Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from March 2008

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from March 2008

The cat's out of the bag: the truth about preemptive seed laws.(From the editorial desk)
March 1, 2008... Good advice lasts through the ages. Take the old adage "Never buy a pig in a poke." This gem has been around since medieval times. A poke was a small gunny sack, just the right size for a weaned piglet, or a stray cat. There were far more...

Deterring deer.(Country conversation & feedback)
March 1, 2008... A lot of Countrysiders have deer problems. Here are some deterrent methods that have worked for others: COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding Mark Entwisle's article, "Battles with deer," we believe we are in the process of solving the deer problem. ...

Ancient windmill still in operation.(Country conversation & feedback)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Thank you, and thanks to all the writers who contribute articles for your publication. COUNTRYSIDE has been my favorite magazine for many years. Now it is high time for me to "give back." With current attention focused on...

Try solar lights instead of candles.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: This letter is in response to the fellow asking about the different types of candles to burn instead of using electricity for lights at night. Why not go solar? There's less chance of burning your house down. A senior fellow...

Burning olive oil requires wick modifications.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I've subscribed to your magazine for years and find it chock full of valuable information. I know I've read something somewhere in an issue about using olive oil as a replacement for kerosene or paraffin based lamp oils. The...

Drawing salve recipe.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In the 1930s we could purchase a product that fit the description, "Iodex," from the east coast. The Depression was the mother of invention, so we used thinly sliced salt bacon fat applied over the wound area with a bandage on top....

Triple yolk isn't unheard of.(Country conversation & feedback)(big eggs from hens)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I absolutely love your magazine. I've been a subscriber now for about 15 years and I couldn't go without it. Thank you so much for all your hard work! That said, I am way, way behind on my reading. Dean in Minnesota asked...

Finding animals for meat stock.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I have the answer for Doug in Mobile who was looking for animals. I love your magazine and raise goats. I am about two hours from Mobile and raise Boer-mixed goats that are great eating. I also know a gal in Wetumpka, Alabama...

They're making a commitment to fighting hunger.(livestock and food supply)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: When our issue arrives, we fight to see who gets it first! We've had goats for years but are new dairy goat farmers and soak up all the advice we can get. Thanks so much. My husband, Steve, and I are so blessed here on our...

Each homestead has variables: Answer: It depends.
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I have just been catching up on my back issues, having finally bought a place this past spring. In doing so I found a few things to comment on. First, a question: I would like to find a list of genetically engineered/ altered...

Ashes work well for cleaning cast iron.
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm writing to comment on Frieda's use of oven cleaner to clean cast iron skillets. I would not recommend this method. Cast iron is actually very porous and will absorb the chemicals in the cleaner. Yankee Home Hints, by Earl...

Chicken meat is becoming tough: is it the "Jumbo" cross?
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been enjoying your magazine for about five years now. I let my subscription run out about a year ago and found myself buying it at my local grocery store--so, I renewed my subscription! My husband and I have been...

Advice on using trickle irrigation.(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I have never written to your magazine but the last issue had a question that I want to respond to. The question was asked by Teri Lemm of California, regarding trickle irrigation for pumpkins. We live in an old order Mennonite...

Milk pail cleaners.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In answer to Kathy's question in the January/February 2008 issue of COUNTRYSIDE regarding milk pail cleaners: We use Powdered Dairy Soap from Hoegger Supply Company (1-800-221-GOAT or their website is http://hoeggergoatsupply....

Rat/bird shot works well to eliminate pests.(use of rifle )(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I read with interest the article by Dave Cournoyer, concerning the .22 rifle. I agree, it is probably the most versatile weapon available. I have a Ruger 10-22 rifle, which I bought for our homestead in Pennsylvania. I've used it...

Here's one way to deal with chiggers.(treatment for chigger bites)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Keep up the good work! You folks sure create a fine magazine. I would like to respond to the folks who have been fighting those nasty chigger bites. There are lots of bad remedies out there for them, like the friend who told...

Woodlot advice from across the country.
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Jason and Tammy wanted to know about trees in their woodlot. As Ginger (my wife) and I have a large woodlot on our land, I can only tell you what we did here. I cut strips from plastic bags to mark our sugar maple trees since we...

Keep livestock away from oleander.(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: My goats are in a halfacre lot with several large oleander bushes. Goats won't eat oleander. I want to get a sheep and the feed store that sells them says oleander might make them sick. Do sheep eat oleander? - Mike Cowan,...

Where are the cabbage heads?(gardening of cabbage)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I was reading my COUNTRYSIDE one evening and happened to think, maybe someone could help me. I have had a vegetable garden for the last 50 years in Colorado and Arkansas and always raised nice cabbage heads. Until I moved to...

Embracing technology.
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Recently I was browsing in a book store and found a book called The Ideals Country Treasury, which caught my eye as Ideals is known for thought-provoking commentary and beautiful photography. Within the pages of this book is a...

Coming events.(Conference news)(Calendar)
March 1, 2008... Send your event listing to: COUNTRYSIDE Coming Events, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 or csyeditorial@tds.net. March 1, 2008 New Hampshire: Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire's 6th Annual Winter Conference...

What to do about rural crime.
March 1, 2008... I am receiving more and more calls and e-mails concerning vandalism of remote cabins, off-grid solar homes, farms, and ranches. Many of these callers were homeowners who could not believe this would happen to them. They all considered their...

Reducing the sting at the pump.(Homestead mechanics)(automotive fuel pumps)
March 1, 2008... While living in the country has many advantages, there are some logistical problems associated with the rural lifestyle. In our case, we live 20 miles from the nearest affordable shopping and 55 miles from "serious" shopping. With gas as...

Doing your own auto mechanic work can pay off: this college student saved a bundle.(Homestead mechanics)
March 1, 2008... Americans treat their cars as consumable objects; use it, wear it out, and get a new one. Is this really the most cost-effective strategy? The automotive industry has successfully convinced us that it is. They have convinced American automobile...

SIPping the good life: structural Insulated Panels prove a good match for off-grid living.(home insulation)
March 1, 2008... When Phillip and Heather Steyn decided to build an off-grid house far from the beaten path, they settled on Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) rather than stick framing, logs or straw bales. Today, two years later, they're certain they made the...

Comparing the Hillbilly Solar Trailer and the Powerwagon[TM].(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoyed reading Keith Barnes's "Hillbilly Deluxe Solar Trailer" article in the Nov/Dec 2007 issue. We manufacture The Powerwagon[TM] that Keith references. I thought that it might be useful for...

Maple monkey.(preparation of maple syrup)
March 1, 2008... "Do you think you're a monkey, boy?" Wayne hollered up at our teenaged son, who was sitting on his haunches in the bare boughs of a maple tree. "Get down from there and go help your mom with the buckets." Kids love trees, especially ones...

Make your own tomato trellises and cages.(The garden)
March 1, 2008... Plant cages and trellises are a major part of garden equipment because many crops are not only more productive, but more resistant to disease when grown on supports, even if it's as simple as a stake in the ground. One very important way is to...

Extend your gardening season with removable row covers.(The garden)
March 1, 2008... Since 1986, our method of farming has incorporated a system of raised beds, drip irrigation, plastic mulch, and fabric row-cover tunnels. These aids have served us well for frost protection, weed control, irrigation, enhanced microclimates,...

Aquaponics, the wave of the future.(The garden)
March 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Aquaponics is the process of combining aquaculture with hydroponics for mutual benefit. The plants benefit from the nutrient-rich water supplied by the fish. The fish benefit from the nutrient breakdown and removal activity of the...

Let's get planting! Tips for starting your seeds off right.(The garden)
March 1, 2008... Spring has sort of sprung, and most of us are pondering and hoping we know where this year's garden-planning expedition is taking us. True to form, we've all perused the seed catalogs in front of the woodstove or fireplace during the icy-cold...

Growing the perfect blackberry.(The garden)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aah, imagine plump, sweet, juicy blackberries you can pop in your mouth, sprinkle on your morning cereal or enjoy in a bowl of steamy, hot blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. You don't have to imagine any...

Homemade pickled beets: it's like eating candy from a jar.(The homestead kitchen)
March 1, 2008... I watch the Food Network channel a lot and I have yet to see my old buddies Alton, Ina, Paula or Rachael ever add beets to their menus. Not once has it been the secret ingredient for the Iron Chef competition. I think I saw Emeril give it a...

Since the dawn of civilization, almonds have nourished humanity.(almond recipe)
March 1, 2008... Food historians agree that almonds are among the oldest foods known to man. For centuries, they have been used for food and confectionary purposes and have been valued for their nutritional and medicinal qualities. Some historians indicate that...

Make cheese in your own kitchen: here are some delicious recipes to try.(The homestead kitchen)
March 1, 2008... Making cheese is a great way to preserve your milk supply. Some types of cheese can be aged for two years or more without refrigeration, while others have a shelf life of two years or less. We freeze the soft cream cheese-style cheeses. We wax...

California Variegated Mutant sheep.(The sheep shed)
March 1, 2008... Who would have ever thought you could get more than one color wool from the same sheep? I thought there were sheep with only white wool and sheep with only black wool. Then I learned about the California Variegated Mutant or CVM. The CVM...

You're kidding!(goat breeding and reproduction)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's kidding time down on our farm and like you, we hope for a successful kidding season. A successful season is one in which all adult does give birth to healthy twins or triplets and they all live to maturity....

Tips for rookie goat owners: you don't need a buck on the premises, but goats do need a buddy.(The goat barn)
March 1, 2008... When we started our homestead operation in 1961, we had a plan. First the garden, then chickens, then dairy products. We visited a goat dairy, "just to look around." We fell in love with a three-month-old kid, and our plans got scrambled. ...

Foot care for cattle: many hoof problems can be avoided with good conformation and management practices.(caring for lame cows)
March 1, 2008... More than 90 percent of lameness problems in cattle originate in the feet. Lameness takes a toll on herd production, whether in beef or dairy cattle. Research at Michigan State University a few years ago showed that lame cows were 16 times more...

Meat rabbits 101.(meat industry)
March 1, 2008... Welcome to meat rabbits 101. This is an introductory article outlining equipment, breeds, environmental conditions and other basic information needed to consider a meat rabbit enterprise. On our farm, rabbits are a center piece enterprise...

How to requeen your beehive.(beekeeping)
March 1, 2008... You have had most of the winter off from beekeeping chores, but with spring coming it is time to ramp it up Honey bees are not a static, never-changing entity. You don't plant them in the spring and watch them grow and harvest them in late...

Some random thoughts from an old wood carver.(woodworking)(Personal account)
March 1, 2008... As I come to the end of 2007, I am thankful for the kind comments from a number of COUNTRYSIDE readers. I know that many of you enjoy working with wood. Some of you carve, and others of you use wood in various ways around your homestead. I am...

Homesteaders are a happy lot, overall: where do we stand on a happiness scale of 1 to 7?(Question of the month)
March 1, 2008... He'd be a 7 if it weren't for the news COUNTRYSIDE: I've been living on a small farm which I inherited, for a few years now. I live cheap, have little income, grow some of my own food and do as little damage to the environment as I can. On...

Shovels of fun.(using shovel for driving the pigs away)
March 1, 2008... It was a warm morning in spite of the six inches of fresh spring snow. The air had a muffled stillness, like the slow breaths of sleeping children. Speaking of sleeping children, that's exactly what mine were doing, which made the moment all...

Countryside: I recently came across your wonderful magazine for the first time and would like to submit a photo for your "Family Album" section.(Family album)(Photograph)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: COUNTRYSIDE: I recently came across your wonderful magazine for the first time and would like to submit a photo for your "Family Album" section. We have a farm in Connecticut that, first and foremost, is a...

Our Idaho homesteading adventure.(Country neighbors)
March 1, 2008... This letter/story is in response to Joe Bissinger's request (Jan./Feb. 2008) for more info on homesteading. It is a short story about one of my most memorable experiences. My homesteading adventure began the minute I picked up the book,...

Nancy A. Christopher, Decorah, Iowa.(Family album)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Nancy A. Christopher, Decorah, Iowa, sent this photo of her Nubian doe and kid.

Poor Will's countryside Almanack for early spring 2008.
March 1, 2008... The faint fresh flame of the young year flushes From leaf to flower and flower to fruit... --Algernon Charles Swinburne Astronomical data for March The Phases of the Mourning Dove Moon and the Robin Chorus Moon By the middle of...

Farm fragrance.(After chores)
March 1, 2008... This is a true account of an incident that occurred back in 1942 when I was 19. I think your readers may find it amusing. I read a short while ago that scientists have discovered what most of the world already knew long ago--that our memory...