Storing pumpkins and feeding a milking Jersey
Just wondering where you are storing all those pumpkins. Mine are in the barn right now but they will freeze soon and I don’t want them to go mushy. Didn’t know if the cows and chickens will eat them frozen either. What do you do?
Also, how much do you feed a milking Jersey a day? I am feeding ours about 8 lbs of grain and still some pasture or hay if the pasture is slim.
AlleghenyStringBand
We store our pumpkins on unfrozen ground, surrounded by bales of hay with two feet of loose hay piled on top. They’ll stay unfrozen for quite awhile. In a warmer climate than northern Minnesota, they’d stay unfrozen all winter, especially if stored in a barn with hay insulation. Yes, cows and chickens will eat them frozen if you chop them open with an ax so they can get at them. Of course, they prefer them unfrozen.
You feed any milking cow enough good quality hay and pasture, plus grain, to keep them in good weight and producing well. If your pasture is excellent or your hay is fine quality mixed legume hay, you’ll be feeding less grain than if the pasture is about gone and the hay is over-mature grass, primarily. You may get by fine with 8 pounds of grain daily, but my guess is that you’ll need to feed her more to keep her weight on in the winter if you live in a colder climate. Jerseys are seldom fat when milking, but you don’t want her a rack of bones, either. — Jackie
Oven canning dry goods
I was wondering about oven canning powdered milk. Would that extend the shelf life and what are your thoughts on oven canning dried goods ONLY such as flour, barley, oatmeal? I would never recommend oven canning anything else, but I don’t see the harm in dried goods. What are your thoughts?
Erica Lutz
Gladstone, Oregon
I don’t see anything wrong with oven canning dry foods. Like you, I’d NEVER oven can garden produce or meat! Not safe. I don’t oven can because I’ve never had trouble storing dry foods without it and my canning jars are precious (I never have enough!) so I don’t want to use them to store dry foods. Besides, I store a lot of dry foods; more than would ever fit in canning jars! Powdered milk lasts nearly forever without oven canning it if you keep it in a cool, dry location. — Jackie
Canning tomato soup
My husband makes this wonderful tomato soup that is known as the original 4B’s Tomato Soup in Montana. He was the one who made it from scratch for 10 years. Every winter I beg and plead him to make it for me. The problem is, he can not reduce the recipe. Every time he does it tastes different. My question is, how do I can tomato soup that has half and half in it? I want to do this so when he does make it, I have it on hand later.
Darcy
Missoula, Montana
I’ve never had good luck trying to can any soup with milk products in it. I can up seasoned tomato puree and when I want to make soup, I heat the milk/cream and mix with the heated tomato puree as I wish. It only takes a few minutes and turns out great. Good luck to you and your husband in recapturing his lost recipe! I have confidence that he’ll get it right soon. Then write it down. (Big smile — I see myself there!) — Jackie
Rose,
Way to go!!! How great is that? You’ll be all set when you move. In the mean time, you can get busy and start filling some of them with on-sale foods like holiday turkey and Easter ham. Then you can move full jars!
Jackie
Cindy,
All foods, canned foods included, store best in a cool, dark location. In New Mexico, I didn’t have such a place in our small house and had to use a back porch with curtains on the east-facing window. It did get hot, but my food stayed fine….including the powdered milk.
Jackie
Hi Jackie !
Yes we all like plenty of jars. I have been able to get 16 oz jars at no cost. My son owns a Salsa Co and all the sample jars where ending up in the trash. Well here comes good old mom saving all the jars which amounts to at least one case per week..smile. These jars take standard lids and are American made. I am planning to move to the country in a year or so and cant wait to put them all to good use
Just curious if the heat and light would hurt the powdered milk. Because everything I have read about storing powdered milk, it says to keep it cool and in a dark location.
Bonnie,
No. I haven’t. (Maybe I’m afraid to?) Every year I get more jars. Some from auctions, some from friends, some from ads and some on sale from various stores. I’ve even found some in the dump! But I value every single jar in my pantry…especially when they’re all full of yummy food!!!
Jackie
Have you ever counted how many canning jars you own? I am always looking for additional jars and have wondered how you accumulated all of yours. Thank you for being such an inspiration to all of us…you are awesome.
For Darcy….I would just have him make the soup without the half and half and can it according to the ingredient that has the longest canning time. Then add the half and half when reheating.
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