Serious sawmill stuff.

[Big Stan]

I know a fair bit about a lot of interesting species of wood, In our yard we would probably have over 70 species of really amazing timbers, all colours, grain configurations ,durabilities & inherent qualities.
I've learn't a fair bit about swing blade mills, 1/4 saw mills..ie.2 blade mills, band saw mills, all sorts of chainsaws,winches & logging equiptment.
I have learnt that fishing is an absolutely unreal way to de stress.
I know not to argue with my beautiful wife..I never win.
I know the pain & suffering & grief bringing up 3 boys with qualities of leadership within all 3 of them..
In the last 50 yrs I've learn't a fair bit about a lot of things...
BUT.....
Whats Grits?
DanG says eat mo Grits !
I'm partial to a feed, I'm off to nth Qld next month for 2 weeks,a very happy Peterson mill owner, 1/2 aboriginal 1/2 german is gunna teach me to hunt wild boar, make salami out of wild pig, spear a  barrumundi ( Fish ), maybe hunt a croc..but I'm a bit scared about this one, drink and enjoy a BBQ, go fishin and crabbin.....
But I'm real keen to learn about grits...
Jethro Clampett, one of my childhood  ? idols ? ( not sure if this is the correct word )
used to love HIS grits..(actually they were his Grannies grits, but they were his to devour)...but they never said what they were....
Could DanG or some other connisieur of fine food please enlighten me.
I AM genuinely interested.
Regards, Big Stan

[Arthur]

Big Stan

in southern USA all meals come with grits on the side want it or not.

In Northern USA and Australia and most possibly the rest of the world we normally add it to the pig feed then eat the pigs.

arthur

[Ianab]

 

This is possibly the best Grits thread...

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=9913.0

Ian

[tnlogger]

Big Stan I could tell you about the finer aspects of the #one food of this here southern states of the USofA but I am hoping our own Mr.  will get his putor fixed and get back here and help out  . Of cause Tom, DanG, and FD can GET-R-done just as well.
shoot even Da Boss kinda could . see how much he likes um 

                           

[DanG]

Big Stan.  I have perused your website and observed your great knowledge, and I feel gratified that you would turn to us poor Southern boys for the completion of your education.

The thread Ian linked you up with was a good one, indeed.  There have been numerous others, too.  Of course, being one of the aforemention poor Southern boys, I'm too lazy to dig them out for you.  It's easier to just explain it again.

Ya see, wheat doesn't grow too well in our climate, at least the kinds they had a couple hundred years ago didn't.  So the folks that were here in that time used corn meal instead of flour.  The bits of corn that fell from the stone were gathered up by the really poor folks that needed something to eat.  They found a way to make the grits edible, and many, many families were raised with this as a staple of their diet.  Since most people tend to continue eating what they grew up with, Grits has been a Southern tradition ever since. 

Not many people eat Grits as a one-dish meal, any more than they do rice or potatoes.  Not many eat Grits at every meal, either.  I have them a couple of times a week, though.  If I ate breakfast regularly, I'd have them a lot more.  I always have them with fish, and they go really well with fried pork chops, with a little gravy poured over them, too.

Next time you're up this way, stop by and I'll stir up a batch of'em for ya.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 DanG, Wonderful explanation.

I too, do not get to have them as much as I'd like. I used to have them with cheese and tobasco sauce but now I prefer them with just salt, pepper and butter. Right next to my eggs and Scrapple.

Jon

[Gilman]

What's a Scrapple?

[Tom]

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=9546.msg127538#msg127538
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=7414.msg101937#msg101937
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=8989.msg121705#msg121705


There's three places on the forum that will keep you busy a while.    

Be careful about using "Grits" in the search.  We talk about them a lot.

I think  Scrapple is talked about in one of the above threads too.

[Wudman]

I just got back from a cruise down through the Caribbean.  One things for sure, those folks on Carnival Cruise Lines will feed you.  Stuff available 24 hours a day......right down to GRITS on the breakfast buffet. 

Wudman

[Ernie]

Big Stan

Welcome to the forum

Checked out your website, very impressive.

I went through the GRITS thing when I started as well, there is no way they could hold a candle to Moreton Bay BUGS

See if we get questions about that

[Ron Wenrich]

When I was a kid, I raised capons.  We used to feed them grit to help them digest food.  I don't think we're talking about the same thing, are we?   

Scrapple is the scrap left over from butchering a hog.  Its all thrown in a vat with corn meal, salt pepper and sage and cooked.  Its than formed into loaves and reheated later.  Best fried and topped with syrup.

If you use just corn meal to make the loaves, we call that pudding.  Not near the flavor of scrapple.

[Slabs]

I et' grits, eggs, sowbelly and catheads this mornin.  Did a big day's work on it too.  No lunch needed.

[UNCLEBUCK]

Welcome Big Stan ! 

[SwampDonkey]

HI Big Stan

I had an enjoyable cruise on your site. Everything loads quick on my dialup connection as well. Some great services you are providing.

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum

[Wife]

STAN....now you are in for it.
We managed to get some and bring them home when Hammie and I went over.
They are...........different.
The kids didnt mind it to much and ate them, kinda like porridge, just not as tasty.
Dan, how long do they last for before you need to eat them, cause i still have a half bag from the trip, if they last a long time then I will hold them for ya stan when you come over next.
Then with the full belly you can do the "serious sawmilling"

[Jeff]

Grits last forever. And ever. And ever.

[Wife]

Next question then Jeff, Is that a good thing or bad that they last forever and ever and ever and ever?

[Tom]

Keep'em closed up and they won't go bad.  If they get meal bugs just cook it all up.  A little protein won't hurt you.  Heck, you're going to put some gravy or butter on them anyway.

[Bibbyman]

This would be an interesting trivia search.  See who was the first one to mention grits on the forum.

I think I was.  I made a post a long time ago on the topic of using water on the blade.  I mentioned that I knew one guy that had disposed of water tank and hooked the mill up to a garden hose.  I said the sawdust must have came out looking like grits.  Some knew what I was talking about, others didn't.

But.... I've been wrong before.

[woodbowl]

If yall', want to give grits a fair shake, tomorrow morning cook yourself three or four over easy eggs with bacon or sausage and with toast or bisquits. Just make sure there is enough moister in the grits. It ain't like a pancake and it ain't soup. They should be thick enough to stirr well without lumping up in the boiler but thin enough to almost pour. Be sure to put salt in. Nobody eats grits without salt! The first time I heard about somebody putting sugar in grits, I couldn't speak. Cat got my tongue! I just stared at em' like a cow at a new gate. Now........... cheese grits, mmmmmmmh.  Don't forget to put a good hunk of butter in them grits and be sure to mix them up good with your eggs and mash them with your fork.............Yea, I still got all my teeth, that's just how I like them, always have. I double dog dare you to try em' like this. It will change your thinking about grits.