Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

I may have to look around for a "one person" soaker next winter

I've seen the cutest hot tub's made from a water trough. In fact, DH and I soaked in one at a cabin we rented one fall. I don't recall how it was done, but it worked great.

That first soak - after months of none - is the most appreciated! It is the perfect reward after draining the tub, scrubbing it out, refilling, getting the ph and other levels 'just right' there really is nothing more satisfying.

Okay - I guess I made a boo-boo last night. I had one more pot of dog food ingredients that I wanted to can this morning. So, temperature being fairly cool overnight I thought it would be easier to set it outside than to make room in the fridge for that big ol' pot. To really be sure it stayed at optimal temp - I dropped a couple frozen ice packs into it and covered it with a tight lid. Went out to get it this morning and sure enough it's still really cold. BUT - I pulled one of the cold packs out of it to rinse it off - and it had a hole in it. I don't think that it sat there all night regurgitating it's contents into the pot of dog food - but I just can't make myself use it now. Feel horrible that I wasted a bunch of ingredients that I don't feel safe feeding to anything. ARGH!

Today will be one of those no good, very bad days for one of my pigs. Ok- that's not really right. My pigs enjoy a great life. They get to run around with their family members, root in the mud, and have a servant that brings meals on a regular schedule. If my aim is true - Mr. Pig will literally never know what hit him. He will provide sustenance for my family. I am grateful.

 

[flowerbug]

the worms will be able to use that food one way or another. doubt the contents of one of those ice packs would be any worse than what gets sprayed around here on all these fields. make sure it is buried with some compost and organic materials and the fungi can have their say in this too. if you get some strange blue mushrooms though i would not eat them...

true aim, thank you piggy, sorry. i couldn't do it unless i were starving. when i was fishing i could kill and clean those, but it was still difficult to do. i more often just catch and released.

 

[PatriciaPNW]

I am for doing what makes us the calmest and as much as we all hate our efforts wasted it is peace of mind that matters most IMHO. I have killed chickens and it is not easy. A pig would be harder and I think attitude is the biggest factor. You have a “why” - a purpose - and you still don’t do it easily which is a good thing, right? Reassuring for our families LOL.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I appreciate ya'lls ideas and sentiments. The "wasted" dog food pot will not actually be wasted as FB mentioned...worms, bugs and fungi will enjoy the fruits of my labor, lol.

The pig has been harvested. It was an instant drop and I am glad it's done. I decided some years ago that I would raise as much of our meat as possible. It's my way of fighting back against the meat industry - especially factory raised chickens and pork. Those pigs live their lives on concrete never getting to root or even walk on dirt. Chickens are crowded into a house and denied free ranging and pecking at grass and bugs like a chicken was born (hatched) to do.

I feel much better knowing that the meat I consume is raised as naturally and humanely as possible. I have evolved from simply raising our animals and having them professionally butchered to now doing as much of it as we can ourselves. It's harder on me - but I believe it's easier on the animals.

Going to have a glass of something cold and wet and then get back outside. I'm cleaning out another raised bed and I'm going to toss some seeds in there. Not even sure what seeds yet! The carrots I planted a couple weeks ago made their appearance several days ago. They are tiny yet but so exciting. The broccoli's and cabbages are thriving. Might toss some mixed lettuce seeds out. Dh is more of a salad eater then me but he's been so helpful I'll try to do something nice for him, lol!

 

[flowerbug]

i agree with you 100% there. hope you enjoy your evening and the fruits of your labors. and yes, carrot seedlings are so cute!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks @flowerbug. It was a good day. I'm tired and going to hop in the hot tub for a minute. DH is going to rent a movie and we'll probably watch it in bed. At least - HE will watch it - I'll probably fall asleep mid-movie.

 

[Mini Horses]

FEM, after a day like you have had I doubt I would even make "mid" movie. LOL

@flowerbug, are you a vegetarian?

 

[flowerbug]

FEM, after a day like you have had I doubt I would even make "mid" movie. LOL

@flowerbug, are you a vegetarian?

no, but i have been in the past. could easily be again. i'm an omnivore and not that i am against eating meat, but i think currently it is way overdone and i do not like mass produced foods in general so they are not high on my list of things to buy at the store. i try to eat as much as i can from what we grow - would like to do a lot more, gradually working on things to do that. i have to find plants that Mom will eat - she's picky (doesn't like most cabbage family plants or things like chard or beet greens). she'd live off mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing if she could get away with it. we try to have salads most evenings as a meal. i like to eat a lot of cooked beans from what i grow (a lot of beans) there's a lot of variety in the textures and flavors in beans if you cook them plain. i also like fresh beans, peas and pea pods. and if you like green onions you might also like green garlic. we eat a lot of onions. i'm just now getting going with some bunching onions so next spring will be fun to learn about those more and spreading them out more so they can grow.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

FEM, after a day like you have had I doubt I would even make "mid" movie. LOL

I didn't, lol. We ended up renting it but recording it to watch later. Maybe this evening?

I'd like to harvest another little pig today - but not sure it'll happen. DH is still in bed - I got up an hour earlier than I intended to...stoopid time change!

I'm trying to figure out how to watch the Texans game. They are playing "across the pond" today and the game starts in less than an hour. If it's not broadcast free somewhere I won't be watching it..... I'm stressed!

 

[Mini Horses]

I don't watch "games"....so, never worry about them. Just complain when that's ALL that is on most channels. Don't have a TV service, so choices are limited. That's fine.

@flowerbug, sounds like you need to broaden your garden choices -- tomatoes, eggplants, squash, peas, and on and on. LOL We have a gardening sister site, too. You'll find many who harvest own raised animals do so because of the feeding, raising conditions, harvesting conditions of commercial. So, even those who use a butcher for larger size do so with great effort in locating an acceptable butcher.

As FEM will attest, the meats are far better, more taste, no chems, when home raised. PLUS when a broody hen sets a nest, there are always those rascally roos in every hatch. Not that we don't like them but, too many is just tooooooo many. They do more for me in a jar.