LittleRoosterCroft:what a week....car issues and harvest stuff

[Marianne]

And welcome again! And thanks for visiting my blog, too!

 

[FarmerJamie]

Hello and Welcome from NE OHIO!

 

[LittleRoosterCroft]

LittleRoosterCroft!!?!!? is that you!?!? from the blog-o-sphere!?!?!?

* OFG runs and hugs LRC *

Hugs OFG back! Figured I'd find you here!

 

[savingdogs]

Well any friend of OFG is a friend of ours.....she is our resident cheerleader.

 

[LittleRoosterCroft]

Yay! you did it!

What kind of rabbits do you raise?

I'd love to hear more about the raising of tilapia, I like to eat it and would love to be able to raise fish.

Thanks for the help!

I raise Silver Fox and American Chinchilla. I am just getting started breeding them...they don't always just "breed like rabbits" like I have always heard! Believe me, when one of my does actually has babies you all will know!

I will be setting up my trial aquaponics in the next couple weeks...just with gold fish or something, I'll post about it when it gets all together. Then if this works out well...I will try for something bigger with fish I can eat next summer! I want something somewhat portable so when I eventually move it can come with me.

 

[LittleRoosterCroft]

Thanks everyone for the welcome! I have been reading so much on here already that I feel I am getting to know you all!

What wonderful knowledge you all have and great discussions! Thanks again!

Ohand Britesea, I'll check out those books...if I ever have time to read for pleasure again...I either read homesteading/farming books, environmental books or books for school (since I just started back this week...all other books besides Geology and Soil Science will be on hold for awhile!)

 

[LittleRoosterCroft]

Okay, I have been doing this journal thing wrong apparently and had to figure it out....hopefully I am on the right track now but there are few entries floating around elsewhere!

Anyway...I love this time of year because there is so much food! And this is the first year I am really trying to make sure I have as much as possible put up...but goodness, I am tired!!!! I feel like all I do is go to work, go to school, go home and work on apples, applesauce, cheese, yogurt, cutting up eggplant, squash, tomatoes...you all know what I mean! I have a ton of jam I want to make but had to just toss the berries and such in freezer until I can get to it because all the fresh stuff needs to get put up first! Oh and don't forget I still have meaties to put in freezer farm!

And the worst part...most people just don't get why I am doing it. They oooh and aaaah over the canning or cheese making or whatever but then when I say I am tired they ask me why I do it then. Ummm, okay, you all obviously have not been listening! (not you all on here obviously!!!)

And....I would love to post this little guy :bun and tell you I have new babies finally...alas, that is not the case.

Anyway...it is getting there. I can say that I am so looking forward to the end of harvest though! I need to make soap and candles and work on art work besides the usual work and school and chores!

However, I realize that I have been making my holiday gifts for folks already! I think my jars of Vanilla Caramel Apple Butter will go nicely for holiday gifts...don't you all?

It really is nice to see all the jars and the freezers to full capacity though! so, it is super satisfactory and when it is cold and snowy out and I haven't spent a fortune at the grocery store or rather haven't even been to the store in weeks...I will be very happy I worked my butt off now! But until then....I leave you all with pics of my cheese!

I tried a slightly different method (from the link that OFG sent me) and instead of pouring the heating milk into cheese cloth, I let the regular room temp goats milk with rennet sit in the cooler overnight and it came out like this...all one piece sitting on top of the whey!!!!

 

[LittleRoosterCroft]

It has been quite the week...mostly issues with my car...like lots of money spent and it is finally dead I think...leaving me stranded on the side of the road on the way to class with something melting. *stress*

Last weekend was nice partly spent with friends at the Renn Faire and an amazing German restaurant. Then lots of homesteading work all day Sunday including playing with turkeys (pics to come) and then freezer farm for some of the meaties and more applesauce.

This weekend I rented a car and am with my folks in NH. Yesterday I went apple picking and to a harvest festival with my Mom. Today I go to a Highland Cattle festival with my Dad...I fell in love with them in Scotland! Tomorrow on my way home I will stop by King Arthur Flour to get bulk supplies and enjoy a ride through back roads in Vermont then a not so fun ride through NY to NJ and back to DE.

Will post pics over the this next week.

 

[savingdogs]

Sorry about your car. Nothing ruins a day faster than being stranded on the side of the road.

Your cheese looks awesome, which recipe of OFG's did you use?

I admire that you can get all that food put up. While we have stocked up, I'm not much into canning or making jams. I would LIKE to be but don't really have the skills, I'm trying to pick them up here.