New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

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Jhoss
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New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

Hello All,
A brewer of beer, a grower of grains, hops, apples, veggies, elderberries, raspberries, spices, oaks and probably more. A steward/hunter of deer, ducks, grouse. A grower and protector of bluebirds (eliminator of the English Sparrow) on my property. 40 young apple trees on 3 acres in South East Michigan and 40 wooded acres in the Eastern UP.

Apple brandy is interesting as is this site.
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GrassHopper
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by GrassHopper »

That was an interesting resume/intro sir Jhoss. Quite the crop of stuff you have growing there. Did some elderberry brandy and wine this year. Have my elk and deer in the freezer.
So, what brings you to this site? Do you have any equipment? Have you done any distilling? Apple Brandy? Research, etc, etc?
Exactly where are you at in this field and where do you hope to be?

Anyway, welcome. Glad to have you aboard.

I keep the sparrows and shoot the starlings. :thumbup:
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MichiganCornhusker
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Welcome, Jhoss, from fellow Michigander.
UP sure is a beautiful place, I bet your 40 acres feels like heaven up there.

Lots of great info here for apple brandy, look for Cranky, Jimbo, Bushman... All generous posters with much brandy experience.

Good luck, keep us posted.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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Truckinbutch
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Truckinbutch »

Welcome :wave: Very interesting introduction . Writing that well ; I hope you are a finishing horse in a race and not just the startin horse .
Few people are aware of just how destructive English sparrows and starlings are . I am a mass murderer of both .
Hope you like us well enough to stay .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
DSM Loki
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by DSM Loki »

Welcome from yet another Michigander. Have a look around and enjoy the site.
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bilgriss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by bilgriss »

I was born in the UP. I remember when I was little and the snow was not, I couldn't go outside alone for months for fear I'd fall through and be lost until spring.
Jhoss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

Thanks for the welcome(s) everybody!

@Grasshopper - My interesting intro correlates to my reputation as the worlds most interesting man! :roll: I come to homedistiller.org after pure intraweb surfing on the topic of apple scratter and press as my young orchard is coming of age. I could've actually used said apparatus this year and next fall (2017) will only be better (bigger harvest). I am so consumed in all things apple and have been enjoying a $50 fifth of a Californian apple brandy so the topic is near if not dear. I can see the day when the need and usage of fresh pressed juice and fermented hard cider will be satisfied with enough left over for to run into the hard stuff. We (my 25 year old Son) have done some distilling on a homemade jobbie he fabbed up just for to make fuel mostly. That consisted of fermented turnips and radishes (my food plot for deer) (and sugar), undrinkable but would burn an impressive blue flame. Because Sonny boy is such a fanatic welder (by trade), forger, caster, fabricator we see this scratter-press as something we could do mostly with stuff laying around. Being a home brewer of beer for 10 years or so, the next level awaits. New equipment will be had (bought or built TBD). Grasshopper, I am more hell on Sparrows than Starlings but please reconsider and make a concerted effort at trapping and shooting Sparrows. I've witnessed the damage these prolific invaders do on the local natives...and when I am elected President my first mandate will be to every American of age 6 to 90, please turn in 12 Sparrows and 12 Starlings per year. 1 a month each should be easily attainable. After all, being American is celebrating independence from English tyranny, Yes? Death to all English Sparrows! (We will never get them all). Pretty good first rant eh?
@Truckinbutch...I've never been accused of being an over-achiever and the pressure you just placed on me will probably force this strong starting horse back into his armchair with an iced (store bought) Apple Brandy thinking of what could've been - it's your fault - but your bloodlust for Sparrows and Starlings make you a brother none the less! And together, lets make 2017 a record harvest on both. 2016 garnered only 18 male HOSP's. I think I am making a dent (but hardly). BTW you must whisper-hiss the word HOSP loudly when you see one at the feeder. Soon the whole family will be doing it and what a great alarm call (call to arms)! HOOOOSSSSSSPPPPPPP!

@MCHand Bilgriss - heaven indeed, grew up in Cedarvillle/Hessel, someday I will have a place on the Snows Channel and will sit out at the boat house sippin on something I home crafted. - and you hit the nail on the head (RE:Cranky, Jimbo, Bushman) - after typing a reply to Jimbo's thread on his scratter - I received a nasty-gram saying "excuse me but your first post cant go here". So here I am introducing myself.
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by city shiner »

Very cool to hear someone mention stewardship and hunting in the same message. Its an ongoing discussion in my home. My family doesn't understand that responsible hunting keeps a herd healthy. Your land sounds amazing.
Jhoss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

Appreciate that CShine. Michigan actually outlawed baiting for deer a few years ago. I was already into planting a winter food plot for them. I get to feeling sorry for them eating spruce trees in the depth of winter and waiting for me to fill the bird feeder (spillage). - now that's hungry! I get all warm and fuzzy watching them dig thru the snow for turnips, forage radish, rye and clover - this starts soon after the row crops come off (October-November) and continues until mid April. I have a friend on our road - (just a dirt road out in nowhere's ville)...he borders a cattail swamp full of pheasants and deer and whatnot...i thought i could till up his front yard (about an acre) and plant corn and sorghum there for the wildlife right next to that swamp but on hi-ground - just a perfect feed station - hez "contemplating" that still. Wish we could all be obsessed with wildlife habitat improvement.
bentstick
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by bentstick »

Hi JHoss, from a troll, And I helped reopen Snows Bar once the ole Mrs owner got her tit in a ringer for the strippers during Deer season, one of my ole work mates bought it at auction, and then lost it in a Divorce! Cheers from another!
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Truckinbutch
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Truckinbutch »

@Truckinbutch...I've never been accused of being an over-achiever and the pressure you just placed on me will probably force this strong starting horse back into his armchair with an iced (store bought) Apple Brandy thinking of what could've been - it's your fault - but your bloodlust for Sparrows and Starlings make you a brother none the less! And together, lets make 2017 a record harvest on both. 2016 garnered only 18 male HOSP's. I think I am making a dent (but hardly). BTW you must whisper-hiss the word HOSP loudly when you see one at the feeder. Soon the whole family will be doing it and what a great alarm call (call to arms)! HOOOOSSSSSSPPPPPP
I meant no disrespect , friend . I started out in a 2 room shack with coal oil lights and 3 paths . Husbandry of our couple hundred acres of land was a lesson taught from an early age and we continue the practice .
Often times someone logs on here with so much promise and then just disappears without warning . Hope that doesn't be you .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
Jhoss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

Hey Truck - absolutely no offense taken! Please know my dry sarcasm gets me into corners I am constantly apologizing my way out of. I was totally teasing and I saw your point right from the start. Dis tilling at home - I would bet - daunts a lot of people. I hope to see it thru!

@bentstick, I worked at Snows when I was 15. Harold Buck owned it then. I was late to work one day, Harold came in to bust me balls a bit - till he herd why- I was on a fishing excursion and caught a nice pike. Had to run it over to my friends dock to tie it up (stringer). Harold says well if you can sacrifice the good eating I'll have it mounted and we'll hang it on the wall in the bar. It still hangs there today. 38 inches and almost 14 lbs. Its got a plack on it...caught by .......I believe 1980 was the year. Thanks for that memory!
bentstick
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by bentstick »

Nice Jhoss,so you know Mudduck,goose,Drunk Charlie,and all them fellas then!
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Jhoss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

I believe I can place these guys yes. Keep in mind - I would bet 2 out of 3 of these nicknames would have been established after my departure in 1982. Goose has always been Goose for sure.
buflowing
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by buflowing »

Welcome from another SE michigan resident. Snows Channel. That the one with the house/island kind of in the middle that I sailed past? I can see why you'd want a place there. A lot of sweet boathouses and boats in those parts.
Jhoss
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Re: New here, Jhoss, SE Michigan

Post by Jhoss »

Roger that BU - that's the place. You may know that the beautiful place on Dollar Island burned to the ground but has been rebuilt.
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