By themadgardener , 12 October 2024

Literally a bucket full of potatoes this year! Glad I plant them in old hay/old straw and hill with grass clippings because it sure makes it easy to harvest rather than having to dig with a shovel/fork and hope you don't stab one!

By themadgardener , 10 October 2024

Definitely a sight to behold! The colors are not visible with the naked eye but the photos don't capture just how the light dance across the sky!

By themadgardener , 9 October 2024

The 2024 squash harvest is in! Was quite the harvest this year, more than enough to feed myself, family, and to give away!

By themadgardener , 8 October 2024

Still have a long ways to go to break the world's record but it does not stop me from trying! I still keep the seeds, from the largest three pumpkins, every year!

By themadgardener , 14 June 2024

In addition to the stove/oven combo I travel with a Coleman stove found on Amazon. There are times when I need to cook more than two items at a time and there are other times when I just need a cooktop and rather than hauling the oven to a picnic table I can just grab this!

By themadgardener , 7 June 2024

This cast iron waffle maker has seen a lot of use both camping and in the home (might as well bring it in during the winter months)!

As with all my cast iron I re-season it as soon as it arrives! I have also found that using butter rather than vegetable oil helps prevent the waffles from sticking!

Also, be sure to have a good pair of Cooking/BBQ Gloves as the waffle maker's handle gets quite hot!

By themadgardener , 27 May 2024

For many years I traveled with a traditional cooler and was able to take week long trips without much of a problem. However, for longer trips or for when the weather was particularly hot, it became necessary to buy new ice and repack. When traveling I prefer to focus on seeing and enjoying the sights rather than spending time getting ice and repacking coolers!

After a bit of research I found the BougeRV 12V Portable Refrigerator 53 Quart Car Freezer Fridge on Amazon. I chose this unit for the following reasons:

By themadgardener , 19 July 2023

Propane appliances have been exceedingly useful when camping and traveling especially when I am short on time and need to get food prepared quickly. Both wood and charcoal can take as much as 20 minutes before you can cook over them whereas propane provides immediate heat and we can be eating even before I could begin cooking over the former! Don't get me wrong I definitely enjoy my steaks, pork chops, etc. grilled over propane but for some foods it really does not matter.

By themadgardener , 12 June 2023

This oven/stove combo, available via Amazon proved to be very useful when both camping and traveling! It allows us to prepare just about any meal at campsites, at a way side rest, or while visiting a National Park! Why eat at some greasy fast food joint when you can take in nature's beauty while cooking and eating your food!

By themadgardener , 28 December 2022

Not a typo but turning popcorn into cornbread! Decided to give it a try after several successful popcorn harvest that we can not possibly eat it all as popped! Also have a lot of maple syrup so used that as a sweetener!

By themadgardener , 6 December 2022

A long time family favorite that I obtained from my Grandama. I have added notes to her recipie based on what I have learned over the decades I have been making this pie. Only change I have made is that I use gluten free cookies.

16 graham crackers or chocolate wafers crushed (just over a cup of crushed crackers)

or

12 whole chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos) crushed (I always leave the frosting on the cookies as it will help them stick together).

3 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup sugar

Mix crackers/wafers/cookies with melted butter and sugar.

By themadgardener , 15 May 2022

Camping Pie Iron a simple cooking tools but makes for some great pizza or pies. All you do is take two slices of bread add filling between them as you would a sandwich and then place it in the fire for a few minutes. Length of time varies depending on how hot the fire is!

Pro tip - since they unscrew from the handles I re-seasoned these in the oven. I have often found that cast iron, even if sold pre-seasoned, benefits from having another "treatment".

By themadgardener , 4 April 2022

I spent the last few days concentrating really hard and end up with 3.75 gallons of Maple Syrup! Trees were tapped on March 13, 2022 and it took a few days before there was any flow, started out slowly but has been between 16-20 gallons per day the last few days!

By themadgardener , 1 November 2021

Lots of popcorn for watching movies this winter!

By themadgardener , 30 October 2021

Well the potatoes are in! There were actually three other pails but one has already been eaten and I sold two!

By themadgardener , 2 October 2021

Now that is one odd looking potato! Tasted good though!