Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from July 2004

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from July 2004

A little help goes a long way ...(From the editor)
July 1, 2004... Homesteading alone is tough. There isn't an extra pair of hands to help hold fencing, animals, or a ladder when you need to change a light in the barn. Yet, many folks carry on, doing the best they can and relying on the generous nature of...

Turkey breeds in need of breeders.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I was pleased to see Dr. Arnett's reasoned response to the earlier article about the dangers of Bovine Leucosis Virus. I too, was surprised that Debra Riding was not able to get more accurate information before such a worrisome...

The upkeep of items may outweigh the initial cost.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I have loved the magazine for years. We made the move to the country four years ago and feel we have some practical experience to share. First of all, animals and gardens cost money. Sometimes it may be overlooked that feed,...

They fell in love with sourdough yeast.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: We live in Oregon and are approaching the homestead way of life from a different path. We started out by renting property. We later found we were not satisfied with store-bought, processed foods and started raising our own beef...

More on using wheat berries.(Country conversation & feedback)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoyed the article in the March/April issue about wheat berry recipes, but you don't have to grind them into flour to use them. Whole wheat berries are delicious, easy to cook and very versatile. When planning menus, keep...

Take care when planting invasive species.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: After reading the article "Grow bamboo in the midwest," (Mar/Apr 04) a word of caution is in order. I would think twice before growing any plant that is not indigenous to the area, especially plants that grow extremely fast. If the...

Epazote reduces gas.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: This is for Tammy Hearn (88/1:9) and all those who have trouble digesting beans. Epazote to the rescue. Epazote is an herb used in Mexican cooking. I first heard of it from the tv program "Mexico, one plate at a time" on the public...

Homeschool supply resources.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I was just reading the homeschooling section. I have been enjoying reading everyone's methods, as we too homeschool. You can learn a lot just by listening/reading about what others are doing. I noticed that many mentioned where...

A taboo topic: religion.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I just started getting the magazine and really love reading it. I want to thank you for including the letters from the non-religious homeschoolers. I very much enjoyed the original homeschooling stories, but I had wondered if...

Not all old ideas are good ones!(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: In the article "Homemaking tips from 1887," the recipe for curling hair called for oil of organum. On page 88 of Lee's Priceless Recipes, by N. T. Oliver, published in 1895 the same recipe is given except organum is spelled...

These wild onions are called garlic.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I just finished reading Rebecca Lee's article "Wild onions-punchy, pungent, perfect" in the Mar/ Apr 2004 issue of COUNTRYSIDE. What she describes as a wild onion, here in Missouri we call wild garlic, and do not eat it because of...

Kids share tips on goat raising.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I am 13 years old, enjoy your magazine a great deal, and find it very informative. I really liked the article about trimming hooves in the Jan/Feb 2004 issue, but there are a few things that I think should be added to it. If you...

Is it possible to live without plastic?(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: We have chosen to live without credit cards or checking accounts. Yes, it has been a difficult transition, but it is one we are happy with. One thing in particular has been frustrating to adjust to. Our family of five has never...

Thoughts from an I.D. theft victim.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I was a victim of I.D. theft (March/April 04) about 10 years ago. The private business where the thief got my information attempted to collect the debt from me using very unprofessional collection tactics that bordered on being...

Ozark co-op gets a kick start.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: We wish to thank you for our item in COUNTRYSIDE Contacts. We had six positive replies and two weird males who were "not on the same page." From this interaction we met Mary and her children. Excellent. As we have discussed with...

Do some research before ingesting medicinal herbs.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I thoroughly enjoyed the article "Drink nature-ally" in the Nov/ Dec 2003 issue and would love to try some of these teas. However, I felt there is too much information omitted to feel safe trying these. What season are each...

Llamas and alpacas are not the same beast.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: We have just bought some llamas and know nothing about them. We would sure appreciate anyone sharing information with us. There was an article about alpacas in the Jan/Feb 2004 issue that I read and presume they are the same type...

A creative clothing tip you may not have thought of.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I just finished reading Rebecca Herrington's excellent article "Dressing well on a budget" in May/ June 2004. I share her enthusiasm for combining frugality with creativity but I don't believe I could duplicate her talent,...

They saved $9,954.20 on hearing aids.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: My wife and I are senior citizens and last year we had to get hearing aids. We went to a presentation and those aids cost from $2,500 up to $5,000 each. That was more than our budget would handle so I started checking around and...

They'll get the basics first, then animals.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: My 12-year-old daughter, my husband and I have made huge shifts in our lifestyle in the last two years. Shedding ourselves of anything and everything that we possibly can and living as simply as we can. We sold, gave away, donated,...

Thoughts on using wood ash lye.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoyed the old fashioned soap recipe in the Jan/Feb 2004 issue, but I have a question. It men lye is made of sodium hydroxide, but isn't wood-ash (homemade) lye composed of potassium hydroxide? Wood-ash lye makes a much...

He's been "hunting" cougars since 1965.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been investigating cougar/panther sightings since 1965 and have amassed over 6,500 reports from every state east of the Mississippi River. In 1995, COUNTRYSIDE ran an article on our search for the ever elusive cougar....

Food security issue stimulates thinking.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: My respectful disagreement with Kathryn Quackenbush's approach to the issue ("Food security as part of our national defense") has less to do with the way that she outlines the parameters of the problem, and more to do with how to...

When, financial collapse hits, not if ...(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: Nickolas Medin's article "World Events and homesteading," (Mar/Apr 04) was one of the most thought provoking articles I have ever read. I appreciate how he explained the situation of our nation's finances in a way that any person...

Volunteer, to make a difference.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: First let me say that we love COUNTRYSIDE. Thank you everyone for such great information. When you have a homestead, the work never seems to get finished. Maybe that is part of the fun. It's hard to prioritize when all projects are...

Unfortunately, death is a fact of life.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband Charles lost his job in January 2001 when the paper mill he worked at for 27 years closed. That first year of "retirement" was an adjustment for the whole family. By the end of it, Charles said he needed a sabbatical...

Homemade cold cream recipe.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in response to Carole Braun (May/June 2004), who was looking for a cold cream recipe. It's a horrible thing when one loses a favorite recipe (I've been there)! Here are two of my favorites to share with her and whomever...

This yogurt recipe works well.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I've seen a lot of variations in yogurt recipes. Could the changes in temperatures and length of time to set up be due to differences in milk, altitudes, or types of cultures added? Here is what works for me; I slowly heat...

Coming events.(Calendar)
July 1, 2004... June 19, 2004 Central New York Dairy Goat Society Annual Show, NY State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY. Judge: To be announced, Jr. Doe; combined doe. Show entry clerk: Joan Bell, 8798 Avery Rd., Baldwinsville, NY 13027; 315-678-2904. Contact:...

Hydraulic ram pump how-to.
July 1, 2004... Here on our 20-acre off-grid homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, there are solar panels on a manual tracker, a house with passive solar designing, and organic gardens, but it's the "chu-chunking" ram pump that supplies our water...

"Modern" conveniences in the backwoods: no one wanted to bathe in dirty water!(Alternative housing)
July 1, 2004... My wife, son and I have lived in the backwoods for many years without electric power, phones, tvs, solar panels or generators. It all started in the deep forests of north central British Columbia Canada three miles outside the small community...

A storage shed called "home".(Alternative housing)
July 1, 2004... We moved out to our 60 acres in Oklahoma in July, 2002, and so far we have done everything except dig the water well ourselves. Our little house was first built as a storage shed when we lived in Oklahoma City and designed with the plan to...

Cottonwood and stone grace this home.(Alternative housing)
July 1, 2004... We read the article about using cottonwood for building. We used cottonwood for rafters and floor joists in our stone house. It was built in 1986 and we have had no problems except termites in a couple of the floor joists. (They are gone now.)...

Rejuvenating a woodshed.(The woodshed)
July 1, 2004... While reading the article on homestead building and rebuilding by Sue Robishaw (May/June 2003), several ideas came to mind and evolved into a solution for wood storage. They can be applied and/or modified to suit other needs. The article...

E-z decorative bolt heads.(The blacksmith shop)
July 1, 2004... Say you have found an old pair of barn door hinges you want to incorporate into a remodeling project or perhaps need to bolt a wrought-iron designed fixture to a wall. Why use boring standard bolts? The six bolts shown in the bottom...

The good life off the grid: the wonders of 12 volts.(Alternative energy)
July 1, 2004... Let me start out by saying that COUNTRYSIDE readers are a great group of people. The many emails I received have shown me how truly good people in this country are. Thank you all! Here are photos of my 12 volt set up. Very useful if the...

Tips and predictions for beginners: start slow; rotten weather looms.
July 1, 2004... I just got the May/June issue and after reading all the letters about the ups and downs of people who thought just moving onto their plot of land made them free and independent, I say "Whoa, folks, let's set up some common sense steps first."...

Build a redwood hot tub for under $300.
July 1, 2004... I once bought a postcard of a black and white photo of a cowboy hot tub--two guys soaking in one of those oblong stock watering tanks. I thought, why couldn't this be made into something more luxurious ? I knew there were round tanks, and my...

Millions targeted for energy systems.
July 1, 2004... Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced the availability of approximately $23 million in grants to develop renewable energy systems and promote energy efficiency improvements. These grants will help farmers, ranchers and rural...

Light up your life with a twin candle sconce.
July 1, 2004... Based on a plain, white pine, twin candle sconce made in a small new England farming community around 1830, this attractive piece is ideal for a weekend or after work project. Construction is not only quick and straightforward, but can be...

Convert a plastic bin into a storage stool.
July 1, 2004... Moving into an old farm house several years ago left me with a common problem--an abundance of reading material, yet little space for storage. My dilemma was further compounded by a small living room and an ottoman (held together with duct...

The jeans project.
July 1, 2004... Participating in a cob house-building workshop last September left many lasting impressions on me. Sculpting the cottage at Greenfire Ecovillage in Athens, Ohio was a marvelous experience. I love using natural materials to make beautiful,...

Rhubarb: a special plant.(Notes from the Northwoods)
July 1, 2004... It may be hard to explain to some one living in the southern zones how any gardener could get excited about such a humble, and downright sour, vegetable. But after four or five months of cold, snow covered ground (beautiful though it may be),...

Chokecherry: a little pucker is alright.(Foraging)
July 1, 2004... Most people are leery about eating any plant with the word "choke" in its name. Thus, the chokecherry is ignored by many who have access to its bountiful crop. That's a shame, for this delicious fruit deserves much more attention than it...

Hot peppers.(The garden)
July 1, 2004... 'Tis the season for picking a peck of peppers and you can pickle them, too--as you long as you're cool about which ones are hot and which ones are not! Like many home gardeners or small growers, you may have planted some pepper plants this...

Drip irrigation saves water and time.(The garden)
July 1, 2004... For decades I resisted becoming a drip. I religiously dug furrows. I had been raised on furrows. If they were good enough for Grandpa, they were good enough for me. In the loamy valley soil of my youth, it took no more than a sharp pointed hoe...

The beauty of scythes.(Homestead tools)
July 1, 2004... Scythes have a bad reputation. It goes without saying, I suppose, but I have to begin this story somewhere and reputation seems as good a place as any. It is an unnecessary reputation brought on mainly by the North American-style scythe, which...

Lessons learned: our 1st year at a farmers' market.
July 1, 2004... It was a cold late May morning. There had been a hard frost only .days before and almost two weeks after our supposed frost-flee day. None of our plants were covered, it was the beginning of a year of bad weather. We loaded our pickup with...

This resident grows tomatoes at his retirement home.
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: I have grown tomatoes for nearly 50 years. I am 89 years old and a member of the Tomato Genetic Society. I am a new subscriber to COUNTRYSIDE and completely approve of their thrusts. The reason why I write is tomatoes. I live...

Starbucks is going to the worms.
July 1, 2004... Starbucks has handed out coffee grounds for years, but only when customers asked for it. Now "Grounds For Your Garden," in Seattle, Washington is an on-going event. The world's largest coffee shop chain cuts its trash bill by enlisting...

Try sprouts, for nutrition and flavor.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2004... Sprouts are rich in fiber and high in nutrients. Laboratory tests have shown that minerals and enzymes increase, proteins are enriched, and chlorophyll develops in these greens. Best of all, fats decrease. Sprouts are one of the best values in...

Which grain grinder is best? And shared recipes from 1908.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2004... Sometime soon we would like to purchase a grain grinder for all grains. We know nothing about them and that's where we hope readers will help out. Do they make a grinder that is both hand and electric (without a lot of change over)? If it has...

Sparkling copper pots.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2004... To clean copper pots, sprinkle salt on the bottom of the pan and lightly dribble vinegar over it. Rub lightly and repeat if necessary.--Source: The Dollar Stretcher

Pressure canning rings.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2004... A reader asks: Does anyone know where to get rings for old pressure canners? Send replies to: COUNTRYSIDE Editorial, W11564 Hwy. 64, Withee, WI 54498; annemarie@tds.net.

Sourdough revisited.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2004... Sourdough had its beginnings in antiquity, before recorded history. The "leavened" vs. "unleavened" bread mentioned biblically was sourdough. Flour and water were mixed together and set aside to do "something." That "something" was the...

Chickens love bananas ... and help the hungry to boot.(The henhouse)
July 1, 2004... I have an old farmhouse (124 years old) in Perry, Georgia, and have just a few chickens, guineas and one turkey, which I keep for eggs and pest control. I used to pick up the throwaway veggies from the local Kroger store every Saturday for my...

Tips for dealing with an egg-bound duck.(The henhouse)
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: Our female Muscovy duck was found to be critically egg bound, with two very large goose-size eggs, one in front of the other. The first one to come out was the largest. My questions are: Can that be prevented with different...

Meat rabbits with eye appeal? Try Satins!(The rabbitry)
July 1, 2004... When many people think of commercial or "meat rabbits," the two breeds that generally come to mind are New Zealands (white variety) and Californians. Did you know there are 18 breeds currently classified as commercial type rabbits? My favorite...

Bunny basics at Rebecca's Rabbitry!
July 1, 2004... I raise rabbits on my family's 81 acre farm in the Willapa Hills near PeEll, Washington. I have raised Mini Lops as pets for the local pet stores for nine years. For my 13th birthday I asked for a rabbit and got a Mini Lop cross buck named...

Easy hay feeder.
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: Here is an easy-to-make hay feeder for goats. (I'm neither wealthy nor handy.) It works to prevent hay from being wasted.--Elizabeth Quintana, Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania

How to keep your animals from tearing up your fence.
July 1, 2004... COUNTRYSIDE: You need two trees or stout posts, heavy steel cable, four or more clamps, lighter, more flexible cable or chain, a galvanized swivel and something galvanized to slide on the cable or a pully; a bull snap; a heavy duty Collar or a...

Hair sheep numbers are growing.(The sheep shed)
July 1, 2004... Shearing costs have been on a steady incline for the last several years. Two bucks a head is not uncommon these days. Tally up the shearing cost plus labor and subtract that from the income on a wool clip, and simple arithmetic will show...

Requirements for going to "The show".
July 1, 2004... Is there anything more fun than taking your animals to a show or ,fair? You not only get to show off that prize ewe or doe, you get to see all of your friends' best animals too. Showing is a good way to promote conservation priority breeds...

Single homesteaders give tips, encouragement to others: next month: canning recipes.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I'm a single homesteader and these are a few of the ways I get my jobs done. Hay baling: This is probably the biggest job I have to do every year. I bale about 34 acres of hay, predominantly by myself. I usually only cut as much hay as I...

A sense of duty delays her dreams.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I'm single, female, and 47. My homestead and I are both a work-in-progress, but this is the happiest I've been in three decades. This story isn't about the technical details of how I manage alone. My story is about how I got here. ...

Go with the flow.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... There are so many great people in my community, I feel a sense of connection to this place. Feeling a part of your area is, I've noticed, important for a single person. I compost and have a cold frame, and try to buy locally wherever possible,...

Downsizing and humor are necessities.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... When I was married the decision was made to homestead, but unfortunately I loved it and he didn't. I was left with two huge pigs and opted to take them to the slaughter house with a hired truck to deliver them. My turkey flock was...

Single, elderly, and making do.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... When I first moved to my farm in 1980, my parents owned it and I was here to help them keep it up as well as to caretake when they traveled. We had a garden, woodlands and a hay meadow, but no livestock. Later we got a cow and some chickens. I...

Survival skills come in handy.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I love COUNTRYSIDE and can hardly wait for its arrival. Like all the other readers, I wish it came every month (or more). I am a homesteader at heart and do many things homesteaders do. I raised my three daughters by myself and things I...

Going off grid was a challenge!(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I am 51 years old and single. I have been following the lifestyle of a homesteader off and on for most of my life. I am currently living on three acres in Central Kentucky. I have raised baby calves, chickens, ducks, rabbits and pigs. I...

Help wanted ...(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I absolutely love the magazine. I'm a true blue country girl raised on a small farm in Northern Ohio. I now live on a homestead in southeast Kentucky, but am divorced, with my Children off to college, and am caring for an elderly mother. I just...

Tips from one who's been there.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I saw the "Question of the Month" and decided to let you know how I have done some things in the past and how I will do things when I get back to the land again. I am a 57-year-old woman and have done a lot of these things. This is for...

Kids love weekends in the country.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... Hello from a single parent, city-to-country transplant. Following my divorce four years ago, I was ready for the move from the hothouse that is the city to the garden that is life in the country. I am 36 and my two daughters live in Buffalo...

"Book smarts" can't prepare you for everything.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... I'm a single woman in my mid-40s. I was raised in the country, surrounded by horses, dogs and a variety of livestock. I was never able to reconcile my feelings on slaughtering animals that I had made into pets, so I've been a vegetarian most of...

Foster care keeps her on her toes.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... Back in 1997, I purchased two acres of land which had a well and septic tank, plus waist high weeds. Since I couldn't get anyone to work for what I could pay, I cleaned it all up myself. I had been retired for a couple years and had lots of...

Homestead survival for the single person.(Question of the month)
July 1, 2004... My survival philosophy for single-handed homesteading is simple. First, do no harm and don't create more work. Then, prepare, prioritize, and persevere. It works! I treat homesteading as one (rather complex) project, not a multitude of separate...

Commodities, fiat and theories: thoughts on the U.S. monetary system.(Homestead finances)
July 1, 2004... As terrified as I am to risk of fending someone whose e-mail address is "wbearkiller," I feel obligated to address Mr. Bedin's history, economic analysis and forecasts for the future outlined in "World events and homesteading," (March/ April...

Homesteading: it's an attitude towards life.
July 1, 2004... I often see something in articles like, "Yes, I'm a homesteader... But what is one?" I want to offer some suggestions as to what you may consider the definition of a homesteader. So many people are caught up in the human rat race. They wake...

Homeopathy requires research, but this reader found it's worth it.(Homestead health)
July 1, 2004... A year or so ago, COUNTRYSIDE printed an article about what homesteaders do for medical insurance. Although we are not quite homesteaders yet (we have purchased our land, but have to sell our existing house first), we lost our health insurance...

Cheapskate ideas to save money.(Homestead finances)
July 1, 2004... The politicians keep telling us that the cost of living has leveled out. They make such statements seemingly without any outward signs of deceit or dishonest intentions, but most of us know better. Each time we walk through the doors of our...

Middle & late summer.(Poor Will's Almanac)(Calendar)
July 1, 2004... Look at this beautiful world, And read the truth in her fair page; See every season brings new change to her of everlasting youth--Still the green soil, with joyous living things swarms--The wide air is full of...

Foraging memories from the 1950s.(Country neighbors)
July 1, 2004... I loved the article "Foraging in Germany" by Rosie Hays in the Mar/Apr 04 issue. Her memories of berry picking, in particular, reminded me of my own childhood in the 1950s in Cleveland, Ohio. Although we lived in the city, people then seemed...

Joining the ranks of small property owners.(Country neighbors)
July 1, 2004... As I sit here and write, my wife Suzan and I are mere days from realizing our shared vision of living on our own small farm of 29.5 acres in the Skagit Valley, north of the Seattle area. While we were in possession of the land (which had...

What do we do now? A tight budget, incompetent general contractors, and too much water are a bad combination.(Country neighbors)
July 1, 2004... I'm writing this letter because I think you are some of the most clever people on earth. I am in quite a predicament and thought someone out there may have some ideas. I would also like to use this as a warning for those about to move out to...