After spending a couple of weeks on the new calf stable, we moved the weaned calves in yesterday. I bedded down the 12’x20′ building with straw and the calves followed Will and David, who were luring them with bottles while I brought up the rear. The move went smoothly and now the calves are happily grazing on the clover that’s in the training ring and munching on the big round bale in the center. They have plenty of room and a nice new house with a view of our woods, horse pasture, and new barn. How good is that? Will’s tired, but we are so happy with our new structure. I’m hoping to get a couple of gallons of barn paint Friday to seal the sides. The paint makes the OSB last so much longer. One day we’ll put home-sawn siding over the OSB, but that’s down the road a few dozen projects!

Today I canned some Amish coleslaw, ham (from an on-sale, $1 a pound ham), and several quarts of boiled dinner (ham, ham broth, carrots, potatoes, onions, and cabbage). Boy does the house smell great! I’m getting hungry. I sure want to get a couple more of those hams. I got a good yield from the one I did today, making it well worth the $7 I spent. Besides the 4 quarts of boiled dinner, I canned five pints and four half pints of ham dices in broth, plus one quart of plain ham broth to use in bean soup. That’s 14 meals for $7. Not bad. — Jackie

5 COMMENTS

  1. Shirley,

    Well….more ready than we were last week. In Minnesota, I don’t think anyone actually feels ready for winter….just less “unready”! But we have dry wood in the shed, a barn full of hay and straw, a cozy goat barn, plenty of food in the pantry. A lot of projects finished (or nearly finished!) this year. We’re happy.

    Jackie

  2. Candy,

    All I did was to boil my ham bone w/meat in about 2 gallons of water to make a tasty broth. While that was finishing simmering, I cut cabbage chunks, potatoes, carrots and onions and alternated them in wide mouth pint jars, with chunks of ham. Then I poured boiling broth over it all, let it set for a few minutes until the cabbage wilted a little, then cramed it down, leaving 1″ of headspace (broth on top of veggies). I processed the quarts for 90 minutes as they contained meat (ham). The jars look great. Too bad they all sealed; we would have liked to EAT one right away!!!

    Jackie

  3. I have your growing and canning book and have learned so much from it. Would you share the recipe for canning boiled dinner? I love it but only have it twice a year, if I canned it I could enjoy it anytime ! Thank You

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