Dancing on egg shells

I rarely just walk when I write, but today I am keeping things delicate for my non regular readers over on WNDN.

It's all about butchering.

Time for another winter project.

Nope, things are just getting away from me. This morning I am off to work on the farmstead. Pictures shall be taken.

I will see you guys tomorrow for another instalment of WNDN, and Monday with the adventures of the Farmstead.

Hoovervilles making a comeback?

ok, so most of us would have no idea what Hooverville is. Most of us weren't alive, but those of us that had grandparents or parents that actually talked to us about the Great Depression know what they are (and those of you that read The Grapes of Wrath)

Over on American Prepper, there is a recent post about the new Tent Cities. I hoped over to the article cited and noticed it was out of the UK. I know you guys, and you'll want regional proof, so I did a little digging.

Here is an article out of Nashville, an article from the online journal, and something from MSNBC

So, what are we going to call them this time around?

Just thought I would put it out there for you. oh! I also heard that some small towns are allowing people to buy their food on running tabs, I can't find it in the media, currently this is purely rumor.

Our Right to Bear Arms

I got this email late last night;


H.R. 45 (Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009) targets all gun owners in the U.S.A. While the media the world and everyone else is focused on the "phony plan" to spend tax dollars legislation is sneaking through the House and Senate for more gun control.

This nefarious bill seeks to strip us all of our Constitutional Rights to possess and bear firearms of any distinction. It requires, within the first two years, that all new guns be registered. The bill goes retroactive after two years. Meaning that two years after the passage of the bill, ALL FIREARMS in a citizen's possession must be registered, not just those purchased after the bill passes, and this apparently applies to antique firearms as well.


Every five years the firearm owner must go through a complete renewal process for each weapon owned. Failure to comply carries stiff penalties including confiscation of the firearms and jail time (penalties as high as ten years imprisonment in some cases). The bill also authorizes government searches without warrant, the creation of a federal bureaucracy to monitor firearm possession, etc.

The following is a summary of the bill as provided by the Congressional Research Service. If you read the whole bill, you'll find it will effectively preclude the ownership of any firearms by law-abiding people unless directly licensed by the Attorney General :

1/6/2009--Introduced. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit a person from possessing a firearm unless that person has been issued a firearm license under this Act or a state system certified under this Act and such license has not been invalidated or revoked. Prescribes license application, issuance, and renewal requirements.

Prohibits transferring or receiving a qualifying firearm unless the recipient presents a valid firearms license, the license is verified, and the dealer records a tracking authorization number. Prescribes firearms transfer reporting and record keeping requirements. Directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a federal record of sale system.

Prohibits:
Transferring a firearm to any person other than a licensee, unless the transfer is processed through a licensed dealer in accordance with national instant criminal background check system requirements, with exceptions;
Licensed manufacturer or dealer from failing to comply with reporting and record keeping requirements of this Act;
Failing to report the loss or theft of the firearm to the Attorney General within 72 hours;
Failing to report to the Attorney General an address change within 60 days;
Keeping a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition for the firearm, knowingly or recklessly disregarding the risk that a child is capable of gaining access, if a child uses the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury.
Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of firearms provisions covered by this Act. Directs the Attorney General to:
Establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse;
Conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and
Collect and maintain current production and sales figures of each licensed manufacturer. Authorizes the Attorney General to certify state firearm licensing or record of sale systems.


Like all other threats against our freedoms, we must rise and defeat this bill, slap it down hard.

first off... WHAT!?! How on earth does this keep guns out of the hands of criminals? Only those of us that are law abiding (even if that law is insanely stupid) will be punished. It seems a lot like NAIS, but for fire arms. So I went to look it up. HR 45

Now this doesn't say much at all. And don't we already have laws like this? And then I have to question State Laws. Doesn't the States supersede the Federal? Or am I confused about what the Constitution states. Do we even still have one of those? why are they wasting our tax money on yet another law on the same subject that we already have a ton of laws for. Why over turn the Brady Bill?

Does anyone know about this bill? I clicked on related bills since this gives a vague description of what it is really about. I don't feel like getting overly paranoid at this point. I am kind of tired of all the laws that are meant to save us from ourselves. Every person I know owns a firearm, legally under the state laws. Some have conceal and carry permits, we even thought about one of those. But if I can't keep my gun with out having to re-licence and wait to see if the federal government decides that I am not a bad guy, well. . . Doesn't matter. If you have more info on this, could you kindly share it with me. I really believe that the laws that are already in place are enough for the good guys.

All I want is a rifle. . .

Musings

Has anyone ever been kicked in the back of the head? I feel like that this morning. Woke up in the middle of the night with a nasty migraine. My right eye wouldn't work correctly. When I tried to move my eyes around, you could feel the swelling prevent the eye from rotating. I have been doing fine with my migraines lately, haven't been having them as often, but as we get closer to spring, and the temps start warming up and the storms start moving in, my migraines come out of hibernation. I was given some skull cap to try, but at 230 am, I kind of forget about it being there.

I went to gather the mail yesterday and wait on the school bus, when I saw a tiny black goat in the neighbor across the ways field. It was standing at the fence making all kinds of noises. I walked over there to check him out, and noticed some deformities. Nothing major, but the sheep out there caught my eye. They don't look very healthy and their eyes looked watery. I called the neighbor across the way and told her. She doesn't have a computer and asked if I would look it up, and see what could be the problem. She didn't understand at first that animals eyes should be clear, not watery, and that it is usually a sign of illness. I looked it u and the only thing I could find was pink eye. She wants me to come over Saturday and help trim down a sheep's hooves. If it is pink eye, there is no way I am going over there and handling any of those animals. I have my own livestock to worry about as well as my family. I had pink eye once as I child and never again!

I also had hoof and mouth. Well a mutant variation of the disease, but still called hoof and mouth. Last year there was reports of hoof and mouth in cattle in the area, the news anchor said that humans couldn't catch it. I was tempted to call the news org, laughing and informing them that you could indeed get hoof and mouth and I have the medical records to prove it. It is horrible, you get blisters in your mouth and on the palms of your hands. I was young, I remember hurting, and not being able to swallow and sipping on chicken broth. Any more info on it you would have to ask my mother. For some reason our family is super healthy, but when we do get sick it is these odd exotic diseases.

So today's post teaches you nothing but a little about myself and the true freak I might be. But our pasts makes us what we are, though I am not sure what having cattle diseases has done for me. Maybe I am the cow whisperer.

Canned Meat

And the green meat goes, do dodo dodo dododo do. . . oh wait, that's Lou Reed, not Canned Heat. You are welcome for the earworm.

We have to talk spam. There is no way you can go through a canned meat concert without spam. Now mind you I do not have the recipe for the store bought, nor have I found anything good online. The only one I found was kind of nasty, and not a real recipe. Does your chickens have any lips? After some trial and error, I have discovered a reasonable substitute . Stop groaning, some people like spam. I myself ain't to thrilled with it, but making it at home you can use up some of your extra pork and chicken parts if you don't feel like making more sausage.

You need scrapes of ham and chicken. Push through your meat grinder. Place this in a food processor, add a dash of paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can get fancy and add other flavors. Puree the meat. Stuff into a pint canning jar leaving 1 inch headspace, and process in a pressure canner for 90 minutes.

Now we got that out of the way, let us talk about canning meat. There are reasonable fears out there about canning meat. You don't want to mess up an entire batch, wasting the food, or you don't want to end up poisoned. Canning meat is just as simple as canning green beans. Just more people like to put the fear into you about it.

Step one, work clean. If you are process something on the counter, make sure you wash the counter down good before placing a new chunk of meat down on it. Keep your hands clean, and sterilize everything.

Here are the basic guidelines to meat canning.

We can start with chicken,

Once you have dressed your bird out, allow it to chill for at least 6 hours. Remove as much fat as possible. For canning raw (this is best with your bannies) Fill your pints or quarts with raw meat, do not add any water, and leave an 1 1/6 head-space. Do not pack the meat tightly, it should be loosely sitting in the jar. In your pressure canner process your boneless chicken for 75 minutes in pints, 90 minutes for quarts. Got bones? 65 minutes for pints, 75 minutes for quarts.

Follow these directions for turkey as well. Rabbit is the same process, expect that you need to soak the rabbit meat in salted water (1 tablespoon salt per quart water) for 1 hour, than rinse well.

Now for hot packing the above meats.

Cook the meat in whatever manner you see fit until it is only 2/3 of the way cooked. Fill your hot sterile jars loosely, cover with the broth or water leaving 1 1/4 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, no bones, 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts. Got Bones? 65 minutes for pints, 75 minutes for quarts.

Chunks of meat.

So you have your beef, pork, lamb and venison. Your smoker is full as is your freezer, or maybe you just feel the need to can something. Well do I have instructions for you!

Make sure the meat is chilled and remove excess fat. Cut into cubes, or plain ole chunks and pack loosely into your hot sterile jars. Do not add water and leave 1 inch head-space. Process with a pressure canner, pints 75 minutes, quarts 90 minutes.

To hot pack these meats, you will need to cook your meat rare. Fill your jars and cover with boiling broth or water (tomato juice if your kinky) leaving a 1 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, pints 75 minutes, quarts 90 minutes.

Canned hamburger? Are you kidding me? Nope and I did see it brought up on another blog, of course this person was going to buy it from a supplier instead of making there own. Saute your ground meat fill your jars, cover with boiling broth (not the fat) or water (tomato juice if your kinky) leaving a 1 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts.

Of course you can flavor these products however you wish, except do not add a salt substitute, it turns bitter. Do not eat your meat unless you have boiled it uncovered for 10 minutes.

All these times are for altitudes below 1,000 ft (this is standard with just about all general canning guides) And your dial should be at 10 or 11 PSI. (or weight gauge in lbs)
1,001-2,000 dial gauge at 11 PSI, weight gauge at 15 lbs
2,001-4,000 dial at 12, weight gauge at 15 lbs
4,001-6,000 ft dial at 13, weight gauge at 15 lbs
6,001-8,000 ft dial at 14, weight gauge at 15 lbs
8,001-10,000 ft dial at 15, weight gauge at 15 lbs

The above isn't just for meat, it is for all your pressure canning food stuff.

Any questions?

Do you want me to cover fish and seafood as well?

The Best of me

My Husband is home!!! Oh, guess I forgot to tell you that little detail. My husband has been away for work these past 4 days. He got home last night. The car parked behind us at the airport watched as we made out, big cheesy grins on those guys' faces.

I had many comments yesterday, a whole lotta amens, but little on what you want to learn. I do have several years worth of info on this blog, so let's do some tags so you can pick what you want.

Canning

Hot water Bath

Tools

garden

Butchering

Recipes (including bread)

So there you go, some basics of my knowledge. Of course you can click on any of the tags to learn more about a subject. At least what I know. I do have specific tags, like apples, onions, mistakes.

I have a migraine, this is the best you get from me today.

As the Homestead Turns

Today's post will be a run down of sorts. There is legitimate fears running around about TEOTWAWKI. This is not something I normally talk about, but the fears of other's is nagging at me. So many of you want to be prepared, just in case. And I don't fault anyone for feeling this way. Our own President is sending all kinds of Doom and Gloom messages, there are so many people being laid off and unable to find jobs. The unemployment and welfare systems are being over burdened, and many are feeling over whelmed and helpless.

I said on a previous post that I am not afraid of a depression, I am afraid of something else. And boy did I get jumped on for that statement. A Depression is a bad thing, it affects many people, it's sad, you lose so many things, like your home. But the depression isn't what is truly scary, it is the behavior of people that I am more fearful of. People that seem to have lost their moral compass a long time ago, people that were raised to feel that they deserve everything, people that are addicted to instant gratification, people desperate to survive.

What is that old saying? Give a man a fish and he eats for one day, teach him to fish and he will keep himself fed. Something like that? oh you get my drift. Those people that can fish, I am not worried about. They took the time to learn to do for themselves. It is like my chicken thief, the are hungry now, and instead of asking, instead of taking the time to learn, they merely take. This leads to me being angry and willing to protect my food stuff fiercely.

I digress. I am more than willing to teach any of you. This week I will give you some more sausage recipes on slow days. I have also been asked to talk about canning your own meat products. If there is something you wish to talk about, to help your mind be put slightly more to ease, please ask. I get many emails, and I don't mind those at all. I want you all to be prepared for the worst and prosperous during the rest. The media makes things sound horrible, but remember, just because it is on TV doesn't make it gospel.

Ask your questions and I will do my best to answer

Oh, and I just found out that a company in Germany has my blog labeled as porn. ha! I guess I talk too much about certain animal anatomy.