STORING PUMPKINS

Harvest pumpkins after the rind is hard enough to resist
 puncturing by a thumbnail. Cool weather increases sugar
 content and storage life. Avoid bruising and harvest with
the stem on.

Storage should be done after pumpkins have been cured.

Curing is done for 10 to 14 days at temperatures between

 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If no other area is available,
curing may be done near furnace. After curing, store pumpkins
at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 to 75 percent humidity.

 Cured pumpkins will keep to 2 to 3 months. Chill injury
occurs at temperatures less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

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For those who have a vegetable garden, there is nothing
better than having a garden full of fresh zucchini or vines
 bursting forth with ripe, juicy tomatoes. But, its important
to pick your vegetables at the optimum time to ensure that
you get the longest season possible. Harvesting at the
  right time, and harvesting in ways that will stimulate the
 plants to bear more fruit, means that you can keep on
enjoying them throughout the summer.

Vegetables need to be harvested every day or so. In general,
 most vegetables taste better when they are young and tender.
 In addition, too many mature fruit will make the plant stop
 producing, so harvesting regularly will spread out your harvest
 season. And, since most vegetables contain the most nutrients
 just after being picked, you might want to think about planning
 out your meals to coincide with your harvest times.

Here are some tips on when and how to harvest some popular
 summer vegetables.

• Corn (sweet): Harvest sweet corn when the silks are
   dry/brown and the kernels are plump and tender. The
   kernels should exude a milky substance when pricked.
   You can check a few ears for maturity by opening them
   at the top of the ear and pressing a few kernels with
  your thumbnail and looking for this milky juice.
  
  
• Cucumbers: Make sure to harvest them early, before
   the seeds become about 1/2 inch in size although seed
  size does vary by variety. Generally, most varieties will
  be 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and five to eight
  inches long. Over-ripe cucumbers can be bitter or stringy
  so make sure to check them daily. They should be firm
   and smooth.
  
• Peppers (sweet): Harvest when fruits are firm and full 
   size. If red peppers are desired, leave on plant until
  they are red in color.
  
• Summer Squash - Always harvest when the fruit is young
   and tender because the smaller the squash is when you
   pick it, the better it will taste. Cut all fruit off and never
   lift squash by the stem. You want to cut it before it gets
   about eight inches long when the skin is still soft (when
   skin can be easily broken by a fingernail) and before
   seeds ripen. Letting it get too big will also slow down
   production of tender new fruit.
  
• Tomatoes - While each variety varies, in general, the
   best time to pick your tomatoes is when the fruit is
   evenly red and the end is still firm and not soft. Try
  to pull them from the vine by gently twisting them.
   Leave the fruit on the plant to ripen as long as possible
   unless you are having trouble with pests to give yourself
   a longer season.

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Harvesting Leaves:

For maximum results pick clean,dry,undamaged leaves or sprigs midmorning befors flowering.Freeze immediately of dry in bunches in a warm,dust free,circulating air,out of the sun place until brittle(4-10 days).Store in dark airtight jars.

Harvesting Flowers:

Flowers contain the most active ingredient when they first open.Collect unblemished flowers of good shape on dry weather at midday.Pick flowering stems and avoid touching the petals.Put loose in open baskets.

Harvest and Drying Seeds:

Pick seeds when ripe from heathy plants on a warm dry day.Shake into a paper bag or cut whole stalks.Lay seeds or stalks on paper or hang above an open box in a warm place for two weeks to ensure no moisture remains.Rub seeds from pods or stalks and store in airtight jars.

Harvesting Roots:

The best quality roots are dug in spring before sap rises or in autumn.If leaving some root for regrowth,cut with a knife.Shake or rub off soil,remove fibrous roots and scrub clean.Chop,then spread to dry in a warm oven(120-150 degrees F,50-60 degrees C)for 2-6 hours until brittle.Store in daark airtight jars and label.most roots prepared in this way will keep for years without absorbing moisture.

Harvesting Bark and Wood:

Bark is pried off in a tree's dormant season,wood is chipped and dried.All bark removal makes trees vulnerable;removing all the bark in a ring around a tree will kill it.When gathering bark,brush it clean,wash it and then spread it out to dry.

Buying and Storing Oils:

Buy oils that have been tested for purity and extracted from organically grown plants.they should be sold in daark bottles with a dropper and labeled with a botanical name,country of origin and safety advise.Keep oils in a cool dark place.They may be fatal if ingested,so keep secure and away from children.

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