You got a tractor for 1.00? Wow
The peas turned out fine, and I still have a few 1/2 pint jars left. The problem came in at the amount of work it takes to shell enough of them to can! Very time consuming. Felt like days to get enough to can a handful of small jars.
Everyone I've talked with had a hard year gardening too. The potatoes, carrots, onions and green beans were my only really good producers. My most disappointing thing was the lack of okra. I had to pickel some hot and spicey green beans instead. Ok, but just not the same....
Have you looked into a Mr Pea Sheller?? http://leemfgco.com/Category/Pea-Shellers You may find it cheaper somewhere else. I have a friend who has the big commercial one and he loves it. I have thought about investing into the hand cranked one myself. With my carpal tunnel acting up at times, it would be very nice and takes no time to do in comparison.
YEP!!
That is the tractor that will be painted pink come spring for me, Sweet Pea and any other little granddaughters that may come in the future. The paint job had to be held off since it is too wet in the winter months. Thinking big lavender flowers with yellow centers to go on too. . . Even has a cup holder for my Pink Coffee Mug that hunny had my name engraved on . . . I am not a pink person normally but now that I have a little toddle bug, I have come around. Think she might be a little girly girl but hopefully with Nana's influence I can put a little tomboy in her. Besides I am trying to keep my sweet hunny off of it. He has a bigger one and he can continue taking that one out to the cow pasture.
I think I'm just going to plant less peas.... I really like them fresh in a salad, but not enough to buy the sheller for em. Appreciate the link though. Still can't believe how lucky you were on your tractor! I'm thrilled for you! I'm just starting to look for a used one, and a dollar isn't in my future. I also want one with the backhoe on it, which raises the price even more.
That is a great price on the hand crank one though.
A pink tractor with flowers on it, you just made thousands of Texan men jeleous
And I was whining about working in 35 deg's! I was in a bucket truck on the windiest cold day all day yesterday, 50ft in the air. It was so windy I had to hold the light pole and bucket together while my son pulled the ballasts out to replace. God awful day! Left at 9am and got home at midnight. I'm too old to be doing this crap anymore!
Gotta wait till spring, but know I will post a pic! Sunday I saw a new crochet pattern (at least new for me) so ended up figuring out the how to and worked on it since it rained most of the day. My neighbor called tonight asking if we still had our sling that was made for a calf. Another neighbors family member was pumping gas, talking with a lady across from him. She had a baby calf that she was taking to the vet to get put down. She lived a couple hours away from her ranch and the calf's momma wouldn't nurse him. I don't know the why's on not just bringing him home to bottle feed but she couldn't drive back and for so asked if he wanted the calf! Poor thing was very weak and not wanting to stand. Neighbor wanted to sling him to at least get him on his feet for awhile. He's about a week old and eating good now so should pull through with bottle feeding. Don't envie him right now with the bottle feeding. . . been there a few times myself and once with the two.
I'd take a bottle feeding calf in a heartbeat. Of course then I'd get too attached to it so maybe it's not a good idea.
This spring I'm going to start looking for a young Jersey heifer. She'll become the family milk cow. We'll make our own butter and cheese along with plenty of fresh milk. Any excess will go to the hogs.
This is just a suggestion . . . I would freeze my cream in IceCube trays when I was not needing to make butter. You get about 2Tablespoons depending on the trays you use. Its nice to have extra on hand for cooking and butter making when you are not milking. With a Jersey, you will get plenty of cream. I always enjoy making cheese. You just cannot beat it and the price of even a good cheddar at the store is outrageous!
Around here whole milk sells for around 11.00. I think a cow is a really good investment.
A little bit of fat in canned goods is OK, dehydrating is a big no-no though. My guess would be your seal of the lid. Oxygen getting in would cause it to ferment and go rancid. I would think that most stew meat that you buy at the store would already have the majority of fat cut off.
