Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

Very true about flat top ranges and pressure canning. But, that's what we have and it's been fine so far... weight wise, I really don't think it's all that heavy
We have a double canner by Mirro, and I have trouble lifting jars out some times and have dropped a few damaging the seals... so be careful with that part.

We pressure can all our meat (venison meat/burger, rabbit, chicken, turkey, pork) chicken soup and veggies - canned potatoes are the bomb!. You can can chilie and all sorts of sauces etc... There are some foods you cannot use the water bath method to can and must use pressure to can, but I cannot remember what they are! LOL!

DH does most of our canning and we've been doing it for 4 years now? We haven't done much with preserves, We've been slowly adding fruit trees and berry bushes so hopefully we'll be able to put some of that stuff up in the next couple years.

I think we'll be doing some apples this year as well.

We also make wine jelly - tasty!

 

[preciouskitty]

Water bath examples (high acid):
Preserves, applesauce, tomatoes (but u have 2 add lemon juice to help with the acidity)

Pressure cooker:
All meats, sauces with meats, beans, corn

These are just a few very quick examples.
Been canning for 5 years now. I can chili, spaghetti sauce, soups, stews, veggies (I haven't purchased corn, green/wax beans, tomatoes, jam, applesauce, etc. from the store in 5 yrs).

Again, I highly recommend the Ball Blue Book, & the USDA link I provided a few posts back. Recipes will tell you which method of processing is required along with the amount of time needed.

Personally, I really enjoy canning/preserving food...very satisfying

 

[NovaAman]

I saw that with the canner. This is also a good reason to get a new stove lol. I do a lot of baking with my convection on the counter. Saves energy, just have to pay attention to it. So, double whammy, need a coil top range or gas, and need a full size working oven. Can't bake turkey and full size cake sheets in my counter top oven. Lol

 

[ladyrsanti]

I've been keeping an eye on my buff orpington girl, Poof, because I suspect she isn't laying. I can't remember the last time I got an egg from her (could be months). Today I went into the coop to do my morning chores and she was thinking about getting into the nest boxes so I watched her for a minute and she paused in front of one, tipped her head down and vomited. Ew. It wasn't much, thick, clearish liquid. But still... what's up with that? She didn't end up going into the nest box and I picked her up on my next visit out there (she's not too friendly but I caught her sitting on the roost which makes me a little concerned as well because usually it's a chase with her during the day). No full crop or anything. Actually it felt like she might not have even eaten breakfast. I took the opportunity to check her behind too and it was a little bulgy above her vent (between vent and tail). I was hoping to find out if she was laying or not but it was hard to tell. Gonna keep a close eye on her. Any ideas?

 

[naglady]

Hello everyone, I am from southern michigan (Hudson, which is near Adrian and Jackson) does anyone know where I can take some chickens to get butchered

I had a new visitor today, "he" came and ate all the frogs but left the goldfish.


Hummmm, what's on the menu?

Here he is diving in to grab a frog...

Can you see the frog?

Now for a close up..

seen one of these at my sisters yesturday.. probably catching dinner there.. was in the ditch..
Gorgeous picture..

 

[preciouskitty]

I saw that with the canner. This is also a good reason to get a new stove lol. I do a lot of baking with my convection on the counter. Saves energy, just have to pay attention to it. So, double whammy, need a coil top range or gas, and need a full size working oven. Can't bake turkey and full size cake sheets in my counter top oven. Lol

Ooh! A new stove! THAT would be fun!

I having a Viking now (came with house, no way I could afford that baby otherwise)...propane. And I love it.

BUT, I really like to bake. And I must say, electric ovens are the best for baking (especially "gourmet" stuff ). Yet, I hate electric for a cooktop as I think gas gives better temp control.

In my former house that my & ex & I built, I has the best of both worlds. Jenn-Air offered a dual fuel slide-in range; single unit, but with electric convenction oven, gas cook top with down draft vent & burners that could be interchanged with a grill & griddle. At the time it was way cheaper than getting a separate cooktop + oven. But, I will admit, at ~$1600, not cheap (that was in 1997 &, out of curiousity, just looked & they are still about that much).

Nova,
How'd your BB pie turn out??
I may have to run down the road & get some blueberries this week. Right now I have key limes to squeeze so I can whip up a key lime pie. Then I can make a few blueberry ones.
It'll make my co-workers happy....

 

[1muttsfan]

Lady, you might want to post in the Emergencies section - lots of medial folks hang out there. Sounds like she might have sour crop.

Add salsa and other tomato-based mixtures to the pressure canning list - these are very high risk of Botulism and should not be hot-water bathed!!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

The heron has not been back but it was here for most of the afternoon that day. Even with the dogs barking and DH and I leaving and coming back home, it kept coming back.
I believe that we may be going to have a early and hard winter

... the hummingbirds are hitting hard here three weeks earlier than normal. Also, the fly catchers and robins that usually nest here only hatched out one set of eggs. Usually they do two.

Nova, if you want to come here for a day, I will be happy to show you how to pressure can. And... if you bring the stuff, jars and whatever you want to can we will can stuff for you.

 

[Amastacia]

...

Add salsa and other tomato-based mixtures to the pressure canning list - these are very high risk of Botulism and should not be hot-water bathed!!

my understanding was that if it isn't pure tomato you can add an appropriate amount of lemon juice to make it safe for hot-water bath. i don't know what amounts, but i think it is based on how much non-tomato ingredients there are. but pure tomato should be safe for hot-water bath.

 

[preciouskitty]

my understanding was that if it isn't pure tomato you can add an appropriate amount of lemon juice to make it safe for hot-water bath.  i don't know what amounts, but i think it is based on how much non-tomato ingredients there are.  but pure tomato should be safe for hot-water bath.

Plain old tomatoes are fine for water bath (per Ball Blue Book & every other place I've looked at, www.pickyourown.org being one of my major sources for step by step & good pix!) But you do have to add lemon juice and it has to be RealLemon, NOT fresh lemon juice.
Water bath for maters is like 40 or 45 mins processing; pressure cooker just 15 mins. I usually use PC only because I can do 14 pts at a time. But, time wise it is about the same (due to PC venting, cool down).

Now for my black bean & corn salsa I do have to PC due to the beans & corn.