Six Pints of Apple Butter



Apple butter from apples grown on our backyard tree



We have an apple tree in our backyard. It was loaded with fruit that was reading for picking during the first weekend of October. We had so many apples that it was necessary to figure out a way to preserve them to eat at a later time. I like apples, but there is no way for my wife and I eat two bushels of apples in a week or two, so Linda decided to make apple butter.

After a couple Google searches, she settled on this recipe from Cooks.com.

The hardest part of making apple butter is peeling the apples, but the by-product of the time consuming work was well worth it.  We've eaten a couple of pints already, but with 6 pints remaining there is plenty of apple butter to get us through the winter!

The intimidating part was canning the apple butter (at least for me).  My grandmother and mother always made it look easy when we were kids, but this was the first time we tried to preserve any without their supervision. It turned out to be fairly simple....1) pack the apple butter into hot jars, 2) process in a hot bath on the stove top for 10 minutes.  After removing the jars from the hot water it only took a few minutes for the lids to "pop" signifying a tight seal.  We purchased the 1-pint Ball glass jars at the local Mejier store (like Wal-Mart if you don't live near a Mejier). 

Tip:  We put the apples in the crock pot just  before bedtime and woke up the next morning to the smell of hot apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. What a nice way to wake up!

Colorado Aquaponics Video

I really enjoyed watching this video about Colorado Aquaponics.



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Economical Aquaponics (i.e. Cheap)

If you are looking for an inexpensive DIY aquaponics system, you've found it.  I am not affiliated with Otterponics.com in any form, but I have been following the videos on You Tube for about a year now.  He has some nice ideas and just so happens to be a fellow Missourian.



My mom has a 55 gallon fish tank that will work perfectly for my next basement gardening project. When we lived in Florida, my outside aquaponics system consisted of two 100 gallon grow beds and a 210 gallon fish tank. With temps near zero degrees in Michigan winters, I'll need to move everything indoors. I think the Otterponics.com version will be nearly perfect for my basement gardening efforts. Fifty-five gallons is probably too small for edible size fish, but for someone wanting to learn aquaponics on a small scale or for someone who likes to tinker with projects in the wintertime (like me), it should work well.

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Basement Gardening Project - Day 7

After installing the lights and adding the first 3 sacraficial seedlings, I decided to add some aluminum foil to help reflect the light and some heat toward the net pots. The light bulbs are approximately 12 inches above the net pots.

Adding the aluminum foil increased the light reflection tremendously and the temperatures in the growing zone increased a very noticeable 5 degrees or so.

Basement Gardening Project - Day 6

This afternoon I added nutrient to my first water resevoir in preparation for planting the first kale seedlings tomorrow morning.  I hope the nutrient will penetrate the hydroton a little overnight and help my seedlings survive the crucial first 24 hours after transplanting.

I am using Botanicare's Pure Blend Pro Grow Vegetative Formula 3-2-4 for my basement hydro gardening project.

So far the hardest part of the project has been getting my seedlings to "harden off".  I've previously tried to germinate seeds indoors a couple of times with poor results.  This third time has been no different. 

I've ended up with long seedling plants that are tall, but lacking in girth.  I can only guess that when seedlings are sprouted outdoors the wind and weather helps toughen up the plants a little. Indoors I haven't been able to get the same results. I've always assumed it was the lighting conditions, but in this attempt the seeds were germinated on my kitchen table and lighting is definitely not an issue.

Basement Hydroponics Project - Day 5

I have fully assembled my basement hydroponics deep water culture system.  Tomorrow I plan to add some collard and kale seedlings that have been growing in my dining room for a couple of weeks.

As I'm looking at this photo of my set-up I am realizing that I could have gotten away with shorter lengths of air line. The lights are going to be lowered to within a few inches of the net pots, but harvesting, accessing the inside of the container to check nutrient levels, or maintenance on the air bubblers would have required disconnecting the air lines to raise the lights. I was careful to cut each air line the exact same length so each tub receives the same air level. In this case, I think it's a typical "six of one and half a dozen of another" scenario.

Here's a closer view of the net pots, air lines and storage tubs.  I struggled with the decision not to reconfigure the air lines. To avoid the hassle of turning everything around so the air lines would be in the rear of the table and out of the way, which also requires me to move the air pump mount, I decided to wait a couple of weeks to make the changes in conjunction with doing the first water/nutrient change.

Each eight gallons of water in the 10 gallon plastic storage tub has 1 large air stone located in the center of the tub.  Hopefully this will help ensure the aeration is consistent throughout the majority of the root zone.

I need to do some additional work on the way this air pump is mounted. The pump has rubber feet to reduce vibration, but since it's mounted under the floor near my upstairs living room area the vibration causes a little more noise that I predicted.  I think that will be easily remedied with a minor modification to the mounting method by installing two more hooks so that all four rubber feet are out of contact with the wooden floor joice.

One pump provides air for all four tubs.  Here's a close-up of the "bubbling".

This is my first time using hydroton as a growing medium. I wasn't sure it would wick water very well and was prepared to hand water my seedlings for a week or so, but this picture was taken a couple of hours after adding water to the tubs and the hydroton actually wicks very well.

Basement Hydroponics Project - Day 4

Based on air pump I chose for my basement hydroponics project, I might be accused by some of straying away from "frugal" and "budget minded", but since I am building a 4 tub hydroponic bubbler system rather than a 1 or 2 tub system, the inexpensive aquarium pumps available at the discount stores and pet centers won't be quite enough aeration to do the job.

I purchased this pump for $52.99 at the local hydroponics store. It is an 18 watt commercial ECOPlus pump with a single outlet. It includes a splitter that provides a method for using the pump to aerate four different tubs.

The instructions explain that the pump needs to be mounted at least 15 inches above the water line (something I didn't realize when I purchased it). If not mounted above the water line there is a chance water could be sucked back into the pump causing damage.


It's difficult to see in the picture, but the pump has rubber feet to reduce vibration. The feet have holes in them, which come in handy for mounting the pump. I used two hooks to mount the pump above my growing beds.

I also splurged on air stones and opted for some larger ones. I purchased 4 of these large ECOPlus air stones for $5 each.

Cheaper air stones are available, but these commercial versions should last longer and provide much more aeration than those designed for smaller household aquariums.

Basement Hydroponics Project - Day 3

I installed the lighting system for the deep water culture hydroponics system a few days ago. 

I may add a third light in the future, but for now I think two will do the trick.  After adding the transplants to my deep water culture bins I will lower these lights to approximately 12 inches above the plants to maximize their effectiveness. I've seen pictures of other systems where the lights were even closer than that. 

I have the lights rigged up with a surge protector so I can turn everything on and off with one switch.  I plan to add a timer so that the lighting control is completely automated.

Basement Hydroponics Project - Day 2

The basement hydroponics project is progressing.  My seeds arrived on Wednesday and I planted them this weekend.  Collards, kale, lettuce, and spinach should do well in the system.  They can be harvested multiple times, which leverages the benefits of having a personal hydroponic bubbler system.

Hopefully the seeds will begin to sprout by the weekend.  I figure three more weeks and I'll add them to the hydroponics system.  The seed packets all reflect a 55 - 60 day maturity time frame. I think that time frame will be accelerated in the deep water culture hydroponics system with proper monitoring of nutrients and ph.

Seed Order

Tonight I placed a seed order with Johnny's Selected Seeds for my basement hydroponic project. I would have purchased seeds for the project locally, if I could have found any. Growing indoors outside of the traditional outdoor growing season does make it a little more difficult to find seed.


Here's a screen capture from the order screen:

Product ID:	Product	Quantity	Price
242G.10	Ripbor (F1) (OG)-Mini Vegetables > Kale & Collards > Green Kale	1	$6.50
428G.11	Waldmann's Dark Green (OG)-Packet Vegetables > Lettuce > Leaf > Greenleaf	1	$3.95
2571G.11	Corvair (F1) (OG)-Packet Vegetables > Spinach > Smooth-Leaf	1	$2.95
2116.11	Flash (F1)-Packet Vegetables > Kale & Collards > Collards	1	$2.95

I buy organic seeds whenever possible and as a result I end up paying a little more for seed than I would buying it at the local big box store. I like to use high quality untreated seed as much as practical. Johnny's sells treated seed too, but you can request untreated seed in your order. They also have a nice selection of heirloom seeds, which I'll be using in my outside garden next spring.

Basement Hydroponics Project - Day 1

Today I spent some time working on my basement hydroponics project inspired by Frugal Hydroponics.


You may recall that I have made an experimental deep water culture bubbler system several months ago. I have taken my original experience with that project and some of the tips I've seen on various hydroponics blogs and websites to hopefully improve upon my results this time around.


I started out with 4 ten gallon Rough Totes purchased at Lowes for $7.97 each.

In my first experimental attempt, cutting the holes in the lid turned out to be the biggest job of all. I first tried scissors, but when that didn't work I had to settle for a butcher knife. I don't recommend the butcher knife approach because injury is a definite possibility. It's not worth the risk. This time I used a 3 inch hole saw and rechargeable drill. I purchased the 3.0 inch hole saw at Lowes for $12.99. I've had the rechargeable drill for several years.

The hole saw made cutting the holes for the net pots a quick and easy job.

I  purchased 24 net pots at the local hydroponics supply store.  I wanted 3.5 inch net pots but they didn't have any in stock.  With a choice of 3.0 inch or 3.75 inch I chose the 3.75 inch size.


I achieved my goal of a tight fit for the net pots, but as the picture below illustrates the 3.75 inch pots are slightly too big for the 3.0 inch holes. The plastic lid will become more pliable with age and the pots will settle a little bit with the weight of plants and roots but if you attempt to make this I recommend you use 3.5 inch pots for a better fit.

I don't think the Hydroton (clay pebbles purchased at the hydroponics supply store) would allow much light into the water chamber, but rather than risk the possibility of algae build-up that would negatively affect my plant growth I used a single band of electical tape to bridge the gap.

At the end of Day 1 of my project, I ended up with 4 units with 6 growing ports each.

I'll be growing lettuce, spinach, collards, and kale.  All will yield several harvests and don't rely on polination for growth, which makes them good candidates for a basement gardening effort.

Basement Hydroponics (on the Cheap)

We lived in sunny Florida for amost 10 years, but relocated to the Upper Midwest this summer.  When we left the Tampa area in early July, the fields were bare. We arrived in Michigan to thriving vegetable gardens and lush green landscapes.  As the weather turns cooler in Southeast Michigan, I know that the growing season in Florida is kicking into high gear.


For the last three or four years when we became serious about producing edible food in our backyard, we kept adding to our backyard urban gardening effort.  Two above ground grow beds, a hanging planter, several containers, an Earthbox, a deep water culture hydroponics experiment, and a 200 gallon aquaponics fish tank. 


I still haven't adjusted to the switch in growing seasons and I'm beginning to crave fresh vegetables again. With inspiration from Frugal Hydroponics, I've decided to grow food in my basement this winter.


This afternoon we headed out to Lowes to shop for some supplies.

• Four 8 gallon plastic storage totes
• Two garage style flourescent shop lights
• A 3 inch hole saw
• Some Sanyo 6500k T8 bulbs

Tomorrow we'll be making a trip to the local hydropnic supply store for a few more items.

• Hydroton growing medium
• An air pump
• Four-way manifold
• Air stones
• Plastic tubing
• 3 1/2 inch net pots

If everything works as planned we'll be growing lettuce, Swiss Chard, collards, and spinach in very short order. Stay tuned for a series of posts detailing the construction process in the next few days.

Bats: Good for Agriculture

I was watching the morning news programs this morning and while flipping through the channels I settled on the CBS Sunday Morning program.  They did a nice piece of bats this morning and I learned some interesting things that I want to pass along. 

1. They don’t attach people
2. The more bats, the less pesticides are needed
3. Austin, Texas actually has a annual festival to celebrate bats

I've seen bat houses in Florida in many different State and County Parks, but didn't realize how important they are to our food system - until today.

This looks like something every homeowner should have, whether an active gardener or just someone that wants some pest control without the use of pesticides (who wouldn't want that?)  In fact, according to eparks.org, a single bat can eat 1,200 mosquitoes per hour!

Growing Vegetables in Fall and Winter

I started gardening 4 years ago when a job transfer sent us from the Detroit, MI area to Tampa, FL.  The sunshine and tropical temperatures make vegetable gardening minimally difficult there, even in winter.  In Florida, gardening in the summertime is actually difficult and discouraged.  Summertime gardens can be challenging if attention is not paid to the type of vegetables being grown and the specific varieties selected, but a little practice is really all that is needed to grow food for the family dinner table consistently.

Recently, a job transfer sent us back to Michigan so we’ll need to adjust our strategy a little for spring and summer, but I’ve become so used to having fresh homegrown produce to eat in the fall and winter that I’ve started researching ways to grow vegetables during the winter.

I can predict what you may be thinking – he’s crazy if he thinks he can grow vegetables in the snow, wind, freezing rain, and below freezing average temperatures that can reach single digits for weeks on end. I’ve been called a lot of things, and crazy is definitely on the very long list of those descriptions.

But before you call my family to suggest a formal intervention I submit exhibit A, from a successful winter time gardener in Maine that has been growing vegetables in all four seasons for many, many years.

I've never visited Maine in winter, but I'm guessing the temperatures are not much different than temperatures in Michigan. I think I'm going to try it. 

I'll need to build a cold frame of some sort and perhaps a crudely designed portable greenhouse, but it sounds like it is possible.

Aquaponics Update

I am writing this from a motel room in suburban Detroit.  It's quite funny how things work out sometimes.  I had my aquaponics system set-up and operating for 3 weeks when my employer requested my presence in another state.  I had to disassemble the system and prepare it for the moving company to transport to Michigan in a few weeks.

As a result of this process, I've got a few tips for urban aquaponics enthusiasts based on my experiences.

1. Gravel media grow beds are great unless you have to relocate them.  I spent $220 on 200 gallons of river gravel and had to give it away for free to entice a friend to help me remove it from the tanks and move it to his urban farm since it was too heavy to transport it 1,130 miles from Tampa to Detroit.

2. Two hundred gallon fish tanks are great until you have to empty them and replace the grass underneath them to make the backyard presentable to potential home buyers. It's been 4 weeks and the grass is showing no signs of coming back. I guess it's time to throw in the towel and buy some sod.

3. Buying expensive fish for aquaponics is an inefficient use of money. Luckily I didn't do it. I used the el cheapo feeder goldfish with good results.  When I disassembled the tank I moved them to a home aquarium. They are still going strong several weeks later.

4. Before you build your system, give some careful thought to your water source. If it's not safe for fish, figure out how you're going to make it safe before you spend money building an aquaponics system. I used Chloram-X (tm) with good results.

5. Figure how you're going to test your water. Not all aquarium kits will accurately test water treated with bonding agents that remove Chloramine to make the water safe for fish.

6. In an urban setting like mine where the yard is 45 feet by 25 feet, put a alot of thought into the foot print of your system. In the sub-tropical climate of Tampa, I might have achieved nearly as much vegetable production per square feet using Earthboxes (tm). (Probably not, but minus actually conducting an experiment my gut tells me that it would be close for the first year until the aquaponics system was well established.)

7. Building a media based aquaponics system sounds easier than it is. Washing gravel is hard work for 1 or 2 people. I recommend you invite the nieces and nephews over for the weekend to lend you a hand.

When I re-build my system in Michigan, I'll have colder weather to consider but I do plan to re-build next season. With my first experience under my belt, I am willing to bet that the second time around will be much smoother.

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