What did you do in the garden today?

[NewBoots]

so you fry the rabbits? IM assuming deep fry? They look fairly easy to clean, chop split and gut really, the hair / skin slides right off.

I bake them actually, I found good recipe for an all purpose coating mix and I dip the cut up pieces in buttermilk or egg, coat them with the mix and bake them in the oven. The pan has layer of melted butter or other fat and I turn them over once. I use the same coating for chicken, rabbit, and fish. I dispatch the rabbits and DP skins and guts, then brings them in to me in the kitchen and I cut them up setting aside the flanks, kidneys, livers, and hearts. The kidneys are crazy good soaked in buttermilk overnight then fried in a hot pan along with the livers and hearts. The flanks I make into the best jerky I've ever had. Takes a few to get a batch big enough to mess with but well worth it. We really enjoy the rabbits.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Got ANOTHER critter problem. I was sitting in the living room with the windows open when I realized a chicken was squawking. I thought it was weird because it's dark outside... They should all be in their coops. Grabbed a headlamp and went outside. Realized the ducks were freaking out too. As I approached their coop, I noticed all 5 hens who typically roost inside the duck coop were all outside. Now I KNOW something is up. I figured maybe a snake... Looked inside the coop... Nothing. I turned a light on inside and walked away so the hens would all go back inside. After everyone was in, I put the ducks away and locked up. I decided to check the lone game hen in the ex-bachelor pen and that's when I saw the eyes. It's a feral cat... Clearly it went after the hens and ducks in the duck pen. I scared it off when I was checking on the game hen (who was fine). My dogs were outside in the back yard. this cat didn't care.... Probably realized the dogs can't get inside the duck pen so it felt safe.

Hmmm....

 

[pennyJo1960]

Darn it plain old kitty or ?

 

[DParker75089]

well electric is cheap

Not anymore.

just run some dehumidifiers with the ncv / exp valve open, and use that to suck the humidity out of theair, run it thru a cheap char coal filter, and either heat / sterilize or uv it to disinfect and no worries about well pumps and that crap

Using dehumidifiers for residential water production is not even remotely economically viable. Even forgetting the cost of the equipment, a good rule of thumb for the energy requirement for a consumer-level dehumidifier to extract/condense water from the air in a relatively dry desert climate is about 1 kWh / liter, which translates to about 3.785 kWh / gallon of water produced. Even here in TX where our average residential electricity rates are below the national average they're currently running at around $0.145 / kWh, which means that JUST the electricity to run the dehumidifiers would cost ~$0.55 / gallon of water produced. That's a very, very expensive way to get water, especially when you add in all of the equipment purchase, maintenance and other costs.

Even if you used a solar installation to run things the electricity is still not free. The best estimates I've seen for a high sunshine area is something like $0.08 / kWh produced by the system. While better, that's still a hair over $0.30 / gallon. It would be FAR cheaper to just bury a tank in the ground and have potable water trucked in.

 

[chickengr]

I read tonight that some people in Germany are scouring the countryside looking for horse poop to burn for heat...

I know we have some European BYC'ers on this board from time to time. Haven't seen or heard from @Phaedra Geiermann in a while. Hoping she and her family are OK...

Anyway, I wanted to throw out an option to anyone interested. A couple of years ago I made burn blocks with crushed dead leaves and shredded paper. I think there's some YouTube videos on it somewhere but essentially you create a slurry with dead leaves and shredded paper. Pour it into a mold, squeeze out water, and let it dry. When the water is removed you have a solid block that burns really well. You can also add wood chips or sawdust if you have it. I know wood is at a premium there right now which is why I suggested using the leaves to make the blocks.

thank you for idea. there is a place with a few horses near my new place. I already wanted to take their manure for my garden, especially for strawberries. but horse manure for heating is a great idea.

 

[chickengr]

Okay, my research on mesquite pods seems to suggest it can replace a large quantity of chicken feed. One article stated that using up to 20% mesquite pods regularly is acceptable and that chickens handle it quite well. Same article stated that in times when grain is hard to get, mesquite pods can be used solely for a while. Fascinating stuff.

Normal garden chores today!

is there any mesquite variety that is toxic to chickens/goats/pigs/rabbits?

 

[chickengr]

I have heard that about rabbits, but don't you need even yet another separate feed for them too now? also they fight and kill each other too I also heard. we were going to raise some on the farm but the neighbors dog got in one night and took them all out.

I think i had rabbit once or twice been a long long time and don't think i liked it much. im gonna have to revisit that and see.

aaron

you can feed rabbits dry grass/straw/apple/carrot/tree branches/chicken scratch, etc. they will grow slower than when fed with commercial feed but we have time. adult males kill babies as well as each other. so I kept males caged (each male separate) and females and babies together. you put a female into males cage just for breeding.

 

[WIchickMama]

In ground beds have long been turned for the winter. Just got the raised beds covered this week, good thing because we have SNOW this morning. My lettuce would have froze but it is safe (as you can see) for now, lol

 

[jerryse]

Might be some frost out there . Going to let it warm a bit before outdoor activity . Picked the last 6 small tomatoes yesterday . Need to clear the garden area .

 

[TJAnonymous]

Darn it plain old kitty or ?

Yes, I think so