Homestead Skills

It has taken many years and many mistakes for me to learn. I start this thread as a place to swap recipes, plans, ideas and skills. My personal strengths are small animal slaughter, rabbits, bees, cheese, small scale winter storage, cooking and making something from nothing. I would love to share this knowledge if it helps folks avoid some of the folly that has filled my life.

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Permalink Reply by George Lisi on January 23, 2009 at 4:23pm: Right on Jeanne! Great to see this level of nitty-gritty skill sharing set to get goin' here!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by George Lisi on January 23, 2009 at 4:27pm: I note "making something from nothing" Sometimes the best way to teach something is by telling a story. I'd love to hear a story of a time you had to "make something from nothing", from identifying a need, to figuring out how to meet it, to doing the doing! Tell us a story Jeanne!
(and you thought it was just your kids!).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeanne Segretto Miller on January 25, 2009 at 1:16pm: hmmm... the statement something from nothing was coined by my Dad. When I was young, we didn't have much money. I started down this path back then. I would find ways to make meals, decorate the house or simply take the edge off of our struggling through my innovations and outlook. Today it is similiar. I have filled a house with recycled things, rework matter so that even foods that seem inedible get used, grow great veggies and herbs in weeds, and practice looking forward/positive thinking (no matter how challenging that is from this time of year)....; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by George Lisi on January 25, 2009 at 3:39pm: That is really inspiring Jeanne,especially linking practical innovation and attitude. Reminds me of the wisdom of 'always looking to see, where is the open door?'. Thanks for sharing this, and starting this discussion!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeanne Segretto Miller on January 25, 2009 at 1:20pm: Lemon Cheese
I make this cheese all the time in the summer and add fresh mint finely chopped....
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Ingredients

1 gallon of milk
2 large lemons

Warm milk to 165 degrees F (you may go up to 190F to help your milk coagulate). Stir often to avoid scorching the milk. Add the juice of the lemons to the milk. Stir and allow to set off the stove for 15 minutes.
The warm milk will separate into a stringy curd and a greenish liquid whey. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into the colander. Save the whey for baking bread if desired. Tie four corners of the cheesecloth into a knot and hang the bag of curds to drain for an hour or until it reaches the desired consistancy.

Remove the cheese from the cloth and place it in a bowl. Add salt to taste -- usually about 1/4 teaspoon. You may mix in herbs. Fresh dill leaves are delicious. Place the cheese in a covered container and store in the refrigerator. This cheese will keep up to a week. It is a moist spreadable cheese with a hint of lemon taste.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by George Lisi on January 25, 2009 at 3:34pm: Cool! So simple!
Thinking to a time when we may not have lemons, have you ever tried it with cider vinegar, which we'll always be able to make from our wonderful apple friends...?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ben Graham on January 26, 2009 at 1:43pm: Jeanne,
Thanks for this resource.
I am fairly new to homesteading on the food end of things.
I have always been trying to figure out a good way to slaughter chickens, ducks and geese. I am interested in a method that does not create anxiety in the animals, which can affect the meat, so I have heard. As a novice I have felt that my inexperience creates a needlessly tense situation. I am curious how you do it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by George Lisi on January 26, 2009 at 2:18pm: I am not directly involved in this, but be aware that there is a big dialogue going on in the state about slaughtering in a humane and respectful manner, and what killing animals means to us a a society. Carl Russell in Randolph leads workshops where they slaughter a (large) animal, and is one of the leaders in this. Note also that Carrie Abels, the editor of Local Banquet, is learning how to/about slaughtering so as to articulate what's happening in her writing. George ~; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeanne Segretto Miller on January 27, 2009 at 10:43am: Great discussion....yes George I have used vinegar it takes about 1/4 cup yet there is something poetic about the lemon and the fresh herbs. That is what i like about this recipe, getting rennet can be complicated.

...humane slaughter. Being a killer of animals is a burden that many cannot bare. It is a burden and a responsibility that is sacred and should be taken seriously. I would be interested in the discussion above but find my answers within. I have butchered animals slaughtered by other animals and know that my slaughter goes very differently. The how Ben depends on a lot of things. For example, I have slaughtered with men and woman and notice that strength of a man changes things. I can honestly say that my animals rarely get stressed prior to death. But like many things, mistakes and sadness are inevitable. Furthermore, I couldn't find the energy to do it until my children were born. The idea of feeding them food that I grew became central to our parenting. The best way to learn is to attend a slaughter or to have someone out to your farm. If folks would really like to read the step by step, i could write it out at another time. I will add, sage and prayer are unique to my slaughter and are a much needed dimension.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ben Graham on February 2, 2009 at 1:32pm: Thanks for sharing. This seems in line with my vision. It does seem like the kind of thing best learned by doing.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Helena Wu on February 2, 2009 at 11:57pm: Thanks for starting this discussion, Jeanne!
Being a sort of lazy gardener, I was really excited to learn that there are so many "weeds" that are good to eat and easier to grow than some veggies. I think Annie McCleary is doing a presentation on this at NOFA. Eating plants that already seed and grow themselves sure saves the homesteader some work!
Linda Runyon has a good book on edible wild plants. I forget the name of it- sorry.
I love cooking too and am learning more about fermentation. I have some friends who do a lot of it but they are hardly online. I'll have to learn and pass it on. They also butcher their pigs, brine and smoke the meat.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by George Lisi on February 3, 2009 at 9:50am: Hey Helena, et al!
Yes Annie McCleary and I are doing a workshop, "Wild Edibles in the Age of Relocalization" at the NOFA Winter Conference, 2:15 to 3:30 Saturday, Feb 14.
We also do a Wild Edibles Intensive, six Sundays Through the spring, summer and fall, at Wisdom of the Herbs School. Check it out here.; ▶ Reply to This