Recently I have purchased a new commercial building for both of my businesses. After a couple months of retro fitting the new building, we moved. Doing this has freed up a great space.
The space is located on my property and I use one half for my tractor and gardening stuff. We also use the space to make our maple syrup. The other side is just being used as storage. So, after some thinking, I really want to clean the space up and make a couple small rooms and offer it out for rent as a self sufficient cabin retreat for people to come visit use here on the homestead as well as to hunters. We are located 9 miles from some of the riches state game lands in this area.
I think that renting it out, sharing and working with people and sharing my lifestyle with them is a great way to share and spread the joys and comforts of living like I do. There is power to the building, and it is insulated, lights as well as a pretty big space measuring 14 x 35. With great views of the woods from one direction, and a dairy farm at the bottom of the valley, it has some great views.
Thinking of offering a gas grill to cook on, and keeping it primitive will allow folks to step outside of the rat race for a spell and enjoy country living at it finest.
It would be great to get people to come and work together in the garden, sharing my food with them as well as working on projects, and maintenance on that building. With a fishing pond, a canoe and half a mountain to run around on, kids would have a ball too.
What do you think or what are your ideas on this space? Help me with some ideas or what would you do?
Steve has given me a free corn stove, so I will put that in there for a source of heat...
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
So The Question Was Asked, Am I A Prepper?
K&D asked me this morning if I am a prepper? Perhaps..
My lifestyle is based on a system of beliefs that living off the land and taking care of me, my family and helping others to become more independent for themselves. However, not having a huge wallet to just go out and buy everything I need, my approach is a more practical down to earth.
If you have journeyed with me the past few years you know that I operate out of a fund/account set-up to provide money to pay for this. Whenever you follow my links to amazon from here or from FB and buy stuff, no matter what, I also get a kick back. It isn't much but at an average of .34 a day it helps. I call this account my SS fund and I make purchases according to my needs and what SS skill I am working on.
Trading and bartering are not included with this account. So I do my best to trade and barter before I spend any money for something.
I do have stashes placed in different locations of my property, and those each will afford us with 7-9 days of food for 4 people. They are replaced every 3 years at a cost of $60 a bucket. I also have a "bug-out" bag as well as night vision and first aid. I have water filters as well as iodine for water.
Now, as many of you know, I don't talk about my weapons and what I use to hunt. I have a rifle, muzzle loader, and cross bow. Beyond that being said, the rest is not open for conversation.
I am sure I can escape, and we do have a plan in place in case something does happen. I feel my skills are useful enough to present myself as an important member in a clan if need be. I also am skilled enough to do it on my own and take care of my family. Fist aid is my biggest problem, I know the serous basics, but not the serous stuff.
Knowing plants in different regions is a must as I may have to travel south or north. I feel I have enough knowledge to gather food in every season. I can build shelters, set all sorts of string traps to catch small game, and I know many staple plants that I can gather that will keep us alive if they are to be found.
I don't know what the future holds, but I live the life I do so that I will not be unprepared in regular life or if something bigger happens. I know that my basic calorie counts won't be good, but we can get by.
What if TSHTF, are you ready? What are you doing about it?
My lifestyle is based on a system of beliefs that living off the land and taking care of me, my family and helping others to become more independent for themselves. However, not having a huge wallet to just go out and buy everything I need, my approach is a more practical down to earth.
If you have journeyed with me the past few years you know that I operate out of a fund/account set-up to provide money to pay for this. Whenever you follow my links to amazon from here or from FB and buy stuff, no matter what, I also get a kick back. It isn't much but at an average of .34 a day it helps. I call this account my SS fund and I make purchases according to my needs and what SS skill I am working on.
Trading and bartering are not included with this account. So I do my best to trade and barter before I spend any money for something.
I do have stashes placed in different locations of my property, and those each will afford us with 7-9 days of food for 4 people. They are replaced every 3 years at a cost of $60 a bucket. I also have a "bug-out" bag as well as night vision and first aid. I have water filters as well as iodine for water.
Now, as many of you know, I don't talk about my weapons and what I use to hunt. I have a rifle, muzzle loader, and cross bow. Beyond that being said, the rest is not open for conversation.
I am sure I can escape, and we do have a plan in place in case something does happen. I feel my skills are useful enough to present myself as an important member in a clan if need be. I also am skilled enough to do it on my own and take care of my family. Fist aid is my biggest problem, I know the serous basics, but not the serous stuff.
Knowing plants in different regions is a must as I may have to travel south or north. I feel I have enough knowledge to gather food in every season. I can build shelters, set all sorts of string traps to catch small game, and I know many staple plants that I can gather that will keep us alive if they are to be found.
I don't know what the future holds, but I live the life I do so that I will not be unprepared in regular life or if something bigger happens. I know that my basic calorie counts won't be good, but we can get by.
What if TSHTF, are you ready? What are you doing about it?
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sugar Season Is Coming, Get Your Pork Bellies Ready
Last summer Joshua and I headed into the woods to mark our own Maple trees. Armed with a Canadian flag and pictures of types of Maple trees, we started scouting in the middle of the front yard. Joshua spotted our first tree. Using blue plastic marking tape, we tied the tape around every tree we found that we could tap for sugar season this year.
We found 39 trees on the homestead that could be tapped, 14 of those are sugar maples. So then I decided to gather the two different saps separate in order to sell off the batch made from the sugar maples as the syrup is a better quality. I see that syrup is going for $88 dollars a gallon, so I hope to sell some to pay for the new barrel I had to buy and cover other minor cost. I had wish listed most of my supplies so I consider those as gifts in order to keep my SS fund above $1K.
Make the task of gathering the sap easier, not knowing how much snow will be on the round, we mapped out our trail around the property to gather the sap. Than I decided it would to our advantage to clear and trim out the path around the property. We removed old logs, used some as firewood, cut limbs below head level. We drove the tractor around to decided which approach would be the safest for us.
As the cold weather is here now, the smoker is cured and ready for meat. This years bacon video will include a smoking how to as well. In order to the best use of the smoker, we are going to smoke the sausage and bacon together but do two separate videos. As I type this, I have bacon in the fridge curing...
Its a simple 3 ingredient cure and any one can make/smoke their own!!!
We found 39 trees on the homestead that could be tapped, 14 of those are sugar maples. So then I decided to gather the two different saps separate in order to sell off the batch made from the sugar maples as the syrup is a better quality. I see that syrup is going for $88 dollars a gallon, so I hope to sell some to pay for the new barrel I had to buy and cover other minor cost. I had wish listed most of my supplies so I consider those as gifts in order to keep my SS fund above $1K.
Make the task of gathering the sap easier, not knowing how much snow will be on the round, we mapped out our trail around the property to gather the sap. Than I decided it would to our advantage to clear and trim out the path around the property. We removed old logs, used some as firewood, cut limbs below head level. We drove the tractor around to decided which approach would be the safest for us.
As the cold weather is here now, the smoker is cured and ready for meat. This years bacon video will include a smoking how to as well. In order to the best use of the smoker, we are going to smoke the sausage and bacon together but do two separate videos. As I type this, I have bacon in the fridge curing...
Its a simple 3 ingredient cure and any one can make/smoke their own!!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
About That City Life? Country Living At Its Finest !
So I have had some conflict recently about my SS way of life. But let me not forget my city life and all that it still is and more. Perhaps I will slip into a place where I beat city dwellers down, but have heart my dear friends, city living isn't this country boys cup of tea.
As we sat watching the news, a 78 y/o woman had been raped and murdered 4 blocks down, 7 blocks over. I didn't understand the dynamics of the murder back then, I have a great understanding now. However, it was the fact that we lived in the best area, the best school, and things like that didn't happen here, or so I was to believe.
Then there was the on going hassle with stupid neighbors and property lines (still can't run from that one) and all that it came with. Then comes privacy, I didn't get that till we moved back to the country. The people driving by, the sirens, the smog, the everyday traffic, horns beeping, that fights people had, and the list goes on.
Than once we moved house back to the country it took a little getting use to. But I would sit out on the porch staring up at the sky that I hadn't seen in so many years. The peepers, the tree frogs, the gentle cool breeze of the summer night. It was like heaven, a place where I walked around and drank my beer and listened to what mother nature was. To be honest, it defined me and who I am.
I grew up on a farm, where in the summer we stay and camped outside because the upstairs of the house was too hot. Even if we could afford a fan, we couldn't afford the power to move the night air. In the winter, getting ready for school was a hoot!! See, the trick was to put our clothes in bed with us the night before. Early in the morning, when Mom would shout to get up, she just wanted to see lights in the hallway. So every other day me or my brother would hop out of bed and make a mad dash to turn on the light and back to bed. There was frost patterns on the windows, you could see your breath. You could smell Dad trying to get the coal fire started. But if it were banked right the night before, it would be cold but you couldn't see your breath.
I found the relationship with the Earth that I so longed for and had missed sooooooo much when I had to move to the city. I always told my Dad " You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. " He would be mean sometimes and say " well what are you going to do? Move back to PA where the deer and the antelope roam? " I never could figure a response to that statement, until I moved back. Jokingly, at Thanksgiving dinner, I looked at him and said " They must have killed all the Antelope, because I have yet to see one. " He never said a word but rather changed the subject.
I decided that city living isn't for me, I see nothing wrong with it, but its not for me. I have dreamed of living in a cabin, that dream might just happen sooner than I ever dreamed.
But it might not, so I have made a final decision on where I will remain. I will continue to live in the woods, and continue with my way of life and continue in the direction I want to go. I want to be happy, and gardening, living off the land, making my own stuff, and being kind to the Earth are all things that are importnat to me, I can't give that up.
I hope you stay with me as I continue my next adventures of sausage making!!! I am evening doing a bacon video.... Thanks friends and fans, stay tuned!!! Jason
As we sat watching the news, a 78 y/o woman had been raped and murdered 4 blocks down, 7 blocks over. I didn't understand the dynamics of the murder back then, I have a great understanding now. However, it was the fact that we lived in the best area, the best school, and things like that didn't happen here, or so I was to believe.
Then there was the on going hassle with stupid neighbors and property lines (still can't run from that one) and all that it came with. Then comes privacy, I didn't get that till we moved back to the country. The people driving by, the sirens, the smog, the everyday traffic, horns beeping, that fights people had, and the list goes on.
Than once we moved house back to the country it took a little getting use to. But I would sit out on the porch staring up at the sky that I hadn't seen in so many years. The peepers, the tree frogs, the gentle cool breeze of the summer night. It was like heaven, a place where I walked around and drank my beer and listened to what mother nature was. To be honest, it defined me and who I am.
I grew up on a farm, where in the summer we stay and camped outside because the upstairs of the house was too hot. Even if we could afford a fan, we couldn't afford the power to move the night air. In the winter, getting ready for school was a hoot!! See, the trick was to put our clothes in bed with us the night before. Early in the morning, when Mom would shout to get up, she just wanted to see lights in the hallway. So every other day me or my brother would hop out of bed and make a mad dash to turn on the light and back to bed. There was frost patterns on the windows, you could see your breath. You could smell Dad trying to get the coal fire started. But if it were banked right the night before, it would be cold but you couldn't see your breath.
I found the relationship with the Earth that I so longed for and had missed sooooooo much when I had to move to the city. I always told my Dad " You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. " He would be mean sometimes and say " well what are you going to do? Move back to PA where the deer and the antelope roam? " I never could figure a response to that statement, until I moved back. Jokingly, at Thanksgiving dinner, I looked at him and said " They must have killed all the Antelope, because I have yet to see one. " He never said a word but rather changed the subject.
I decided that city living isn't for me, I see nothing wrong with it, but its not for me. I have dreamed of living in a cabin, that dream might just happen sooner than I ever dreamed.
But it might not, so I have made a final decision on where I will remain. I will continue to live in the woods, and continue with my way of life and continue in the direction I want to go. I want to be happy, and gardening, living off the land, making my own stuff, and being kind to the Earth are all things that are importnat to me, I can't give that up.
I hope you stay with me as I continue my next adventures of sausage making!!! I am evening doing a bacon video.... Thanks friends and fans, stay tuned!!! Jason
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Getting Ready For The Deer Hunt After The Holidays, More meat!
To my disappointment this year, I have been to busy to go hunting outside a couple hours the first day. I have hired seasonal help, but the hunting season escaped me. I have plenty of local beef, pork and chicken, but I have to get these $35 dollars worth of dog tags filled. I love black powder hunting, it fills my "Jeremiah Johnston" side and gives me that good ole feeling of living off the land.
There is a male squirrel who is going to be in my fry pan before to long. He has been clawing on my mushroom logs at the top. He will be deep fried and ate with some greens.
Sugar season is coming up soon, about 8-12 weeks from now. Working on my rain barrel system next month and looking forward to sap gathering this year all on my own. Joshua is looking forward to it as much as I am, a great time spending time together creating memories of living off the land. If there is one seed I am sure I planted with my son on living off the land, it is maple syrup making.
There is a male squirrel who is going to be in my fry pan before to long. He has been clawing on my mushroom logs at the top. He will be deep fried and ate with some greens.
Sugar season is coming up soon, about 8-12 weeks from now. Working on my rain barrel system next month and looking forward to sap gathering this year all on my own. Joshua is looking forward to it as much as I am, a great time spending time together creating memories of living off the land. If there is one seed I am sure I planted with my son on living off the land, it is maple syrup making.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
From Downspout To Sap Out, Interesting Useful Idea
In truth, maple syrup making is a skill handed to me by my grandfather. So as you might know, I planned to be at this point a year ago, but the murder of my parents put my life on hold. My feelings of their deaths has been a roller coaster at times, and time does allow us to learn to except the way things are. I still get angry and upset at times, if I didn't I wouldn't be human. I miss them and wished they could share life with us. Being as it is, perhaps they were saved and are watching us from heaven.
Realize that putting a hold on my path of being self sufficient has not taken hold of my ideas and made me put it down and surrender my diet and lifestyle to big corporation. Learning the skills needed by pioneers of the past days keeps me excited and the rewards of my hard work keeps me going. I will have a plan to share with you for what/where I want to be in the next year. I know that I want to expand my diet to include more dried beans.
I am in a better mental state and find myself getting back to normal something to look forward to. I miss my folks but I know although they are gone, they would want me to keep moving forward in my own life.
Hope you hang in there with me while I get things back together in my own life. Peace be with you, and spread some love. Life is too short to hate. Jason
Thursday, October 20, 2011
GETTING READY FOR HUNTING SEASON
Pheasant season this weekend and rifles are cleaned up ready to go. Spent some time checking all my scopes and open sights to make sure I kill what I am shooting for, I hate to wound any animal and have it suffer.
Considering tanning my hides this year to use for clothing and other need items such as tool bags and pouches. But I need to explore this more so I understand what I am about to take on. But it is a self sufficient skill that can save your life as well as bring in some cash.
Considering tanning my hides this year to use for clothing and other need items such as tool bags and pouches. But I need to explore this more so I understand what I am about to take on. But it is a self sufficient skill that can save your life as well as bring in some cash.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Dehydrating, Dealing W/ Bumper Crops, Part II
There is a lot to be said about dehydrating your bumper crops, and one of the most asked questions is... " Where do I find recipes or how do I use the dehydrated food? "
Being a organic foodie, I also like to live on the wild side and do things that just don't go together. If I told you that a ham and ketchup sandwich was tasty, or a peanut butter and mayo sandwich was good. Would you try them?
Yes it is fair enough for me to share with you more of my dehydrating food recipes, or better ways to use the food. Before I share some with you, I want to take a moment and tell you how wonderful dehydrated food is, and second, how good it is for you. No way do I have a PHD or know it all about the nutritional value. I don't, but I have read plenty of others who are and do know.
A simple recipe is to add dehydrated maters to your normal dishes, including mac-n-cheese. Dips are great as well as using them just as chips.
Dehydrated zuke squash, maters, onions and carrots added to nearly finished pasta, the last 3 minutes, or just after you drain it, WONDERFUL and TASTY!! PASTA PASTA PASTA!!
I have used ground up Asparagus in scrambled eggs. How about zuke squash fruit snacks using fruit juice... Make complete soup recipes, vac seal them and when your ready added the bag to your slow cooker and broth, simmer all day and when you get home or its time for dinner.... BAM!!
I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE dehydrated fruit in my pancakes.... Get creative and try my Apple Chip pancake recipe. Take a handful of dehydrated Apple chips, crush add to your pancakes, your welcome!!
I also crush veggies in a coffee grinder, sprinkle on dishes. I will give Mrs. Dash her place, but I can make 300 times more for the same cost of one jar.
Being a organic foodie, I also like to live on the wild side and do things that just don't go together. If I told you that a ham and ketchup sandwich was tasty, or a peanut butter and mayo sandwich was good. Would you try them?
Yes it is fair enough for me to share with you more of my dehydrating food recipes, or better ways to use the food. Before I share some with you, I want to take a moment and tell you how wonderful dehydrated food is, and second, how good it is for you. No way do I have a PHD or know it all about the nutritional value. I don't, but I have read plenty of others who are and do know.
A simple recipe is to add dehydrated maters to your normal dishes, including mac-n-cheese. Dips are great as well as using them just as chips.
Dehydrated zuke squash, maters, onions and carrots added to nearly finished pasta, the last 3 minutes, or just after you drain it, WONDERFUL and TASTY!! PASTA PASTA PASTA!!
I have used ground up Asparagus in scrambled eggs. How about zuke squash fruit snacks using fruit juice... Make complete soup recipes, vac seal them and when your ready added the bag to your slow cooker and broth, simmer all day and when you get home or its time for dinner.... BAM!!
I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE dehydrated fruit in my pancakes.... Get creative and try my Apple Chip pancake recipe. Take a handful of dehydrated Apple chips, crush add to your pancakes, your welcome!!
I also crush veggies in a coffee grinder, sprinkle on dishes. I will give Mrs. Dash her place, but I can make 300 times more for the same cost of one jar.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Keep'em Coming, I'll Just Find New Ways To Make'em Into Food
Well if the heat wave didn't destroy your garden, there is a good chance yours' is producing like mine is. I took a poll to find out what some folks are sick of harvesting, the number answer right now is tomatoes.
Everyone has expectations of corn, but if your like me, I plant more of the useful stuff just in case something goes south. Well when it doesn't go south, what do you do? Start pulling your hair, take it over to more needy folks, give it away to anyone who wants it, pawn it off on co-workers or set it out with a FREE sign at the end of your driveway. Stop for a second and lets talk about canning.
I decided to expand my mind while expanding my pantry and shrinking my food bill. So I have put up GALLONS of pasta sauce, salsa, chili, and ketchup. Stewed maters and mater juice is next. By looks of all the green maters, were going to be here a while and run out of canning jars if I don't do something.
Green maters, pickled with onions, jalapenos, and sweet red peppers... Green mater chutney, yummy..
So what else can I can with maters???????? Do you have an off the wall, wonderful, delicious canning recipe for me to try?
Everyone has expectations of corn, but if your like me, I plant more of the useful stuff just in case something goes south. Well when it doesn't go south, what do you do? Start pulling your hair, take it over to more needy folks, give it away to anyone who wants it, pawn it off on co-workers or set it out with a FREE sign at the end of your driveway. Stop for a second and lets talk about canning.
I decided to expand my mind while expanding my pantry and shrinking my food bill. So I have put up GALLONS of pasta sauce, salsa, chili, and ketchup. Stewed maters and mater juice is next. By looks of all the green maters, were going to be here a while and run out of canning jars if I don't do something.
Green maters, pickled with onions, jalapenos, and sweet red peppers... Green mater chutney, yummy..
So what else can I can with maters???????? Do you have an off the wall, wonderful, delicious canning recipe for me to try?
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Wasting Some Green, and Seeing Red, A No Waste Trick
Well the garden is coming in and doing its job, I have processed pickles, chutneys, jams, squash, onions, garlic and the corn is coming in.
I have had so many cukes, I put some in the frig and meaning to get back to them for bread and butter pickles, and well they went limp on me. I try to have a no waste rule, however I have been so busy with the new building project, time just slips by. I picked another bunch today and threw out the old shriveled ones.
So the first small handful of red maters were nice, then today I harvested 6 pounds or so. I processed them for juice using my kitchen aid and two different attachments combined together to pulp free my sauce in less then 15 minutes I had over a 1/2 gallon of the good stuff. I have frozen that and will add that later when I have enough organic juice to make a few batches of sauces and salsa.
The trick to get every little bit from the maters using my method, is to process the maters 4 times through the kitchen aid. I ended up with 1/4 cup of seeds and just skins. The old method use to take me hours, and there is nothing wrong with doing it by hand. However, I am a modern pioneer and I love to save time processing as long as I get a better or higher quality end product. In this case, it was hours sooner and I got 100% of usable product.
If you want me to share what products I use, and my method, let me know. I am always happy to share.
I have had so many cukes, I put some in the frig and meaning to get back to them for bread and butter pickles, and well they went limp on me. I try to have a no waste rule, however I have been so busy with the new building project, time just slips by. I picked another bunch today and threw out the old shriveled ones.
So the first small handful of red maters were nice, then today I harvested 6 pounds or so. I processed them for juice using my kitchen aid and two different attachments combined together to pulp free my sauce in less then 15 minutes I had over a 1/2 gallon of the good stuff. I have frozen that and will add that later when I have enough organic juice to make a few batches of sauces and salsa.
The trick to get every little bit from the maters using my method, is to process the maters 4 times through the kitchen aid. I ended up with 1/4 cup of seeds and just skins. The old method use to take me hours, and there is nothing wrong with doing it by hand. However, I am a modern pioneer and I love to save time processing as long as I get a better or higher quality end product. In this case, it was hours sooner and I got 100% of usable product.
If you want me to share what products I use, and my method, let me know. I am always happy to share.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Dehydrating, Dealing W/ Bumper Crops, Secret Tip, The Recipe
This time of year most folks love to share the fruits of their labor with others. So many people bring in food from their gardens and give it to co-workers and such.
NOT ME!! If you now suspect that I am just a grumpy old man, that isn't true. However, I do like to share some of my food with others and love to fellowship and share with certain folks. I process all my own food, and I deal with my bumper crops differently than most people.
Some people do get what I am doing, and I gave a friend some Jam, only to find out they didn't use it because it was home processed. I know right? But it was the first time, and the last I shared my food with them.
This time of year, its Cukes and Squash... I know that mater time is just around the corner when bumper crops of these two veggies head for the dehydrator. Cukes have tons of canning ideas, my focus in this article is Squash.
Zuke and Yellow are two of the most produced squashes in gardens. People love to grow them with little to no care, plant the seeds and off they go. I find that most people give away squash and maters, and from time to time Okra. NOT ME!!!
You know by now I love to process and store my own food, and you want to learn from my adventures and share your own ideas. To prep my squash, I clean it, cut the ends, and set my slicer for 5/16 of an inch. Now it is not wise to dehydrate big squash without a little bit of work, but armed with an egg cup, you will now be able to store and keep more food than you ever knew.
Yes, for this article I am going to use the word pith, it is the only word I know that I can described the center of a squash that has mature seeds in it. Now, having seeds in dehydrated food isn't a crime. The criminal here is mature seeds. Seeds are self contained units, and if activated, will ruin mass amounts of food stores. Now if your storing them for seeds that is different, as the end use is much different.
Allowing mature seeds to be left in can not only ruin food, but also contain natural chemicals that will off set the flavor of your food. So armed with a egg cup, I remove the pith and mature seeds so that I can continue to save the squash for dehydration.I put up 23 pounds of squash in one go using my Excalibur 3900.
Some will say this recipe has been in many families recipe book for generations, as for a modern pioneer, our methods of food storing do change when a new way allows for better food storing. With that, food recipes and the desire to make our own comfort food makes us change our recipes to adapt to our new ways.
I am positive some of you growing up on a farm have spent many summer nights at the table with a bowl of squash mess. I know this time of year it was a near staple fixed on the grill in a cast iron pan over hardwood fire. We never cooked inside unless it was early morning in the summer. So I gave my hand at making this recipe with dehydrated food. After trial and error, I have developed the recipe and process.
11/2 cups each of dehydrated yellow and zuke squash
1/4 cup dehydrated onions
dehydrated garlic to taste
2 1/2 cups of veggie stock or chicken
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of flour
salt/pepper to taste
Put stock in fry pan, add squash, simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat. Increase temp to high, cook off remainder of stock liquid, turn back to medium, add butter, when squash begins to turn brown add butter, when butter melts add flour and return to high heat until the flour is brown.
I tested this recipe throughout the winter making as many as 8 to 12 side dishes. From the first to the last, outstanding!!
NOT ME!! If you now suspect that I am just a grumpy old man, that isn't true. However, I do like to share some of my food with others and love to fellowship and share with certain folks. I process all my own food, and I deal with my bumper crops differently than most people.
Some people do get what I am doing, and I gave a friend some Jam, only to find out they didn't use it because it was home processed. I know right? But it was the first time, and the last I shared my food with them.
This time of year, its Cukes and Squash... I know that mater time is just around the corner when bumper crops of these two veggies head for the dehydrator. Cukes have tons of canning ideas, my focus in this article is Squash.
Zuke and Yellow are two of the most produced squashes in gardens. People love to grow them with little to no care, plant the seeds and off they go. I find that most people give away squash and maters, and from time to time Okra. NOT ME!!!
You know by now I love to process and store my own food, and you want to learn from my adventures and share your own ideas. To prep my squash, I clean it, cut the ends, and set my slicer for 5/16 of an inch. Now it is not wise to dehydrate big squash without a little bit of work, but armed with an egg cup, you will now be able to store and keep more food than you ever knew.
Some will say this recipe has been in many families recipe book for generations, as for a modern pioneer, our methods of food storing do change when a new way allows for better food storing. With that, food recipes and the desire to make our own comfort food makes us change our recipes to adapt to our new ways.
I am positive some of you growing up on a farm have spent many summer nights at the table with a bowl of squash mess. I know this time of year it was a near staple fixed on the grill in a cast iron pan over hardwood fire. We never cooked inside unless it was early morning in the summer. So I gave my hand at making this recipe with dehydrated food. After trial and error, I have developed the recipe and process.
11/2 cups each of dehydrated yellow and zuke squash
1/4 cup dehydrated onions
dehydrated garlic to taste
2 1/2 cups of veggie stock or chicken
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of flour
salt/pepper to taste
Put stock in fry pan, add squash, simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat. Increase temp to high, cook off remainder of stock liquid, turn back to medium, add butter, when squash begins to turn brown add butter, when butter melts add flour and return to high heat until the flour is brown.
I tested this recipe throughout the winter making as many as 8 to 12 side dishes. From the first to the last, outstanding!!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Keeping On Getting Back To Normal, Love Fresh Food
Hello SS folks, long time no post... However as I mentioned after my return from the coast, I am presenting you with the photos of the homestead and where I am at with things.
So we are doing great, and the weather has been bad. With almost no rain, my rain barrel has been dry most of the grow season. I have used both pond water and well water for the garden. The mulch I laid down has been a blessing. Like some of you, I have been getting on with my seasonal duties of putting food up for the winter season. Although I have been eating more veggies since the garden has been growing, I drop almost 25 pounds of fat. Stress fat as well as process food eating I am sure. We all know the difference in the taste of market food and your own.
Well, all that being said, I'd rather explain the photos as they posted. So if you have sometime and want to join me on my adventure of my SS lifestyle, grab a cup of tea or your preferred drink and lets have a mozzy on the farm.
Mushroom Logs setting idle, waiting for some rain
Wind spinners which help run the birds off and add some beauty to the garden
Solar lights in the garden. 4 corners have led colored globes, and again the bean tree fence post topper
Garden Guard
Garden pictures of different crops and general garden stuff
Ground Hog enters garden and eats carrots and beans, I will harvest and stew him soon
Early Garlic processing
Onions
Summer and Zuke squash, dried and ready to be separated into my squash mess vac bags and other cooking recipes. I have a long loved squash mess recipe from my Mom that she taught me how to make. I took it one step further and developed a dehydrated recipe of my own.
Jamming.. Maple syrup too..
So let me set this up and explain to you how some people don't think. At the end of maple season, folks are tired and couldn't be bothered working out the "fines" in the last gallon of syrup. Fines are named as all the small particles left over in the last batches of each go at maple making. They were going to toss them out this year, I got my equal share already, and wanted the stuff they were going to throw away. Anyway, what you are looking at is one jar of the left over "fines" syrup. Somewhat darker than Amber, still a good quality syrup, this jar is 90% maple syrup with the fines settled at the bottom. SO letting it settle and removing the top syrup has given me another half gallon of syrup.
Todays harvest
The root cellar seems to keep at a steady 66 degrees and was a rewarding building project for food stores. It has proved to be a great place for me to safely store both dried foods as well as canned food.
The hedge rows have provided a steady supply of berries for jamming and fresh eating. This year is the first year that grapes are growing. some of the later raspberry plants are still providing berries of pancakes and sugar and milk.
I suspect that I will be drying and canning tomatoes very soon. I will be canning green ones as well. I also will be drying some for soup recipes.
So we are doing great, and the weather has been bad. With almost no rain, my rain barrel has been dry most of the grow season. I have used both pond water and well water for the garden. The mulch I laid down has been a blessing. Like some of you, I have been getting on with my seasonal duties of putting food up for the winter season. Although I have been eating more veggies since the garden has been growing, I drop almost 25 pounds of fat. Stress fat as well as process food eating I am sure. We all know the difference in the taste of market food and your own.
Well, all that being said, I'd rather explain the photos as they posted. So if you have sometime and want to join me on my adventure of my SS lifestyle, grab a cup of tea or your preferred drink and lets have a mozzy on the farm.
Mushroom Logs setting idle, waiting for some rain
Wind spinners which help run the birds off and add some beauty to the garden
Solar lights in the garden. 4 corners have led colored globes, and again the bean tree fence post topper
Garden Guard
Garden pictures of different crops and general garden stuff
Ground Hog enters garden and eats carrots and beans, I will harvest and stew him soon
Early Garlic processing
Onions
Summer and Zuke squash, dried and ready to be separated into my squash mess vac bags and other cooking recipes. I have a long loved squash mess recipe from my Mom that she taught me how to make. I took it one step further and developed a dehydrated recipe of my own.
Jamming.. Maple syrup too..
So let me set this up and explain to you how some people don't think. At the end of maple season, folks are tired and couldn't be bothered working out the "fines" in the last gallon of syrup. Fines are named as all the small particles left over in the last batches of each go at maple making. They were going to toss them out this year, I got my equal share already, and wanted the stuff they were going to throw away. Anyway, what you are looking at is one jar of the left over "fines" syrup. Somewhat darker than Amber, still a good quality syrup, this jar is 90% maple syrup with the fines settled at the bottom. SO letting it settle and removing the top syrup has given me another half gallon of syrup.
Todays harvest
The root cellar seems to keep at a steady 66 degrees and was a rewarding building project for food stores. It has proved to be a great place for me to safely store both dried foods as well as canned food.
The hedge rows have provided a steady supply of berries for jamming and fresh eating. This year is the first year that grapes are growing. some of the later raspberry plants are still providing berries of pancakes and sugar and milk.
I suspect that I will be drying and canning tomatoes very soon. I will be canning green ones as well. I also will be drying some for soup recipes.
You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.
вегетарианец- Russian word for poor hunter
We are pioneers, trail blazers, we fight for freedom. We transform our dreams into the truth, our struggles, we became a nation.
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