Q and A: Brooding chicks off-grid and pickled okra

Brooding chicks off-grid

Years ago I raised lots of day-old chicks using a heat lamp to brood them. I want to get back to poultry now that I am retired but my homestead is off grid. Any Ideas other than running the generator many hours and charging batteries to provide heat during the night. Solar is in the future but not in time for a May start on chicks. Would a low btu propane heater work.

Howard Brewi
Valdez, Alaska

We used a propane heater to brood our chicks in the house (in our sunroom/greenhouse). At first, we needed it on all day and night, but as the temperatures warmed up, we found that the chicks were comfortable with the heater off, as long as the house was reasonably warm (wood heat and sunshine through our big windows). We did keep a small CFL burning over the stock tank we used to prevent picking and also to prevent piling up after the heater was not used at night. I’m posting a photo of our setup to help give you more ideas. It CAN be done! — Jackie

Pickled okra

Asking for my sister…She has pickled okra that the seals are turning loose on. They have been stored in her pantry with no extreme temp changes and nothing stacked on top. They were canned this past summer, however, in the last two weeks the lids have started pinging and turning loose. Any ideas as to the possible cause and would the vinegar keep it safe to eat or should the contents be thrown out?

Becky in Alabama

I don’t know why your sister’s pickled okra jars are having seals that are failing, as I don’t know how she processed it, etc. But if the jars are having pinging lids that are releasing, something is wrong! No, I wouldn’t eat the okra. It’s the old saying “when in doubt, throw it out.” It hurts when it’s your home canned food, but take it as a learning experience and try to figure out what went wrong and follow tried recipes to can it next time. Don’t let one failure throw you! It happens to all beginners at one point or another. — Jackie