Prepped Living Blog

We had tallow in the freezer that we needed to use and decided to render it for cooking and soap making. We frequently render lard, but had rendered tallow only once before. The first tallow we rendered had a rather strong odor and taste, so after doing some reading, we opted to try both wet rendering and double rendering it to see if it made a difference.  Two Methods to Render Fat: For those of you, who like I was, are unaware of the different methods of rendering, here is a basic description of the difference: Dry Render - A method in which you put the fat directly into a pot and render it slowly over low heat. Wet Render - A method in which you put the fat into a pot with water (and optional salt) and render it slowly over low heat. The idea is that the the fat cooks in the water (indirect heat) rather than in the pot itself (direct heat). This method is said to make the fat less likely to burn and to minimize the flavor and odor of the tallow (or lard). Why Render Tallo...

We live in a very old house with doors that have gaps underneath. While this is not a problem for the bedrooms, it is an issue for the basement door, under which the cold tends to creep in the winter-time. We have a cold spot at the front door as well. While we have been keeping out drafts with rolled up towels, no matter how you fold or roll them, they do not fit well. There is always a spot where there is either too much or not enough towel. Invariably, the towel gets kicked, it unravels, and then it is in the way. Since these older towels are also used for setting our canned good on when we take them out of the canner, we decided it was time to make something that fits better under the doors. Style 1 - Single "Baffle" I first experimented with a single draft stopper for the front door. It only required measuring the door and sewing a rectangle in the right length. I used the leg of a pair of pants that was stained and worn through near the seat. I made the rectangle five i...

It has been a while since we have done project updates. Here are some of the things we have been up to since the last update in early October. It is a bit of a long list since it has been so many months: Canning Turkey Beef Potatoes Pineapple Juice Cranberry Juice Beans Broth Pears Pear Sauce Apple Sauce Apple Pie Filling Hot Sauce Tomato Sauce Butternut Squash Mixed Berry Jam Dehydrating  Microgreens Green Peppers Calendula Blueberries Freezing Butternut Squash Spaghetti Squash Ham Broth Diced Ham Applesauce Other Homestead Projects Baby quilts Dinner Napkins Knit Baby Hats, Scarf, and Gloves Draft Stoppers Rendering Lard Rendering Tallow Vacuum Sealing Dry Goods Emergency Oil Lamps Candle Painting Homemade Christmas Ornaments   New Website Articles Your Go Bag Tom & Jerry Mix Homemade Chai Spice Mix Hot Cocoa Mix Emergency Lamps Canning Fruit Juices Our Experience Canning Cranberry Juice What projects have you been working on since last October? We would love to hear you...

A friend of ours is battling sugar ants in their bunkhouse. We have dealt with ants on occasion both in the garden and near the house. This gave me the idea for a blog entry on ant control ideas.  Here are three methods we have used to combat unwanted ants: Note: This newsletter contains affiliate links to items listed for your convenience. As affiliates, we may earn on qualifying purchases. Purchasing through these links helps support our website and blog at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. 1)   Orange Oi l   – We have a bottle of Medina’s Orange Oil that we purchased in 2016. After using it all these years and giving some away, we still have some left from that original bottle. I love that this product is natural and has so many uses. This is on my list to purchase this month – just to be sure we don’t run out. Orange oil is fabulous for killing ants. It breaks down their exoskeleton and kills them rather quickly. This means, though, that it must come into co...

What is a Go Bag? A Go Bag could just as easily be called an Evacuation Bag. It is a bag of essential items that you prepare ahead of time in the event you have to evacuate quickly from your home. Many people differentiate it from a survival bag, which often contains items you need to survive in the wilderness, because it usually isn't stocked with as many survival type items. With that being said, you  could  opt for one bag that serves both purposes. A Go Bag is usually stocked with items you will need to get you through a few days away from home should you have to evacuate to a hotel or to the home of a friend or family. Some of the basic items we have included in our bags include a change of clothes, a few personal items (for bodily and spiritual health), some cash, photocopies of documentation (driver's license, passport, etc.), a small first aid kit, a flashlight (in case of power outage), and snacks and water (you never know how long the trip away from home will take). ...

Once again we see a disaster scenario in the news that has affected thousands of lives. Once again, many homes have been destroyed and lives have been lost. For some disasters, you prepare your home, your pantry, etc. In the case of fire, preparation includes having an evacuation plan. While we have never had to evacuate, years ago a wildfire very near our home prompted us to prepare for evacuation. One dry summer, a fire started only a mile from our house, just outside the tiny town in which we lived. The wind was blowing towards our home and the rest of the town. My husband was a volunteer fire fighter and had told me how fast some fires can move. As a precaution, I had the kids grab their go-bags and we loaded them into the car, just in case. We were getting ready to load the Tulle with other items when the wind changed direction. We were fortunate that day that we had so many fire volunteers and that the wind changed direction. They were able to put the fire out before it endangere...

A while back, we juiced a watermelon that was given to us. Out of one watermelon we got 1 ½ gallons of juice. We drank it for a couple of days, but since we don’t drink a lot of fruit juice to begin with, it was quite a lot for the four of us. We started thinking of ways to use it up or preserve it. While not all of these may work with all juices, here are some ways that you might be able to use your extra juice: Mix it in a smoothie – Fruit juice smoothies are refreshing and can be a good way to use up juice and get extra protein in your diet. Make a mixed drink or add to punch – Many juices can be made into mixed drinks or added to a non-alcoholic punch that everyone can enjoy. Blend with other juices for a juice cocktail – If you are just getting bored with plain juice, try blending it with other juices or add to lemonade to create a different flavor. Freeze as ice cubes – Pour it into ice cube trays to put in your juice, punch, lemonade, sangria, or mixed drinks down the road...