Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from November 2005

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from November 2005

Address correction.(Country conversation & feedback)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... There was a mistake in Leona Hanson's address in the July/August issue in her article about milking sheep. People have also been calling another family in the area with the same name--please write instead. Here is her correct address: ...

Burlap bag bat homes.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in reference to Ken Leister's question about uses for burlap bags (March/April 2005). One good and environmentally beneficial use of burlap bags is bat homes. I read about it once, somewhere, and tried it in my small barn...

Bats do land on heads!(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: The idea of a bat landing on people's heads and getting tangled in their hair seems to be considered an old wives' tale by everyone these days, as well as by Amanda P. Boyce, who wrote, "Bats aren't welcomed in this house..." in...

Get it in writing.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Concerning Jim Linder's letter, Sept/Oct 2005: I know someone who had a similar situation in that the parents of one had always told them that property they owned "would be theirs someday." Many thousands of dollars in improvements...

Vinegar works on bee stings.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have come across a cure for bee stings that works and felt readers will find it useful. We have had more bees than usual this summer, hence many more bee sting injuries too. I've tried baking soda, meat tenderizer, ice packs,...

Mother of vinegar and bee suit tip.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I've been a subscriber for only a short time but have gained lots of useful information from the pages of your magazine. A couple of articles in the September/October issue caught my attention as I have some input on these. ...

It's hard to destroy this pressure cooker.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I also have canned for years and have learned plenty via trial and error. We lived on our sailboat in Mexico for four years so we canned everything from veggies to fish because we were offshore for a few weeks on some occasions....

Recipe not recommended; whey block question.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband I have been getting your magazine for years. Before that we were reading his mother's. Needless to say, we love COUNTRYSIDE! I am excited to have finally made the time to write in. First, I have a warning. I have...

Find animals in the classifieds.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Every year around the time of the local county fairs I run an ad in the area papers reading: "Will give home to unwanted livestock. Poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, donkeys, horses, cattle, etc. Call...." and my number. There...

Chickens catch mice, but racoons catch chickens.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: In response to Phil Abbot's question about chickens catching mice (July/August 2005). Yes, they do! And trust me, the mouse will not get away. This is not uncommon; chickens are very aggressive when it comes to something running,...

Flaxseed meal adds flavor and nutrition.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I was so pleased with the response to the letter I wrote on using flaxseed meal. I want to add that it does not take any special recipe to use it, although I have a recipe for the bread that I make with it. The bread is almost a...

Recommended books for food dehydration ...(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in reply to Mrs. Glenn Zimmerman's question on drying foods. Here are four books that I have that you may be able to write or request from the author or publisher. Dry It, You'll Like It! by Gen MacManiman, is a book...

And books on flax.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: For those wanting to know more about the health benefits of flax and how to use it, here are two excellent books: Flax Your Way to Better Health, $12.95 plus $1.50 shipping. IL residents add 92 cents sales tax. The Amazing...

Alternative ideas on game meat care.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I want to say how much I appreciated Tom Tabor's article on taking care of game meat (Sept/Oct, 2005). Mr. Tabor is clearly knowledgeable about this topic, and having the benefit of his experience can help us do a better job of...

Mammoth okra source.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... We've had several requests for information on purchasing the mammoth okra since the article ran in the May/June 2005 issue so we asked the author where she purchased her okra. Janet replied, "The original nursery in San Antonio mentioned...

Weather didn't help bean crop.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have a small garden and I raise tomatoes and beans. This year I tried raising pole beans--lima beans. I used poles and strings. The beans got 10 feet tall where my poles were that tall; most were four feet tall. The problem was...

"Garden" is a foreign word in this neighborhood.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been a faithful subscriber to your magazine since the day I found it. As soon as I receive a new issue I'm through it that day and looking for more. I live off of the stories, and the recipes are an added delight. I...

Community or cult?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... We've had a couple of people voice their concerns over the homesteading community in Missouri mentioned in the Sept./Oct. issue. Here's an excerpt from one person (who will remain anonymous): "COUNTRYSIDE: I am writing this letter out of a...

Wisconsinites looking for a joint venture.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We are a Wisconsin family with 10 acres in Owen. We want to become self reliant homesteaders and we would like to share this land with anyone else interested in adventuring with us. The cost would be to help us start crops, solar...

Readers share mosquito tips.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: When I was a kid our well water was so hard and full of lime or calcium that everybody had rain barrels to collect water for laundry purposes. Sometimes, if neglected, these barrels also collected mosquito larvae (wrigglers)....

He believes in turmeric.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I am a recent new subscriber and an 83-year-old retired seaman. I read lots of books, magazines and library papers at the local library. Just today I read Science News Weekly, Time, Newsweek, five newspapers, a couple of catalogs,...

For her, life began at 50.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in response to Marian Bosch, the frustrated homesteader in July/August 2005 issue of COUNTRYSIDE. Her letter was very interesting and welcome. At age 50 I began my serious, disciplined sojourn back to the country and...

Heirloom apple source.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This information is for Barbara asking about the heirloom apple trees. There is a great little company in Bristol, VA, The Urban Homestead that carries a wonderful variety of heirlooms. Their e-mail address is UrbanHomestead@aol....

Homesteading is not all fun and games.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I am a long-time subscriber, and a reader of this wonderful magazine even longer. Something I believe should be said more often than I see it in your pages is this: Not everybody can make this move. Having said that, I'll admit I...

Thirst promotes ingenuity.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Your magazine is the only one we subscribe to. We are both in our 50s and my husband is retired. We don't live off-grid like some of the readers do but we live a simple life in rural Kentucky on four-plus acres with room for...

Country living calls for respect of others.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: This is a big "thank you" to Ginnie Baker for her letter in the July/August 2005 issue titled Life in the country isn't glamorous. I live in the small township of Corona De Tucson, 21 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. The...

Free land available--with conditions.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm sure you've probably heard of this, but I copied the following article for you anyway. I found this AP story on my "Netscape News" homepage. I won't be taking advantage of this offer, but other readers may find it of...

Son gives dad birthday garden story.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Today I celebrated my birthday. For the last five and a half months, we have begun living our dream to be more self-sufficient. We started a garden and... well, I'll let my eight-year old son tell the story (this was my birthday...

Where can they buy coal?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We have been subscribers to your magazine for a few years and really enjoy reading it. We have a question either to your staff or to your readers. We have recently purchased a wood and coal-burning stove. We also purchased two bags...

What's wrong with their corn stove?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We're having problems with our corn-burning stove. The problem with my stove is it burns dirty and will sometimes go out, normally when I first light it. It has some major design problems. The ash pan is not big enough and when you...

Looking for pea/bean sheller plans.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm looking for plans on how to build my own pea/bean sheller.--Gwen Scholl

Will there be problems with Boer/Nubian births?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: We've been raising Nubian goats for four years. We want to use a Boer buck on our Nubian does but a friend said that will give us nothing but trouble. He said the does will have problems with delivery since the kids will be too...

Anyone have earth home plans?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to ask readers if they have any ideas, blueprints, etc. on earth or berm homes. After 12 years of marriage my husband decided to leave me for a "city girl" and I've decided to leave the area and buy some land and build...

Looking for special fried chicken recipe.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Years ago I was privileged to partake in chicken that was fried on a rack above the oil in a pressure canner. It was sort of like the process the Broasteraunt chain used to fry their wonderful chicken. In these days of...

Know anything about cutting wood with an axe?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to learn about woodcutting the old fashioned way, using an axe. I wondered if anybody could give me any information on different types of axes and where to find them. I've looked online and see all types and qualities...

How do you make a fireplace insert?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I was wondering if any COUNTRYSIDERS knew how to make a fireplace insert (yup, one of those black, thick metal inserts they call a fireplace these days) work more efficiently. My husband does not want to take it out, as our...

Where to recycle batteries? What about kitty litter?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I'd like to know two things: Where can the large square 6-volt batteries go to be recycled and how do folks with indoor cats like me get rid of used cat litter? Our garbage pickup takes it, but it costs in the end. What do other...

Special request: solider wants letters.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: I have enjoyed your magazine now for many years. I am in the Tennessee National Guard and my unit has been sent to Iraq. I will be here for the next year. I would like to hear from other homesteaders who enjoy the simpler things in...

Purchasing and using a masonry stove.
November 1, 2005... Some things are too difficult to build yourself. You are stuck with buying them. Once you decide to buy rather than build you enter what I call a purchased product life cycle. The life cycle for a product you buy includes selecting the product,...

Reduce energy use with this "cut back" thermometer.
November 1, 2005... For decades my wife Ronna and I conserved fuel (and money) by turning the heat low at night. It's real patriotism to reduce profligate human demands on the Earth's resources, and adding blankets makes winter nights cozier. It's not cozy...

Solar tax credits available through 2007.
November 1, 2005... "For anybody who has ever considered installing a solar system, Washington is telling you to do it now," says Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association in Washington, D.C. The new law increases tax credits for...

Selling the sun: solar and wind options for grid-tied homes.(Life on the sunny side)
November 1, 2005... Personally, I'm an off-grid guy. This is not because I have any particular gripe with the ugly, pollution-belching, coal-devouring power plant down the road; it's just that my wife and I happen to have built our house two miles from the closest...

Build a fieldstone smokehouse.
November 1, 2005... Smoked meat and cheese are something a lot of us enjoy, and we decided building a smokehouse would be a good fall project. Since there is no lack of fieldstone in our neck of the woods, we decided to incorporate it into the design to save on...

How we went from $42,000 to $6,500 and lived to tell about it!
November 1, 2005... As middle class American, it's been difficult for me to understand how we are supposed to make a living when there are so many things working against us. How can we go on day after day with the rising cost of food, fuel, utilities, car...

Moving beyond the power lines, one step at a time.
November 1, 2005... A little more than 10 years ago, my wife Gloria and I bought a house that needed quite a bit of work to bring the value up to what other houses of the same square footage were selling for. We hoped that building materials and sweat equity would...

Living deliberately: how to approach simplification.
November 1, 2005... Simplify, simplify, simplify! Perhaps trying to identify the owner of these words, you are drawn back into an old wooden desk in a high school classroom... English 3, American literature class. "Your research paper's topic cries for...

Starting your own business.(Question of the month)(Reprint)
November 1, 2005... "I'd like some advice on starting a home business. What can I do to make a little money for necessary expenses without leaving my homestead?" Homesteaders have always asked this question, but most approach it from, the wrong angle. The...

The pleasures and pitfalls of a homestead business.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... Whether you're contemplating operating one or more enterprises off your land (or out of your home), or have already set the wheels in motion, you may want to give some consideration to these four topics: * Be careful what you wish for; ...

The home craft business: how to succeed by really, really trying.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... How We Got Started In 1990, after my husband and I were married, we lived in Sacramento. We were doing okay in California: double income, no kids, little debt. We were renting a nice house in a nice section of town. We had a huge yard for...

Make a living with your computer.
November 1, 2005... What started out as website for my husband s music CD has evolved into a shopping website that has become my business, Peaceful Forest. On the Internet, it does not pay to get a new website for something if you already have an existing site....

Novelty items sell well at festivals.
November 1, 2005... For the four years I've lived in the country, I've been trying to develop a business that would keep me closer to home. Even though my endeavor has been a hit and miss effort, there might be something in my experience that would be helpful to...

Hauling scrap metal provided unexpected rewards.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... My self-employment" adventure" began with unemployment. I was working in a restaurant as a steak and seafood chef and I got laid off when the place closed down. It was a good paying job and I also received a free meal every day that I...

Landscaping business gets him out of traffic.
November 1, 2005... I live in the country on five acres in Tennessee, about 30 miles outside of Nashville. I used to make that 30-mile drive through the traffic and construction each day, so that I could sit in a little 6' x 6' cubicle and be a part of the...

Website design grabs her attention.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... I am self-employed and while my profession is not usually associated with country life, it gives me the freedom to pursue my dream of country living. In fact, by this time next year I hope to have turned the dream into a reality. After...

Sometimes a separate office works better than a spare room.
November 1, 2005... In 1996 I was divorced after having been married for 36 years during which time I stayed home and took care of the farm/homestead. At that point I had to make a living for myself so I started an insurance agency. I was lucky to have the...

Income tax preparation business increases by word of mouth.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... I haven't written an article in quite some time but self-employment is right up my alley. As I finally retired on social security I have been trying to increase the number of customers I have for my home income tax service. I have been...

Organic fertilizer business is booming.
November 1, 2005... Having a passion that lets me know that I am contributing something of value to human life, to the good health of our earth, and earns a little extra money (in that order), is very gratifying. The business I was entrusted with in November, 2004...

Starting over as a massage therapist.
November 1, 2005... Over a dozen years ago, after much thought and planning, I chose to leave my job and go to trade school for massage therapy. At that time I was able to get a loan through the school to cover costs for classes. I had already purchased the...

Internet marketing works for a lot of people.(Question of the month)
November 1, 2005... When I moved to the Ozarks about five years ago I decided that I never wanted to work for anyone else again, so I've been self employed this whole time. I don't believe in putting all my eggs in one basket so I have a few different money-making...

Carving Christmas ornaments.(The wood carver)
November 1, 2005... This issue of COUNTRYSIDE will reach you in plenty of time for you to do some carving of gifts for friends and loved ones for Christmas. I always set aside some nice carvings for friends and relatives. Each of our children, grandchildren,...

The greater gift.
November 1, 2005... Winter is approaching; the great slumber, a time to rest, revitalize our relationships, and to celebrate what we have accomplished. People the world over revere this season of reflection and thanksgiving. All across the globe gifts are...

The joys of soap making.
November 1, 2005... In past years I've shared some soap making secrets with COUNTRYSIDE readers and received wonderful correspondence in return. In 2001 my husband and I moved from southern Wisconsin to our beautiful north country home near Phillips, Wisconsin....

Make a homemade boot scraper!
November 1, 2005... Are you tired of dragging dirt, dust, mud, and even snow into the house? Keep it all outside where it belongs with this rugged homemade boot brush/scraper The steel brushes (like those you would use to scrape paint) make this boot brush extra...

Don't throw it out! Repair your garden hose!
November 1, 2005... There are three areas where a garden hose can give you leaking problems; the female end, the male end, and points in-between. To start, always make sure that the faucet is not the source of the problem. Let's start with the female end, or...

Turnips from start to finish.(The garden)
November 1, 2005... We start early to plan for our fall garden, in order to have earlier crops vacate the rows we want for fall/winter production. To have turnips through most of the winter, we plant a pinch of seed as early as late August, following with another...

Gardening in your 80s.
November 1, 2005... COUNTRYSIDE: Because I am in my 80s, I wanted to make gardening a little easier, so I went to container gardening. I did not using fancy pots and containers but something simpler. I obtained eight used 55-gallon oil barrels, cut the ends...

It's time to peruse seed catalogs.(The garden)
November 1, 2005... I am "homesteading" on 1/4 acre in an older "sort of suburb with city power and water but there is no sidewalk so maybe I qualify. It occured to me that some readers might like sources for seeds and fruit trees. For a comprehensive...

Readers share recipes for crab apples, salsa and relish.(The country kitchen)
November 1, 2005... I've canned or helped my mother can food since I was eight years old. My favorite things to can are wax beans, pickled crab apples, beets and tomatoes, although I have canned many other fruits and vegetables. My mother used to can the 100...

Ideas for using wheat berries.(The country kitchen)
November 1, 2005... Wheat harvest has come and gone here in southwestern Kansas. For the most part we had excellent weather for the harvesters, and the crop looked good too. As usual, I took my five-gallon-buckets across the road and got them filled up with wheat...

Make your own sourdough starter.(The country kitchen)
November 1, 2005... I have read so many good sourdough recipes in COUNTRYSIDE, so I thought I should share my recipes with others who enjoy working with sourdough. Helpful facts about sourdough Sourdough starter can be used in any recipe that uses a...

12 volt egg incubation in a cooler.(The henhouse)
November 1, 2005... The staple of any po' boy's homestead is usually poultry because they are the most diverse animals that anyone can have. Eggs and meat; and there must be at least 40 ways to cook either. However, getting replacement chicks at the right time for...

Accolades for the Spanish Mustang horse.(The horse barn)
November 1, 2005... The Spanish Mustang Registry calls them "Spanish Mustang." The Horse of the American Registry calls them "Colonial Spanish" horses. The American Indian Horse Registry calls them" American Indian horses," or "AKA"--the original Indian pony....

Growing up during the Depression: Part III.(Looking back)
November 1, 2005... This is a continuation of Irene's memories of life during the Great Depression. To start at the beginning of her tale, see July/August, page 98, and Sept/October, page 110. In the spring of 1938 the Depression had deepened. There just was...

My days in Shady Grove.(Looking back)
November 1, 2005... I am 68 years old and now live in Biloxi, Mississippi, having moved here with my daughter in 1994 to begin a new life. I lived in Southern Indiana for 54 years, working as a credit/collections manager for 27 years, and for 12 years as a legal...

At 87, this lady is still on the go.(Looking back)
November 1, 2005... I have just devoured the latest issue of COUNTRYSIDE. Time stops until I have read it from cover to cover. Now I am laughing at myself and wondering what this 87-year-old lady is doing reading this magazine. I never canned a thing, I'm not...

Poor Will's Almanack for early winter 2005.
November 1, 2005... The trumpet of a profiecy! O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?--Percy Bysshe Shelly Astronomical data for November The phases of the Second Spring Moon and the Winter Grain Moon Even though the final leaves fall and...

Reduce your insurance premiums with these tips.(Homestead finances)
November 1, 2005... As an insurance agent with 20 years experience in the insurance field I d like to share some thoughts with my friends from COUNTRYSIDE. NOW, first of all my experience is in Texas, but I suspect that all states are the same with maybe just some...

Cyberbegging: a new way to raise cash: signs of an indolent society?
November 1, 2005... It's seems there's a whole new approach to raising money for a homestead these days--cyberbegging. To see the complete post (or send money), go to http://save-our-farm.com. Thanks to Rose Kern for sending it our way. Here's an excerpt: ...

Can our lifestyles survive? One week after Hurricane Katrina desolated the south--and one week before press date--this homesteader reflects on the importance of self-sufficiency.
November 1, 2005... It's the second day of September, and as the print begins to hit the page on this last 2005 issue of COUNTRYSIDE, residents throughout the United States sit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the gulf coast... and brace...

Aren't you glad you have a garden?
November 1, 2005... A laser-coded information delivery system with advanced security clearance will soon show up in a supermarket near you. Those nasty little stickers on your plum will be replaced with laser etched information. The new technology will tattoo...

Principles of successful country freeloading.(After chores)
November 1, 2005... Let's not get off on the wrong foot. This piece is not about leeching off your neighbors in the country. It's about creatively benefiting from the city people who come to visit. When you deal with your country neighbors it is strictly quid pro...