Revisiting an Old Skill

Back in high school I was an avid fan of taxidermy.  In fact for my science project my junior year I mounted a beautiful Cedar Wax wing (it had been hit by a car and I found it freshly killed on the road).  It turned out great, I even made a box with a scene including a tree (cork for the bark) and a branch on which to mount the bird.  I got an A on the project. 

A few years later I began learning to tan hides.  Bob did a lot of hunting back then, and we raised meat rabbits....so it seemed like a waste to just toss the hides.  I did a number of small pelts, but never attempted anything really large.  I really love being able to use every part of the animal, it seems like such a waste to throw away any part of a creature that died to feed the family. 

Knowing that we will probably have some butcher kids this year, I've decided that I want to be able to use every part once again.  A friend of mine had a ram processed this week, and last night she brought me the hide.  This will be my first tanning attempt in 20 years so it should be interesting.  I really do not expect it to come out right, but it gives me a practice run and a learning experience. 

She brought it late last night, so I opened it up, laying it as flat as possible....and salted it with 3# of non-iodized salt.  This will start the drying process as it pulls moisture from the flesh.  Once salted, I folded it up and put it in the middle of the table, hoping that nothing would haul it off in the night.

And it's still here this morning!  Once the sun comes up, I'll open it up and lay it out flat again....and salt it more.  For a few days it will be a matter of salting and scraping to remove all the flesh from the hide.  I'll try to remember to get pictures of the entire process, which will take at least a couple of weeks.  I'll also record my mistakes (I'm sure there will be more than a few) and the finished project when it's done.  I'm hoping for a beautiful wool rug....that's my goal anyway. 

Daydream's Babies!

I'd LOVE to show you pictures of Daydream's kids.....unfortunately they still look like this...

And she's still not talking...

Kidding Countdown and a Big Surprise!

We've had beautiful weather for nearly a week. Temps have been in the high 60's and 70's....even got to 81 one day this week. Do you think Dreamy would kid on one of those warm days? HECK NO!

Now it's a chilly 42º, a cold front is moving in ..... do you think she'll kid today? HECK NO!

Friday night we're expecting temps in the 20's and rain. I'm expecting Christmas day kids. The kids have dropped, her ligaments are mushy soft.....and the belly is growing....

She has stayed so lopsided this time....I'm hoping for triplet girls....but I guess that's just being greedy. No matter what she has, I hope and pray for a fast and safe delivery for her and her kids....I can't even imagine my backyard without this dreamy face....

And now for the big surprise! I've noticed that the turkeys have been breeding lately.....we found a nest that held 17 eggs! We've put 15 of them into the incubator since none of the hens are setting and we're expecting freezing temps.

The odd egg in the upper left is a mystery.  I'm thinking it came from one of my RIR/Americana pullets....
Please ignore the filthy dirty incubator.  All I can say is that it works...and works well.   :)

Big Bellies and the Name Game Begins

This is an F year for our goats.....and we've had a ball coming up with suggestions for names.  Daydream should freshen first again this year.  She's due Dec 27...but of course that is +/- 5 days.  I've already moved her to the goatie day spa for her daily herbs, snacks, treats, and rubdowns.  Check out that belly!

This is Daydream's 3rd freshening, she's never had a buckling...I'm praying that she'll continue that trend this year!  She's the dam of Eve...the doe that placed 19th in the senior kids class at the ADGA Nationals this year.  Her other 2010 daughter Lexi is just as beautiful, but doesn't like to show...so she's busy gestating here with her mother.....

She's not due until Jan, but this being her first freshening she's already huge.  At 10 months she weighed 120 pounds....she's a big girl!
And our oldest doe, Happy, is in the running of the big bellies too.....She will be 10 years old when she freshens this year!  I have to closely watch her condition, she's lost a few teeth.....but she's on strong feet and legs and birthed a set of triplets in Jan in 15 minutes flat!

None of the other girls compare to these bellies....of course some of these are June babies that will stay open until 2011....

Well, I guess showing the bellies wouldn't be right without showing the boyz.....Here's Pete in full rut looking like a big gorrilla....pardon the bald spot on his face-he found that rubbing the corner of the barn scratches that itch just fine....and the piece of straw stuck to his face....he's not looking his best these last few days of rut....

And don't let that sheepish shy look fool you...Ditto here makes some very nice babies and is good with the ladies....

But back to Daydream.....

If she kids on Christmas Day, I think we'll name one Frankincense.  If she's off her due date by much we might name one of them Faux Paus.  Then we have twin names such as Fife & Fiddle and Footloose & Fancy Free.  I never know for sure until I see them.  The relief of an easy kidding, uncomplicated delivery, and healthy kids comes before the naming.

6 Chickens and a Dozen Pineapple...

Although I had planned to keep some of our newest meat birds for breeding, the roos have become intolerable....so I selected 6 nice large birds to prepare for butchering.

They averaged 4 pounds each dressed out....it's nice to have fresh chicken in the freezer again.  Just over 24# total...

This week Kroger had pineapple on sale for $1 each....I bought 12....

They are in various stages of ripeness, so we're drying them as they ripen.  To dry them, first I cut the top off....leaving enough so that we can grow the top for another pineapple....

Next I use the pineapple slicer to remove the skin & core...and slice it....

This is one of the best kitchen gadgets we've ever bought....got it on sale for $1 and it is SO great!  The slicer looks like this when you're done...

You make one cut straight down with the knife and it cuts the long spiral into individual slices....

And a few hours after being in the food dryer.....we've got yummy dehydrated pineapple!