The Old Folks Home

[chickisoup]

Hi everyone!
sounds like you all had a very peaceful and somewhat productive weekend. Just several small chores gotten out of the way here and I too have a nice roast beast in the oven.
Ron; I bookmarked your cinnamon rolls (love the bookmark feature). Think I might surprise the DH with them on Christmas morning since it's just going to be the two of us. He loves anything caramel. Not long ago I showed him how to make Dulce Le Leche in the pressure cooker and he was like a little kid.

Still no sunshine (can't remember the last time) but it actually got out of the single digits today and look what happened!!!
They came charging out when I opened the pophole!!! They also left me a surprise in the coop. I went in to scoop some poop and good thing I was paying attention because most of the youngins decided to all start laying on the same day and there were eggs everywhere! and I mean everywhere. It was like Easter trying to find the ones hidden in the hay on the floor. Oh and two pullet eggs were under the still molting older hen sitting in the nestbox so at least one of them found the box. (the other egg was one from my already over achiever BO I thought was a roo. She's been the only one laying for last month or more. My 3 older girls are just coming out of their molt finally). Anyway I suddenly went from one egg to six in one day! So the only "newbies" not laying are are the two BA's. Just in time for Christmas baking, good girls!!! But, what chickens start laying on the shortest days of the year???
not bad for hatchery stock huh? (just turned 6 months)
Two of my baby BO's seeing what I have for them.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

The lemon juice is actually added to reduce the pH - it's citric acid, and lowers the pH to reduce bacterial growth. Most jams and jellies are hypertonic from the sugar and bacteria can't live in them, anyway. If you remove the citric acid, and the recipe calls for it, I would just be sure to eat it within 6 months instead of 12.

 

[ronott1]

Hi everyone!
sounds like you all had a very peaceful and somewhat productive weekend. Just several small chores gotten out of the way here and I too have a nice roast beast in the oven.
Ron; I bookmarked your cinnamon rolls (love the bookmark feature). Think I might surprise the DH with them on Christmas morning since it's just going to be the two of us. He loves anything caramel. Not long ago I showed him how to make Dulce Le Leche in the pressure cooker and he was like a little kid.

Still no sunshine (can't remember the last time) but it actually got out of the single digits today and look what happened!!!View attachment 1211620
They came charging out when I opened the pophole!!! They also left me a surprise in the coop. I went in to scoop some poop and good thing I was paying attention because most of the youngins decided to all start laying on the same day and there were eggs everywhere! and I mean everywhere. It was like Easter trying to find the ones hidden in the hay on the floor. Oh and two pullet eggs were under the still molting older hen sitting in the nestbox so at least one of them found the box. (the other egg was one from my already over achiever BO I thought was a roo. She's been the only one laying for last month or more. My 3 older girls are just coming out of their molt finally). Anyway I suddenly went from one egg to six in one day! So the only "newbies" not laying are are the two BA's. Just in time for Christmas baking, good girls!!! But, what chickens start laying on the shortest days of the year???
View attachment 1211638 View attachment 1211643 not bad for hatchery stock huh? (just turned 6 months)
View attachment 1211644 Two of my baby BO's seeing what I have for them.

Use the overnight instructions and they will be ready about an hour after you get up

 

[ronott1]

The lemon juice is actually added to reduce the pH - it's citric acid, and lowers the pH to reduce bacterial growth. Most jams and jellies are hypertonic from the sugar and bacteria can't live in them, anyway. If you remove the citric acid, and the recipe calls for it, I would just be sure to eat it within 6 months instead of 12.

People do not eat a batch of jelly in 6 Months

Here a batch is gone in 3 months at most

 

[microchick]

Didn't get the cookies baked today. Pushing that back to Wednesday or later. I figure the later in the week I make them the longer they will be around. LOL.

I did get the dry wall project finished up.....YAY!.....Now on to trim work around a few door and then mop boards but that will happen after Christmas. We still have an upstairs to finish and probably a room or two to put in the attic. Amish houses, the joy that keeps on giving.

I had moved 9 hens over to the main coop from the 'big bird' coop. One was a little thinner than the rest but she was finishing up molting and I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I go out tonight and find her in the bottom nesting box. Second night in a row that I find her just standing there instead of roosting. Closer inspection she is standing with her head cocked to one side. I check her for wry neck. nope. Spine is straight as an arrow. No contractures at all. Well crap, now what? Oh wait, new neuro problems. She's having problems getting her balance when I set her on the roost board. Thank you Dr. Marek. So she is back in the 'waiting to die' coop with the standard roosters and the failure to thrive hens.

Nothing to be done. Just venting a bit. My original flock of 23 laying hens and 5 roosters is down to 3 roosters and 8 hens that are hopefully looking resistant. I'm not holding my breath though. This strain of Marek's has a take no prisoners attitude. Every night when I lock up the bantams and 'survivors' coop I say a little prayer that they continue to resist.

But what is that old saying? Hope for the best and expect the worst?

 

[Alaskan]

You do not need to use lemon juice. It is added to give an acid flavor. Black berry is usually perky enough tasting without it. Blue berry needs it a lot more and raspberry almost never needs it.

Go by taste for the lemon juice.

I bet it tastes and smells great though!

The lemon juice is actually added to reduce the pH - it's citric acid, and lowers the pH to reduce bacterial growth. Most jams and jellies are hypertonic from the sugar and bacteria can't live in them, anyway. If you remove the citric acid, and the recipe calls for it, I would just be sure to eat it within 6 months instead of 12.

I was going to say what SCG said... but she said it more edumacated than I was going to. If you go to the Ball canning site, it goes over that sort of thing... what you need to do to make sure you aren't going to kill yourself with food poisoning. If what you are canning doesn't have enough sugar or the right pH to make it safe ... they suggest you pressure can instead of water bath can.. .. since the higher temp of the pressure canning will kill more stuff.

Not sure if you can pressure can jelly though... but anyway, random trivia.

and another random useless fact... not sure it made it safer. .. but when I canned jelly with my dad's mom, she would do a paraphin seal on the jars, THEN water bath can. Dunno if it actually made it safer to store for forever. ... but it is what she did.

Hi everyone!
sounds like you all had a very peaceful and somewhat productive weekend. Just several small chores gotten out of the way here and I too have a nice roast beast in the oven.
Ron; I bookmarked your cinnamon rolls (love the bookmark feature). Think I might surprise the DH with them on Christmas morning since it's just going to be the two of us. He loves anything caramel. Not long ago I showed him how to make Dulce Le Leche in the pressure cooker and he was like a little kid.

Still no sunshine (can't remember the last time) but it actually got out of the single digits today and look what happened!!!View attachment 1211620
They came charging out when I opened the pophole!!! They also left me a surprise in the coop. I went in to scoop some poop and good thing I was paying attention because most of the youngins decided to all start laying on the same day and there were eggs everywhere! and I mean everywhere. It was like Easter trying to find the ones hidden in the hay on the floor. Oh and two pullet eggs were under the still molting older hen sitting in the nestbox so at least one of them found the box. (the other egg was one from my already over achiever BO I thought was a roo. She's been the only one laying for last month or more. My 3 older girls are just coming out of their molt finally). Anyway I suddenly went from one egg to six in one day! So the only "newbies" not laying are are the two BA's. Just in time for Christmas baking, good girls!!! But, what chickens start laying on the shortest days of the year???
View attachment 1211638 View attachment 1211643 not bad for hatchery stock huh? (just turned 6 months)
View attachment 1211644 Two of my baby BO's seeing what I have for them.

WOW! Those Wyandotte are way better than standard hatchery stock! Very nice!

 

[CapricornFarm]

So sorry Micro, i am in the same boat. Just lost my 5th bird to it. 4 SS pullets and a Polish roo. Really rips your heart out. And these birds were mid August chicks so i will really start losing them in February. Craptastic.

 

[ronott1]

I was going to say what SCG said... but she said it more edumacated than I was going to. If you go to the Ball canning site, it goes over that sort of thing... what you need to do to make sure you aren't going to kill yourself with food poisoning. If what you are canning doesn't have enough sugar or the right pH to make it safe ... they suggest you pressure can instead of water bath can.. .. since the higher temp of the pressure canning will kill more stuff.

Not sure if you can pressure can jelly though... but anyway, random trivia.

and another random useless fact... not sure it made it safer. .. but when I canned jelly with my dad's mom, she would do a paraphin seal on the jars, THEN water bath can. Dunno if it actually made it safer to store for forever. ... but it is what she did.



WOW! Those Wyandotte are way better than standard hatchery stock! Very nice!

The whole thing with acid foods like berries is that they have the correct ph usually without having to add more acid. The answer is to always add vinegar or lemon juice to blue berries. Black berries sometimes and raspberries never. You can tell by tasting but if one is really concerned, use a ph test strip to check. You should be able to find the ph level on a website. Ball likely has it.

It's stuff like potatoes, beans, meats and other low acid food that you need to pressure can.

I have been canning all my life and have never had spoiled jelly. Pears and peaches are not very acid but they do fine with water bath canning. I have had them keep for quite a few years too.

Is it possible that the processing industry wants to kill home canning so they make people scared of it? Same thing is happening with our chicken eggs. Some are calling with banning backyard chickens because of the fear that they will make us sick

 

[Alaskan]

I have been canning all my life and have never had spoiled jelly. Pears and peaches are not very acid but they do fine with water bath canning. I have had them keep for quite a few years too.

My dad's mom canned pickles, lots of different kinds of tomato products, some beans and then the jelly. For some reason she only put the paraphin seal on the jelly. I have no idea why.

 

[ronott1]

My dad's mom canned pickles, lots of different kinds of tomato products, some beans and then the jelly. For some reason she only put the paraphin seal on the jelly. I have no idea why.

paraphin is an old style way of sealing jelly. It is not recommended now because you cannot put the sealed jar back into the water bath to process a bit more. I put the jars back in for 10 minutes--my way of making sure the buggies are gone....