Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[ladyrsanti]

Off-topic question for canning folk: Do you add lemon juice to your tomatoes (boiling pot method, not pressure)? My mom never has, but many of the tutorials I've been reading recommend it...

Thanks!

I do and sometimes a little salt too. Been doing it that way for years.

 

[Momma K]

Off-topic question for canning folk:   Do you add lemon juice to your tomatoes (boiling pot method, not pressure)?  My mom never has, but many of the tutorials I've been reading recommend it...  


Thanks!

I never put lemon juice in my tomatoes and they turn out just fine. I feel they are acidic enough. I think the lemon is to preserve color or prevent foaming or some shenanigans like that. It doesn't do anything flavor wise.

 

[swampducks]

I don't put lemon juice in mine. I might if I was canning a low acid tomato, like some yellow ones but as I never have enough of those to can it's never come up. Won't be enough tomatoes of any kind to can this year. Not even green cherries to pickle. Blasted, stupid, screwed up weather!

 

[BobBry]

Off-topic question for canning folk: Do you add lemon juice to your tomatoes (boiling pot method, not pressure)? My mom never has, but many of the tutorials I've been reading recommend it...

Thanks!

Nope, I have at times when canning tomatoes with low acidity, put some vinegar in the jars. Bry and I canned eight quarts of Dilly Beans yesterday. Should be plenty for us since yesterday I pitched three pints dated 02. I assume it was 2002. Course he hasn't been here for most of those years. These might turn out a bit hot since the first four had one tsp of Cyanne Pepper/ pint instead of the recommended tsp. per two quarts. I did try to rinse some out of the jars though. Thought i was through making those kinds of mistakes.

If anyone has a line on a good job around the Flint area someone send me a PM. I need a career change.

You and a whole lot of others. Bry too. Seems he didn't like the position he had as slave for few $ in a local book store/ coffee shop. Going to try the theater field again.

 

[BobBry]

We canned eight PINTS. Not quarts. Gads, another error. Inconsequential!

 

[Wynette]

Before the feather eating started, they were getting a treat maybe twice a week. Definitely not anywhere near 15%. Their food, at 21%, should have been sufficient, But they were/are eating feathers. The amount of protein was increased only after the problem was noticed. I do think that there might be some improvement in the amount of feathers being eaten, and they have not progressed to pulling feathers off from each other or themselves. I'm wondering if the large feather loss (probably due to growth?) might just have caused a greater need for more protein. Kind of a growth spurt thing?

Someone may have already mentioned this (I'm still catching up) and, if so, I apologize.

They can also quite easily develop habits - this could very well be resolved as far as the nutritional aspect, but it could have become a habit now. In order to see if that's the issue, you'll need to really switch things up. Place feeders/waterers in different locations, switch up who is with who in what pens if at all possible (this is, IMO, the very best way to break a habit), etc. You need to turn their poultry world upside down for a few days. See if you see that helping!

 

[ladyrsanti]

I got my first-ever egg!!! I just watched it fall out of Custard's vent!!!! HAAHAHA! Seriously though, I went into the barn to check on everybody and I couldn't find my favorite BO pullet, Custard. It turned out she was in one of the hay feeders (which is full) and she was standing frozen to the spot and at that instant, out plopped an egg! I could have caught it in my hand if I'd wanted to. A beautiful good-sized brown egg. I am so happy not only to get it but to see it happen.

 

[1muttsfan]

Modern tomatoes have been developed with lower adidity than the old canning varieties. Adding lemon juice ensures adequate acidity. It does nothing to the taste or color, you will not even know it is there, and is truly a very wise precaution when canning.

 

[ChicwannaB]

sweet coop Farmerboy

 

[BobBry]

Four days to hatching. I'm surprised that the excitement bug is biting me now. Speaking of bugs..... Both brooding hens have little, tiny black mite looking creatures crawling on them. hard to tell how many cause we don't want to put the birds off the nest. Marty, at the local feed store, says D.E. will do the trick. not to use toxins as they are apt to injure the anticipated chicks. What do you knowledgeable BYChickeners do/ and how when confronted with this dilemma? I have,as a matter of course, applied the D.E. I use in the garden to the inside of the hen house. He said use the food grade, so I will.

Also it occurs to me that the chicks will most likely want to eat after hatching, if they hatch. What do they get fed and how does one do that? I plan to keep them in the hen house 4 x 8 ft., one clutch; and brooder cage 3 x 6 ft. the other clutch. Both are in the 6 x 30 ft secure run. Should be safe to de louse/mite the cages shortly after hatching, right?

I have been reading about this stuff but do not seem to find the answers to these questions in my own mind, and I would feel better if i could.