why I do long to do lists Sept/Oct to do

ONE... Hubby and I work off the same list. Once in awhile he will tell me he has some other work to do, writes it on a scrap paper and within a couple days it's lost so I write it on the main list also. His cognitive disfunction AKA brain damage due to head hits in sports and farming happens daily.

TWO... Due to my own health issues, I look at the whole list, and think

How do I feel today? What absolutely needs done? Can I do this job in sections (different days) or is it a one day job deal? How can I do it easier?

A morning of doctor appts with in an hour drive, wears us out but we can add vet appt for Charlotte or grocery store stop as I can get in and out in 30 minutes ...but then we are done for the day after putting the food away. There very few doctors now in our area. We now call the local hospital a bandade center. Would not be surprised if it closes. 

I know Monday I will start defrosting the pork deep freezer and probably canning some of what is in there as the hog is expected in a couple weeks (or beginning of next month) , the beef freezer will follow with it being butchered when deer season starts and the poultry/seafood freezer will be last. The other freezers were just defrosted due to veggies coming in. 

I need to move canning supplies off set of shelves so I have a place to store the meat I can that is coming in. I need to deep cleaning the basement since that is where the canning/ freezer stuff goes before I start on that. I keep it dusted and swept but I want to check shelves etc and make sure things are in correct areas not just shoved here and there. Hubby put tomato paste with soups and I thought I was out and ordered more... SIGH.

Besides the pork and beef coming in I have other things to process along with garden slowly coming in that needs dealt with. Soups and apples to can or dehydrate. M gave me 6 dozen of eggs so I can make my noodles for winter. When the butternut squash is harvested I will make butternut ravioli so will be making more pasta then.  

I need to set up where I am storing onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes and winter squash

I have deep cleaning (wood stove is done) to get done and winter curtains, bedding, clothing to deal with. Hubby needs to wash the house, deal with some yellow jackets and deal with the pump house.

There are 64 listed on the to do list not counting appts and grocery store. I think we can do with just milk runs during Sept. Meal will be quick or what ever I am canning. M's MIL gave me bread so I don't have to deal with that the next 2 wks. I put some of it in the freezer to cover that.

BUT today I am just checking lists, planning what is first (pork freezer defrosted) etc.

Prayers for peace, Stay safe

Blessed be

canning meat

I have canned raw meat and precooked meat.

I strongly suggest you check out  this website. I have seen canning stuff on social media that could put you in the hospital or kill someone. 

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/preparing-and-canning-poultry-red-meats-and-seafoods/meat-ground-or-chopped/

IF you have a local ag extension, call them and ask. 

Amish vegetable soup for canning

 Due to meat being in it a pressure canner is required. 

This recipe takes time with all the dicing, you could use veggies from canned goods or freezer. 

2 1/2 gallons of tomato juice...(M uses only 4-6 qrts) 20 qrts if using orginial recipe , closer to 16 -17 qrt using M's with less juice.

1 quart each of corn, peas,small dices of carrots, small dices of celery (M removes strings first) small diced onion, and small pieces of green beans. Make the dices all the same size.

2 sweet bell peppers diced small.

2 quarts of small diced potatoes.

1 of 15/16 oz can of navy beans 

1 of 15/16 oz lima beans

2 lbs ground beef (or other meat) precooked and grease removed and in very small crumbles.

12 oz box of macaroni

2 cups brown sugar

salt to taste

2 tablespoons dried parsley

4 small packages of beef stock (M used Knorr slow cooked beef stock)

1 package of each seasoning... beef stew, meatloaf, sloppy joe and taco.

DO NOT SKIP THIS or it will not be as good. (M skipped it and said she would never skip it again LOL. She used McCormick as that's what to store had)

Fry onions , cook macaroni half way done

Cook carrots,celecry,and potatoes until soft. Added beans. Mix with meat and onions. 

Mix seasonings with tomato juice (4-6 qrts if following M )

Mix everything together and pack in jars.

M adds more corn and green beans. You can change up the veggies.

Processes in canner 90 minutes up to 2 hrs.  

good morning. two weeks worth

  AUG 11th 

Laundry is on the line, dishwasher is unloaded, supper is picked out and I flung 27 items and decluttered 15min.  I pulled the last half loaf of bread out of the freezer. 

We have a gathering to go to this weekend so I need to decide what to take. Won't be any veggies as their gardens are almost as big as ours. 

Our electric went up $45 ... ran the AC for over a week, add on new freezer (switched it to all freezer instead of frig/freezer) 3 dehydrators and having fans running so was not surprised. Well ....we were surprised it wasn't higher.

 Did a lot of maintenance last month and those bills came in.Best to get it done because costs is only going to go up. We have one more project to buy for, going to use Menards rebates to lower that cost.

Hubby is going to drag 4 more trees up that are cured and 2 more that aren't. We don't need them cut to size right now but he figured he would move them out of E's way for maple syrup time this winter. We need mineral spirits for oil lamps still but waiting until the next order comes in so it's fresh. We used 4 gallons this past year.That is down from the year before but will go back up as I replaced an oil lamp.

The "winter get it done" list is basically deep cleaning the house and replace insulation in pump house in cooler weather, that's the last project. That's good since it's still Aug and not late Oct like a couple years ago.

Winter squash is starting to come in. Onions have been pulled and are curing. Looks like we will have another round of potatoes to harvest.  Moving canned goods also to make sure we used the oldest first.

Son 2 and I have been sharing and writing down meals. He is off work due to medical.Income has been cut in half. He said money wise he is okay as long as he is careful and his paperwork for disability goes through in 3 months.  You would think if the Army said you were disabled that would go for all the rest of disability  BUT NOOOOO. 

Mother in law fell, gave herself whiplash. I and her daughter are taking turns helping her in the shower as she still can't raise her arms to wash her hair,face, neck and back. Father in law is doing housekeeping and meals.  Grandson stayed for a week until she could get out of bed by herself and to help do odds and ends.

LORD HELP!!! Aug 28th.

Laundry on clothes line, watching as we are to get rain, fingers crossed as our cistern is almost dry and Amish neighbor's is completly dry. But I hope the laundry is dry or close to being dry before it hits.FINGERS CROSSED.

E's dad was hit from behind while in his buggy. Thankful he didn't have any of the grandkids in with him as he usually does. Guy said he was too busy watching the storm come in while driving and didn't realize he was that close to the buggy. E's dad was thrown 20 ft into field. Said he landed on a shock of straw that helped soften the landing. He is doing OK, guy that hit him is now helping with the chores before he goes to work and at night. Admitted he was distracted with watching the storm come in.He called the sheriff and reported it all.

Half cow and the hog meat will be in during Sept/Oct. I need to move things in freezers before doing house deep cleaning.  I can either freeze it or can it or both. Son2 suggested I can what I have in the freezer and make room for the fresh to go in freezer.That way I will have quick meals ready while dealing with the fresh meat. Sounds like a plan.

Have winter squash, mini eggplant,some cherry and paste tomatoes (regular did not do well), sweet potatoes still blooming, potatoes probably in next 2 wks. I pulled the last of the banana peppers, Might get some of the colored small bell peppers still. 

I went to store and got dairy, 4 salads, carrots and celery. I might buy some fresh apples for eating during the winter but what I bought is what I think will be our standard need to buy list when we go to the store this winter. When the gardens are completely done I will start growing sprouts. Amish family that we help their Dad while in surgery for 4 months off and on, got together and had an Englisher buy the stuff  from Amazon for us as that is now what they are doing for "fresh" veggies during the winter for last 3 yrs. 

We still don't have the furnance on ( update..just turned it on as house is dropping below 65 rain is spitting here and there), won't start wood stove until it stays cold during the day. Today it's low 60s but starting Saturday it will be back up into 70s. Might have to turn furnace on this evening because its not even noon and the house is back under 65 but that's okay. I planned for those type of days when I ordered propane.

M sent over small eggs from her new chickens, I mentioned I needed to make noodles and since her new chickens (pullets) are ALL laying she is getting over 5 dozen a day along with her older chicken laying, She sent 6 dozen and said she had more as they are now laying twice a day. Charlotte will get some since she is itching due to allergies and the eggs calm it down. 

On the to do list

We got the pump house insulation stuff when we went to help MIL so that is on site. Hubby called our trash collector and they said we could have what they call a "clean up box" the week after the fair (next week), they just need a 3 day notice to deliver it. 

I need to can apple jam, onion chutney, vegetable soup (M gave me recipe for 20 qrts). Need to freeze eggroll mixture for eggroll bowls. Need to make noodles to dry, dehydrate apple slices and peels and cabbage. Need to make granola for bfast cereal. 

I need to fix the freezers to get the meat in or plan on canning all of it.... or some of it. That's around 600 to 700 lbs of meat  coming in.

I need to deep clean home and flip to fall/winter clothes. Local plants and animals are forcasting colder than normal winter. We have been going more with plants and animals that the local forecast. LOL

Stay safe, prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

HEAVENS!!!!

 Health wise we are doing okay. Weather is okay, garden got away from us when it rained almost daily but the last couple days it's been dry after lunch so we could catch up.

Kids are doing okay, working 6 days a week except the one that is filing 50 million papers for a early medical retirement.Paper work will drive you crazy. Army declared him 80% disabled but he still has to do all the paper work for the civil side, seems to me that the paperwork done should have covered both sides, but NOOO it has to be other paper work.He laughs when I mention it and says that's the military for you. 

But everyone is eating or I would be getting phone calls.Couple of the grandkids are moving out on their own. They are in their 20s.

Insurance and property taxes are now $9000  a year with the discount of homesteading. OUCH. 

I will be repeating myself most likely.

I ordered summer fill of propane and 400 gallons for winter propane. I am guessing that we will have extra come next summer when it's time to fill. My company will move what ever $$ is left over to the next year. 

We have 6 tons of coal. Three of it is regular lump coal, the other 3 is nugget (small pieces).

We have the wood shed of night time wood FULL. The 1st barn stall have daytime wood, we have 12 cords *think the size of a RV*. We decided to not get the other 2 wagon loads of sawmill blocks until we were down at least half way on what we have. So we could keep the truck and tractor in the barn through the winter.

The half cow we ordered will be ready probably late Nov, early Dec. We were asked if we would need it before then... NOPE.

The whole hog will be ready Oct or Nov.  That is fine as I should be done with the gardens. We already lined up the bacon, hocks and ham to be smoked.

I am still looking for areas for the storage of onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes and winter squash. Pretty sure I will do the winter squash where I did last year.

I have winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow crockneck and Brussel sprouts still growing in the gardens. Tomatoes are just starting to come in. Might have some turnips. Collards might come back up. 

I made some sourdough starter and froze it. Right now we are not eating bread as we eat tortilla wraps during warm weather, Hubby actually prefers bagels instead of bread for his bfast.

I have to clear room for the meat coming in or I will be canning it. I checked, I do have enough jars and canning lids. So if the freezers can't hold it, it will be canned.

I've been focusing on harvest and redoing the budget. Sleeping, Charlotte is up a lot at night wanting out, found out there was a fox running around and she's doing guard duty. Our yard is fenced but if the fox is small enough it could get through the back fence. Hubby put some extra wood there to help stop that. 

Blessed Be

Prayers for peace