Homemade Pig Roaster

Roasting a whole pig is a traditional item in the menu for southern style get-togethers. Getting a pig roast is a great thing to have during reunions with family and friends. Part of the tradition is to have the men do all the roasting while the women will prepare the other dishes for the weekend feast. A great combination to this roast would include potato salad, tortillas, beans, salsas, and chips. All in all, this will require the men to learn how to make a homemade pig roaster.

Homemade Pig Roaster – The Traditional Way

The traditional way of making a homemade pig roaster is do all the work on the ground. This will really take a lot of hard work. In fact, it will actually require a couple of days for both preparation and the actual cooking. It will require the combined effort of all your friends and buddies just to prepare the pig and get the pit ready. It’s also a good excuse to have an advance party while the pig is getting ready.

Needed Items

The very first thing you will really need to make a homemade pig roaster is a pig to roast. One that is about 60 to 80 pounds will do just right. However, if you are expecting more guests you can get one that is bigger or just roast two pigs just to be sure everyone gets to sample the roasted hog. You’ll also need some wet sheets, a shovel, some straight razors, a lot of firewood or dead wood, a huge sheet metal, oil, hot towels, and a large deep fryer.

Instructions

If you are not squeamish about killing and gutting a pig then you should better buy a live pig from a farmer or a meat auction a day before you are actually going to eat it. If you can’t stand all the blood and the heckling noise a dying pig makes then you can just buy a pig that is already dressed from a meat market.

It’s your call if you want to keep the pig’s head or not. Lay hot towels on the pig so that you won’t have trouble with the hairs when you run razors on the skin. Wrap the pig in the sheets and prepare to make your homemade pig roaster.

Here’s how you actually make a homemade pig roaster. Pile your wood and start a bonfire until you have hot coals. While doing this some of your friends should dig up a three-foot hole on the ground. Shovel the coals into the hole up to about eight inches in height. Shovel in a thin layer of dirt over the coals and place the pig over it with the sheets sticking out over the hole.

You then add another eight-inch layer of hot coals over the pig. Lay your metal sheet on top of the pit and cover the side edges with dirt. Bring out some beer or your favorite drink because the pig will now roast and get cooked in 14 to 15 hours. Remove the metal sheet every four hours to check the pig and add more coals. You may add your favorite spices and herbs while preparing the pig to add flavor. After 15 hours, your pig is roasted nicely and it’s time to haul it out and place on the table.

Homemade 4th Of July Decorations

As you’ll see, there’s no need to spend big money for homemade 4th of July decorations. Include these decors in the festivities and give the celebrations your own unique mark.

Decorative Flowers

Get some red, white and blue flowers and arrange them in the garden. Line the flowers in rows and paint the pots in red, white and blue. You can also put these flowers in various parts of the house. Place some in the living room, kitchen and other rooms. You don’t need to spend a fortune, as synthetic flowers will do just fine.

Wreaths

You can also put up patriotically themed wreaths at the door and windows. You can use wreaths made of Styrofoam or grapevine. Get some flowers and arrange them along the wreath. Aside from flowers, there are other ways of adorning this homemade 4th of July decoration.

Get some ribbons and paint them in red, white and blue. Cut some thick paper into star shapes. Paint them in the appropriate colors. Put the stars and ribbons on the wreath. You can also attach some American flags on the wreath before putting it up. Use some floral wire to fasten these decors into place.

Patriotic Table Ornaments

Get a large bowl and fill it with water. Put some glass marbles in the bowl. Paint them red, white and blue if needed. Now put the patriotic candles in it. Light the candles. Put these on tables and desks. You can also use this homemade 4th of July decoration as centerpiece decors during get-togethers and parties.

Decorating Felts

Buy some felt and cut it to the desired length. Get some red, blue and white paper. Write your message and cut each letter. Alternate the colors and stick to the felt using glue. You can also cut some stars and ribbons and attach them to the felt.

Decorating Bags

Get the paper bags and containers you want to decorate. Paint them in red, white and blue. You can also paint with one dominant color (i.e., the bag is only red or blue). Now cut some stars and paint it white. Paste them on the bags. You can also put tea lights in your homemade 4th of July decoration. Put them in the driveway and let them light the way.

Flags and Other Designs

Using your computer you can easily make American flags. Print them out and paste them on the fridge or fasten them to poles. You can also make stars and stripes using ribbons and paper. These can be used as confetti for the party. You can also paint those trumpets or cap with patriotic colors.

If you’re the artistic type, you can draw patriotic themed images on your computer (or drawing paper). Print them out and hang on the walls or give some to your friends to make as decors. Let your creativity shine by drawing some patriotic graphics.

If you want to add something to the celebrations besides fireworks, these homemade 4th of July decorations will do the trick. A lot of everyday objects can be turned into patriotic designs, so have fun.

Homemade Notepad

Homemade notepads are fun and easy to make especially if you use it as a way to get in touch with little children. It’s a great idea for a family home activity or something to do with your little kids when they can’t go out in the rain to play. The materials you’re going to use to make a homemade notepad can be easily purchased or sometimes immediately found right in your home. Watching your kids make one will reveal to you their innate creativity.

Needed Materials

Most of the stuff you need to create or construct a homemade notepad with your kids can be found at home. You basically need some paper, white glue, some paintbrushes, some cardboards, objects that you can use as weights, and a fine edged knife or a pair of scissors. As a safety precaution, you should supervise your children while doing this activity especially when handling cutting tools. You should be the one to handle the scissors and other cutting materials you use for this project.

Another piece of equipment you might want to use if available is a computer with a printer. You can use a computer to print out designs that you can attach to the cover your homemade notepads. However, if you want your kids to put a little effort into making the designs you should bring out an art kit with ribbons and all and allow them to create their own designs.

Constructing a Homemade Notepad

Constructing your notepad will be easy even for little kids. The first thing you should do is to grab a sheet of paper and cut them out into a fourth of their original size. Legal sized paper will work just fine, whether you use new or used ones will depend entirely on your personal preference.

Stack these cut pieces of paper aligning one side. Take note that you are only required to keep just one side of the would be notepad even. Put a piece of cardboard that is larger than the size of the cut paper sheets on top of your stack. Place another one at the bottom of the stack. Hold the stack of paper firmly down using your weights.

Place glue on the side or edge you have evened out earlier. You may use a sponge or a brush to spread the glue. Be sure to cover that entire evened out edge/side and let it dry. You can then use your computer print outs to decorate the cover of your homemade notepad or let your kids do the art work on their own pads.

Homemade Charcoal Grills

There are actually several materials you can use to make homemade charcoal grills. The following are some of the most reliable and easiest to make.

Required Tools and Materials

Can opener with sharp point
A metallic can (1 gallon)
Lighter fluid
Several matches
Water and soap
Charcoal

Instructions

Remove the cover from the can. Place the can under running water and clean it thoroughly. Use as much soap and water as necessary. Dry it with a towel. When it’s completely dry, get the can opener. Point the tip at the sides and make several holes. There needs to be a minimum of 20 holes in the sides.

The bottom of the can mustn’t have any holes. The bottom part will be the homemade charcoal grill’s surface. Assemble the charcoal and set them on a non combustible surface. Put some lighter fluid on it. Light it with a match. Allow the flames to settle down.

Get the can and carefully put it over the burning flames. Be a little patient, as some flames take longer to settle down than others. It all depends on how much lighter fluid you put in.
Get the food and place them on top of the can.

Note: the 1 gallon can is just an arbitrary figure. Use bigger cans if you’ll be cooking a lot of food. If the can opener cannot punch in the holes, use a screwdriver or other pointed objects. Pounding the sharp object with a hammer may help create more holes.

Other Homemade Charcoal Grills

Get a couple of cake pans. Don’t use Teflon covered pan for the charcoal. Get the charcoal and put it in the pan. The deeper the pan, the more charcoal you can put in. Put the other cake pan on top. You can also use a cookie sheet instead of another cake pan. A pizza pan will also do nicely.

You can also use any grill tray. This can be placed over the charcoal. Other containers will also do provided they’ve been cleaned. All the contents must also be removed.

Some people like to use newspapers when setting up the charcoal. First you make the holes in the can. Now put the papers on the can and the charcoals on top of it. Put the fluid on and light it up. Wait for about 15 minutes and this homemade charcoal grill will be ready.

Tips and Warnings

Metallic objects are the best option. However, brick will also be suitable as well as cast iron. Plastic should be avoided at all costs. They will burn or even scatter all over the place.

You can make a hole in the yard. Apply some tin oil in the area and set the charcoal there. Light it up and put an oven rack on top of it. Be careful when lighting the fire. Make sure to have a fire extinguisher nearby. Or have at least a bucket of water.

A lot of foods just taste better when grilled. With your very own homemade charcoal grill, you can have that cookout without busting your wallet.

Homemade Upside Down Tomato Planter

By resorting to homemade upside down tomato planters, you’ll be able to nurture plants without spending too much money. You’ll need to gather a few things first.

Required Tools and Materials

Plastic container with handle (5 gallon will do)
Sponge
Tomato plants at least 4 inches high
Any sharp instrument
Hanger (heavy duty type)
Thick string

Instructions

Use the sharp object to make a hole in the plastic’s bottom. Make it two inches in diameter. Make three more holes in the container. Put the string through it. Make sure there’s enough string for doubling back. This is needed to fasten it to the hanger.

Set the container on the surface. Put the tomato plant’s roots through the bottom hole you just made. Continue making the homemade upside down tomato planter by getting a sponge. Cut and shape it into a rough circle.

Make an incision in the sponge’s middle (half an inch). Slice a line in this hole. Set the sponge all around the plant. This should be on the inner part of the bucket.

Putting the Planter in Place

Have someone grab hold of the container. Turn it upside down. Put the soil in the spot where the lid is. Wait until it is filled halfway. Add some water. Now fill the mixture all the way. Now put the structure in a hanger.

Secure it with the strings. There are some special hangers designed for homemade upside down tomato planters. However you can use an ordinary one provided it is strong enough.

Make sure the place you hang it on will be sturdy enough to hold the container. Set it during the day. Afterwards immerse the soil with water. Make sure the liquid goes all the way down. This is necessary so the roots will grow.

You can put the planter on a deck or anywhere else. But do make sure there’s plenty of space. This will be needed when the leaves start to grow. If you didn’t take off the cover, use it to keep moisture in.

Preventing Diseases

Diseases can also affect homemade upside down tomato planters. Funguses are among the most deadly. There are several insecticides and fungicides you can use. Get yourself one of these. Apply them according to the instructions provided. This will keep the plants from rotting and turning brownish.

It’s crucial that you apply these medicines before any fungus signs appear. Give the plants medication before any flowers appear. There’s no need to panic if the chemicals get on a few of the tomatoes. It won’t affect the other fruits.

Tips and Warnings

Sunlight is important but too much of it can be damaging. Cover it with some shade during excessively hot days. The shade color should be green as it can keep the heat out. Don’t forget to give it fertilizer.

Making your own homemade upside down tomato planter is a simple project. You can do this with the rest of the family. It’s not just cost effective, but a lot of times plants cultivated in this manner grow very healthy.