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Monday, October 20, 2008

Thoughts on the days to come...

If there's one prediction I can make from this analysis, it's this: It looks very much to me like there will be a rough few years ahead in the United States, whichever candidate wins.

I took this excerpt from an article found here:http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article4995.html.

Let me preface this post by saying I have several things on my mind and this may be a long post. I don't want to really be political in the sense of Dems. vs. Reps. I do have a side and I will say that I am on the side of life no matter who the candidate is.(killing millions of babies every year is unacceptable) However, I don't think it really matters who is elected this time around, as our nation is in such a pitiful financial shape. I think the economy will be the biggest focus for the next 4 years for whoever wins. I think all other points of interest will be taking a back seat to the coming recession. I don't even really care who's fault it is, although I do think that if it were all the Republicans you would here the other side kicking and screaming that fact. Nevertheless, from what all the "financial powers that be" are saying we are headed for some tough times.

First and foremost let me say, In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid... Psalms 56:11

I want it to be clear that I believe God knows what is about to happen and that if we trust in Him, He will not abandon us. However, I do think that we can prepare for the times ahead. Here are a few things that I am doing. I boiled a chicken this past week and instead of throwing out all that scrumptious broth, I put up 2 qts. of broth. I will be doing that with every chicken I boil for the next few months.

Now this is something I have done for several years now. I grind my own wheat and bake all of our bread, rolls, crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls and anything else you can make out of bread dough. The thing I am doing differently is that I have stocked up on wheat berries. I am just sticking them in the freezer. The price of wheat berries has gone through the roof.
The big gallon size jar is honey. Until we have our own bees, I buy honey in a gallon jug.
This is what I made today, a loaf of bread and rolls. My kids love to eat a sandwich on rolls instead of sliced bread.I think my biggest point is, not only am I trying to save some of my money at the grocery store, I am also trying to stock up on pantry items. I am adding extra bags of rice and nonperishables to my pantry every week. I think it may be a wise thing to do.

Another huge thing for the days ahead is living a life that is debt free. If you are not already I encourage you to work on this this next year. We, Lord willing, hope to be debt free at the first of the year next year. Instead of spending on all of the wonderful things I want for this new house, like landscaping, we are focusing on paying off all debt. I think it will serve us far better in the days to come.


Now for the not so glamorous part of the simple life......
We have intentions, Lord willing, of growing and raising all of our food, eventually. We hope to eventually have a diet that does not contain any antibiotics or growth hormone, just natural free range from our own range.LOL
Well, this morning my honey took care of one of our roosters. He has been aggravating our little ladies unbearably. Earlier in the summer we had to kill a rooster because he chased our middle daughter and pecked her when she went to feed them. We just don't tolerate a mean rooster, especially when they are mean to the hand that feeds them. However, this one was mean to the other chickens which can be very upsetting to the egg production. So needless to say his days were numbered. Here is honey taking him across the yard to the barn for his demise. He is not dead but if you pick them up by there feet it has a sort of tranquilizing effect.
Notice our little Shit-Zhu walking along side. He never left during the whole grizzly process.
Yes, that is an extension cord holding the wings. I didn't say we have the most sophisticated process going.
I left out some of the more gory pictures. Here is the end result. We hope to next spring, get 25-50 meat chickens to raise out for our freezer.
Picket, I think your Burly Boys would be proud. We have quite the deer season around here too.LOL
I would like to point out that while all of this killing and processing is going on, I am in the house. I just cook the stuff.LOL
Again, this way of life, I pray, will benefit us in the coming days.

I don't want to seem all doom and gloom but I do think it will benefit us all to be a little more prepared.

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

your bread looks great! and we do our chickens, too. Actually, my daughters 'do' them. They built a little killing cone from a plastic laundry detergent container. They sawed off a larger opening where the funnel was, then stick the chicken inside of the container with its head coming out of the opening and then... *slice*. They can do about 4 or 5 in a couple of hours. My job is to stay inside and then cook them later. : )

PS per your comment... I'd like to go to Jamaica, too.

Heathahlee said...

Can I come live with you? : ) You are now my hero. Anyone who grinds their own wheat and plucks (not to mention the *shivers* other stuff) their own chickens is just simply amazing.

Missy Wertz said...

Well, I used to watch my grandparents do that when I was young. I don't think they used a cooler though. I think they used a big ole galvanized tub that I now have under my deck...

Robin Beck said...

I agree with you. I do believe it has to get worse before the Lord comes to get us. So the things going on in the world don't scare me~! I am like you though-The Lord gave us brains we need to use them and prepare for the worst!
Robin~♥

amy phillips said...

I was browsing through and found your blog. I started to read it and I was reminded just how
good grace is. I remember how wonderful I felt the day I repented of my sins.I no longer walk with chains. I walk with God.

Nicole said...

Wow, you guys are good! I don't think I could do the whole raising your own chickens, but I admire those who do. When I lived in Sanpete County Utah, the home of the norbest turkey plant I remember taking a tour of it. It was very interesting :)

Anonymous said...

Great chicken pictures. We used to have 50 chickens, seven turkeys, and five guineas. We ate some of the chickens. My husband would just hold them upside down for a minute or two (seems to make them go limp), then lay them down across a board, then...whack! Our only child at the time, who was three, and I would watch and then start plucking. I actually liked plucking.

We had planned to eat the turkeys one at a time, but one day I went outside to the car and they surrounded me and attacked. So I made my husband annihilate them all.

We live in town now, so no poultry for us. I'd love to have guineas again though...they're noisy, but they eat all the ticks and fleas out of the yard.

Julie said...

I plan on raising our own food as well. Right now I am practicing in my subdivision with some raised bed gardens.
I tease my kids and tell them I will have their country "grandpa" teach them how to butcher and clean the chickens so I don't have to. I plan to just hang out in the house as well. LOL

Picket said...

Morning girl...oh I bet your house smelled fantastic with that bread cooking...Girl I know things are getting rough...groceries are getting higher and higher and I admire you for being able to grow your own food like that...that is my Burly Boys dream! lol They are hoping to get enough deer this season to last them all winter! lol I am like you we just have to do all we know to do and then pray and know that God will see us thru..take care girl and have a great week!

Rue said...

Hi Trixi :)

I'm such a city girl I couldn't really look at the chicken killing... freaked me out, but I commend you for raising your own food.

That bread looked yummy though :)

rue

Liz Harrell said...

Oh that bread looks fabulous! You are my hero! I wish I was thriftier.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Good for you, sounds like you have a lot of things figured out to save money. You are SO right about what is happening in our country, it's really scarey. It is wonderful that you bake your own bread & buying wheatberries & everything. I'm not even close to doing anything like that!

PocketsoftheFuture said...

It is my strong personal belief that the current crisis isn't about Dem or Rep. It is about greed and materialism and wrong headed living across the board. If we keep thinking these problems stem from politics or can be fixed through politics, we will miss the real opportunity and that is to change the way we personally live.

I am so glad that you and your family are doing more and more for yourselves and learning so many new skills. Doesn't it feel great? It is a lot of work but so satisfying. At least, that is our experience.

Thank you for sharing,
Leslie

V and Co. said...

hahaha! wow! we've been working on our food storage, but i think things have to get a little bit worse for me to have to do that to my chicken...maybe when the man gets home we'll start raising our own!

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

Mrs. Trixi you have a lot of wisdom to share and I'm glad I caught this post. I will be a proud follower as not to miss any more.
Blessings to you.
Kim

kari and kijsa said...

What great ideas- simple changes that would mean a lot on the bottom dollar!! Love that you make all your own bread!! We are also on the side of life!!

Have a wonderful day!
kari & kijsa

Farmhouse Blessings said...

We are very like minded on this subject and do many of the very same things. The Lord has blessed us with a harvest of nuts this year and we're gathering them all to store for whenever they're needed. And we invest in increasing our non-perishables each week as funds are available.

We moved onto our land 2 short years ago with the vision of becoming self-sufficient. Sadly, our first 18 months was spent solely caring for our son who became very ill. But praise the Lord, he is well, and we have begun our self-sufficiency journey as well. I look forward to reading more ways you are planning for the future.

One note on slaughtering your chicken ... one of my friends here in TN is slaughtering 40 birds this month. She and her husband are using those orange traffic cones to help them. Just stick the bird in with his head out the hole. Then go to work and the bird drains until he's ready to be plucked. I believe you can get them in the sports department at walmart. I thought that was quite clever and wanted to share it.

Do you just store the chicken broth similar to other canning? How long does it keep?

Well I'm off to read some more.

Smiles,
Lea