JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[ohiofarmgirl]

i hear you... i spent all day busting it... your pig should be fine in that shelter. if you are concerned you can always build up walls of straw on the outside for more insulation.

work work work...

 

[justusnak]

I was thinking of tarping it on the outside, to stop most of the air flow...but then again..would that make condensation build up? I mean, the front is exposed, open...to the East. This way she will get the morning sun.

 

[justusnak]

24 OCT...sorta. Actually its the 25th. A little after 1 am here.
So, the 24th was my B day. I spent most of the day outside working around the place. I was able to finish the front of a shelter for the extra sheep pasture. This is a rotational pasture...where we had the hog for a short time. He sure did tear up the place, in the short month he was here. Then hubby took me out to Chinese for dinner.
Breeding season is coming on, for the sheep and goats. I know, I am breeding later than most, but I wanted to be sure of warmer weather for my babies to arrive, since we dont have electric in the barn for lighting.
I also increased the size of the duck yard today. Tore down fencing, and replaced it to include the small willow in the pen. The ducks seemed to love laying under the small willow. Tomorrow if we dont get too much rain I will be winterizing the duck house. Need to put some sort of cover over the windows...to keep the heat in.
A few days ago I received a call from a dear friend. Our kids were raised together while we were in the Airforce....for a few years. We all became very close. She called to inform me that her oldest son, ( 32 yrs old) ended his own life. Such a tragic loss. I felt so much compassion for her, but so much anger towards him. I needed to just dive into work...to ease my mind. Ironically, her son lived in Oklahoma City...near where my son lived, before his accident. This news flooded my brain with my own loss, all over again. I refuse to let the depression take me over. I walk with knowledge that my Lord is with me, helping me along.
We woke the other morning to a light frost.

Luckily I was warned of the coming frost, and was able to get the last of the green tomatoes in. I had 100 green tomatoes in the garage.

I selected the firmest, greenest ones, and wrapped them in newspaper and set them in a dark cool place for slow ripening...for Thanksgiving dinner. I gave a small bag of the to a neighbor...and the rest are ripening on the porch..so I will be canning them up in a few days.
I was able to get a nice picture of our great tom turkey. His name is sage. This is now my wallpaper pic for my phone..through the holiday.

 

[AL]

Sorry to hear about your friend's son.. how tragic and sad.

Nice looking Tom! Will you keep him for breeding or T'giving?


WOWZA at the tomatoes!! I had 26 plants and maybe had 26 good tomatoes...the others had blossom end rot, etc. I love tomatoes.

and Happy belated birthday!

 

[justusnak]

Thanks AL for the B Day wish. Our tomatoes were very late, and I didnt think we would ever get them...but I kept on tryin...and finally, they came...and came...and came!!!!! I think there were 5 plants out there, that made it. We love tomatoes as well...just not the fried green ones!

 

[TanksHill]

I am sorry about your friends son. Such a shame.

So how old is that Tom?? He is huge.

g

 

[Farmfresh]

It is very hard when someone you love commits suicide. My MIL basically did this by starving herself to death (elder anorexia) several years back. SO many mixed emotions and quite a lot of anger. In many ways an accident would have been much easier to deal with.

You did the exact right thing yesterday and just got busy. Work is a good cure for depression.

About those tomatoes ... we just spread them out in a cool room and the majority of them will go ahead and ripen up. I picked half a bushel of greenies yesterday as well.

What a beautiful turkey! Sage is it? If I ever have a breeding tom I am going to steal that name!

 

[justusnak]

Sage is a one year old Tom. He is my main breeder right now. He is hugh! I am guessing he is running about 25 pounds now. He is a mix between a Royal Palm (tom) and a Bronze ( hen) His name came because originally we were planning to butcher him. Then he just grew so beautifull, and so fast...we decided to use him as a breeder. ( in WE I of course mean ME)
FF, I am so sorry to hear about your MIL. Its very hard to deal with such a loss. Getting busy is the only way I can deal with all this.
By wrapping the green tomatoes, they will ripen slowly. This way we will have them for the holidays! Yum!

 

[modern_pioneer]

Debbie, Happy Birthday!!! Before you go on reading, go here from me to you!! hehe!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yolLqx6k1OM

When a person feels so let down in life and they decide to take their own life, often enough it is a selfish act and hurts many folks. Your son, as you know is with God now, and he is with you in spirit and in your heart. As you know, my love for my own mother runs deep and I understand yours runs deeper as a mother. Were always here to listen and provide some form of comfort for you, only if it is pixelated words.

Fired Green Maters are That must have been a mis print or you didn't have your coffee yet. Green maters are and I'd like to eat them often in the summer!! Maybe you just haven't had some one fix them for you correctly? I suppose much like fried chicken around these parts. I have never found or have a good recipe to fix fried chicken. I am sure willing to try one if you have one that you can share, as for green maters??? Well, Flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder and red pepper flakes if you likem on the warm side. It is also important to cut the slice no more than 1/8 of an inch thick. I likem crispy, like tater chips, well home made ones!!!!

 

[justusnak]

J. That was so cute! Thank you from the deepest, warmest part of my heart.
I can not say thanks enough to you and everyone here, that have listened, helped, and let me cry on your "shoulders" Venting to friends is such a pressure relief.
I dont get all excited over my birthday...or even October at all. See, When I was 22 years old, my step dad, the man who raised us kids, passed away on my Birthday. Then, in 2000, my brother was killed in the line of duty. He was a retired Marine, and was working at the Sherriffs department in SC. We had the viewing ON my birthday. So, no, I dont get too excited over my birthday any more. I just silently celebrate the life of those I have lost...and thank God that I am still here....strong in body and mind. ( well, not so much in the mind any more! LOL )
As for the fried green maters.....ummmm... I have tried several recipes....have eaten them from different homes and restaraunts...and I just can't get them down! Now, fried chicken?? Ohhhh yeah! I can fry up some mean chicken! At least thats what I have been told. I like to par boil mine....to make sure it is not raw in the center...and I use pork lard, deep, in a cast iron "chicken fry pot" I par boil mine quick, I dont want the chicken to fall off the bones....and I usually add onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the water. ( I can use the "broth" from this later for gravy) Take it straight from the water to the flour....which has pepper, ( a little red pepper is good too) The grease must be hot hot hot!!! place the chicken in the grease...stand back, or cover it quickly, it will pop. After all the chicken is in the grease...and the popping stops, remove the lid, and just fry it!
Then you can skim the good broth from the pot you boiled the chicken in, and use that for the base for your gravy...provideing you are makeing mashed taters and gravy, biscuits, sliced onions and maters.