tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39353552967716012262024-03-13T07:44:56.974-07:00Living Off The Land: Foraging, Organic Gardening, NatureFinding Nature's Natural Foods, Growing Your Own and Living Close To EarthKen Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-54461557613446135462015-04-23T15:15:00.000-07:002015-04-23T15:15:26.334-07:00Minnesota monarch group is out to "Save Our Monarchs"<table style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 5px 0px; background-color: YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR HERE; font-style:italic"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrPhtj0iZ9M/VTltPgGxedI/AAAAAAAABvY/5Jvr1U95BIA/s1600/rsz_1mona.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrPhtj0iZ9M/VTltPgGxedI/AAAAAAAABvY/5Jvr1U95BIA/s400/rsz_1mona.jpg" /></a> /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
Yet another group of fine people are worried to death about the dwindling fate of the monarch butterfly.<p>
We've lost 90 percent of the monarch population in the past 20 years. Monarchs are not just pretty to look at; they play a major role in pollinating the foods we eat.<p>
Now a a retired chemical engineer and his wife are on an unstoppable mission to turn the tides and bring the monarch back from the brink<p>
Read all about it here: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/minnesota-monarch-group-determined-to-save-butterflies-one-milkweed-at-a-time">SAVEOURMONARCHS</a><P>
Now check out this: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-Ken-Korczak-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429718528&sr=1-4&keywords=ken+korczak">BARN SWALLOWS</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-31083037471379526912015-04-22T09:06:00.000-07:002015-04-22T09:06:24.967-07:00Photo of the Day: Blissful garden produce
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mP47BOzf1cI/VTfE0bgqq-I/AAAAAAAABvE/SITELw31Vs4/s1600/P1030820.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mP47BOzf1cI/VTfE0bgqq-I/AAAAAAAABvE/SITELw31Vs4/s400/P1030820.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
Here is a random sampling from my garden produce last year: <p> Spaghetti squash, blue potato, white potato, green beans, tomatoes, cucumber pickles and an onion. All organically grown -- no pesticides or herbicides. <p><br>Primary fertilizer: chicken manure. It was a great year!<p>
Now check out this: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-Ken-Korczak-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429718528&sr=1-4&keywords=ken+korczak">BARN SWALLOWS</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-7229932020351671312015-04-21T06:02:00.000-07:002015-04-22T08:19:14.972-07:00Solar power + bees + butterflies = A good idea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>
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<tr><td align="center">Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
Bees and butterflies have never been more endangered -- and their dire situation is tied to our own fate. <p>
As you know, if the bees stop pollinating, most of our basic foods stops growing. The butterflies also play a huge role.<p>
Now two University of Minnesota professors have an idea that could create thousands of acres of more habitat for bees and butterflies, and it involves another very good thing -- solar power.<p>
See my story by clicking the link below, and see how you can help:<P>
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/earth-day-is-upon-us-here-is-your-chance-to-help-bees-and-butterflies?cid=db_articles">SAVE THE BEES & BUTTERFLIES!</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-58778305330135056432013-10-20T09:37:00.000-07:002015-04-21T06:23:55.183-07:00Blue French Fries -- You'll Never Find These At McDonalds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>
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<tr><td align="center">Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
My fascination with the blue potato is endless. And why not? Just take a look at these fabulous blue french fries! They don't just look groovy, they taste great.<p>
Everyone always asks me: "Do blue potatoes taste any different from white or red potatoes?" The answer is mostly no. I suspect if you blindfolded some folks and asked them to taste test the blue versus the red or white, most would not be able to tell the difference.<p>
But the blue potato is a tad more rich and robust than other kinds. When you make mashed potatoes, they end up a bit more firm. The french fries you see here are light, crispy and tasty -- and the look always creates a sensation! <p>
I like the blue potato so much I'm thinking of making it my primary potato choice for the garden next year. The average blue tends to be a bit smaller than those big whites and reds we grow -- but the blue is simply a terrific spud!<p>
<b>I invite you to check out my book:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-Ken-Korczak-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382286910&sr=8-3&keywords=ken+korczak">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA</a><p>
<b>Send Ken an email:</b> ken.korczak@gmail.com<p>
<a href="https://twitter.com/KenKorczak" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @KenKorczak</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-8615743449076018342013-07-21T15:37:00.000-07:002013-07-21T15:40:34.099-07:00Fireweed: Pretty and Somewhat Edible -- Also Used for Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>
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<tr><td align="center">Fireweed - Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
I was driving through the narrow gravel road (trail) that runs through the heart of the <a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/detail_report.html?map=COMPASS_MAPFILE&mode=itemquery&qlayer=bdry_adwma2py3_query&qitem=uniqueid&qstring=WMA0027600">Twin Lakes Wildlife Management Area</a> here in northern Minnesota when I saw bright flashes of purple-pink near the side of the road. I stopped to investigate, and, sure enough, found some lovely bright fireweed blossoming.<p>
It's called fireweed because it tends to show up after an area has been burned. In this case, the DNR burns off this section of land every spring.<p>
Fireweed can be eaten. Here is what Lee Allen Peterson says in his excellent manural, <i>A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants</i>:<p>
<i>"The young shoots can be prepared like asparagus and the tender young leaves like spinach. The taste may become bitter and unpalatable as the plant grows older. The mature leaves can be dried and used for make tea."</i><p>
Wow, "Fireweed Tea" - how rock-in-rollin' does that sound? I'm going to go back out there and get some leaves and try the tea. I'll report back later on how I like it.<p>
READ KEN'S SCIENCE FICTION EBOOK: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374440650&sr=8-1&keywords=Ken+Korczak">BIRD BRAIN GENIUS</a><P>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-32673115172991982992013-07-21T14:31:00.000-07:002013-07-21T14:55:14.415-07:00The Blue Potato: From the Ancient Andes to Minnesota<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>
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<tr><td align="center">Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
My blue potatoes are ready already, although I will probably let most of them "ride" for a while before harvesting.<p>
Blue potatoes have taken off in popularity in recent years in the U.S. They are a native species of the Andean region in Peru (as probably are most species of potato). It is known that when the Spanish Conquistadors invaded the Inca empire in 1532, they encountered the Andean natives eating blue potatoes.<p>
The first thing most people ask about blue potatoes is: "<i>Do they taste any different from red or white potatoes</i>?"<p>
As far as I am concerned, the answer is no. Some say they detect a slightly nutty flavor -- but I daresay that in a blind taste test, most folks would not be able to tell the difference.<P>
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It's the look that is strikingly different, even after you boil them, bake them or make mash potatoes. They retain their blue color -- which is actuality looks more like purple. But ... I have to say, a bowl of mashed blue potatoes is an amazing sight. It looks like food coloring -- yet its all natural.<p>
The blue color is produced by something called anthocyanin pigments, which also are excellent antioxidants.<p>
The blue is also a rather small variety, at least that's my experience. But like any garden potato you grow yourself, they really seems light years better than those you buy at the store.<p>
Note that there are many different variety of blue potato. Some have blue skins, but white interiors. Others are a combination of white and blue, and so forth.<p>
If you are really into creating colorful dishes that please the eye, the blue potato is your best friend. They look amazing in a potato salad against the white-yellows of mustard and mayonnaise.<p>
It's also a good idea to grow more exotic varieties like this for the sake of battling monoculture. Planting the same kind of potato over and over again is what caused the great potato famine in Ireland in the 1800s. When you mix up your verieties, you reduce chances of disease and encourage natural genetic diversity.<p>
Because their nutrient value is slightly different than red or white potatoes, you are adding diversity to your nutritional intake. Whatever the case, I love the blue potato.<p>
<b>CHECK OUT KEN'S EBOOKS HERE:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN'S EBOOKS</a><P>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-23991518965441417242013-06-09T14:57:00.001-07:002013-06-09T14:57:57.665-07:00Rhubarb curd recipe: A terrific way to use your eggs and rhubarb at the same time<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right:1em; both; text-align: left;">
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By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
My free-range chickens really crank out the eggs in the spring, and rhubarb is also abundant. Thus: What you need are some good recipes that use a lot of both. <p>
I was delighted to find this one for rhubarb curd. You may not normally think of combining eggs and rhubarb, but this is terrific. It works as an excellent topping for cakes, corn bread, pancakes, waffles, even on ice cream. <p>
<b>Here’s the recipe:</b><p>
2 ½ cups rhubarb cut up into half-inch sections<p>
1/3 cup sugar and ½ cup sugar<p>
4 egg yolks<p>
1/3 cup cranberry juice<p>
2 tbls butter<p>
<b>First:</b><p>
Combine the rhubarb, 1/3 cup sugar and cranberry juice in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until the rhubarb loses form and forms a sauce. Stir it a lot while cooking, about 10 minutes. Set aside, but keep warm.<p>
<b>Second:</b><p>
Combine egg yolks and ½ cup sugar and place in a heat-proof glass bowl. In another saucepan or kettle, heat up about 2-inches of water to a boil, then reduce heat. Place the bowl of eggs and sugar in or on top of this and let the steaming water heat up the egg mixture until it is quite warm. Stir it the whole time.<p>
<b>Third:</b><p>
Mix the rhubarb sauce in with the egg mixture. Stir well, remove from heat and let cool. Then put it in the refrigerator until is gets really cool – and you’re ready to rock!<p>
<b>Now if you dare check out:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370814236&sr=8-3&keywords=Ken+Korczak">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA</a><p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-57032429853882179752013-05-24T16:36:00.000-07:002013-05-24T17:24:52.555-07:00Dutch Pancake recipe is practically idiot proof<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right:1em; both; text-align: left;">
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
Here is my recipe for Dutch pancake, which makes for a terrific simple breakfast or fare for any time of day.<P>
I like to think my free range eggs make this recipe better than using store-bought eggs obtained from those poor chickens in cramped egg-mill factories which are a crime against decency -- but I'll spare you the lecture today.<p>
<b>Here are the ingredients:</b><p>
1 cup flour<p>
1/4 cup corn starch<p>
3 eggs<p>
2 tsps lemon juice<p>
2 table spoons vanilla<p>
1 table spoon butter<p>
1 1/4 cup milk<p>
Lemon zest (optional)<p>
<b>Directions</b><p>
Just mix all the ingredient together any way you want to; that's what I do. Then you need a really hot oven -- 450 degrees, baby, and make sure you preheat the oven before you pop this in.<p>
As you can see in the picture, I used a stainless steel skillet that's about 8 or 9 inches across. I pie plate works, too.<p>
<b>Bake 20 minutes!</b><p>
Some folks like to serve this with powdered sugar on top. Others like to put syrup on it. Maple syrup is a good choice! Hope you enjoy it!<p>
<b>Now check this out:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1369437161&sr=8-3&keywords=ken+korczak">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA</a><p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-58155735881413910382013-04-03T06:23:00.000-07:002013-04-03T06:23:14.510-07:00Pineapple weed grows just about anywhere, and makes an exceptionally delightful tea<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right:1em; both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t84hoTS252g/UVwrZO79WXI/AAAAAAAABN4/5JMMJhGxePc/s1600/87306.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t84hoTS252g/UVwrZO79WXI/AAAAAAAABN4/5JMMJhGxePc/s320/87306.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=kEN+KORCZAK%2Caps%2C213">KEN KORCZAK:<P></a>It is said that “weed” is a word for plant for which no good use has yet been found. Perhaps no truer words were spoken of any natural plant than of pineapple weed. Indeed, this plant is no weed at all. Pineapple weed, as it names implies, can be brewed to make an amazingly delicate tea which carries just the faintest hint of pineapple tang.<p>
The wonderful thing about pineapple weed is that it grows where almost no other plant wants to grow: Between sidewalk cracks, on seemingly sterile gravel roads or driveways, in bleak waste areas. The pineapple weed is incredibly hearty and mysteriously undemanding. It asks little, yet gives much.<p>
Pineapple weed is a close cousin of chamomile, one of the most popular of all herbal teas. To make tea from pineapple weed, cut off the small bud-like flower heads and place a handful in a cup of water. Boil for five minutes. I chose to strain the water through a coffee filter to produce a clear, green-golden tea.<p>
<b>My impression of pineapple weed tea:</b><p>
Truly remarkable! Pineapple weed tea is an excellence tea! I easily judge this tea better than any other natural herbal tea one might purchase off the shelf. The flavor is light -- the opposite of overpowering or heavy.<p>
For me, the slight sweetness of the taste that is profoundly difficult to describe. I’m not sure if I would describe it as pineapple-like. It’s more subtle and delicate than that. There is an amazing clean airy quality to the sweetness.<p>
This tea also has a tea-like background taste. That is, drinking this gives you the impression that you are drinking a beverage that could be considered a “<i>true tea.</i>”<p>
I decided to add a bit of sugar and just a tiny squirt of lemon to my second cup -- and -- WOW! This resulted in a truly fabulous tea drinking experience! Excellent, excellent! This wild weed tea is so good, I can’t believe that millions of people don’t drink it all the time, every day. It’s free and growing everywhere. What an amazing gift from Mother Nature, right beneath our noses every day -- and just about no matter where you live, urban or rural area.”<p>
On a 1 to 10 scale, I give pineapple weed tea an unqualified 10.<P>
<b>Notes:</b> <i>I remember from childhood my Uncle Stanley said that his Polish immigrant parents, my grandparents, occasionally brewed pineapple weed to make a beverage they called <i>Romonyek</i>. (That is a phonetic spelling. Pronounce it <b>ro-MON-yek</b>, and roll the </i>“<i>r</i>”)<p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-2855739448971661982012-09-17T06:37:00.000-07:002012-09-17T06:37:41.573-07:00Breaded zucchini slices in butter with selection of spices and tomato sauces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>By </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347887845&sr=8-2&keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
Now lets take a look at what one can do with zucchini from the garden!<p>
Pictured here are a couple of slices from a large zucchini squash about 1/2-inch thick. I coat them in beaten eggs (my own free-range produced eggs, of course) then coat them in a mixture of flour, a touch of cornstarch -- and then a selection of spices -- pepper, salt, garlic, spice-berry (foraged),and just a tad of paprika.<P>
The centers of these are actually hollowed out to remove the seeds. This provides an opportunity to fill the centers with the remaining eggs.<P>
Next, melt a generous amount of butter in a black, cast-iron skillet and fry till slightly crispy on each side. Top with some Parmesan cheese and put in a 350-degree oven until the cheese melts on top. You might want to take care not to overbake if you don't want the zucchini to get too mushy.
Out of the oven, it's time to top it off with some fresh tomato sauce. I never make my tomato sauce quite the same way every time -- in this case, I used fresh basil, cilantro, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, a touch of brown sugar, onions -- and I think that's about it.<p>
You can either overdo the tomato sauce or not. I like just a hint or light touch of sauce.<P>
This is a simple recipe -- yet complex in that one can experiment widely with spices and flavorings to get the specific taste you want -- exotic or simple.<P>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-76985351928703898762012-09-15T12:19:00.001-07:002012-09-15T12:19:41.962-07:00Make cornbread using corn from your garden fresh off the cob -- best cornbread ever! -- Is it manna from heaven?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347735588&sr=8-2&keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><p>
If you're looking for a way to make cornbread that will make it taste like it was handed down directly to you from heaven by angelic bakers, then look no further. Here is my method for the best cornbread you will ever eat.<P>
I use fresh corn off the cob from my garden, rather than the dry cornmeal you buy in the store. This will work even with corn that has gotten a bit old or past its prime for eating sweet and crispy off the cob.<p>
Get some hot water boiling and blanch your corncobs for about 2-3 minutes. Cut the corn off the cob with a sharp knife. Place the kernels in a freezer bag and let them freeze very hard 24 hours.<P>
Next, you'll need a food processor or a powerful blender -- I use the VitaMix. Put a cup or two of frozen corn in your processor and grind it to icy "corn dust." Then all you have to do is choose your favorite recipe and substitute the same amount of your fresh-ground frozen corn with regular dry cornmeal. <p>
<b>Here is a recipe that works well for me:</b><p>
1 cup all-purpose flour<p>
1 cup fresh ground garden corn<p>
2/3 cup white sugar<p>
1 teaspoon salt<p>
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<p>
1 egg<p>
1 cup milk<p>
1/3 cup vegetable oil<p>
<b>Directions</b><P>
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9 inch cake pan, round, square or whatever -- one of the those black cast iron skillets are great!<p>
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.<p>
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.<p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-72917457442844423452012-09-11T07:08:00.000-07:002012-09-11T07:08:04.044-07:00Power breakfast: Blue potatoes, zucchini and tomato<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
This the time of the year when those of us who toil in our gardens all summer enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of our labors.
Pictured here is what I call a high-antioxidant, high-flavonoid super breakfast -- crispy fried blue potatoes, fresh slices of garden tomatoes and some zucchini picked in a mustard-vinegar base.<P>
The blue potato is an interesting tuber. What we know is that this plant has it's origins in South America, and probably originated in the Andes, and was certainly cultivated and used by the Inca. Several variety of blue potato (also called purple potatoes) have been used in what is now Peru and Bolivia for 6000 years.<p>
The taste of the blue potato is similar to any other potato. It's a mid-starch level product. In some respects they offer more nutrition than "regular" potatoes, and in others less. For example, they have less Vitamin C than say, a russet or red, by the blue color is indicative of extremely high antioxidant content, and of a variety you won't get in white potatoes.<p>
Anyway, breakfast doesn't always have to be greasy bacon, eggs and buttery toast -- sometimes you can get a mega-vitamin-rich punch without any cholesterol and minimal fat -- and still feel like you had a hardy morning starter!<p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-30013518223958562322012-08-28T18:34:00.000-07:002012-08-28T19:13:22.523-07:00My recipe for zucchini bread!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
As anyone who has ever planted a zucchini plant knows, you get a lot of zucchini. And so begs the question: What do I do with all of it? One excellent way to make good use of this marvelous squash is to make zucchini bread -- and so now I will share with you an excellent recipe.<P>
This recipe is not only good, I don't think I have ever screwed it up. It comes out right every time. This zucchini bread is moist, extremely flavorful -- it's terrific. And rumor has it that it wil increase your lifespan by 7.3 years, on average, according to some top scientist somewhere, I'm sure.<p>
I hope you try it:<P>
<br/>
<b>Ingredients:</b><p>
3 eggs, beaten<p>
1 cup of vegetable oil<p>
2 cups sugar<p>
2 cups shredded zucchini<p>
3 cups of flour<p>
1 tsp salt<p>
1 tsp baking soda<p>
1.2 tsp baking powder<p>
3 tsp. cinnamon<p>
1/2 cup walnuts<p>
<b>Instructions:</b> <P>
This is not rocket science. Just mix together all the ingredients in large bowl. As for the zucchini, I like to blend mine in a food processor till it gets just mushy. I use the Vita-Mix. But just as often I use an ordinary cheese grater, and that works perfectly.<P>
Makes two loaves. Use regular-sized bread pans. Fill them about 3/4 to the top.<p>
Bake at 350 to 375 for 35 to 40 minutes! Ta-da! You're done!<p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-25764546293350395082012-08-21T07:26:00.000-07:002012-11-04T10:59:49.017-08:00Easy Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><p>
One of the easiest possible things you can preserve from your garden are cucumbers in the form of refrigerator pickles. You don't need a pressure cooker or any special technique: just some fresh cucumbers and a recipe, which I will provide for you right now.<p>
<b>Refrigerator Cucumber Pickle Recipe</b><p>
7 cups of sliced cucumbers<p>
1 medium onion chopped up<p>
1 cup vinegar<p>
2 cups sugar<p>
1 tablespoon salt<p>
1 tablespoon celery seed<p>
<b>Directions:</b><p>
Slice up the cucumbers in any way you want to. Do not peel the cucumbers first. Leave the skin on. Put them in a large bowl. Add the chopped onion. Dump in a cup of vinegar, then the sugar and the rest of the ingredient. Mix it all together. Put in clean, jars, put the lids on and toss them in the refrigerator.<p>
That's it! How difficult was that? Not very!<p>
Note: I boil my jars before I load them up, just to make sure they are extra clean. These pickles will keep in your refrigerator for months -- but they won't last that long because you'll eat them, believe me.<p>
Another note: You can start eating your pickles right away, but if you wait a few days, the vinegar will soften the outer skin to make them a bit less tough, but still nice and crunchy.<P>
Finally, don't be afraid to experiment. For example, try adding some garlic, or maybe a spoon of dill weed or another favorite herb. Wild spice-bush berries also make it interesting. You can also opt for a more exotic vinegar, such as Japanese rice vinegar which comes in various flavors.
This recipe will make two, two-quart jars. Have a yummy time!<p>
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Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-77319263203984852222012-08-04T10:43:00.000-07:002012-08-04T10:46:02.979-07:00Juneberry jam and juneberry pie -- we made it after all<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><p>
Well, my earlier <a href="http://motherminnesota.blogspot.com/2012/06/juneberries-or-serviceberries-are-as.html">moaning and groaning</a> about the lack of juneberries this year was a tad premature. I went on a hard-target search in the first weeks of July and was able to collect about three cups worth -- not great, but not bad, and just enough to make a batch of jelly.<p>
But then my wife took a jaunt out to the Beltrami forest which is about 40 miles east of here, and she was able to pick a couple of buckets of juneberries -- so we ended up okay! We made a delicious pie, you see pictured below.<p>
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The jelly you see pictured above is actually a combination of wild raspberry and juneberry. It's fantastic! The flavor is powerful and pungent, so much so that one probably is better off using less than you would normally spread on a crust of bread.<p>
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<b>By</b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ken+korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
Pineapple weed is one of the most useful and healthy native wild plants in nature. It is sometimes called “wild chamomile” because it is among the same family of that plant, which you probably know is an extremely popular herbal remedy and tea.<p>
Pineapple weed is named thusly because it has a slightly sweet scent that some find similar to pineapple. It’s easy to find and work with. To make a fine tea, simply pick some of this stuff, pluck off the flower heads, boil them, let it steep and then strain it through a coffee filter. It makes a mild, fragrant slightly golden-colored tea. Add a tad of sugar and lemon if you want.<p>
But you can also make a marvelous jelly out of this plant. It’s easy.<p>
Gather a small bowl-full of pineapple weed. You can use both the leaves and the flower buds if you want, although some prefer to use only the heads. Boil the buds in about four cups of water. Let is steep and cool. More foraging tips.<p>
Next, pour 3 and one-half cups of your pineapple weed infusion into a kettle. Add three cups of sugar (or less) and bring to a boil. Toss in a 1.75 oz box of fruit pectin, such as Sure Jell, and bring to a boil. Then quickly scoop the liquid into prepared canning jars – and now all you have to do is wait for it to set.<p>
It’s really easy and the whole process takes maybe less than an hour. The jelly is sweet, but just slightly tart.<p>
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Over the years, pineapple weed has been a popular herbal remedy for relief of gastrointestinal upset, infected sores, fevers, and postpartum anemia.<p>
Pineappleweed is easy to find for the urban and rural dweller alike. Give it a try.<p>
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<tr><td align="center">Juneberry: Photo by Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<b>By </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
Well, June 2012 is almost in the books, and juneberries are ready to pick -- if you can find any. For me, in the northwest corner of Minnesota, there seems to be darn few, at least in the area surrounding my home and where I forage.<p>
My theory is that we have had remarkably little rain this year, unlike most other areas of Minnesota. I've been out looking at all the juneberry bushes and most have just a few ragged looking little berries on then. Oh well, that's the way it goes<P>
The juneberry, also called serviceberry, is a remarkably delicious natural fruit which grows widely in Minnesota and many other areas of the country. they grow on medium-sized bushes with dark green, rather rounded leaves with little serration.<P>
They have a sweet taste which may not be as bold or succulent as the blueberry, but this is simply an extremely fine fruit. Absolutely wonderful for pies and jams. Go out and have a look for them. Hope you have better luck than I did this year.<P>
<b>Check out Ken Korczak's delightful book:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341098454&sr=8-2&keywords=Ken+Korczak">BIRD BRAIN GENIUS</a><P>
<a href="https://twitter.com/KenKorczak" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @KenKorczak</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-92226018168610748092012-06-28T17:17:00.000-07:002012-07-11T20:01:19.243-07:00I find gigantic King Bolete mushroom in the woods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8S35S9mxOZE/T-zvas_nmcI/AAAAAAAAAk8/yyTqUGMOBDw/s1600/phpJ3J96UPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8S35S9mxOZE/T-zvas_nmcI/AAAAAAAAAk8/yyTqUGMOBDw/s400/phpJ3J96UPM.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">My dog with shroom. Photos By Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340927936&sr=8-4&keywords=ken+korczak+kindle">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
I take a long jaunt through the woods just about every evening after a long day of writing, foraging, scouring the the Minnesota woodlands for cool plants, edible and otherwise.<p>
I was absolutely god-smacked when I came across this gigantic mushroom. It's about 8 or 9 inches across the top and the stem must be three inches around. It's about 8 inches high. What is it? I am absolutely not a mushroom expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but after doing some research, I'm fairly certain this is the King Bolete. There is an outside chance that it may be fly agaric, but that species tends to have a spotty top, and also a red top, so I have all but ruled out the latter.<p>
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King bolete is good to eat -- but I have no interest in testing the theory that I am right about the identity of this magnificent shroom. To me, the joy was in encountering this magical and enormous fungi in the woods.<p>
Incidentally, in my fast-selling ebook <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340927936&sr=8-4&keywords=ken+korczak+kindle">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA</a> I tell the true story of two Minnesota men who also encountered a large mushroom in the woods -- but the one they found was some three-feet tall and three feet around -- gigantic! But size of the monster mushroom wasn't the strangest aspect of this story ... believe me ...<p>
<a href="https://twitter.com/KenKorczak" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @KenKorczak</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-22648831911622689422012-06-28T16:51:00.000-07:002012-06-30T16:45:31.380-07:00It's wild raspberry time in Minnesota!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td align="center">Wild raspberry Photo by ken Korczak<></tr>
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By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
As you can see from my luscious looking picture, I scored a wild raspberry patch in the woods last night. Picking raspberries in northern Minnesota is fairly labor intensive. These babies grow low to the ground in thick, brushy woodsy areas. In a normal year the mosquitoes make picking any kind of berry in Minnesota an exercise is endurance. But this year, dry weather in my corner of the state means we're having an amazingly blissful mosquito-free summer -- well not entirely, but almost.<p>
The taste of these is beyond sublime -- sweet but not overpowering, tart, but not too tart.<p>
I plan to make jelly out of these when I get enough. Sure, lots of people like raspberry pie, including me, but when you bake a pie, it's here today, gone tomorrow -- if not by the end of the day. For me, making jelly means I get to enjoy the unique flavor of the raspberry for weeks to come.<p>
<b>Check out Ken's fantasy book(based on a true story):</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340926748&sr=8-2&keywords=Ken+Korczak">BIRD BRAIN GENIUS</a><P>
<a href="https://twitter.com/KenKorczak" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @KenKorczak</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-64901871319569229922012-06-19T16:25:00.000-07:002012-06-19T16:26:31.105-07:00The squash trellis is working!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz-3yJFOj80/T-EHBCrLxOI/AAAAAAAAAjA/betf9yy3Jw0/s1600/phpe96nloPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz-3yJFOj80/T-EHBCrLxOI/AAAAAAAAAjA/betf9yy3Jw0/s400/phpe96nloPM.jpg" /></a>
<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=ken+korczak%2Caps%2C367">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
As promised, I'm back with an update on how my squash trellis is functioning. So far, so great. As you can see in the picture,the vines are a-creepin' up the frame.<p>
<a href="http://motherminnesota.blogspot.com/2012/05/squash-trellis-check-back-in-to-see-if.html">GO TO ORIGINAL STORY HERE</a><P>
I should say, however, that I had to give it more than a little help to get it started. At first, the squash ignored the trellis with the vigor of a Department of Motor Vehicle employee ignoring people coming in to renew their licenses.<p>
At first I tried to simply prop the vine against the sticks, but the wind just blew it off. Then I decided to gently tie the squash stem in place, and that seems to have done the trick.<P>
I can already see that I'll have to add some additional slats in between the first and second tiers. There just needs to be more to grab onto.<p>
The best thing is that the squash is growing extremely well. There's lots of blossoms and bugs. We've had near perfect weather and rainfall -- so I'm looking forward to squash up the wazoo in a couple of months!<P>
<b>Ken Korczak is the author of:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1340147518&sr=1-1&keywords=ken+korczak">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA, VOLUME 1</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-46048007427394931312012-06-15T14:14:00.000-07:002012-06-15T14:17:22.467-07:00Grow 100 pounds of potatoes in four square feet<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Yw7Ftptqtg/T9ugqtsae-I/AAAAAAAAAiM/Yu87Co8FDb4/s1600/potatoes2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="257" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Yw7Ftptqtg/T9ugqtsae-I/AAAAAAAAAiM/Yu87Co8FDb4/s400/potatoes2.png" /></a>
By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=ken+korczak%2Caps%2C213">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
An idea that is spreading like wildfire across the country, especially among urban gardeners with very limited growing space, is the idea of using a tiered box structure to grow a whole lotta spuds.<p>
The method employs a tiered set of 4-foot by 4-foot boxes which are stacked one on top of the other. The potatoes are planted in the bottom tier, and as they grow upward, additional tiers are added to hold more soil. New soil is added to surround a portion of the potato greens -- the idea it to leverage the upper portion of the plants as further growth points for even more potatoes. <P>
That's the beauty of the potato plant. It's an extremely tough and opportunistic plant that will grow more spuds on more points of its body if allowed the opportunity.
The box is called a Lutovsky Box after Greg Lutovsky, a Washington State seed dealer who developed the method. I give a good general introduction to the Lutovsky Box <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-just-four-square-feet-well-maybe">IN MY STORY HERE</a>.<P>
Many people seem to be getting the wrong idea about exactly how the Lutovsky Box works. A good example of how not to do it can be viewed in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTksEi9P0Sc">THIS VIDEO</a>.<p>
To see a video on the right way to build a Lutovsky Box, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0L2axDtxWE&feature=fvwrel">CLICK HERE</a>.<P>
From what I have read among those who have tried the Lutovsky Box, few of them report they were able to achieve 100 pounds of product -- most report they were able to grow 50 to 80 pounds in their 4x4 tiered structure. That's still pretty good.<p>
Two of the primary keys to be successful with a Lutovsky Box are:<p>
1. Use soil that is well-mixed with dry mulch. Use either straw, pine mulch or some other substance that will keep the soil from getting too water logged, compact, and which will keep it well drained.<p>
2. Select a variety of potato that grows well in your zone or climate. Seek advice from your local County Extension agent, or a greenhouse or gardening expert. There are many variety of potatoes. Some grow much better in compact tiers than others.<p>
<b>Ken Korczak is the author of:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Paranormala-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B004Y5G114/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1339794788&sr=1-1&keywords=ken+korczak">MINNESOTA PARANORMALA</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-10878169135652112892012-06-07T15:51:00.000-07:002012-06-07T15:53:46.636-07:00Big energy companies may be getting nervous about solar<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCxwWfgoX3c/T9EvDi7bKNI/AAAAAAAAAfs/0lEMdvAxBao/s1600/Ohotnikovo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCxwWfgoX3c/T9EvDi7bKNI/AAAAAAAAAfs/0lEMdvAxBao/s400/Ohotnikovo1.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_10?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=ken+korcza%2Caps%2C237">KEN KORCZAK</a>:<P>
Just a note for you all to check out my story about solar energy. <i>(See link below)</i><p> I know solar is still expensive and hard to swing for many folks who want to be be more independent and free of the grid (and creepy energy companies). But I firmly believe the future for solar looks bright for those of us who dream of total food and energy independence. If the energy companies are getting nervous, well, that's a good sign:<P>
My story: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/are-minnesota-and-wisconsin-energy-companies-getting-nervous-about-solar-energy">KEN'S SOLAR ENERGY STORY</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-23586698618947922612012-06-05T15:48:00.000-07:002012-06-05T15:48:48.474-07:00Why buy tea? Wild wood strawberry tea is everywhere<table style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 5px 0px; background-color: YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR HERE; font-style:italic"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lc3Y-j8wD0/T86I3rVdnxI/AAAAAAAAAfc/I8GIEq6x5DA/s1600/87303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lc3Y-j8wD0/T86I3rVdnxI/AAAAAAAAAfc/I8GIEq6x5DA/s400/87303.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Wild wood strawberry © Photo Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=ken+korczak%2Caps%2C271">KEN KORCZAK</a><p>
Wild strawberry tea. How good does that sound? You don’t need a team of marketing consultants to come up with a name so pleasant and inviting for a tea.<p>
Strawberries grow wild just about everywhere in Minnesota. In my northwest corner of the state, you practically can't take a step without encountering this stuff everywhere. Just take a stroll along any country road and you’ll see oodles of wild strawberry plants on the roadside and in the ditches, bearing pretty white flowers in early summer, and tiny red berries later on.<p>
They’re also everywhere strewn across prairie lands, CRP, and in the woods growing among taller grasses. They look a lot like the strawberries grown by gardeners, so even an idiot like me had no trouble making a positive ID of this wild plant.<P>
To be specific, this tea is brewed from the dried leaves of the wood strawberry rather than the berry itself. Lee Allen Peterson’s <i>“A Field Guide to Edible Plants”</i> directs that you boil the dried leaves of wood strawberries to make a very pleasant and mild tea. That’s what I did, and that’s what I got.<P>
Don’t expect this tea to have a strawberry-like taste. Rather, when you boil the leaves, you get a very distinct tea-like flavor -- but this is a tea with almost a total lack of bitterness.
I find wild wood strawberry tea to be exceedingly subtle. It’s not only mild, but seems to personify that quality. This tea does not have the welcome sweetness of pineapple weed or sweet goldenrod tea, it has a more tea-like flavor, with all the good things of a tea, without a bit of the bad -- no bitterness, no after taste. Just tea. Pure tea.<P>
Wild strawberry tea is undemanding of the drinker. It gives without demanding. It puts one in the mood of acceptance, without resignation. It sends a soothing signal across the nerve endings, and gently washes the tension from an agitated mind.<P>
Here is a tea that a group of friends can imbibe while having quiet conversation sitting in an summer gazebo on 78-degree day with low humidity and gentle winds. The sky would be blue and barn swallows would veer and dart through the air as the adlibbing humans sipped below.<P>
If I wanted a rest for my mind, while also hoping to be inspired, I would choose this tea -- wild wood strawberry tea -- as my beverage of choice. It’s yet another amazing gift from the land, free and plentiful for everyone to simply pluck, brew and drink.<P>
<b>Ken Korczak is the author of:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Grant-Writer-Reveals-ebook/dp/B004RJ8RVY/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338936347&sr=1-4">SECRETS OF A GRANT WRITER</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-47383847151407411972012-06-04T11:54:00.000-07:002012-06-04T11:54:22.486-07:00Hunting wild aspragus<table style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 5px 0px; background-color: YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR HERE; font-style:italic"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SGjhCmmhbXU/T8z_bWYKlrI/AAAAAAAAAfM/NAGIJVXJSw8/s1600/524961_10151784635225013_866325012_24148386_757082139_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SGjhCmmhbXU/T8z_bWYKlrI/AAAAAAAAAfM/NAGIJVXJSw8/s400/524961_10151784635225013_866325012_24148386_757082139_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Wild Asparagus © Photo Ken Korczak</td></tr>
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By <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=ken+korczak&sprefix=Ken+Korczak%2Caps%2C430">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
This is wild asparagus time in northern Minnesota, although I should say, we're at the tale end of it. Wild asparagus is common in Minnesota, but less so here in the far north. But it seems I find more of it every year. I wonder if our constantly warming winters have something to do with it?<p>
If you are wondering how this wild stuff compares to that which you get in the grocery store, well, there is not comparison. This wild stuff is delicious beyond belief. In fact, I've never been much of an asparagus fan, but since I've discovered wild asparagus, that has all changed. This stuff is amazingly good! To me it almost has a garden pea kind of taste. If you bake it with some butter a touch of garlic and salt -- wow! It's sublime!<p>
Yes, it can be difficult to search out this natural gift from Mommy Nature, but they key is to look for the wilted fern-like scrubs from the previous year. They grow into a rather large, roughly triangular shaped plant about three feet tall. Once you learn to recognize them, you can spot them from a long way off, believe me. I often see them from my car growing in the sides of small ditches -- they seem to like to grow there.<p>
When you do find it, you'll know where it is every year after that. Wild asparagus returns year after year once it takes root. I once heard that asparagus and rhubarb are the only two perennial vegetables. (Yes, rhubarb is a vegetable!) When you plant asparagus in your garden, it takes three years before you get your first harvest.<p>
Remember that wild asparagus can be canned and also pickled! Let me tell you, a jar of pickled asparagus is a work of art.<p>
<b>A real fairy in northern Minnesota? This guy says so:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Redemption-Jubal-Cranch-ebook/dp/B004QTOOBW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338835897&sr=8-1">JUBAL CRANCH</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935355296771601226.post-27893131642352714552012-06-01T13:29:00.000-07:002012-06-01T13:29:46.049-07:00My Chicken Utopia: I Have Never Lost a Chicken to a Predator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q6UrTSErInI/T8ker43YgeI/AAAAAAAAAeg/w3EwFQtBum8/s1600/P1020208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q6UrTSErInI/T8ker43YgeI/AAAAAAAAAeg/w3EwFQtBum8/s400/P1020208.JPG" /></a></div>
<b>By</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ken+Korczak">KEN KORCZAK</a><P>
So I have been keeping chickens now for four years in a woodsy area of northern Minnesota, and in that time, I have never lost a single chicken to predators.<P>
Mind you, these parts are thick with beasties who enjoy a tasty chicken treat as much as any human being with a hankerin' for a greasy bucket of KFC. That which flyeth above include many variety of hawks and owls. Even a bald eagle occasionally perches in the lofty Norway pines standing sentinel over my yard.<P>
There’s also numerous fox, coyotes, wolves, weasels, raccoons, fishers, mink, bear -- pretty much anything that enjoys the occasional chicken din-din, we have it here. When I first started raising chickens, everyone told me: “Expect to loose a few now and then.”<P>
But I have never lost a chicken to predation, and my theory is that a situation has developed here that makes for a kind of natural chicken utopia.<P>
First, of course, my chickens are protected by night, locked up in the old grain bin I have c around wherever they want, far and wide. I do not keep them behind fences or in pens. I want my chickens to enjoy the illusion of free will.onverted into a chicken coup. But I release them at the crack of dawn, and they get to roam.<P>
I noticed the other day that when a hawk appeared nearby, the chickens saw it from a mile off, and scampered for the shelter of the woods. But what’s more interesting is that as soon as the hawk got close, a cadre of kestrels which nest in some tall cotton woods immediately launched and began harassing and dive bombing the hawk until it F’d off -- you know -- flapped off -- for a less stressful environment.<P>
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So the kestrels, which are hawks themselves, called sparrow hawks, are too small to tackle a chicken themselves. But they keep their larger cousins out of their territory, keeping the skies friendly above my chicken utopia.<P>
One of the most efficient predators of chickens are the wily weasel, and I have plenty of them. I have even seen them hanging around in the woods behind my chicken coup. So why don’t these critters score a chicken feast now and then? They’re clever, they can squeeze into small spaces, they’re determined, they’re hungry.<P>
It’s because most them end up dead on my porch step -- the weasel corpses are delivered up to me in a kind of sacred offering on a regular basis by my three cats. A lot of people think a weasel is too tough, fast or crafty for a cat. Not so.<P>
The remainder of all the would-be chicken-lickin’ critters, such as fox, fishers and wolves, must contend with my Australian Shepherd, who likes nothing more than to patrol the perimeter night and day, leaving his golden calling card in strategic locations, and barking his fool head off at every perceived flicker of movement in the woods, or at any snap of a twig he find suspicious.<P>
And so, it seems that a combination of common-sense shelter for the chicken at night, my well-fed cats who enjoy hunting purely for the sake of recreation, the air defenses of a cadre of cranky kestrels, and a restless Shepherd who’s obsessive-compulsive desire to keep all “others” out of his territory makes for a chicken utopia where only the Grim Reaper can claim a chicken soul via natural causes.<P>
<b>Check out Ken's eBook:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brain-Genius-ebook/dp/B004TZ0322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338582434&sr=8-1">BIRD BRAIN GENIUS</a>Ken Korczakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718139260976334840noreply@blogger.com0