- Thread starter
- #971
SSDreamin
Almost Self-Reliant
Gah! Cheese! Milk is taking over my frig, and I need to make cheese, AGAIN! I'm not really griping, I'm just having trouble keeping up with Ice Cream's production. I want to make regular cheddar first, then try American cheese, then cream cheese - so I can make a nice big cheese cake. I have six gallons of milk right now, with more coming every day - we can't drink it fast enough 
Hauled five more wheel barrows of horse poo out of the pastures. Part of the manure in Jim's pasture still has a big sheet of ice under it. Once that all melts off, I think 6 or so more loads will put me on top of things.
I canned up 13 more quarts of taco sauce. The guys burn through it (they're averaging a quart a week!). I added more ghost peppers to this batch. It is a slow heat - it starts out warm and gradually heats up until your mouth is on fire. Perfect for the guys!
Also spent a bunch of time raking up dog bombs in the yard. Ugh!
DS#2, the dog and I also went for a long walk on the State land across the road - it was so nice to get out and explore, although it wore me down quite a bit. I bought the dog a neat halter type thing at the craft fair last fall and I have to say it worked better than I could've hoped! He behaved on the main road, and was easy to control the whole time we were out!
Have been currying the horses at least twice a day lately. Jim is shedding something fierce, but April is just starting to. I switched over to using a shedding blade/comb thing I'd bought for the dog, and it's working wonders on Jim! He stands as still as a statue for his grooming, which tells me all the shedding is driving him up a wall! He even greets me at his gate, which floors me! He's a pretty skiddish guy normally.
We have got Flank trained to a halter and lead, and he will even lift his feet when you ask - just touch his 'ankle' and say 'foot up' and he lifts it! Miniature cattle need to have their feet done. Ferdi, thankfully, only needed his done once. It may be the same way with Flank, but best to train him now anyway. Ice Cream needs hers done twice a year, as she's not heavy enough to wear down hers hooves, nor will she ever be.
Today I baked bread, made some granola (I am addicted - love the simple recipe, and I change things up with it every time so it's 'new') and am getting ready to make some english muffins. Nice to have quick easy stuff I can grab and go with for breakfast.
Hauled five more wheel barrows of horse poo out of the pastures. Part of the manure in Jim's pasture still has a big sheet of ice under it. Once that all melts off, I think 6 or so more loads will put me on top of things.
I canned up 13 more quarts of taco sauce. The guys burn through it (they're averaging a quart a week!). I added more ghost peppers to this batch. It is a slow heat - it starts out warm and gradually heats up until your mouth is on fire. Perfect for the guys!
Also spent a bunch of time raking up dog bombs in the yard. Ugh!
DS#2, the dog and I also went for a long walk on the State land across the road - it was so nice to get out and explore, although it wore me down quite a bit. I bought the dog a neat halter type thing at the craft fair last fall and I have to say it worked better than I could've hoped! He behaved on the main road, and was easy to control the whole time we were out!
Have been currying the horses at least twice a day lately. Jim is shedding something fierce, but April is just starting to. I switched over to using a shedding blade/comb thing I'd bought for the dog, and it's working wonders on Jim! He stands as still as a statue for his grooming, which tells me all the shedding is driving him up a wall! He even greets me at his gate, which floors me! He's a pretty skiddish guy normally.
We have got Flank trained to a halter and lead, and he will even lift his feet when you ask - just touch his 'ankle' and say 'foot up' and he lifts it! Miniature cattle need to have their feet done. Ferdi, thankfully, only needed his done once. It may be the same way with Flank, but best to train him now anyway. Ice Cream needs hers done twice a year, as she's not heavy enough to wear down hers hooves, nor will she ever be.
Today I baked bread, made some granola (I am addicted - love the simple recipe, and I change things up with it every time so it's 'new') and am getting ready to make some english muffins. Nice to have quick easy stuff I can grab and go with for breakfast.
We always skin our chickens, so we told her to go ahead and skin them - she scalded, plucked, THEN skinned each one! 
Once they were finally done and in coolers, DH & I cut them up, then I vacuum sealed the breasts, freezer bagged the leg quarters, and freezer bagged the carcasses. I had to do them a little differently than usual, because my Dad wanted to get some leg quarters off us and wanted them in smaller bags. DH said cutting them up was his least favorite job. I told him I didn't mind - my Dad used to cut meat at a processing plant for a living way back when, and he taught me the proper/easy way to cut up a chicken quickly. So, DH has 'decided' that, from now on, he will do the butchering and I will do the cutting up. I bet, start to finish, it will only be a fraction of 10 hours!
). 
The blueberries, blackberries and grapes all look rough. I don't think even one in five survived. Just one of my lilac bushes made it, and several of the fruit trees didn't. Several trees have animal damage as well - I wrapped the trunks, but this damage is over 3 foot up! The deer ate several branches clean off the tops of a couple trees!
It's always hard, but it is easier when you know they've had a good life.
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