Better LATE than never.....SEVEN Years in Idaho! (Page 29 of 36)
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Update…. It’s been a crazy month! Started my trip to OH on the KLR and had two great days but at the end of the second day I ran through a freak heat wave in South Dakota and it unfortunately cooked/ glazed the compression plates in the clutch and ended the trip early. Unable to source parts in Pierre, SD ( in a timely manner) I rented a truck and drove back home. The ride was great, just a freak set of circumstances aligned and ended it early. I fixed the bike the following weekend and plan another attempt in the Spring. Attached File Idaho/ Montana border (Thompson Pass) day 1 Attached File Running from huge thunderstorm in Central Montana day 1 Attached File Fuel stop/ Lunch break in Sturgis, SD day 2 Attached File Loaded up for drive of shame home day 5. The ride was awesome! Until it wasn’t but the morning of day 2 going from Montana into SD at sunrise was one of the most beautiful sunrises I had ever witnessed… pic did not turn out. Plus it was three hours of riding without seeing another vehicle…. As I said I will be making another attempt in the Spring! Now I am back home and getting ready for the start of winter. |
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Nothing to exciting today…. I dismantled the garden area and the raised beds last weekend…… Attached File And decided that Grizz needed a place of his own…. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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And a few more…. Attached File Attached File Attached File I should have enough metal to do the roof and possibly the end wall. I may tackle that tomorrow. |
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OP, How is the weather effecting your work on the homestead? Also, it may have been mentioned and if so I don't recall, but what predatory animals are the biggest concern for your livestock? Do you have bears, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bobcats? I'd imagine coyotes are the biggest nuisance. |
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Originally Posted By A_G: OP, How is the weather effecting your work on the homestead? Also, it may have been mentioned and if so I don't recall, but what predatory animals are the biggest concern for your livestock? Do you have bears, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bobcats? I'd imagine coyotes are the biggest nuisance. It was a beautiful early fall and I got a lot of needed maintenance and winter prep done around the cabin. I also had a lot of vehicle maintenance/ repair to take care of. I have had all of the above on the property. However, the only animals I have lost since I’ve been here were two roosters to a raccoon back in July. It was the first, and only one I had seen since I have been here. He nailed 8 of my neighbors chickens but I dispatched him after about a week. The coyotes come out in force about every three weeks. There are also a couple loners who show up more frequently trying to taunt Grizz and draw him out. He has actually learned NOT to chase them unless I am with him and he runs em off property and then stops. He even rolled one and tore into it pretty badly before it could get to the property line. My neighbor has taken about 35 cats within a 1/2 mile of the property over the last two and a half years but they have never come around the cabin. I have seen tracks on the backside of my property but that is it. Bears and wolves have passed through but not for a couple of years… |
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Good to hear wildlife hasn't killed much of your livestock, hope it stays that way. I live in the city, but the foothills, and have had coyotes come into my yard plenty. No pets, but have a 4 year old and new born. Had a whole family of 5 come into my back yard and treat it like their amusement park for a few days a while back. Are you looking to get more work done inside the home during the winter since work outdoors is next t impossible? |
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Day one of three butchering my hogs. Way past normal butchering size but I’ve decided to go another direction with the animals I plan to raise going forward…. This afternoon I dispatched the biggest one so I could let her hang over night and cool as I am just skinning her instead of scalding and scraping…… Attached File For size reference my mom is 5’1” tall… Attached File As I said I just wanted to dispatch and gut her so she could cool overnight to make the skinning easier…. Attached File Attached File When I tried to weigh her after the kill, my 660# scale would not register so I will weigh her in the morning before I start. I have a buddy coming over in the morning to learn how to break down a the hog and I am giving him half of this one. My plans are to have this one broken down by noon or so tomorrow and then repeat todays process with the second hog tomorrow afternoon and then break that one down Sunday. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: Day one of three butchering my hogs. Way past normal butchering size but I’ve decided to go another direction with the animals I plan to raise going forward…. This afternoon I dispatched the biggest one so I could let her hang over night and cool as I am just skinning her instead of scalding and scraping…… https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2183_jpeg-3365334.JPG For size reference my mom is 5’1” tall… https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2187_jpeg-3365335.JPG As I said I just wanted to dispatch and gut her so she could cool overnight to make the skinning easier…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2188_jpeg-3365339.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2192_jpeg-3365340.JPG When I tried to weigh her after the kill, my 660# scale would not register so I will weigh her in the morning before I start. I have a buddy coming over in the morning to learn how to break down a the hog and I am giving him half of this one. My plans are to have this one broken down by noon or so tomorrow and then repeat todays process with the second hog tomorrow afternoon and then break that one down Sunday. Holy Schmidt, that's a big ole girl! Hope you're ready to smoke a bunch of bacon! |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: Day one of three butchering my hogs. Way past normal butchering size but I’ve decided to go another direction with the animals I plan to raise going forward…. This afternoon I dispatched the biggest one so I could let her hang over night and cool as I am just skinning her instead of scalding and scraping…… https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2183_jpeg-3365334.JPG For size reference my mom is 5’1” tall… https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2187_jpeg-3365335.JPG As I said I just wanted to dispatch and gut her so she could cool overnight to make the skinning easier…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2188_jpeg-3365339.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2192_jpeg-3365340.JPG When I tried to weigh her after the kill, my 660# scale would not register so I will weigh her in the morning before I start. I have a buddy coming over in the morning to learn how to break down a the hog and I am giving him half of this one. My plans are to have this one broken down by noon or so tomorrow and then repeat todays process with the second hog tomorrow afternoon and then break that one down Sunday. If by fully broken down, you mean fully processed, that is impressive for a half days work! |
"Byte My Shiny Metal Brass"
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Originally Posted By BMSMB: If by fully broken down, you mean fully processed, that is impressive for a half days work! I should have it all cut up and portioned. The skinning will be the longest part of the morning then the vacuum sealing will definitely take a lot longer than that. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: I should have it all cut up and portioned. The skinning will be the longest part of the morning then the vacuum sealing will definitely take a lot longer than that. Very impressive! We upgraded to a vacuum chamber sealer this year and it definitely slowed down an already slow process. Much better seal though! |
"Byte My Shiny Metal Brass"
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OK….. I’ll start with this. Attached File Twice the weight compared to the last one I did two years ago….. Did not get as cold as I hoped last night so the skinning took me about 90 minutes this morning. My buddy showed up about halfway through the skinning and I let him do the other half….. Attached File I processed the first half in a little over 90 minutes while trying to explain what I was doing …… Attached File Then I let him do the second half which ended up taking the bulk of the afternoon. We decided to hold off on the second hog because someone else wanted to barter for half of it and they want to help butcher so it will wait til next weekend when they can come. Overall, my buddy left with 135# of pork and I have about 250# of meat and 50# of fat for lard. I am discarding about twice again that much fat as she had an overabundance. I am thoroughly wipe out as trying to maneuver just one side at a time was a real workout. I will wait til morning to portion and seal my meat. I plan on grinding about a third of it for various sausages and then canning a third of it for the future. |
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How old was she? That's a huuuge bitch! What is your scheme with that size? I also generally raise mine past normal market weight, but usually only to 300-350 or so hanging weight. My old Berkshire boar was a bruiser though! (I'm 6'3" 240) Attached File |
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Originally Posted By loon_138: How old was she? That's a huuuge bitch! What is your scheme with that size? I also generally raise mine past normal market weight, but usually only to 300-350 or so hanging weight. My old Berkshire boar was a bruiser though! (I'm 6'3" 240) https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66713/IMG_20201114_155754950_jpg-3366433.JPG They were bought to be breeders three years ago and the guy with the boar I wanted to breed them with flaked on me two years in a row so I just ended up with these big girls that I got tired of just feeding. The meat is incredible and there is potential for about an equal amount of lard as the fat is real clean. The belly is too fat for a good bacon but I am gonna play around with it and see what I can make of it. |
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Today I am going to dispatch our second hog. She is about 20% smaller so she will be a little easier to handle….. I am in the middle of canning 21 qts of meat from last weeks pig…… Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File The first slab of bacon begins its cure this weekend as well. Hopefully I will have a little time to rough build the smoking cabinet on Sunday. |
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So today, I canned another 18 qts of pork. I also cooked two 5# batches of carnitas ….. One batch in oven….. Attached File One in a slow cooker…. Attached File And my first slab of belly is out of the cure and ready for the smoker……. Attached File Just need a smoker now! |
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My smokehouse (just finished the final plans) is obviously not built yet. So today while canning I decide to throw together a small smoke cabinet out of the scraps I have lying around….. Scrap 2x4 stickers from work made the frame…. Attached File Attached File I then used all the scrap plywood I could find for sheeting… Attached File Then I sheeted three sides and the roof with old metal…. Attached File Attached File |
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After that I dug into my stock of cedar 1x’s and trimmed the front and made a door…. Attached File Attached File I also did a little burn on the cedar as well… Attached File Attached File I made a small rack to hold the rods that I will use to hang the products I plan to smoke….i will just be using my camp burner and a couple of pans to hold the wood chips and collect the drippings. I still have to make the racks for the drip pan, however. Attached File If all goes well I will be smoking the bacon tomorrow. If it turns out I will be curing and smoking a lot more of the pork that I have going forward. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: After that I dug into my stock of cedar 1x’s and trimmed the front and made a door…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2230_jpeg-3380267.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2231_jpeg-3380269.JPG I also did a little burn on the cedar as well… https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2232_jpeg-3380272.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2233_jpeg-3380274.JPG I made a small rack to hold the rods that I will use to hang the products I plan to smoke….i will just be using my camp burner and a couple of pans to hold the wood chips and collect the drippings. I still have to make the racks for the drip pan, however. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2239_jpeg-3380284.JPG If all goes well I will be smoking the bacon tomorrow. If it turns out I will be curing and smoking a lot more of the pork that I have going forward. This is awesome. The spirit of going after it and getting it done is inspirational. I fucking love it OP, no homo. 
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Originally Posted By A_G: This is awesome. The spirit of going after it and getting it done is inspirational. I fucking love it OP, no homo. Thanks man….. I thought I would throw in an update of some early morning smoking! Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File This is 1.5 hours in to my (approx) 3 hour smoke….. |
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We used to save the hog head for Brunswick stew, back when we slaughtered our own. Cleaned of course. Great thread! Cooked down the lard in a big black kettle over an open fire. Good times. |
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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Did some interior work over the last two weekends. I first installed six additional 100amp/hr batteries and then an automatic switch to change from solar to generator. Attached File Attached File Last weekend I completed the bench/sofa above the batteries and enclosed the solar equipment…. Attached File Attached File After I roughed the bench in I moved the television to the other wall and started roughing in the storage cabinet under the wall tv mount. |
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As I was building in the cabinets my mom converted some old pads into the couch pad….. Attached File Attached File Attached File This weekend I plan on rewriting the 12v block and cleaning it up and then building a cabinet on the wall around all the electric boxes. More 12v lighting will be installed. I will be trimming everything out in cedar and probably building cedar doors as well. Depending on how much I get done I may start roughing in the new stairwell to the loft as well. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: As I was building in the cabinets my mom converted some old pads into the couch pad….. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2258_jpeg-3391032.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2259_jpeg-3391033.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_2260_jpeg-3391034.JPG This weekend I plan on rewriting the 12v block and cleaning it up and then building a cabinet on the wall around all the electric boxes. More 12v lighting will be installed. I will be trimming everything out in cedar and probably building cedar doors as well. Depending on how much I get done I may start roughing in the new stairwell to the loft as well. Wow. That looks amazing. Well done! |
"Byte My Shiny Metal Brass"
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Originally Posted By A_G: That's a lot of work in a short time. Your mom did a great job with the couch cushion, looks nice with the charred wood. How's the weather there right now? We're looking at mid 70s through next week here, hoping I can finally paint the fucking doors I made. Weather has been rainy and cold. We may get some snow this weekend. This morning I roughed in the cabinet for the electric panels on the end wall and cleaned up the wiring a bit… Attached File Attached File Attached File I also ran a dimmable light, set the switches for my solar and my solar charger. I also threw up my ham radio for shits and giggles…. I am not licensed but I like to listen to the area traffic. Attached File Attached File Tomorrow I will start with the cedar trim and may start some of the paint. I wanna wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! |
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I worked on the cedar trim yesterday and this morning….. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File I still have to make the doors for the console under the television but I am just about finished with the living area except for the paint. |
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Slowly re reading this thread. Couple of sawmill questions. Would you get the same one again? How long of a log can you actually cut? How thick was your ship lap? Once again, fantastic thread. |
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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Originally Posted By Oldgold: Slowly re reading this thread. Couple of sawmill questions. Would you get the same one again? How long of a log can you actually cut? How thick was your ship lap? Once again, fantastic thread. I loved the woodlands mill and if I needed another bandsaw mill I would probable get another one. However, it doesn’t really hold a candle to the Lucas circular saw mill as far as speed of production or cleanness of cut when doing dimensional lumber. The only drawback is that the circular sawmill cannot do live edge slabs as easy or as wide as the bandsaw mill. |
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Yesterday afternoon and this morning I roughed in the stairs to the loft. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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I spent the bulk of the midday out shooting with my buddy getting ready for the up coming Cola Warrior in February. I got back in the afternoon and finished the stairs. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File There will be several storage closets and cabinets built in under the landings. |
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Bump... Been down sick for the last month, so not much going on other than keeping the late snow accumulation plowed and the cabin warm! Attached File |
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