Comments for Summer In A Jar-Food Preservation Classes http://www.summerinajar.com classes in food preservation, scratch cooking integrating sustainable farming with daily eating Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:05:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Comment on Chicken Tractor by Terrie http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-3285 Terrie Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:05:28 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-3285 It was nice to talk with you on the phone. I'd love to see some photos of what you come up with..maybe post what you have learned and more dimensions. I'd like to post more detail, but it doesn't ever get to the top of the proverbial list. Ken It was nice to talk with you on the phone. I’d love to see some photos of what you come up with..maybe post what you have learned and more dimensions. I’d like to post more detail, but it doesn’t ever get to the top of the proverbial list.
Ken

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by Terrie http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-3284 Terrie Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:01:50 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-3284 We built the width of the tractor to correspond to the width of our garden beds so the chickens could till the garden after harvest. Our beds are four feet wide so I made the tractor wheels come down just outside that. I'd definitely make a wider access on the back wall for easy cleaning and I would take the fiberglass further up the walls to make for easier cleaning as well as frustrate the efforts of the mites to hide in the crevices. They are hard to get rid of and they wreak havoc on the chickens...at least up here in Western Washington. The nest box roof rubs a bit against the upper roof overhang when open, so, yes, I would extend the piece that receives the next box roof to give more clearance. I had planned to put a little ridge on that piece to stop water from running in the laying box, but the water hasn't been much of a concern, at least not enough to make it to the top of my list. All the research I did on laying box sizes, etc, proved to not be terribly important. With eight to ten hens, almost all of them will choose to lay in the same box. The apparently cooperate and take turns. So maybe we DO have something to learn from them! Remember, I'm writing all this so that I'll get to see pictures of your chicken tractors and your happy chickens. Let me see what you're creating. Ken We built the width of the tractor to correspond to the width of our garden beds so the chickens could till the garden after harvest. Our beds are four feet wide so I made the tractor wheels come down just outside that.
I’d definitely make a wider access on the back wall for easy cleaning and I would take the fiberglass further up the walls to make for easier cleaning as well as frustrate the efforts of the mites to hide in the crevices. They are hard to get rid of and they wreak havoc on the chickens…at least up here in Western Washington. The nest box roof rubs a bit against the upper roof overhang when open, so, yes, I would extend the piece that receives the next box roof to give more clearance. I had planned to put a little ridge on that piece to stop water from running in the laying box, but the water hasn’t been much of a concern, at least not enough to make it to the top of my list. All the research I did on laying box sizes, etc, proved to not be terribly important. With eight to ten hens, almost all of them will choose to lay in the same box. The apparently cooperate and take turns. So maybe we DO have something to learn from them!
Remember, I’m writing all this so that I’ll get to see pictures of your chicken tractors and your happy chickens. Let me see what you’re creating.
Ken

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by Colleen http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-3255 Colleen Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:45:33 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-3255 We are in the process of building a version of your chicken tractor, Terrie, for our family chickens. We love it! Thank you for sharing! We are planning our design around the mechanics of the wheel as you suggested, but want to get your proportions right so it has the same look. We've downloaded your drawings, but have a few other questions if that's okay...How wide is the coop? What is the height of the coop (without the run and wheel space underneath)? What is the roof's pitch? Is there a benefit to having the one, covered opening into the nesting boxes instead of smaller openings into each box? We have a piece of masonite bead board (without the bead) that we could use on the floor of the coop. Would that make the chickens lame or have other drawbacks? We are in the process of building a version of your chicken tractor, Terrie, for our family chickens. We love it! Thank you for sharing! We are planning our design around the mechanics of the wheel as you suggested, but want to get your proportions right so it has the same look. We’ve downloaded your drawings, but have a few other questions if that’s okay…How wide is the coop? What is the height of the coop (without the run and wheel space underneath)? What is the roof’s pitch? Is there a benefit to having the one, covered opening into the nesting boxes instead of smaller openings into each box? We have a piece of masonite bead board (without the bead) that we could use on the floor of the coop. Would that make the chickens lame or have other drawbacks?

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by Elizabeth Robertson http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-3194 Elizabeth Robertson Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:52:23 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-3194 Yours is definitely the nicest looking chicken tractor I have seen. I am trying to put some plans together to build something similar and I wondered about a few things. Is the nest box opening at all restricted by the roof overhang of the main building? How wide is the building? I'm guessing around 5 feet? would it be possible for you to post a few more pictures of your wonderful tractor? Maybe one with the nest box open? It would be greatly appreciated. You mentioned a few things you would change. (larger opening for cleaning) Are there any other changes or words of advise you would give to someone starting out on this project? Thanks for sharing your thoughts and design. Yours is definitely the nicest looking chicken tractor I have seen. I am trying to put some plans together to build something similar and I wondered about a few things. Is the nest box opening at all restricted by the roof overhang of the main building? How wide is the building? I’m guessing around 5 feet? would it be possible for you to post a few more pictures of your wonderful tractor? Maybe one with the nest box open? It would be greatly appreciated. You mentioned a few things you would change. (larger opening for cleaning) Are there any other changes or words of advise you would give to someone starting out on this project?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and design.

]]> Comment on The Case for Canning Tomatoes by The Sea of Red | Country Cosmo's Blog http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/957/comment-page-1#comment-2447 The Sea of Red | Country Cosmo's Blog Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:04:27 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=957#comment-2447 [...] jars, wipping jars, sealing jars and boiling jars but well worth it. Here’s a great link to Summer in a Jar, where Master Canner Teri Irish explains why you should can your own tomotoes. [...] [...] jars, wipping jars, sealing jars and boiling jars but well worth it. Here’s a great link to Summer in a Jar, where Master Canner Teri Irish explains why you should can your own tomotoes. [...]

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by Terrie http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-2429 Terrie Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:40:51 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-2429 Hello Derek, I didn't see your post for a long time for some reason. All of the details that I have written down are posted throughout this thread in addition to comments about improvements. Start with the wheels and your center of gravity. Larger the wheel diameter the better for rough terrain. Ken Hello Derek,
I didn’t see your post for a long time for some reason. All of the details that I have written down are posted throughout this thread in addition to comments about improvements. Start with the wheels and your center of gravity. Larger the wheel diameter the better for rough terrain.
Ken

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by Derek http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-2371 Derek Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:59 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-2371 Boy Scout Eagle Project for Crowley Nature Museum in Manatee County Florida. We can use all the updates and ideas that are available to make a demonstration (full operating model with chickens and chicks) portable chicken coop for this farm museum and to share with visitors who want to build their own. Thank you for pioneering this design. I will be asking my High School to allow me to use this as my agriculture project as well as my Eagle Scout project requirement. Will send you the write up when it is completed. Derek Boy Scout Eagle Project for Crowley Nature Museum in Manatee County Florida. We can use all the updates and ideas that are available to make a demonstration (full operating model with chickens and chicks) portable chicken coop for this farm museum and to share with visitors who want to build their own.

Thank you for pioneering this design. I will be asking my High School to allow me to use this as my agriculture project as well as my Eagle Scout project requirement.

Will send you the write up when it is completed. Derek

]]> Comment on Classes by Terrie http://www.summerinajar.com/products-page/comment-page-1#comment-2270 Terrie Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:11:36 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/products-page#comment-2270 Dear David, Excellent question. I would have responded a bit faster had I not been in the middle of a canning run myself. Missing liquid from a jar comes as a result of siphoning. It is a clear indication that something not quite right happened in the process. There are many causes. The amount of headspace, or the air in the jar, that you have indicated suggests that there is a possibility that the safety of the product has been compromised. Product should not protrude above the liquid in the jar. When the headspace is that large you don't have a quality seal...too much air in the jar to achieve the proper vacuum. This is especially critical for low acid foods which is what you use a pressure canner for. Here's a list of questions to help determine the causes:(this is not exhaustive) I am assuming in this conversation that, if you have a dial gauge canner (as opposed to a weighted gauge canner) you have tested it for accurate pressure (they need to be tested annually), that you have made appropriate altitude adjustments and have used a current, up to date recipe.(see National Center for Home Food Preservation to benchmark your recipes. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/ ) We are ever vigilant to guard against the growth of botulism which thrives in a low acid, anaerobic environment such as a low acid food when canned improperly. *Was this hotpack or cold pack? *Did you deviate in anyway from the methodology prescribed by the canner manuf.? Did you possibly release the pressure from the canner after processing without letting it come to 0 psi on its own? *Large fluctuations of the pressure during processing will contribute to siphoning as well. *Overfilling the jar will also contribute. *Were your careful to remove air bubbles from the product before you applied the lid? *Did you vent your pressure canner before putting on the weight? Side Note: Whenever you use a low acid pressure canned product, remember to bring it to a full boil for ten minutes before eating. We like the Tattler lids. You can check them out at http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/ Dear David,
Excellent question. I would have responded a bit faster had I not been in the middle of a canning run myself.
Missing liquid from a jar comes as a result of siphoning. It is a clear indication that something not quite right happened in the process. There are many causes. The amount of headspace, or the air in the jar, that you have indicated suggests that there is a possibility that the safety of the product has been compromised. Product should not protrude above the liquid in the jar. When the headspace is that large you don’t have a quality seal…too much air in the jar to achieve the proper vacuum. This is especially critical for low acid foods which is what you use a pressure canner for. Here’s a list of questions to help determine the causes:(this is not exhaustive)
I am assuming in this conversation that, if you have a dial gauge canner (as opposed to a weighted gauge canner) you have tested it for accurate pressure (they need to be tested annually), that you have made appropriate altitude adjustments and have used a current, up to date recipe.(see National Center for Home Food Preservation to benchmark your recipes. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/ ) We are ever vigilant to guard against the growth of botulism which thrives in a low acid, anaerobic environment such as a low acid food when canned improperly.
*Was this hotpack or cold pack?
*Did you deviate in anyway from the methodology prescribed by the canner manuf.? Did you possibly release the pressure from the canner after processing without letting it come to 0 psi on its own?
*Large fluctuations of the pressure during processing will contribute to siphoning as well.
*Overfilling the jar will also contribute.
*Were your careful to remove air bubbles from the product before you applied the lid?
*Did you vent your pressure canner before putting on the weight?

Side Note: Whenever you use a low acid pressure canned product, remember to bring it to a full boil for ten minutes before eating.

We like the Tattler lids. You can check them out at http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

]]> Comment on Classes by David Matthai http://www.summerinajar.com/products-page/comment-page-1#comment-2261 David Matthai Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:40:40 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/products-page#comment-2261 Good afternoon! Just stumbled on your website. Great! I have been hot bath canning for several years and decided to try pressure canning this year. My first attempt was asparagus. When finished, the jars were sealed, but about 1/2 the liquid had boiled off in the jar. They do taste good, but they don't look good! I read all the books that came with the pressure canner and they say that sometimes this happens, but I want to know why, and how to prevent it in the future. I also notice that you use a different lid called a tattler? when canning. I have not heard or seen this and am very interested in it. I think some of your classes might be just the thing to help advance my skills and learn to preserve a more healthy food option for my wife and myself. Can you help? Where do you suggest I start? Thank you! Looking forward to your reply! David Matthai Good afternoon!

Just stumbled on your website. Great! I have been hot bath canning for several years and decided to try pressure canning this year. My first attempt was asparagus. When finished, the jars were sealed, but about 1/2 the liquid had boiled off in the jar. They do taste good, but they don’t look good! I read all the books that came with the pressure canner and they say that sometimes this happens, but I want to know why, and how to prevent it in the future.
I also notice that you use a different lid called a tattler? when canning. I have not heard or seen this and am very interested in it.
I think some of your classes might be just the thing to help advance my skills and learn to preserve a more healthy food option for my wife and myself.

Can you help? Where do you suggest I start?

Thank you! Looking forward to your reply!

David Matthai

]]> Comment on Chicken Tractor by jengod http://www.summerinajar.com/archives/133/comment-page-1#comment-1306 jengod Thu, 26 May 2011 21:25:09 +0000 http://www.summerinajar.com/?p=133#comment-1306 Beautiful tractor. Beautiful tractor.

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