Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Arielle]

Quote: THanks Deb. THe inability to see the video is my issue , not yours. I appreciate the link and can view the video when I go to the library.

Hmm. Maybe I butchered my birds too early. Next time I will weigh up the two breasts and see if they are close to 4 pounds. I'm pretty sure these were less than that. My adult birds, especially the males, are the size of a small turkey. Ultimately my goal has to have the fewest number of mouths to feed over the winter when the food available via the land is at the lowest and I need to provide more food from a bag.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I may have a look at JM Hatchery if they get 12# in 12 weeks. Selection for growth can make a big difference in production.

Yes mine like to fly and started doing just that when the flight feathers were in, some time after 8 weeks. . In my first birds I clipped the flight feathers ( primaries) on ONE wing to keep them grounded and to learn where home was. You can keep them penned, but I liike to have them foraging.

We did find one hen at a neighbors. SHe was clearly lost. Took one of us to distract her while perching on a porch railing, while DH approached under her and grabbed her legs. She never left again. Honestly I think she got lost when she flew over the house to a new area and apparently didnt know how to get back to the other side of the house as everything looked so different. She never left again.

 

[wwmicasa1]

NO RUSH!!! Corn comes first!!

Sorry it took me so long.

2 gallons fresh goat milk. I use it right after I milk so I don't have to heat it. It is already the right temp. direct from the goat. Approx. 86 degrees.
1/4 teas. MM culture (Dairy Connection)
1/4 teas. Lipase
3 drops rennet
Kosher Salt
Brine (1/2 C. Kosher salt per 1/2 gal water. (boiled & cooled to below room temp.)

Add MM culture & Lipase to the warm 2 gals. of milk. Cover & let ripen for 1 hr. Add rennet & stir to incorporate. Cover....when you can get a clean break in the milk, cut the curds in a checkerboard pattern. Do not disturb until you see the whey rising to the top. Pour off whey as it comes to the top. When most of the whey has been removed from the curds, line a colander with a piece of butter muslin. Pour the curds into the muslin & let drip for a few minutes to get the excess moisture out.. Then tie the corners of the muslin into a bag & hang from a hook over a pot to catch the whey that is dripping out. Let the bag hang for 24-48 hrs. depending on your temps & the humidity. Feel the cheese & if it is still moist, it is not ready. Wait until the cheese feels relatively firm & dry. When the cheese is dry enough to cut in slabs, remove from cloth. Cut the round cheese mound into round slabs about 3/4-1 inch thick. Generously salt both sides & place in container with lid...one layer if possible. Cover & let sit for another 2 days, draining off any whey that collects in the dish. Make a brine of salt & water. Put Feta slabs in large jar/crock & cover with brine. Refrigerate for at least 2 weeks. Cheese will keep in brine (make sure all cheese is below brine level) for a year or more. But....it won't last that long

 

[Peep_Show]

@Turk Raphael

Good luck with making capons. I tried (via instruction manual) and had dismal results...flat out killed a couple and the ones that did survive got air pocketed, inflated like those balloons within balloons and rattled around in their skin. By that time I was really just grossed out by the whole project..... At this point my attitude is that caponization is a lost art and should remain so. Just not for me. Keep us posted on your results.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Not long at all . . . . .very fast response!!

THis looks like something I can do!!! Feta is one of my favs in scrambled eggs with olives and oo. DH likes it in his green salads.

Can I sub cows milk ??

 

[Arielle]

After reading this http://www.grimaudfarms.com/duck.htm looks like my timing was about right. I do have a friend that raised the white muscovy this summer and she said they are much bigger than the typical coclored ones. I expect due to a focus on meat production.

 

[Arielle]

I'm finding a J&M hatchery and a JM hatchery . . . .

 

[wwmicasa1]

Not long at all . . . . .very fast response!!

THis looks like something I can do!!! Feta is one of my favs in scrambled eggs with olives and oo. DH likes it in his green salads.

Can I sub cows milk ??

I'm sure it would work with Cow's milk as long as it was raw milk.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THanks you for the info-- I thought it might but sometimes items can not be substituted. Thanks!!!!!

 

[Turk Raphael]

@Turk Raphael

Good luck with making capons. I tried (via instruction manual) and had dismal results...flat out killed a couple and the ones that did survive got air pocketed, inflated like those balloons within balloons and rattled around in their skin. By that time I was really just grossed out by the whole project..... At this point my attitude is that caponization is a lost art and should remain so. Just not for me. Keep us posted on your results.

Today was the last of my lessons. I would never have tried this without expert help. Out of 25.... two have died but the rest seem ok. It will still be a few days before I know about the final verdict on the full count but I'm hopeful.

The first thing my instructors did was use two of my 5 month cockerels. They were dispatched and the procedures were shown to me on two larger birds that we ate today. That helped me a lot but I wish they had caponized them alive...but they said they didn't want to have the birds alive as long as I would take for them to show me what they needed to.

I feel certain I can do this alone now and will be doing it by myself soon.

Thanks for your interest and I'm sorry you had so much trouble. By the way, couldn't you have pricked the air bubble?

Turk