The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

I'm going to crack open a jar of deer meat today....don't know if I'll use it in rice, noodles, soup or potatoes yet but I'm in the mood for MEAT.

 

[Beekissed]

So, went up to the coop today to build me a dusting bin. I used a sawsall to saw the wall off one side of an old tire, screwed it to a wide piece of board for a bottom and placed it in the coop. Filled it with clean sand, lime and wood ashes and mixed some of the bedding in with it to cut the fine dust a little. I placed it on the sunny side of the coop so on warm days(yeah, I know I'm dreaming)the sand will warm up and be more attractive.

I'll go up later to collect eggs and will see then if they are taking advantage of all the good dusting materials. Right now they are all standing in the sun in their favorite outdoors lounging area.

 

[Triple Willow]

So, went up to the coop today to build me a dusting bin.  I used a sawsall to saw the wall off one side of an old tire, screwed it to a wide piece of board for a bottom and placed it in the coop.  Filled it with clean sand, lime and wood ashes and mixed some of the bedding in with it to cut the fine dust a little.  I placed it on the sunny side of the coop so on warm days(yeah, I know I'm dreaming)the sand will warm up and be more attractive. 

I'll go up later to collect eggs and will see then if they are taking advantage of all the good dusting materials.  Right now they are all standing in the sun in their favorite outdoors lounging area. 

The tire reminds me of what people use to do around here. They would cut "V's" around one side of a tire then turn it inside out and make a flower pot out of it. The top part "V's" would look like tulip petals. They would usually paint them white then plant flowers in them. I'm not sure about the bottom, probably had a board attached. I saw one of them the other day, first one in over 20-30 years.

About what ratio on the sand, lime and ashes do you use?

...mom says the pots didn't have a bottom, just sat on the ground.

 

[Beekissed]

The tire reminds me of what people use to do around here. They would cut "V's" around one side of a tire then turn it inside out and make a flower pot out of it. The top part "V's" would look like tulip petals. They would usually paint them white then plant flowers in them. I'm not sure about the bottom, probably had a board attached. I saw one of them the other day, first one in over 20-30 years.

About what ratio on the sand, lime and ashes do you use?

...mom says the pots didn't have a bottom, just sat on the ground.

You can still find those everywhere in these parts!

Just saw a set at a flea market a couple of weeks ago~painted white. Here in WV we are about 10-20 yrs behind the rest of the world.

I don't really know the ratio...just dumped in a 50 lb bag of sand, part of a 40 lb bag of lime and a bucket of ashes. Will dump another bucket in there next time we clean out and cool down some more. It's not an ideal mix...I'd rather have a mix of sand and clay but finding a bag of clay at this time of the year was nigh impossible.

 

[Beekissed]

Decided to recycle the last of my tater soup~best tater soup we've ever ate!~into some deer meat soup/stew. Added home canned tomatoes, onions, corn frozen from this summer(YUM), another potato, some organic brown rice, spices, seasonings, a dab of brown sugar to cut the acid and some more of those lovely chicken fat/broth cubes. Might even add a little pasta when it all cooks down a good bit.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I think I am going to season it tonight and put it in the crock pot in the morning and let it slow cook all day!  YUMMY! 

People seem to love this ... but I can't imagine it producing anything but mush ... so I'm afraid to try!

I followed BK's advice and deboned, stuffed and bag-roasted two cockerels for Christmas. SO delicious! Sure they were a bit chewier than grocery store birds, but prepared that way you can cut them with a knife and fork -- no chewier than steak, probably less. Not what people expect from poultry because we've grown accustomed to premature birds ...

One of the birds was 3 lbs, the other 5 ... processed weights. The birds were older than necessary at processing time and had been VERY active. They were processed the Monday before Christmas so didn't get quite enough refrigerator rest time AND I over cooked them ... still delicious and chewable. So much flavor.

 

[Triple Willow]

You can still find those everywhere in these parts!  Just saw a set at a flea market a couple of weeks ago~painted white.  Here in WV we are about 10-20 yrs behind the rest of the world. 

I don't really know the ratio...just dumped in a 50 lb bag of sand, part of a 40 lb bag of lime and a bucket of ashes.  Will dump another bucket in there next time we clean out and cool down some more.  It's not an ideal mix...I'd rather have a mix of sand and clay but finding a bag of clay at this time of the year was nigh impossible. 

I bet most kids (25 and under) around here have never seen those pots. Folks around here do tend to try to be all uppity. lol They are always trying to impress somebody and worried about what everybody else thinks. I don't fit in too well. LOL

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Decided to recycle the last of my tater soup~best tater soup we've ever ate!~into some deer meat soup/stew.  Added home canned tomatoes, onions, corn frozen from this summer(YUM), another potato, some organic brown rice, spices, seasonings, a dab of brown sugar to cut the acid and some more of those lovely chicken fat/broth cubes.  Might even add a little pasta when it all cooks down a good bit. 

I LURVE clean-out-the-fridge soup! I hope someone brings me deer meat this year! I put the weirdest things into my soup, and then if it doesn't taste perfect I add cream !!!

Perpetual Soup ...

 

[Triple Willow]

BEAUTIFUL!!!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

So, went up to the coop today to build me a dusting bin.  I used a sawsall to saw the wall off one side of an old tire, screwed it to a wide piece of board for a bottom and placed it in the coop.  Filled it with clean sand, lime and wood ashes and mixed some of the bedding in with it to cut the fine dust a little.  I placed it on the sunny side of the coop so on warm days(yeah, I know I'm dreaming)the sand will warm up and be more attractive. 

I'll go up later to collect eggs and will see then if they are taking advantage of all the good dusting materials.  Right now they are all standing in the sun in their favorite outdoors lounging area. 

I have a dusting box in one of the corners of the coop ... the birds have just been standing in it instead if bathing, so I've been tweaking it. Sand, peat moss, a little bit of ash (need more), some clay dust, fine soil, fine bedding from the parts of the coop where they normally dust bathe ... I saw them bathing in the designated bathing box during some of our unseasonal sunshine this weekend. Yes!