Homesteaders

[lazy gardener]

Yep, hot water bath for 10 minutes. It will easily store for a year. I don't intend to have any left any longer than that. Because it has very little sugar, you can't depend on the sugar acting as a preservative. Of course, the lower acid fruits do need to have a bit of acid added to them.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I made the jelly as it was and it turned out okay. Three friends tried and said it was good. So I sent three jars to the church store for India as is my MO. I have more grapes to do up but won't do it the same way just because. Though I do wish all my jellies set up as good.

 

[rancher hicks]

I reckon folks are to busy to post these days. Winter is coming. Any plans for things you save to do during the winter?

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I reckon folks are to busy to post these days. Winter is coming. Any plans for things you save to do during the winter?

not really doing anything about homesteading, we got no plants/veggies this year from our garden, been spending the last little while looking at aquaponics for an indoor grow system. (as i live in sask and we get really cold)

 

[lazy gardener]

Today I dug out a food saver that I had bought and never used. Used it to break down some chicken, and vacuum seal it. Not sure I really like this thing... but... we'll see.

Need to harvest the rest of the potatoes, continue harvesting seeds.

We have 3 cords of wood that need to be double split and stacked.

I have a lot of winter projects ahead of me: a kneeling chair to re-upholster, need to clean out and organize the basement and the garage, make a dolly style garden tool organizer, make 2 sets of curtains for my office.

 

[rancher hicks]

Not sure I have pics of my garden tools but for hand items I use old mailboxes. No carrying them around. Too I have metal no rust tools from Brookstone, that can be hung right on the fencing inside the garden. The middle pic is of brackets I bought that "pinch" to studs and are used to hole shovels and what not inside the chicken run. I need to get more. No walking back to the garage to get them or carry thing around. I do have a set inside the garage for front yard work though. Second hand tools are a great deal.

 

[rancher hicks]

I also have two wagons for toting things like buckets or containers of feed. In the winter I fill milk jugs with hot water to the runs. No water in the coops as a rule. There may be exceptions like when I'm using the hoop for brooding chicks.
Used wheel barrows are cheap too. I have two. I've installed "hard" tires so they don't go flat. Expensive but worth the price of not having flats. I got mine at Harbor Freight. If you can find uses that's good too.
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Roadmaster 34 i

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have a wagon with a dump feature that i really like. Great for moving small amounts of manure etc. Also feeding and watering the chickens, guineas and rabbits.
Got a deer rifle and game cam yesterday! Lots of wild game here.

 

[lazy gardener]

2 sets of hand tools are absolutely essential for a serious gardener, IMO. That way, when hubby and I are working on the yard, we don't have to "share" or stand around waiting. I also have 2 wheelbarrows. My big dump one is great for hauling brush, multiple hay bales, and other bulky items. https://www.amazon.com/C-R-Daniels-...srs=14501765011&ie=UTF8&qid=1506357097&sr=8-2

However, my go to item is a smaller WB. I use it non/stop unless the ground is covered with snow/ice: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marathon-5-cu-ft-Poly-Wheelbarrow/1000002704

What ever you choose for a wheelbarrow, IME, it's imperative that you take it for a test drive before buying it. Gonna buy on Amazon? Go to a hardware store first and take a number of them for a test drive. Be sure to load it up, as a heavy load makes a huge difference. You only have one body, and it's gotta last you for the rest of your life, so be kind to it. Spend a few extra bucks to buy a quality, well balanced WB so you don't find yourself fighting to keep it from tipping when it's heavily loaded and you're going over uneven ground. The load should be centered over the wheels (I'd never even consider a single wheel unless using it on goat paths!) so your only lifting involves balancing that load. You should not have to actually lift the load!

I'd love to hang a mail box on my garden fence for my hand tools. The only thing that has stopped me is the fact that I don't want to invite the chickens to fly to the top of the garden fence.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yeah, this wheel barrow has 2 wheels, i like that feature.