Preserve harvest for winter meals and holiday gifts

The cucumbers have filled the vegetable drawer, you’ve run out of cabbage recipes and your family is refusing to eat one more BLT. Or maybe you just couldn’t resist that special deal on a bushel of tomatoes, potatoes or apples at the farmer’s market. So what is a gardener or shopper to do with all that produce?

Since properly stored vegetables will hold their flavor and nutritional value longer than those left in a plastic bag or set on the sunny kitchen counter, consider preserving some for the long winter ahead using one of several methods.

Storage orchard racks and slatted crates placed in a cool dark location have long been used to store squash, onions and potatoes. The stackable nature or drawers provide ample storage space, so fruits and vegetables do not touch. Keeping stored fruit separated prevents rot from spreading from one fruit to the next. Plus, the slatted sides allow airflow to extend storage longevity.

Those in colder climates can store their carrots and parsnips right in the garden. Once the soil gets a bit crunchy, cover them with straw or evergreen boughs for easier digging in winter. Then dig as needed or harvest during the first winter thaw. If this isn’t possible or not your style, try out a root vegetable storage bin. The root crops are layered in sand or sawdust and placed in a cool dark location. Just remove and use as needed. No snow shoveling needed.

Drying is one of the oldest food preservation techniques. Most of us have grabbed a few bundles of herbs to hang and dry. Expand your drying endeavors to include fruits and vegetables. The goal is to quickly remove moisture without cooking the food. You can make your own dehydrator or purchase one. Research has shown that blanching vegetables and fruit before drying helps destroy harmful bacteria. Blanching involves a a steam or boiling water bath followed by a coldwater bath. Timing varies with the fruit or vegetable you are preparing.

Another ancient food preservation technique, fermentation, is experiencing a comeback. Cultures around the world have fermented fruits and vegetables for thousands of years. Unique flavors, storage options and health benefits have many gardeners revisiting this tradition. Fermenting cucumbers into pickles, cabbage into sauerkraut, and berries into preserves are just a few options. The ingredients can be as simple as water, salt, and spices. All you need is a vessel, vegetables and fermenting culture. You can jump-start your efforts with a fermentation crock kit (gardeners.com), which includes the crock, cover and weights to make sure your veggies stay safely submerged in water.

Or quickly lock in the flavor and nutrition of your fruits and vegetables with freezing. You’ll need airtight containers or bags that are durable, don’t leak and won’t become brittle in cold temperatures. Some produce does not freeze well and others may need to be blanched before they are packed in the freezer bag or container. But frozen items can easily be retrieved from the freezer and included in your winter meals.

Canning is a bit more involved, but can be lots of fun. This process preserves the food and keeps it safe by preventing the growth of undesirable bacteria, yeast and mold. The sealed jars keep the flavor in and bad microorganisms out. So gather your produce, jars, pressure cooker, canner and friends to create tomato sauce, salsa, jams and jellies to enjoy or give as gifts.

Whatever method you choose, do a bit of research before you start. You’ll have greater success and a lot more fun. The National Center for Home Food Preservation website, http://nchfp.uga.edu, provides all the basic information for storage and food preservation.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books. Visit her website: www.melindamyers.com for gardening videos and tips.

Foley’s horrifying death, ISIS is a cancer that must be eliminated

The beheading of American journalist James Foley was horrifying. My prayers are with his family. May God comfort Foley’s soul in eternity.

Foley was one of our sons, brothers and friends. He was an American. I don’t see how we can sleep in this country until we destroy ISIS.

ISIS, is a world cancer and must be eliminated. I realize they are a long way from America, but cancer spreads fast.

Cancer is never welcome in any part of the human body. Cancer grows and kills. It has to be totally removed.

ISIS is the worst malignancy that has occurred on our planet since the Nazis.

I am opposed to putting American soldiers back on the ground in Iraq. However, we have drones, missiles and jets. We must unleash these at full throttle on ISIS. We must also provide the Iraqi people strategic military leadership and help neighboring countries defeat ISIS.

I have never been for America going to Iraq or any other Middle East country. I detest war. However, with ISIS we cannot sit idly by.

We are not on a separate planet too far removed for ISIS to bother us. They have their sights on America. Their goal is to strike fear and terror into all the Middle East and America. ISIS must be eliminated.

Glenn Mollette is an American columnist and author. To contact him, email: GMollette@aol.com.

Ferguson: An instant that could lead to a lifetime of change

In one instant, Michael Brown was identified as a threat and in the next he was dead. The people in Ferguson, Missouri have seen this story before and they are tired of its repetitive nature. It still remains unclear the exact threat that caused the officer to open fire on an unarmed teenager walking along the street in his hometown.

READ RELATED STORIES: Outrage, unrest erupt after fatal shooting of Missouri teen by police

Baltimore activists discuss events in Ferguson at town hall meeting

Police officials in Ferguson want us to know, by selectively releasing information that not only painted Brown in a bad light but also caught the attention of the Justice Department, that he was indeed a threat.

This information, unlike the highly redacted incident report, is meant to help support the threat determined by the officer who shot Michael Brown. The officer presumed that Michael Brown was a criminal, that Michael Brown posed a threat, and that Michael Brown didn’t have a voice.

The reality is that a defenseless Michael Brown was shot at least six times, including two shots to the head. The reality is that Michael Brown was denied his Fifth Amendment right to due process because of his appearance and his location. These non-relevant, external factors stem from a series of stereotypical attributes that would not exist if our society truly valued diversity and supported racial tolerance.

People generally mean well, but that is not an excuse to ignore the obvious facts that seem to elude the Ferguson narrative while sitting in plain sight. As the country’s attention has been directed towards the arrests and actions of the protestors, a similar incident occurred a few miles away 10 days later in St Louis where an officer fired 12 shots at nearly point blank range into Kajieme Powell, resulting in the death of yet

another young black man. Unfortunately, these incidents occur far too often in African-American communities, especially those facing economic adversity.

The protests in Ferguson represent a community that has grown tired of having their rights violated by the very people who have sworn to help protect them. Their purpose has become muddled and mired with a narrative searching for balance along the misguided theme of mob violence but should be centered on the core of this story: life and death.

Inconvenient and unwanted, the truth represented by the Ferguson protestors rocks our cultural ethos to its core. In the line of duty, all law enforcement officers do not operate with integrity and unwanted outcomes are bound to occur if we, as a society continue to be unwilling to scrutinize the instances when they act as the judge, jury and executioner.

Some may question the intentions of the protestors in Ferguson, but the results speak for themselves. The events around Michael Brown’s death are still part of the national consciousness, whereas Kajieme Powell’s story, regrettably, has received minimal interest.

We can all hope that the instant that led to Michael Brown’s death will cause police officer’s to better understand the element of reasonable fear, before attempting to take the life of a supposed threat.

E.N. Pailen is a Management Professional and native of the Baltimore area. He is a freelance writer with degrees in Political Science, Sociology and Finance.

CDC director raises Ebola alarm

— The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is much worse than official figures show, and other countries are unintentionally making it harder to control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden told CNN Tuesday.

READ RELATED STORY: Local Liberian community holds Ebola donation drive

“We’ve seen outbreaks of Ebola before. This is the first epidemic spreading widely through many countries and it is spiraling out of control,” said Frieden, who recently returned from a trip to the region. “It’s bad now, much worse than the numbers show. It’s going to get even worse in the very near future.”

More than 2,600 people have been infected by Ebola in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria since the outbreak began in December, according to the World Health Organization. More than 1,500 have died.

Other countries are turning their backs on those coming from countries where the outbreak is strongest, even if they don’t realize it, he said.

Measures to restrict flights and border crossings into the countries facing the outbreak were designed to contain the spread, but are having a paradoxical effect, Frieden said.

“This is making it really hard to get help in and to respond effectively to the outbreak,” he said on CNN’s “New Day.”

“What we’re seeing is a spiraling of cases, a hugely fast increase in cases, that’s harder and harder to manage,” he said. “The more we can get in there and tamp that down, the fewer cases we’ll have in the weeks and months to come.”

CNN’s Michaela Pereira contributed to this report.

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Baltimore activists discuss events in Ferguson at town hall meeting

— On Sunday, August 24, 2014, The Real News (www.therealnews.com) hosted a town hall meeting to discuss the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and how African Americans can be more involved in finding solutions to problems in the community.

The event was hosted by Pastor Heber Brown III of Pleasant Hope Church and Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., president and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus and it was recorded to be aired at a later date. Check The Baltimore Times Facebook page for more details.

The who’s who of the positive black voices in Baltimore attended, including: bloggers, educators and journalists. Everyone present had a chance to be heard and offered good advice and insight. It was truly one of the most refreshing events in recent memory. Here is just a sample from those who attened about their thoughts on the town hall meeting:

Janae True of JanaeTru.com: Being a part of this event was important in order to understand how Ferguson’s uprising can be replicated in cities across the country. Assessing issues such as race, police militarization and black on black crime are important in order for us to move forward as a generation and save the next Mike Brown. After this discussion I would like Baltimoreans mobilized toward demanding safer streets and regaining control of our communities.”

Jimmie Thomas (Co-Founder of Curators of Hip-Hop): “This meeting was important because it had a diverse group of change makers in the communities. There were no talking heads and it was a real and true conversation from solution seekers in the Baltimore area. Often times when there is a town hall meeting there are people who are not doing stuff in the community engaged in conversation. It’s usually angered and frustrated everyday people who are asking for solutions. This was a backroom meeting of the people who are solving problems in their community without the backing of outside influences. So it really comes from the heart.”

Indie Soul welcomes your questions and comments. To contact Phinesse Demps, call 410-366-3900 ext. 3016 or 410-501-0193 or email: pdemps@btimes.com. Follow him on Twitter@lfpmedia.

Indie Soul Entrepreneur of the Week: April Wilson

Entrepreneur April Wilson says she always wanted to create something. Keeping true to her dream, Wilson, who is from Baltimore, has designed one of the most exciting products on the market— the Ultra Cuddle.

The Ultra Cuddle is a patented uniquely designed oversized shawl blanket with feet pockets.

“I have had ideas and concepts for other products in the past, but after seeing a particular product on the market, and seeing that there was more that could have been done better, I set out to design something of better quality and comfort,” said Wilson.

The Ultra Cuddle features plush feet pockets and is made with super plush fabric. It’s one size fits all, machine washable and has a front opening for easy movement.

Wilson’s business venture has taught her the importance of getting trademarks, copyrights and patents. “It is very important to protect your brand and make sure that you handle your paperwork correctly.”

She is using her experience to help others to manage their businesses by attending speaking engagements and seminars where she serves as a mentor. Eventually, she plans to manage and sell Ultra Cuddle full time. With the success of her first business venture, the next one is not too far off. Congratulations to April Wilson, our Indie Soul Entrepreneur of the Week.

For more information about the Ultra Cuddel, visit: www.ultracuddle.com.

Indie Soul welcomes your questions and comments. To contact Phinesse Demps, call 410-366-3900 ext. 3016 or 410-501-0193 or email: pdemps@btimes.com. Follow him on Twitter@lfpmedia.

Ravens finalize roster

— The Baltimore Ravens were one of the first teams to get their roster down to 75 players. There are sure to be more moves to be made as the Ravens finalize their 53 man roster. Versatility was the key to remaining on the roster for some of the Ravens players. Here is the Ravens roster breakdown:

RELATED STORY: Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken keeps on fighting

QBs: Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor will be the backup but there was some belief that the Ravens would keep three quarterbacks on their roster. Rookie Keith Wenning had a strong showing against the New Orleans Saints in the last preseason game. He is a very accurate passer that they hope to keep on the practice squad.

RBs: Bernard Pierce, Lorenzo Taliaferro, Justin Forsett FB: Kyle Juszczyk

Pierce will be the starter in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals if he is passes concussion protocol. If not, Taliaferro is more than capable of carrying the load. He reminds me of former San Diego Chargers running back Natrone Means because of how swift he is on his feet despite his size (6-0, 226 lbs). Juszczyk could become a key option in that passing game and will also serve as the lead blocker. Ray Rice will be on the reserved/suspension list and is set to come back for the third game of the season against the Cleveland Browns.

WRs: Steve Smith Sr., Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, Marlon Brown, Deonte Thompson, Mike Campanaro, Kamar Aiken

This was one of the most competitive battles during training camp. Thompson, Campanaro and Aiken were in a fight for the final two receiver spots. Jeremy Butler was also in the mix but he has been placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. It’s interesting that they kept seven receivers on the roster. Don’t be surprised if there is another roster move here. They may release one of them to sign a free agent to add depth at other positions.

TEs: Dennis Pitta, Owen Daniels, Crockett Gilmore

The Ravens have a solid group of tight ends. Pitta will get to use his athleticism on a lot of tight end screens. Gilmore was not a consistent option during the preseason but he is a big target for Flacco and can be line up flexed out wide. Gilmore can also play in the slot.

Center: Jeremy Zuttah, Gino Gradkowski

The trade for Zuttah was an excellent move. His skill set fits the zone scheme very well. Coach John Harbaugh has been pleased with what he has seen so far from Zuttah. Gradkowsi was the starter last year and will be a valuable backup at both center and guard.

OG: Kelechi Osemele, Marshall Yanda, John Urshchel

The Ravens made an interesting decision when they released Ryan Jensen. They seemed to have given up on Jensen after only one year in the NFL. Osemele is coming back from an injury and has his sights set on his first pro bowl season. Yanda remains one of the best guards in the NFL and is a bulldozer of a run blocker. Urshcel is a rookie that was retained instead of Jensen.

OT: Eugene Monroe, Rick Wagner, Jah Reed, James Hurst

The Ravens are thrilled with the left side of their offensive line. That is in large part due to Monroe. Wagner will be on the right side and is starting for the first time in his brief career. He won the right tackle competition during training camp and will replace the departed Michael Oher.

CB: Jimmy Smith, Lardarius Webb, Asa Jackson, Chykie Brown

Smith, Jackson and Webb will be returning from injury. Smith sustained his injury during the second preseason game when he landed on his back as he tried to break up a pass. Webb had a back injury flare up that kept him from playing in the preseason. Jackson seemed to beat out Brown in the fight for nickel cornerback. He was injured against the San Francisco 49ers in the preseason opener. Brown will provide insurance at left corner in Webb should go down from his back injury again.

Safety: Matt Elam, Darian Stewart, Terrence Brooks. Anthony Levine, Jeromy Miles

Brynden Trawick

Stewart is a surprise starter here but he has earned it. Many thought that Brooks would beat Steward out. Brooks has shown great improvement over the last two weeks. He said that he is really learning how important it is to stay in his playbook. It’s clear that he is in his playbook and as a result, Brooks is playing much faster. Brooks, Levine and Miles all have the ability to double as corners also. Trawick struggled in the preseason and I am surprised that he is still on the roster.

WLB C.J. Mosely, Arthur Brown, Albert McClellan OLB: Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw

Mosely and Brown are two of the more speedy linebackers. Brown was racking up tackles while he worked with the second team. He will be the future linebacker opposite of Mosely. They’ll give the Ravens a young, athletic combination once Daryl Smith moves on.

OLB: Terrell Suggs, Pernell McPhee

Suggs and McPhee both got consistent pressure on quarterbacks during training camp. Suggs was virtually unstoppable at times. McPhee is a big linebacker in the mold of former Steeler’s linebacker, Levon Kirkland.

SLB: Daryl Smith, Josh Bynes, Zachary Orr

Smith was an excellent acquisition last year. He may not be as athletic as Brown or Mosely but he does play all over the field. Bynes and Orr were kept because of their impact on special teams.

DE: Chris Canty NT: Brandon Williams, DeAngelo Tyson DT: Haloti Ngata, Terence Cody, Timmy Jernigan

The Ravens are extremely pleased with the way that their defensive line has looked during the preseason. Williams is going to be a starter for the first time and was dominating the inside gaps against the Cowboys. Ngata will move over to three technique and play alongside of Williams. Jernigan brings a lot of energy to the defensive tackle position.

K: Justin Tucker, P: Sam Koch LS: Morgan Cox KR/PR: Jacoby Jones

Tucker and Koch remain one of the best special teams. Tucker has shown that he can hit field goals from over 55 yards. Jones is an explosive player that is very we liked.

Reserve/Injured: DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, G Will Rackley, CB Aaron Ross, DE Brent Urban

Reserved/Physically Unable to Perform: DT/NT Terrence Cody Reserve/Suspended: RB Ray Rice, Safety Will Hill

Rambling Rose: Tony Williams Jazz Festival; A Labor Day Music Barbecue

— Hello everyone! I just want to say happy Labor Day weekend to all of you. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

By the time you read this, I will already be in Philadelphia, getting ready to do my thing at the Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival as I have done for the past 24 years. I am sorry I won’t be able to attend any of the local events this weekend, but I wish you much success and I hope your event is well attended.

I know many of you will be gathering with family and friends at your homes, in your backyards and perhaps the parks with boom boxes jumping with your favorite music— and that’s okay! But you know me— I love live entertainment, so I will be at a jazz music barbecue in Philadelphia. The Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival as always is Labor Day Weekend, August 29 to September 1 at the Philadelphia Airport Embassy Suites, 9000 Bartram Avenue in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.

Bill Cosby is a regular fixture every year doing stand-up comedy or playing drums with his hometown buddies band, called “Bill Cosby & The Reunion Band” at the Tony Williams Jazz Festival on Labor Day weekend August 29th thru September 1st at the Philadelphia Airport Embassy Suites.

Bill Cosby is a regular fixture every year doing stand-up comedy or playing drums with his hometown buddies band, called “Bill Cosby & The Reunion Band” at the Tony Williams Jazz Festival on Labor Day weekend August 29th thru September 1st at the Philadelphia Airport Embassy Suites.

The entertainment is always awesome. The menu for the barbecue cookout is quite fitting for the occasion. The musicians’ cooking at this year’s cook-out will be Walter Clark with his buttery tenor sax; Kenny Gates will play sweet sounds on the piano while Tony Williams gets saucy with the tenor sax. Don’t forget vocalist Barbara Walker whose luscious voice rounds out the group like a good peach cobbler tops off a summer barbecue.

Members of the Council of Jazz Advocates and co-founders of the Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival are: the late Ronnie Wells, President, Thelma Anderson and the late Mildred Twitty.

Members of the Council of Jazz Advocates and co-founders of the Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival are: the late Ronnie Wells, President, Thelma Anderson and the late Mildred Twitty.

The music is jumping, the grills are smoking, but wait a minute… In comes funny man Bill Cosby with T-bone steaks. He’s doing stand-up comedy while beating a snare drum. Okay, some of the guests are down home folks, so the cookout needs a little Frank Bey for some bluesy collard greens. His band throws in the ham-hocks for some extra seasoning.

Putting the icing on the cake, the chief, Tony Williams has everybody take off their shoes while he plays some down home blues. While fixing me a drink, Miss Justine’s Ensemble sings her song. Hosts Rosalee Boyer and husband Chris make sure everyone is happy, while the co-founder, Thelma Anderson oversees vendors with a smile on her face. You can still join the party by calling 215-364-4500 to get your ticket and make reservations. The “After the Festival Party” is the “Blue Monday Jam” at LaRose Jazz Club, 5531 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. I will see you there!

In Baltimore, “Homeless Support Services” is hosting a “Fundraiser Cabaret” on August 30 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Pikesville Town Hall located at 40 East Sudbrook Lane in Pikesville, Maryland. Music will be played by DJ Jammon Jess with free beer, food and setups. Don’t forget to BYOB your favorite beverage. For more information, call 443-604-6651.

Well, my dear friends, I have to go. It is party time. Remember, if you need me, call me at 410-833-9474 or you can email me at rosapryor@aol.com. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, I’M MUSICALLY YOURS.

Local Liberian community holds Ebola donation drive

— Johnetta Flomo lives in Maryland and he’s worried about Ebola.

READ RELATED STORY: CDC director raises Ebola alarm

When he thinks about his family back in Liberia, he can’t help but be afraid. “People are scared,” he says. “I speak to people every day in my family and my community and they are panicking, they’re just scared.”

They’re scared because West Africa is in the grip of one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history. Ebola is a deadly virus that damages the immune system and organs causing severe bleeding inside and outside the body. It spreads through direct contact with body fluids and kills up to 90 percent of people who are infected.

Volunteers begin to pack up medical supplies

(Photo/Frank Ben Weller II)

Volunteers begin to pack up medical supplies

According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there are over 2600 cases and more than 1400 deaths in the affected countries of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Liberia counts for nearly half of those deaths with 624 suspected Ebola deaths since August 22.

CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden traveled to the region this week and told NPR in an interview from the Liberian capital of Monrovia that the situation is, “overwhelming” and “unprecedented.” He said his agency “is working flat out on this, but this is huge and needs a global response. … They need a lot of help from the world.”

Boxes ready to be shipped to Liberia

Boxes ready to be shipped to Liberia

As National Secretary for the North America Liberia Adventist Association (NALAASDA) Flomo decided to stop wringing his hands in fear and do something to help. On Sunday August 10, in conjunction with the Liberian Association of Maryland, NALAASDA held an Ebola Awareness and Donation Fund Drive at Deep Creek Middle School in Essex.

Over 250 people showed up to donate needed medical supplies including bleach, hand sanitizer and soap as well as protective clothing like surgical gowns, safety goggles, examination gloves and shoe covers. All of the materials are going to an Ebola center in Monrovia.

The need for medical equipment is real. Caretakers and healthcare workers account for a large number of the deaths due to their proximity to contagious body fluids as they care for sick patients. On Tuesday, WHO reported over 240 cases among health care workers. “In many cases, medical staff are at risk because no protective equipment is available – not even gloves and face masks. Even in dedicated Ebola wards, personal protective equipment is often scarce or not being properly used,” WHO said in a statement dated August 25.

The well attended donation drive drew Liberians as well as Americans who wanted to help. Flomo recalled a touching moment, “There was a little girl, an American, maybe 7 years old who came with her grandfather. She donated her whole savings. People teared up when they saw that.”

NALAASDA plans to hold another drive in the near future to help Liberia in its continuing battle against the worsening epidemic. Flomo says he’s grateful for American help including sending 50 CDC health workers to the region and sharing the experimental serum ZMapp that appears to have helped infected American missionaries Dr. Kent Brantly and health care worker Nancy Writebol.

The recent dire proclamations from WHO and the CDC are all the more reason for NALAASDA and the Maryland Liberian Association to continue their work. Flomo says the donation drive is the first of many and encourages the entire community, not just Liberians to support the drives.

“This is not just an African situation, this is a worldwide situation. When it’s all said and done the question will not be what did ‘they’ do to help us, but what did we do to help ourselves?”

For more information or to make a donation visit nalaasda.com.

The following areas have been designated as drop-off stations for medical supplies:

The Peoples Community Lutheran Church

6200 Loch Raven Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21239

Contact: Gurley Telewoda (410) 206-1231

The Bethel World Church Baltimore

5436 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214

Contact: Pastor Patrick Nepay (443) 985-6543

The Redeemed Christian Church of God

106 Riverside Drive, Essex, MD 21221

Contact: Willie Cooper (410) 344-3210