Dehydrating stevia and lots of peppers

good afternoon lovely friends!!!!            the sun is shining brightly here in my neck of the woods and I'm thankful for it.            I know as of late, a lot of people are hurting from the hurricanes that have ripped thru the Southern US and the Appalachian Mountains.           lots of death and destruction has taken place and my heart breaks for them all.             I pray that God will help the survivors.        I pray that this country will step up and help these good people.           please continue to pray for these people and the areas that has been devastated.            it will be a very long recovery period.           years and years for most.  

it's just about that time to wrap up the summer garden and put it to bed for the long season.           oh how it breaks my heart.             I have enjoyed this garden season.           and I love doing things that people have said it can't work or it won't work.            if you want to see this old person get into a tizzy, just tell me that something can't be done, and I'll prove you wrong or right, one of the other.        but when it comes to gardening, I'll probably prove you wrong, but you'll never know it.           unless you find it out by accident.           hahahaha            """if you can't be an encourager, keep ya yap shut."""        hahaha              """but if ya say it to me, I'll prove ya wrong every time!!!"""           hahaha

just wanted to share what I'm up to over the last few weeks and a little bit about why I do what I do sometimes.             I've had a lot on my dehydrators the last few weeks, so this is just a touch of what I've been up to.              but I need to share why I do what I do.

the first pic is my harvest from sept 24th.           the pic second pic is everything I got on the dehydrator sept 25th.         I stripped the stevia leaves from the stems yesterday and got a good 2 quarts.    I just popped them in the fridge till this morning.        I got them layered on 3 of the trays.          they are on the bottom of my upward forced air dehydrator.             I didn't want my stevia getting hot pepper infused into it. although that might be an idea......hummmm.                  hahaha

so that leaves me with all these peppers. my goal is to be able to keep each pepper separate and all their seeds respectively separate too.       I done some experimenting a few years ago and this is something that I found out.        not only does dehydrating at 110*F keep my produce from turning gray or black, but it also doesn't damage any of the viable seeds in the produce.             I was in an online group, and  I asked if anyone had ever planted a seed from a dehydrated pepper.          I was quickly jumped on, cussed up one side and down the other for EVEN ASKING that question.          well, that was all the dogged determination I needed to find out for myself what can be done.         and I'm happy to report that I did find out.

do not ever plan on next years garden coming from dehydrated seeds.          that's NOT what I'm saying at all.            but I am saying, that if you've dehydrated your seeds at 110*F and if the seeds are viable to begin with, even before dehydrating, guess what?            they're still viable.         they will grow a pepper plant.             but, that's only if the seed was viable to begin with.

when I was told that it was impossible and that I was stirring a pot, well, that didn't sit well with me.      I'm not a pot stirrer!!!!!           but that was all I needed to set out and prove it one way or the other.       I have a small greenhouse on my deck.          I've started hundreds of seeds in it over the years.          it gets up to 125 degrees easily and my thermometer doesn't go any higher, so it probably gets hotter.           but seeds will germinate in the heat of that greenhouse.           now, I try not to let it get that hot during the day when I'm trying to sprout seeds, but sometimes it might get that hot before I get the door opened.

that particular spring I dug around and found seeds in the bottom of my pepper jar that I had dehydrated the fall before.           I put them in my seed trays.        nothing.           I done a couple more, making sure I got seeds that looked like they were viable.        nothing.

as soon as I got peppers that was ready to come off the plant later in the summer when they started changing color, I was picking different types of peppers and that's when my experimenting started.

I knew I had been dehydrating at 135*F.            so I loaded a few peppers and dropped the temp to 125*F.             as soon as they were dehydrated, I got another batch going at 120*F.         as soon as they were dehydrated I done another batch at 115*F.          and the last batch I done was at 110*F.          then I took a few seeds from each temperature that I had dehydrated and started the process of trying to see what, if anything would grow.

just a couple of seeds from each temp and marked my trays well.          from that experiment, the only thing that sprouted and grew was from the 110*F and the 115*F dehydrated peppers.         both seeds that I planted from the 110*F pepper jar came up.           1 seed from the 115*F pepper jar came up.        none of the rest of them came up.

the next year, I done basically the same thing.        and for the last 2 or 3 years, I've been dehydrating everything at 110*f for these reasons that I have mentioned.            for beautiful colors of my produce and viable pepper seeds.

like I said, do not count on a garden from dehydrated seeds.        but if someone gives you some pepper that you love, that's been dehydrated, ask them at what temp they dehydrated.         you just may be able to grow a pepper from one of the seeds.           once I figured that out, now, when I give someone some dehydrated peppers, I always tell them that if they like the peppers, try to grow a pepper from a seed, because most of them will be viable.

now, back to the pictures.          I wanted to keep all the peppers and their seeds separate from the others.      so I got to digging around and found these little parchment tart cups.           I took the liners from my trays and flattened these out just a little bit and then as I sliced my peppers, I put them in the little tart cups.          they turned out to be perfect for what I was wanting to do.         when I got done with cutting one variety, I washed the cutting board, my knife and my gloves I used to chop up those hot little buggers.          so I think this will be a good way to help keep all the peppers and seeds separate.

each year I always grow 1 or 2 peppers from each variety that I have dehydrated.          just to keep proving to myself that I done something that someone told me was impossible to do and then commenced to cuss me.

this probably isn't something for everyone to try.          but if you have an experimental attitude, you may want to try the same thing.            my philosophy is "something is better than nothing". and if seeds ever get hard to come by, then for a while, I'll have seeds of some of my favorite peppers to grow.

experimenting with seeds is not a bad thing.        if it was, I would not, under any circumstances suggest anyone try it and I would not have done it myself.           I want to always be safe in my kitchen and garden and I would never make a suggestion that could knowingly harm someone in any way.         if anything, I'll strongly discourage anyone from doing something potentially harmful.

having said all that, I'll even encourage you to save seeds from anything hybrid. when you can't get seeds, "something is be better than nothing."         just don't buy into the traditional "NO, you can't do that!!!"          guess what, can't never did do anything but discourage those around it.            so try to save seeds from anything you can get your hands on.             hybrid or heirloom, a seed is a seed and will produce something.             you know my drill by now, "something is better than nothing!!!"

now you know the rest of the story.         hahaha          I hope if you don't grow something, this may be the encouragement you need to grow something.             you don't have to big garden.           just a pot with a basil plant in it.             a pot with a tomato plant in it.            a pot with a pepper plant in it.        those are all easy and pretty simple to grow.            try it.         you just may have a green thumb.         I spend some of my best times of worship in the garden, just my plants, myself and God.         God does it all.           I do my part, plant a seed and He does the rest.            to be quite honest, that's actually the rest of the story.           God makes my gardening look like I know what I'm doing.           in reality, I don't, but He is the Master Gardener.      

I hope you learned something here today.           don't take no for an answer if it's not something that can make you or someone else sick.          but planting dehydrated seeds will in no wise make anyone sick, maybe only the one who has a cussing fit and says it won't work.         well, it does work.        we'll just remember to give 'em a big ole southern "well, bless their heart!"          then move on.          hahaha

blessing on you all.            remember that God loves you and that He provided a way for you to be in right relationship with Him thru the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ!!!!            Jesus is the only way to the Father.           so if you don't Jesus today, why not let today be the day that you accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life.           hugs and love to all, patty

But God............

good early evening my lovely friends.           I pray that where we all are today that we have enjoyed the day that was given to us by God.          I pray that we all take the time to thank Him for allowing us to be a part of His wonderful creation today.          

oh, I know there's lots going on that maybe we should think about, lots of stuff designed by the devil himself just to distract us.           but you know what, we need to think more about how God can intervene in all the messes we find ourselves in.            He can clean them up, we can't.             we have removed God from so many places in our lives, but we can bring Him back to those places.           

it's up to us Christians to make sure that we bring the presence of God with us where ever we go.          we just have to.         we stand up with Jesus on our side.        one of the things that we need to do is look for the "but God" moments in scripture.          we need to look for them, find them, and read them, and read them, and read them.         get familiar with them.          then, when face adversity, illness, or whatever we may be facing, we'll know that we can count on God to be with us.        

at some point in time we can look back on our situation and know that, "but God" changed our situation for the good.          what will it look like?          only God knows.         you may still suffer the loss of a loved one, but God will help you thru it.         no matter what the situation, God will help us thru it.          

use the scriptures below as a starting place to get familiar with some of the "but God" moments in scripture.        these are in no particular order.         just read them and lean into them during times when you need an intervention with a "but God" moment.

Romans 6:23    For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13    No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . .

1 Corinthians 3:6    I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Acts 13:29-30    When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead . . .

Matthew 19:26    Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Psalm 73:26    My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Genesis 50:20     You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Jonah 2:6     To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit.

Acts 3:15     You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.

Acts 7:9-10     Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles.

Romans 5:6-8    For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Samuel 23:14     David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

Genesis 8:1     But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
 
Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:19     But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The “Lord knows those who are his,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity’.

2 Chronicles 20:15     And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Psalm 73:26     My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Romans 5:8      But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 1:27      But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Job 28:23      But God understands the way to wisdom, and he knows its location.

Psalm 66:19     But God did listen and answered my prayer.

Psalm 54:4      But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!

1 Corinthians 10:13       No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Psalm 3:3      But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

Psalm 49:15      But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; He will surely take me to Himself.

Psalm 86:15      But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 


This is just a few of the "....but God" moments in scripture.         there are many more there for the finding.        kinda like searching for pearls, and knowing the great  pearls are there.        treat these "but God" moments just like they are a treasure, because they are.         these are the times when you know you can trust Him.        He is always faithful.         He will always see us thru our darkest time.        I don't know what it will be like for you or me on the other side of your/our circumstances, I just know that if we know Him, we'll not ever be alone.

read and get familiar with these scriptures and there are many more pearls to search out.        as you look at each scripture, I challenge you to go to the bible and read about what the particular situation was that  brought about each particular "but God" moment.          it will help us to greatly understand the "why" behind each one.      when we can see the circumstance, then we can see that God is in every situation of our lives.

we couldn't even begin to count the "but God" moments in our own lives.       we just haven't been trained to look at those situations as circumstances that God showed up and brought with Him a "but God" moment for us.         I just know that I personally have had lot's of "but God" moments and it takes a step back from the situations to recognize them as such.           but I'll keep saying it, God if faithful!!!          and no matter our situation, He is ready to help us through it.         He probably won't remove the situation, but He'll be with us as we move through it.  

when you need help, look for the verses in scripture.          when we see a "but God", we can know that things are going to change, because God is on the scene.


These verses tell us that our circumstances DO NOT get the last word!!!!!

The enemy DOES NOT get the last word!!!!!

Death and disease DO NOT get the last word!!!!!

Because there is always, always, always a but God!!!!!

who is this for?       as usual, it's for me, and possibly you.         we all need God, we all just don't it yet.      regardless of what's going on in our lives, we all need God.        let's share these "but God" moments with people that we know who needs them.         we can be a blessing to those in need, even when they don't know what they need.        just be a blessing.   

I love you all and I pray that this can help someone in need of scriptures to help in troubled times.      blessings of love, joy and peace be upon you all.         hugs, patty

".......Lord, I believe.......

, help my unbelief." Mark 9:24

Good morning my beautiful friends.     I pray that each of you are having a most lovely day so far.            we sure are.      it's a little milder than it has been as of late, but it's warming too quickly today. when I get out to check on my garden, it will be scalding hot and the humidity is ridiculous.          hahaha      but it is what it is and we have deal with it.

speaking of dealing with things, what are you dealing with this morning?              there is any number of things that we all can be and a lot of us are dealing with.        for instance, I have a friend who is dealing with back trouble and the unknown that this brings.               I'm praying for God to make a way and heal this situation.               I have another friend who is dealing with a job loss and I pray for God to open doors that only He can open.             I have another friend who is dealing with pancreatic cancer and we're praying for God to heal this friend.         I have another friend who is dealing with her husband having found that his cancer has spread throughout his body.           we are praying for God to intervene in a big way in this situation.

Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

if you'll go to the bible and do a bit of reading you'll see that this father had asked the disciples to heal his son of the demon that was in him.           they couldn't heal this son.      then he wanted Jesus to heal his son. he told Jesus that he knew He could heal his son.       Jesus told the father that if he could believe, all things are possible. the man knew that if anyone could heal his son, it would be Jesus. sometimes, it's only when we are desperate for something that we can't make happen on our own, do we turn to Jesus.           this father knew where to turn and he did.      verse 24 is what the man cried out to Jesus. "Lord I believe, help my unbelief!"

you know what, that is an awesome instance of a very short prayer.           "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!"     this is spark of belief, something that Jesus will help us with too and help that spark of belief to grow into a big flame of belief that shares with others how they had a little belief and it grew to enough belief to save the fathers son.

any one of the aforementioned situations is enough to bring us all down to our knees.         but when we're on our knees, we're in a position of humility and that right there is where Jesus will meet us.         I don't know how many times Jesus has met me on my knees and intervened into my messes and situations and worked them out for me.

we have a tendency to think that God won't help me, or that He doesn't care about me, or that this isn't a big enough situation to ask Him for healing.        sometimes we even think that He doesn't care about our loved ones.            but He does. sometimes our prayers aren't answered in the way we want them to be answered.       but they are always answered and God will always do what is right.     at no time has He not ever done the right thing.           we just don't have His mind and we don't see the big picture.    we only see the piece of the picture that we are in, in that moment.          God sees all of His grand design and the way He works out our problems are always to give Him glory. we may get angry with the end result, we may be angry with what's happening, we may even blame God for not "fixing" the situation.           but God is always right in what he does.

Genesis 18:25............Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

go to the above scripture and read this account of Sodom and Gomorrah.        Abraham was questioning whether God would destroy the righteous with the unrighteous in Sodom and Gomorrah.      in the end, what ever God decides to do, is always right.        we will still question Him at times, and you know what, He's ok with us questioning            He is.           He knows out thoughts and ideas about everything.             He's not going to be upset with us when we question things.              especially if we are truly trying to find out more about Him.            I question God sometimes and then I feel bad that I did.           when you have a history of His faithfulness in and over your life, you really don't have to question Him.

some days I find myself saying "Lord help my unbelief!!!"        He always does. if you know Him as Lord and Savior of your life, then you too, can say "Lord, help my unbelief!!!", and He will help you.

I don't know who needs to see this, other than myself, but I pray that everyone who reads this will be able to glean some comfort from this.          it's just something that has been on my heart for a while and I needed to get it down in the form of journaling and this is it.              I pray this will help just one person in whatever you're dealing with. you don't have to go it alone.          you have a friend in Jesus.     you may not get the answers you want, but God will always give the best answers for each situation.       your loved one may leave their earth suit body, but if they know Jesus and if you know Jesus, then you'll see them in heaven some day.       with a new pain free body and all will be made right.           that is something to look forward to.              that is the Christians hope.            our hope is in the Lord and in Him alone.

blessings as we move on into our day today.              just know that God loves you all and so do I.     may you be comforted by the Lord who loves you more than you could possibly know.

hugs and love, patty

Sharing an exchange that took place on facebook with me and the owner.....

...../admin of a group that I "belonged" to.        notice the word "belonged", yup that's right, he couldn't stand the mirror I held up for him to see himself in.         he has always been an instigator.         I have held my typing fingers for 2 years waiting for such a time as this.          he is always the victim.          all the while, he cuts down his competitors and belittles anyone who says anything about it.         he can always justify his actions.          no matter how bad his behavior is, it's aways someone else's fault.         he's been showing his backside for 2 years.         the city govt shut him down from selling food out of his garage and that's when he went on the rampage for the last 2 years.         he is into bbq and he has done nothing but cut down his major competition all the while, his competition just keeps on doing what they do and that's sell good food.          they have never responded to any of this guys garbage.         why is that?      they know what it takes to have a good business and that's being focused on what they do and they make and sell great food.         they don't bash their competition.

when this guy first showed up in town, he talked like a Christian.          I even thought that we would check out his bbq someday.         well, people will show you who they really are if you give them the chance.          he showed us who he was and still is.          he has cursed people on line.         he attacks people for no reason and if you go against him in any way, he blocks you.        he is a dictator of his own little group. 

today was the day that I couldn't let his caterwauling go any longer without saying something.          and below is the exchange that took place.           the only word I changed in this whole dialogue was in my very last response and I changed the name of the town.           I also took his name off of all the responses.           I don't want to even give him one speck of recognition.             but what I will say, he sure doesn't like looking at himself in the mirror.          I've never seen a business man wanna be that's filled with as much vile and wickedness as he is.          every week he pokes a stick at others, just with the posts that he shares.          and stepping over people was what riled this quiet bear. 

he has talked about the town like it the awfullest place on the planet.           I honestly don't know how he could have anyone who even wants to eat his food after talking about the town like he has.        I would not ever spend a penny on his food after the way he has talked about a place that I have loved and still do love.         what he doesn't know is that when we go thru that town, a lot of times we'll come home with about $100 worth of bbq to put in the freezer.          it's not his bbq though.           we talk with our money and I wouldn't spend money on his bbq.            just the way he has bashed and bad mouthed his competition, I'd never spend our hard earned money on him.         that's how we talk with our money.

I wasn't going to share this, but putting it on my blog will help me to remember that there are people like this.          they do exist.          and I tried to hold a mirror for him to see himself.         he seen himself so well that he couldn't stand what he seen and he blocked me.      well, if he had not blocked me, I would have left his  "hip" group anyway after reading this post that he made the other day.         I just couldn't take his junk anymore.          I have always tried to treat people the way I want to be treated.           if this guy treats people the way he wants to be treated, he can't stand it when someone gives him a taste of his own treatment.         

God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!!!             it's up to us to share the good news with everyone, even the ones that we think don't deserve it.          I hope and pray that we all can learn something from what I just shared.           I know there have been times when I haven't been as kind to people as I should have been, but I've never been mean spirited just for the fun of it.         it grieves me that people think it's ok to step over others on the way to the top.          they may find themselves on the top of yesterdays garbage heap.          if you're going to treat people bad, the least you can do is own it.

this isn't much of a post to put on my blog, but it's something that I wanted to remember, so that's the only reason it's on here.            I'm not real proud of it, but it is what it is.      

blessings of love, peace and joy be y'all's as we go into the evening.            remember that God loves us enough to give His Son, Jesus Christ as our risen Savior.          may we all know His love and be in right relationship with Him.         hugs, patty

Someone told me that with out compassion for the people we step over, they will only remember the ugly that we have done, not the good we are trying to accomplish. So be humble and give everyone a chance to see the out come.

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Comment as Rose Tresures

Rose Tresures

"compassion for the people we step over", your words, as you typed them. where is compassion when "stepping over people" in the walk of life. if I try to rise to the top, by stepping over people, I don't expect to accomplish much. when we learn to do better, we do better. stepping over people is about as ugly as it gets. there is no humility in stepping over people. when we learn to do better, we do better, and it shows, in our actions and our words.

• 4h

  4 hours ago
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Admin

Rose Tresures you have to step over the people that try and stop you, you go back for them once you reach your destination and give them a hand up. The momentum of success out weighs those destined for failure

• 2h

  2 hours ago
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Rose Tresures

the people in my life that have cared about me, are the ones that have pushed, pulled or dragged me along with them while they were striving to achieve better for themselves. those are the people that I remember in my life. those are the people that matter. they didn't step over me and come back for me later. those that stepped over me forgot that. what is success? do we count it by how many we've stepped over. do we count by how many have stepped over us. success is how we handle the issues as they come up. very few people ever go back to help those they have stepped or trampled over. actions speak pretty loud. who am I to decide who is destined for failure? who are you to decide who is destined for failure? I know that the ladies who pushed, pulled and dragged me along helping me better myself are all successes in my eyes. I can't say the same for the ones who stepped over me trying to reach their goals. what we do matters, even if no human eyes see what we do, what we do matters. have a successful life as you step over others to get there.

• 25m

  25 minutes ago
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Rose Tresures unfortunately in business there isn’t time to wait tor people to come around. My methods won’t have a 100% success but it’s enough for me. We get where we are going fast and we strike while the iron is hot.  everyone is welcome to enjoy what we are doing. And the ones that don’t want anything to do with it well that’s on them

• 23m

  23 minutes ago
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Rose Tresures

and that iron won't always be hot, then what? who get the blame? who gets bad mouthed? who gets bashed on public forums?

• 21m

  21 minutes ago
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Admin

Rose Tresures I already get bad mouthed bashed and own the public forum. Next

• 19m

  19 minutes ago
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And do just fine

• 19m

  19 minutes ago
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Rose Tresures

who are you bashing and bad mouthing? why do you do what you do? unless you have gone back and deleted a lot from this group and cleaned this forum up all anyone has to do is go back and see how you've talked about and treated most of your competition and you talk about (this town) like it's the awfullest place to live. if I hated the place as much as you talk like you do, I'd pack my bags and leave. oh wait, you're gonna change the town.  (I edited this to take the town name out. pjg)

• 14m

  14 minutes ago
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