Quick Update & Pie Filling

I really, really don't want to know what this conversation was......maybe: "Kyle, you're boobs are bigger than my butt!" ??? :)

Kyle got first runner up (second place) in the Ms. Fairbury Jeff Contest. (He raised the second most amount of money for Relay for Life.) I'll have to get the totals later, too much noise at the time to hear very well! (We were standing in the Band section.)


We got Mr. Rooster (pretty, but he decided he liked to come after me one time too many) and the final two turkey hens butchered today. I don't have weights yet as I haven't weighed them. Things slowed waaaaaaay down on the last one, as Pat threw his back out dunking it in the hot water to loosen feathers. (They aren't light, let me tell ya!) We used the homemade feather plucker.....Pat does a much better job than me with it!! (I forgot to get photos of it, I will eventually!)

And once again, I can't comment on my comments! :( I use Tammy's (Cupp, from KFC) Apple Pie Filling recipe, same as last year. It's on her September 20, 2010 blog post. It actually let me copy and past it here:

Tammy's Canned Apple Pie Filling

4 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
10 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 pounds apples

1. In a large pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.
2. Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples. Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
4. Fill jars with hot syrup, and gently remove air bubbles with a knife.
5. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

We tripled it, and did 12 quart jars full. I could of just doubled the ingredients (but the apples) as we had a 1/2 gallon jar of 'sauce' left over. Oh well, I'd of rather had too much than not enough!!

Officially Fall

Apple pie filling! :)


Oh wow, the first day of fall! There is a crispness in the air--nights can easily get under 40' already. Time to think of moving house plants from the outside back inside. NE parts of the state had frost warnings last night. I hope it stays away from here, the garden is getting a "second wind" and there is lots of tomatoes and peppers ripening. (I see more canning in my future!) HA

Kyle is in the running for Ms. Fairbury--Relay for Life puts on this contest every year for the highschoolers during Homecoming week. It's a fun way to get donations; guys dress up like gals and donations are put into jars with their 'girlie' photos. Whomever has the most money in their jar wins. We shall know the results later today at the Homecoming parade and "Crowning". :)

Jared has been doing more training, and has spent more time at the Armory (yeah!) He spends lots of time at Gander Mountain--kind of like Cabelas' or Bass Pro Shops stores. (Probably spends too much time and money there!) HA

Patrick and I canned Apple Pie filling this past week. We used his requested Christmas present (finally): and apple peeler/corer. I poo-poo'd it, thinking it wasn't going to save THAT much time, but by golly he proved me wrong! It worked pretty slick and I almost couldn't keep up with him--he ran the peeler/corer. (I got it at one of the chain feed stores.)


Pat also made us a 'feather plucker'--we've put off butchering the last two turkeys and annoying roosters because plucking takes the longest part. It's a simple plucker that fits on his drill. (I'll get photos later for y'all.) It's modeled after another one a gal made (from KFC), and she got the instructions from someone else. I will report on how well it works. :) This weekend is their 'date with destiny'! (Thank goodness my Mother In Law has extra room in her freezer--the last two turkeys were so big, they took up what room I had left!)

Pat has been keeping busy with helping my niece with re-wiring and putting in baseboard heaters before the winter cold comes. And I realized last night there were several bikes in my yard--the great nephews and niece need Uncle Pat to fix them! :) They have him trained well! HA HA HA

And to Omaha Dave: the site is PMS'ing and won't let me reply to your comments. :( I am always encouraged by the awesome work you do--you keep on keepin' on!! You might be encouraged by this article as well. (Acres USA is an awesome magazine--it's not just for "farmers"!) :)
Coming Home To Farm is the title of the article.

(If I mess up--its here: www.acresusa.com --you'll have to copy and paste.) I'm still blog-illiterate! It's best I stick with the cooking' and critters! Giggle!

Cooler then hot then Chilly

A Bumblebee collecting pollen. Notice the flower on the left has already been cleaned. There was a flurry of Bee activity last week with all my Sunflowers.

The weather has been, well, weird. Cooler, then hot, then chilly. But I think the days of "hot" (90'+) are fast coming to an end for the year. Fall is on its way in! While I am thankful for the cooler weather.....I really don't want to deal with Winter. (Ah I know I say that every year!)

Pat and I butchered the two biggest turkeys a week ago Sunday. The Tom weighed 24 1/2 pounds (dressed--meaning minus feathers, head, feet and guts--I think they should call it UNdressed! HA) and the biggest hen was 21 pounds. Yikes! Glad I had room in the freezer, the Tom took up lots of space! We 'vacuum sealed' them with a big plastic bag and the vacuum cleaner. :)

Nessa is 4 months old today. (already)I bought her a pretty blue halter. (Pat wanted hot pink--I said no--HA) I have yet to get a photo with her wearing it.

Kyle has been working lots (the photo of him a couple of posts back was on his 18th birthday, stupid blog wouldn't let me change it after I posted). I worked all last week and have a couple of (needed) days off.

Pat has been helping the niece with her electricity and water heater to get things squared away before winter comes. Talking about winter preps--I had a 'talk' with the propane guy last week....I like to treat customers as all the same: no matter what their lifestyle/finances are, its None Of My Business, period. They are still human beings with feelings. Back to the propane people; I think they are a bit too snoopy and judgemental to be honest. They live in a different (privileged) world than me. Good for them, but leave me out of your office conversations (when I'm not there)! :( I don't think he thought I'd show up to his place of business to ask a few questions about what the driver said to me (at MY work). SURPRISE!! :)

Back to my "Stock Market"--I have two turkey hens and several roosters that need to go into the stockpot and/or freezer. I have a steer lined up (from my younger brother) but am still waiting for the flooded Missouri River to go down and roads fixed so I can get over to my Big Brothers' (where Little Brothers' bovines are).
The eggs keep a'coming, my hatched-this-summer young hens should start laying soon. I'm going to corral and pen two older hens whom I don't think are laying. I don't want to feed them if they aren't laying. (Ha ha spoken from someone who has a Pasture-Ornament [non-productive] Cow: Dolly!) ;) Y'all can laugh heartily now! Giggle!

Temp Flux

Here is a wonky lid (from the factory--center front) on some hot pepper relish we canned. I'd never seen one like this, Pat said it came out of the box "as is". I didn't notice it until we were done canning, it sealed ok. This particular jar is at my in-laws refrigerator as you read. :)

The temps have been wild....one day in the high 90's (heat index of 108) and then the next night 57! Three days ago I sweated and sweated working on fence, it was HOT--upper 90's again! This morning I get up, it's 52!

We have been doing more canning and freezing ('tis the season ya know!), one large Zucchini will yield about 6-7 cups shredded (I've lost count how many bags we've got in the freezer). Zucchini bread is a favorite around here in the winter time.

I'll write more later in the week, today is supposed to be turkey butcher day....we'll see how that goes! ;)