Read More: Methods of Healing

Blue Moon Of Kentucky

Bill Monroe

Chicken Noodle Soup

* 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
* 5 cups water
* 2 chicken bouillon cubes
* 46 ounces chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups preferred style of noodles
* 1/3 cup celery, chopped
* 1/3 cup carrots, chopped


Instructions


1. Pour water in slow cooker and add bouillon. Let dissolve without heating.
2. Add broth, chicken, seasonings, noodles, and vegetables.
3. Stir well so ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.




Source:  LoveToKnow Recipes

Basic Tips For The Home Grape Growing Gardener

By Matt Granger


One of the things that I always found to be beautiful when I was young was to see a trellis covered with clusters of grapes hanging from the vines. Not only did the vines have a function but they brought beauty as well. I always found backyard grape growing to be fun even as a child and I would like to share with you some of my experiences.


Grape growing is actually something that is not too hard to do. For thousands of years people have been growing grapes and perfecting the art of pruning and caring for them. Now there are many modern twists to make it even easier. We don't have to haul water from a creek that is a mile away and we don't have to keep the soil nice with a hoe in the bright summer sun.


The art of grape growing is one that should be showed to our younger generation so that they realize that not all produce has to come from a grocery store. They can grow them right in their own backyard and be overjoyed when they see the first clusters begin to form on the vines. So often the younger generations have no idea where things really come from and grape growing would be a wonderful way to show them.


When you decide that grape growing is something that you want to do, all you will need is some soil that has been fertilized and some patience. I say patience because these vines will need love and attention for a few months before you are able to reap the fruits of your labor, pardon the pun. Gardening of any type takes patience and grape growing is no exception.


To achieve the best soil possible for grape growing you will of course need to fertilize the soil. There are many types of fertilizer available from organic to a chemical fertilizer, all able to help you achieve a beautiful grape vine.


Organic fertilizers such as manure are great because they have been around since time began and have been able to still keep this world green. Seems to me that most of the chemical fertilizers can't say that about themselves. But there are many people who would rather not spread manure as they think it's gross and so if you are one of those people, the store bought fertilizers might be for you. They will achieve the same goal, just with a different ingredient.


If possible, try to fertilize the soil before you go planting. I know that many, like myself, are terrible at planning ahead. So if you are one that didn't plan ahead, then you are always able to spread fertilizer once the vine roots have been placed in the ground.


The last thing to remember about grape growing is that these grapes do need to be watered. On average a grape vine needs to get an inch of rain a week to grow properly. When you are going through a dry spell you will of course need to water the plant yourself. If you fertilize appropriately and water when needed, you should get some super growth on your vine the first year. Growth on the vine the first year is very important for the future of your plants.


So remember, with grape growing you mainly need some patience, water and a little manure and you'll be set.


Matt Granger has been growing grapes for over 30 years and is an expert in backyard grape growing and grapevine farming. For a bundle of free tips and advice on how to grow grapes, visit his personal grape growing website here: www.grapegrowingsecrets.com


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