Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from July 2000

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from July 2000

What's new at COUNTRYSIDE?
July 1, 2000... You've probably noticed a few changes in these pages the past few issues. The most dramatic change is probably the new cover look. As much as we liked the old cover, we thought it was time for a change. And speaking of changes, Jd no longer...

Things didn't seem as bad as professor proclaimed.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I must say the piece on the '30s (March/April 2000) is an excellent bit of writing. I lived through those days. We lived in a rural area on a rather large farm. In those days farmers had a variety of things for income. We...

Romanticizing homesteads is nothing new.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: Your recent article about homesteading and the "Dirty Thirties" reminded me of a book that I read recently, Jonathan Raban's Bad Land (1996, Vintage Books). In the first part of this book, Raban discusses the "selling" of the...

Stucco updates.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: The article on stucco (March/ April, 2000) needs updating from its 1929 source. There are four updates to observe: First: Old-time stucco mortar was one 94-pound bag of Portland (concrete) cement and two gallons of curd-like...

Alcohol-powered stoves might be the answer.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I liked your lead article in issue 84/1, "Equipping your homestead". It brings up a very good question that I've thought about a great deal: the problem of how to power a stove without lots of electricity. I may have a...

Thoughts on geothermal cooling.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: In regards to geothermal cooling (84/2:32), I have several thoughts on this. We installed an earth-coupled heat pump a little over three years ago and are very pleased with it. However, we designed our home to be essentially a...

She put blood meal in stocking to prevent dissolving.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: In San Antonio, Texas, we have a severe problem with white-tail deer eating our new and mature landscape. Aside from deer-resistant "xeriscape" plants, of which we have many, during drought conditions the deer are not choosy and...

Passing laws easier than teaching responsibility.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: In regards to 84/2:52, the paragraph in column one beginning "A more insidious reason is that most people want to be caught in that trap." This has become even more insidious as time goes on. We are willing to give up our...

Their contaminated water can be used on plants.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I just subscribed to COUNTRYSIDE with the March/April issue. I find the articles very enjoyable and informative. I especially like the feature where people can write in and make inquiries about a variety of topics about...

Nylon wire ties are dangerous for use on foot bridges.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: In volume 84/3:51, a reader recommended using nylon wire ties as part of a bridge over a ravine. Don't do it! Nylon wire ties become brittle and weak after prolonged exposure to sunlight. The UV rays cause the plastic to decay....

What the heck are ear candles?
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm saddened by Jd Belanger's farewell article. Surely he will write a few articles every now and then? Please? I have two questions: What the heck are ear candles? We've never heard of them here. What are they used for? ...

Using greywater and herbal remedies.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: Love your magazine. I learned a lot about what has always seemed an esoteric subject to me: wells and getting water from out of the ground, from a previous issue. The articles on use of greywater and rainwater cisterns were...

Parsley on the balcony and hope.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm a "wanna-be" homesteader in a city apartment (it is a "philosophy" -- a matter of the heart, so-to-speak), but there's always hope. The parsley is growing on the balcony, maybe another year's attempt at container tomatoes will...

Everyday decisions take precedence over computers.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: The editorial in the Jan./ Feb. 2000 issue regarding "Homesteaders and the computer age" was outrageously off the mark, and I can't let it pass without adding my two cents worth. The editorial was written in response to "An...

They learned to homestead the hard way.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I can still remember the first time I set my hands on COUNTRYSIDE -- and just couldn't let go! I wish we had COUNTRYSIDE as a guide when we first moved up from L.A. It would have saved lots of backbreaking hours of unnecessary work...

Go ahead and nibble on a honey locust pod.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I haven't been able to get an answer from our county agent's office and can't recall ever reading about this. We have a honey locust tree with bushels of big rattly seed pods this year. Is there any practical use for them? As...

Gardening tips include paper cups and stovepipe.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to share some garden tips: First, I'd like to tell you we are living at an elevation of 5,000 feet in what is known as high desert -- warm days and cold nights, short growing season and sandy soil. I have two...

She needs advice on potato production.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I need some advice about potato problems. Another gardener suggested the problem with poor production might be nematodes. I thought you bought nematodes when you had things boring into stuff, but he said not necessarily -- they...

Get involved in local land use plans.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: First of all I'd like to say congratulations on your retirement Jd, you've earned it, and many thanks for bringing all of us together with a great magazine. I wanted to let people know about something that is happening here in...

A family homestead since 1905.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoy COUNTRYSIDE very much. There is a lot of reading (I read from cover to cover) and that's what I like. I do not miss glossy pages mostly covered with colored pictures. We earn our living farming. My yard and house is the...

An ingenious way to "vacuum pack" foods.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I've enjoyed your magazine for years. In response to "Aquaponics interest" in 84/3:17: Aquaponics, or the cross-utilization of aquaculture and hydroponics, is a commendable idea, and one that I had 30 years ago in high school (for...

The comforts of building with stone.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: When I decided to build my first (and last) house, I knew I would use alternative building methods. The problem was deciding which alternative to choose. I knew I wanted earth sheltered passive solar, but that still left many...

Make your own post driver.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: Last week a neighbor stopped by to see our post driver he had heard about. He wanted to build one while his badly mangled fingers healed from his sledge hammer/T-post accident. This brought back painful memories from several...

Homesteading tips from a subscriber of 16 years.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: As a bachelor, now 84, and a subscriber since 1984, I've been searching my mind for any ideas that might add to homestead lore and finding surprisingly few; perhaps because I have never been a homesteader. A reader, rather than a...

Don't wait too long to fulfill dreams.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: COUNTRYSIDE is a great inspiration. I sometimes think it's like a support group -- it enables people to finally get up and get control of their lives. Of course, some of us are too afraid, too weak (in more than just physical...

Three cheers for country life.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I have recently subscribed and really enjoy your magazine. My mother once said, "Variety is the spice of life," and I believe that is true in COUNTRYSIDE. I have read about "country folk" and "city folk," and my family and I...

Help for fireblight in apple trees.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I was told some years ago, after an old apple tree developed fireblight, that some iron in the soil would help. Also I was told to drive a few old rusty nails into the trunk at various intervals. This will help put iron in the...

We feel she made the right decision.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I just got the May/June 2000 issue and am so thankful you have gone back to the type of articles which attracted me to your publication several years ago. I had decided to not resubscribe after the type of articles you were...

What did chicken breeding experiment prove?
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: While on a prolonged holiday in the Philippines, I came in contact with an herb locally called "tang lad." It was used in flavoring meat and poultry. As best I could tell it was a tall grass-like plant that had a lemon flavor. I...

No sympathy here.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I just read the article written by "Anonymous" from Texas in the May/June, 2000 issue. I must say that she impressed me as a very selfish person. Everything was "her dreams, her hopes, her desires, her plans." Her article was...

Some folks do silly things.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: Over a year ago an "expert" stated Barred Rocks don't lay eggs after October, and Bantams don't roost. This may not be as far off as it sounds. If the Barred Rocks started laying in March and had no artificial light, they would no...

Some things words can't express.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm new to the COUNTRYSIDE family, but I felt I had to write. We sent for a free copy of the magazine several months ago and we instantly became hooked on it. I immediately became a subscriber. I'm not writing just because of the...

They caught "the fever" all over again.
July 1, 2000... COUNTRYSIDE: A dear friend of mine who lives in the Rio Grande Valley recently sent me the 84/1 issue of COUNTRYSIDE, knowing how much I liked to read about practical matters. Not only did I catch the "homesteading fever" all over again after...

COUNTRYSIDE CONTACTS.
July 1, 2000... Back by popular demand! The free bulletin board where you can contact neighbors just down the road or across the country. Many of you have requested we "bring back the contacts," so we're going to try it again on a limited basis. This...

Welcome to Anathoth.
July 1, 2000... A community of homesteaders and activists Composting toilets. Solar power. Almost two acres of organic gardens, and a four-season greenhouse. Wood heat and woodburning water heaters. Greywater systems and owner-built homes. Working only two...

Live and let live.
July 1, 2000... For 25 years now I have been living in intentional communities of one kind or another and it is, by far, the hardest work that I do. I'm tired of intrusions, of endless meetings, of not being able to do the simplest things without running it by...

Wastewater solutions on a solar and wind powered homestead.
July 1, 2000... Being nestled in the Sawtooth Mountains along the north shore of Lake Superior has provided many opportunities and challenges for our family's homestead. The rocky and forest-covered Canadian shield provided us with the opportunity to build our...

Earth sheltered, Earth-conscious.
July 1, 2000... It is possible to fit an energy-saving home into a conventional neighborhood We have increasing air and water pollution, reduction of green spaces due to urban growth, deforestation from high wood consumption, and rampant use of fossil...

Grow echinacea as an alternative to tobacco.
July 1, 2000... Many tobacco farmers are looking for alternative crops following the ongoing reductions in tobacco allotments and tobacco markets. Allotment reductions mean lower production levels and lower incomes for tobacco farmers. One crop proposed as an...

Sunflowers: A cash-value crop, and high-quality silage for livestock.
July 1, 2000... Commercial production of sunflower seeds offers farmers an income source and a chance to further diversify their agricultural economy. The advantage, from a practical viewpoint, is that sunflowers are generally adapted for seed production...

Agroforestry combines niche markets with improving the environment.
July 1, 2000... "Agroforestry" may sound new, but Minnesotans have been using agroforestry practices for over a century. Agroforestry combines forestry with farming. More specifically, it's mixing trees and shrubs into agricultural systems and allowing...

Composted manures offer yield and disease resistance benefits.
July 1, 2000... Composted manures offer promise as beneficial soil amendments for vegetable growers. New research results show that composted manures can increase vegetable yield, influence crop diseases, and bring about changes in soil microbial life. ...

Using deep mulch was more work than she anticipated -- but it worked.
July 1, 2000... With our strange weather patterns, I got tired of having to wait for the ground to dry out in spring to be worked and went to the deep mulch system. This is my third year and I would like to share my experiences with others who may be...

Recycled cycle becomes a garden cultivator.
July 1, 2000... This handy garden cultivator was made from an old bike I found at the recycling center. The first step was to cut off the front half right at the seat tube with a hacksaw. Then take the pedals off. (Note: right side pedal has reverse...

We're outnumbered by mosquitoes: and there's not much we can do about it.
July 1, 2000... Mosquitoes are responsible for irritating bites, because itching welts, can spread diseases, are a constant aggravation at picnics and are ear-tormenting little beasts. No wonder they are so disliked. Like many other things in nature's...

Don't poison your cattle!
July 1, 2000... Nitrates and cyanide are common in pastures Cows suffocate. That's what happens when they get too much nitrate or cyanide in what they eat. They can breath, but their bodies can't use the oxygen they take in. Unusual weather conditions...

Breeding season is important for beef profitability.
July 1, 2000... The breeding season traditionally is an important time for producers and could impact beef profitability in 2001. "Breeding season is a time when the size and quality of next year's calf-crop is determined," stated John Anderson, Extension...

Coggins test is vital for equine health.
July 1, 2000... In the summer the horse industry try begins to really come alive. More horses are being moved around the country during racing, breeding, sale and show season, and owners need to pay close attention to health regulations, especially when it...

Make a goat milking stand.
July 1, 2000... My grandfather(Jd's dad) built a goat milking stand like this back in the 1960s, and it served us well for many years. It's more comfortable to use than the common bench-style (without the seat), and the folding feature makes it a real...

Feed your hogs at night for optimum growth in hot weather.
July 1, 2000... For anyone even remotely interested in the history of swine in America, PIGS from Cave to Corn Belt, by C. Towne and E. Wentworth, 1950, is must reading. Your local library should be able to obtain a loaner copy. Almost in passing, the...

Experiences with ducks and guineas.
July 1, 2000... After living on our little farm for several years and trying to raise a bit of everything, I decided it would be fun to have a pair of ducks. We have a small pond which I thought they would share with the rest of the livestock--five calves, 14...

Shell-breaking hens pose a problem.
July 1, 2000... My husband and I moved to a five-acre farm about two years ago. We raise our own beef, pork, poultry, rabbits, and put in a huge garden each spring. Our family and friends find it hard to believe that we only need to go to the grocery store...

Keep your chickens cool to prevent losses in hot weather.
July 1, 2000... Almost every summer we hear of chickens dying by the thousands during heatwaves. While heat stress is somewhat less of a problem in homestead flocks, you might be interested in knowing about experiments that have demonstrated a 30 percent...

Quench your thirst with homemade root beer.
July 1, 2000... We are interested in making homemade root beer. Can anyone give us any information on where to obtain supplies, bottling equipment, caps, etc.? Also, any tried-and-true recipes, tips, and general information would be greatly appreciated. Thank...

Whole Grain Cereals: Full of fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates.
July 1, 2000... The typical American diet averages only about 30 percent plant foods (vegetables, legumes, fruits and grains), foods that supply essential complex carbohydrates to fuel and nourish the body. That means the other 70 percent is from animal foods,...

Grandma Smith's Chicken and Dumplings.
July 1, 2000... An anonymous reader e-mailed us this recipe: This is a recipe that my grandmother taught me to make. They never had much money but used to enjoy holding large after-church dinners for family and friends on Sundays. This was served as a...

A surprising look at your money.
July 1, 2000... Too much caution can be just as bad as too much aggression Do you know how much you spend in a year? Well, haul out those income tax forms and take a look at your total income. Deduct taxes, Social Security, and Medicare payments. Then...

Opinions range from dishwashers to the internet.
July 1, 2000... As a long-time reader of COUNTRYSIDE I can think back on a wide range of topics and discussions that have been covered over the years. I suppose there have been hundreds of times I felt compelled to write in response, but for one reason or...

Fresh coffee anytime.
July 1, 2000... This is great for a fresh cup of coffee without perking a whole pot. Take one pound of your favorite brand, add 1/2-3/4 gallon cold water. Let set for a couple of days and strain through a towel or cheesecloth. Squeeze grounds to get every drop...

Make your own beauty products.
July 1, 2000... You can make many of your own salon-quality beauty products at home. For example, to treat dandruff crush up 30 aspirins, put them in your regular shampoo and shake the mixture well. Apply, wait a couple of minutes and then rinse. As a color...

La Nina will affect rain outlook.
July 1, 2000... National attention has focused on the drought of 1999 continuing and worsening as the 2000 growing season gets into full swing. Tom Priddy, agricultural meteorologist for the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture, is fully aware of...

Are lightning rods obsolete?
July 1, 2000... We don't hear much about lightning rods anymore. Here's another interesting question (with answers) from readers on the Web: Q: Are lightning rods obsolete? I've often wondered, as most new buildings don't have them anymore. We live on the...

Don't expect "fresh air" while on vacation.
July 1, 2000... All 379 National Park Service entities are in need of some form of repair or face some kind of threat, according to Thomas Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association. Ten of the most popular National Parks are endangered...

Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance.
July 1, 2000... Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance; 564 pages; $24.95; ISBN 1-58017-202-4; Storey Books, Pownal VT What are "basic country skills?" Apple trees. Baking bread, butchering and beekeeping. Canning,...

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible.
July 1, 2000... The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, by Edward C. Smith; forward by John Storey; 309 pages softcover. Storey Communications, Inc.. ISBN 1-58017-213-X Hundreds of books have been written about gardening -- all focusing on certain techniques from...

It's all ours!
July 1, 2000... After reading the letters in COUNTRYSIDE from people who are "saving up" to homestead that can't wait to get off the grid, I just can't keep my big mouth shut. (My husband says I talk too much!) For years now, on and off, we have lived on...

Their perseverence pays off.
July 1, 2000... I'm 27 years old, living in Southwestern Wisconsin. I grew up in the country, but many old-fashioned skills were not passed on to me from my parents. My folks had outhouses, homemade soap and one-room school houses. However, they wanted to...

A man of the soil.
July 1, 2000... The philosophy of COUNTRYSIDE speaks to the very kinds of happenings I've written about in this actual conversation I bad recently with a semi-retired farmer-neighbor who was "helping me out." For years I've been the owner of 120 wild, billy...

Disappearing scissors.
July 1, 2000... Does your home have a "black hole" for such things as ball-point pens, scissors or nail clippers? Buy a half-dozen of each and plant them around the house. This makes it far more likely you can find one when needed.

Coca Cola removes corrosion.
July 1, 2000... To remove corrosion from battery connectors, pour Coca Cola on them, wire brush, thoroughly flush and then coat the connectors with a 50/50 mix of Vaseline and baking soda. This helps neutralize future corrosion.

Memories of side pork suppers and full larders.
July 1, 2000... It wasn't really a meal without potatoes on the table Life seemed simpler, less complicated, and much easier in my yesterdays on the farm. Today's homemakers should have a ball preparing meals with the help of freezers, pre-packaged and...

Save that water.
July 1, 2000... If you have livestock or pets, don't throw away water from canned vegetables. It contains vitamins and minerals and can be offered to pets or livestock.

The American nightmare?
July 1, 2000... The lack of low- and moderate-housing is reaching crisis proportions. From 1991 to 1997, roughly 370,000 low- and, moderate-income housing units disappeared as they were demolished or refurbished at higher rental rates. "Rising interest...

They can afford it.
July 1, 2000... An international poll of college seniors found 74% of them expect to become millionaires.

Canine health advisory.
July 1, 2000... Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (a form of canine streptococcus bacteria that causes the "flesh-eating" disease in humans) has struck! Kansas again. This same disease killed a number of racing greyhounds in Kansas in 1992. Veterinarians warn...

Hoof-and-mouth disease suspected in South Korea.
July 1, 2000... A suspected deadly livestock disease will result in the slaughter of 350,000 head of hooved livestock in South Korea according to the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. The government took drastic action in face of mounting public concerns over...

Coyote infection.
July 1, 2000... Coyotes are becoming infected with a bacteria previously found only in domestic dogs. According to University of California-Davis veterinarians, roughly half of California's coyote population is infected with Bartonella infections (cats,...

When ya gotta go ...
July 1, 2000... The low-flow toilet law almost gets flushed. A 1992 water-conservation bill regulating toilets, urinals, shower heads and faucets may be going down the drain. Newly installed toilets are required to use 1.6 gallons of water per flush,...

Farms to school meals programs.
July 1, 2000... Farmers who are willing to add or expand their fruit and vegetable operations may find ready markets for their produce as close as their local school systems. The day-long workshop/conferences are being conducted throughout the United...

Biotech news and views.
July 1, 2000... Biotech crops have caught on quickly since their introduction in the 1990s. Bt corn, for instance, contains a gene for bacteria, making it toxic to the pesky European corn borer, but it may also be killing Monarch butterflies. The...

Chefs' views of biotech foods.
July 1, 2000... American chefs are tinkering with cherished recipes in order to eliminate genetically modified food from their restaurant kitchens. At Chez Panisse in Berkely, California, owner Alice Waters told food suppliers, "Flat out, no genetic...

Meanwhile, China's ready to plant.
July 1, 2000... China is ready to plant even more of Monsanto's genetically altered cotton seed. They're expensive at $4 for a one-kilogram bag. But "farmers see that they can make money by planting these cotton seeds," say Hebei Seeds Company dealer Liu...

European Coke crisis called "mass hysteria".
July 1, 2000... Psychosomatic illnesses were the cause of the Coca-Cola recall in Europe last year according to psychiatrists. A Belgian psychiatrist interviewed and conducted psychological tests on 150 school children who complained of headaches, nausea and...

New products.
July 1, 2000... Horizontal-axis washer saves water With water restrictions in many areas, this unique top load horizontal-axis washer offers a lot of help. The Staber System 2000 tumbles laundry like a front loader, but you maintain top loading...