bless-my-farm.com » tasty things

more mud room plans

Penny — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:46:00 +0000

In the utility/mudroom we will also have some cabinets and counters. We will probably get some from a salvage source and paint them. I am not that particular and can think of much better things to spend money on. We will also put the extra freezer in there. I like to keep a freezer full of meat and vegetables from the garden during the winter. We also have some berries that we picked in there. I do can stuff but prefer freezing if possible. Freezing when done right gives you a healthier product. It retains the nutritional value better. We can jams and syrups though. I have canned deer meat before but it must be pressure cooked for a long time. Meat is a good thing to can, it needs to be cooked anyway and it is done during the winter. Canning during the summer when the vegetables are ready is a hot hot job. It helps if you have an outside place or porch to do it on.

preparing for yucky weather

Penny — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:33:00 +0000

You can always tell when the weather around here is going to get yucky. Folks head for the store and clear out the bread and milk. Watching those shelves at Walmart is a better indication than watching the weather channel. Seems to be something in the air that the locals can smell. I am not kidding here. So after our first winter in Tn, I learned a few things.

get a cow
learn to bake bread
never be without cocoa, or coffee

Chocolate is a mood enhancer. And when it gets yucky outside and everyone is tired of being inside so much, you do not want to run out of cocoa. Other things we stock up on are beans, beans are wonderful in the winter. And we keep on hand plenty of flour and sugar. And chicken leg quarters and ground beef or deer meat and home canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. If we can make chicken and dumplins, chili, homemade bread and some sort of dessert, and have coffee with cocoa in it, all will be well with the world. Even if it is raining ice.

more snow

Penny — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Well the weather here lately has been snow. Sort of. Around here a “wintry mix” is more common than snow. A wintry mix could be rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow, and or ice, all mixed together or maybe just a couple of those. Either way what it amounts to is a mess. And then the ground gets frozen or semi-frozen underneath and it is like walking on rock with half melted icing on to. Messy, messy, messy, and gross. The answer is to stay home. Which is what I would rather anyway. So, we have the woodstove stocked, and chili in the roaster. Chili is best when it simmers all day. We will make some cornbread to go with it. We had bucketfuls of peppers from the garden and there may be a couple left. Peppers are great in cornbread. And cheese on top.