What are you all doing to prepare for winter?

[baymule]

probably shouldn't add rice to your canned dog food- that's a no-no according to Ball and other canning experts. It can cause uneven heat transference which could lead to much nastiness. I would just do the meat and veggies, then add to cooked rice when the jar is opened.

Thank you, good point. I only did that in a few of the jars, so I'll use them first.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I'm bookmarking this for when we butcher this fall! Thanks @baymule for giving such a detailed explanation! And I do have the Ball canning book.... Hmm where did I put that?

 

[Mini Horses]

What a job!! 32 birds. I dislike the "mess" but, once you cram you hand in there and "drag out the guts" (sound intimidating) you can then just go for it on all of them. I mean, get it over with.
Huge tub of ice has to be at hand while doing them.

Bay, do you use a kill cone?

I assume you put the meat right into the prepared bags for the Food Saver, correct? I just bought a unit and used it for my hogs, last week. At end I had a couple packs that I put a paper towel in along edge to catch fluids. Was READY to be done!! not waiting on freezer.

Anticipate extra roos in Spring. Psyching up and getting "stuff" ready...little at a time. Looking for a stainless sink with side bar to cut/clean, then clean up easily. CL watch.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looking for a stainless sink with side bar to cut/clean, then clean up easily. CL watch.

Good thing we don't live too close - we'd be in competition for that! If I ever had about a million extra dollars I'd build (or have built) a kill/slaughter shack. I'd want a concrete floor with a drain and water/gut proof walls AND a stainless sink and prep area. But, I don't have a million dollars so I butcher in the back yard...

One can wish!

 

[NH Homesteader]

We have a processing trailer. I'll have to get a picture of it. We have a scalder and drum plucker. It's awesome! And a stainless steel double sink

I'm spoiled!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm jealous! Looking forward to pics!

 

[baymule]

@Mini Horses I use a killing cone-it's rolled up cardboard and duct taped, LOL. I am going to get some REAL ones of stainless steel! Yes, I packed the meat in the bags, then froze and sealed the next day. We used a neighbor's Yeti cooler to ice them down in. That thing was awesome, but not $550 worth! Wal Mart put a Coleman Extreme 120 quart cooler on sale for.........$54!!! We filled it with ice Monday, it's Thursday and it still has ice and is cold. For $54, how could we go wrong?

@frustratedearthmother I want a home slaughter house too. I am planning on buying a star-plate kit from Strombergs and building a gazebo first, to see how it goes. But then why not get another kit and build me a screened slaughter house??

http://www.strombergschickens.com/starplate_building_system

@NH Homesteader you have a processing trailer??? I don't know if I want to or so I think I'll

 

[NH Homesteader]

Well it's not like a fancy one. It's an open air setup, hubby just welded the scalder, etc. to the trailer so he can tow it elsewhere when people hire him to process. He wants a slaughterhouse for poultry on one side of the property and one for pigs on the other. Sheesh!

 

[Mini Horses]

I have a partial roll of stainless flashing. I see some taped stainless cones in my future.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@baymule - good to knw that the Coleman cooler is so good. Yeti's are waaaay over-priced...geeze!

@NH Homesteader - I like the way your DH thinks, lol!