Laundry Detergent Update

     Having made more laundry detergent from this recipe, using home made soap as the main ingredient is beyond compare. Just because people online say it's a good use of leftover bar soap, doesn't mean much until you actually try it, and I have. Home made soap is much better for laundry detergent, I would even put it up over fels-naptha. though fels has a better smell. Also, this last batch,I used more soap and borax than the recipe calls for (about 10% more) and feel it is well worth the additional cost. This batch was made with castille soap.

Harvesting the Cranberry Hibiscus

     Earlier this spring my mother found these young plants at a garage sale, and they must have been priced well because she picked up one for me. It turned out the bargain annual happened to be the interesting and beautiful Hibiscus sabdariffa mentioned on the Florida Survival Gardening blog by David. No doubt the original seeds were from ECHO, as my mother lives not too far from there.

     I had no idea this plant could be so beautiful, unusual, useful, pest free, maintenance free...

     Today I am going to harvest the fruit. According to David, the round green bits are not the delicious part, but are where the seeds are stored. It's the red wrappers (or calyx) around the  round green fruit that is used for cooking and eating. This year recouping seeds is a high priority, since this is the only plant that I can source, and likely the only cranberry hibiscus growing in my county. It would be amazing to grow about 10 of these next year, as they like full sun. They do visibly wilt if you neglect to ensure hydration, but bounce back very easily and quickly. (I must have wilted it at least 5 times during the hot part of the summer.) Never would a tomato be this resilient.


       The leaves are edible, and I can tell you that the rabbits eat these leaves even before they eat their normal favorite weeds, Spanish Needle (Bidens alba). Although Hibiscus sabdariffa is tasty, none of the plants in the mallow family, or rose family, are particularly high in nitrogen (protein about 2 1/2%) - a consideration for overall rabbit dietary needs. I did eat a few of the leaves, which were very mild but did have a pretty tasty flavor, much better than Bidens, which is tart. These leaves would be good in a salad or on a sandwich (which is probably what I will be doing since the cold weather is here.)

     The seeds are higher in protein and very high in omega 6 fatty acids, and in quantity are valued as animal feed, particularly for chickens.

     This is the first and largest of probably two harvests from my one plant.

Tips for Making Yogurt at Home

 - Making yogurt at home is a great way to use up fresh milk that is about to expire or has just expired but has not yet developed a rancid odor.
 - Make sure the starter culture of yogurt has active cultures. Many store brands are pasteurized and contain no living bacteria. Plain or vanilla is the best choice.
 - Heating the milk to boiling or near-boiling ensures that the yogurt is creamy and thick.
 - Taking the lid off your pot when heating the milk lets some of the water evaporate, making the yogurt thicker.
 - While waiting for your milk to cool, move the pan off the hot burner. That may seem stupid and obvious, but can be easily forgotten if you get busy.
 - While waiting for your milk to cool, double check to make sure your jars are completely clean.
 - The milk is cool enough when you can put your fingers in it comfortably, however, I am lazy and don't want to contaminate the yogurt, so I just let it cool to room temperature.
 - The bacteria die at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The optimum range is 90 to 110 Fahrenheit. Below 90, other kinds of bacteria may take over and spoil your batch.
 - If you are making a big batch in the oven, you will have to use a thermometer to be sure you are obtaining optimal temperatures. The standard "Warm" setting on most ovens is too hot for the bacteria, but it could easily be manually modulated to maintain the optimum range.

 - The easiest way to make small amounts is to use a yogurt maker, which is really a small kitchen appliance that keeps your milk and culture mixture at the optimum temperature. Other options include using camping coolers and hot water bottles to keep your yogurt at the desired temperatures. Any insulated container will work, including a solar oven in the shade (keep an eye on temperatures).
 - About 8 hours is the general rule, but I have found 7 hours works nicely, and the yogurt will finish fermenting in the refrigerator. However, the time is all relative, the yogurt is done when it develops a whey layer and tastes "tangy" as opposed to the sweetness of the original milk.
 - You can freeze extra yogurt, and the cultures will remain active when defrosted, if diminished somewhat.
 - The strange clear layer that forms is visual indication that your culture was active enough to make yogurt. It is called whey, and it contains active cultures also.
 - The whey can be drained off to make Greek-style yogurt. It is very high in protein (after all, it's what they make protein powder from), and can be added to soups, smoothies, ice cream, dog and cat food, and any number of other foods to add nutrition.
 - Homemade yogurt is really great for baking, frozen yogurt, and smoothies. A dash of sugar, jelly, or mixing with fresh fruit makes it great for a snack.
 - A big jar of fresh, homemade yogurt makes a great gift.