Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from March 1999

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from March 1999

01/01/00 isn't the critical day.
March 1, 1999... When we speak of Y2K, most people think of the mechanical world stopping at midnight, Dec. 31, 1999. That's not the case. * An unknown number -- certainty in the hundreds -- of computer failures have already taken place. Being isolated and...

The calm before the storm.(anticipating the Y2K bug)
March 1, 1999... Most homesteaders are interested in Y2K for one simple reason: They want to know how bad it might be so they know what to prepare for. Will it be a few days without power, a few weeks without any basic services, or a major long-term disruption?...

Y2K preparations in Canada.
March 1, 1999... The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has canceled leaves for its 16,000 officers between mid-November 1999 and March 2000. Toronto's 5,000 uniformed police officers have already been told to forget about requesting vacation time at the end of...

"Fixed" computer system isn't.
March 1, 1999... Samsonite Corp. spent $10 million to squash the millennium bug, and in July held a ceremony to cerebrate completion of the project. "We had 20 outside consultants working with us, all telling me everything was going to work fine," President Tom...

Oops!
March 1, 1999... The management of a water plant set the clocks ahead to see what would happen on 01/01/00. What happened was that the computer, instead of slowing metering chemicals into the water, dumped everything it had into the water supply all at once....

Don't hush up the problem.
March 1, 1999... Those who want to hush the problem ("Don't talk about it, people will panic," and "We don't know for sure") are having three effects. First, they are preventing a more rigorous investigation of the extent of the problem. Second, they are...

Credit unions, the Red Cross, the money supply, nervous people, and Y2K ...
March 1, 1999... According to Credit Union rimes, credit union officials have been increasing their efforts to devise a plan for a potential 2000-related Liquidity crisis. But whether or not those officials are taking the problem seriously, the reporter...

Isurance won't cover the bills.
March 1, 1999... Y2K is not only a technological nightmare: it's a financial one. The IRS alone is spending close to $1 billion to "fix" the problem. The cost to American businesses is being measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars. And Lloyds of...

Unawareness is sad, but amusing.
March 1, 1999... As behind schedule as the United States is in fixing Y2K problems, it's far ahead of most other countries. Some don't even acknowledge the need for repairs, and at least one apparently hasn't even heard of the glitch. When a U.S. official...

The bright side of Y2K.(homesteading will become more popular after the disaster)(Brief Article)(Column)
March 1, 1999... Some people question why a magazine about homesteading devotes so much space to a computer problem -- especially one that might not even happen. Many others say we aren't going far enough to warn people of the possibilities and dangers....

Banks: Money and communications.(the Y2K fix)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... National banks alone -- the 2,700 regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency -- collectively will spend at least $11.3 billion on the Y2K fix, the OCC says. That's just for getting their own houses in order. Given that their...

Even paper cutters know what time it is.(Consolidated Papers machines go amok in Y2K experiment)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Today, even paper cutting machines know what time it is. Recently the controls on a giant cutter at a large paper mill were set ahead to 11:59:30 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999. Half a minute later the clock shows the date as 1/01/100, and the screen...

Chicago paper gives Y2K serious treatment.(January 1, 1999 Chicago Tribune )(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... On January 1, the Chicago Tribune ran a three-page article on that city's vulnerability to Y2K problems (the first of a series that will continue throughout the year). The biggest worry: Water. But the time bomb will affect everything from...

The calm before the storm.(Y2k chaos is coming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... The Chicago Tribune isn't the only newspaper to take serious notice of Y2K (see related item on this page). Most others, and many magazines, are likely to follow. But the real fireworks won't start until the main source of so-called "news" for...

Preparing in town.(Y2K disaster pending; preparing for a major disruption in services )(preparing for a major disruption in services )(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Countryside: Not all of your readers live on homesteads. Some of us live in towns, and I am sure that some live in the city. Myself, I live in a large town on the east coast of Central Florida, yet I am preparing for a major disruption in...

Consider communications.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: I have been a "lurker" of your magazine for years. The Y2K issue prompted me to go ahead and get my subscription. I have read and reread every article on Y2K. I am a computer technician for a satellite uplink company in...

Concerns in an affluent community.(Y2K disaster pending)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Countryside: I'm a city girl who has been reading your magazine for several years and not only is it entertaining, but I have learned a lot from it. My husband and I live in a town of 18,000 and we are about 8 miles from a city of 300,000. My...

Sharing the good news.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Countryside: The very good news we have to share is that we moved "beyond the sidewalks" and it is the direct result of Countryside's influence over the last couple of years. When I read my first borrowed copy of Countryside I found it...

More concerned about the future.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: Your magazine is like a life raft (fully equipped, no less!) thrown to someone going down for the last count. Even though I'm relatively young (37), I've felt a sense of urgency almost as long as I can remember. Unfortunately,...

Fascinated by the old ways.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: I am not an old woman, in years anyway. My age is 38 chronologically, but I have attitudes and ideas that would make me around 90! Ever since I was old enough to read, I have been fascinated with and learned to do things "the...

Ready then, ready now.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: Just need to say thank you. Back in the '70s when we were all stocking up, buying silver and gold, we also bought all those things we might need like pressure canners, Victorio or Squeezo strainers, apple peelers, guns, ammo, grain...

Nightmare, or adventure? It depends on your attitude!
March 1, 1999... Countryside: I had come home from the store with more supplies and my sister came as I was putting them away. She watched quietly and then said, "Where are you coming from? How did you decide to buy that stuff? We are buying food to get us...

Sees opportunities in the days ahead.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: I simply love your Countdown to Year 2000 series. When it comes, I cannot put it down until I have finished the entire thing, both ads and articles. We are new to homesteading. My husband, six children, a large dog, and I...

Teenager has no desire to be in town.
March 1, 1999... Countryside: When the magazine arrives, my mom and I both grab for it! I find the articles to be informative and interesting. I would love to live more simply and strive to live off the land. At this time it just isn't possible, but we are...

Growing & using GRAINS.(grain gardens)
March 1, 1999... Grains are the staff of life. Shouldn't you be able to provide your own? Here's how simple it can be! Why are family-sized patches of grain less common than vegetable gardens? It certainly isn't because wheat, corn and other grains require...

The basics of basic bread.(making bread)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Basic bread consists of nothing more than flour, water, and a little salt, with or without a leavening agent. None of the other ingredients usually found in most modern recipes -- milk, eggs, fat, sweeteners, etc. -- are essential. On the...

Try the lesser-known grains, too.
March 1, 1999... Wheat and corn get most of the attention, both in U.S. agriculture and in this special feature. But there are many lesser-known grains, some of which might have a place on your homestead. Oats and barley are grown just like spring wheat,...

You can make a grain cradle.
March 1, 1999... This grain cradle was cobbled together almost as an afterthought, just as we were going to press. Cutting the 3' metal strapping, bolting it to the scythe, and inserting 3' long 5/16" wooden dowels took only a few minutes. The brace between the...

Kinds of wheat.
March 1, 1999... Any kind of wheat--red, white; winter, spring; hard, soft, or durum--can be used for bread flour. There are some technical differences of great importance to the commercial milling and baking industries, but of little consequence to most...

White bread: A symbol of our lost roots.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Back in 1973, a COUNTRYSIDE reader told of moving from Los Angeles to Kansas, where he expected not only to find plenty of wheat, but people knowledgeable in its use. He was surprised at what he found. Farmers went to town to buy white...

Breads from around the world.
March 1, 1999... Certain eating patterns that arose with the beginning of agriculture still exist in many parts of the world. These foods depended on what was available, which in turn was determined by native plants and climate. In Mexico the staples are...

The fab four.(wheat, dry milk, honey and salt recipes)
March 1, 1999... Yes, you can survive -- and eat pretty good -- with nothing but wheat, dry milk, honey and salt! One common food storage program (particularly among Mormons) involves just four basic commodities: wheat, powdered milk, honey and salt. While...

Meat from wheat!
March 1, 1999... Gluten is fascinating stuff! When first extracted from whole wheat flour (see main article for the method), it's a stringy unappetizing mass. But with a little more processing, it can become sausage, or stew meat, or even veal cutlets! All...

Baking with a wood stove.
March 1, 1999... A good modern range is designed to get the greatest cooking and heating value out of the fuel used. When the range and chimney draft are right, a properly controlled fire will do all the work required, without wasting fuel. It is therefore...

Bread baker's guide to trouble-shooting.
March 1, 1999... Imperfections in bread: Heavy bread -- The gluten is too weak or there is too much water in proportion to the flour; too little or too poor yeast, insufficient kneading, rising or baking. The crumb breaks -- The flour was dry and...

How to choose a grain mill.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 1999... Readers often ask us which grain mills we recommend. As with most questions about homesteading, the answers depend on many factors. How much will you use it? What will you use it for? How much time do you want to spend grinding, and how...

Corn.(growing corn)
March 1, 1999... Sweet corn is easily grown and much enjoyed. The same can be said about field corn. As with wheat, growing corn isn't as difficult as some people think. If you've enjoyed some success with sweet corn, you can expect the same results with...

What can you do with corn?(corn recipes)
March 1, 1999... Although corn is a major crop in the U.S., most of it is used for animal feeds and industrial purposes. Except for corn on the cob (sweet corn), most people today eat very little of this grain, and then mainly in corn chips and corn bread. ...

A homesteader's guide to sprouts.(growing seedlings)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... There are many ways to sprout seeds -- including wheat -- but this one has served us well. Put about 1/2 cup of wheat in a mason jar. (Use lesser amounts of smaller seeds.) Cover the seeds with warm water. Soak for about 8 hours. Drain off...

Stored grains should be checked often.
March 1, 1999... If you're storing grain--whether you grew it yourself, bought it at harvest time prices to save money or in bulk elsewhere, or gleaned a neighbor's cornfield--be sure to check it occasionally to spot problems before they become serious....

Make bread from weeds.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... CHRISTOPHER NYERGES SCHOOL OF SELF-RELIANCE P.O. Box 41834 EAGLE ROCK, CALIFORNIA 90041 WWW.SELF-RELIANCE.NET Bread has long been called the "staff of life," probably referring to the old days when breads were far hardier than the...

The art of winter gardening.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... ELIZABETH & CROW MILLER PO Box 3080 SAG HARBOR NY 11963 Want to get more organic crops out of your garden? Here's how. Begin with plants that are naturally blessed with the ability to survive cold temperatures. All of the...

How to set up your greenhouse for maximum production.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... ELIZABETH & CROW MILLER PO Box 3080 SAG HARBOR NY 11963 Crop timing and placement are important in a greenhouse. Space is at a premium, microclimates shift, and seasons flow into each other. Spring comes to the greenhouse when the...

There are many ways to build a greenhouse.
March 1, 1999... CHARLES A. SANDERS SHOALS, INDIANA For the homesteader, the production of a dependable and healthful food supply is a primary objective. To that end, some consideration will likely be given at one time or another, whether to construct...

Frost in the orchard.
March 1, 1999... Many a fruit grower will despair when a cold snap brings a late spring frost. But the damage isn't always as great as might be expected. Much depends on how quickly the temperature drops, how long the cold snap lasts, and how far along in bud...

Grow more by growing longer: Extend your gardening season.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Extending the growing season -- on either or both ends -- usually brings to mind greenhouses, cold frames, and starting tomatoes in a sunny window. But for homestead or survival gardening, these are just the beginning. There are many other...

A tarp proves useful in the garden.
March 1, 1999... JAMES G. SHOVER SOMERSET, OHIO In the past I have used black plastic as a mulch. Although it works, I have problems with spreading it evenly, the wind blowing it, rips, tears, disintegration, and residue. I have found inexpensive...

Grow your own tobacco.(tobacco farming)
March 1, 1999... If you don't smoke, grow it for its delightful fragrance EDWARD G. TAYLOR STE. GENEVIEVE, MISSOURI I have a confession. I am addicted to tobacco. No, I am not addicted to the use of tobacco, although I have smoked a pipe for...

How to save seeds.
March 1, 1999... SUE ROBISHAW RT 1 BOX 52, COOKS MI 49817 MANYTRAC@UP-NET HTTP://WWW.UP.NET/~MANYTRAC Gardening is a great endeavor. But once your garden is well on its way, when you no longer have to look up every crop to find out how to plant, tend, or...

Soil blocks for germination and transplanting.(plants)
March 1, 1999... FRANK MORGAN BALLWIN, MISSOURI After reading the recommendations of Elliott Coleman in his books The New Organic Grower and Four Season Harvest, an experiment using soil blocks was in order for my spring transplants this year. My...

"Animal gardening": Growing feed on a small plot.(feeding livestock)
March 1, 1999... You're a homesteader, and you want to be more self-sufficient. So you garden... and raise animals. But you soon discover that the feed bill for the animals is as much as your own grocery bill used to be! And growing livestock feed conjures...

Small-scale Community Supported Agriculture.
March 1, 1999... You enjoy gardening! So why not grow a little extra, for those who can't (or prefer not to) grow their own, or for a little extra income? Bev Carney Stoughton, Wisconsin Many of you are familiar with the concept of Community Supported...

A primer for beginning beekeepers.
March 1, 1999... Parts of the beehive Inner cover: sits right on top of queen excluder. Pre-cut small half-moon vent space cut out to a 4" x 4-1/2" vent for greater ventilation, year round. Queen excluder: Always stays on top of second super of hive...

A beekeeper's year.
March 1, 1999... Early spring On a cold morning when the bees are inactive, 1) use a long stick to reach way back in the entrance along the bottomboard to scrape out the pile of dead bees. 2) Wash the streaks and spots of bee poop from hive. Late...

Cleaning and disinfecting poultry houses.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Proper cleaning and disinfection of poultry houses is part of a good management program for small backyard flocks and large commercial flocks alike. It's an important tool to control or reduce infectious diseases and to provide a clean...

The rubbery yolk problem.
March 1, 1999... Several readers have complained that their chickens layed eggs with rubbery yolks. We had no answers for them... until now. A New York poultry farmer had the same problem. Boiled, the yolks from his chickens' eggs could be bounced like...

An unusual milking method works for her.
March 1, 1999... Julie Hunter Mammoth Spring, Arkansas We purchased our first milk goats two years after we began homesteading as a way to remove the small shrubs from our neglected pasture areas. As we were loading the does onto the back of the truck, the...

Old breeds can take the heat.
March 1, 1999... University of Delaware extension dairy specialist George F.W. Haenlein reports that the ever-popular Holstein cow may not be the best choice for warmer climates. He said, "When traveling through Florida, I witnessed many Holstein herds...

Raising rabbits on the homestead.
March 1, 1999... Don't have room for beef? Don't want to butcher a large animal like a pig? Consider rabbits! A very efficient animal It has been said that an acre of alfalfa fed to rabbits will return at least five times as much meat as that same...

Homesteading at 8,000 feet.
March 1, 1999... Ted Hanlon 102 Avenue B-4 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 Dad bought the original part of our high mountain homestead in 1940, and our whole family has been dreaming about making a full-time living there ever since. We are getting closer -- my...

Anyone with determination and perseverance can do it.(homesteading)
March 1, 1999... Patty from Shadow Holler Southern Missouri We moved to our homestead a little over two years ago with the feeling that it was something we needed to do for our future. There was certainly a sense of urgency to become as self-sufficient as...

A sensible, workable debt-reduction strategy.
March 1, 1999... If debts are holding back your homestead, these 7 steps will help CINDY POPECK 2210 SWEETWATER LN AUSTELL, GEORGIA 30106 When my husband and I applied for a mortgage, we finally realized how much debt we were in. At that point, I began...

The homestead medicine chest.(medicine supply)
March 1, 1999... LYNDA AND DARYL KEECH Everything seems to be sharp, hard or heavy on the homestead. An isolated farm or ranch may be a long way from professional medical care. In the event of a regional or national disaster, modern medical care may be...

The medicinal garden.(medicinal plants)
March 1, 1999... PIER JONES RT. 3 Box 215 MARLOW, OKLAHOMA 73055 Whether conventional (modern, Western, allopathic) medicine is something you don't believe in or as a homesteader can't afford, heath is still a relevant issue that concerns us all. As...

Y2K, childbirth, and herbs.(woman prepares for Y2K)
March 1, 1999... MACEE MURRAY 609 E. FRONT ST. BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 61701 I love your Y2K stuff, mostly because it is one of the only places I can get it. I haven't heard it mentioned on NPR lately. Our local newspaper has run two very poor articles on...

Don't give microbes a chance.(avoiding food poisoning)
March 1, 1999... COUNTRYSIDE has had more information on health and health care than usual, recently -- because many readers are interested in the topic and are concerned about medical care not being available. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound...

Basic physics for homesteaders.(laws of conservation and gravity are key)
March 1, 1999... If you didn't pay attention in school, here's another chance (The quiz will come the next time you have to move something heavy) Human beings can lift, push, pull or carry only a limited amount of weight. This limits the amount of...

Using mechanical movements.(repair techniques)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Many uses of the laws of physics and simple machines are more-or-less intuitive: even a youngster is prone to use a butter knife to pry the lid off a jar. Even when those uses are intuitive, they can be applied with great creativity. But...

How to determine your power requirements.(planning to use a generator)
March 1, 1999... COLBY LAMB CLAMB@ETHERGATE.COM Here's some help for figuring out what you need in the form of generator/batteries/inverter, and to determine how long you have to run the generator to charge the batteries each day. I'll try to keep it...

How to Grow World Record Tomatoes.(Review)
March 1, 1999... How to Grow World Record Tomatoes; Charles H. Wilbur, 132 pages; $14.95; Acres U.S.A., PO Box 8800, Metaire LA 70011 You're interested in growing a lot of food in a little space. So you wouldn't mind growing 1,368 pounds of tomatoes -- from...

The Contrary Farmer's Invitation to Gardening.(Review)
March 1, 1999... The Contrary Farmer's Invitation to Gardening; by Gene Logsdon, 1997 Chelsea Green Publishing Co., P.O. Box 428, White River Junction VT 05001,180 pages, paperback, $16.95 When the author bills himself as "The Contrary Farmer -- dean of...

RFD.(Review)
March 1, 1999... RFD by Charles Allen Smart, foreword by Gene Logsdon, 1998, Ohio University Press, Scott Quadrangle, Athens, OH 45701, (740) 593-4836. Paperback, 270 pages, $17.95. Originally published in 1938, RFD was written by a man who lived a...

The Backwoodsman.(Review)
March 1, 1999... The Backwoodsman, published bimonthly, P.O. Box 627 Westcliffe, CO 81252. One-year subscription $17.50, two years $33, sample copy $3. This publication caught my eye while browsing at a large magazine shop, but not for the usual reasons. In...

The Craft of the Country Cook.(Review)
March 1, 1999... The Craft of the Country Cook, by Pat Katz, Hartley & Marks, Inc., Point Robets, WA 98281; 1988; 730 pages. Another long-time Countryside columnist through the '70s and '80s, Pat presents not only 1,000 recipes, but loads of ideas any...

Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners.(Review)
March 1, 1999... Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners, C.E. Spaulding, DVM, and Jackie Clay; Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA Another valuable volume from former Countryside columnists, the 1976 edition was recently updated. Even experienced livestock raisers need a...

The Merck Veterinary Manual.(Review)
March 1, 1999... The Merck Veterinary Manual, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ This 1500+ page manual is written for veterinarians and others with a great deal of specialized education. But we have found it both helpful and interesting just for the background...

Jude's Herbal Home Remedies.(Review)
March 1, 1999... Jude's Herbal Home Remedies, Jude C. Williams, M.H.; 1992; Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN There are many books on medicinal herbs and their uses. I like this one because of its broad scope, sensible arrangement, and overall content.

Husbandry.(Review)
March 1, 1999... Husbandry, by Nathan Griffith; Cobblemead Publications, HCR 68 Box 185, Trout WV 24991; ($18 + $3 S&H). As mentioned, there are very few new books covering general homesteading that are of much practical value. This one is an exception....

"But we've always done it that way!".
March 1, 1999... THE INTENTIONAL PEASANT Henry Ford said that there's a better way of doing most anything. His colleague Thomas Edison said just about the same thing. Some things, like the modern spoon, defy improvement; others cry out for change. Not to...

Mini-Farming: A farming system for a sustainable future.(Biointensive Mini-Farming )
March 1, 1999... In the January/February issue a reader stated, "There is no way on Earth six acres could be self-sufficient." Ken Hargesheimer begs to differ. People are doing it, he says... but not by using conventional methods. His comments add...

Y2K and community.(year 2000 computer program could be good for society)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Could a technical failure lead to a social success? Bill Ellis, Tranet PO Box 137 Rangeley ME 04970-0137 (207) 864-3784 www.nonviolence.org/tranet/ Y2K is a real problem in a very limited time frame. No one knows exactly what will...

Farm becomes a school to share homestead skills.(community members help each other plan for year 2000 computer problem)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Fran & Carl Ogren Trumpkinland Farm P.O. Box 502 Northport, Washington 99157 http://mypage.go play.com/ trumpkinland/ Well, this last issue finally did it. I often want to write a comment on this or that, but it doesn't feel important...

1999 Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival features rare Leicester Longwool sheep.
March 1, 1999... Two-hundred-year-old sheep and their wonderful wool will be featured at the 26th annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in a special presentation on Colonial Williamsburg's rare Leicester Longwools May 1-2 at the Howard County Fairgrounds in...

News from Spaceship Earth.(Dust Bowl-type drought may be starting)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1999... Doozy of a drought America's breadbasket is overdue for another 1930s-style Dust Bowl, and the parched summer of 1998 might have marked its beginning, according to government weather researchers. Researchers from the National Oceanic...