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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2012 13:53:41 GMT -5
Unspun wool might be generated by the regular maintenance of your animals, could be a useful item for barter with minimal prep work. And, if noone else can benefit from it, hair has been used in mulch.
I have a couple possible opportunities to acquire land zoned for agriculture, a healthy appetite, and would certainly keep small livestock.
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 6, 2012 22:03:10 GMT -5
I miss my sheep. I don't miss the never being able to go anywhere.
My homesteading activity today...I picked runner beans and voted.
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Post by Drahkk on Nov 6, 2012 22:43:33 GMT -5
I voted, put in some cabbage, onions, and Chard, and replaced the big chest freezer at Mr Prince's place.
While cleaning up, we also found a couple of forgotten bottles of elderberry wine that he made years ago. One had turned to vinegar, but the other is really good. Very dry (no sugar left at all), and kinda stout, but smooth, floral, and fruity. The label disintegrated as I washed the dust off the outside of the bottle. I have no idea how long ago he made it, but there will never be another one like it, so we're savoring it while it lasts.
Of course now I'm also wondering just what all is involved in winemaking...
MB
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Post by steev on Nov 7, 2012 0:22:42 GMT -5
Dude! Don't go there; there is no return from that pit of bottomless activity. You will be consumed by endless possibilities and the need for more empty bottles and barrel storage space. It will drive you to drink.
Mmm; elderberry wine; blackberry wine; peapod wine (scratch that, definately a loser).
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Post by raymondo on Nov 7, 2012 4:35:56 GMT -5
In that case, I might rethink mulberry wine. How about mulberry vinegar instead? ... No, that won't work. Have to make the wine first then the vinegar, right? ... How about mulberry beer? Hmmmm, doesn't really appeal. Might just have to be satisfied with mulberry syrup!
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Post by johninfla on Nov 7, 2012 9:08:58 GMT -5
I find I enjoy the making more than the drinking......(although we enjoy the drinking too) But it's fun on a small scale to always have something bubbling away in a pickle jar under the counter! With minimal work and input you can have some nice Christmas presents for friends and family. We currently have persimmon, and aguaymanto in the china hutch waiting for the perfect moment to be consumed, as well as elderberry in the making. If you have elderberries this recipe for Elderflower Champagne was a really pleasant surprise! edibleplantproject.org/elderflower-champagne/ it's kind of interesting because it relies on wild yeast. I'll bet you could make it more of a sure thing by using a comercial yeast but I really got a kick out of doing it with the wild yeast. John |
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Post by bunkie on Nov 7, 2012 10:55:39 GMT -5
...While cleaning up, we also found a couple of forgotten bottles of elderberry wine that he made years ago. One had turned to vinegar, but the other is really good. Very dry (no sugar left at all), and kinda stout, but smooth, floral, and fruity. The label disintegrated as I washed the dust off the outside of the bottle. I have no idea how long ago he made it, but there will never be another one like it, so we're savoring it while it lasts... mmm...that reminds me that we have one bottle of Elderflower Wine left in the cupboard, made in '98! and steve, what about Beet wine, Marigold wine (tastes like a wine cooler), tomato wine...bleh, rhubarb wine... didn't care for the peapod either. Daisy Whiskey, Parsley Brandy, all good! today i'll be trying to get the garlic in...no place tilled up cause it's too wet, so this should be interesting. |
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 7, 2012 13:38:33 GMT -5
John, I hope I'm on your xmas list!
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Post by nicky on Nov 7, 2012 14:43:27 GMT -5
Tonight I am picking the wild grapes growing out back of my office parking lot. I will make grape pop with them.... Easy & quick - here is the recipe link & hints: nickysgarden.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/soda-pop-making/I would love to try the Elderflower Champagne. It sounds divine! Once our carboys are empty I going to have a go at hard apple cider. Add me to all wine gifting xmas lists please (: |
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Post by synergy on Nov 7, 2012 16:55:51 GMT -5
ppffft, shoveled manure out of the barn and divided wheelbarrows between the next garden site up by the poultry paddock for the chickens to work over and next years potato bed which is pretty chunky with clay . Raked weeds . Planted leeks and kale that were left in trays . I am pretty sure homesteaders shovel a lot of manure.
My blackberry nip rocked , but it is long gone : (
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Post by steev on Nov 7, 2012 22:35:10 GMT -5
I'm seeing a lot of hard cider products hitting the market; I wonder to what extent that's a reaction to gluten concerns. Not that I care why it's there, as I think it's a good development.
All things considered, I expect my farm is much more likely to produce hard cider and perry than beer, as I'm no great fan of hops.
Only homesteaders lucky enough to have lots of manure, shovel lots of it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2012 23:27:50 GMT -5
I made a quart of fresh pomegranate juice and bartered it for a small bottle of raw honey.
I seem to have a very mild allergy to bees, in that a sting will take my breath away for about 10-20 minutes.
I started to get the same feeling from the honey, but it went away very soon.
Of which I am aware, I am not particularly allergic to any of the pollen, in the neighborhood.
Maybe, there were some bees in it.
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Post by johninfla on Nov 8, 2012 12:48:10 GMT -5
John, I hope I'm on your xmas list! You are now....  |
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Post by synergy on Nov 8, 2012 23:30:33 GMT -5
Well I must be the luckiest of all girls because I have shoveled another 4 wheelbarrows full of manure and urine laced ground coco out of the barn today . One person told me this coco fibre stuff is really bad for your garden but it is a free discard from the grow industry and I figured if they use only the best for their crop , with addition of fermented alfalpha and urine might actually be a really nice ammendment. It seems to lighten the soil and give better water retention. I used to have to pay for sawdust and this 'appears' to be working well. Does anyone else use coconut fibre ?
Today I also set up a small network of subscribers to my organic chicken project , some with standing orders ongoing for next years batch. I accepted money, fish and a cast iron bathtub in trade for this batch. And I was so excited to see chestnuts at the market I sprouted them and only today realized I should have kept them until spring , oops, overly enthusiastic newbie here.
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Post by steev on Nov 9, 2012 2:20:11 GMT -5
I'm assuming ground coco is coconut coir which is pretty long-to-rot organic matter, not a bad thing in the long run. Could be seen as bad if one needs immediate input-output; that's the industro-ag viewpoint, to be sure. I think if you're building your own farm support system, you're right on target. Keep on truckin!
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