Impressed
 

On 10/27/15 3:10 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 12:05:39 -0700 (PDT), True North wrote:

One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

I suppose that was good training for a janitor's job, eh?
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


Why don't you give it a rest or, if you can't, take a really long RV
trip on which you can't log in here?

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/15 4:48 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 12:05:39 -0700 (PDT), True North
wrote:

One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

For just good old hard work, moving a computer system in the olden
days was right up there. You had a room full of "boxes" (computer
frames), the size of a commercial sub zero refrigerator, weighing up
to half a ton or so, connected with a buttload of cables about an inch
in diameter and up to 100 feet long. All of this had to be
disconnected and moved around all the while you were throwing 30 pound
floor tiles. Most of the time, the protective rings around the floor
tile cuts were gone and the saw cuts were razor sharp. Just another
little hazard to deal with.
... and they wanted it all to happen on a shift, maybe two.


It was a white collar job tho, since we were still wearing suits.

The biggest system frames were called "Elemax" (size), the largest
thing you can get in a standard office building elevator with the trim
off of the interior of the elevator and the covers off the machine.
It still got ugly some time when the weight would screw up where the
car stopped and it wouldn't roll off.
A "Johnson Bar" was a handy tool to have.



My dad had double decker steel dollies/display racks on wheels he built
for boats up to 20' long that enabled him to better use his floor space.
The boats on the top rack could be tilted so their insides could be
seen. Every two weeks, he liked to move everything around, and this
usually was done on a weekday when there were fewer customers around. So
the crew of three or four guys and one kid (if I happened to be around
after school) would move these mini barges up and down on the racks and
around the floors of the three showrooms. I always thought it amazing
that none of us got killed during these adventures. He had a crane
mounted on a Model A Ford truck outside to lift the boats off the
manufacturer's delivery trucks but towards the end of his life, the
boats were getting too large and bulky for his truck. Oh, and the new
outboards in their crate boxes, up to about 100 hp in those days, were
stacked two and three high along the side of the main showroom, and had
to be grunted up or down. My real job when I showed up, though, was to
clean out and wax and polish the beautiful wood decks and seats on many
of these boats. Wax on, wax off. :) That, and drive the jeep up to
Nick's Italian Grocery and Bookie Emporium to buy lunch on Saturday for
the crew. I might have been 14 when I started driving just slightly
illegally on the streets, but hell, I'd already been driving on the boat
yard property for three years. Heady days.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/15 3:05 PM, True North wrote:
One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.



Did they bounce at all if you dropped them? :)

Impressed
 

On Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 3:05:40 PM UTC-4, True North wrote:
One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

Don, my last comment to you was totally uncalled for. I apologize.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 5:18 PM, John H. wrote:

On Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 3:05:40 PM UTC-4, True North wrote:
One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

Don, my last comment to you was totally uncalled for. I apologize.


:-)

Impressed
 

John H.
On Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 3:05:40 PM UTC-4, True North wrote:
One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

"Don, my last comment to you was totally uncalled for. I apologize."

OK...I'm just surprised that you'd want to channel the two worst agitators who used to post here.
Anyway, I did push a broom on occasion during my high school days when I worked part time at a local supermarket. We all had to at 9pm on Friday nights and 6 pm on Saturday nights when the store used to close. We didn't get paid overtime for it so we pretty well ran with the brooms around tardy shoppers.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

My mother's family were watermen on the lower Chesapeake (a little
south of Harry). I saw them tonging oysters and running crab pots but
I never had the urge to do that for a living or even an odd job.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/15 7:01 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

My mother's family were watermen on the lower Chesapeake (a little
south of Harry). I saw them tonging oysters and running crab pots but
I never had the urge to do that for a living or even an odd job.


I haven't seen anyone tonging oysters for a couple of years, though I
know it is still being done. The crabbers, of course, are everywhere.
Both are tough ways to make a living.

We buy softshells at least once a week from a reliable guy with a
refrigerator truck and a roadside electrical outlet in the parking lot
of a liquor store. Nice softshells run $3 to $4 each. Don't like banging
crabs with mallets for the little bit of meat they contain.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.

Impressed
 

wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

My mother's family were watermen on the lower Chesapeake (a little
south of Harry). I saw them tonging oysters and running crab pots but
I never had the urge to do that for a living or even an odd job.


My uncle was a dairy man, and grandparents were egg ranchers. Learned
early on, was not a life I wanted.

Impressed
 

Keyser Söze wrote:
On 10/27/15 7:01 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

My mother's family were watermen on the lower Chesapeake (a little
south of Harry). I saw them tonging oysters and running crab pots but
I never had the urge to do that for a living or even an odd job.


I haven't seen anyone tonging oysters for a couple of years, though I
know it is still being done. The crabbers, of course, are everywhere.
Both are tough ways to make a living.

We buy softshells at least once a week from a reliable guy with a
refrigerator truck and a roadside electrical outlet in the parking lot
of a liquor store. Nice softshells run $3 to $4 each. Don't like banging
crabs with mallets for the little bit of meat they contain.


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

Impressed
 

wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.


We still see the small bales at times, but not as common as old days.
Either the big rolls, and they keep better food value if stored covered,
and the large rolls.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 17:04:55 -0400, Keyser Söze
wrote:

Oh, and the new
outboards in their crate boxes, up to about 100 hp in those days, were
stacked two and three high along the side of the main showroom, and had
to be grunted up or down.

I grunted this one around for a few days

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/new%20motor.jpg

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 5:18 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 3:05:40 PM UTC-4, True North wrote:
One of my tougher jobs was struggling with 400 pound cubes of rubber....trying to drag them out from under the wings of a cargo ships hold and hook up to the winch for offloading. A number of the full time longshoreman disappeared....leaving a few of the reliable guys and a handful of us hired from the bullpen to do the work.

Don, my last comment to you was totally uncalled for. I apologize.

And I apologize for what I was thinking.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:11:00 -0400, Keyser Söze
wrote:

I haven't seen anyone tonging oysters for a couple of years, though I
know it is still being done. The crabbers, of course, are everywhere.
Both are tough ways to make a living.

===

We see guys tonging for oysters on Long Island Sound's south shore
when we're up that way late in the season. They are usually in small
skiffs with a square sail rigged from a pole. Apparently the sail
helps to resist the force of the tonging and keeps the boat from
moving. It looks like very hard work but there must be money in it
based on the number we see.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:11:00 -0400, Keyser Söze
wrote:


My mother's family were watermen on the lower Chesapeake (a little
south of Harry). I saw them tonging oysters and running crab pots but
I never had the urge to do that for a living or even an odd job.


I haven't seen anyone tonging oysters for a couple of years, though I
know it is still being done. The crabbers, of course, are everywhere.
Both are tough ways to make a living.

Oysters are generally tonged when it is really too cold to watch ;-)


We buy softshells at least once a week from a reliable guy with a
refrigerator truck and a roadside electrical outlet in the parking lot
of a liquor store. Nice softshells run $3 to $4 each. Don't like banging
crabs with mallets for the little bit of meat they contain.

The people who owned the marina before my niece bought used to float
out softshells but it is a game of constant observation.
They pick out the "peelers" from the pots and put them in float boxes,
watching them constantly and snatching them out as soon as they molt.
Then they got packed in wet grass and sold.

I am not really a soft shell fan. I don't mind picking hard crabs tho.
It is really more of a social event than a meal. I always want a
burger or something afterwards.
A lot is in learning the trick. First off, there is no "banging". You
do it all with a dull paring knife. Some use a short piece of sawed
off broom stick to get the knife going but I never do.

I was in a "crab house" in Treasure Island once and drew a crowd,
showing everyone how to pick a crab, including the owners.
I learned the trick from my grand parents as they did from theirs.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 7:30 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



The hay bales Mrs.E gets are about 3-4 feet long by about 2 feet high
and 2 feet wide. They are basically a series of "flakes", compressed
and held together as a bale with twine. Each flake is about 6 inches wide.

They are easily managed by one person but tossing a hundred of them
up into the hay storage loft could be a bitch. When she orders a
bunch of it to be delivered, they show up with a trailer full of bales
and use a motorized belt conveyor device that goes up to the barn loft
doors.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 7:36 PM, Califbill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



We still see the small bales at times, but not as common as old days.
Either the big rolls, and they keep better food value if stored covered,
and the large rolls.


Problem with hay is that it can rot quickly, even if covered and kept
dry. It depends on how much of it you go through. A large farm
probably goes through as many of those big rolls as my wife's
two horses go through the smaller, rectangular bales in the same
time period. I think she goes through about a full bale a day.

Impressed
 

wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


Rarely see them out here. I had them on the east coast. With their little
claws hanging out the side of the sandwich.

Impressed
 

Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/27/2015 7:36 PM, Califbill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



We still see the small bales at times, but not as common as old days.
Either the big rolls, and they keep better food value if stored covered,
and the large rolls.


Problem with hay is that it can rot quickly, even if covered and kept
dry. It depends on how much of it you go through. A large farm
probably goes through as many of those big rolls as my wife's
two horses go through the smaller, rectangular bales in the same
time period. I think she goes through about a full bale a day.



We have huge hay stacks out here. 20' high, 300' long. But also low
humidity.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.

Impressed
 

On 10/27/2015 8:23 PM, Califbill wrote:
Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/27/2015 7:36 PM, Califbill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



We still see the small bales at times, but not as common as old days.
Either the big rolls, and they keep better food value if stored covered,
and the large rolls.


Problem with hay is that it can rot quickly, even if covered and kept
dry. It depends on how much of it you go through. A large farm
probably goes through as many of those big rolls as my wife's
two horses go through the smaller, rectangular bales in the same
time period. I think she goes through about a full bale a day.



We have huge hay stacks out here. 20' high, 300' long. But also low
humidity.



During the course of a summer my wife has to return several bales a
month because they've gone bad. Hay dealer takes them back and gives
her fresh replacements with no problem.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:11:56 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/27/2015 7:30 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



The hay bales Mrs.E gets are about 3-4 feet long by about 2 feet high
and 2 feet wide. They are basically a series of "flakes", compressed
and held together as a bale with twine. Each flake is about 6 inches wide.

They are easily managed by one person but tossing a hundred of them
up into the hay storage loft could be a bitch. When she orders a
bunch of it to be delivered, they show up with a trailer full of bales
and use a motorized belt conveyor device that goes up to the barn loft
doors.

That's the bale I grew up with.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:18:36 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/27/2015 7:36 PM, Califbill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:57:11 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:19:14 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:02:56 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

My summer jobs were stacking mostly 80 lb alphalfa hay bales on a wagon
and into a barn from sun up to sundown. Start at 6:30am to about 9pm. 6 days a week.

Usually 80-90 degrees in the direct sun and 120+ in the barn while
breathing straw and hay dust all day.

Baling and stacking hay was often a multi-family job. I really enjoyed the dinners
with two or three families, usually a huge mess of fried chichen with the goodies.
Then back to work 'til the sun went down.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I was pretty young when I helped my uncle hay. I drug the bales in to
position on the trailer. Could not toss them up high enough. Hard work.

===

Apparently technology has changed hay bailing a lot. When we drive
through farm country these days I see large round bundles that are
moved around with fork lifts. I'm not sure if they are still tied up
with bailing twine or not. Apparently they don't get stored in barns
either. Most often we see them in the fields with tarps over them.

They have a little square machine that bales these up. I may have a
picture somewhere but they were all over the Dakotas. They are tied
with twine (maybe poly). The farmers have a feeder station that will
take a whole roll at a time. I have seen then in pole barns or, like
you say, more often just out in the field under a tarp.
We did watch one "big old boy" roll one of these up to a feeder and
muscle it in himself when we were in Montana. He was a cowboy on a 4
wheeler.



We still see the small bales at times, but not as common as old days.
Either the big rolls, and they keep better food value if stored covered,
and the large rolls.


Problem with hay is that it can rot quickly, even if covered and kept
dry. It depends on how much of it you go through. A large farm
probably goes through as many of those big rolls as my wife's
two horses go through the smaller, rectangular bales in the same
time period. I think she goes through about a full bale a day.

It should be able to last all winter, unless it was too wet when baled. Hay can
ignite spontaneously if stored when too wet.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.

Impressed
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 21:26:47 -0400, John H.
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:18:36 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

Problem with hay is that it can rot quickly, even if covered and kept
dry. It depends on how much of it you go through. A large farm
probably goes through as many of those big rolls as my wife's
two horses go through the smaller, rectangular bales in the same
time period. I think she goes through about a full bale a day.

It should be able to last all winter, unless it was too wet when baled. Hay can
ignite spontaneously if stored when too wet.

I think horses are more sensitive to moldy hay than cattle. (wet feet
too) The places we were had mostly cattle ranches. The cows are just
burgers on the hoof.
I am sure their horses lived more like Mrs Luddite's horses.
My niece down by Harry is a "horsey person". She has big ones and
little ones (a little bigger than our Mr Ed).

Impressed
 

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 05:39:32 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.


What processing and cleaning would be done. I used to get them by the bushel, open
them, and eat them. Maybe throw some on a grill to steam.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 02:16:02 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.

Soft shells are caught in traps just like the hard shell. They make great rockfish
bait. I'd put a quarter of a soft shell on a hook. Usually had pretty good luck. But,
using soft shells for bait is not cheap.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On 10/28/2015 9:45 AM, John H. wrote:
On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 05:39:32 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.


What processing and cleaning would be done. I used to get them by the bushel, open
them, and eat them. Maybe throw some on a grill to steam.

Varies, state to state but MA has very specific regulations on the post
harvesting handling of oysters and other shell fish that are intended
for distribution to restaurants, etc. Icing in a slurry that is
temperature controlled, rinsing, prevention of exposure to direct
sunlight, etc.

Much is due to close to shore ocean areas that have become contaminated
over the years.

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 10:28:43 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/28/2015 9:45 AM, John H. wrote:
On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 05:39:32 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.


What processing and cleaning would be done. I used to get them by the bushel, open
them, and eat them. Maybe throw some on a grill to steam.

Varies, state to state but MA has very specific regulations on the post
harvesting handling of oysters and other shell fish that are intended
for distribution to restaurants, etc. Icing in a slurry that is
temperature controlled, rinsing, prevention of exposure to direct
sunlight, etc.

Much is due to close to shore ocean areas that have become contaminated
over the years.


When stationed at Ft Benning, GA, we used to go to a place called 'Jimmy's Oyster
Bar'. There, for 60 cents a dozen (in early 1970) one got his oysters shucked with
sauce and crackers. We'd go to Pritchett's Fish Camp for the all-you-can-eat catfish
and hush puppies (about $5.95 as I recall), then off to Jimmy's for dessert - two or
three dozen oysters.

It's a wonder I don't weigh 300 lbs.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 05:39:32 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.


I am not sure what processed and cleaned means. They just put them in
a bucket of water and knock the mud off from all I have seen.
Guys who like raw oysters usually eat them right out of the water.
It was never something I was interested in. Oysters and clams are bait
in my opinion and that was only intensified when I started doing water
sampling and understood what was in the water. Scallops are about the
only bivalve I eat and that is just the muscle.
Everyone else in my family ate them and the fresher the better. When I
was bringing them down from Maryland, they were right off the boat at
Schiebels.
This is one of those foods that would be made a lot safer with
radiation.

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 10:28:43 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


Varies, state to state but MA has very specific regulations on the post
harvesting handling of oysters and other shell fish that are intended
for distribution to restaurants, etc. Icing in a slurry that is
temperature controlled, rinsing, prevention of exposure to direct
sunlight, etc.

Much is due to close to shore ocean areas that have become contaminated
over the years.


Down here a lot of the inshore areas have been closed to shell fish
harvesting and I bet if the politicians were not involved there might
not be any oysters taken at all. The same is true in the Chesapeake.
At the end of the day you have to realize these are filter feeders and
they tend to concentrate any contaminant in the water. I don't eat
liver or kidneys either.
OTOH oysters are excellent for water quality, just because they do
filter out a lot of stuff we would rather not have there.

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 09:47:44 -0400, John H.
wrote:

Soft shells are caught in traps just like the hard shell. They make great rockfish
bait. I'd put a quarter of a soft shell on a hook. Usually had pretty good luck. But,
using soft shells for bait is not cheap.
--

I guess you don't see peeler crabs up there anymore. They are as
attractive to the fish and stay on the hook better.
It is basically a blue crab in mid molt. You can crack it and pull out
the meat along with a very tough skin that holds it on the hook.
Rock fish were virtually endangered when I was up there but it was
excellent for hard heads and trout. You really did not need a lot of
bait, A little chunk would do fine. One crab might be 8 or 10 baits.

Impressed
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 11:51:08 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 09:47:44 -0400, John H.
wrote:

Soft shells are caught in traps just like the hard shell. They make great rockfish
bait. I'd put a quarter of a soft shell on a hook. Usually had pretty good luck. But,
using soft shells for bait is not cheap.
--

I guess you don't see peeler crabs up there anymore. They are as
attractive to the fish and stay on the hook better.
It is basically a blue crab in mid molt. You can crack it and pull out
the meat along with a very tough skin that holds it on the hook.
Rock fish were virtually endangered when I was up there but it was
excellent for hard heads and trout. You really did not need a lot of
bait, A little chunk would do fine. One crab might be 8 or 10 baits.

The rockfish have gotten more demanding.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Impressed
 

On 10/28/2015 9:45 AM, John H. wrote:
On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 05:39:32 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/28/2015 2:16 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:31:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 10/27/2015 8:15 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Oct 2015 16:32:33 -0700, Califbill billnews wrote:


Our Dungeness crabs have lots of meat, so worth banging. Couple times I
had soft shell crabs, did not impress me.

I picked one out down in the market in San Francisco once. It is OK
but not as much flavor as a real Chesapeake blue crab.
The crabs down here are not as good. It probably has to do with the
fact that then never hibernate. The best crabs are right before the
first molt of the early summer.

On soft shells, freshness is a big deal. Frozen ones will not be as
good. Usually they are lightly sauteed in butter with a tiny pinch of
old bay. Don't over cook them. On your coast they may have been
steamed before they were shipped.


During my last two years in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis, MD, we'd
go get chicken backs and necks, tie them to the lines of our fishing
poles, cast out, let the chicken sink to the bottom and pull up two or
three soft shells at a time. Problem was the sea gulls we attracted.


"Soft shells"?

That is unusual. I have netted up a few but usually they keep a pretty
low profile until the shell hardens because everyone eats soft crabs,
including other crabs.
You must have had a sweet spot where they go to hide,

I think the warm water here hardens them up pretty fast because none
of our local crab guys ever seems to get a soft shell in their traps.
I did show them how to spot a peeler because that is prime bait for
just about anything but they are here rare too.


I don't recall it being unusual back then (late 70's). My understanding
is that "soft shell" crabs are simply Blue Crabs that have shed their
shell and the new one hasn't hardened yet. We used to catch a lot of them.

One guy I knew then used to get oysters from a boat (near the shore),
crack them open and eat them on the spot. I didn't, although I've done
my share at the Union Oyster House in Boston. At least the ones
served there have been processed and cleaned. It was a favorite dining
spot for some of my company's customers from other parts of the country
and I used to take them there for some wineing and dining.


What processing and cleaning would be done. I used to get them by the bushel, open
them, and eat them. Maybe throw some on a grill to steam.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!


I imagine he's referring to the detoxification process that Maryland,
and sometimes other locations, need to do to make shellfish safe to eat.

Impressed
 

On 10/28/2015 11:44 AM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 10:28:43 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


Varies, state to state but MA has very specific regulations on the post
harvesting handling of oysters and other shell fish that are intended
for distribution to restaurants, etc. Icing in a slurry that is
temperature controlled, rinsing, prevention of exposure to direct
sunlight, etc.

Much is due to close to shore ocean areas that have become contaminated
over the years.


Down here a lot of the inshore areas have been closed to shell fish
harvesting and I bet if the politicians were not involved there might
not be any oysters taken at all. The same is true in the Chesapeake.
At the end of the day you have to realize these are filter feeders and
they tend to concentrate any contaminant in the water. I don't eat
liver or kidneys either.
OTOH oysters are excellent for water quality, just because they do
filter out a lot of stuff we would rather not have there.



Contrary to popular belief, liver does not "store" toxins. It's role is
to neutralize them. Toxins that cannot be neutralized are passed on
and stored elsewhere (fatty tissue).

Like many, I used to despise liver and would gag when my mother tried to
disguise it as "steak". Now, I enjoy it. Don't eat it often but
when I do it's a treat.

I don't do lobsters anymore though.

Impressed
 

On 10/28/15 11:51 AM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 09:47:44 -0400, John H.
wrote:

Soft shells are caught in traps just like the hard shell. They make great rockfish
bait. I'd put a quarter of a soft shell on a hook. Usually had pretty good luck. But,
using soft shells for bait is not cheap.
--

I guess you don't see peeler crabs up there anymore. They are as
attractive to the fish and stay on the hook better.
It is basically a blue crab in mid molt. You can crack it and pull out
the meat along with a very tough skin that holds it on the hook.
Rock fish were virtually endangered when I was up there but it was
excellent for hard heads and trout. You really did not need a lot of
bait, A little chunk would do fine. One crab might be 8 or 10 baits.


You have to tie or rubber band a softshell on the hook for it to stay on
the hook. Live shrimp were always my favorite inshore bait in
Florida...all the fish seemed to like them, they were cheap, easy to put
on the hook, and if you did it right and were freelining, they'd swim
until someone gulped them down. They were a $1.25 a dozen when we lived
in Florida. :)