A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[Joel_BC]

Sweet. How often do you turn it? I was thinking I'd wait a week

Oh yeah, wait a week at least. Turning it is to get air into it, and to mix the outer edges more into the middle. As the pile naturally compacts, due to gravity, the lower levels in it can wind up with too little air space to be ideal. If you're in a dry climate, you may also want to spray a little water into it as you turn it. But you wouldn't want to get it very wet.

After a couple of turnings, the tendency to heat up again will diminish. At that point—at least in my situation—you can let it sit and allow the worm population to build up.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I've turned the grass compost twice. It heated up good this last time. Today while turning it I found it warm and blackened. It also smelled like old horse piss. I assume from all the rain we had a couple days ago. Maybe turning it today will get it going in the right direction.



In other homestead news my 3 rabbit does are bred. If the buck is fertile I should have bunnies soon. He seemed like he had forgotten what to do the first time but by the last one he was a pro again.

My eggs are 3 days from lock down. I'm hoping to get a good hatch. But we are already down to 30 from the original 50 so we will see. Maybe I'm a bit rusty with the old little giant.


Broody and her chicks are loving the new pen. They only get a few more weeks tho. As soon as the new chicks are feathered out it's back to the coop for them.


Looking forward to rifle season! We need some venison for the freezer! So sick of beef! It tastes terrible. Hoping to get 3 this year. That will last us till the summer....maybe.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Good luck with the venison! Sounds good, I miss venison!

 

[baymule]

Get some sheep. Deeee-licious! Lamb is so good!

The last venison I had was road kill. Neighbors friend hit a deer and being good rednecks, they tossed it in the back of the truck. They skinned, gutted, quartered and packed it in an ice chest, then gave it to us! YEEE-HAW! I cut it up into steaks and made ground meat. Made some home made chili with tomato sauce I made from the garden. Topped with grated sharp cheddar, chopped onions and fritos. Darn good stuff. And yes, the packages are labeled roadkill.

 

[tortoise]

Yep! Mutton and lamb are so good that DH might not deer hunt this year. Hard to imagine!!

 

[sumi]

@baymule love that! Road kill…

I miss proper meat too. Well, beef and venison. The stuff they grow here doesn't compare well to S.A.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Mmm deer season! We have strict limits here I'm afraid, but DH and I can each get a buck. We have some ground pork saved with higher fat content to mix in with ground venison.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Lamb is good, but so is goat! I've got a wether in the pasture that might find himself in the freezer if he'd just grow a little more.

 

[sumi]

For some strange reason I have eaten some rather strange things, but never had goat. What is the meat like, compared to mutton, etc?

 

[Chic Rustler]

I've only eaten goat bbq. It was pretty good. Tasted like bbq