Heather Reaches

Thanks Vickey! That’s what I thought but of course I would rather be safe than sorry for my growing family. Got to get some of this beef out of the freezer!

I am wondering if there are any experienced medicine makers here who would bestow wisdom in the area of tincturing. What safety considerations are important in alcohol tincture making?

For example I have heard they should be shaken. but when I have done this, plant matter ends up above the alcohol line and doesn’t that potentially leave room for bacterial growth?

What are signs a tincture is not safe to bottle and should be discarded?

Thanks so much for your time! Any advice is appreciated <3

I guess my question is: does the dial gauge matter if the correct weight is used? I have heard that the weight is the most accurate way to measure based on your altitude. If I canned the meat at 15lbs for the allotted time, then the dial would be irrelevant in that case. Could anyone advise on how to do a test run? I cannot can on my glass top but I do have a propane camp chef that I have seen used in videos before. Thank you so much

A large part of why I opted for the AA is so that I wouldn’t have to get the dial tested every year since I have the weighted canner.

I was at 1010ft so I used 15lb hole on the weight. And processed for whatever the time was in the ball book. 75 minutes I believe. My concern is that I used the 15lbs but the gauge didn’t get above 11lbs. I have heard that when using weighted gauge pressure canner, the dial doesn’t matter except to ensure your pressure is at zero at the end and for confirmation of targeted pressure. Is this true?

Hello beautiful people

I purchased an AA canner and attempted to can up some of my leftover Turkey this past year. It was my first time using this canner. I was hoping to gain some insight. When I went to can, I attempted to regulate the temperature so that it would jiggle appropriately which I think I got pretty close to at 15 pounds of pressure. The altitude was 1010ft so I opted for 15 pounds for good measure. But my gauge never got above 11lbs reading. I was extra careful to make the lid as level as possible as well. Can anyone give insight as to what may have happened? And is the food safe? Any trouble shooting tips would be appreciated as I am fairly new to pressure canning. Thank you!

Hey thanks so much for replying! Yes I’m noticing there seems to be quite a bit of land in SC with varying price ranges. I love everything you’ve said so far! Our goal is not to be too far from a hospital (also because I work in healthcare) but with enough space to be more self sufficient and hopefully one day start a CSA, maybe more. HOAs are out. I wonder if any of the local people would be willing to sell if they knew one was buying for these purposes and not to be developed. I’m very much against development myself. I don’t necessarily need neighbors who practice perm; I haven’t had the privilege of affording a PDC either. But definitely prefer not to live on a plot surrounded by heavily sprayed/fertilized farms. We see that a lot here in OH. Are there many of those? What have you noticed as far as other policies (county or otherwise) that encourage this type of lifestyle/freedom, if anything? For example TN is another state we’re looking into and from what I can tell, they encourage homesteading openly. Thank you for your time! I’m very happy for y’all!

Unfortunately (arguable) I am not on social media. Pros and cons to this of course. Definitely looking for community wherever we move. I can tell by land searches and browsing Craigslist that general farming/homestead areas seem popular in the midlands (Lexington, Richland, and surrounding counties). But would also need to work in hospital within 35 mins or so. Moving is so daunting when in new area. Land seems pretty affordable though.

We are once again on the hunt for some land and are considering South Carolina as one of the handfuls of states we consider moving to. Plan to start small 4-10 acres. Within 40 ish minutes of hospital, as my career is in healthcare. What has been your experience? Land prices? Any recommendations on counties who are homesteader friendly? Or like minded areas? Or conversely, areas to definitely avoid?

Thanks!

Hello beautiful people

I am generally new to Permies. Hello how can I help ya?

A little background. Last year, I grew a small garden here in SW Ohio (zone 6) out of a fenced off 20x24’ space. I went against suggestions to “start simple” and planted everything from beans to tomatoes to watermelon to cukes to lettuce etc etc.

Being that it was my first garden, (and keeping in mind to be forgiving of myself as a newbie) I would consider it pretty darn successful. With the exception of beets and bush beans, I grew pounds and pounds of food, flowers, edibles and the like. Only used compost, fox farm fertilizers and straw for mulch. I never sprayed and trusted nature to do the work (beginners luck??) (Learned how bad pulling those pesky straw seeds sucks too! Boo!)

As we had a late fall and I’m still pulling the last of my cauliflower and turnips etc... I have GOT. THE. HOMESTEADING. ITCH.

We stayed in apartment life before we moved here so I simply pumped my brain full of knowledge and applied it best I could. I find myself reading natural chicken keeping books now, again pumping up the knowledge dreaming one day of putting some kind of system into practice on my own land.

SOOOO all that being said we are on the hunt for land which meets at least most of our basic requirements and one big factor seems undecided.

How much?

We are a small family of 3 and I want to a) grow enough food to supplement a substantial part of our diet (at least 40% with chicken products -primarily eggs but also some meat birds) and be able to either give to our community or sell at markets or on a small CSA.

What is your recommendation on how much land, a range of land perhaps, to look for this type of purpose? Looking to the future I would love to have a small flock of sheep or goats as well.

Anyway! Thank you for reading and for your time.

Heather