Apple Wine

       I consider learning how to make wine an excellent skill if there ever comes a day I need to trade for something.  It's not hard to do.  I've been slowly gathering equipment.  I began making elderberry wine for medicinal reasons...and as a way to preserve my elderberries other than freezing.  Since then, I have been trying different country wines just to practice.   The elderberry wine came out fantastic this year! I made 3 gallons of it.  That is 15 bottles.

     Check out racking the elderberry wine here
     Check out getting ready to bottle the wine here
     Check out bottling the elderberry wine here


     This year I planted parsnips to try parsnip wine.  I haven't harvested them yet.  I didn't plan on making apple wine quite yet.  I don't have a wine press to make juice.  But there were so many apples this year I checked out apple wine recipes.  I found out there's recipes made just from the apples without juicing them so I jumped right in.  I actually crushed the apples in the meat grinder  of my  Kitchen-aide mixer.

First I cored the apples. 
Then I cut them in chunks into the meat grinder.
1 med-large apple = 1 cup chopped apple.

I crushed 16 cups of apples.

I dumped the apples into my primary fermenter,
and on top of that 1 gallon of hot water that I had dissolved
4.5 lbs. of sugar in.  Start with a big enough pot! (6 qt. or >)
1 lb. of white granulated sugar = 2 1/4 cups
(Make a metal note of that because all the wine recipes measure the sugar in #'s)

Apple Wine

16 cups chopped apples
1 cinnamon stick
4.5 lbs. white sugar (10 1/8 cups)
1 crushed campden tablet
1 1/2 tsp. acid blend
1 tsp. yeast nutrient
1/4 tsp. tannin
1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
1 pkg. of wine yeast


Don't peel the apples, but remove seeds and core.
Put in primary fermenter along with the cinnamon stick.
Pour hot sugar water over the apples.
Let sit for 24 hr. (covered)
Then add crushed campden tablet, acid blend, yeast nutrient, and tannin.
12 hrs. later add pectic enzyme.
12 hrs later sprinkle wine yeast on the top. (Wait to stir till morning)
Stir daily for 5-10 days until bubbling stops.
Pour the must (the crushed apples etc.) through a colander.
Pour the "wine" into a gallon size secondary fermenter, add airlock.
Rack every 30 days until clear and then bottle. (6-9 mon.)
(All of these ingredients can be found at a wine supply store.)






Ready to add the yeast tonight.
Tomorrow my house will smell like a brewery -- but not for too long.  :-)



.....dr momi

Linked To: Preparedness Challenge
Linked To: Homestead Barn Hop

Need A Funny Caption

 What's your caption for this week?

"I have a fur coat and there's a fire.  What's wrong with this picture?"


Last week's caption is by Sam over at:
Five Starr's Farm
Thank's for playing Sam!




This is a picture of "Smoke" (really --that's his name :-).
1/2 Golden Retriever, 1/2 German Shepherd.
I raised him for Leader Dog's For The Blind.
He is now a working dog leading a blind person.


.....dr momi

Future Leader Dog Butsch

FLD Butsch
Butsch turned 9 months old this week. 
He looks grown up,
but he's all about play, play, play. :-)

   

Pig Is Gone

       Finally!  A different person came and loaded him up on Sunday evening.  It was pouring rain all day and the whole while we loaded.  (can we say muddy pen?)  Pinky didn't want to load again, but, an experienced person doing it makes all the difference.  He used pallets to herd him into the doorway -- yelled for me in the trailer to keep his head up with the food.   When the pig only put his front feet in again, his hind quarters were lifted in by the tail.  It couldn't have hurt him, he didn't squeal at all, and only wanted his food.  He was in and loaded.  I was thankful he didn't have to spend another rainy night in his pen, after so much rain, he only had an island of dry land under his tarp.

     The stress at the end here trying to load them I could have done without.  Rick is pretty sure he doesn't want to do it again.  I was more than ready to do it again until this last bit.  Moving the pen became harder the older the pigs got because of all the rooting.  Maybe we just have to let all this pass in our minds and get a taste of ham before we make a decision.  Maybe a smaller pig breed we could process ourselves would be in order.  Maybe buying organic lard is the answer :-)  Anyway, just waiting on the meat and fat.....

    

    

    

.....dr momi

Sunday in Pictures

Granddaughter Zoe.
Zoe, who rarely will let her mom put a little pony tail in her hair.
Zoe, who's hair is growing really slow.
Zoe, who keeps getting called "he" out in public -- even when she's wearing pink.
Zoe, who looks like a little girl to me in this outfit :-)
She just needs some earrings!

This sweet soft puppy.......



....became a homestead working dog.  Grouse season opened. 
My mudroom will now smell like wet dog for a good month!





I love the reusable Tattler canning lids --- so far.
The hardest part of using them has been to try to remember to tighten the 
bands after taking them out of the canner.  The plastic lids are BPA-free. 
 You use regular metal bands with them, and a thin rubber gasket that comes with the lids.
 The University of Wisconsin has just received a grant to study them.












...and the harvest continues.
Drying my Mammoth sunflower seeds.
I've tried two years in a row to dry them on the heads,
only to have them mold, so I'm trying it this way this year.
This is only 2 heads!



.....dr momi

How Much Does This Egg Cost?




So......if the chicken that layed the egg on the left is a 1 year old large hen, that lays me an egg every day and eats twice as much
as the chicken that layed the egg on the right,  a two year old leghorn who lays an egg every other day......
Do I really have to cull the leghorn??

 
.....dr momi

Linked To:  Homestead Barn Hop

Dehydrating Experiments

     I was hooked after my Master Food Preserver Class.  I tried dehydrating years ago with unpromising results, so I gave it up.  Now, with the new dehydrators, that they say use only as much energy as a crock pot, I'm experimenting up a storm.

     Only 2 models of dehydrators were recommended for taking enough humidity out of the food.  The Nesco Gardenmaster, and the Excalibur.  I found a Gardenmaster to start, (about 1/2 the price of the Excalibur) and what fun I am having.

     The top 3 foods so far according to family: plums with a smidge of sugar on them, (this was
 #1 - who'd a thunk) pineapple, and the beef jerky.  All are long gone, so no pictures, sorry.  I've also done carrots, strawberries, (granddaughter Gracie's favorite) and apples (skins on, skins off, thin, & chunky).  When the grandkids ask for a snack and I suggest the dehydrated fruit, they are all for it!  Fruit leather is going to be tried with my Wolf River apples just coming ripe.

Organic kale and my first crop from my Honey Crisp apple tree.
I think there were only about 20 apples -- but are they yummy!

My organic sweet potatoes that I grew!




     Today I tried kale, sweet potatoes, and more chunky apples (which has turned out to be our favorite way with the apples).  I've heard good reviews about kale chips -- that kids will eat them.   I took out the main vein, shredded it into big pieces, drizzled some olive oil and sea salt.  Mixed it up real good so everything was coated, and layed them on the trays. My "organic guy" at the farmers market only had curly kale, I have no idea the pros or cons of curly vs. regular.   Caution! They dry fast :-).  The sweet potatoes I did the same thing with olive oil and salt -- never heard of anyone doing that -- told you I was experimenting.

      I've done the apples with an apple peeler and layed out the "rings".  It works good.  But, I'd like to keep the peels on.  Just under the peel is where the pectin is.  Pectin is good for sweeping out extra cholesterol.  So, I used an apple corer.  Sliced the sections in rather chunky pieces into lemon water, drained it, put them on the trays, and sprinkled some cinnamon.  It takes a lot longer to dry them in chunks, but I so enjoy them -- there's more "chew" to them.   .....and Rick will eat them...go figure!

     The results:

The kale dries very deep green, and crunchy.  I like it. 
There is a bit of a "green" taste at the end.   I salted it a little too much. 
So, I figure I might not even taste that "green" if I was drinking a glass of wine with it :-) 
On one piece I tasted sand!  Wash it good before dehydrating.



Yum organic apple chunks.



Organic sweet potatoes.  .....won't be eating them like a chip. Didn't like them.
They were way tough.  Unless I throw them in some soup, I'm thinking
 they will become dog treats.  Billy and Butsch both approved wholeheartily!

 .....dr momi

Linked To: Farm Friend Friday
Linked To: Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop
Linked To: Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday
Linked To: Preparedness Challenge

Need A Funny Caption

What's your caption for this week?

Last Week:

"just once, can we try the limbo?!"


This week's caption coined by TexWisGirl over at  The Run *A* Round Ranch Report
Tex --- you make me laugh!
(labbie1 -- thanks so much for playing!)



This Little Pig Went To Market. This Little Pig Stayed Home.

     One pig was loaded yesterday, and one pig escaped the pen.  Ugghhh!  Rick and I came to the conclusion the young kids were pure rookies loading pigs.  Even I could guess what the next move the pig was thinking before he did it, they had no clue.  "Don't let him push through that side!!"  Fell on empty ears as I watched the young man do not a thing.    .....and Pinky was loose.  The pen not being secure was my fault.  We chased him around for 1 1/2 hours.  As they were leaving the driveway I finally lured him back into the pen with food.

     I don't think Pinky sees well.  I mean worse than other pigs.  According to the young men he was the worst pig they ever had to load.  What???  I raised a rogue pig???  I don't think so.  I think he can't see well and wasn't going to go into that dark truck.  And he's big.  And if he wants to turn around he will.  And he did.  Gordo walked right in for food.  (they brought the ramp this time)

    The search is on for a different processing place -- I'm not doing "strike three".

Being lonely has not stopped him from eating.

.....dr momi

Liebster Award!

                            Candy C. over at Lazy J Bar C Farm   surprised me with this award!
                                           It really made me smile Candy!  Thank-You so much.              


                                                     


Liebster" is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The Liebster is awarded to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

How fun!! Now for the rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have fun!

So, without further ado, here are my five picks to receive this special honor:

1.  Michaele over at  Sprout 'n' Wings Farm

2.  Sharon over at  Fitzgerald's Family Farm

3.  Dicky Bird over at  Dicky Bird's Nest

4.  the crazysheeplady over at  Punkin's Patch

5.  Michele over at  Simply Scaife Family Farm



     Please check out their blogs -- I have been enjoying them!




.....dr momi