Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from March 2005

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from March 2005

America's food chain is dicey.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This letter is in reply to Louis D. from Tennessee, who wrote "When it comes to a choice of economics versus public health, public health does and will always take precedence over the former." Louis, I wish the above were a...

Cleaning up messy bread dough.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoy baking bread about once per week. Although I can make it by hand without a mixer or machine, I prefer to let my bread machine do the work. I put all the ingredients in the machine, then set it to the dough or manual cycle....

Using DE to get rid of pests.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Megan L. wrote that diatomaceous earth was good, but don't use swimming pool DE as it has been heated and crystallized. It is a very good filtering material, but is very dangerous to breathe. Natural DE doesn't even require masks...

"Buyer beware" in real estate.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: After reading "What do we do now" in the July/August issue and the follow up response, I too want to advise and share about the dangers of buying land and being just a little too trusting. I too live in Texas. I purchased three...

You, too, can make a sawdust toilet box.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We received a letter asking about the sawdust toilet box in COUNTRYSIDE, and I am happy to help out with some info. All the lumber used was 1 x 6, trimmed to a front width of 5-3/4 inches and the angles to trim the abutting...

Sources for tea plants.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding the request from Denise in Mississippi, there is a source for tea plants in Texas--Live Herb Nursery, 155 Elm Forest Loop, Cedar Creek, TX 78612; ph. 512-3034505. I have not ordered from this source, but am about to do...

Natural roach control.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have found that five drops of peppermint oil with about 20 drops of wintergreen oil and maybe rosemary oil at about 20 drops in 24 ounces of water will kill large roaches and flies when sprayed on them. The Dirt Doctor says that...

This Canadian homesteader loves her Deere.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I was born and raised on a small mixed farm in Holland. We had dairy cows, hogs, poultry, some grain and enough feed for our own use, as well as a big garden. I am 68 now. We moved to Southern Alberta, Canada in 1971. We did not...

Her "helper" isn't very helpful.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Having someone to help around the homestead isn't always what it's cracked up to be. Here's a little background before I get into the story. I bought my two acre home in Wisconsin in 1989. After living in Minnesota and the...

Want to learn self-sufficiency? He'd like to teach.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: The days of teaching others how to homestead and live off the land are in short supply, as Tayna M. said in a previous letter. For years I've been trying to find someone willing to learn self-sufficiency. Today people are totally...

Avoid gum surgery: new technique fights harmful gum disease.(Advertorial)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... IF you suffer from periodontitis you now have a proven home-care breakthrough to help you avoid gum surgery, root planing and dentures. Briefly, bacteria (plaque) force the gum to detach from the tooth, forming a pocket. Brushing, flossing...

Boiling wine, cider and syrup.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: In the Nov/Dec 2004 issue a letter from B. Galioto intrigued me. The "boiled wine" spoken of in the letter was probably like our New England "boiled cider" or cider syrup, and is probably done the same way. Different liquids...

Use flaxseed meal for better health.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I am a 68-year-old retired registered nurse. I am not a homesteader but I do live on 2-1/2 acres. I really enjoyed the articles on bread and am surprised that none of the recipes contain my favorite ingredient and one I have...

Space saving laundry idea.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have found a space saving solution to dry blue jeans. We have hung skirt hangers--the type you use in the closet that holds five or six articles on clothespin-like clips--from the ceiling in the basement. I tie the bottom of the...

She's no dummy!(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The recently revised article in the Sept./Oct. COUNTRYSIDE by Sue Robishaw and Steve Schmeck on solar power gave me my second biggest "light-bulb" moment of my life. At last, I finally understand...

It's nice to hear wwhat others are doing.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We thoroughly enjoy the magazine and appreciate the great, helpful articles. We love to garden organically and are learning about using the heirloom seeds. We really appreciated the Baker Creek article and the one on edible...

Seed swappers wanted.
March 1, 2005... These folks are interested in swapping seeds: * David Tickner, 11201 S. Morrice Rd., Morrice, MI 48857. Any kind. * K & B Seed Exchange, 2180 No. St. Rt. 1, Watseka, IL 60970. Daylilies, Sweet William, zinnias, marigolds, luffa sponge,...

Cover comments.
March 1, 2005... Countryside: Hey! Isn't that a rooster standing atop a pile of eggs on the cover of the Jan/Feb 2005 issue? Well that's so typical! A male taking all of the credit for the hard work of the females. It just makes me clucking mad! All of us...

Yes, you can can goat milk, but ...(Neighbors in need)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Due to lots of allergies, I cook from scratch--no sugar or sugar substitutes, no dairy, although I do use goat milk. I could use recipes for cooking and canning. I also have a lot of questions. Can you can goat milk? Can you...

Where can he find apple-shaped gourds?(Neighbors in need)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I saw some apple-shaped gourds at a fair and would like to have some seeds. I understand they are mostly grown in the southwest. Can anyone help me?--P. Robinson, Illinois

What can he do with burlap bags?(Neighbors in need)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could use burlap bags, either as a craft or some other beneficial use? These bags are now being thrown in the trash.--Ken Leister, Pennsylvania

Coming events.(Calendar)
March 1, 2005... Send your events at least three months in advance to: COUNTRYSIDE Coming Events's W11564 Hwy. 64, Withee, WI 54498; csymag@tds.net. Heritage Sheep Breeders Applications due April 12, 2005 Sheep and wool producers will award yearling...

Milking sheep offer a new small farm alternative: growing popularity of artisan cheeses creates a niche market for homesteaders.
March 1, 2005... Question: Like most homesteaders, I'd love to find a way to earn some money on the farm (in our case, 25 acres of stoney hills). Recently I heard of milking sheep, which sounds interesting. Is this another one of those pie-in-the-sky...

Texas White Dall sheep as companion grazers.(The sheep shed)
March 1, 2005... We got started with Texas White Dall hair sheep several years ago. About the only thing I can tell you about their history is what I found on what is believed to be the Texas Dall root stock and that is, that they are believed to hail from an...

Raise Soay sheep, naturally: with the wild flock method, your sheep will be fine without you.(The sheep shed)
March 1, 2005... Soay sheep are a very rare, very hardy landrace sheep. They tend to look like miniature Bighorn sheep. They are the oldest European sheep and predate the division of wool and hair sheep. They were a common livestock during the Bronze Age, but...

Meat goat prices on the rise.(The goat barn)
March 1, 2005... An increasing demand for meat goats in the market is a blessing for farmers who are receiving a higher price than at any other time. Goat producers in Kentucky saw the highest price for slaughter goats in the country in 2004. "Prices have...

Goat milk mozzarella.(The goat barn)
March 1, 2005... Stir 1-1/2 teaspoons citric acid (or lemon juice) into 1/4 cup water. (Look for citric acid in the health food section of the grocery store, or with canning supplies.) Add this to 1-1/4 gallons of goat milk. Warm to 88[degrees]F. ...

Make your own rennet.(The goat barn)
March 1, 2005... Rennet is used to coagulate milk to make cheese. Today it's generally purchased from cheesemaking supply houses, but here's how it was made at home in the old days. Clean the stomach of a calf as soon as it is killed, scouring it inside...

Want to go back to the old ways of farming? Here's how to feed a cow, 1910-style.(The cow barn)
March 1, 2005... Once in a while it's interesting to see what's changed in the nature of agriculture-and what hasn't. This was the recommended feeding plan for dairy cows in the October 1910 Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Circular 44. Because it is...

E-z blacksmithing coal forge.(The smithy)
March 1, 2005... It doesn't get much easier than this to make yourself a small coal forge (in which you could also use BBQ briquettes or charcoal). Find a 14" tire rim. This is the type used on emergency tires on new vehicles. The one shown isn't...

Learn a new skill: carve a wooden bird.(The wood carver)
March 1, 2005... Each year at this time (mid December) my wife demonstrates the making of a Norwegian cookie called krumkake for one of the local assisted living homes for seniors here. They enjoy having her come, and they enjoy helping her make them. They also...

What causes the "birds'-eye maple" pattern in wood?(The wood shed)
March 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: During a recent visit to the Queen Mary which is docked and on display in Long Island, California, we noticed the beautiful birds'-eye maple veneer in the elevators. The World Book says it is a mystery why some maple trees develop...

Isn't it time you started reloading your own ammo?(Homestead firearms)
March 1, 2005... At one time or another, most gun owners and hunters begin to wonder if they should start reloading their own ammunition. It is certainly a tempting proposition, particularly for those of us that like to shoot on a somewhat regular basis. The...

Grapes in the north.(Notes from the Northwoods)
March 1, 2005... Is there a fruit as filled with romance, history, myths and fairies as the venerable, soft blushed grape? An orb as wide ranging as a chicken, it may be responsible for more discussions in more diverse settings than any other edible fare. In...

Garden planning starts by asking questions.(The garden)
March 1, 2005... How did last year's gardening season go? Were there gaps in the production of vegetables you count on? Did you manage to have lettuce early and late? And how about the tomatoes that go with it? What insects and diseases gave you problems, and...

Just what are "exotic" fruits and vegetables?(The garden)
March 1, 2005... This is in regards to the article in the July/August, 2004 issue, "Tips and predictions for beginners." In the "Second year" section of the article, S. Burke says not to plant exotic fruits and nuts until the basic ones are growing and not to...

Cast iron in the country kitchen.(The country kitchen)
March 1, 2005... Heavy, clunky, out of place in a streamlined high-tech kitchen, inexpensive, and definitely old-fashioned. What more could a homesteader ask for? That's why although they win faint praise from most modern cooks, cast iron utensils are...

Why eat whole foods?(The country kitchen)
March 1, 2005... In 1990, I was running a cross-country ski lodge in the Wenatchee Mountains of Washington state. Both my guests and I thought that my cooking was pretty healthy, because I served vegetarian food with lots of fresh ingredients and some whole...

This cheesy soup is fun to make.
March 1, 2005... Cheesy homestead soup 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 cup flour 3 cups milk 2 pints home-canned chicken broth 1 teaspoonWorcestershire sauce 2-3/4 cups cheddar cheese, grated 2 pints frozen or canned corn ...

Blueberry transplanting tips.
March 1, 2005... After 11 years, a number of blueberry plants were removed from the Research and Education Center at the University of Kentucky to make way for new varieties in the research efforts. The plants have many productive years left. Winston...

Memories of making maple syrup: and recipes for the final product.(The country kitchen)
March 1, 2005... Ping... ping... ping.... Blop... blop... blop... These sounds bring back many fond memories of my boyhood and all the fun as well as hard work. The first sound is the syrup spout being tapped into the maple tree and the second is the sound...

Here's a tasty, healthful, inexpensive snack.
March 1, 2005... Here's my idea for a very inexpensive and healthy snack that tastes pretty darned good. I pack it in my husband's lunch every day and it seems to be the one thing he always eats but never tires of. Black bean dip 2 cups cooked...

Soy and your health: can those little beans really be good for you?(Homestead health)
March 1, 2005... Before anyone gets too bent out of shape, I do not mean to imply that eating hormone implanted beef isn't safe. That said, I'll get on with what I do mean to imply, and that is that eating soy is making people fat. Here's my reasoning:...

Charcoal ... a new look at an old medicinal.(Alternative medicine)
March 1, 2005... This is for your information only, and is not meant to take the place of medical attention. Charcoal is nothing new. In fact it has been around so long that many of us have forgotten just how useful it can be. For centuries, this simple...

Raise heritage turkeys as seasonal income?
March 1, 2005... The demand for heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas seems to be growing on an exponential basis. This is driven not only by an increasing rejection of livestock grown on a factory-type basis, but also the taste difference between a...

Tips from a chicken lover.
March 1, 2005... A small flock of chickens is perhaps he fastest, easiest and cheapest way to attain a degree of self-sufficiency. In the dark days of the Depression, in the year 1933, my dad worked all day on a farm for one setting hen and 13 eggs. When...

Free 19th century chicken house plans.
March 1, 2005... Tarter Gate Co., manufacturer of animal management equipment, is now offering hobby farmers the opportunity to recreate their own authentic 19th century chicken house by following plans available for free on the company's website, www....

Keeping the books: Part II.(Homestead finances)
March 1, 2005... In the last issue Gail covered her method of creating a start-up budget, and keeping track of business and household finances by using three separate checking accounts. Handling cross-over or shared expenses between accounts Often...

Can you really just "leave it all behind?" Well, yes ... and no ... Readers share their recommendations.(Question of the month)
March 1, 2005... I left it all behind, and don't miss it for a second (see COUNTRYSIDE, July/August 2004). In fact, you've got to leave it all behind. If you take all the city contrivances with you, how will you learn to be self-sufficient? A lot of us miss...

Why leave a comfortable city life? To preserve their sanity!
March 1, 2005... Just sell everything, quit the job and walk away?! That's exactly what we did last July. My husband I quit our high paying jobs, sold our house in the city (including most of our furniture), contracted the services of a friend with a truck to...

Moving sooner may have prevented some of their problems.
March 1, 2005... Looking back on our 30-plus years together, "20-20 hindsight" would have been great to have far earlier! There were a number of times we could, and probably should, have moved from the city and established our...

Define your goals before you move.
March 1, 2005... I was raised in a central Wisconsin city with a population of about 25,000. Not a metropolis by any means, but a fairly large town with plenty of amenities. Through a series of incidents--financial, a divorce, etc.--I found myself living on my...

Be ready to take some risks.
March 1, 2005... Can you really just leave it all? For us the answer was Yes! But, you have to be willing to take a calculated risk on the potential outcome. After deciding to "make the move" we put our paid-for house in the California foothills on the...

They couldn't afford to keep working.
March 1, 2005... Can you really just leave it all? Yes you can, if you have the desire. We did just that three months ago. We can't say it's been easy, but it certainly has been worth it. We were also part of Corporate America. We worked long, hard,...

Buy as much land as you can afford.
March 1, 2005... Coming from the city back to the country, I remember how frightening leaving Corporate America behind can be. I had worked doing everything from McDonald's fast food to telemarketing and about everything inbetween. At the time we had two small...

Get the whole family's opinion of moving.
March 1, 2005... You might say we did just leave it all, at least in our own way. My husband and I had a successful business in Washington State and managed rental units to boot. We made over $100,000 a year for about half a day's work per day. We would get up...

Life "on your own" is tough at first--but worth it.
March 1, 2005... I wanted to reply to the question that Terry and Corey Michaels asked: My first answer: "Yes you can!" (Just leave it all, that is.) Many have--we did. However, I/we can offer many tips, and a little advice from those who have done it and made...

33 tips from the Ericksons.
March 1, 2005... We subscribe to very few magazines, but COUNTRYSIDE is necessary reading for us and we love it. We are seniors, ages 66 and 67 who dramatically downsized our lifestyles 22 years ago. We left a five-bedroom home (provided for us when my...

Part with things you know you won't need.
March 1, 2005... Yes, you can "just leave it all," but in today's modern world it is really hard to leave it all behind. You have to be really motivated and decide at what degree or level you want to "just leave it all." My advice is to buy the land or...

Scrutinize every purchase; spend time on your land.
March 1, 2005... Start small: open a savings account, pick a percentage of your available money to save 20-30%, etc. Look at every thing you own--house, cars, stereo and decide what to keep and what to sell, bank the money. Every weekend take a ride and...

Go for it--the memories will last a lifetime.
March 1, 2005... Go for it! We finally got our country home, with two of our four children already gone, and the other two too old to care. Thus, my advice is to go for it--the sooner the better with kids. Forget about having enough money or the perfect place,...

No, don't just walk away!
March 1, 2005... Just sell everything, quit the job and walk away? No, no, no! That's not the way to go at all. First think of ways you can change your present living habits to be more like the way you will be living "if and when" you get on to your...

After suffering a stroke, she has tips on saving money.
March 1, 2005... I suffered a stroke six years ago that ended my gardening and living off the grid. My only income is my social security check once a month so I cannot buy a lot at one time to build up a supply of food. By adding an extra can or package of food...

These tips helped in the move from Chicago to Indiana.
March 1, 2005... Here are my suggestions for the Michaels' family: * Get out of debt before you start your big move. * Figure out where in the world you want to live. * Visit your new potential area at different times of the year. Visit it more...

They said goodbye to credit cards and the Harley.
March 1, 2005... Several years ago my husband, Jim, and I discussed getting out of the rat race; semi-retiring in a slow-aced atmosphere and changing our lifestyle. Five years prior, we had 35 acres which we had fenced, put up a barn and home and raised a...

Early spring.(Poor Will's Almanac)
March 1, 2005... A few days ago, not a bird, not a sound; everything rigid and severe; then in a day the barriers of winter give way, and spring comes like an inundation. In a twinkling all is changed. Astronomical data for March The phases of the...

Searching for sweeter onions.(Food in the news)
March 1, 2005... When it comes to onions, most of us want it both ways--we want to have our onion and eat it, too. We want the health benefits that onions provide without the pungency, which can cause halitosis, heartburn and hyperactive tear ducts. University...

Home on the (Texas) range.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... I'm a novelist who grew up in the country in Alabama, lived in big cities during my adult life, and must have been heading back to the country all that time and never even knew it. In October of 1997 I had been looking for some land outside of...

Are we still homesteading? The lure of electricity in Costa Rica.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... I got up this morning at 4:00 a.m., as is my habit, and immediately began my daily routine. I turned on the lights, stereo and the computer on my way to the storage closet where I started the dehumidifier. I loaded the washing machine and the...

A cabin story.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... Like any other couple, you dream. Not just of the immediate things of short-lived desire but of a future where you have already carefully constructed an image of where you'd love to be one day--you know the one, a porch, coffee mug in hand and...

Ricardo ropes a pig.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... My son, Jake, had been pestering me to buy him a lasso. Claimed he could rope a pig, and since we raise pigs, he figured he could use that little tidbit to talk me into getting him what he wanted. I just laughed at him. I've heard of 'cow'boys,...

Making lemonade: (sometimes from unintentional lemons).(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... You've heard the saying, "When you get a lemon, make lemonade." I like the ring of it, but not the implications that it might conjure to some. To most of my contemporaries (other products of the Depression), it is pretty much accepted in...

Tips for "fitting in" on a Missouri homestead.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2005... I love the magazine and all the letters readers send in. I have to chuckle from time to time when I read about people wanting to leave the city for that perfect life in the country. When I read about the lady in Florida looking for the perfect...

The mysterious evening lights.(After chores)
March 1, 2005... I grew up in the city just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. The streets are busy. Everyone is always in a hurry. There are always the sounds of sirens and cars rushing. People are coming and going at all hours. The city is a bright place too,...