Canning Dog Food From Offal

[Rammy]

I do think it says in the instruction manual to ck that stem and clean it once in a while. I never have mine and have had it for years with no problems. Even my Mom has been borrowing it for alot of stuff since hers havent been working too well recently. Do you wash and oil the gasket before you put it away? I always use warm soapy water, dry with a towel, then put some vegetable oil on a paper towel and lightly coat the gasket. Keeps it from cracking and pliable.

 

[baymule]

Canning for the dogs again. Haven’t had chicken leg quarters on sale for quite awhile. Covid has surged again, hospitals are full, schools are shutting down and businesses can’t find enough employees.

So I was delighted to get the grocery sale circular with 10# bags of chicken leg quarters on sale for only 39 cents a pound! YAY! I immediately bought 6 bags. I spent 2 days canning 4 bags, 2 each day. I no longer cook and pick off the bone. I pack the legs and thighs in the jar raw. So far, 28 quarts. I get 7 quarts per 10# bag. I put cooked rice in the jars and since the Thai long green beans are producing like gangbusters, I’m putting those in the jars too.

I have two bags thawed out for today. Yesterday I bought 6 more bags of chicken. It’s been a long time since it was on sale, so I can’t pass up this opportunity.

Right now, I have 2 half gallon jars of hog head meat and rice in the refrigerator for the dogs dining pleasure. The slaughter facility skins them, saws in half and vacuum seals them. Have 2 more halves in the freezer I need to get out and make room for more. We have 3 hogs that should be ready to pick up this week. More head halves for dog food!

I tried to make scrapple one time, but just couldn’t eat it. My grandmother used to make it, but I couldn’t follow in her footsteps. Dog food it became.

 

[baymule]

I got 14 more quarts yesterday for a total of 42 quarts. 6 more bags in the freezer, dogs will eat well! LOL

 

[Mini Horses]

Well, ya have to stock them up for winter! Does the other 6 bags need to be moved out to fit hog heads? OR does the freezer that died and neighbor resurrected make you have enough room now? Glad you did well with the hogs but, you'll need more than 3 next yr so you and family can have enough for yourselves! Did you render lard this year?

If you have sold this beef your bringing in, does that mean you will get two now?

I loved the pork I raised But I'm still dealing with their holes in some places. It's a surefire reason I don't have some right now! Tempted because so good.

 

[baymule]

Well, ya have to stock them up for winter! Does the other 6 bags need to be moved out to fit hog heads? OR does the freezer that died and neighbor resurrected make you have enough room now? Glad you did well with the hogs but, you'll need more than 3 next yr so you and family can have enough for yourselves! Did you render lard this year?

If you have sold this beef your bringing in, does that mean you will get two now?

I loved the pork I raised But I'm still dealing with their holes in some places. It's a surefire reason I don't have some right now! Tempted because so good.

I have an empty freezer that died and the neighbor resurrected. It currently holds 2 bags of chicken. LOL

After I deliver pork, I'll ask if they want one next year, half or whole. My self imposed limit is 6. I don't want to over crowd them.

I always keep the fat and render the lard. One of my buyers wants to buy some fat, I priced it at $3 per pound in 5# bags.

Only 1 steer this winter. Probably raise 2 next winter. My son pointed out that I could raise a steer in the Pig Palace, so I did last winter. It was a trial run to see what expenses would be. Then a pork customer said they wanted a half, then they told friends about it and their friends are buying the other half. We'll probably eat up the steer I raised last winter by time to buy another one next year.

 

[Mini Horses]

Got a nice little business going There!

 

[baymule]

Got a nice little business going There!

I call it custom growing. I have neither the room nor the inclination to keep breeding hogs or cattle. But I will sure buy from those who do. Thus I am supporting small farmers like my buyers support me.

We started out with one customer who bought a few CCX , then upped their order the next year. This year that grew to 6 customers. The biggest purchase was 25 chickens, the smallest purchase was 1 chicken. We sold 48 total.

3 hogs got split 5 ways between us and customers with half a hog to be split between us and DD and family.

I started out being delighted at covering costs so that our meat was free. Now actually making a little money, not a lot for all the hard work, but showing a small profit.

 

[Mini Horses]

started out being delighted at covering costs so that our meat was free. Now actually making a little money, not a lot for all the hard work, but showing a small profit.

Both are nice places to be.