What are you harvesting now?

[Denim Deb]

They're actually not that bad.

 

[baymule]

They're actually not that bad.

So how do you prepare them? From picking them to eating them?

 

[Denim Deb]

First off, put them in a bucket of water. If any float, toss them. Then, you need to remove the outer shell. The ones from a white oak can be eaten just like they are. Some from the white oak family can be prepared w/out doing anything more to them. For the rest, you need to boil them in several changes of water until the water stays clear. Or, you can put them in a waterfall or some other source of rapidly running water. Or you could even bury them! Once the tannins are all leached out, you can dry them and just eat them.

 

[mcjam]

We've had some hard freezes, but are still harvesting brussels sprouts, kale, parsnips, and lettuce and herbs from the cold frame. Pullets just kicked in, so we are swimming in eggs, and butchering time is upon us. 40 chickens, 2 geese, one turkey, and one pig processed and in the freezer (except smoked meats, which are brining), 2 lambs going down tomorrow, and one steer to be taken care of next week if the cold weather holds. We eat like kings but I am ready for a rest.....

 

[Britesea]

Wow! I'm amazed at how much you got done- do your own butchering?

 

[mcjam]

Yes, we do our own butchering and have accumulated a goodly amount of handy tools (meat band saw, large grinder, commercial cutting boards and good knives) to make the job go more quickly since our first attempts. A little experience is a great help too. We have fewer "mystery cuts" than we used to and each year it seems to take less time. We really like to know what is in the food we eat, and believe it all tastes better that way. The last few years we have gotten into sausage and smoking. The difference in those products is incomparable. You just can't buy that flavour and quality anywhere.

 

[Britesea]

Not just meats. I make pretty much everything from scratch (except for a few that would be a pain, like dry bouillon) and I've noticed that all of it tastes better than store-bought. My theory is that the preservatives that are in everything have a taste, and it's not a good one.

 

[sumi]

@mcjam I'm with you there! It's so much nicer all round. We have a thread here on butchering your own, don't know if you saw it?

http://www.sufficientself.com/threads/does-anyone-else-butcher-their-own-meat.14282/

 

[Poka_Doodle]

We hopefully finished all the butchering and are getting one egg a day and then got our Christmas tree

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Peppers, peppers, and more peppers. The monster squash plant is still hanging in there despite a few light frosts. Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage plants are looking great. Carrots have popped through, but of course those and the onions won't be ready to harvest for awhile yet...