Barncast 40 -- The winter cometh

To India:

I feel for you, but think of all the haggis!

To Misty and Andrew: these comments are an amalgam of the last show and the previous one. Of course, much of the commentary is steam of consciousness.

Why do you not want to discuss political ideas? There seem to be many issues that are salient to your situation, for instance genetic modified organisms; truth in organic labeling legislation; animal tracking; pasteurization of raw milk; keeping "farm" animals in urban situations (for instance, Bloomington just enacted an ordinance allowing up to 5 chickens, no roosters, within the city limits. Where we live, on lots of at least 2 acres, there is a covenant against chickens, but not against bovines, equines, or porcines). Moreover, in which Indiana Congressional District do you live? Are you in Joe Donelly's district? It would be interesting to hear your views. I would venture that you both tend towards Libertarian but might be pragmatic enough to be Democrats, although Andrew's western Canadian dogma might be a bit rightish. I hope you would venture out on this subject, perhaps on one of those "end of episode" segments that people can skip if they desire.

Hey, with my $0.02 every episode, you've got 80 cents so far!

On watermelons in Norway, I have a close friend who studied music for 3 years at Rauland in Norway and lamented the songbirds and deciduous trees of her native southern Indiana. My suggestion for watermelons in Norway include what you and Caroline suggested, starting seeds in peat pots, but also warming the soil where they are going to be planted by putting a cone of at least 1/3 meter in diameter of transparent material over the spot to be planted.

I have a good friend who raises alpacas. What a beautiful, well-natured animal! In some ways they are like a very big lap dog.

I could not agree more with Misty about the pack mentality of dogs needing to be with their pack. Our baby, Beta, HAS to get in between us for the first 10 minutes when we go to bed. Since we both read, it does not interfere with our intimacy, so we don't mind; indeed we think it is sweet that she wants to be with us.

Caroline's discussion of the Maker's Mark on her wheel resonates with whiskey. I love that she is so devoted to her dogs.

Just a follow-up on the poll, "awefull" is a perplexing term. "Awful" means "terrible" and "awefull" connotes, but is not a real word for, "full of awe", namely "great". I am guessing that Andrew wrote this poll and that he means the former.

Yes, as you well know, I am a pedant.

love the show! A leash on a Sultan chicken would look chic.... PS. My name is Gabe! Thanks for playin my comment Y'all! :)

Good show - always interesting.

I need to quit listening to them before lunch time though. The food talk makes me hungry and envious. Mmmmmm, fresh turkey for Thanksgiving.

Have you folks had any thoughts about doing meat curing/smoking (cured ham, bacon, salt pork)? Might be interesting - doesn't depend on electricity to preserve.

Thanks for the shows.

Per Lurker's comment, curing meat is very en vougue right now, especially where I live in Cleveland, OH. Do you also make your own sausages? You might find this book interesting: http://www.ruhlman.com/books/charcuterie.html

Ruhlman rocks! Love his writing...can't wait to see this one.

Misty, hope you get my latest message intact....I tried to keep it short and tried to re-record it and got cut off :P So I had to re-record it. In other words you have 2 messages from me on the Farm Phone, the 2nd one is most complete.

How did getting the pigs to market go?

Oh wow, it's Tuesday and we're up to 7 messages! Sorry I haven't replied sooner it's been a stressfull couple of days getting the pigs to market in time.

Let me answer Ellen's question first. The pigs haven't made it to market. Next weeks show is going to cover the topic "how not to transport pigs". I ended up spending 2 hours with 5 other guys trying to round up 2 espaced pigs running through a corn field. That then meant I missed my window at the butcher and they can't take them for a few more weeks. Needless to say I'm insanely sore today, there's only so many times the human body can take being run over by a pig.

I would love to cure our own meat but we don't own a smoker at the moment. I want to be able to cold smoke and there seem to be very few commercial smokers that can do that. I have plans for a few so I'm going to have to build one. I really want to try it. Thank you Jen and Lurker.

John G, we try not to get into the politics because that tends to be polarizing and we don't want the show to be about politics. Podchef Neil delves into the politics a lot more on his podcast and I think that's certainly worth a listen. Plus I tend to agree with a lot, though sometimes for different reasons.

India, Don't worry about the ice layer. Here it melts off in the sun pretty quickly. The geese get the same thing, ice on the feathers and it makes them look really ratty. But it doesn't bother them. Their down is so thick they are very warm on the inside.

Hey Andrew and Misty, my wife and I are now in Arizona for the winter. Been a while just wanted to say hi and good idea to stay away from the politics. (may tend to alienate some) Keep up the good work, see ya in the spring. Jerry

Hey Jerry!

Sure sign winter is here, you're in Arizona! Enjoy your warm weather out there.

-Andrew

As I was putting away the last of our canning efforts from the season (pickled hot peppers, onions and carrots) I was wondering, I know you mentioned peppers, but did you guys grow any hot varieties?

Also I have been patiently awaiting your promised further discussion of things to do with sunchokes, but soon the ground is going to be frozen. ;) You mentioned in a previous episode a few ideas, but I am not sure what else to do with the ones we have. By the way, I have also found they don't store all that well. I have heard of storing potatos in loose dirt. Parhaps that would be good for sunchokes too.

Heh, sorry omly! I know we've been promising it, but I think it'll have to wait till next week (show 42) to bring up sunchokes. I think the ground will still be workable, or I hope it will be since we haven't dug anymore either.

You're right, I have yet to find a good way to store them. I think I'm going to dry a 5gallon bucket lowered down into the well pit in the barn. It'll be like a root cellar then.

we promised show 41 would be about butchering fowl, and we have a pig story to tell so that'll probably eat up most of the show.

On the pepper side we didn't grow any this year, I accidentally weeded all of the starts Misty planted. :(

-Andrew

Andrew,

Are you feeling any better? Getting run over by pigs is no picnic...bad enough when they just step on your foot.