Sunday, February 24, 2008

it's official

cabin fever has consumed me. we have been sick so many times this winter that i'm not convinced that any illness actually ever left. i can't do anything outside. the ground is so soggy that simply pushing a half filled wheelbarrow of manure leaves huge furrows. i can't work in the garden cause walking on it while this wet ruins the soil.

i have placated my sense of urgency by researching and buying stuff. our tax return came. we need to spend it up--hookers and gin. hookers and gin is a little joke around here. every time there is an inkling of extra money we laugh about spending it on hookers and gin. seriously though, we do without so many things that when an opportunity arises to get some of them we leap to our research stations. where is the best price? what is the best value? is there free shipping?


we bought a new canner. the jars it will hold are 15 qts, 24 pints, 28 half pints or 12 gals. we have been wanting one of these for almost three years. anywhere we can save time during canning season is money well spent.



we also got a large stockpot. it holds 24 quarts of liquid. yeah it's a pricey all-clad but not all stainless is equal. there will be burnt on stewed tomatoes at some point and we want to be able to clean the pan after word. it'll probably double as the ritualized popcorn cooker. all o'melays love popcorn.


i also got some bee keeping supplies. oh, that was exciting making those purchases. i'll take photos of them upon their arrival. we'll play dress up--kassi's favorite game.


tabitha also got three more bread pans. three loafs at a time isn't reasonable for this family. no expense spared there.


we also got new comforters, the old ones leak from so many repairs that dust allergies are festering.

the next big purchase will be fencing--en garde. two rolls of wove wire, sixty steel posts and some cattle panels for the garden. that purchase is long over due. it'll take two trips in my little truck to get everything. i'll get some of it monday. i need to be up near ozark to get milk from janet anyway. i'll go after work since i'll be already half way there.

once the fencing arrives there will be no excuse for getting the back paddock done in short order. i'll still have to cut a couple of cedars for corner posts. dig a few holes and we'll be fencing in earnest.

the girls are laying 10 to 12 eggs per day. i guess my threats of a major culling worked. the new chicken coop will have to be scrapped together. funds are too short to apply any money there yet.

10 comments:

jayedee said...

i'll be interested to know how you like the canner. i've been eyeing them for a couple of years too! i know you'll love your all-clad. i bought a smaller one (16 quart) last year and there's no going back! it's wonderful! i've since added a saucepan and saute pan as well!

Anonymous said...

That's a mighty impressive canner - I'll be interested to see how it works for you. Boiling water, only? As for bread pans, I'm a huge fan of those stone bakers myself.

Omelay said...

jayedee,
i'm sure that there will be several posts this summer either praising that canner in all it's glory or damning it to the depths of the earth from whence it came.

kathie,
yeah it's a water bath canner. we have two huge pressure canners that have been pulling double duty as water bath canners. henry ford will be proud of our kitchen efficiency this canning season.

Kristianna said...

Those are awesome additions to your homestead, Karl.

My husband goes out to our coop and sternly warns our "girls" that they'll be chicken nuggets if they don't start laying more consistently. :)

Walter Jeffries said...

Karl, over on my blog you asked about the integration of learning and life. Yes, exactly. Science, history, politics, math and so much more are integrated into our daily living. We are always "in-school". During the afternoon is actual book and more traditional schooling & research time but the learning experience extends throughout life.

Rurality said...

Nice purchases! I had to laugh at the "hookers & gin". Around here anytime extra money disappears, one is said to have spent it all on wine. :)

sugarcreekfarm said...

I love those stone bread pans. I only have one, wish I had another.

I think we're getting back the biggest refund we've ever had...sadly it's because we lost the most $$ on the farm we ever have :( It's all going to pay back the operating loan we had to take out last year. I don't even want to think what I could have spent it on.

knittinglongies said...

The bread looks beautiful. I am consumed by thoughts of bread right now. I just finally "perfected" my sourdough bread. Looking at Tabitha's bread makes me want to bake it too. Any chance of getting the recipe?

Danielle said...

He is a staff engineer developing software again. It is a longer drive and so he isn't as excited about it as he probably could be. In limbo as to whether we will eventually move back to the big city. Yuck. I hate the thought of building our life here just to leave it...but I'm trying to take one day at a time and told him I'd follow him in whatever decision he thought was best for our family.

Kramer said...

I love cast iron. Random but I saw it in your picture.

Really like the canner. We are going to try our hand at it this year so we will see how it goes.

I think I am going to look into the bread pans for my wife. She is a bread making machine now so I think she will enjoy them.

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