Comments on: Our poultry knows spring’s coming

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:15:28 +0000

A huge green thumbs up! I’ve wanted to put a garden in for years, but keep putting it off. No excuses, I am going to next year for sure! Honest, really, I am! LOL

By: Dinah Jo Brosius

Dinah Jo Brosius — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:35:29 +0000

I havn’t asked a crazy question or chated for months so though I’d drop a few chick chick chicken thoughts into the pot. First of all I missed the filly picture… maybe I can find it if I serch a little more. For years I’ve been buying replacement chicks at the feed stores, ariconnas (not sure about spelling) and they won’t get broody even if their pea picking little heart depend on it. So I ordered 25 Partrige Rock from Murry McMurry and they are really getting nice and big. I’ll keep 1 or 2 roosters and the hens. But we always can unwanted roosters. My husband, Leonard, kills em, cleans em and brings em to me all skined and ready to can. I do wash them good one more time and look em over good. I boil them cut into pieces with pultry spice, salt, carrots, onion, and just our tate of garlic.
This way I have broth and chicken to can. I can them in wide mouth 1/2 gallon jars-half a rooster to a jar (theres only two of us). This way I have lots of broth for dumplings or soup. When I get ready to use it I pur the half gallon into my favorite soup pan and pull out all of the bones. So Very Good and such an easy meal.
Next year I get to find out if my new little girls will find the desire to set. I do believe they are breeding that out of demestic chickens on purpose, so we will have to order replacement chickens. Next year I pan on raising some of the those Cornish X Rocks my self.
I live in Battle Ground, WA. and we had a really cold wet April and May which led us to a late garden. But things are going well now. I love your stories and information and fantastic humor. I lost my job May the first so get my dream of being a full time homesteader. So have been reading your Starting over articles and how to’s . I hope the summer is treating you well and your garden and critters too.

Take Care,
Dinah Jo Brosius
Bouncing Birch Soay Sheep Farm

By: michele

michele — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:52:32 +0000

Hi Jackie – Love your blogg. I agree with you that meat prices (like everything else) will go up. I can everything but have never done pints and quarts at the same time. I understand the need for the longer process time due to the quarts but this doesn’t “overcook” the pints? Guess I’ve never thought to do pints and quarts together if I was at the bottom of the barrell so to speak.

I also read Countryside and agree that it’s a perfect compliment to Backwoods Home. Thanks for such great info

By: jackie clay

jackie clay — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:05:32 +0000

Glad to meet you Jennifer. Even in the smallest quarters, there’s always room to store your canning! I’ve stored it under all the beds in the house, using well marked cardboard boxes that would fit. Then I used the place where the defunct furnace used to be housed, re-fit with heavy plywood shelves. And the small mud room/back porch; I built wide shelves there, all along two walls. If you’ve got an unused small bedroom, using parts of that will work. (You’ve still got room for a twin bed for guests that way…or a young child.)

There’s always room for food!! Just get real creative and you’ll find the solution. Good luck.

By: JENNIFER

JENNIFER — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:17:46 +0000

I have just discoverd your blog. I plan to subscribe to the magizine soon. I have read through past post and found many benificial tips. My family lives in AL. We currently live in a trailer on rented property. We are doing a lot of gardening this year and hope to be able to can the majorty. We dont have much storage space so I was wondering if you could give advice on storing home canned goodies.