This whole livestock farming gig sometimes still boggles my brain. I was a city girl, born and bred. I was lucky, though, that my entire family gardened and cooked. Eating out was very rare. I remember my aunt telling me that she just couldn’t understand paying someone good money to cook food that you could probably make better. I feel that way all the time. I’m such a homebody, too, that it’s hard for Frank to convince me to go out. (Well, unless it’s for sushi, I admit.)
When I looked in my stock pot yesterday, though, I shuddered. It was filled with turkey feet. Waste not, want not! Bird feet are filled with gelatin and make the best stock. To be honest, I would have shuddered a bit earlier, but I had Aaron cut off the tips of each toe. I just couldn’t do it. I did a lot when we butchered these birds, but I’m still squeamish sometimes. Whatever. At least I still do it! It makes no sense to me to not extract every ounce of food and nutrition from these animals we raise. We plucked down from the geese, fat from them all, and stock from the bones.
So now, if I can keep myself awake until they finish, I’ve got my pressure canner going. I reduced it by half, almost, and still it made seven quarts, seven pints and seven of those teeny tiny gift size jars. Those are perfect for just a bit of gravy for two instead of a soup or whatever. I also really do give them away, too. I’ve yet to maneuver through the NH State laws when it comes to making and selling stock, but it’s one of my goals for next year. Fuses blow and I get bounced around from department to department because it crosses the lines with bones and vegetables and makes everyone wish I would just go away. Surely it can’t be that hard, though, right? It makes so much sense for farmers who sell meat to be able to make and sell stock!
Added the next morning — look how well it set up! I actually didn’t manage to stay up long enough to finish the canning. When Frank’s not around, I just can’t keep my eyes open past about 7:30 p.m. Farmer’s hours and all that, I guess. But this morning, I just couldn’t resist taking a photo of how nicely it set up. Now I’m wondering if having quarts of this stuff will be too much. I think next time I’ll just put it all in pints or smaller, even. I need to make something with it quick like. Yum!