On the Sixth day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

On the Sixth day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

Six Nights Spent Canning

- FIVE BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies,

3 dairy goats,

2 dozen eggs,

and A Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

I am always canning. I love it because it's a great skill to have- even though I haven't mastered it yet :)

I am always trying new things and sometimes they turn out great- other times not so much. I have lots of things I like to can... I could give you recipes, or your welcome to come over and we can Can something together. It's fun for me!



Tomato Sauce I Canned this Year



Canning is a great way to store summers bounty for winter. and Without extra chemicals or crazy processes that the Food Industry uses on our everyday food.

It is amazing how much food our family eats over the winter- part of the reason for the current 'experiment'- and it seems basics like tomato sauce go fast.... Experience is the key to figuring this all out it seems. (But I think it's the key to success at anything really- so I'll keep at it)

When I'm not canning (and it's cold outside) I like to cook, bake, sew or scrapbook or just read. I love to read books about Country Living and the like. There are alot of great references available out there- My favorite book is by Carla Emery and is an all inclusive look at country life. I also like magazines like Mother Earth News and Grit. There is always something new to be learned and I love to soak it all up. I don't know/ realize how much I retain until things pop up where I need the knowledge. Recently SugarBear got a mild case of Bloat and I knew to go get her some feed grade soda at the Co-Op and almost immediately tragedy avoided. So it does pay off. Other times it just is awesome to have them on hand.... like when it's time to process a deer. Who knows that stuff unless they have done it before? And it's not like there is a college class called Deer Gutting: 101 

So books are great to have around. I love the Internet but there is something much more personal about curling up with a book; it's a warm cozy feeling that is just not replaceable. I also can't take my computer in the tub with me - and I love to read in the tub.

All the critters are doing fine except for one Henrietta who really doesn't like the cold. She is the thinnest of all the chickens and I wondered about her possibly being ill previously. She seems to be chilled and stays in all the time and is not very active. I am watching her closely and bringing her food...We will see tomorrow if she is ok. Everyone else is doing good. Cold but good.

The first day of the Food Experiment was successful. I am dubbing this Operation FallOut. This is an inside joke but it has been a success so far today. I really wanted processed sweets tonight so I made some meringues. They are homemade (egg white, salt, AC vinegar, sugar) and have no extra chemicals etc that say an Oreo would. And it still tastes like creme filling :)

Anyway so far so good... hopefully the weather will start to warm up soon. I'm not sure what the Farmer's Almanac says but at this rate maybe we will have another white Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All and To All a Good Night.