Today we had an opportunity to give service again, though in a much different form than the last one. Today reminded me of that old episode of I Love Lucy where she is wrapping candy working from a conveyor belt, only instead of candy, our product of the day was turkey chunks, so the temptation to pop a bit in my mouth was non-existent.
The cannery where we volunteered produces canned goods meant to be given to folks who are having hard times. Some other products canned there include beef chunks, beef stew, salsa, spaghetti sauce and green beans. They have currently been canning turkey chunks for about 2 months and will finish that project tomorrow and move on to a different product.
We arrived for our 4 hour shift about 10:30 AM where we were given hairnets and smocks before watching a rather entertaining safety video. In fact, I'd say it was worth working there today just to see the video. I recommend it.
After the movie, we were taken to the floor of the cannery where we washed up and then donned gloves and aprons. Then we were each assigned a post.
Somewhere, someone must have grown MANY turkeys, which were then butchered and cleaned, cut into large pieces without any bones, then frozen in large boxes. We first saw the turkey as it was removed from the boxes and put on the conveyor belt. Then it traveled to a machine which made it into chunks of meat. The meat then fell onto a platform where workers pushed the chunks through holes which had cans underneath. The cans arrived there via another conveyor belt which brought them from the 2nd floor down to the first floor. Before the cans went to be filled with turkey, a salt pellet was placed in each can.
After the cans were filled, they proceeded down the belt where workers checked each can and added or subtracted meat as needed to fill the cans to the proper level. As the cans left that area, they were weighed and then sent down another belt where hot water was added to each can. Then they went on to the sealing area where lids were placed on them.
The next step was to put the cans into huge retorts to be pressure cooked. After cooking, labels were affixed and cans were put into cases of 24 cans.
The woodworker was back in the labeling area. I never saw him until we were finishing up. I was first assigned to the area where we were adding to or removing from cans to make them the correct weight. Later I was assigned to drop the pellets of salt into each can. One of the supervisors said we were filling about 53 cans a minute. That takes pretty nimble fingers!
When the last turkey was canned for the day, it was time to clean the room. It meant washing down all the equipment and the floors, etc. By the time we finished, we figured we canned 11,000-12,000 cans of turkey today...ready to be distributed to those in need. By the time the turkey project is finished, 9200 cases will be filled.
Whew! We rewarded ourselves on the way home by stopping at our favorite restaurant, and then getting some peaches..which I canned after we got home.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Day of Service 2011
Today was a day of service here in our community. We met early this morning at a nearby park to receive our assignment. There were large assignments such as cleaning a couple of the city parks and the cemetery, as well as projects at the homes of various people in the area who needed help with painting and yard projects.
We were assigned to go to the home of a man who needed help clearing brush from his yard. There are two homes on his lot...the one he lives in, and the one here in the picture, which needs to be torn down. The area around the older home was covered with very large trees which needed to be removed. The home itself has a caved in roof on one side. It was evident from the odor as we cleared around the foundation, that things live under that house. Things like skunks. The shingles on the roof are covered with moss. In some areas the shingles are gone, exposing the original cedar shakes. We hauled off a variety of metal pieces and tires. If you look closely you can see the stump of a tree that was growing right up by the side of the house which had entrapped an old metal barrel.
A large dumpster had been brought in to hold the branches and brush we collected but it was not nearly large enough. We also loaded several trailer loads of brush to be hauled to the green waste. When the dumpster got full, some folks climbed in to stomp the brush down so we could fit more in!
The woodworker was happy to find an occasion to dig his peavey out of the tool shed to use in helping to turn the logs while they were sawing them.
Some trees were already on the ground when we got there, but some still needed to come down.
Timber!
The logs were soon placed in a large pile to be used later for firewood. The woodworker and one of his friends were pretty excited to find that one of the downed trees was an apricot tree. Some of those pieces of apricot found their way into the back of the truck to be turned into wood projects someday.
At the end of the project, everyone met back at the park for pizza.
We were assigned to go to the home of a man who needed help clearing brush from his yard. There are two homes on his lot...the one he lives in, and the one here in the picture, which needs to be torn down. The area around the older home was covered with very large trees which needed to be removed. The home itself has a caved in roof on one side. It was evident from the odor as we cleared around the foundation, that things live under that house. Things like skunks. The shingles on the roof are covered with moss. In some areas the shingles are gone, exposing the original cedar shakes. We hauled off a variety of metal pieces and tires. If you look closely you can see the stump of a tree that was growing right up by the side of the house which had entrapped an old metal barrel.
A large dumpster had been brought in to hold the branches and brush we collected but it was not nearly large enough. We also loaded several trailer loads of brush to be hauled to the green waste. When the dumpster got full, some folks climbed in to stomp the brush down so we could fit more in!
The woodworker was happy to find an occasion to dig his peavey out of the tool shed to use in helping to turn the logs while they were sawing them.
Some trees were already on the ground when we got there, but some still needed to come down.
Timber!
The logs were soon placed in a large pile to be used later for firewood. The woodworker and one of his friends were pretty excited to find that one of the downed trees was an apricot tree. Some of those pieces of apricot found their way into the back of the truck to be turned into wood projects someday.
At the end of the project, everyone met back at the park for pizza.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Honey Crisp Apple Tree Story
When we moved here, we wanted to plant some fruit trees, since that was something we couldn't really do much in Alaska where we lived before. Since we live in an area with cold winters, we were careful to buy trees suitable for our climate. We bought an apricot tree, 2 peach trees, a pear tree and two apple trees and were excited to have our own tiny orchard. It took the apple trees several years to mature enough to actually start getting fruit. It wasn't long after we got our first couple of apples that we moved away for 18 months, so were gone during 2 apple seasons. When we returned our housesitters commented that the apples were 'no good'. I didn't pay much attention, but maybe I should have.
The next spring, the apple trees bloomed normally, but soon the flowers dropped off and the trees looked sick. One of them never got any leaves. On the other the leaves turned black in areas. Our pear tree seemed to have a similar problem. Needless to say, no apples appeared. We were told that our trees were suffering from fire blight. We pruned off the sick branches and got rid of them, but in spite of our best efforts, one of the apple trees died. The other apple and pear looked pretty sick. Soon the pear tree also died. The one remaining apple tree had leaves but no apples. We still had to keep trimming blighted parts of the trees.
This spring, when it was time to prune our remaining fruit trees, we looked at the remaining apple tree and decided not to prune it since it seemed likely that it would soon be dead. Much to our surprise, the tree bloomed profusely. We waited for the blossoms to fall off and the tree to die, but soon little apples began to form. Lots of little apples. We waited for the little apples to shrivel up and turn black. They did not. They grew larger. Soon the woodworker decided he better start thinning out some of those apples. He probably removed 2/3 or more of the apples on the tree. The remaining apples did not shrivel and they did not die!
Then we noticed that it was difficult to get close to the tree because there were so many wasps or yellow jackets around the tree, so we hung wasp traps on the tree. That seemed to help a lot.
Now that the apples are starting to turn we are anticipating some delicious eating...and the poor tree is probably looking forward to getting some of the extra weight off its branches. I guess next year we had better prune it.
The next spring, the apple trees bloomed normally, but soon the flowers dropped off and the trees looked sick. One of them never got any leaves. On the other the leaves turned black in areas. Our pear tree seemed to have a similar problem. Needless to say, no apples appeared. We were told that our trees were suffering from fire blight. We pruned off the sick branches and got rid of them, but in spite of our best efforts, one of the apple trees died. The other apple and pear looked pretty sick. Soon the pear tree also died. The one remaining apple tree had leaves but no apples. We still had to keep trimming blighted parts of the trees.
This spring, when it was time to prune our remaining fruit trees, we looked at the remaining apple tree and decided not to prune it since it seemed likely that it would soon be dead. Much to our surprise, the tree bloomed profusely. We waited for the blossoms to fall off and the tree to die, but soon little apples began to form. Lots of little apples. We waited for the little apples to shrivel up and turn black. They did not. They grew larger. Soon the woodworker decided he better start thinning out some of those apples. He probably removed 2/3 or more of the apples on the tree. The remaining apples did not shrivel and they did not die!
Then we noticed that it was difficult to get close to the tree because there were so many wasps or yellow jackets around the tree, so we hung wasp traps on the tree. That seemed to help a lot.
Now that the apples are starting to turn we are anticipating some delicious eating...and the poor tree is probably looking forward to getting some of the extra weight off its branches. I guess next year we had better prune it.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
From Log to Bowl - Black Walnut Bowl
Recently the woodworker was commissioned to create a bowl of a specific size. He chose to make it out of a piece of black walnut. For some reason, the chunk of log he used was REALLY hard to work with. The pictures go in order from start to finish.
See how shiny it is? It has no varnish on it at all...only a bit of walnut oil. I think it came out very beautiful!
See how shiny it is? It has no varnish on it at all...only a bit of walnut oil. I think it came out very beautiful!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Remembering Vietnam
Today we went to the fairgrounds in our town where a special display was set up. It was a special traveling replica of the Vietnam Wall...a memorial to those who died while serving their country during the Vietnam War. It is smaller than the actual wall, of course, but was treated with the same respect and reverence. We had some of our grandchildren with us. Several were old enough to have studied some US History and had a lot of questions. The wall covers the period from 1955 to 1975.
1955 "The Price of Freedom is written on the wall."
1975 "Freedom is not free. You will never be forgotten."
The wall is arranged by time of death, but it begins in the middle and goes to the right, then begins again on the extreme left and ends in the middle, next to the beginning again.
A number of tributes were placed along the wall under certain names. Other vets and families were there searching the wall for familiar names.
On the other side of the field was an additional memorial area with information about WW II, the Korean War and other conflicts. Iraq and Afghanistan vets who lost their lives were also listed on plaques, as well as several other wars and the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
As we left, we passed by a field of flags.
The people honored here have paid the ultimate price to ensure a better, and hopefully, safer future for people like these.
1955 "The Price of Freedom is written on the wall."
1975 "Freedom is not free. You will never be forgotten."
The wall is arranged by time of death, but it begins in the middle and goes to the right, then begins again on the extreme left and ends in the middle, next to the beginning again.
A number of tributes were placed along the wall under certain names. Other vets and families were there searching the wall for familiar names.
On the other side of the field was an additional memorial area with information about WW II, the Korean War and other conflicts. Iraq and Afghanistan vets who lost their lives were also listed on plaques, as well as several other wars and the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
As we left, we passed by a field of flags.
The people honored here have paid the ultimate price to ensure a better, and hopefully, safer future for people like these.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Woodworker to Wood Turner
The woodworker was excited this week to attend a wood turning class. It seems there are some nationally known wood turners right here in our state who give classes! They learned about various turning tools and how to use them, then made eggs and bowls to practice their new found knowledge.
They only take 12 students per session. Each student has his or her own work station. Woodworker got himself a nifty new wood turning smock...complete with pockets in the back!
Demonstrations are set up so the students can watch the teacher directly or via the TV which allows for great visibility!
It was a 3 day class, but woodworker says he learned enough in just the first day alone to make the class worthwhile.
The last day of class they learned about making platters and turned boxes.
They only take 12 students per session. Each student has his or her own work station. Woodworker got himself a nifty new wood turning smock...complete with pockets in the back!
Demonstrations are set up so the students can watch the teacher directly or via the TV which allows for great visibility!
It was a 3 day class, but woodworker says he learned enough in just the first day alone to make the class worthwhile.
The last day of class they learned about making platters and turned boxes.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Amelia Jane's Birthday
Seems like we have been doing a lot of waiting around this summer. I guess we should have known that the expected late August arrival wouldn't show up until September. The important part is that she is safely here and both baby and mom are doing great. In fact, she even rated a 10 on her APGAR score.
She kept her mother up for 2 days before she decided to give up her cozy situation and check out the world.
She weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and has chubby little cheeks and is 20 inches long.
We're looking forward to getting to know her. That makes 10 granddaughters and 4 grandsons for us.
She kept her mother up for 2 days before she decided to give up her cozy situation and check out the world.
She weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and has chubby little cheeks and is 20 inches long.
We're looking forward to getting to know her. That makes 10 granddaughters and 4 grandsons for us.
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