INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

random remark

I want to get into canning, and my grandfather who did all the canning passed away. When it gets into spring and we have extra money, if anyone has any extra canning goods I would love to work out a barter or sale for what I need and what you don't. I know I need a sieve and pestle to make tomato juice, but everything else, I'm lost. Just something to keep in mind. Thanks in advance everyone! Semper Fi!

Go away from canning here for a while but I know we have a fe members that do. Ball has a really helpful website.
https://www.freshpreserving.com/recipes/

 

[Finnie]

@Indyshent @jchny2000

I've heard of mule ducks, but is there such a thing as a mule chicken? Anyone is free to answer, these two are just usually the quickest to answer me. I want a diverse flock (no more than one of each type) except my two RIR, who are my buddies and I can't part with either one, but when I get a rooster, I don't want to end up with sterile or "mule" birds. Is this possible within chickens??

No mule chickens. All the different chicken breeds are just variations of one species.

 

[Indyshent]

@Indyshent @jchny2000

I've heard of mule ducks, but is there such a thing as a mule chicken? Anyone is free to answer, these two are just usually the quickest to answer me. I want a diverse flock (no more than one of each type) except my two RIR, who are my buddies and I can't part with either one, but when I get a rooster, I don't want to end up with sterile or "mule" birds. Is this possible within chickens??

Mule= sterile cross between two species. Two breeds of the same species will give you fertile offspring every time.

Mule ducks are a cross between Muscovy and mallard-derived ducks. Completely different species. Depending on which parents are which species, some crosses can lay infertile eggs. These are industry standbys for making p[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588)]âté[/COLOR].

Chicken "mules" are made by crossing (accidentally usually) a chicken with a guinea or pheasant of some type. They're pretty rare and often don't live long or lay eggs.

 

[Indyshent]

Going to have to figure something quick about who's staying or going. Don't think I'll be able to get rid of everyone.

We finally have insurance through DH's new job, but it's $500/mos, and we have a new loan bill because of the underselling of the house in NC (after seven years on the market, they finally sold a house that had been appraised at $96k for $45k to the biggest jerk on the planet). So, even after selling the house and getting rid of that loan payment, we're actually making less, and we were already strapped.

We found out this week that the insurance has a deductible of $3,000 on me, so that ultrasound I got Friday is going to be completely out of pocket. Still don't know what's wrong. Results should be sent to my doctor on campus by Monday. Been having horrible dizzy spells and a lot of pain. I would think that plain old cyst should have gone away by now, so fears of cancer are upping the ante on this round. Between the pain, the constant exhaustion, the lack of money, the kids being extra messy, the full-time coursework--well, my house is screwed. I never have any time, energy or money to do anything that needs to get done around here.

Will have to keep turkeys. I spent way too much money and energy on them already, and just enjoy them so much. The baby Polish and duckies are like that, too. Polish are about the most social chicks I've ever had--and they don't eat much. I have an army of assorted chickens who lay about every color of the rainbow, however, so cuts will likely be made into this grouping. I get more eggs than I can use or sell, so there's no good reason to keep so many hens.

 

[Crafty chick]

random remark

I want to get into canning, and my grandfather who did all the canning passed away. When it gets into spring and we have extra money, if anyone has any extra canning goods I would love to work out a barter or sale for what I need and what you don't. I know I need a sieve and pestle to make tomato juice, but everything else, I'm lost. Just something to keep in mind. Thanks in advance everyone! Semper Fi!

I'm pretty into canning, this year I've made spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, diced tomatoes, green beans, banana peppers, pickles, and applesauce. Right now is a great time to find canning supplies on sale at the stores. I went to owens to get some lids, and they were $1 off, which is almost 50% off! Along with a pressure canner, make sure you have a really large pot for making sauces and such so you can go from boiling sauce straight to jars into the canner. Might be able to find jars for cheap at garage sales or auctions right now. Just make sure the tops aren't chipped. I'm always learning new things every year I can, and we've done it since I was a kid. Now on my own, with my own family, I take pride in my cupboards that are lined in awesomeness jarred for the next year. Good luck

 

[tmarsh83]

I'm pretty into canning, this year I've made spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, diced tomatoes, green beans, banana peppers, pickles, and applesauce. Right now is a great time to find canning supplies on sale at the stores. I went to owens to get some lids, and they were $1 off, which is almost 50% off! Along with a pressure canner, make sure you have a really large pot for making sauces and such so you can go from boiling sauce straight to jars into the canner. Might be able to find jars for cheap at garage sales or auctions right now. Just make sure the tops aren't chipped. I'm always learning new things every year I can, and we've done it since I was a kid. Now on my own, with my own family, I take pride in my cupboards that are lined in awesomeness jarred for the next year. Good luck

Seconded but finding second hand canning stuff is tough. It's worth its weight in gold. Almost always a family member swoops in and takes it all. It takes time to build up a reserve of jars.

I recommend going all in and getting the pressure canner. Too much can't be done safely in a boiling water bath.

Did salsa, sauce, peppers, peaches, green beans this year. Big pickle year last year. (70 pints!)

Hoping to can some venison in the next couple months too. I also plan to can layers when the time comes to do so.

I hate to rely on freezers.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Going to have to figure something quick about who's staying or going. Don't think I'll be able to get rid of everyone.

We finally have insurance through DH's new job, but it's $500/mos, and we have a new loan bill because of the underselling of the house in NC (after seven years on the market, they finally sold a house that had been appraised at $96k for $45k to the biggest jerk on the planet). So, even after selling the house and getting rid of that loan payment, we're actually making less, and we were already strapped.

We found out this week that the insurance has a deductible of $3,000 on me, so that ultrasound I got Friday is going to be completely out of pocket. Still don't know what's wrong. Results should be sent to my doctor on campus by Monday. Been having horrible dizzy spells and a lot of pain. I would think that plain old cyst should have gone away by now, so fears of cancer are upping the ante on this round. Between the pain, the constant exhaustion, the lack of money, the kids being extra messy, the full-time coursework--well, my house is screwed. I never have any time, energy or money to do anything that needs to get done around here.

Will have to keep turkeys. I spent way too much money and energy on them already, and just enjoy them so much. The baby Polish and duckies are like that, too. Polish are about the most social chicks I've ever had--and they don't eat much. I have an army of assorted chickens who lay about every color of the rainbow, however, so cuts will likely be made into this grouping. I get more eggs than I can use or sell, so there's no good reason to keep so many hens.

I am so sorry to hear it. Prayers your way for answers very soon.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have been terrible about sharing pictures with posts. Mainly with PC issues, and trying to upload the pics I take. My new phone has really helped! Trying to get at least 1 picture a week posted now, lol. Here is my little herd of calves.

My sweet Moose, our bull front and center, the darkest brown Jersey. He is about 300 pounds now! Far right is Dixie one of our heifers. Far left, Abigail a Holstein heifer, older than Moose and probably weighs about the same. Another heifer Pixie mixed in with our 4 steers top center. Aside from Abigail, all are Jersey cows. Oh and a photobomb of Cocoa my Nubian goat, bottom left, just her butt lol.
My little steer with the green rope neck tie is a weaker calf, so I pay special attention to him. His growth has been slower than the rest, and I look pretty hard all over him daily. His overall vigor makes me think he was a twin birth.
Notice the grass? They have about an acre now, other side of our fence was mowed 8 days ago! We are expanding more grazing paddocks for next year. Goats prefer weeds, cow prefer grasses so its been a very good mix keeping them together.

 

[Crafty chick]

Tmarsh83- I did my pickles in quarts since my kids go through them so fast. I think I have 25. Yeah a couple years ago we did 47 quarts of pickles! When I planted the seeds, I thought, might as well do the whole packet! I think it's an every other year project. Oh, yes, my MIL and I are sharing jars this year. There's even some left over in the basement. We've got a good stash. I bought my beginning stash of supplies when I worked a couple weeks overtime. They gave us gift cards, so that's where mine went! Great investment. Yeah, I worry about the deep freezer door not being shut by a kid, or just quitting all together. So far I only have apple pie filling bags in there this year.

 

[tmarsh83]

We do pints of a chip style pickle for burgers and chicken and tuna salads.

We always stock up on lids this time of year. Keep an eye out for jars on clearance.

It takes time to build up the materials but they pay for themselves in a few years.