Farmer Boy's Provision

Regardless of one's opinion on the subject, my guys, and our little girl, are hunters.  Even our older boys, who now live in big cities and are married to vegetarians or city girls, grew up learning how to hunt wild game.  Albeit that when the "bigs" were youngin's and we lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas, Mr.B had to drive them quite a distance to find the wild game.  One of the best aspects of living on the Montana Prairie, is that hunters do not have to travel because the wild game comes to us. 

This autumn, our Farmer Boy turned 15 and was allowed to go on an independent hunt.  After obtaining permission, I drove him a couple miles over to a neighbor's ranch and dropped him off.  After finding a nice resting spot on a small bluff and enjoying the scenery while the warm sun shone on his back, Farmer Boy eyed a nice Buck.  In less than two hours he was phoning me to pick him up.  I was proud to find that upon my arrival, he had already field dressed the buck and was dragging it up toward the gate, about 3/4 mile from where he harvested it.  When we arrived home, he skinned, quartered and iced the meat all on his own, as Mr.B was working out of town that week.  I am proud of how grown up our "little caboose" is becoming.  Yes, Little Caboose, is my nickname for him, although he's not so little anymore.

Farmer Boy proudly displaying his provision for our family.

 

As you can see this buck is quite large.  And at the bottom of the photo is our late, and beloved farm dog, Sam, anxiously awaiting one of those legs.


When most folks eat venison from our home, they never know it's venison because their pallets do not detect a "gamey taste" that is typical in wild game.  We process our venison in a manner that removes nearly all that "gamey" flavor.  What do we do?  After quartering the deer we age the meat in ice for 10 days (we drain the water off daily) before we butcher and wrap it in food saver bags for freezing.


This year, I did not have the time nor energy to butcher the harvest myself. So, after our 10 day aging period, we paid a local butcher to process it into breakfast sausage, ground meat and stew meat.  This one buck yielded 123 lbs. of meat for our freezer.  That's about 1/2 our family's annual meat consumption.  Add that to the lamb and hog we butchered after fair last summer, and we have enough meat to last more than a year. 


Which begs another question:  How does one prevent freezer burn if needing to freeze meat for more than six months?  A Food Saver System, of course.  It draws the excess air out of the packaging, preventing freezer burn.  My darling Sister-Friend, Mrs.A, blessed us with one a few years ago and, I must say, it is one of the best appliances we own.  The butcher we used this autumn uses a commercial type food saver and our meat will keep for more than a year, as his commercial version works as well as our home Food Saver appliance.


Is anyone in your family a hunter?  Do you have any tips for processing or storing wild game that you'd like to share in the comments sections?

45th Presidential Inauguration

 Our Songbird was selected to go to Washington D.C. through 4-H's Citizenship Washington Focus this past summer and again for the 45th Presidential Inauguration.  There were only 500 4-H students, 10 from each state, selected to attend the 2017 inauguration.  Our Songbird is truly honored to be among those 500 students representing 4-H in D.C. this week.  Since Songbird LOVES the U.S. political system and history, I personally do not know of a youngster who would benefit more from these trips.

Here are some highlights of her trip:

 

6, + chaperone, of Montana's 4-H delegation flew out from the Billings airport while the remaining 4, + chaperone, flew out from the Bozeman airport.  Songbird is on the right.

 

While in D.C. last summer, Songbird met Montana's U.S. Senator Steve Daines.  Earlier this week, when boarding the plane out of Billings, she saw him sitting in his assigned seat.  She, of course, stopped for a short visit and introduced the other students in her delegation.  Songbird is the sort of girl whose never met a stranger and if you've had the pleasure of meeting her once, you will from then forward be a life long friend.

While on their way to witness Montana Congressman's, Ryan Zinke's Senate Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of Interior, they met Songbird's hero, Dr. Ben Carson.  She is so impressed and has so much respect for all he has accomplished in his life, she incorporated portions of his bio in a 4-H competitive speaking completion she participated in a couple years ago.  She says he was exactly as she expected him to be.  I am so happy she was not disappointed when meeting this man for whom she holds so much admiration.

The students were housed at the National 4-H Conference Center in Washington D.C.  Not only do they room and board here while in D.C., they also attend various workshops and participate in mock political processes.  The 4-H CWF trips fully immerse the students in the workings of the U.S. political system.

Songbird and few others in her delegation gearing up for volunteer work at  the University of Maryland.  This week they spent a day weeding the gardens.  An activity in which Songbird has plenty of experience.

 

 

What a site!  500 of 4-H's best and brightest.

January 20, 2017, President Trump's and Vice-President Pence's Inauguration Day.  Songbird was there.  Thanks to U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Montana's 4-H delegation was seated as close as the general pubic could be seated. 

4-H always hosts a formal evening at all their State and National events.  Here is Songbird, and two others from her delegation, dressed "to the nines" at one of the Inaugural Balls held aboard a cruise ship on the Potomac River.



I sincerely hope this post doesn't come across as braggadocios.  Those who know me personally know that I share this out of genuine excitement for our daughter.  4-H has helped develop so many life skills and afforded her amazing opportunities and experiences, I can not imagine a better extra-curricular for her.  I am fully confident that Songbird's participation in 4-H has been God ordained and He is using this venue to develop attributes within her that will Glorify Him as she continues her journey through life.

No Treadmill Workout for Me Today ...

... Nope, I've been getting plenty of exercise clearing paths in the snow.  We were blessed with a blizzard on Christmas Day that brought in quite a bit of snow.  Some of the drifts in our yard are up to 4ft. deep.  Yesterday morning we found our bucks buried inside their shed under nearly a 10ft. drift.  Their snow buried shed became an igloo for them and it was toasty warm inside!

Mr. B removed snow from our parking area as we had drifts nearly 3ft. high behind all our vehicles ... the snow piles are higher than the beds of the pick-ups.

 

The snow plow made it down our county road late this morning removing three huge snow drifts between our driveway and the highway.  Two of the drifts were over 6ft. deep and one was more than 13ft. deep!  I know it will be hard for my southern family and friends to believe it but, this storm wasn't even considered a "bad" one.  I always make sure our winter stocks are supplied well before late autumn sets in. The last time a "bad one" hit - the power was out and it was more than 2 weeks before the plows arrived bringing access for power line repairs and an exit route to the highway.

Butter Pecan Cookies

OH MY, OH MY!  I've found a new favorite cookie.  Since I'm a chocoholic, you know these are fabulous if they are my new favorite.

These cookies are embarrassingly easy to make:

1 store bought butter pecan cake mix

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 c. vegetable oil

finely chopped pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl combine cake mix, beaten eggs, and vegetable oil.  Use a teaspoon sized scoop to measure out dough.  Roll dough into a ball and roll in chopped pecans.  Place dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 2 dozen

Snowman Cupcakes

I was feeling creative and decided that plain cupcakes would never do for this afternoon's 4-H bake sale.  I decided to make snowman cupcakes.

 

Here's how I did it:

1.  After baking and frosting the cupcakes I rolled them in flaked coconut. 

2. Cut strips of fruit leather worked great for the scarves.  Dampening the ends of the fruit leather with a tiny drop of water, ever so slightly, is the method used to "glue" the fruit leather together. Wrap the fruit leather around a marshmallow.

3.  Assorted Ju Ju candies serve as the hats and a cut up black licorice Ju Ju works for the eyes.

4.  Attach the "eyes" by firmly pressing them into the marshmallow.

5.  Skewer the "hat, marshmallow and cupcake together with a toothpick.

How Did You Pay For Christmas This Year?

  

Only two days ago I read This Short Article regarding household credit card debt in the United States.  I was shocked to find the average at a whopping $16,061 per household.  That's nearly 27.9% of the 2016 median household income of $57,616!  We must keep in mind that amount does not include any other debts such as  mortgage, auto, student loans, etc.  I find this mind-blowing, especially since the cost of living in the United States has increased approximately 30% in the past 15 years, while household incomes fall short with an increase of only 28%.  How does a family cope with that kind of financial stress during an expensive Christmas season?

Anyone who has regularly read my blog knows that I've seen some excessively lean financial times during my life.   With 5 children, we have a larger than average sized family, so it would be very easy to face financial disaster in January if we weren't disciplined with our spending and gift giving during the Christmas season.  That is why, when the children were only babies, we chose to bless each of them with only 3 gifts each Christmas - 1 homemade, 1 book, 1 store bought - a tradition we continue to this day.  During the leanest years we could only afford $5 or less per child for our entire Christmas budget.  How did we do it?

 "CASH ONLY" Christmas

1.  We DO NOT use credit cards, or any other type of loan, for gifts.

2.  Christmas is on Dec. 25th each and every year.  This date never changes, allowing us an entire year to PLAN and SHOP or CREATE for Christmas gift giving.

3.  Homemade / Handmade gifts have included a wide variety of items:  Christmas ornaments, homemade cookies or candies, crocheted hats, scarfs & wool socks, crocheted afghans, Christmas stockings & other Christmas "trimmings",  aprons, shirts, stationary, jams & jellies, qt. jars of Mom's pasta sauce aka "the sauce", zucchini or banana bread and/or muffins, quilts, neckerchiefs aka wild rags, calendars, handkerchiefs, cocoa mix,  ... Many of our homemade / handmade gifts are created with left over scraps or a surplus of pantry items.  I rarely purchase new supplies for "crafting".

4.  A book as a gift.  30 years ago my finances were so lean, I borrowed the Christmas gift books from the local library on Dec. 23rd, wrapped them and made sure the children read the books before their due dates so I would avoid the 5 cents late fine.  Although our household income has improved substantially since that Christmas 30 years ago, last year I hit a gold mine at our local thrift store - 7 "new" books with topics suited for each person,  for less than $8.00.

5.  ONE store bought gift.  When the children were little, I tried very, very hard to get them a toy, game, puzzle, etc..  Unfortunately, some years did dictate underwear and socks.  (My young in's were actually very happy to have underwear or socks that actually fit and didn't have any holes in them, until they went back to school and had to listen to all their mates brag about all the new toys they had received.)  Our store bought gifts have been as small as a matchbox car or a pair of socks to as luxurious as heated towel warmers and heated shaving cream dispensers.  The BUDGET and NEED have always dictated our store bought gift purchases.  During our financially leanest years, I became a master at finding excellent treasures at thrift stores throughout the year, or picking up a nice toy, game or puzzle deeply discounted in the after Christmas sales.  Now days, most of our children are grown, so I've been known to send them gift cards for local activities such as bowling, movies, plays, put-put golf, go carts, arcades, symphonies, ballets, dining out, etc..  "Trip Advisor.com" is a terrific resource for finding local attractions if your loved ones live in another city or state.  This is also a very budget friendly option as one can often purchase gift cards for as little as $5 each.  One year, it was painfully obvious that our children didn't need anything and all their wants were above our budget.  So, we donated a goat to Heifer International in each of our children's names and wrapped a little farm animal goat for each child to open. 

6.  Gifts for extended family, close friends, teachers, pastors, etc..  Now, here is an area that can quickly destroy a gift budget - especially if one is generous by nature.  Homemade / Handmade gifts are generally very budget friendly.  However, my personal favorite budget friendly gift for extended family and friends:  a donation to a loved one's favorite charity in the loved one's name (a donation can cost as little as $1 or be as generous as $1,000,000 or more), the amount donated will always align with ANY budget.

7.  Gift Wrap ... another expense for those who are working with a small budget.  I, of course, save and re-use gift bags.  However, my favorite gift wrap is FREE packing paper.  I iron it, fold it and store it away on my gift wrap shelf.  Depending on my supply, I also pick up ribbon throughout the year from our local thrift shop for about twenty-five cents per roll.  Most of the time very little has been removed from the rolls and often I find it brand new and  inside the original cellophane wrapping. 

8.  Hostess gifts, did we forget about these?  Two of my favorite hostess gifts costs less than seventy-five cents each.  I fill small Christmas themed boxes, containers, or coffee mugs, always found at the thrift store, with hard candies or mixed nuts purchased on sale throughout the year.  I keep a few at the end of my kitchen counter to give to departing guests or to grab as I go out the door when going for a visit to someone's home during the Christmas season.  A lovely homemade gift is an inspiring Christmas prayer handwritten or printed in an elegant font on paper (plain, fancy or embellished) - roll the paper up like a scroll and tie it with ribbon.

I hope some of these tips and techniques that I've used for decades will help inspire you to be creative when looking for ways to stay on budget or reduce your expenses this Christmas season.   And .... If you are one of the few who have already finished your Christmas list, then you are ready to write out next year's list and begin planning a "CASH ONLY" Christmas 2017!

Pies, Pies, Pies ...

Yesterday, I baked a couple pies for today's church social.  I decided that since I was baking pies, I'd go ahead and bake & freeze for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I baked 3 pumpkin, a pecan, an apple and a blackberry crumble.  After placing 4 pies in the freezer for Thanksgiving and  Christmas, I began feeling foolish for actually believing that Farmer Boy would stay out of them.  The moment I leave the house ...Teenage boys ... endless appetites.

Have Gun, Will Travel ...

... A hot glue gun, that is.  I so enjoyed creating our autumn wreath , I decided to make some more for the upcoming Christmas season.  A few are for our home (we have 5 exterior doors on our house) and a few are for gifts.