Homesteaders

[newbie32]

I have dreams of getting a farm....I could easily get the land-its the house that is the problem-too expensive to build. We have 5 chicks right now with 3 more ordered. I live in desert so growing anything is difficult but one day we are moving so I can have a garden. I want to have native corn-not Monsanto, native wheat, and organic salad and herb gardens. Plus I would love to get a few dairy goats and learn to can. HERE IS MY WORRY-botulism. I have seen documents were whole families have been wiped out from canning. scary!

 

[ChickenFootFarm]

Our family just moved to some acreage that we are renting. We are loving it! I have some Leghorns for eggs and today I'm hatching some Bourbon Reds...hopefully I get a few! Being self-sufficient is VERY important to us. Paying companies and farms out of China instead of doing it myself seems dumb. I want to learn all I can here before we buy our place so I can hit the ground running. I hope to talk with you all soon!

 

[ChickenFootFarm]

Where in northern Wisconsin, I was born there. My parents owned a farm in Pound.

 

[Raech]

This is my first year canning all by myself, last year my friend taught me and my hubby's grandma helped make sure I did my pears up proper, I learn by watching not reading my canning book. I just put up 3 quarts of tomatoes today.

I was taught by an older gentleman and he told me that the most important things to remember are: keep it clean, have new lids and make sure your product is not bad when you process it. So I have a stock of lids on hand and my jars are washed by hand, then steamed before I put anything in them. I don't have a dishwasher so I like heat to make sure my jars are as close to sterile as I can get. I don't have a basement to put my jars in like he suggested but I make do with my hall closet, it gets no light and the temp stays pretty consistent. Also I don't think any of my stuff has lasted more than nine months, except for my pickles, those are hubby's pride and joy because he put the dill and grape leaf in it.

I think if you just follow the basic safety precautions and the directions exactly on time, and which kind of canner is needed you should be ok.
I thought it was going to be super hard, and I had just had my second son when I started learning, and for me the hardest part was trying to keep the baby happy with one hand and convincing my friend I could do two things at once and only use one hand to slice the cucumbers on a mandolin. I shocked myself with that one, I normally end up cutting myself when I get around sharp objects so I could understand why he was worried but I had a point to prove to myself. But with that being said I don't have a pressure canner, I only have the water bath and I love it, but I hate how long it takes to heat up and fill up since my stove only has one working burner, so I can only can my tomatoes, pears, peaches(if I ever get any to put in a jar) and my pickles. I am scared of using a pressure canner and most of our meat is in the freezer and we don't get a lot of fish, so I think I have awhile to work through my fear of it exploding with kids under my feet. Anyone else have that problem?

Children under your feet while trying to can/cook anything. My youngest thinks that the drawer under the oven is his play place if mommy's at the stove, and when I wash dishes that cupboard is the greatest place. Sorry for the mini rant, I stepped on a wooden car today trying to get a knife, and then got yelled at because "I knocked him off the road!!!!"

 

[ChickenFootFarm]

LOL, I remember those days...well, not the canning, I haven't done that yet. My daughter is now 11, so no more 'under foot'. We moved in the summer so I don't have a garden this year, or a canner for that matter. How do you steam your jars? I don't have a dishwasher either (I AM the dish washer). You sound like you are bound and determined, good for you. I'm like that as well, when I get an idea to accomplish something...look out!

 

[cyndischicks]

Hi everyone, Just read through this thread and found it pretty interesting! I just got chickens this year 12 buff orpingtons! I love them ! Can't wait til they start laying! I too am trying to depend more on what I can grow organically and I feed the chickens organic plus some free ranging. I actually bought my tomato plants from a nursery that is all organic because sometimes seed you buy in stores are treated (GMO). I have been making my own bread for years off and on, now it is always. My children are all grown now and even though we always had a garden I wish I knew some of the things then that I know now! My children all are more conscious of where their food comes from and we all buy locally things we don't get from our own land! I have a home child care and I teach the children about where their food comes from gardening and composting and taking care of chickens! I also grow grapes and make a nice country wine, along with jelly!

 

[newbie32]

This is my first year canning all by myself, last year my friend taught me and my hubby's grandma helped make sure I did my pears up proper, I learn by watching not reading my canning book. I just put up 3 quarts of tomatoes today.

I was taught by an older gentleman and he told me that the most important things to remember are: keep it clean, have new lids and make sure your product is not bad when you process it. So I have a stock of lids on hand and my jars are washed by hand, then steamed before I put anything in them. I don't have a dishwasher so I like heat to make sure my jars are as close to sterile as I can get. I don't have a basement to put my jars in like he suggested but I make do with my hall closet, it gets no light and the temp stays pretty consistent. Also I don't think any of my stuff has lasted more than nine months, except for my pickles, those are hubby's pride and joy because he put the dill and grape leaf in it.

I think if you just follow the basic safety precautions and the directions exactly on time, and which kind of canner is needed you should be ok.
I thought it was going to be super hard, and I had just had my second son when I started learning, and for me the hardest part was trying to keep the baby happy with one hand and convincing my friend I could do two things at once and only use one hand to slice the cucumbers on a mandolin. I shocked myself with that one, I normally end up cutting myself when I get around sharp objects so I could understand why he was worried but I had a point to prove to myself. But with that being said I don't have a pressure canner, I only have the water bath and I love it, but I hate how long it takes to heat up and fill up since my stove only has one working burner, so I can only can my tomatoes, pears, peaches(if I ever get any to put in a jar) and my pickles. I am scared of using a pressure canner and most of our meat is in the freezer and we don't get a lot of fish, so I think I have awhile to work through my fear of it exploding with kids under my feet. Anyone else have that problem?

Children under your feet while trying to can/cook anything. My youngest thinks that the drawer under the oven is his play place if mommy's at the stove, and when I wash dishes that cupboard is the greatest place. Sorry for the mini rant, I stepped on a wooden car today trying to get a knife, and then got yelled at because "I knocked him off the road!!!!"

I don't want to scare you but even under the most hygienic circumstances you can still get botulism, even high heat will NOT kill endospores. In fact autoclaving is the only known effective method, that is why I am scared to can. Even grocery store cans can cause botulism. I have studied this in college. Higher learning makes it impossible to enjoy the world without freaking out. Oh how I miss cow meat lol

 

[newbie32]

I never thought of renting. It is a great way to see if I can make it for a few years without committing. I will check it out-how did you find your rental?

 

[ChickenFootFarm]

Newbie32...I found this place on Craigslist believe it or not. My husband and I had the same idea, try it before you buy it. Well so far we LOVE it. There is no way I could go back to living in a city environment again. Our family is adjusting beautifully so I think we're sold!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: This website recommends doing some additional boiling when you are consuming home canned meats and vegetables (which may help to put the mind at ease):
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09305.html
I think it is a very good idea.

Also, tomatoes are kind of a toss-up, since some varieties I have read are not as acidic as in years gone by. So it may be better to just pressure can them...you might look into it via web search on low acid tomatoes and canning, if you are interested.

I have made my own meat spaghetti sauce via pressure canner (a few years ago) and it turned out great! We boiled it carefully before using it and I felt quite safe.