Jason closes his journal... Thanks!! I love you!!

[modern_pioneer]

As my maple syrup hold out dies, we have used all that others have made.

I am left with one (1) quart of syrup Mark and I bashed together at the last minute after my crash coarse on making maple syrup. We as a whole collected enough sap to make just over two quarts this year, never mind the cord of wood used to make it...

I want to tell you about my friend Tommy. Tommy is a rough, land dweller/gather and is a spot on for fungi. A taker of the liquid spirit, this less than rowdy fellow, is something to be understood. Somewhere along the lines, during campfire talks, among a crowd he is a handful. I find him better to sit and talk to when we sit by the campfire together.

Tommy lacks many social skills, although getting beyond that is a lot of work. He often has more to offer if he has a kind ear to listen. He doesn't trust folks as they are and thinks that "every one " has other plans. A NWO type to put it like it is.

I wouldn't say he was nuts, I'd say he just doesn't trust folks. Well maybe he is a little bit nuts, giving todays fungi report.

Tommy yelled "stop" and he darted off into the woods. It felt odd to me, and I was cautioned. He returned with arms full with sheepshead mushrooms or aka hens. He dropped the first arm load, and went off to gather more. He returned with another arm full.

I found myself feeling a bit taken off but was more than happy he had found them.

Pics tomorrow....

 

[TanksHill]

Your friend sounds like and interesting person.

How did your town survive the G 20 summit? I did not see anything on the news. Anything to report?

g

 

[modern_pioneer]

I promised pics, and see what I mean? Tommy, bless his heart loves fungi. I do share his interest, but my house smells like dirty socks. Why? Because I am putting a couple pounds away, which will mount to ounces once their dried.

Nothing to report on the G20 to mention. Kinda stupid to protest when it won't change a thing. If I were going to protest, I sure would want it to matter. I am sure those protesters believe in what they did, but on the whole, I think they were just representing their cause, which is still good.

I want to talk about a never ending battle and struggle in my life that just insults me. Has a solution been found?

DW being of English stock, doesn't understand guns. A taker in England of the higher ground, she has always had everything provided for her. But DW doesn't understand the life of a farm boy, me. As a soldier myself, I have lived by the gun, it made a difference if I lived or died. It also provided many meals for me as a child.

To some one like Clyde, my big chip cop, so called dad, it gave him power. With gun in one hand and a badge in another, it gave him power. What? Power over a 14 y/o kid? I have settled that.

In this ride of mine, DW has understood my way of life over her own. Last years struggle over eating deer meat has been replaced by gud eats. I often credit my bacon for her coming over to the darker side, or better yet, eating the meat that I harvest.

So DW says there is a catch.... DD loves the chickens, at this point I am thinking so what. They give us eggs, and thats why we feed them. DD loves the chickens so much, she has named them all.

So I guess I am trading a chicken over in order to hunt this year.

Thats a good trade....

 

[TanksHill]

So if you let the chickens stick around your good to go on the larger game? Sounds like a good deal.

 

[modern_pioneer]

What I failed to mention is hunting small game, that's the trade.

I can hunt small game, field fowl/rabbits if I leave the hens alone to retire, rather than let them lay for a year and harvest them.

Before I get on bragging about my big ole nuts, I do like DW thoughts of harvesting a free range turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. This hunting thing, it is what it is, has been a battle between DW and I for some years.

I'd be a sucker if I said she wasn't coming around. But I also have to give up some chicken/dumplings, that does seem fair.

You know I have some big nuts ladies?

I mean there should be no doubt that I have some big nuts, because I have some pictures.

Just because I have some big nuts, doesn't mean I am going to brag them up.

They are what they are, just nuts...

What I do with them later, well that's another topic.

Big nuts are good, more protein per pound...

What? Nuts are like farts, there is some good humor in there somewhere...

 

[modern_pioneer]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1980-09-01/Hickory-Nuts-The-Inside-Story.aspx

 

[dragonlaurel]

Almost died laughing about your title this time. Thanks for the link. We have so many hickory trees around here and my DH likes getting them.

 

[punkin]

My dad's yard is full of acorns. The tree is on a hill so he has to be careful when he walks.

Just because he gets bored, he drilled holes longways in enough to make a necklace and spray painted them. He claims he's going to wear it to Hardee's and say he found rare beads in a thrift store.

So, I guess my dad has nuts, too!

 

[TanksHill]

I have Macadamia nuts. The squirrels have found them this year. They all have little holes gnawed in the outer shell and then straight in to the middle. Before they even fall from the tree. Any recommendations???

When you store the wall nuts can you leave them in the shell or do they need to be cracked and froze??

To bad you did not live closer MP. I have about 15 hens I need to "retire" and I just can't figure out how to manage it. I might post a craigslist add and see if I can give them away.

 

[modern_pioneer]

I have Macadamia nuts. The squirrels have found them this year. They all have little holes gnawed in the outer shell and then straight in to the middle. Before they even fall from the tree. Any recommendations???

When you store the wall nuts can you leave them in the shell or do they need to be cracked and froze??

To bad you did not live closer MP. I have about 15 hens I need to "retire" and I just can't figure out how to manage it. I might post a craigslist add and see if I can give them away.

Eat the squirrels.... Fried is my fav for eating those tree rats.. I dod store my nuts in the shell for winter, although I always remove the outer husk when they are dry.

I found a hickory nut recipe for rolls and bread. Personally I think they taste better than walnuts. I know their harder to crack, and the reward is much less than big ole walnuts, but they taste way less bitter.

I set my turkey blind up, so I spent some time inside with my call last night. But I had no luck calling in a Jake or a Tom, I didn't even get a response back. I set it in a area where I have seen turkeys pass through. Perhaps it isn't the right time or none were around. I'll keep trying....

Oh.... I have some photos to share when I get some time to edit them today.

My ss fund is up $504.00 now, with people using my log splitter @ $25 a day and my egg sales doing good, I am hoping by spring it will be over 1k. I continue to feed the chickens from my ss fund as well as purchasing some other goods to eat. I am going to set my garlic in the ground this week to grow over winter.

I also have permission to small game hunt yet in another area I look forward to the walking as I have been some what lazy this year due to all the summertime rain.

The deer population is up very high this year, so I look forward to harvesting at least four w/ DS getting his hunting tags this year. I have trail cameras out and will share some pics of those as well.