Subj : Round Tuits
To   : Dave Drum
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Wed May 01 2024 13:59:39

Hi Dave,

 DD> Better to ask around at the Farm & Home or implement dealer. Some

 RH> Another good source of infomation, probably better than the state dept.
 RH> of ag, actually.

 DD> Especially localised iformation. I worked for the Illinos Department
 DD> of Agriculture (ran their print shop) and they were more about the
 DD> overall state thn local issues.

Guess they figured that local issues would bog them down too much.


 DD> years ago I helped a friend's father set up a small operation after he
 DD> retired from his 9 to 5 at a local facroey. There was a 120 acre piece

 DD>      8<----- SHARTENED ----->8

 DD> cleared over $35K the first year. And, as he remarked "It keeps me out
 DD> of my wife's hair and out of the saloons."

 RH> You can get some pretty good deals at auctions, close out, estate or
 RH> yard sales. The other day we stopped at a yard sale as they were
 RH> closing down; they had a coouple of long tables of free stuff, more on
 RH> the ground underneath. If I'd not given up cake decorating, I could
 RH> have gotten a good supply of pans, tips, etc but my wrists can't take
 RH> it any more. Steve walked away with a small hand truck that has triple
 RH> wheels for going up/down stairs easily. Not for large, heavy loads but
 RH> it'll be good for boxes of radio stuff. Best price possible, too. (G)

 DD> I bought a fold-up hand truck from Harbor Freight that will do up to
 DD> (I think, IIRC) 200# It folds to about 30" X 36" X 4" and fits in the
 DD> trunk of my car or behind the front seat of the Ranger (pickup)
 DD> easilt. And it's handy plus easy to set up or take down. Here's a
 DD> review of it (after the YouToob ads)
 DD> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsv5vtiNaKI

This one folds into about 15"x15"x6" (rough guessing), not for heavy
duty stuff but better than hand carrying. When needed, we have access to
a neighbor's heavy duty one.

 DD> I am forever amazed at the number of young folks who have no idea
 DD> about using lard in stad of Crisco or Mrs. Tucker's.  Bv(=

 RH> My mom always used lard for her pie crusts. It was always the pre
 RH> packaged, snow white stuff but it was lard. The few times she didn't
 RH> have it and used crisco, the crusts were like cardboard. OTOH, I'll use
 RH> either lard if I have it, or a non hydrogenated shortening (Spectrum).
 RH> Lard makes the tastier, flakier crust but the Spectrum is a decent back
 RH> up.

 DD> If I don't have lard I tend to use butter. Or schmaltz if I have some
 DD> on hand. I can do a good "short" crust with Crisco or Mrs. Tucker's
 DD> but it just isn't the same.

 RH> I've used butter before when I've not had anything else. It works ok
 RH> but I'll go with the Spectrum or lard as first choices. My MIL gave me
 RH> a pie crust recipe that uses sour (vinegar) milk and Crisco--comes out
 RH> pretty good but I try to avoid the Crisco. It would probably make a
 RH> really flaky crust if I used the sour milk and lard. (G)

 DD> The vinegar in milk is a well known fake-out for commercial
 DD> buttermilk. AFAIK there is no easy work-around for *real* buttermilk
 DD> (the leftovers from churning butter. They are very different from
 DD> "cultured" buttermilk from down at the grocery store.

Yes, before Steve went into the Army, we'd get our (raw) milk from a
local farmer, gallon glass jars. I'd let it sit a day or so in the
fridge, then skim the cream and use it for making butter, ice cream,
etc. The buttermilk was used in baking--combination of that and lard
(from the hog we'd bought) made the best biscuit, pie crusts, etc you
ever tasted.


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


.... Always butter up the SYSOP, they taste better that way.

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)

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