The Rural Voice, 1983-08, Page 49Enough water to cover beans.
Cook at 300 for 4 hours.
Mildred McAdam.
Hot Mustard
1 - 4 oz. Keenes Mustard
1 cup brown sugar
Mix together In a bowl.
Beat 2 eggs In a heavy sauce pan with the
following:
'/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vinegar (white)
1/2 tsp. salt
Beat with a wire whip
Add dry mustard mixture and blend well
with whip. Place on stove and bring to a
boil stirring constantly until thick.
Mildred McAdam
Saving & drying
your own seed
by Rhea Hamilton
Vegetable seeds are not getting any
cheaper over the years and for the smart
gardener, saving your own garden seed
can be satisfying and financially rewar-
ding.
The first step begins in the spring when
picking out your seeds. Avoid hybrid
varieties as they do not always breed true
to type. The seed from last season's mam-
moth tomatoes may only produce scragg-
ly plants bearing small red buttons next
season. Stick to standard vegetable
varieties.
Avoid planting two or more varieties of
corn or squash or any flowering
vegetable. With cross pollination you can-
not be assured of good quality seed. You
could end up with next year's crop ex-
hibiting all the unfavourable
characteristics of the previous season's
crops.
Aside from only planting one variety of
seed you should keep your vegetable
patch as far away from your neighbour's
for the same reason.
Keep in mind that root crops, cabbages,
parsley, and brussels sprouts are biennial
and they don't form seed pods until the
second year. With most of these you may
have to buy new seed each year as many
would not survive the winter.
When and how to collect.
Pick the vegetables, like tomatoes and
squash when they are fully ripe. Scoop out
the seeds and let them dry in a well ven-
tilated place.
Peas and beans can dry on the vine and
corn should be left to dry on the stalk until
the kernels dent.
The seeds should be ful!y formed, hard
and filled with meat when ready for
storage. Collect the seed from the most
vigorous and healthiest plants in the
garden to promote positive
characteristics and encourage the hardier
stock to be planted next year.
Label and store your seeds as soon as
they are dry. Small envelopes are handy
but small jars may be safer in protecting
your seed from moisture.
Make sure your labels include the name
of the vegetable, where the seed was pur-
chased, and the date of harvest (month
and year.)
Seeds must be kept cool and dry. A bit
of powdered milk in the jar acts as a desic-
cant. If the air is moist you could be en-
couraging mildew, warm air promotes
mold growth. These are both hazardous to
the life of the seeds. A frost free fruit
cellar is ideal.
Testing the seed.
To test your seed to see if it is still
good, take ten seeds and lay them in any
plastic or glass container that will hold a
damp blotter, newspaper or cotton. Mark
the container with the date and after a
week check the seeds.
If eight out of ten have sprouted then
you can safely assume that you have 80
per cent germination.,:'
Our Facilities are open
to receive your 1983
WHEAT & BARLEY
I*7
887-9261
Trucking Available
PUMA
CHOWS
RYAN DRYING LTD.
Walton, Ontario
NOK 1Z0
887-6130 527-0527
THE RURAL VOICE, AUGUST 1983 PG. 47