Mt_Rider

By Mother Quote: It will also help us get it all together in one spot even if we use links to other Mrs. S posts to do so. I love the idea of links to all the wonderful threads of the past. Somewhere "8thSinner' posted a pictorial on how to make a toothbrush.....I'd love to find it. It looked doable, just a bit tedious. LOL and it made me think to buy up a few more 'ready-made' ones. MtRider [ready to take notes on any&all topics.... ]

You could can anything in the stores. Some folks get a great bargain on bags of frozen veggies and decided to can them. Cuz they don't want to have all of their stored food electric-dependent. Or they don't have the room in the freezer. Carrots seem to always be available for reasonable price, aren't they? How 'bout onions? Some apples go on sale. Pressure can meat? Have you checked out the forum, Preserving the Harvest? Lots of canning ideas there. Dehydrator tips too. I've been dehydrating leftover celery if I think it's going to go to waste. ...which it seems to do rather too quickly! Edited to add: Ah, I see you have found that forum and you have caught the bug Good for you!!!!! and welcome to the club! MtRider

Censorship: MrsS style! Do NOT mess with these home canning ladies...and gents!!! MtRider [i have Sherman. I'm safe!]

Hi Herbal. Welcome to MrsS!! Are you looking for menu plans for a month using these basic ingredients? As was noted, food fatigue would be hard to avoid...esp. for those of us who are used to incredible variety and off-season accessibility of nearly anything in the world. BUT we're talking basic fill-up and nutrient solution, not opulence, huh? And as much variety in how to prepare these ingredients would be helpful. There are many books out about cooking with the basic ingredients of wheat, honey, oil, beans, powdered milk. But I'm not so aware of ones using corn as the grain. [grain + legume = protein] MrsS has a gazillion recipes in Kitchen forum but if anyone knows of some threads that address these ingredients, maybe they'll help out. Or maybe I have misunderstood your request? MtRider

Quote: (If you've ever *Fibbed* about what your using the buckets for to the supplier give yourself 5 extra points). *cookie looks pointedly at Mountain_Rider with lifted eyebrow* WHAT fib???? My horse feed bucket DID break....4 yrs ago...... And the mice DO chew up things like winter sox & mittens if they aren't kept protected! Seeeeeee, I'm totally as as Darlene! ...er....more innocent....yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. But you're definitely IN THE GROUP if you whine and moan cuz you forgot to beg buckets after going out to have a pastry. You're worse if the measure of trust in family members is whether they beg buckets for you.....and they're in on what you REALLY do with them. MtRider [kicking herself cause she forgot to beg buckets on her recent big trip. ......not that there would have been room in the vehicle... ]

StillSurvieving....it's these kinds of stories that motivate me to Grow My Own as much as possible. Makes the hair on the back of my head stand up. I've seen enough to have no trouble believing this does happen. CGA, I've been pondering this since you posted. This is the very thing many people could afford to do. Get just a few basics and maybe garden seeds for the rest. Even many Urban folks can grow some greens. Definitely not fancy and one would get pretty sick of the limited diet after what we're used to now. But its FOOD if it all goes very bad. 'Course I don't digest corn well at all...so I'd have to substitute. (Oddly, I don't have trouble with popped corn.) It's better, of course, to get the variety but starting with basics that will give you a great deal of calorie/nutritional count is important. Good thread. MtRider

See, now we know the REAL reason she left Miami....... "Is that duck following?"

I just talked to the lady I was going to ride with to get the salmon. She'd forgotten about a doctor's appointment tomorrow and WE CAN'T GO.......... I still need to know about this stuff cuz once in a while, I catch fish or dh catches fish. Our dear friends are good at but too busy and too sick this year to go much. But one never knows what will happen next in my pinpoint on the map. So no learning is in vain. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. NEXT YEAR..... MtRider

Oh good, Darlene. Qts would be a lot faster. I'm still feeling sick so I'm not even sure if I'll get to go fetch them tomorrow. Have to be there in person; can't just send my fishing license. But it's hours away and I don't travel well in the best of conditions. Yesssssss, c'mon over Cat and Necie. Canning party. As for Cat's suggestion of anyone else to help here.... Nope, everyone I know 'round here is not physically well this 'season' of life. Great survival lot we'll all make, huh? Wonder if the gal I'll ride with would mind if I slept the whole way there instead of keeping her company? I don't know her well. I'm gonna try to do this if at all possible! Considering all that, I may have to just throw them in the freezer and can them later. Will that make them too mushy? Considering they are 'spent' already? Initial freezing would buy me some time. But I'm trying to use non-electric methods of preserving if I am able. Necie, do you brine yours before canning? The raw ones, I mean. I was going to say that I could probably get one canner load going as dh cleans them tomorrow. (He's got a temporary schedule change and will be coming home on Fri nite......I'll have the fillet knife ready.) But I was just indisputably informed by my friend who knows my limits, that I'm being extremely unrealistic....and that's not how she worded it! LOL Please tell me I can freeze first and deal with canning later???? I'll just have to see how my 'ole body does. MtRider

ThankyouThankyouThankyou!!! Cat...I copy/pasted and printed a bunch of stuff from that site. Thanks! I'm getting the idea that to smoke/cook on a BBQ grill would be a tasty thing to do with some of them but then we'd eat them or freeze them. Probably give that a try with a few. We have a cast iron thingie to put into the gas grill to "smoke" the grilling meat. ....I've never used it...but from reading that site, I think I understand what it's for now. Would need to buy a different kind of wood. Pine is our only option 'round here. That's not good for taste..turpentine? The cold smoking method involves many hours of maintaining my non-electric smoker.... I don't think I'm physically up for that right now. Canning: Yep, this is what I wanted Sherman for. Meat and meat dishes. So I looked that up in the Blue Ball and the All Am. books: Can fish in pints or half pints only. Yikes, gotta get some of those quick. [i'm still cuz a lady I know threw out her parents huge stash of canning jars just a few wks before she realized I was wanting lots of them...] Anyway, the directions for canning fish sound simple. Have you guys done this? Do you brine first and drain or just pack the fish? Any special instructions from the Wise Ones of canning fish????? Being new at canning, I'm going directly from canning turnips to canning salmon, y'know. [eeeeek....anxious to do this one right!!] Yep, Skagitgal, these will be spawning mamas and papas. Hens and Bucks? Glad to hear advice from Washington state. Mine will be kokane (sp) salmon. Don't figure that makes much difference, does it? Smaller than your river to ocean to river runners tho. Still going to be a BIG job. .......I gotta be nuts but how can I turn down an opportunity like this??? MtRider [Priority #1: get over sore throat & yuk. Priority #2: Get ready for salmon.]

I have a chance...if I feel well enough to make the trip Friday....to get 20 - 40 salmon. Free. Just by showing my fishing license. [Anyone reading my posts knows that I'm lousy at catching fish so this is a real boon! LOL ] The Fish&Game folks 'milk' the salmon for eggs and raise them up to stock lakes and streams 'round here. If you can get the correct information in the fall, the public is invited to take home those fish to eat. They would die after laying the eggs normally anyway. The location near to me had a bad year so they are giving away only a couple fish each. But by driving half way across the state...(well, I'm riding with someone and maybe not 'half way'...LOL) ...I can get 20 or perhaps a second bag of 20 if they have more left over. SOOOOOOoooooooooo what do I do with 20 - 40 salmon? DH is home that evening and the fillet knife is sharp. But I don't want to freeze all that many. I have a (non-electric) smoker. I've never used it and don't know how. I'm looking up stuff on the Net. But does any one have personal experience with smoking or canning salmon in particular? I'm open to both types of preserving. Or anything else? Anyone have a homemade brine recipe that works well for fatty fish like salmon? I'm reading this document by Oregon State Extension office that was posted earlier. Anything to add? http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw238.pdf at the drive-through window MtRider

Mt_Rider has!!!! My canner's name is Sherman ......as in...Sherman Tank .....cuz of how much that AllAm. thing weighs!!!! And he's only a 915. Sherman and I have had a long acquaintance...since Nov. He's gotten loving attention for cleaning and refurbishing. I used dental floss to clean the threads of his big bolts!!! He got new dial and transformed to have a jiggly thing instead of the other valve. Initially he sat (in the way) on my kitchen floor. (My kitchen floor space is 9'X 2') Finally, he got a place of honor.... under my coffee table. I refuse to put him up high or in a back cabinet or other inaccessible places. He has to remain in sight and handy. ............ :sEm_blush: ....but he's never been on the stove yet....... Y'seeeeee, we have all these plans, Sherman and I. We dream of beef stew, canned turkey, pickled beets, & canned turnips. We will can such great mountains of food together someday. We really will. But we're a bit shy. He's just not sure how well he can can. I'm not sure how well I can orchestrate the process. I mean, what if we make a mistake? Maybe we need therapy? So do I qualify if I bought canning salt, Ball Fruit Jell, rings & flats last summer? And I have always picked up a few jars from garage sales/thrift stores if they have them. Am I DISqualified if I don't have hundreds? Am I DISqualified if I don't know where all the jars are in the garage? [summer project: major garage cleaning/sorting.....Project status: as yet not completed] This is all Darlene's fault. She got me into this. She got us ALL into this! I was innocent of the potential of canning before a year ago. Now look where it's got me. Just one more thing on my TO DO list that I haven't gotten around TO DOING. OK, I can do this in baby steps. I will put Sherman on the stove with water and make sure all his parts are in place. I will turn on the stove and watch the gauge jiggle. I can do that. So what time is our group therapy going to meet??????????? And HSmom........ I have such plans for your payback, gal!!!! MtRider and good pal, Sherman.

I'm glad you bumped this, cookie! I missed it the first time 'round. Hilarious..... but SO TRUE! Quote: Humor???? I was ticking them off, I thought it was a checklist. UKguy -- I'm with you...... Mother could put up a whole lot of these --- checking out possible "skill sets" from the blue-haired old ladies in the neighboring RV space. How 'bout..... your decoré is "pioneer antiques" - cast iron and granite ware, oil lanterns, rug beates, school slates, and hand fans hang from your walls. (says MtRider as she takes a look around) ...and you know how to use them. MtRider

Heehee....I haven't had a Snowball (with that stretchy coconut skin) since grade school. As for 7 1/2" elect. burner and 12" pot........ Those are my dimensions too so I'll be watching for someone to answer you question. Since both are standard measurements for elect. stoves and canner bottoms... I *think* it should be fine. We are heating water, after all. It's the glass tops that have the warning about big canning pots. So is pressure canning new to you too then, MtnMama? MtRider [who is definitely no good in Algebra or any other number-related topics!!]

Hi MtnMama I believe that the new All Americans have both the 'weighted gauge' [also known here in MrsS as the 'jiggly thang' lol] and a dial gauge. Early on, they may have just had the weighted gauge. However, at some point in their history, they have used just a dial gauge and a petcock safety valve. ----Somebody tell me if I'm using the right terms here!!! --- BUT all the parts screw in and out so that you can replace the petcock valve with a weighted gauge. Weighted gauge come in two pieces...the round heavy weight thing and the stem to set it on. You can also order an All American Instructions/Recipes book if you happen to get a used canner. Vent Pipe Regulator: http://www.goodmans.net/get_item_aa-69_all...r-regulator.htm Weighted Gauge: http://www.goodmans.net/get_item_aa-68_all...ator-weight.htm This is where I ordered the replacement parts for "Sherman....the tank". (A very heavy pot!!!) Yes, I named my canner. Mine now has both types of gauges and both are new. I'm stuck right now on getting it down to town to be tested and checked out. I don't drive and my df who planned to bring in her's and mine....she's been dealing with some serious health concerns so I can't push for this favor right now. I'll just feel better if someone knowledgable checks my refurbishing work. But I'm soooooooooo anxious to use it!! So realize that all this information is coming from someone who is very new to canning and hasn't had Sherman tested yet. MtRider [i'm having SUCH a 'sugar fit' right now and she mentions Twinkies! ]

Yep, and there went my dog, thru the fencing I forgot to shut and dug up my sprouting onion and ate it. Well, she spit out the green tops. Seriously, I didn't know this but early on while I was testing her with small bits of veggie scraps, I noted that the onion was not held in high regard so I quit offering it. Since then, I've heard they aren't good but this explains it. Thanks MtRider [keeping the garden fencing tighter against maurading dog]

Wow, that's gonna fill a notebook! I knew the stuff was versatile but WHOA.... Too bad Aussie trees won't grow in the Rockies. Thanks for the big picture, Westie. MtRider

Mo7 & Mother copy/paste/print ...... Filling my assorted notebooks. I know what occupation I'll have during Librarian...with all my notebooks of info. MtRider

Staph and other infections are rampant in Maui's tropical climate..esp. among the homeless population that I formerly worked with. Our RN used it to treat all sorts of things and got me started on it. My cuts never infect but they did there unless I used Tea Tree Oil. Anyone know a source of getting it in salve form...or could I just take my oil and make some????????? The little tin of salve fits into my bag better than a bottle. MtRider

And the cargo net would make bugging out with the stuff easy....if you can lift it & hoist it onto your vehicle. MtRider

Be careful you aren't collecting where anyone has used chemical fertilizer/pesticides on a lawn or pasture. While the dew is pure, the top surface of the plant may not be. BTW, you might want to take note in your area. Some plants produce a lot more dew than others. I use the sage plants here when I need to wipe off my hands or even clean a nasty duck egg. When ounces count, it's good to know what you'd be looking for...or planting in your yard? I gotta try the bag-in-the-tree. Keep hearing about it recently. Why haven't I heard of this before???? MtRider

Good One MtRider

Quote: I put them into my hot water bath canner, which is also a huge stock pot. I don't have an *official water bath canner*...I don't feel I need one because I can accomplish the same objective with things I already have here, and save the money I would have spent on that. Right now, they are in there processing for 15 minutes. (see attached) Question Darlene, You aren't using a basket/rack thingie in the stockpot. I assume you've got something under each jar? What/how? The jars don't jiggle around and crash into each other during the boiling? I'm trying to construct a way to use my stockpots too. This is a neat Show&Tell idea. MtRider

Tell us about barking. A friend with Pyres says this "One of ours is a barker. She seems to have so many barks that have to come out before she is finished." They are bred to 'announce' and tell all that doesn't belong to get out, and I don't want to discourage that but.... Once I come out to *see*, I'd really like Rosie to agree with my assessment. No, we don't really need to bark at the jogger on the road till she's out of sight. OK mom. Sure thing. Yeah right! MtRider