Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[ladyrsanti]

Sure. Assuming you're familiar with canning methods, I've left all that stuff out:


Hot Cumin-Pickled Summer Squash (from Liana Krissoff's "Canning for a New Generation")
7 pints

4 lbs. summer squash or zucchini (I use both)
8 oz sweet onion
1/4 cup (plus 1 T kosher salt)
2 T cumin seed
1 T yellow mustard seed
1 T hot red pepper flakes
1 t ground cumin
6 cups cider vinegar
2 T honey
7 cloves garlic
7 small fresh serrano chiles (optional)

Cut squash into 1/4 rounds and onion in half lengthwise and thinly slice into half-circles. Place both in large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup salt, cover with ice and refrigerate overnight. Next day, remove remaining ice, strain, rinse and strain well. Add cumin seed, mustard seed, red pepper flakes, and ground cumin. Toss and set aside.

In non-reactive pan, combine vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, honey and remaining 1 T salt. Bring to boil.

Pack hot, sterilized jars with one clove garlic, one serrano pepper (optional) and the squash mixture. Pour vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/2" headspace, removing air bubbles. Process for 15 mins in water bath canner. Remove and do not disturb for 12 hrs.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Congrats Living the Simple Life to your kids for all the wins! I hope they had a lot of fun. Too bad about the broken arm, but kids bounce back fast.


I am making another gallon of hummingbird feed. So now, just for August, I have used 20 cups of sugar. Altogether I have used 60 cups this summer.

 

[Lisa and girls]

Sure.  Assuming you're familiar with canning methods, I've left all that stuff out:



Hot Cumin-Pickled Summer Squash (from Liana Krissoff's "Canning for a New Generation")

7 pints


4 lbs. summer squash or zucchini (I use both)

8 oz sweet onion

1/4 cup (plus 1 T kosher salt)

2 T cumin seed

1 T yellow mustard seed

1 T hot red pepper flakes

1 t ground cumin

6 cups cider vinegar

2 T honey

7 cloves garlic

7 small fresh serrano chiles (optional)


Cut squash into 1/4 rounds and onion in half lengthwise and thinly slice into half-circles.  Place both in large bowl.  Toss with 1/4 cup salt, cover with ice and refrigerate overnight.  Next day, remove remaining ice, strain, rinse and strain well.  Add cumin seed, mustard seed, red pepper flakes, and ground cumin.  Toss and set aside.


In non-reactive pan, combine vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, honey and remaining 1 T salt.  Bring to boil.


Pack hot, sterilized jars with one clove garlic, one serrano pepper (optional) and the squash mixture.  Pour vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/2" headspace, removing air bubbles.  Process for 15 mins in water bath canner.  Remove and do not disturb for 12 hrs.

Awesome. Thanks a bunches!!!

 

[nlvjlj]

Cyclops did not get out of his shell on his own accord, if you were wondering. I broke into the shell when I realized all of my batch was shrink wrapped from not enough humidity. When I found him, I doubted he would live, but I fed all of the chicks antibiotics, sugar and electrolytes water to boost their immune system and get themselves out of the shell after I removed the top. Anyhow, he survived and wants to live. He can see out of his eye, tries so hard to peck at food but can't get any in. I decided to create a mash out of chick feed, water, powdered poultry antibiotics and electrolytes. I was force feeding for the first two days but now I put it on his lower beak and he has learned to get it inside after I put it there. I also give him the same fluid mixture. I don't know how much food/water or how many times per day I should be doing it. I do it about three times until he is annoyed or his gullet feels full. I read a lot about crossed beaks but found none that only had one eyeball. Any help would be greatly appreciated. (Please no "humanely euthanized" comments, because he is happy and not in pain and you'll just piss me off) I am fully capable and happy to take care of him for the rest of his life. Thank you all!

Here's a photo

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/814918/one-eyed-crossed-beak-baby-chick-named-cyclops

 

[iamfivewire]

gladahmae - so sorry to hear of 2 more chickens that have passed
;-(

 

[NovaAman]

Finally got DH to take pictures of my coop. I am really proud of this...I sketched it out and built it myself. While I can see lots of areas where I could improve in the future, I am pretty impressed that it turned out as good as it did. The guineas seem to be pleased with it. They are the craziest things...we got 5 eggs from 2 females in a 24 hour period when it cooled down after that hot spell.

I love it. Now for a really stupid question, how do you clean it? Does it drop down at the egg box and ground level?

 

[Opa]

48 degrees, that/s a temperature one would expect on an October morning not one in August. Yet here we are in the middle of August shivering and wondering where our summer has gone. Scientistsclaim that the Japanese earthquake shifted our planted from its axis, I wounder if it was enough to affect our seasons?

 

[preciouskitty]

It was 45 when I got into my car at 4:45a to drive to work.
August?? REALLY??
I cannot believe I have had to use seat warmers & heat in my car in the mornings for a majority of the past several weeks...
No wonder my garden refuses to cooperate....

 

[Farmerboy16]

It is chilly here this morning, so cold that I am wearing a sweater and a jacket when I went out to check out Bella! She did not have her calve yet! Today is day 4 past her due date!

 

[taprock]

The sad thing is that it is August and I'm still whining about cold weather. Usually this is one of my whine - free months as I love heat.

I found this posted this morning and thought of you Opa and it was to cute not to share. It also makes me miss chicks.


We lost two more guineas this week to what I am assuming is a coyote. I really want a chance to put some holes in him. My car also died for good and hubby scrapped it. We had found another almost identical vehicle and checked it out. We had insurance put on it and went to get it. Then the guy discovered he can't find the title. So now I am truly stuck until we can find something else. And... next week is the fair to get ready for. There are 15 chickens going that have to be groomed. Today before I head to work I have to put up temporary fencing for my youngest coop. Normally everyone free ranges but it doesn't appear to be safe right now and they need more room.