I spent a lot of time in the month of July trying to make my meat surplus shelf stable because my freezer was very literally overflowing. This is what a five pound bag of pig fat looks like, cubed and ready to be rendered (I did about 5 of these):
And this is what my kitchen looked like during the render-fest:
In addition to the fat rendering I have been making and pressure canning bone broths to store up for all those cold winter soup-based dinners. NEVER THROW OUT YOUR BONES!!! Soon I will experiment with making pemmican from some beef that I dried. Wahoo! Experimental food!
Meat: 7; We culled our flock down to 11 birds and split them into two breeding groups.
Eggs: 187 equivalent of 3 dozen large chicken eggs.
Produce: The gardening lesson of the month was that used coffee grounds make great fertilizer and are often free! Also, Brussels sprouts are best tasting when they have had a frost making them a great fall weather crop. We planted ours in spring and noticed in June that they were already forming sprouts. If we let those sprouts grow to full size they would be tough and inedible. Not to be dismayed I read that by picking the sprouts when they are the size of marbles they would still be tender and the stalk would continue to grow more sprouts. It works and they certainly are delicious! When we get closer to the first frost we will stop harvesting these at marble size and let them grow to full size.
- Beets: 11 oz.@ 1.40/lb= .96
- Snow Peas: 9 oz. @ 3.40/lb= $1.91
- Green beans: 2 lbs. 5 oz. @1.80/lb= $4.16
- Carrots: 1 1b. @1.20/lb= $1.20
- Chard: 4 lbs. @3.34/lb= $13.36
- Kohlrabi: 1 lb. 7 oz. @2.86/lb= $4.11
- Cucumbers: 7 lb.@ 3.76!!!/lb= $26.32 Wouldn't you know that I grew a rare and sought after cucumber variety called 'crystal apple?' The regular cukes were going for 1.50/lb =$10.50
- Principe Borghese tomatoes: 1 lb. 6 oz. @ 2.13/lb= $2.93 This is a lovely cherry-type drying tomato
- Strawberries: 4 lb. @4.55/lb= $18.20
- Brussels sprouts: 4 oz. Couldn't get a price on this because they aren't yet in season
- Kale: 10 oz. @ 1.77/lb= $1.11
- Peppers: 3 oz. @ 2.00/lb= .38
Bartering: This month I bartered my canning services for green beans from my mother-in-law and canned 20 pints in my new-to-me pressure canner. I was able to keep 11 pints. My friend also let me pick my favorite "sungold" cherry tomatoes from her garden for a split of the proceeds. I now have a quart of delicious dried sungolds. They taste like candy!
Carrie, you rock. I just thought I would let you know :)
ReplyDeleteP.s. I have a friend with cavities and she is freaked out. I KNOW there is a way to reverse them... several actually. What did you do - was it just your diet? or did you add something else specifically for it?
The diet will help with cavities because it is very pure, but specifically cutting out sugar and refined foods and ensuring I got a lot of Vit A and D from cod liver oil. Also, Dr. Price said high vitamin butter oil from grass fed cows... I just made sure I was eating dairy from grassfed cows but there is also Kerrygold. 2 tbsp CLO and eating 2tbsp Kerrygold butter per day is a good combo.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, you never cease to amaze me. WOW! I just love how much you know how to do, and how you are becoming so self-reliant and savvy. You make me want to EAT PRODUCE!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get big bags of fat like that? I like bacon, so that's where I've been getting my lard. But it's expensive.
ReplyDeleteAnother question: What do you mean by pressure canning bone broths? Does that mean you can store it at room temperature? I would love to do that...I only have so much freezer space.
Hi Lisa! The fat is after I cut it up. Pork fat comes in slabs. The first time I bought it directly from a farmer that raises pastured hogs and I bought only the fat (this is also a great way to get marrow bones!). The majority comes from the half hog I bought. When you buy in large quantity you can ask for things like organs, fat, tail etc.
ReplyDeleteYes! You can pressure can bone broth! You need access to a pressure canner but it can be done.
Carrie - you are amazing!
ReplyDeleteSo cool! Thanks Carrie.
ReplyDelete