Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

Marva Heldberg has been gardening for more than 40 years in a 30-feet-by-100-feet plot on her family's farm near Le Sueur, Minn.

“We got married in August and the next year I had this garden,” she said.

Although she doesn't enjoy hoeing, Heldberg says that the anticipation of harvest is her favorite part of gardening.

“What I enjoy is the planting and harvesting,” Heldberg said. “It is so nice to see what has been produced and it gives me a good feeling that I can produce it. We depend on our garden for most of our vegetables most years.”

This fall Heldberg has been busy harvesting sweet corn, tomatoes, radish, lettuce, wax and green beans, squash and pumpkins. Her garden's abundant harvest keeps her busy preserving. Heldberg cans and freezes her vegetables.

“I just finished canning tomatoes. I got carried away this year and planted too many,” she said, of the 25 plants she put in this spring. “I'm done canning - even if it means tilling a few under.”

Heldberg says that her mother passed away before she got married, so she had to teach herself how to can.

“It's a good feeling to know that I am able to do this and we will have food for the winter,” she said.

An avid cook, Heldberg says she has eight book shelves full of cookbooks. She shares a few of her favorite fall recipes with Tri-State Neighbor readers.

Pear Bundt Cake

11/2 vegetable oil

1 tsp. baking powder

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

2 c. pears, finely chopped

3/4 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Beat together oil, sugar and eggs. Mix dry ingredients and add to mixture. Add vanilla. Fold in chopped pears and nuts. Grease and flour bundt pan. Spoon in batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool cake for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Spicy Tomato Juice

22 lbs. tomatoes

1/2 c. chopped onions

3/4 c. diced carrots

1/4 c. chopped parsley

3/4 c. chopped celery

1 Tbsp. salt (optional)

3/4 c. chopped green pepper

bottle of lemon juice

Wash and drain tomatoes. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut into quarters. Combine tomatoes and vegetables in a large sauce pan. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Juice vegetables in a food processor or food mill. Strain juice to remove peels and seeds. Stir in salt if desired.

Heat juice 5 minutes at 190 degrees. Do not boil. Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar, or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to each quart jar. Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Adjust lid and rings on jars. Process pint jars for 35 minutes or quart jars for 40 minutes, in boiling water canner. Take jars out of water bath, wait for lids to seal.

Pumpkin Pie Dip & Cookie

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 c. confectioners sugar

4 sheets refrigerated pie crust

1 (15 oz.) can solid-pack pumpkin

4 tsp. sugar

5 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pumpkin, 1 teas. cinnamon and the ginger. Beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until serving. This topping is also good on top of sugar or ginger cookies.

Roll out pie pastry on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Combine sugar and remaining cinnamon, sprinkle over pie crust cutouts. Bake at 425 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Marva Heldberg found this recipe in the Country Women Magazine.