This weeks preps check-in

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Is there a shelf life on rennet? I'd like to start stocking up on cheese making stuff.
Yes there is. They usually have expiration dates on each bottle or card of tablets. I put them in the coldest part of my fridge and only take them out long enough to pull out the amount I need and then immediately put it back in the fridge. I’m trying to make more rennet cheeses and paneer and less vinegar farmer’s cheese. The cost of a gallon of vinegar is outrageous where I’m at so I’m going with the rennet etc.
 
We froze about 4 1/2 lbs of green beans, picked and hung up a third of the onions, dug up about 15 lbs. of potatos, I made some more hardtack from older flour, made a small cage with chicken wire for the little ducks to stay in all day now they are running around looking for food more.
Will be picking some cherries the next few days that we can have for free to make moonshine with in fall. It is a bit hot outside at 44°C (114°F) but I gotta water, mow, build and do things still. Take lots of breaks in the cool house, the 20 inch thick cob walls hold the evening/night coolness fairly well and it stays around 23°C/75°F inside all day without any AC or such...
 
Week of June 26:

- Bought fencing for the chicken run.

- Rejuvenated some old batteries (we'll see how they hold up).

- Rode about 100 miles on my bike and got back into exercising in the evenings. Staying in shape is priority #1.

- Am working hard to brainstorm ideas of how to position myself in the upcoming economy. I even posted a thread about that here to start brainstorming ideas, but like always on this forum there was no participation on any thread that isn't about bitching and moaning about democrats/biden/china/etc. At least, if you don't think that clicking "Like" counts as participation (because it doesn't.)
 
On the second batch of chicken and fried rice in the freeze dryer. Did cottage cheese the other day. Picked up a bushel of beets today, and will start working on those to be cooked and freeze dried. Husband does not like them pickled.
 
Started picking the pickles and getting them into glass. Decided to make sweet mustard pickles and the first batch came out really good.
Peel and cut into bite sized pieces, add some water and salt in leave overnight in the fridge. Get your water, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, mustard seeds and chopped onions to your personal taste ready next day. Put all spices into filtered water and bring to a simmer with the pickle pieces for about 10 min. Fill into glasses and put the lid on. Cool, store and enjoy in a month or so.
 
Pretty sure dang raccoon got in the chicken coop last night that had the new 8 wk old hens in it. Rhode Island Red laying dead in upper area with no insides left...realized I was missing another one. Couldn't find it aywhere.. finally found compromised area in top of coop with small hole...climbed up to look on roof, there lay some entestines and small remnants of organ pieces...nothing else there, not even feathers. Can't think of anything but coon. Both my RIRs gone. I've had other things happen to my hens, but first time this has happened. Fixed the hole in top, and setting traps tonight til I can figure something better than chicken wire to cover the top of open area of pen and get someone to do it. Pretty sure I can't do it by myself. Only 4- 8 wk old left..I guess I'll probably get 10 new ones next trip...to allow for any unexpected mishaps. My older hens are not laying as much and still 2 broodie hens thinking they are gonna hatch eggs.
 
Traps were empty this morning (no shock there), but remaining chicks all safe. I think I figured out what drew the coons to the pen night before. We had a small log had built a perch sitting on top of criss crossed boards out in the run area...give them something to fly up on during the day if they choose. The first night all the chicks wanted to roost on that. I couldn't get them to go inside the coop til I moved that perch inside. Not sure why didn't want to fly up on the roost perches already built in the coop. Anyway..they were fine on that. My son was with me last night edge of dark setting traps. We noticed the little log perch was back out in the run area and remaining chicks hopped back up on that perch to settle for night. Bingo! I don't think they roosted inside Friday night, but stayed on the perch outside in the run, wide open to attracting a coon to work its way to them.
Larry (my partner) had been the last one back at chickens Friday befire dark. He apparently moved the perch back outside where it was prior. I suppose he assumed they would just go in the coop.

We put that little perch back inside the coop, with the chicks. All were fine this morning. I should have checked them one last time myself Friday night. Never dawned on me he would move that perch back outside. So write it down to human error of course... Aaargh!
 
Busy week here put up pickled beets and ground and smoked sausage making room in the freezers for both a pig and a side of beef in the fall. Turned out really good. Picked the first of the blueberries and blackberries this week. Also picking cabbage and squash. Up to 7 Buff Orphington chicks and 11 baby ducks hatched. Off to the bean patch this morning to pick beans. Next couple days will be picking, shelling and canning beans.
 
Picking onions today, all tied up and hung out now. Just finished before the rain came. Had no rain for a few weeks now and got desperate....I WASHED THE CAR YESTERDAY!!!!!!!! And, of course, Garys luck....IT RAINED!!
Here are the white onions:
1657050200418.jpeg


And here are the red onions:
1657050243342.jpeg


These should get us through the winter...just about 50 lbs. Gary
 
Thank you DD, we replanted the two rows of where we took out the garlic and peas so we will have a total of 5 rows this year. The first 10 lbs. became a gift to the gypsy neighbors wife as he has still not found a regular job and is only living from day to day on odd jobs.....
 

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