Monday, April 6, 2009

Sneak Peek

Tomorrow we are meeting with the greenhouse guy FINALLY! Here is a peek at the abandoned site. I am hoping we can get AT LEAST one of these! Maybe more if the price is right :)
If I had lots of money I'd love to buy the whole deal: house, land, and greenhouses.
Not going to happen! :(




This site has been here for years but I finally just got the nerve up to track down the owner and haunt him down. Sometimes that is how you get the best deals.

Maine Man is going to process one of the pigs on Wednesday. It will be the first time we do the whole thing ourselves . I would love to hear from any of you that have experience in processing the meat, bacon, etc. Tomorrow I will make up this breakfast sausage mix . Looking forward to filling up the freezer with some homegrown pork!
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20 comments:

  1. JodiApril 6, 2009 at 7:52 PM

    I've never processed a pig on my own. Though one of my grandfather's most favorite stories when his Alzheimer's really started to affect him was how they used to slaughter the pigs when he was growing up. And they'd save the blood and his mother would make blood sausage.

    Good luck!

    And I am really jealous of the greenhouse! Have fun!!

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  2. citygirlApril 6, 2009 at 8:16 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. Country GirlApril 6, 2009 at 8:32 PM

    Jodi, that is funny. The stories they tell as dementia sets in. I love the old stories from my grandparents.

    CG, hope ya don't mind that I deleted your comment. I do not want to give away location until this is a done deal for us then anyone can have at them.

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  4. QueenieApril 6, 2009 at 9:30 PM

    I've slaughtered and butchered dozens of pigs. It is a messy, hard job. Are you using a boil/bath to remove the hair or are you burning it off? Are you smoking any of the hams or the bacon? And good for you for making sausage! Fresh pork sausage is the very best. We used everything but the squeal. Even the tail was used to grease the pans... If your hog is heavy enough, you should find two long strips of fat inside. They are called the leaf lard and once rendered down are the most pure fat you will find - pure enough to make pie crust with! I wish you luck with the hog and luck with the greenhouse project!

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  5. Joanna@BooneDocksWilcoxApril 6, 2009 at 10:01 PM

    good luck on the greenhouses. I couldn't kill a pig, (but I love pork).

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  6. Judy TApril 6, 2009 at 10:31 PM

    Oh, good luck with the greenhouses! I would LOVE to have one as well.
    I've never processed a pig so I'm no help to you on that one.
    Judy

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  7. EricaApril 6, 2009 at 10:44 PM

    Oh good luck with the greenhouses! I hope you get a smoking hot deal lol! No idea on the pig though, wish I could help you out ;)

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  8. Captain Hook and Lady CrochetApril 6, 2009 at 11:32 PM

    Hey!
    This is funny..we are getting a greenhouse too! Actually we have it.. in pieces..lol We just tore it down Saturday.

    As for pork.. we raised four piggies last year. A friend of ours taught hubby how to butcher them. It is not all that bad. We didn't do bacon because we didn't have anywhere to cure it. But there is a huge difference between store bought and home grown.

    Another thing we have in common... we are starting maple syrup next year.. and our two of my children share your children's names.lol
    Good luck and keep us posted!

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  9. AnonymousApril 7, 2009 at 5:20 AM

    Stopping in with good thoughts for your greenhouse shopping - its one of the things I'm dreaming of when I have more space for it (and money!). Any thoughts about what new things you might be able to grow in it?

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  10. JenniferApril 7, 2009 at 6:31 AM

    How neat, I would love to have a small green house someday.

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  11. DanielleApril 7, 2009 at 7:30 AM

    We've only done small ones here at the farm, and those are usually too small to cure the bacons and the hams.

    For the market weight hogs we take to the butcher, I get the bacons and hams back fresh, unfrozen and do a dry Virginia-style cure without the saltpeter. It's salty, but I grew up with this kind of ham, so I love it.

    Here's a link to some good instructions.

    Good luck with the pigs and the greenhouses!

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  12. YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel SamanthaApril 7, 2009 at 8:27 AM

    I have no experience in processing any pig or chicken. I've watch my dad when I was younger when he processed chicken.
    Good luck on the greenhouses. Good job on tracking down the owner to get what you want! I'm thinking of getting a small greenhouse. There is really not much room inside my house.

    YD
    p/s: how do you find time to do all these with a FT job?

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  13. Throwback at Trapper CreekApril 7, 2009 at 9:57 AM

    Good Luck on the greenhouses! Never can have too many:)

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  14. warrenApril 7, 2009 at 1:56 PM

    Are you planning to open the greenhouse as a side business or will it be used for all of your own stuff only? Either way, it looks awesome!

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  15. AngieApril 7, 2009 at 4:08 PM

    HOLY COW THAT THING IS HUGE!! You are going to be very busy trying to fill it up............the fun never stops! Great find, and good luck with your hog!

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  16. LeasmomApril 7, 2009 at 6:22 PM

    Great job recycling something, if the price is right that is.

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  17. sugarcreekstuffApril 7, 2009 at 7:25 PM

    I would love a greenhouse, I hope it all works out for you.

    Here is the tutorial you requested,
    http://sugarcreekstuff.blogspot.com/2008/04/saturday-morning-project.html

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  18. FarmchickApril 7, 2009 at 8:51 PM

    You will be lucky to get the greenhouse. I am kicking myself that I passed up a deal to buy a used greenhouse. Oh well, hopefully some day another will come along.

    Have not butchered a pig on our own -- did it with grandparents when I was little.
    Good luck!

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  19. Country GirlApril 7, 2009 at 8:56 PM

    YIKES, THIS GOT SOME RESPONSES! I LOVE IT!

    Q, MM IS SKINNING IT, LITTLE UNCONVENTIONAL BUT THAT IS WHAT WORKS FOR HIM. WE ARE NOT MAKING HAMS WITH THIS ONE. THE BACON WE WILL SMOKE. THANKS FOR THE INFO ABOUT THE FAT. I JUST READ YOUR RESPONSE TO MM.

    J, I COULDN'T DO IT EITHER. GLAD I HAVE MM!

    SBF, FUNNY ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE IN COMMON. I CHECKED OUT YOUR GREENHOUSE THAT IS AWESOME!

    LIALZ, I AM NOT SURE WHAT WE WILL GROW NEW BUT IT WILL EXTEND OUR GROWING SEASON ON BOTHE ENDS. GIVE US A PLACE TO START SEEDING AND IT MAY BE A GREAT PLACE FOR SOME OF OUR HENS TO RESIDE IN THE WINTER.

    D, THANKS FOR THE LINK. BOTH MM & I CHECKED IT OUT!

    YD, GOOD QUESTION. I DO NOT WORK FT. I WORK 24 HOURS, 3 8-H DAY SHIFTS. PRINCESS!! :) MM WORKS 36H 3 12-H NIGHT SHIFTS SO WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF TIME OFF FROM WORK AND THE KIDS ARE GETTING OLDER AND MORE INDEPENDENT. IT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS AND I USED TO WORK MORE UNTIL MM BECAME A NURSE TOO.

    WARREN, WE WILL HAVE NO MORE THAN OUR LITTLE ROADSIDE STAND. WE GROW MOSTLY FOR OUR OWN CONSUMPTION!

    THANKS FOR THE LINK SUGAR CREEK. I WANT TO MAKE ONE WITH A GRAIN BAG. I NEED TO BORROW MY SEWING MACHINE BACK AND GET A LITTLE PATIENCE FOR SEWING.

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  20. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 9:29 PM

    HOLY COW! That's a lot of greenhouse! Are your thumbs that green...?

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