Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from March 2003

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from March 2003

Fattening out beef: not cheap, but worth it. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: The article on fattening steers was very interesting. We recently fattened out two Holstein steers. We purchased them at one week old and bottle fed them until they started eating on their own. We raised them for 11 months and at...

There had to be a better way to build a Wyoming cabin. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: In response to "Building in the Wyoming wilderness," the author gives a very poor overview of RC (rough cut) lumber. I have to counter on several issues. I had about as much building knowledge as the author when I attempted to...

More thoughts on feed store grains. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I saw in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue that someone wanted to know the safety of eating grains from a feed store. I recently found an article on the internet concerning feed store grains. This article promotes thermos cookery and...

Pumpkin and squash leaves for cooking. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I'd like to thank you for the Magic Bread and Pita Bread recipes, and to ask Laina Poon if the Malawi pumpkin leaves are equivalent to Sugar Pie pumpkin leaves or other squash leaves. Concerning feed store grains, some feed...

WD-40 works on rust and bee activity. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: Better late than never (although two years might be too late). While rereading the poultry yard article of Sept/Oct 2000, Leona Dukes asked about stopping Borer bees from hanging around her house. If the surface of the house is...

Denatured alcohol and glycerin tanned these hides. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I thoroughly enjoyed the article in the May/June 2002 issue on tanning snake skins by Thomas C. Tabor. Since I often travel to Montana and see the occasional rattlesnake, I planned to obtain some of the tanning fluid that the...

Are you ready for a challenge? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to ask a favor--and present a challenge--to all the ingenious COUNTRYSIDE readers. My brother, Todd, became paralyzed from the mid-chest down last January. Todd can drive a "mule," which looks like a cross between...

The best deals aren't always advertised. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: We lived in town for a couple of years, and I found it almost totally unbearable. Although I love people, the noise just seemed continuous night and day. So, we began to look for something in a rural area. Due to some hard...

What grows well in Mexico? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I've been an avid reader of COUNTRYSIDE for the past three years. Even though I live in the Midwest suburbs, I long to live in the country, on a small farm with animals. That would be heaven. In reality my girlfriend and I have six...

"Lasagna gardening" worked like a charm. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband and I rent an old farm house in the country now, but our dream is to have our own land, build a rustic home and raise small livestock to feed our growing family. Our three children are small but we have every intention...

New varieties of tomatoes have lower acidity. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: The recipes and editorial advice titled "Tomato tips'" in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue is inaccurate and potentially unsafe. All modern tomato varieties are lower in acid than the old varieties and all must have an acid such as...

Can cheese bells still be found? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: Help! I am hoping that you can tell me what object I used to own and how to find a replacement. It was a large, round, heavy glass jar/crock, transparent with raised slats in the bottom. I used to put brine almost up to the slats,...

Why do sheep "look funny" and other questions. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I absolutely love this magazine! I'm definitely a farm girl at heart, and three of my seven children are, too! We've found a farm here in the San Francisco Bay area that is an 1800's working farm, preserved by the local East...

How can they live on half their income? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: My wife and I have 40 acres in northern Missouri. We are putting together a working farm. Our Big Question is how do you make the transition from $100,000 a year to less than half of that? We're trying to buy all of our...

Stick it to those meal moths. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I am in a bind. I noticed some small moths buzzing around the house. Just a couple here and there. I pulled everything out of our baking pantry and saw a couple more and some small caterpillars attached to the corners of the...

Inspiration struck this soon-to-be writer. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: As I have seen happen so many times in your (our) magazine, I wrote one simple letter several issues ago that has resulted in several pen-pal and e-mail relationships with fellow countrysiders. So when the last issue came out I...

Health care costs are on the minds of many. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been subscribing for several years and this is my first letter. I really enjoy reading the magazine and pass it along to some close friends. Some think I am crazy but others are very interested. My question is about...

Another Sonic Bloom aficionado speaks out. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I noticed the "From the editor" in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue. I've used Dan's products on our farm for several years and have had good success. Here's an example. Several years ago, I conducted a small study with conventional...

What is it? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... A reader sent in a picture of this tool and wondered what it is. Unfortunately the picture quality isn't the best, but it looks as though there are four "tines" at the top, although it's hard to tell if they work individually or in pairs. If...

Horse advice in a hurry. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I am getting a horse soon and need all the information I can get regarding rein holding, putting bridle on, etc. I am almost 50 and need help.--oldcootie@ncats.net Do you have a neighbor who could "show you the ropes?" Local...

Anyone have old-fashioned plant or bush starts? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: A few years ago you had an article about saving calves using comfrey. I now have comfrey growing but can't find the article. Can you or your readers help me? We have donkeys, Dexter cattle, fainting goats, a horse, chickens,...

They find many people don't want an ancestoral home. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: In response to "Anyone establishing an ancestoral home?" in the January/February 2003 issue, we feel qualified to address the subject. We did in fact, design and create a deluxe rural estate on our own without undue regard to the...

A sawhorse makes firewood cutting easier. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: Help please! I still cut up firewood (I am 72) and need a sawhorse to lay wood on to cut. Some issues ago carried the plans for such a sawhorse. I gave my issue to my son and it got lost and I would appreciate the information....

Does dumpster diving qualify as self-sufficiency? (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: Self-sufficiency skills are needed more than ever and I thank your magazine for its coverage. Some letters miss the point in their revelations of cheap living. I think others must feel the way I do when I read about the wonders of...

Electric fence keeps their buck where he belongs. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I can't say how much I enjoy your magazine. I see so many articles I want to respond to with my experience but I really don't have a lot of time since I am retired and have plenty to do to keep me busier than I ever was when I...

Y2K supplies are coming in handy. (Country conversation & feedback).
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: Your slogan "87 years old and a new wrinkle with every issue" really applies to me. Born October 17, 1916, I don't let that fact slow me down. My husband, Jim, and I spent three weeks on a safari in Zimbabwe in August, 2002....

Countryside contacts.
March 1, 2003... Your listing is free; however, please keep the following in mind: * We reserve the right to accept or reject any and all submissions for any reason or no reason at all. * Submissions may be edited for clarity or brevity. *...

Coming events.
March 1, 2003... March 14-16, 2003 Friends of the Guinea Fowl Breeder's Association Convention, Kennett Square, PA. This year we will meet at the Poultry Lab of the University of PA Veterinary School. Information can be found at www.gfba.org. For more...

Do your research before you move! Don't plunk down your hard-earned cash for a place in the country until you ...
March 1, 2003... Both my wife and I are avid readers of COUNTRYSIDE and like many other readers we are constantly searching for the perfect homestead. We have often noticed in the Contacts, classifieds, and letters that readers often inquire about a certain...

Time honored stewardship.
March 1, 2003... Our farm is made up of 73 acres of land. Forty acres is cleared plow land currently in hay and pasture. I plant corn followed by speltz and re-seeded hay. I rotationally graze the pastures and spread manure on the hayfields slowly raising the...

6 intriguing ways to make money at home: what do volunteering, cleaning your closet, and owning a chainsaw have in common?
March 1, 2003... I used to think that homesteading was something to be reached at I the end of the journey, I now know that the journey is as important as the destination. We should all learn to enjoy the journey and the lessons learned along the way or most of...

Making the farm pay. (Homestead income).
March 1, 2003... In October 1994, Bill and I purchased an 80-acre farm in mid-Western Ohio. The farm had 55 acres of tillable land, 20 acres of woods, and the outbuildings and house were in disrepair. The farmhouse was livable, barely. But the location was...

Homestead online income: a primer. (Homestead income).
March 1, 2003... "THE INTERNET MAN" Many years ago I had a 40-acre property, and then later a 100-acre farm, so I can appreciate a person's dream to have and live on their own homestead. Yet I now live "in town." Still, being free to pursue one's own...

Facts and tips to avoid being a victim of internet fraud.
March 1, 2003... The National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) reports: "... almost 27,000 of the 28,655 respondents to an April 25, 2002 "Daily Poll" on AT&T Worldnet Services said they've received unsolicited email offers for what it warns could be scams....

Milkweed: a truly remarkable wild vegetable. (Country foraging).
March 1, 2003... Milkweed isn't your average weed; in fact, I feel guilty calling it a weed at all. The common milkweed, Asclepias syriacqa, is one of the best known wild plants in North America, Children love to play with the downy fluff in autumn, while...

Ginseng: an all-purpose herb you'll find on the forest floor.
March 1, 2003... It's known as panax ginseng, panax meaning "panacea" or "cure-all..." indisputably as a plant for all reasons. The handsome ginseng, a slow-maturing deciduous perennial herb with leaves oblanceolate or lanceolate, has been heralded as an...

Make a rope.
March 1, 2003... Did you ever need a rope to tie a gate, make a halter, tie down a load, make a lead rope, a tow rope or for a swing? Why not make your own? With a few simple tools and a small amount of supplies, you can make just about any size or color rope...

Gun safety on the homestead. (Homestead skills).
March 1, 2003... Many homesteaders buy guns for hunting or as protection from four-legged and two-legged predators. Guns are a useful tool like tractors and chainsaws; but just like tractors and chainsaws, guns can be dangerous if used improperly. Firearms...

Build an inexpensive 12x16 greenhouse. (Homestead onstruction).
March 1, 2003... Two years ago I began to experiment with an idea that was spawned from the pages of COUNTRYSIDE. Someone wrote an article detailing portable and inexpensive utility shelters built from cattle panels. While viewing the pictures supplied, I could...

Gardening with deep mulch. (The garden).
March 1, 2003... I got tired of having to wait for the ground to dry out to be worked in spring 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 contemplating going to deep mulch. I...

Germination and transplanting tips for vigorous plants. (The garden).
March 1, 2003... There's probably nothing quite so rewarding for any gardener as the success of starting your own herb, vegetable or flowering plants, indoors, from seed. Not only can you get an early jump on the growing season by doing so, but you can...

Tips on transplanting seedlings. (The garden).
March 1, 2003... Sunlight is essential to garden plants. But too much sun is as bad for plants as it is for people. When you bring your plants outside for the summer they get double or triple the light to which they are accustomed. Leaves that developed in the...

Permaculture in the garden. (Notes from the Northwoods).
March 1, 2003... It is an idea that caught my attention years ago. Tucked among the usual types of gardening how-to ideas I discovered Japanese natural farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, and Iowa permaculture guru Wes Jackson. But since I was struggling at the time with...

This year, try growing heirloom corn. (The garden).
March 1, 2003... To witness the bounty that is corn, drive through almost any section of the midwest in August. The vast acreage devoted to corn strains the eye and wearies the mind. Unless you're a farmer awaiting the harvest, it is easy to forget the value of...

Grist mill sources.
March 1, 2003... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like the name and address where I may order or get a gristmill so corn can be ground into corn meal. Grain (grist) mills are available from a number of sources. See the following advertisers in this issue: * CF...

Grow trees for fun and profit. (The woodlot).
March 1, 2003... Commercial horticulture is a field in which it is still possible for an individual to accumulate a small fortune if they love making plants grow and are willing to work. As a bonus, this is a business opportunity the whole family can take part...

Urban black walnut trees won't make you rich. (The woodlot).
March 1, 2003... Walnut trees in town probably aren't going to make you rich from selling them for lumber or veneer. There are several reasons why it's hard to find a buyer for walnut trees in urban settings, says Meagan Keefe, forestry specialist with the...

Are your plants getting the nutrients they need? (Crops & soils).
March 1, 2003... * Nitrogen (N): Formation of chlorophyll, amino acids, and proteins. Deficiency: Pale green or yellowish lower leaves, slow growth. * Potassium (P): Water transfer, stomatal opening, winter hardiness, disease resistance. ...

Calcium: it's essential in a fertilization program. (Crops & soils).
March 1, 2003... Ensuring your soils have an adequate level of available calcium should be an essential part of your field fertilization practices for several reasons: * Calcium improves tilth and friability by reducing the stickiness and clinging ability...

Rotational grazing benefits land and animals. (Crops & soils).
March 1, 2003... Rotational grazing provides one of best opportunities for homesteaders to increase their income in forages and meat production. Consider switching from continuous grazing to rotational for several reasons, say forage specialists with the...

Solar research in the southwest. (The Solar Cowboy).
March 1, 2003... Well folks, winter has come upon us and we realize that everything is just not gonna get done. So, like any good hard working homesteaders that grow a lot of their own food and get the PVs up when the days are long, we've decided to take our...

Dexter cattle: small size, big benefits. (The cow barn).
March 1, 2003... When Mr. Dexter gathered the best of the cattle from the Irish countryside, I wonder if he suspected that the resulting herd would become a breed and named after him? Or that the Dexter breed would spread to Europe, the Americas, Africa, New...

New broiler breeds available. (The henhouse).
March 1, 2003... Amid the worms, pigs, goats, cows, sheep, and ducks on our 20 acre homestead in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, chickens have been the center of our agricultural focus, specifically, broiler breeders. Three years and six generations of...

Raising chickens: musings on breeds, housing and feeding. (The henhouse).
March 1, 2003... Many kinds of chickens exist. Some are bred for show, others for meat, and still others for egg production. In Hawaii, I saw giant turkey capons almost as tall as me. Most of the highly bred egg-chickens do not go broody, or if they do, they do...

Prevent spring swarms. (The bee hive).
March 1, 2003... In the northern areas where winters are colder and longer, the springtime is very important in the life of the honeybee. Close attention should be given to the hive for its well-being because starvation at this time is the biggest problem. ...

Goat milk soap: fun to make, great for your skin. (The goat barn).
March 1, 2003... When I first became interested in making goat milk soap, I scoured the internet for information and remember coming across a website that described the process as "tricky" and goat milk as "temperamental." Of course, they didn't allude to the...

Chevon cooking.
March 1, 2003... Chevon (goat meat) can be substitute for beef, pork or lamb in any dish. Marinating the meat in any acidic liquid will tenderize it (try vinegar, wine, lemon juice, tomato juice or cold coffee). Marinated Chevon Steak (This recipe is...

Cook dinner once a month: it's a lot healthier and cheaper than fast food". (The county kitchen).
March 1, 2003... Every evening, all around the world, the same dilemma faces many homemakers. What can be prepared for tonight's dinner with a minimum of fuss that will be filling and nutritious? With a little forward planning, you can have a month of meals...

The power of honey.
March 1, 2003... Honey could help to treat wounds that refuse to heal by stopping bacteria from growing, according to a recent article in Nature. Records of people covering wounds in honey stretch back to ancient Egypt. Until recently it was believed that...

Last month we asked: what are you doing about skyrocketing medical costs? (Question of the month).
March 1, 2003... My husband and I have been reading COUNTRYSIDE for eight years, ever since discovering it in our little local library. We were newly married (his first and my second), and had just purchased a small farmette. My husband grew up on various...

Homeopathy instead of physicians.
March 1, 2003... Until recently, we had free medical insurance through an employer, but we rarely used it. We could fix the problems at home faster and easier than driving to town. Often when my children or grandchildren woke up in the middle of the night with...

Many folks sent more hints and resources.
March 1, 2003... Catas-"tropic" illness? My possible answer, move to the tropics! Seriously, getting medical coverage at a reasonable price in this country is a disaster. I once worked in P.R. for a big HMO in Southern California back in the '70s when this...

Are you over 55? "It's all free for seniors". (Advertisement).
March 1, 2003... Washington DC (Special) Are you over 55... or have a loved one who is? Then you'd better take a close look at this! Every year Uncle Sam gives away hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, goods, and services to people just like you. ...

Time passages: sometimes we need lead by example when faced with unpleasant changes. (Country neighbors).
March 1, 2003... I'm a COUNTRYSIDE reader whose journey to rural living took me full circle, back to my home town. Naturally, much had changed during the many years I was gone; I knew that agriculture had changed, that the town had shrunk to a tiny village....

Life just wouldn't be as interesting if things went as planned! Take trenching for example ... (Country neighbors).
March 1, 2003... My "To Do" list keeps changing but doesn't really get much shorter. With the long, dry fall there were lots of extras and even some "must do's" that we finally got around to. Moving vehicles was one of them. The boys are trying to build a...

Country life from a kid's perspectives. (County neighbors).
March 1, 2003... There are so many wonderful things about living on a homestead in the country, especially for kids. I know--I am a kid! For all of my 15 years I have lived on a farm. My earliest memories are of standing in my playpen looking out the window...

Recycling a scenic (but impractical) homestead.
March 1, 2003... When saw the lead story on a recent cover "Recycled Homestead," I dashed out to take these pictures. This 2-1/2 hillside acres was very park-like (not even ever a garden!). This is how I recycled it with no materials purchased and no...

Possum tales. (Country neighbors).
March 1, 2003... THE WOODS HICK Opossums are probably a recognizable, if not familiar, animal to many people living beyond, as well as along, the side, walks. They are what is called a marsupial, meaning that they carry their young in a pouch, like the...

Breeder's directory.
March 1, 2003... ALPACAS Alabama CREEKSIDE EXOTICS, Glenda Goennier, 25535 AL Hwy 65, Estill Fork, AL 35745. 256-776-2932. Alpaca, Belted Galloway cattle. Missouri WHIRLWIND RANCH, LIz Mitchko, 24649 Snowberry Dr., Lebanon, MO 65536-6471....

The pleasures of elbow room. (After chores).
March 1, 2003... I've often thought to myself, while on my worldly travels through Columbus, Cleveland or Pittsburgh, that I would surely die if I were made to live in the city. All those identical twin houses shoved up against each other tighter than kernels...