Friday, October 3, 2008

Independence Days Update

I do update my Independence Days Challenge on Fridays. On that vein, I'll post a modified check in and post my challenge seperately.

In yesterday's mail I received 2 oil lamps from Lemans. Interestingly, they are out of stock on a lot of the lamps - esp. the cheap ones. I havn't been ordering enough to know if this is unusual. I picked up lamp oil at the local True Valu hardware store so as to not pay shipping on such heavy things.

We also got 1/4 of a beef yesterday. Mrs. Neighbor and I went in on a side of beef grown by a friend of hers. As I made dinner last night, I realized everything but the oil in the bottom of the dutch oven was local - and everyting but the beef we'd grown and processed ourselves. That was a fun aha moment. We ate by lamp light.

I was talking with Mrs. Garden about the shock Mrs. Neighbor and I had gotten walking back to the garden and coming across the head of a very large bull elk - big even for an elk - lots of points on the rack. I thought Mrs. neighbor was going to climb me like a tree when she came around the corner and was surprised by that! I don't make much of a hunter, I feel sad when I see the beautiful creatures dead - I don't feel the same about an animal I've raised for it's meat. It turns out the Garden's son got the elk and isn't going to take much home on the plane and they don't want much and so I think we'll recieve a good amount of elk as well! We're a year plus on the meat front and two weeks ago I thought we'd be going without meat (except our chickens) in even of a crisis.

I am drying corn most days a week though I need help with the shucking. Turns out I think I sliced a nerve in my finger when I got the deep cut doing apples and it is still really tender to bumping and pressure and numb in one spot. I'm aiming for a bucket of dried corn and am nearly there. I am putting it in the bucket in storage baggies incase the dehydrating is bad in one batch, it won't spoil all the batches.

7 comments:

Matriarchy said...

I think I might have gone around the bend on the "reduce, reuse, recycle" front. When you mentioned the rack on the elk head, my first thought was, "Oh, I could use that to dry socks and underwear if I hung it on a wall."

I'm sorry your hand is hurting you. I have heard of small cut nerves forging new pathways as they heal, so hopefully the numb spot is not permanent.

My new freezer arrives next week, and I can't wait to start filling it. Hoping to get a deer from a friend's son.

Amanda said...

wow, hope your finger is okay!

Robj98168 said...

You can make your own Oil lamps out of Common bottles, Verde- it is so easy All you need is an empty bottle with a screw cap, an old t-shirt to make a wick and oil.

Robj98168 said...

Ooops wrong link here is the oil lamp link An i forgot to mentiopn that I use dlamp oil in mine, not olive or vegetable oil

Christy said...

Sounds like your preps are coming along nicely. I can't wait to get a freezer and start loading it up.

Robj98168 said...

LOL on the rack for a rack Matriarchy!

I went out hunting today and got the dreaded Game hens in the freezer section of grocery outlet- my second stocking of game hens- I love game hens. And grocery outlet has them so cheap!Otherwise not much of a hunter, more of a gatherer here- I personally hate hunting- cold, wet, uncomfortable are my reasons- but I can outshop anyone. ALso got some local chicken thighs that I promptly froze! Hope your finger is better!

Connie said...

Thanks guys! I'm sure the finger will be better. DD17 has a bigger job growing nerves from her surgury.

Rob, I'm your speed of hunter. I'm glad someone brings home meat but it's not likely to be me.