Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

Most return the cartons that we give eggs to and then some luckily. Very seldom do we need to purchase any.

 

The run has a small stream running through it from the melt during the day. It's more like a river to my girls, but they romp right through it.

 

I feel bad for whomever dropped this one. I check the behinds of the girls to make sure no tearing of the egg shoot!


Normal Lg egg we usually see compared to XXX-Lg! (Wearing gloves from working on tractor, don't worry, not scared to touch eggs )

 

If we had a cockerel and the egg was fertilized, mom kept it warm, turned it in strict fashion, yea maybe would have been that big!

 

Crappy sleet, rain, and snow today is keeping me indoors. Decided to dry can some more long grain rice & pinto beans. We do this for long term storage every couple months and thought I'd share the method.


First, preheat oven to 225°, wash jars with soapy hot water; rinse thoroughly.





Add about 4"-5" of water to a large pot with a bit of white vinegar. Bring to boil. Add jars, upside down and steam bathe for 20 minutes.









After the steam bath, place into a 225°F oven for 20 minutes. Once time is up, turn off oven & allow the jars to come down from temperature naturally. The jars should be upside down.






Remove jars &
Turn oven back on to 225°F. Fill jars with rice leaving a 3/4" headspace. For beans, leave an inch headspace. Place into preheated oven; 1/2 gal rice & beans for 1 hour and 50 minutes, or if using quart jars, 90 minutes. This will kill any bugs or larva that is in dried rice & grains. Add the washed lids to sanitize for the remaining 15 minutes in the oven.





Once finished heating the jars, remove from stove and carefully place the lids on and rings, tightening as much as possible.

This method is great for bug & rodent proof long term storage, that should last 15-30 years.

 

Yes, dried goods, less than 10% moisture, this method works well. It's mainly for killing off any bug eggs/larva. Another method to kill off is keeping the rice & beans in 10°F or colder for no less than 2 weeks. Then one can vacuum seal in mylar bags or jars with some oxygen absorbers.

 

This fellow's YouTube & website are excellent! FARM HAND COMPANION (FHC)

Farm Hand's Companion | An Online Companion to the Self-Sufficient Farm or Homestead

 

You can, oatmeal is great one, some do whole wheat pasta, watch for any oil or eggs in it, not so long term, can turn rancid. Another method for pasta in the vacuum sealer attachment for the lids with an oxygen absorber. Brown rice may not last as long, so many different variables

 

Reese's peanut butter eggs are the best!

 

Looks like I’ll be getting 6-8 more chickens after I get back from the GTG at Dennis’s... I went in for some chicken food and he still had some baby chickens left over... he told me he’d hold me a few back till then....

 

Sweet! Can never have to many!

They are doing great!

 

Mine are getting to be about 4 years old... about the time I like to replace them....