Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from July 2005

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from July 2005

"Big box" stores have fans.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside; As a long-time subscriber I've wanted to write for a while about how wonderful your magazine is. However, I felt compelled to sit down and write in response to Ms. Polly Peterson Stout's letter regarding the human cost of discount...

The demise of local hardware stores.(Country Conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I read with interest Polly Peterson's comment in her article, "The human cost of discount stores," May/June 2005. Yes, Wal-Mart is causing havoc in the retail industry but they are not alone. What about Home Depot and Lowe's?...

Is the government to blame for farm losses?(Country Conversation & feedback)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I am a avid reader of your magazine. Recently, there have been articles on everything from not shopping at Wal-Mart to how to make extra money as a homesteader. I am so frustrated! When I purchased my land (only 1/4 acre) and...

The world doesn't owe anyone anything.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I found Beth Wilson's comments on the article "World events and homesteading" (March/ April 04) very interesting. I live next to a county that is about 90% welfare. You can't make people work and the crime rate is equivalent...

There are many resources available to beekeepers.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: My wife showed me Mary Abrahamson's question about becoming a beekeeper in Minnesota. Even though I am now the Chief of the Apiary Section of the Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, I spent most of my apiculture...

All-thread bolt warning.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Your article on using all-thread for making bolts (July/August 2004) should have had a warning for usage of these bolts. Folks new to stuff like this may believe they are actually making a "bolt." All-thread stock is at "best"...

Flax, stock tank and tomato tips.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Richters Seed Company, out of Canada, sells two different kinds of flax seeds. One is specifically for linen. Also, if you are going to boil your flax, do it after it has been spun and then wrapped into a skein. The skein needs to...

They're hooked on flax seed.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I also love to add flax to my diet--and the obvious benefits from regular use. My most frequent method is to sprinkle it on and mix it into yogurt. I enjoy it like that every single day. I also use it in the Vita-Mix when I make...

Saving vegetable seeds and cooking with the sun.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I would like to start saving vegetable seeds. How do I get seeds from the following: Beets, cabbage, carrots, kale and onions? Also, several years ago you ran an article on how to construct a solar oven using a cardboard box....

Extension offices have loads of free (or cheap) info.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Regarding Rose Kern's question, the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Office would have lists of plants that are poisonous to livestock that grow in your area. They'll also have plans for barns, fences, gates and feeders. They're...

Fiddlehead fern concerns.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I am alarmed at the recent resurgence in articles about using fiddleheads in the diet (May/June 2005, page 59) because none of them give instructions for the crucial soak in wood ashes to remove the cyanide. I was warned over and...

Investigate foreign countries before you move.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: There have been letters from folks who have moved and purchased land in Costa Rica. I was hooked. I couldn't get further information, but have an opportunity to study abroad with a community college. (At 73 years old, I am a...

Fences handle a multitude of trespassers.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I have, from time to time, read of people having problems with neighbors (or vice versa) objecting to their animals trespassing into their gardens and yards, creating all kinds of havoc. Putting up a fence would solve their...

Homestead help wanted.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: We think we have a great opportunity here at Elderberry Acres Farm for the right people and I thought we'd share it with readers to see if someone is interested. My husband and I are in our late 40's and were able to purchase...

Livestock tank waterers can keep from freezing.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Concerning Dan and Robin's question on heating stock tanks, here are three sources: * Jim Anderson, Frostfree Nosepump Ltd., Box 675, Rimbey, Alberta, Canada; 866-843-6744; fax 403-843-6916. * Dave Anderson, Bar-Bar-A...

Would they be welcome in your community?(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I am a married man and a father of four children. I live in the city and my dream (and my wife's) has always been to move to the country and get a nice piece of land to grow my own vegetables (which I already do, rather...

Wasps as household guests.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I've been living with the wasps for a couple months now. In the beginning only one at a time would emerge from wherever it is they overwinter. They show up in the bathroom, crawling about on the windowpane, hanging out on the...

Helichrysum Italicum for essential oils.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Does anyone know what kind or what is the name of the helichrysum that is used to make essential oils?--Mrs. Rudy D. Byler, Pennsylvania Helichrysum Italicum: European researchers have found that this oil regenerates tissue,...

They'll supply the help if you need it.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: We very much enjoy your magazine. It is so wonderful to read the pages of articles of real people, real situations and very helpful information. I recently read the article written by Mr. Lewis who wrote so many enjoyable...

Readers find more uses for burlap bags.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Regarding the letter from Ken Leister: "What can he do with burlap bags?" Throw away burlap bags? No way! Our local feed store buys back burlap sacks for 25 cents each (10 cents if they have holes). If that is not an option, I...

Plant tomatoes next to excess tires.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I have a suggestion for Polly Stout about what to do with her excess tires. Stack them in a row going west to east. Fill them with soil and compost for planting. On the south side, plant your tomatoes up against the tires. They...

Necessity helped him write diabetic cookbook.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: My wife, Marion, died on June 30, 2003 and I felt the need to do something that would honor our 47 years together. I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic about six years ago. With my wife's help (she was a registered nurse who had...

Health insurance is on their minds.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: My wife and I really enjoy your magazine, and based on the fact that you help guide your readers in the ways of homesteading, I have a question for you. I am 26, a father of three, and a handy-man. Right now I work in buildings and...

New courtship website.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I've noticed that many conservative families have older sons and daughters who are still single. This is partially due to the fact that they attend very small home churches and have very little opportunity to meet anyone that might...

Experimental corn sold by mistake.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I found this article in a March 2005 USA Today. We, as a nation, let hundreds of tons of genetically modified (GM) grain fall through our very commercialized farm belt crack again. Another country to pass their "biotech"...

Miscellaneous tips for homesteaders.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Last summer I wanted to burn some small branches to clean up an area. I found a rusty, burned-in half 50-gallon trash barrel. I set this on the ground with the burned part against the ground. I drove a steel fence post in the...

Wear gloves when picking okra.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: In regards to the okra article (Jan/Feb, 05), for the first-time growers of okra, it should be picked while wearing long sleeves or long latex gloves. Okra leaves will sting the skin and the itch will drive you crazy for at least...

Cold on dough, hot on soy.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I figured the slate would be cleaned on the "bread making mess" so I held out writing. It was just this past year I learned that professional test kitchens use cold water for quick cleanup. Also, balled-up plastic mesh, like the...

Creative ways to keep mice out of your vehicles ...(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Here is an effective way to keep mice out of vehicles. After finding many damaged components and nests in the heating vents of my truck, the problem almost solved itself. After stopping in a parking lot one day and exiting my...

... And out of the barn!.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: Among the dozen red and black hens I house in an old grain bin, Biddy the Mouser is a nine-month-old Barred Rock. This morning I decided to move a grit tray away from the center where it collected dirt, and closer to a wall. When I...

ATTRA mentoring programs.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: In response to T. Lynch's "wannabe homesteaders need mentoring outlet" your attention is invited to a website entitled ATTRA (http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/intern.html) which is a coordination point for those interested in...

Keep birds out of berries.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: For the berry stealing person in Wisconsin, my aunt makes plant-size bags out of cheesecloth with a drawstring at the bottom. She puts the bags over the blueberry bushes and ties the drawstring around the bottom. The plants get the...

Huge demand for Hickory Cane corn.
July 1, 2005... Ken Scharabok reports he received way more requests for seed than he can fill this year. If you sent in $1.00 and have not received seed by now, you will have high priority for seed from this year's crop.

City gal needs tips.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I am a city girl and I live on the outskirts of a good-sized city. Are there other urban/ suburban homesteaders and tips I can get to help me live a simpler, sustainable life?--Ginny Ivanhoff, physicsaro@yahoo.com

Berm home info needed.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I are planning on retiring in Arkansas and are finding quite a few "berm" homes available. I don't know much about them and was wondering about the pros and cons, and what I would need to watch out for. Can you help? --Len Szuba;...

Peach-stealing squirrels.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I live in rural Virginia and squirrels are everywhere. For the most part they haven't been a big problem in years past since we have several black walnut trees and dozens of oaks that supply them with ample food. Occasionally they get lazy and...

Chicken mentor wanted.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I am hoping to find someone who lives within travelling distance of Newcastle, Maine who would mentor and advise me about raising a small flock of chickens. There are many things I would like to do but can't because of limited funds, erratic...

Milkweed seeds.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I am trying to get some viable seeds of milkweed. It doesn't grow in our area.--Kurt Maylender, Dixie, Washington.

Doyle blackberry success?(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I am wondering if anyone has had success with the Doyle Thornless Blackberry (fruitsandberries.com)? Is it as good as advertised? Can it be grown easily with organic methods? Perhaps most importantly, are the berries flavorful?--Marla Ramirez,...

Looking for wooden-handled silverware.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... My father has a set of old silverware that has wooden handles. I want to purchase another set but am always told they're unsanitary, so they are seldom sold anymore. Bunk! Wooden spoons are still sold. Do you have any information on where I...

Ixbut info needed.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... I have information that there is an herb native to Guatemala that will encourage milk production in cattle that have not freshened recently. I have such a cow (article in May-June issue of COUNTRYSIDE). The herb is Ixbut, pronounced "iss boot."...

Looking for heritage apples.(Neighbors in need)
July 1, 2005... In my youth we had a double row of apples. They would now be called heritage apples. There were Smokehouse and Banana apples and many others. I lived in New England for several years and as I remember in New England there was a university that...

Coming events.(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... July 9, 2005 Lehman's Hardware 6th Annual Coming Back Home event, Kidron Ohio. Includes speaker Carla Emery, old-time crafts, chicken barbeque by the local fire department, live music and a fun-filled day of old-fashioned activities. 2005...

Piecing together a spanking-new $600 solar-electric system.(Life on the sunny side)
July 1, 2005... Got 600 bucks hiding in an old book somewhere? Maybe it's time to bring electricity into that little homestead you've got tucked away in the woods. But wait a minute, you say, with justifiable hesitancy. Solar-electric systems all cost...

Cooking with the sun.
July 1, 2005... Solar ovens are easy to make, and they can save money on electricity, fuel and wear and tear on your kitchen appliances. How often you decide to use your solar oven depends on individual taste and, of course, the weather. Perhaps you would use...

After eight days without electricity, this reader devised: an entertainment center that runs on a marine battery.
July 1, 2005... I was inspired to send in this story after reading Lucy Gray's hurricane story (March/April 05). There were many things in her story (July/August 04) that I could relate to as well. In the year 2000, I was caught completely unprepared by an...

Biodiesel availability is increasing.
July 1, 2005... Andy Sprague, a farmer in Sturgis, Kentucky opened a small biodiesel plant in January. Sprague produces about 2,500 gallons of "B2" a day--a blend of two percent biodiesel fuel. He sells the fuel to a terminal in Paducah. According to an...

A wind turbine built from scrap.
July 1, 2005... I started out trying to find a way to have lights in an outbuilding which was several hundred feet from the local utility and running a long extension cord was a pain. I thought of using a car alternator, which would work, however they are made...

Stocking your emergency food pantry.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... When planning your emergency food pantry, you should first ask yourself two questions: If an emergency occurs, what are the things I will most likely lack; and, what cooking facilities will I have in an emergency? The answer to the first...

A homemade clay oven and naturally fermented sourdough bread.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... A big part of self-sufficiency for us is directly related to food and proper nutrition. When we began to rethink our relationship to living lightly on the earth and providing for our needs directly, the issue of food became one of the most...

The great grain robbery: the whiter the bread, the quicker you're dead.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... We got tired of going to the grocery store and seeing shelf after shelf of limp breads puffed full of air and bleached as white as a piece of paper baking in the Georgia sun. Worse, you get one of those loaves home and they taste like they've...

Sheep cheese recipes are hard to find.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... We were excited to read about milking sheep in the March/April issue. For the first time ever, our goats dried up in the winter while waiting to kid. We still had milk customers, however, so my husband got the idea one morning to milk the...

Bottling cheese.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I didn't exactly can goat cheese last year but I did bottle goat cheese in olive oil. I just put the cheese (I made a shankaleesh cheese with goat milk) in the bottles after rolling it in black peppercorns or herbs then poured...

Watermelon pickles are delicious!(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: In a back issue, 82/2, page 73, a reader asked for a pickle recipe using the red meat of watermelons. I am interested in having this recipe. Would you please reprint the recipe if a response was sent? Thank you for your wonderful...

Zucchini recipes to pass on.(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: One can never have too many recipes for zucchini so here is yet another. I inherited this recipe from my grandmother who also taught me how to make it. I have many happy memories of summers spent in her kitchen hearing tales of her...

Don't let your wheat go to waste!(The country kitchen)
July 1, 2005... Someone in the November/December 2003 issue mentioned being disappointed about Y2K not happening and was wondering what a homesteader is anyway. Maybe a homesteader is anyone who tries to be self-sufficient and make do with what they have in a...

Keeping the pests out.(Notes from the Northwoods)
July 1, 2005... A growing garden is a popular lace--an enticing haven for contemplation or companionship. It suits for a quick snack, a complete meal, or just a pleasing walk-through. But as social as we like to be, there are those whom we wish would pass by...

Kale in the fall garden.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... When spring crops wilt from summer's heat, and we have the pantry lined with the fruits of our labors, we till up the soil and plant a fall garden. One mainstay of that garden is kale. According to the USDA, "No other plant is so well...

Want to work on an organic farm?(The garden)
July 1, 2005... Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (WWOOF-USA) is part of a world-wide effort to link volunteers with organic farmers, promote an educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming practices. The...

Flat iron strapping makes great hoes.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... I would like to pass on some information on some ways that I have found helpful in weeding my garden. I make a variety of size hoes. I make the hoes from a piece of flat iron strap by bending the strap into an "L" shape and fastening it to...

Make a cold frame from your scrap pile.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... If you are anything like me, keeping used or leftover building materials is a must. You never know what you may need to build, or what sort of simple repair may be needed around the homestead. After one of our staff members mentioned a need...

Midsummer: time to start your cold-weather garden.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... Since there are times when only fresh herbs will do, pot up some garden cuttings from those you use most, and keep them indoors this winter. Begin by filling pots or planter boxes with a gritty medium that is at least 1/4 straight sand. ...

Update on those concrete block beds.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... As I contemplate year three with my raised beds, I'd like to share some of my thoughts with COUNTRYSIDE readers again. Overall, the experiment has been a resounding success... if I were ever to move and have a new home constructed, I'd have...

Getting along in the garden: companion planting is good for your plants.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... Did you know that there are personality clashes that go on in gardens which might remind you of your kids' high school? Yes, some of the plants just can't get along with each other, while others are quite popular. Beans have the most friends...

Useful gardening tips.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... I grew up during the early 1930s during hard times. There was no electric power in the entire area of rural northeast Alabama. Our family of 10 lived on a small farm in an early 1800s log cabin. Adequate food for our family was difficult to...

Is marketing to retail stores for you?(The garden)
July 1, 2005... The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has published a new report that provides back ground information for folks who are considering selling their products through retail stores. Based on dozens...

How light color influences plant growth.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... * Blue light: plants react to the intensity of blue light. Lessening the blue light will cause poor growth--the strength of the radiation in any other part of the spectrum is not as important as the intensity of the blue, which shapes height...

Feeding a family of four from the garden.(The garden)
July 1, 2005... With good soil, good weather, and some experience, a space about the size of a two-car garage will feed a family for a year. With any type of intensive planting and well-built-up soil fertility, a half-acre or less should suffice for most...

How much wheat does the average family need?(The garden)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: We live in lower mid-Michigan. We have 13 acres with about seven to eight acres of farmable area. We are slowly moving into the process of eating only organic foods. We would like to grow our own grains for our consumption, and ,if...

Raising chickens on the homestead.(The henhouse)
July 1, 2005... I cannot think of a better animal to raise on a homestead than the chicken. They require minimal fuss and handling. They will produce both meat and eggs and make a wonderful first project. They even make a neat science project for the...

Butchering day is almost pleasant with a mechanical plucker.(The henhouse)
July 1, 2005... After months and months of mulling, hedging and hawing about wanting a Whizbang-style plucker, I bought the plans. Since I am in no way mechanically inclined enough to make one myself, I handed the plans straight away to have my official...

Your horses aren't going anywhere without a yearly Coggins test.(Livestock health)
July 1, 2005... It's simple, it's safe and it has proven successful in detecting a highly infectious disease in horses. It's the Coggins test, and horse owners who take their horses to shows, races, or other events where horses congregate should not leave...

Homeopathy in the United Kingdom--"because it works".(Livestock health)
July 1, 2005... Over 1,000 farmers in Norway (both organic and conventional) are using homeopathy on their animals. They found conventional veterinary practices didn't always work, and they were worried about the use of anti-biotics. Homoeopathy at Wellie...

Miniature Nubians find a new home in the south.(The goat barn)
July 1, 2005... It all started in late October 2004. We were reading the fall issue of The Dwarf Digest where we saw the words: Miniature Nubian. We began surfing the web to learn more about Miniature Nubian dairy goats. It was love at first sight! A "little"...

Here's one way to get rid of excess goat milk ...(The goat barn)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: This spring I found myself awash in milk (it is against the law to sell it in Indiana) and I was having trouble finding a buyer for a dairy goat. Figuring folks might not want a goat but would want the products of a goat, I put...

Readers share tips for keeping livestock waterers ice-free.(Livestock health)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: As a boy I recall we had a tank heater that burned wood and had a kerosene drip. Check with your local farm store or a weld/metal fabrication shop to see if they could build one. I would use at least 16 gauge sheet metal, stainless...

The SP Bubbly.(Livestock health)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: I love your magazine. This message is in response to Dan and Robin of Minnesota who asked about heating stock tanks off grid. My company, Solar Ranch, carries a product called the SP Bubbly, it is a stock tank de-icer which...

Inflated tires draw solar energy.(Livestock health)
July 1, 2005... Countryside: This letter is in response to the question posed by Dan and Robin in the May/June 05 issue. They asked how to keep stock tanks from freezing without using electric heaters. The solution is quite simple and very inexpensive. I...

Research animals' feed needs before bringing them home.(Feeds & feeding)
July 1, 2005... I've read a number of letters about feed sources for livestock and can only shake my head in bewilderment at the questions presented. First of all, I've farmed for 25 years and been active in feed sales, ration balancing, etc. For 40 years...

Looking for the ideal used tractor? Keep these 9 tips in mind.(The machine shed)
July 1, 2005... The diesel 3-cylinder tractor is the most essential tool for developing any size or shape property in the country or city. The extensive uses along with saving time, money and your back, are the driving forces to owning the ideal tractor....

The carver's workshop.(The wood carver)
July 1, 2005... I mentioned in a previous article that I would write about Tramp art and Treenware this time. However, I have decided we need to talk about a workshop. I am taking part in a festival honoring our county sesquicentennial (150 years) and will be...

Measuring with coins: "I need a dime-size pipe ...".
July 1, 2005... The diameter of a U.S. cent is 3/4-inch. Hold a penny against the edge of a board, and you can guess its thickness: 5/8, 3/4, etc. If the inside diameter of a steel water pipe is about half the diameter of a quarter, it is 3/8-inch pipe. If...

A continuing discussion on wood cutting safety.(The woodlot)
July 1, 2005... There is a lot of good information in Paul Dennis piece "Seven tips for cutting wood safely (May/June 2005). But there are some important things left out. Mr. Dennis refers to bore cutting (known here as plunge cutting) with the chain saw. This...

Paid for in 4 years: how we bought a house for $9,000.(Homestead housing)
July 1, 2005... The places to find low-cost houses are in areas where people are moving away, usually because of fewer jobs. Perhaps because the town's main employer has closed shop or because a nearby freeway has taken the through-town traffic away from the...