Yeast

Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter Recipe:

Looking to buy bread at the grocery store, and seeing it was sold out at the time, I next moved on to looking for yeast. Thinking well I'll just make bread myself, and the yeast was sold out! After a few shopping trips at multiple stores I did indeed find yeast and eventually bread, but I was then inspired to start my own yeast to have on hand as well. An abundance of herbs and the cool spring weather fuelled the desire to bake as well.

What you need:

• Pineapple juice
• Flour
• Water
• Mason Jar 

How to:

1. Keeping at room temperature, Mix 2 tbsp of Pineapple Juice and 3 Tbsp Flour in a Mason Jar.
2. Stir the mixture 3 times in 24 hrs.
3. After 24hrs, add 3 Tbsp of Flour and 2 Tbsp of water.
4. Stir the mixture 3 times in 24 hrs.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 5 days. Yeast should start forming after that, creating bubbling.

Ongoing Maintenance:

• Discard half, use in a recipe.
• If you plan on using a lot of yeast you can leave it at room temperature to grow faster while feeding it daily/or you may keep it in the fridge, feeding once weekly to make about enough for weekly use.
• ...And to Feed:
• After discarding half of the mixture, fill mixture amount back with equal amounts in weight of water and flour(2 parts water and 3 parts flour). Place the mixture in the fridge. 
• If your mixture starts to have an unpleasant smell or shows growth of mold, toss immediately and start again new.
• If your mixture accumulates access liquid, poor the excess liquid out and add more flour to feed it in the future.
• If you are going to substitute dry yeast in a recipe for your wild yeast sourdough starter: Substitute 1 cup of starter for a package of dry yeast, then subtract 1/2 a cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour from your recipe. 

All DIY projects shown on LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

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4 Week Propagation Update on our Valentine's Day Roses:

When the Roses wilt, we regrow them Or grow potatoes. #Growalittle™

https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2020/02/growing-roses.html

Checking in on our Rose Stems... 

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC, used three methods for propagating wilting long stem roses.

1. Using Fast Root and Planting in Dirt
2. Using Honey, placing in a Potato and Planting in Dirt
3. Placing in water with a water soluble fertilizer.

Method 1. Using Fast Root and Planting in Dirt.

2.Using Honey, placing in a Potato and Planting in Dirt.

There are still leaves attached and no signs of growth from the Rose Stems yet.

And 4 week update...

The Rose stems are dead, but I now have a bucket of Potatoes growing. By continuing to add dirt to the bucket these potato plants should keep growing. I may not have salvaged the roses, but I will have more potatoes soon! #growyourown #growalittle

3. Placing in water with a water soluble fertilizer.

The original leaves have fallen off and new leaves are sprouting in their places. 

The water propagation in test tubes is taking off the fastest.

... And the 4 week update.

I may have accidentally cooked them,tried to revive them. Luckily my husband often brings home roses, so starting over again!

...

Started a week later we left our Peach Long Stem Roses trimmed up in their vase to propagate.

And the 4 week update...

Hoping to keep these ones going and plant outside when the threat of frost has passed.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

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Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™

Dehydrating

Preservation through Dehydration:

An easy way to help preserve fresh fruit, herbs and other foods is through dehydration. Making your perishables last a little longer. Dehydrated foods can last from 4 months to over a year!

There are many methods of dehydration:

• Sun Drying
• Air Drying
• Freeze Drying
• Open Coal Drying 
• Oven Drying
• Electric Food Drying (Which is how Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC usually dries our herbs, veggies and fruits).

What you will need:

• An electric dehydration machine. I use a Presto Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator. 
• The Food Dehydrator you choose should come with instructions for how to best prep and process your dehydrations.
• Cutting Board
• Knifes
• Storage for you dehydrated Goods

How to:

• Read the directions for the dehydrating unit you have.
• Cut/Slice the items you intend to dehydrate according to the specifications of the machine you are using. 
• Place your food in the machine, turn on and wait!

 

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™

Rose 🥀 Update

2 Week Propagation Update on our Valentine's Day Roses:

When the Roses wilt, we regrow them. #Growalittle™

https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2020/02/growing-roses.html

Checking in on our Rose Stems... 

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC, used three methods for propagating wilting long stem roses.

1. Using Fast Root and Planting in Dirt
2. Using Honey, placing in a Potato and Planting in Dirt
3. Placing in water with a water soluble fertilizer.

Method 1. Using Fast Root and Planting in Dirt.

2.Using Honey, placing in a Potato and Planting in Dirt.

There are still leaves attached and no signs of growth yet.

There are still leaves attached and no signs of growth from the Rose Stems yet.

There does seem to be something sprouting from the soil in the potato bucket. Waiting to see what is growing. The Potatoes with the Rose Stems were not washed prior to planting. 

3. Placing in water with a water soluble fertilizer.

The water propagation in test tubes is taking off the fastest.

Starting a week later we left our Peach Long Stem Roses trimmed up in their vase to propagate.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™

Making Maple Syrup

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC made our first Maple Syrup Run this year, February 2020. Here is how we made our syrup, following up from our Blog on tapping Maple Trees 

https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2020/02/maple-tree-tapping.html . 

What you will need to make Maple Syrup:

• Maple Sap (40 gallons of Sap will make roughly 1 gallon of Maple Syrup.)
• Large Pots is what we used. There are also pans made specifically for Maple Syrup making.
• Something to Boil the sap in the pots on. We used an old wood burning stove that a friend gave us. You could use a well maintained campfire or again a unit that is pre-designed for Maple Syrup making. You could use your kitchen stove top. We did to finish, but that will let a lot of humidity into your home, so not ideal.
• Fuel and Fire/Electricity. We used wood. If you are doing the process the way we have you will need a lot of firewood to boil the sap for multiple days. 
• A Hydrometer
• A filter and something to support it. We used a funnel.
• Your choice of storage. We used mason jars.

Boiling Sap through the Night and Day to make Syrup.

As our Syrup was boiling down low outside, we brought it into the kitchen to finish up. 

How to, or how we did:

• Pour the Sap from your 5 gallon collection buckets into large pans for boiling.
• Start a fire in the wood stove to heat the Sap to a boil.
• Keep the sap boiling uncovered until most of the water has boiled off. This may take a couple of days.
• When you think the sap may be getting boiled down enough, take a sample and test it with your Hydrometer. Here's a link for how to use your Hydrometer https://www.wikihow.com/Read-a-Hydrometer. Sap reaches Syrup at 66% sugar.
• When the Syrup is ready use a filter to strain the mixture so that you can remove any impurities. 
• Pour your strained, 66% sugar Syrup into the jars or containers that you will be storing them in. Refrigeration is recommended. Syrup will keep longest frozen and will not fully freeze. 

Make sure whichever methods you use to use all safety precautions and beware the dangers of heat and fire. 

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

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Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™

Maple Tree Tapping

Here in New Hampshire Mid February to Mid April, dependant on weather, is Maple Tree tapping season. Carrying out New Traditions today by using some of the Maple Trees located at Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC to collect Sap to turn into Syrup this weekend. 

What you need:

• A Maple Tree
• 12-20 inches in Diameter for one tap
• 21-27 inches in Diameter for two taps
• 28 inches in Diameter or wider for three taps
• Stainless Steel Maple Syrup Taps 
• Hammer
• Measuring Tape
• Drill with 5/16 Drill bit
• 5/16" ID 7/16" OD Clear Vinyl Tubing FDA Approved Food Grade Multipurpose Tube
• Food Grade 5 Gallon Bucket with Lid

How To:

Identify your Maple Tree(s). Measure the size of the Tree you intend to use to verify that it is an adequate size. With the Drill and 5/16 bit Drill a 1.5" hole straight into the tree. Using the Hammer, hammer the Maple Syrup Tap into the hole in the Maple Tree. Push the 5/16 tubing onto the tap to seal, Drill a hole into the lid of the 5 Gallon Bucket to fit the hose into. The lid should prevent anything falling into your sap while you are collecting it. 

You will need to collect 40 Gallons of Sap to boil down to 1 Gallon of Syrup. This is a weekend project here. After the buckets fill they will need to be slowly boiled down to evaporate the water and make the Syrup sweeter. We will follow up this Post with another showing how we made our Syrup.

...https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2020/02/making-maple-syrup.html 

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

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Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™

Growing Roses

We have decided to try a couple of new traditions with our old after Valentine's Day traditions. We love to regrow our Valentine's Day Roses from the leftover stems as they wilt each year. Convinced by a friends suggestion, we gave three methods for growing your own roses from stems a try. Hopefully these will take, and in a few months we will be able to update with which methods worked best for us.

Method 1: Propagation in Water

What you will need:

Water

A vase or jar

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

We saved our petals to use in our Bath Teas and other projects later.

How to:

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Place in Water and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form in the water. 

Plant the rose in Soil or your choice of growing method.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Method 2: Plant Stem directly in Dirt, Potted or Outside dependant on location seasonally. 

What you will need:

Dirt and a hand shovel

A vase/jar/space 

Rooting Hormone, such as Fast Root

Water and fertilizer

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

How to:

Have Dirt in vase/jar/space to plant your Rose Stem.

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Dip the tip of the bottom of the Rose Stem in a Rooting Hormone.

Place in Soil in vase/jar/space.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form. 

You may use a clear cover to help contain the moisture for your plant while it's rooting. Using something that mimics a greenhouse effect will help ensure that your stems root properly, but monitor your plant to avoid mold or unwanted conditions. 

Method 3: Dip Rose Cuttings in Honey and Plant in a Potato, in Soil.

What you will need:

Soil and a hand shovel

A Potato and Something to poke a hole into it, We used a metal chopstick

Honey

A Bucket/Planter or you may plant it outside dependant on location, seasonally.

Water and fertilizer

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

How to:

Have Dirt in vase/jar/space to plant your Rose Stem.

Poke a hole into your Potato.

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Dip the tip of the bottom of the Rose stem in honey and place into the Potato.

Place in Soil in vase/jar/space.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form. 

You may use a clear cover to help contain the moisture for your plant while it's rooting. Using something that mimics a greenhouse effect will help ensure that your stems root properly, but monitor your plant to avoid mold or unwanted conditions. 

https://www.instagram.com/littlelakeviewconservatory/

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™