Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

I started cooking down turkey necks yesterday for stock. I don't know how many quarts I made but I used 9 necks to make it. I had two pots going for those. Some went in the fridge to do the same with today. I wanted to pressure can the stock, but ended up putting most of it in the freezer in quart sized bags (now that the extra turkeys got sold and we put one in the Broil King Keg today. I then finished off the necks for another pot of stock, then I got the back pieces out, roasted them a while, then put them in the big cooker pan across two burners and tossed in all the veggies and herbs and let those simmer all day. DH pulled them off and drained them tonight and I have over 5 more quarts to freeze. There is still a bowl in the fridge I want to put in pint jars for when I make stuff that only needs a cup or two for a recipe.
I had a lot of meat to pull of the turkey we cooked today after dinner. This was one that has been in the fridge for a year. It was over 17 pounds. We ate not even one breast! The rest I pulled off the bone or sliced off. It will go to soup and a freeze some for late use.
I also harvested the few squash and pumpkins I had out in the garden still, and dug the very few but yummy carrots that the rabbits left to grow. Tomorrow I will roast pumpkins to freeze. Then I dug one of the 3 rows of potatoes. We have about 45 or so pounds of those. There is probably another 100 pounds out there, at least!
I dumped out the planters from the patio that have wilted away or froze off last night, and those pots will have to get put in the corn crib tomorrow.
Then, I did chores.
DH made most of the dinner, just had to warm up a veggie with it and we had a nice turkey dinner at the end of a productive day.

Oh, I got an estimate on the van... it is going to be close. I hope the insurance company agrees to cut a check for repairs and I get to drive my van for another 50k before it goes to the graveyard of cars.

Keep snuggled in tonight all.

 

[Cluckies]

I started cooking down turkey necks yesterday for stock. I don't know how many quarts I made but I used 9 necks to make it. I had two pots going for those. Some went in the fridge to do the same with today. I wanted to pressure can the stock, but ended up putting most of it in the freezer in quart sized bags (now that the extra turkeys got sold and we put one in the Broil King Keg today. I then finished off the necks for another pot of stock, then I got the back pieces out, roasted them a while, then put them in the big cooker pan across two burners and tossed in all the veggies and herbs and let those simmer all day. DH pulled them off and drained them tonight and I have over 5 more quarts to freeze. There is still a bowl in the fridge I want to put in pint jars for when I make stuff that only needs a cup or two for a recipe.
I had a lot of meat to pull of the turkey we cooked today after dinner. This was one that has been in the fridge for a year. It was over 17 pounds. We ate not even one breast! The rest I pulled off the bone or sliced off. It will go to soup and a freeze some for late use.
I also harvested the few squash and pumpkins I had out in the garden still, and dug the very few but yummy carrots that the rabbits left to grow. Tomorrow I will roast pumpkins to freeze. Then I dug one of the 3 rows of potatoes. We have about 45 or so pounds of those. There is probably another 100 pounds out there, at least!
I dumped out the planters from the patio that have wilted away or froze off last night, and those pots will have to get put in the corn crib tomorrow.
Then, I did chores.
DH made most of the dinner, just had to warm up a veggie with it and we had a nice turkey dinner at the end of a productive day.

Oh, I got an estimate on the van... it is going to be close. I hope the insurance company agrees to cut a check for repairs and I get to drive my van for another 50k before it goes to the graveyard of cars.

Keep snuggled in tonight all.

Fatastic Minnie, I got exhausted just reading that! Have a restful night!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Hey everyone. Just got back from a playoff football game tonight. Our boys won. Fargodome on Thursday or Friday for another section game. It's been a fun season to watch were all very proud.

Fount base Warmers run about $50. I've found the cookie tin heater much more economical to make and it is the same type of mechanism for keeping water open. But who am I to argue on overspending on a chicken hobby. ;D hahaha

Oh wow I hadn't seen those ovations yet!

Coffee sounds scary what happened with your old toofless puppy. Poor girl

Sadie Mae had a great day of retrieving ducks today and hit the water when the guns went off making a 120 yard retriev DH said. He couldn't believe it. She's 5 1/2 months old. Petit thing. Crazy yipping/barking thing at home and all heart in the blind. She's earning some respect around here and I think she's figuring us out here in the house too though. We're proud of her.

Kloppers are you entering the park through St Charles? That's where all my dad's side of the family hail from. Pretty country down there. Enjoy.
Ralphie how's Togo? Say hi to Sasquatch.

 

[scandiafowl]

good news, tonight the rooster went in the coop all by himself and got up on a shelf roost and tucked himself away behind a hay pile. a few hens roosted next to him without any problem. I was pretty surprised he figured out how to get in on his own. He's doing good. busy day, harvested the brussel sprouts, went to crex meadows and watched the sandhill cranes come in, hit the cheese co-op, played with chickens and quails....my daughter and I made campfire cakes - one for tonight and one to take to a gathering tomorrow. and...he crowed this morning! I've been watching him stretch his neck, and open his beak, and.....nothing! So this morning, finally, he crowed. ANd crowed again, til Jenny the Bo came running and chased him around a bit.

Reminds me of a teenage boy whose voice is changing.. Once they get there you can't shut them up.

 

[scandiafowl]

I started cooking down turkey necks yesterday for stock.  I don't know how many quarts I made but I used 9 necks to make it.  I had two pots going for those.  Some went in the fridge to do the same with today.  I wanted to pressure can the stock, but ended up putting most of it in the freezer in quart sized bags (now that the extra turkeys got sold and we put one in the Broil King Keg today.  I then finished off the necks for another pot of stock, then I got the back pieces out, roasted them a while, then put them in the big cooker pan across two burners and tossed in all the veggies and herbs and let those simmer all day.  DH pulled them off and drained them tonight and I have over 5 more quarts to freeze.  There is still a bowl in the fridge I want to put in pint jars for when I make stuff that only needs a cup or two for a recipe.  

I had a lot of meat to pull of the turkey we cooked today after dinner.  This was one that has been in the fridge for a year.  It was over 17 pounds.  We ate not even one breast!  The rest I pulled off the bone or sliced off.  It will go to soup and a freeze some for late use.

I also harvested the few squash and pumpkins I had out in the garden still, and dug the very few but yummy carrots that the rabbits left to grow.  Tomorrow I will roast pumpkins to freeze.  Then I dug one of the 3 rows of potatoes.  We have about 45 or so pounds of those.  There is probably another 100 pounds out there, at least!  

I dumped out the planters from the patio that have wilted away or froze off last night, and those pots will have to get put in the corn crib tomorrow.

Then, I did chores.
DH made most of the dinner, just had to warm up a veggie with it and we had a nice turkey dinner at the end of a productive day.  

Oh, I got an estimate on the van... it is going to be close.  I hope the insurance company agrees to cut a check for repairs and I get to drive my van for another 50k before it goes to the graveyard of cars. 

Keep snuggled in tonight all.  

We harvested potatoes today as well!

It was fun having the gals hang out, waiting for a worm.

MightyMax, our banty Cochin was trying so hard to get a hen's attention with his worms, calling them and calling them. They ignored him :-(.
Fortunately his ego is larger than his stature.

 

[scandiafowl]

Wow! We are Rockstars!


DD and I walked to Scandia proper today to fetch the mail and get some ice cream.

While we are enjoying the sun outside the store a dreamy gentleman about my age on a dreamy BMW pulls up and asks me where we bought our cones.
Thank God for sunglasses... I could subtly stare at him without embarrassing myself.

 

[scandiafowl]

I just set about 3 1/2 dozen Silkie eggs this week.  I only got a handful of Blues this year.  Since the girls were laying really really well, I thought I would toss some in.  Over half of them are developing.  Some were over 10 days old when I put them in, so I will take what I can get.  

I tossed my homemade brooder in the dumpster when we cleaned out 50+ years of junk from my parents.
If we get chicks the gals are having to do the work themselves.
I'll build a new brooder in the spring.

 

[scandiafowl]

@Minniechickmama

Where do you keep eggs before there are enough to set? You mentioned some were ten days old. I know that eggs don't have to be incubated right away...

 

[scandiafowl]

The Mississippi Market nailed it!

 

[scandiafowl]

One more photo - this is Rascal, our precocious BuffOrp who has figured out that my mother will feed him in the kitchen.