For the first two weeks I will be in Hamilton dorm (1st pic below). I have a roommate named Richie who is from Jersey and is almost done with an Ecology degree. He has only 1 class this semester (I have 5) so he is pretty laid back. The rooms are "rustic" as in pretty basic, but they will do just fine. It's suprising how hot northern VT can get in May, especially when your dorm has no a/c, no fans, and no screens on the windows. Monday morning (May 30th) I somehow woke up before my alarm and made it on time to my 6:15am class called Intro to Grazing. We learned about mob stocking (grazing animals as a herd) and grazing rotation, i.e. moving animals from one fenced paddock to another while cycling horses, sheep, goats and pigs (which all feed at different levels) to keep the pasture healthy and avoid over-grazing (which causes bare infertile soil, eroision, etc). Next was a class on farm planning called Whole Farm Thinking. We covered the basic considerations put into growing crops and raising livestock all the way to harvest and processing. In the afternoon I had Farmstead Arts. We made rhubarb chutney and learned how to can it in jars using the hot water bath technique. It is delicious! The food here is 1000 times better than a supermarket, mainly because it is prepared in small batches and most of it is organic and grown on the college farm. Fresh eggs, vegetables, pork, chicken, turkey, herbs, and beef all make their way from the college farm into the dining hall with amazing results. Milk comes from a nearby organic dairy farm. So, everything is going great.
Here is how to make the Rhubarb Chutney!
Ingredients and Supplies
- 4 lbs rhubarb (mix green and red)
- 2 lbs red onions
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 Tbsp cloves
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ginger
- 2 large pots
- ladle
- 10 to 12 1/2 pint jars
- canning tools (funnel, magnetic stick, jar tongs, settling tool)
Directions
Chop rhubarb into 1/2" pieces. Mince onion. Combine with rest of ingredients in separate pot and stir. Place pot onto medium high heat. Cover pot, boil and stir until thick, about 45 minutes. To reduce liquid content, remove cover when necessary. Towards the end of cooking time place empty jars, lids and tightening bands into a pot of water to boil for sterilization. When the Chutney is done, remove a jar from the boiling water using the jar tongs. Place funnel in jar and ladle in some Chutney leaving a 1/4" of headspace. Use the settling tool to agitate the Chutney and remove any air pockets if necessary. Use magnetic stick to retrieve a lid by picking it up on the top side and placing it onto the jar. This ensures you do not contaminate the inside of the jar or the underside of the lid. Retrieve a tightening band and screw onto jar just barely hand tight (this allows air to escape). Repeat process for all jars. Place covered jars into water and boil for 10 minutes. The air inside the jar will heat, forcing it out, and the chutney will continue to cook some. Remove jars from water using jar tongs. You should hear a distinct pop shortly after the jar hits room temperature air. This is the lid sealing onto the jar. The tightening band can be removed or left on. Jarred chutney will keep indefinitely! Eat the remainder of the chutney on a piece of Cabot cheddar cheese and store the jars in your bunker for the apocalypse.
Hamilton Dorm
Solar Panels that power the dorms
Craftsbury Road
Making Chutney
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