Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm171541.htm

‘G Collection’ Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes Are Voluntarily Recalled

Single Chocolate Flavor Contained Dry Nonfat Milk Ingredient
From Plainview Milk Products Cooperative

Contact:
Erica Lapidus
212-984-5985
erica_lapidus@godivachoc.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 10, 2009 - The ‘G Collection’ Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day gift boxes that were available for purchase during limited holiday timeframes in 2009 are being recalled by Godiva Chocolatier, the distributor of the G Collection.

This recall is being issued because one chocolate piece in the G Collection - the Praline Crunch – contains a dry nonfat milk ingredient purchased from Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, which has reported potential salmonella contamination on its equipment. Although the Praline Crunch piece itself has not been found to contain salmonella, as a precaution, the voluntary recall is being issued.

This recall does not affect any Godiva branded products; one chocolate piece within the G Collection was impacted. No other Godiva products contain ingredients supplied by Plainview Milk Products Cooperative.

Consumers can identify these boxes by their distinctive color and shape. Mother’s Day boxes were brown with lime green trim and Valentine’s Day boxes were brown with red trim. The logo, G Collection, is located at the bottom left corner on the top of the box.

The G Collection is a line of hand crafted chocolates that has specific “consume by” dates printed on hangtags for each box to advise consumers of its 6-week shelf-life. While the 6-week shelf life period has long time passed for the Valentine’s Day boxes and has largely passed for the Mother’s Day boxes, Godiva is issuing this announcement as a precautionary measure to ensure consumer safety. To date, over 50 companies that purchase ingredients from Plainview Milk Products have issued similar announcements. There have been no reports of illness.

The G Collection Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day gift boxes were available nationwide in Godiva boutiques and for order through godiva.com and 1-800-9GODIVA.

Consumers should not consume the recalled product and should discard any remaining product they may have. Consumers may contact the company at 1-800-9GODIVA with any questions or to request reimbursement for purchased product.

Page Last Updated: 07/11/2009

Weaving and spinning, has long been a love of mine.

As I have woven on a handmade table loom all the way up to a wonderful 8 harness table loom, may I share a little of what I have learned along the way.

I have used the spindle and still own my Ashford spinning wheel, but the wheel that I used and enjoyed the best was a simple spinning head, home made, with LOL, cup hooks for thread guides and it was mounted on a treadle sewing machine base.

One could get right down to work and spend hours, the treadle spinner, did not play silly temperamental games and was a work horse.

You can use a simple Navajo stick to form a heddle separator for a loom, but it will be wise to buy a rigid heddle and have some one make a simple loom.

This table top loom will weave up to about 30 inches wide and can be stored and used at the drop of a hat.

I spent far more hours getting the floor loom ready to weave on, than I did weaving.

There are times when “Keep it Simple “ is the smartest way to go.

LOL, we do not have wool bearing sheep in this area, so i had to order the fleeces.

Do keep in mind that all that water used to wash the fleeces will make the garden grow.

Have you got a recipe for oyster jerky?

>>>Have you got a recipe for oyster jerky?<<<

Sorry, no recipe here, but have tasted them once.

Smoked and before drying them, he ran them through a roller tenderizer several times... He said they tend to be very tough otherwise. Intensity of the flavor was well, intense.

Think I will stick to fried, raw and stew.

>>>I spent far more hours getting the floor loom ready to weave on, than I did weaving.<<<

That was my experience too...

One thing for sure - your hands will certainly benefit from the lanolin in shearing and handling the fleece... Still have my 3 section power shaft and clipper head - but I’m afraid I would probably hit my limit at about 3 sheep. (I may be a bit optimistic there) Boy is that a back killing job.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm171525.htm

Herring Produce Company Recalls Anaheim Peppers Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Danny Herring
229-559-0101
Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
1-877-994-3842
Charles Hall
706-255-5655 – Cell
Beth Bland
706-881-0092 – Cell

Sale Contact:
Ryan Parker
919-217-2870

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 8, 2009 - Herring Produce, Lake Park, Georgia is voluntarily recalling production lot number 0801206 of whole Anaheim Peppers out of an abundance of precaution because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the Herring Produce Anaheim Pepper products and the company is working with FDA to inform all retail consumers of this recall. FDA is not linking this isolated positive sample to any current or ongoing Salmonella outbreaks.

Salmonella is an organism which may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain. Long term complications can include arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis and severe arthritis. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.

The whole Anaheim Peppers were shipped June 9-19, 2009 to retail outlets in New York state, Ohio and Massachusetts. The Anaheim Peppers being recalled were shipped in half-bushel boxes with production lot number 0801206 located on a red sticker on the box. Boxes are white, wax cardboard, Herring Produce boxes with a printed picture of yellow squash and green zucchini.

All Herring Produce customers have been notified of the potential contamination and affected produce has been recalled.

The recall comes after routine sampling by the New York State Department of Agriculture on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered a positive sample in the affected production lot. Herring Produce has ceased production and shipments from this production area. FDA is not linking this isolated positive sample to any current or ongoing Salmonella outbreaks.

Anaheim peppers are a raw agricultural product that needs to be washed before consumption. These peppers are typically cooked, but they can be eaten raw. Heating to a high enough temperature would kill Salmonella bacteria.

If customers have purchased Anaheim Peppers they are advised to contact their retailer to find out if the products they purchased were affected by the recall. Consumers who have questions about this recall may contact Gulf Stream Produce at 919-217-2870 or Herring Produce at 229-559-0101.

###

Page Last Updated: 07/11/2009

Have you got a recipe for oyster jerky?<<<

Welcome to the thread, sorry that I don’t have the recipe, not that many oysters in the desert.

So I asked Google and the page is good for a chuckle:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Have+you+got+a+recipe+for+oyster+jerky%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Maybe:

http://www.google.com/search?q=++recipe+for+oyster+jerky+&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=hYt&sa=2

“Little Chief” Beef and Game Jerky recipe
Little Chief Beef and Game Jerky recipe: Try this Little Chief Beef and Game Jerky ... Little Chief Smoked Oysters 0 Little Chief Smoked Oysters recipe ...
www.bigoven.com/14599-%22Little-Chief%22-Beef-and-Game-Jerky-recipe.html - Cached - Similar

Still have my 3 section power shaft and clipper head - but I’m afraid I would probably hit my limit at about 3 sheep.<<<

Shearing is a real art, for I have tried to spin fleeces that had not been sheared correctly and found them almost useless, too many lengths.

I spun beautiful Samoyed dog hair yarn, on the treadle spinner, used a fine crochet thread for the core and it was as fine as angora yarn.

When we lived at Wellton, the Sheep farmers brought the sheep down and they grazed the alfalfa fields for the winter, but no fleeces on them, LOL, they were sheared before shipping.

http://askville.amazon.com/bacon-jerky-recipe/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=34208031

“Most people think that you can’t use bacon to make jerky....”
by: *Carla* on Jan 17 2009 (5 months ago)

That’s because of the fat content in regular bacon; however, if you use canadian bacon which is from the back or shoulder and not the belly you can make Bacon Jerky and it is even has a better texture than beef jerky does because it contains a little fat so it won’t be as dried and stringy as beef jerky can be.

2 1/4 lbs of back or shoulder bacon (canadian bacon)
6 cloves of garlic

For the marinade:

4 Tbsp honey
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp salt (this depends on how salty your bacon is)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 cup water

Peel garlic then bruise and set aside. Mix all marinade ingredients and heat utill sugar is melted. Put in the garlic and leave mixture to cool. Marinade bacon in an airtight container in the fridge. Leave to marinade for at least 2 days before drying (bacon should be submerged in the marinade) Place individual pieces of meat on rack in oven at 140 to 160 degrees for seven to 12 hours, or until meat is dry throughout. Leave oven door ajar (slightly open) during the drying process.

Sources: Allrecipes.com

“Bacon or beef jerky”
by: ~3critters1nheavn~ on Jan 16 2009 (5 months ago)

VENISON OR BEEF OVEN - DRIED JERKY

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. lean boneless meat, partially frozen
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tbsp. pepper
1/4 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. hickory smoke
Flavored salt

Trim and discard all fat from meat (it becomes rancid quickly). Cut meat into 1/2 or 1/4 inch slices (with or across grain as you wish). If necessary, cut large slices to make strips about 1 1/2 inches wide as long as possible.

In a bowl combine all other ingredients, stir until seasonings are dissolved. Add meat strips and mix to thoroughly coat all surfaces. (The meat will absorb most of the liquid.) Set for 1 hour or cover and refrigerate all night. Shake off any excess liquid.

Arrange strips of meat close together, but not overlapping directly on oven rack or on cake racks set in shallow rimmed baking pans, bake until done in 250 degree oven (4 to 6 hours).

This web site has 6 pages of recipes for beef jerky!!!!

Sources: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,oven_beef_jerky,FF.html

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=349701

Luscious Lemon Cookies (Raw Foods) Recipe #349701
From Raw Food Celebrations - Party Menus for Every Occasion by Nomi Shannon and Sheryl Duruz. It’s due back to the library tomorrow and this looks good! The book says these cookies were meant to be dehydrated but taste good fresh too. “If you are not dehydrating the cookies, use dried coconut.”
by mliss29

30 min | 30 min prep

16 cookies

* 1/4 cup lemon zest
* 3/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 cups cashews
* 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (or shredded mature fresh coconut)
* 1/4 cup agave syrup (or other sweetener)
* 1/2-1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
2. Shape into cookies and place on mesh dehydrator sheets.
3. Dehydrate at 105 -115F for 8-10 hours, or until outside is dry and the cookie is chewy.
4. NOTE: If you’re not using a high-speed blender, blend the cashews first before adding the other ingredients. “Finely grind them”.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cookies 58g

Recipe makes 16 cookies)

The following items or measurements
are not included below:

agave syrup
Calories 288
Calories from Fat 236 (81%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 26.2g 40%
Saturated Fat 17.8g 88%
Monounsaturated Fat 5.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 120mg 5%
Potassium 267mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 13.5g 4%
Dietary Fiber 5.3g 21%
Sugars 3.3g
Protein 4.6g 9%
Vitamin A 2mcg 0%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg 7%
Vitamin B12 0.0mcg 0%
Vitamin C 7mg 12%
Vitamin E 0mcg 1%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 1mg 11%

No Cook Brownies! Recipe #363068
Another Ani Phyo recipe!!! You have to have a dehydrator for these brownies. Great for the Raw Foods Community!
by Bella14Ragazza

6 hours |

SERVES 12

* 1 1/4 cups almond meal
* 3/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
* 1/3 cup Agave or honey
* 1/3 cup water
* 1/2 cup cocoa nibs

1. Mix almond meal, cacao, salt in mixing bowl.
2. Mix in agave or honey and water.
3. Stir in cacao nibs.
4. Use a 2 Tablespoon scooper to portion onto dehydrator trays.
5. Dehydrate for 6 to 7 hours, or to desired consistency.

Italian Flax Cracker or Wrap (Raw) Recipe #372824
Dehydrate longer for crackers, less if you want to make it into a tortilla like wrap for a sandwich. “Store in an airtight container, somewhere close to hand for when the cravings strike!” From karenknowler.typepad.com
by Bella14Ragazza

½ day | 10 min prep

SERVES 4

* 2 cups flax seeds
* 1 red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato
* 2 cups fresh tomatoes
* 1 lemon, Juice of
* 1 garlic clove
* 1/2 large onion, chopped

1. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Add water if a little too dry.
2. Press mixture flat onto a Paraflexx sheet into a large square or rectangle, making sure that the mixture stands only a few millimetres tall. (The thicker the cracker the harder to eat and the longer to dry).
3. Score the size of crackers you’d like with a knife or spatula before dehydrating.
4. Dehydrate around 115°F overnight and flip over once one side is dry. Dry to completion.

Raw Bread Recipe #365768
This is a recipe shared with me by a friend — she said it came from Ani Phyo. Cook time is actually dehydrator time!
by BubbleHead Creations

4¼ hours | 5 min prep

SERVES 9

* 1 cup ground flax seeds
* 1/3 cup whole flax seed
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 garlic clove, minced (organic if you can find it)
* 2 tablespoons yellow onions, chopped (organic if you can find it)
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 2/3 cup sunflower seed (raw or organic if you can find it... de-shelled)
* 1/4 cup black sesame seed

1. Mix ground and whole flax seeds, salt, garlic, onion, and water.
2. Then — Add sunflower and sesame seeds and mix well.
3. Use the back of a spoon to spread batter evenly on one dehydrator tray. Dry at 104 degrees F for 4 hours. Flip and score into nine slices to make it easy to break in straight lines. Dehydrate another hour before serving.
4. OR you can put it out in the sun for 3 hours, score it, flip it and let it go another 2-3 hours — .

Cream of Tomato Soup Mix in a Jar Recipe #355902
A neat way for dehydrators to use their tomatoes and a great thing to keep on hand in the event of an emergency. If you’d like to bump up the flavor a little, replace the salt with chicken bouillon powder. Found online and thought it was too good not to share. :-)
by Molly53

10 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 4 -6

* 3 cups dried tomatoes, slices
* 1/2 cup dried powdered milk
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Powder tomato slices in a blender or with a pestle.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Add to a glass jar and tightly seal the lid.
4. Attach the following instructions on a gift tag: Cream Of Tomato Soup.
5. Add contents of jar to 1 1/2 quarts boiling water and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon butter or margarine after cooking.

Raw Flax-Tomato Crackers (Dehydrated) Recipe #330666
I bought a bag of raw crackers at my local health food store and thought, “I can make these” so I gave them a try and I think the finished product was pretty good. At least my DH thought they were.
by Chef Joey Z.

½ day | 25 min prep

SERVES 24

* 1 cup golden flax seed (soaked for 2 hrs. in filtered water)
* 8 sun-dried tomatoes, pieces (soaked for about 1/2 hour)
* 1/3 bell pepper
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 2 paste tomatoes (raw and chopped)
* 1 medium red onion (chopped)
* 1 garlic clove (put through a garlic press)
* 1/4 cup herbs (your choice)
* salt and pepper
* paprika or cayenne, to taste

1. Put all the ingredients except the soaked flax into a food processor.
2. Process until well combined.
3. Removed the mixture into a bowl and using a small hand mixer on low mix the flax seeds into the tomato mixture. You want the flax seeds in tact.
4. Spoon the mixture onto the teflex sheets of your dehydrator and using an off set spatula spread the mixture about 1/8 inch thick to within 1 inch of the edges. You don’t want it too thick or thin. Experiment with this part to your likeing. I made it too thin at first and the crackers were very brittle and hard to remove from the teflex sheet. Do this until you use up the mixture.
5. Dehydrate for at least 8-12 hours at about 110’F.
6. Its very dry where I live so 8 hours was enough. You should flip these over at some point as well and dry for another 8-12 hours if necessary.
7. As you make these again and again you can change the herbs for a different taste.
8. These would be delicious with a slice of tomato or avocado. You could also crumble them up for a nice topping over a green salad.
9. Bon Appetit!

Raw Cheez Itz Recipe #347413
This is a tasty and popular raw food cracker recipe. This version originally seen on the Raw Freedom Community, it’s a mod of a recipe from Gone Raw.
by vigilant20

½ day | 10 min prep

SERVES 17

* 1 cup sunflower seed
* 1 cup brazil nut
* 1 cup almonds
* 1 tomato
* 1 cup red pepper, diced
* 1/4 cup flax seed, ground
* 1 pinch cumin
* 2 teaspoons salt

1. Requires preparation! Soak sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, and almonds for 4 hours.
2. Add all ingredients to food processor and process until as smooth as desired.
3. Spread out on teflex sheet, fruit roll up tray, or waxed paper and dehydrate for about 24 hours. After approximately 8 hours you can cut the crackers to desired size and flip.

Index for more of this type recipe:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/small-appliance,dehydrator

The survivor’s pantry:
Riding out the Recession and whatever else is thrown your way

By George Potts Thompson Tuesday, July 7, 2009

One of the arguments against stockpiling food. First off.... why bother? The supermarkets are always full, aren’t they? Why spend the extra money? If you are reading CFP, you must have some sense that the world has changed—and not for the better.

Even the Government is encouraging us to have “Three Days” supply until you can be “Relocated.” Maybe I’d rather not sleep at a stadium and stand in line for a bowl of soup with my 20,000 new “best friends?”

Another reason in one word? KATRINA? The US Government couldn’t handle ONE large population center being hit by a hurricaine.

Strange events like the weird, sudden collapse of the economy, and the real or conjured up “Swine Flu” have the possibility of causing people to lose their jobs & income. According to the Globe and Mail, in the UK, they are contemplating forcing people to self quarantine at home BY THE END OF AUGUST if they develop symptoms.

It was just reported that one of the Harry Potter cast members has been diagnosed.

From the BBC yesterday: “WHO Warns Swine Flu Unstoppable.” Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School last week said that the H1N1 is a combination of the 1918 Spanish Flu & the 1977 Swine Flu. Gee how’d THAT happen? Full report to be in New England Journal of Medicine.

If Israel and Iran have at it the price of oil will skyrocket. What do you think that will do to the price of everything else? Having only a week’s worth of food at home is simply irresponsible at this point. The supermarkets turn over their stock every week. IF there is a disruption they’ll be cleaned out.

What if a disruption occurs? HHS and DHS could follow the UK model and order a quaranteen in the US and the Canadian Govt. could follow suit ? You are going to eat the food anyway. Why not buy it while it’s more available and affordable.?

THINK OF THIS AS “INSURANCE” AGAINST NEEDING THEIR “HELP.” Their “HELP” has way too many strings attached. As my DI told me in Boot Camp: “SAM Don’t GIVE you Nuthin’, Boy!”
Besides, if you lose your job, you’ll have money for other essentials like the Mortgage payment.
THE PANTRY:

Should ideally be three sides of a rectangle so you can walk in, easily get items and keep an inventory. It should be well lit, and in a cool area if possible. Older things in the front, newer in the rear.
WHAT to STORE:

Store what you like to eat, but also store what has a long shelf life. The SAS Survival Guide says canned goods keep a minimun of TEN years, less so for acid items (Tomato Sauce). in 1972, I was eating C-RATIONS made in 1952. TWENTY years!

Beans, Beef stew, Beef / Chicken Broth, canned fruits & vegetables, tuna, condiments like mayonaise, soups, yams, canned milk, Powered milk , LOTS of canned potatoes ( 100 Lbs. in large cans ) should all be on the list.

Cake mixes, Pancake Mix, Instant Potatoes, and Cookie dough to freeze. LOTS of Pasta, Macaroni, and LARGE bags of Rice all have a long shelf life. Cereals like oatmeal. Place in large Tupperware containers to prevent predation from insects and rodents. Products like Hamburger Helper are “Force Multipiers.”
FLOUR:

Buy lots of it ( 50 Lbs. ) along with plenty of Instant Dried Yeast. Learn to make bread. Buy a breadmaker if you are lazy or convinced you don’t know how.

What about freeze dried food like “Mountainhouse?’ Fine. It is not cheap, but should be part of the supplies. It also doesn’t have the shelf life.
And don’t forget my all time favorite: SPAM.
SHELF LIFE

The expiration dates are largely BS. Most things keep far longer than advertised. The manufacturers WANT you to throw out the expired stuff and buy more and also fear lawsuits. However: NEVER open a bulged can. Botulism is an awful toxin. Take care as to not rupture such a can. Put in a used coffee can and bury it.
FREEZING FOOD:

Deep sub-zero freezers can be found on Craigslist cheap. Buy TWO. Buy all types of meat on sale. A “Side of Beef” costs about $600.00. A Lot of money? Add up your food budget for a month. It’s not like you will not use it

I used a food processor last year and pureed up all the Zucchini & Tomatoes that I grew, and froze them in freezer bags. We’re STILL eating them, in sauce, and in Zucchini bread.
DEHYDRATING:

Great idea for fruits, and the stuff keeps for a decade. Consider a “Shrink Wrap” machine also.
CANNING and JARRING:

Did this last year with a ratty old prickly bush out back which just happened to be full of Black Raspberries. Made ten jars of Jam.
WHERE DO I BUY ALL THIS?

Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Aldi’s all have the large quantities of food. Watch the Supermarket ads for “Buy One, get One Free.” Watch for Sales. I bought coffee for $ 5. 99 for a 3 Lb can. I bought 20 Cans.

When you go to the store just buy TWO of everything. Don’t forget your domestic animals.
MEDICATIONS:

Get what Prescriptions you need filled now, and any over the counter things like cold medicines, aspirin, NSAIS, antiseptics and lots of bandages.
WATER:

Two gallons a day per person to wash & drink. Your water heater holds 40 Gallons of “Potable” drinking water. I went to a food processing plant and they gave me two food grade barrels. Cleaned them with NON SCENTED Clorox, then Baking Soda and water.
IF YOU HUNT:

Whitetail Deer are tasty & I have lots of recipes for Venison. 80 cents ( Yeah, the cost went up due to Obamanitis ) for a ..30.30 or 308 Cal. Cartridge and a few hours work and you have lots of good meat with no chemicals or drugs in it.

I also rigged a system from my gutter and filled two, 55-gallon Blue drums in a heavy rain in ten minutes. That’s 100 gallons of water to wash with and boil and filter to drink should it come to that. Buy TWO Pure Waterfilters. I also bought a new Blue food 55-gallon drum ( $ 69.00 ), put it in the basement, and filled it.

This is just a start. Go to the numerous websites devoted to this in more detail. This is how our ancestors lived. We have all allowed ourselves to become made way too dependant.

This is all part of taking your self reliance back. You will be amazed at how secure this makes you feel. You’ll also bond as a family. A Blessing.

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12669

Continuing the post above...

http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/JackieClay/2009/07/09/we-are-now-enjoying-fresh-goat-milk-again/

Ask Jackie

We are now enjoying fresh goat milk again
Posted: 09 Jul 2009 01:23 PM PDT

I sold two of my adult milking does, Luna and Velvet, so we haven’t had goat milk on the table. Fawn, a yearling, freshened just before Buffy. We sold Fawn’s twin does, as they were from a first freshener and we had no idea of how she’d milk. A quart a day? A gallon? And boy was she wild! I’ve NEVER had a goat so wild, and I’ve had lots and lots. It took two of us to corral her to catch her, then getting her on the milking stand was a rodeo. She kicked over my head and soundly kicked me in the chest! But finally I’ve got her tamed down.

Then our sweetheart, Buffy, gave us a buck and doe, so they’ve been hogging all her milk. But now they’re eating grain and have had a great start, so I’m locking them away from her over night so I can steal her milk in the morning. She gives me just a little less than a gallon every morning! What a goat! And she loves people, too. No rodeo. She is happy to be milked.

So now we have fresh milk. Mom even asks for goat milk now! She found out it tastes better than store milk. Maybe if I have time, I can make some easy, fast cheeses. I know some ice cream is just around the corner.

All that milk makes up for the disappointing gardening year. We have had such cool weather that a lot of crops are real sad. But who knows? Maybe things will pick up this month. If you quit, you’re done. So we keep tending the plants and praying for a good harvest.

Readers’ Questions:
Rabbit problems
I am having a big problems in the garden with rabbits. They are everywhere this year. They are eating up my garden like crazy. I have a green plastic fence up like the highway dept, but they are eating holes through it. Is there anything I can do to keep them out? I have a have-a-heart trap set but can’t catch them. They are bold and not afraid of people. I can get so close I can almost catch them. Are they afraid of pie plates hanging, an owl in the garden on a pole or anything else?
Please help. I am going to replace the fence with metal as soon as I can afford a section at a time.
Carol Womelsdorf
Oakville, Connecticut

Get some three foot high chicken wire and replace the plastic with that. It will keep the too tame bunnies out. Be sure to bury the bottom in the soil or they’ll dig under. We had to do that in New Mexico to even HAVE a garden! Also, having a dog helps, as it takes the “tame” out of the bunnies and they’ll often move on if they are chased a few times. No, the owl and pie pans are jokes to the rabbits. And they don’t repel well with sprays, either, although I did have some luck mixing eggs with water and spraying that on the plants; they didn’t seem to like the smell/taste. But the wire will do the trick. And chicken wire is pretty inexpensive, yet. — Jackie

Aggressive Nubian buck
I answered an ad for a free full blooded Nubian buck (probably my first mistake). He’s everything I wanted in a dairy buck anatomically, although we’ve made the discovery that he’s horribly tempered and was taught that people are targets. We are fairly experienced with goats and I should have known better. His health is great and there are no obvious triggers for his behavior. His previous owners kept him penned off but stated to me that he’s never butted anyone (I find that hard to believe). We were very surprised and had I allowed my 8 year old to visit him in the pasture alone, instead of my torn clothes and bruises he would have had broken bones. It’s a real shame that he hadn’t been disbudded.

Is there a way to “humanely” break him of this dangerous behavior (I’m voting for the cattle prod at this point, which I don’t even own yet because I’ve never needed one) or is he destined to become sausage? All of our previous bucks have been gentle or at least respectful.
Nicole Gibson
Seligman, Missouri

Once a buck becomes really aggressive like this one, there is little you can do to make him dependably gentle. You could have him dehorned (a big job for your vet, as mature bucks have very large horn bases), which would help a lot, but may not cure the problem. Because you have an eight year old, I’d recommend the sausage route, unfortunately. Selling him may just get someone else hurt. I’ve never, never had an aggressive buck. But mine have been disbudded and NEVER played with. Grabbing a buck by the horns and wrestling with them is, unfortunately, quite common and some people think it’s funny to see the buck rear back and fight. Until they get hurt. By then the buck has learned bad behavior and it’s usually to late to rehabilitate them. Sorry. — Jackie

Flat tasting canned food
I have opened up two jars of different food items I had pressure canned during the winter, one was chicken in broth and the other chili, each one has a flat taste to it, like the smell of the canner once its been depressurized and you take the top off, not sure how to describe it. What could this be? The food is definitely not gone bad, it just has a taste that is off.
Darnell Rogers
Arden, North Carolina

There are a lot pf possibilities on this problem and I don’t have much information to go on. Was all of the chicken in broth and chili like that or only those two jars? One possibility is flat/sour, resulting in a flat or “off” taste. This is caused by a heat-resistant bacteria and usually results in hurried up canning that doesn’t follow all the directions. The other is that possibly your pressure gauge is off and the foods are processing at a too-high pressure. I hope you find out the cause and have great canning this year! — Jackie

Worming for coccidia
I am wondering about worming for coccidia. I bought a buck kid from a dairy farm with papers that show an ancestry of good milk production and got his runt sister for free ( I know… there ain’t no free lunch or free goat). Any way the gal said I should treat them for it. I think they are growing fine and look good. I’m wondering if it is really necessary.
Also I’m wondering about liver flukes. One of my friends says they are common around swampy areas and she feels her goats need to be treated for them. What would be the signs that liver fluke was a problem in your goats.
Will a fecal exam let you know about coccidia or liver flukes?
Dinah Jo Brosius
Battle Ground, Washington

I would suggest a fecal exam to check for coccidiosis. Evidently the breeder had a problem (possibly slight and she is concerned) and wants to make sure your goats are clear.

Liver fluke is “fairly common” in some swampy areas; the intermediate host is a small snail. But we’ve always lived in low areas and have never had it in a goat or cow. Signs are unthriftiness, diarrhea and death. I’d talk to your vet when you take in the fecal sample and follow his/her advice as they know how common this problem really is in YOUR area. — Jackie

Canning onions
I just received a “boatload” of onions. Big Spanish onions. I have turned into a canning nut since becoming familiar with your site. I love it. Is there a way to can onions that I can possibly quarter or dice to use in cooking later?
Kevin Sakuta
Jesup, Georgia

While I dehydrate most of my onions, which is very easy (simply slice them in 1/2 inch slices and lay them on your trays), I do add chopped or quartered onions to my stew vegetable mixes. Onions themselves are not recommended for canning unless they are cut into chunks 1 inch square (relatively) or less. Cover the pieces with boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes to heat thoroughly. Pack into jars with cooking liquid, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. If you do this, the processing time is 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts at 10 pounds pressure (unless you live at an altitude over 1,000 feet and must adjust your pressure to suit your altitude; consult your canning book for directions). In stew mixtures, such as carrots, onions, potatoes, and corn, for instance, process the mix for the time required for the vegetable requiring the longest processing time.

Enjoy your onions! I use my dehydrated onions nearly every day in soups, casseroles, stews and hamburgers. — Jackie

Canning strawberries, preserves in pint jars, and dilly beans
I used your recipe for canning strawberries, but my berries have white centers and are hollow. According to the Ball Preserving book (to the left of the Strawberries in Syrup recipe) I cannot can this variety, but they have no information on why. So I cut my berries (no hollow centers now) and then followed your recipe. Do you think this is OK? One last thing about these berries, they do float and so I can see them nearer the top of the jars with the syrup at the bottom.

Secondly, when making preserves all the recipes are for half-pint jars. That is too small for us. Could I can using pint sized jars? Should I increase the processing time?

And lastly, I have a family recipe for dilly beans. This recipe says to wash beans and cut off the stem end. Fit beans in the jar allowing one half inch headspace. Water, vinegar, and salt mixture is heated to a boil and poured over the beans (and garlic and dill). Most recipes I’ve seen say to heat the beans with the vinegar mixture. Is that necessary? It is much easier to fit the uncooked, cold beans in the jar.
Susan Bates
Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Don’t worry about the strawberries. Just slice ’em and can them. Some varieties DO have a white center and it’s a cosmetic thing, not a safety or taste issue. Strawberries tend to float in the jar, as do many fruits, especially those raw packed. Also, no worries.

YES, you can put up your jams, jellies, and preserves in pint jars. When I had 8 kids home, I sure didn’t use half pints! No, you use the same processing time for half pints and pints.

As for the dilly beans, my recipe also has you pack raw, washed, trimmed beans in the jar and pour the pickling solution over the beans, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. They are then boiling water bath processed for 10 minutes. Happy canning! — Jackie

Personal garbage dump
I am planning for the coming economic collapse which I see as inevitable. I suspect that one of the first services to go will be rural garbage collection. Look as I might I cannot find any guidance about a personal garbage/waste dump. I am sure the old pioneers and farmers had a system. What would you recommend?
Nevin Smith
Alexandria, Minnesota

The reason early pioneers and farmers got along so well is that they didn’t have much waste. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Consider this; when you have home canned foods, use a jar, you don’t have a tin can to throw away, only a thin lid. If you don’t buy any prepackaged foods, you don’t have the container to dispose of. If you don’t buy sodas and other drinks, you also don’t have a container to get rid of. We burn all of our paper products (envelopes, newspapers, cardboard, etc.) in our wood stove to start fires that keep us warm.

In the old days, folks simply dug a deep hole to receive any “trash” such as broken glass, jar lids, etc. I’m certain that would still work if you had no other way to dispose of it. Remember, the less you buy, the less you have to get rid of, so more homegrown foods are a definite plus!

We feed all our kitchen scraps to the goats and chickens except meat bones and meat products. The bones, we burn and the meat goes to the dogs. If we didn’t have goats and chickens, we would add the kitchen scraps to the compost pile. I can’t think of more “garbage/trash” to get rid of. — Jackie

Saving tomato seeds
Can you tell me how to save tomato seeds? Do I just dry them and seal them in a jar? If I plant a second crop of tomatoes this year can I use these seeds? This is the first time I have grown heirloom seeds and the tomatoes are so good.
Kathleen Minkkinen
Cedar Bluff, Alabama

Tomato seeds are real easy to save. Just add the seeds to water in a small jar and let them ferment on the counter for about 3 days. The gel disappears and the seeds are left. Rinse them well in a sieve then put them on a wax paper to dry. As they dry, stir them to dry them evenly. When they are very dry, store them in an airtight jar. You can save seeds from any very ripe tomato. I’m glad you found out how good some of those heirloom tomatoes are. That’s why they’ve been around so long! Enjoy! — Jackie

Storing homemade bread
I was wondering about storing homemade bread. I have recently starting making most of the bread for our family by hand. We love it but it only keeps for a couple days. Is there anything I’m not doing that I should be to keep it a little longer?
Tracy Doldan
Kenmore, New York

Because homemade bread IS so good and has no chemicals added, like preservatives, it is harder to keep than store bought bread that lasts for a week or more. To keep it longer, you can either freeze a loaf in an airtight bag or refrigerate it. Both will make it last much longer. But around here, when I bake bread, we usually eat up the first loaf when it is still hot, making most of a meal from it and the second loaf quickly follows. Keep making the bread and your family’s eating habits will change; most families aren’t used to having GOOD bread (the staff of life!) on the table to enjoy and it takes awhile to get in the habit. Remember that homemade bread makes terrific toast and French toast for breakfast, too! — Jackie

Granny, in the post above, Jackie says you can make ice cream from goat milk. Do you know if it’s as rich as half-and-half? My hubby is a terrific ice cream maker but he insists on half-and-half to get the nice consistency. It would be really cool if I could find organic unpasteurized goat milk locally. Thanks.

Hello and welcome to our thread, if you haven’t stopped by before. I hope you enjoy reading. Hmmm, oyster jerky. If there is such a thing, Granny will find it for you. She’s a terrific researcher. (I was going to say she was a crack researcher, but that would have a double meaning, too hard to explain...).

John Holdren, Obama’s Science Czar: Forced abortions and mass sterilization needed to save planet
http://zombietime.com/john_holdren/ ^ | 7/10/2009
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2290196/posts?page=187

Hey, glad the TAC is back!

Good post. We can’t have too many posts on this subject. Wish my family would stop worrying about “easy” living with no “extras” hanging around to “clutter” up their life and face up to reality.

Would it make a difference in taste if the bullion was added before processing or after opening the jar?

I’ve purposely canned my meats without salt so I can flavor them according to how I’m going to use them after opening. Plus, some friends that are on low salt diets came to mind, in case I give some away if TSHTF. But, maybe I need to change my strategery...