A grin lit up Will’s face and he climbed up on the tractor. After first seeing the plow did (indeed plow), he made several furrows, then turned around and scooped the rock and gravel out of the beds. He put this “waste” on our driveway, in front of the house and the house garden, filling in several low spots and adding a foot of new gravel over our water line. Now, not only do we have new beds, waiting for compost, but our driveway looks so nice and level!

Today, Will started bulldozing down by our spring catchment basin and I hauled many tractor bucket loads of sandy loam from down there, up to level out the spot in our berry patch where our new strawberries and asparagus will go. We were very happy to note that the soil there is already rich and black from all that composted manure we put on last year! Wow. The frost is going, so I should be able to till very soon. Hurray!

Readers’ Questions:

Canning salsa

Thanks for your advice on the pressure canning. I think I was guesstimating too much on headspace, so I got out a ruler and also processed just a little above 10lb pressure and they all came out perfectly!! Thank you. I got your canning book and loving it. I have one question: salsa…I love fresh salsa with just tomato, garlic, lime juice, onion, jalapeno, and lots of cilantro. I’d love to can this, but having a hard time finding recipes without bell pepper and vinegar and from what I’ve read, I don’t want to play with this recipe too much since it combines acid/low-acid foods. My kids & husband requested that I not give them botulism. Could I pressure can it or use just bottled lemon or lime juice in place of the vinegar and water bath can it? My ten year old daughter said, “You’d better ask Jackie Clay- she knows everything!”

Erica
Manor, Texas

Ha! Ha! Tell your daughter to ask MY kids if I know everything! You can substitute jalapenos for bell peppers, or just leave them out. Yes, you can also substitute lemon juice for the vinegar, but I, personally, like the vinegar-salsa better than the lemon one, but try them both and see what you folks like best. You CAN pressure can the salsa, but I prefer it water bathed as the tomatoes get more “mushy” in the pressure canner. I like my canned salsa more like fresh…with the chunks and texture. — Jackie

Wounded turkey

I’m having a “what would Jackie do?” moment. Just noticed my mama turkey was limping. On further inspection, discovered something seems to have torn at her side–she has a good sized open wound under her wing. I really don’t have a clue of what to do for her. She seems ok, considering. She is eating and her fresh droppings looked ok. I suppose I will put her down if she seems to be going downhill. I have a hard time getting a goat vet around here, let alone a poultry one. She had been laying eggs as of late. I left her some and put some in the chicken coop for a hen to hopefully set on, in case she doesn’t make it. If this isn’t too vague, I was wondering what your thoughts were.

Rena Erickson
Easley, South Carolina

I’d guess that your turkey will probably be okay. I had a hen turkey, back in Montana, that was attacked by a coyote. Luckily, our milk cow attacked the coyote and he dropped the turkey to save his life. But when I brought the turkey home, she had a huge, gaping hole in her side. I figured she was a goner, but she was a pet, so I sprayed antibiotic powder on the wound and brought her into the goat barn to (hopefully) heal. She did great and in a month, you couldn’t even see where the wound had been. I hope your turkey does the same! — Jackie

Strawberries and keeping chickens out of raised beds

Sorry to hear about your mom going to a nursing home but based on personal experience you need to take care of yourself too. Chest pains are not to be taken lightly!!

Cindy Hills
Wild Rose, Wisconsin

I’m HOPING I’ll have so many strawberries I’ll have to think up ways to use them all! I’ll be making jam, preserves, and marmalade, of course, then dehydrating a whole bunch to use in various baking and other recipes. I’ll also can up the remainder. True, canned strawberries don’t look as nice as frozen ones do, but they sure taste great! I’m sure I’ll also be sharing them with family and friends, as well. We have grass along our raised flower beds in the front yard (which also are a home to various herbs, peppers, and tomatoes, too). In the house garden, we opted for wood chips, made from left-over prunings and small trees removed from the garden and pasture. The chips need to be renewed every few years as they compost themselves, but it’s not a big chore as we always have new chips from various projects. We’re really happy with our seedling plants this year. Last year we had horrible luck, using Miracle Gro; won’t make that mistake again. Lots of gardeners are telling me the same thing, so it wasn’t just us! — Jackie

Bulk canning lids

Hi Jackie. LOVE your blog and your articles in BHM. You have been a wealth of information for me. Thank you. Just wanted to give you a source for bulk canning lids. Check out the Lehmans catalog or Lehmans.com. They have both regular and wide mouth lids in bulk.

Janice Donaway
Bloxom, Virginia

Thanks for the tip. However, NO sources of bulk lids come close to beating the prices I get locally, unfortunately. It seems that SOMEWHERE you could buy a case of, say, regular lids for less than the $1.00 a dozen that I get at the local dollar store! — Jackie

So we started in on projects. David and Will began working on the furrower, cutting and welding bracing, drilling holes for bolts and grinding rough edges. I rolled oil sealer on the 2″x6″s for the back board of the hay rack. And, later, working all together, we assembled the back board and actually FINISHED the hay wagon! Wow, it looks great. And it didn’t cost one penny, either. The screws and bolts were salvaged from the dump. The 2″x6″s were salvaged from the nasty old mobile home that is now almost a bridge. The tires were also salvaged. What a neat makeover!

While I did chores and made supper, Will and David worked on repairing the back blade on our tractor, which had cracked and broken from hitting rocks in our driveway and stumps in the pasture. (Now where would they have been?) Unfortunately, when you use equipment, you also break it, so we spend time, here and there, fixing stuff to use again in the future. Only if you don’t work, you don’t break things; the mantra of the homesteader in the backwoods!

Readers’ Questions:

Elderberry extract

Question: Elderberry Extract — July/Aug 2009 Page 64… #1. Says to weigh out berries and put in jar. #2. Fill jar with 80 proof Vodka. Quote: “This means liquid will be 40% alcohol & 60% water.” O.K. If I FILL the jar with vodka, then, where does the 40/60 ratio come in? I’m confused…please help me out here. I don’t want to waste the berries by doing something wrong. Would it be different if I used Everclear instead?…

J.
Missouri

The simplest way to make elderberry extract is to put 1/4 lb of dried elderberries in a quart jar, then fill it up with vodka. Let it sit, capped, in a cool, dark place for about a month. Strain off the berries, and you have elderberry extract. Use 1 tsp four or five times daily for illnesses such as the flu. — Jackie

Today he uncovered our strawberry bed, taking the wet straw down to the garden’s edge, piling it near the plum and cherry trees. After we clean up the rocks, we’ll use the used mulch that kept the strawberries cozy all winter around the base of the trees to keep down weeds. Now he’s busy building a furrower out of a junk plow from a neighbor’s scrap pile, some steel, and rod. The furrower will go on our tractor’s 3-point hitch so we can quickly make furrows for our new 250 strawberry and 100 asparagus plants. That would be a lot of holes to dig by hand, and a furrow would make quick work of it. We’re excited over the prospect, and I’ll keep you posted.

Readers’ Questions:

Deer Fencing

I hope you are getting some much needed rest. Taking care of an ill loved one is challenging and exhausting. I am a nurse who worked in a nursing home and understand your concerns about placing your mom in a facility and not continuing to care for her at home. Life is a challenge and my heart goes out to you.

Deb Motylinski
Brecksville, Ohio

We used 8′ long steel T posts with 6′ 2″x4″ welded wire fastened to it. We figured that IF the deer jumped that, we’d wire poles to that, with chicken wire up another three feet. It has never been necessary, as we’ve not had one deer in the garden, even though we have tons of deer in the area. Oh, yes, I did; I left the gate open one afternoon, and in went a young doe! She went OUT much faster!

Our fence is not electrified. And we did not put wire underground. I deter rodents with our dog, Spencer, and a .22 rifle. Both work very well.

Right now, our “gates” consist of wire that we pull open and hook closed. We will be building pole and wire gates this year that are both easier to handle, and look much nicer.

I’ve found that deer really aren’t as bad as one hears, providing that the garden/orchard are fenced well with “real” fence, instead of “alternative methods” of deer control, such as sprays, short fences, electric wire, etc. I’ve used ‘em all and still had deer in the garden. Once we fenced with 6′ high welded wire, that was that and life is SO much easier! — Jackie

Dehydrating cooked rice

I’m experimenting with dehydrating cooked rice. I’ve never heard of making your own “converted” rice, but it seems to be working. I cooked a batch of Jasmine rice, rinsed it well in cool water, drained it and put it on dehydrator sheets. Have you ever tried doing this or heard of a recipe?

Also, a question about canned salmon: do you have to boil it for 10 minutes (or more) when it’s prepared according to the recipe in “Self-Reliance,” page 80? I’ve wondered also about home canned meats that are baked, do they need boiling first before using in a recipe?

Flora Marie Stone
Greenfield, Indiana

Yes, you can dehydrate cooked rice, just like you are doing.

Home canned foods just need to be brought and held to “boiling temperature” for 10 minutes before eating. This can be boiling, steaming, roasting, or baking in a casserole, etc.

I’ve never talked to anyone who had luck dehydrating cheese at home; the fat beads the shreads and they get greasy, then go rancid. I’ve tried it myself, with yucky results. Sorry. I DO love my cheeses! — Jackie

Canning chicken noodle soup and milk

These two questions are about canning. I tried canning chicken noodle soup the other day and added a half a handful of noodles as it said in your book. But when they came out they were weird… the noodles were a semi-solid blob of mush at the bottom of the jar. The whole jars are cloudy and murky looking with mush at the bottom. What did I do wrong?

Angela Billings
Stronghurst, Illinois

Some noodles do that. I’d advise using the thicker “homemade-type” ones, instead of regular store noodles. But even the “yucky” looking noodles, when stirred up gently, make a tasty soup.

Not having been with you when you canned your milk, I don’t know what went wrong, but a lot of people routinely can up milk and have it turn out fine. I’d just give it another try, following directions. Who knows, you may have mis-read them or something. That happens to all of us one time or another. — Jackie

Bulk canning lids

Do you know of a good source for buying bulk canning lids?

Linda
Dorris, California

Unfortunately, no. I buy mine at our local dollar store for $1.00 a dozen (regular lids), and our local farm store on sale, for the wide mouth lids. I usually get the wide mouth lids for about $1.89 a dozen, which is cheaper than most other places. But I DO watch for the sale! Any readers have a better idea? — Jackie

Antibiotics for the first aid kit

…I was wondering about what we can use for antibiotics for our first aid kit that we have been making. If a situation happens, and one is unable to see a doctor, can one use animal antibiotics and if so how do you determine the dose?

Meredith Wendt
Rockford, Illinois

I’ll probably get hate mail for this, but yes, in a dire emergency, one can use “animal” antibiotics, such as penicillin, for human use. Most “animal” antibiotics are simply “human” antibiotics with a veterinary label. As dosage for animal use varies by body weight, so you would choose your dose for human use, by body weight. Again, only use this in a dire emergency situation, where no doctor is available. It’s also a good idea to have a vial of injectable epinephrine available, in case of rare, but possibly fatal, shock. — Jackie

Storing pecans

I have 12 pecan trees on my property and most years I get more pecans than I need. I crack and shell as much as I can and put them in the freezer where they will keep for a long time. But what about unshelled pecans? Can they be kept for a long time? I don’t want to put them in the freezer. Where should they be kept and how long will they keep?

Tom Hutyra
West, Texas

Unshelled nuts will usually keep for several months in cool, dry storage. But they won’t keep a long time before the nut meat shrivels and gets hard. How about doing your big batch, then slowly pecking away at the leftovers and canning them up? My friend Junita Saunders, down in New Mexico, and I used to get together and shell and can pecans all winter. It was fun, we weren’t “under the gun” to get ‘em done, and we got to visit a whole bunch. I’m still eating pecans from six years back! — Jackie

Canning pork and beans with franks

Can you, and if so, how do you can pork and beans with franks?

Bo Suddueth
Jacksonville, Florida

It’s easy. Just make up a big batch of your favorite pork and beans, using chopped franks as the “pork.” Don’t bake it till done, just until thoroughly hot. Then pack it in pint jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Process at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes in a pressure canner. (If you live at an altitude over 1,000 feet, check your canning book for directions on increasing your pressure to suit your altitude, if necessary.)

Two handy, all around catalogs for equipment/supplies are Lehmans Hardware and Northern Tool. I also love Murray McMurray for poultry stuff and Hoeggers for goat supplies. — Jackie

Will has been working on our haying equipment. He finished repairing the wheel rake we got with our old New Holland baler and now has the hay wagon back in the shop, cutting the 2×6s (that we saved from that old mobile home), painting them with oil preservative and getting ready to screw them down to the frame. It’s looking very nice!

Meanwhile, I’m transplanting baby plants in the greenhouse. Since we will plant them out in the garden in late April in Wall o’ Water plant protectors, I start my pepper and tomato seeds earlier than I would if I were setting them out after our last spring frost date…June 16th! This year our plants look great. And so far, I’ve spent two days potting peppers, tomatoes, and petunias into 20 oz. styrofoam cups, with holes poked in the bottom. This lets us only transplant once, planting in the garden directly out of the cups. I reuse the cups and the plants seem to love them. Gee! I’m running out of “sunny windows.”

But boy do those plants look fantastic. And today it was 52 degrees. Our snow is going fast; I wish the MUD was too. I’m getting anxious to at least walk in the garden. And also to see how the orchard trees are doing. Maybe tomorrow after I run in to see Mom.

Readers’ Questions:

Tiny eggs

We have 14 hens of all different breeds. We are getting about a dozen eggs a day right now. The hens will be a year in May. We have 6 hens that I believe are Hamburg Chickens. My question is, we are getting two very tiny eggs from this breed. They are not laying daily, but when they do there is no yolk in these eggs and they are very very tiny, Will these eggs get bigger? So far its been a month and the eggs are NOT getting bigger.

Stephanie
Kinsey, Montana

These no yolk eggs are most often found in pullets who are just beginning to lay. But they can occur in any hen, regardless of age or breed. They are simply a “warp” in the hen’s reproductive process and are nothing to be concerned about. — Jackie

Preserving meat with salt

I would like to know about preserving meat by salting it. Is it safe with any kind of meat? Is there a special kind of salt that you use? How is the meat generally prepared afterwards? How long does it generally take to dry the meat…and how long will it generally last once it is dried?

Joy Goepfert
Alba, Missouri

Although people long ago did preserve meat and fish by salting it down, I don’t recommend it today. First of all, the food, even when soaked to de-salt it before eating, remains very salty. This is just not good for us. Then, there is no way of knowing if the meat is sufficiently salted so that it (or parts of it) doesn’t spoil. My own grandmother salted down Montana whitefish when a flood left them high and dry in their pasture. She worked hard for 24 hours, cleaning and salting down all those fish. And every one spoiled on her! Better to can that meat, rather than salt it. — Jackie

Last year, we used Miracle Gro potting soil to start the seeds and boy was that a bust! My friend, Jeri, did too and her seeds had poor germination and just didn’t grow at all, just like mine. This year, I bought professional seed starting mix from our local greenhouse and it’s made all the difference in the world. I’ve made my own seed starting soil in the past, but lately I just haven’t had the time. It’s made from good garden soil, well-rotted compost, vermiculite, and perlite. You bake the soil and compost to kill weed seeds and any pathogens present, then mix everything to lighten the soil. It works well and I hope to do it again soon. But for now, our plants are great and I can’t wait to get in the garden!

Readers’ Questions:

Bay leaves to deter moths

I am preparing a 12 month storage area in my home. I have read that bay leaves can be placed in grain to deter moths. Can bay leaves also be used in flour?

Jean Ann Wenger
Fairbury, Illinois

Yes. Place a few on top of your flour, inside its container, for best results. Don’t mix it up IN the flour. And make sure the container you choose is airtight, rodent proof, and moisture proof. — Jackie

Canning sandwich spread

I make a sandwich spread that of course contains mayonnaise. If I made a large batch of it could it be canned?

Tammie Stiltner
Vancouver, Washington

No. There is no current information on safe canning of mayonnaise or salad dressing. — Jackie

Salsa using canned tomatoes

Do you have a salsa recipe using canned tomatoes? Would I be able to can it?

Alison Martin
Waretown, New Jersey

You can use any salsa recipe to use your already canned tomatoes. But it will be less chunky than fresh tomato salsa as tomatoes cook down quickly. It will be safe and tasty, though. — Jackie

Perennial vegetable bed

I talked to you on here before about a gas stove that wouldn’t go down low enough to let me pressure can. Just wanted to let you know we had a guy come and fix it, and now it works wonderful!

Angela Billings
Stronghurst, Illinois

I really don’t think I’d plant these together, if it were me. You’ll be digging the garlic and horseradish at different times, in all likelihood, and the walking onions at another time, if you do (you often just use the top bulbs). Horseradish has a way of taking over a garden, so I’d advise against putting it in at all. Put your horseradish far away from your garden and flower beds and you’ll be much happier! My friend, Jeri, now has horseradish in her flowers, rhubarb rows, and along her greenhouse, from a small planting on one end of her flower bed.

The walking onions and garlic could go together in the same bed, but in separate areas for ease of harvest. — Jackie

Goats hair falling out

I have a six year old Nubian doe, about twice a year all of her hair falls out. It isn’t lice or fleas. And it doesn’t ever affect our other goat that is penned with her. Someone said to try brewer yeast in her feed, didn’t help. Someone else said she must be Vitamin A deficient, that didn’t help either. They have a mineral block, get grass alfalfa hay, and a handful of three way grain daily. Neither doe has been bred in several years. When her hair falls out, I mean all of it. Not just patches. And sometimes its in the winter here in Montana so we have to set up heat lamps for her. Any ideas?

Terri Ogle
Kalispell, Montana

Our wether, Oreo, does the same thing. It’s kind of shocking, but the best I can figure out is that it is his body’s way of changing hair coats from winter to spring and vice versa. You might consider making a goat coat for her, similar to a horse blanket, to save on electricity from those heat lamps. — Jackie

Canning on a propane turkey cooker

We have recently moved into a house that has a glass top stove. After watching the stove cook for a while, I have decided that I will need to come up with an alternative way to can. I know you have talked about propane stoves. I have a propane turkey cooker, would that work?

Cindy Adams
Florence, Alabama

I’ve never had or seen a turkey cooker in action, but anything that is sturdy enough to support a full canner and produces sufficient heat should do the job. Any readers have any thoughts here? I’m sure someone has a turkey cooker and could give Cindy some help. — Jackie

Canning pork loin

I canned pork loin on two different occasions months apart using the same instructions for raw pack loin with water. In the first batch the water is clear with no color. In the second batch the water has kind of a brothy color to it. It is still transparent just with a little tint. I’m wondering if the color difference could be due to different brands of pork or different solutions used when packaged back at the plant. I bought the loin at the same store just a few months apart. Should I be concerned with the difference?

Marlana Ward
Mountain City, Tennessee

I wouldn’t worry about the color, provided you followed instructions and the jars are sealed. You’re right; it may be a different pork loin solution or even packing process. Some are packed with a mild brine to keep it moist; others are not. Enjoy it and have fun with your new chickens! — Jackie