A diet without Pellets - your input for my project.

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LER

Post   » Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:21 pm


Why do you not wash the blueberries before freezing? I know nothing about food storage and prep.

critterluv, yes, I have stopped freefeeding as well and just giving the recommended amount as well. I think this is a good way to go, to to be pellet free. I wonder if it would cost less overall to feed with no pellets? Probably not enough to make this a factor, I suspect!

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swannie
For the love of pigs!

Post   » Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:51 pm


They tend to go sort of nasty (freezer burn, mushy when thawed) if there's any residual moisture on them. I guess you could wash them if you dried them really, really, really well.

We pick our blueberries from an organic farm each summer and have loads and loads in the freezer to last all year. My mom got one of those foodsaver sealers since she's started buying meat in bulk and freezing it (now that there are 6 adults in the house to feed), so she used it for the berries, too. Works a treat.

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LER

Post   » Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:54 pm


Thanks Swannie! I wish I could get access to organic berries! We do have the $1 containers in stores right now, and I love blueberries, as do the animals in the house, so I may try to freeze some. I think I will try washing and drying first, because I know I won't wash them after they are frosen before eating/serving! Thanks for the tip - if I try this, I will be sure to let them dry thoroughly before freezing!

critterluv02

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:22 am


The crazy thing that always facinates me is that when you suck the skin off the frozen blueberry, the inside is very bright green.

spikes mom

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 9:43 am


Blueberries grow wild in the mountains not far from me. My friend and I make blueberry jam every summer - it is the best! Sometimes we pick too many berries, wash, dry and freeze them for whatever use later. They really hold up well in the freezer. The wild berries are much smaller than the ones I see in the store and actually have a much better flavor!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:03 pm


I have a single wild blueberry plant in my garden. It only does so-so (and some cultivated ones, though they are not much of a success). Up on the Blue Ridge Parkway there are fields of wild blueberries that one of my friends used to pick. They are tasty. I love blueberry muffins more than anything.

spikes mom

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:29 pm


I'm not sure, but I think that the blueberry plants do better if there is more than one. It has to do with the cross-pollination. Perhaps a "buddy" plant would make yours more productive. Also, they seem to do better if they are near water or if there is a wet spring - that's a hint if you are looking to collect them.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:42 pm


I have a half dozen different plants. They never did all that well. I think too hot in VA.

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-JC-
I gave AGAIN, dammit!

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:34 pm


They like acid soil... maybe that's why they don't thrive in some places? We have lots in the forests in Norway - they're great fun to pick and then enjoy the purple tongues.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Aug 05, 2004 9:32 pm


I have fairly acid soil. And we have lots of acid rain :-)

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:34 pm


Is a vit. D supplement necessary in a diet with no pellets? My vet never mentioned needing anything except the C, but the topic recently came up in a conversation I was having with someone, and now I'm curious.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:43 pm


Let your pigs get 10-15 minutes a day of sunshine.

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