Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from November 2007

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from November 2007

Ants don't open peonies.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I just received my September/October issue and I'm reading it from cover to cover. What a great summer afternoon! As a garden educator I couldn't help but respond to the letter from Dahni about tansy, peonies and ants. Tansy...

Conservation better than credits.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoyed Jerri Cook's article (Sept/Oct 2007) "On the loose...," especially since I applied to sell our farm's carbon credits two years ago. I didn't sign the final line, though, as I felt that would defeat the purpose of our...

Carbon and global warming thoughts.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in response to Jerri Cook's article in the Sept./Oct. issue. I was delighted to hear that farmers are going to be encouraged to put carbon back into their soils. When I was going to school in agriculture back in the 1970s,...

Recycling cooking oil and food.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I have used biodiesel of my own manufacture in our diesel Jetta and Beetle vehicles for three years now. This is to haul a family of six just about anywhere. While the biodiesel costs only 70 cents a gallon the real savings comes...

Turtle meat is great--with the right preparation.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: This is a reply to Gail Reynolds' article in Sept/Oct 2007 about turtle preparation. Many years ago when my daughter was about 10 years old (she's now 33), I caught and cleaned a turtle. She saw me cleaning it and told me there was...

Chickens prefer open pollinated corn, too.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I love your magazine and read it all the way through--when I can get it away from my wife, that is. In response to Ed from Ohio (Sept/Oct 2007), I have had the same experience with hybrid corn and my chickens. There is hybrid...

NAIS concept is good, however ...(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: First of all, let me say I really like your publication. This is the kind of information a person really needs to live in the country, boondocks, or even as an urban homesteader, Two quotable quotes for you are: "Chance favors the...

"Odorless" hogs available?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I have enjoyed your magazine immensely over the years. I started when you were only Small Stock Magazine in black and white. I did prefer it when it was mostly reader written without the expert technical articles. My reason...

Bee deaths aren't caused by cell phones.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I had the misfortune of listening to a family member say, based on what he had heard from someone else, that the cell phone waves are killing the bees. I feel really silly asking the question, because I then thought that there are...

Mothballs eliminated snakes.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: Thanks to all who responded to my dilemma of having Copperheads in the henhouse. I used the mothball trick and, to date, have only seen one. Normally by this time of year, there would have been several. Lots of knowledgeable...

Better building ideas.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: The article on the Overmyers' house at 9,100 feet (Sept/Oct 2007) is a great way to get the word out about energy efficient technology. When I was living in Florida some issues came up. We found that a typical cement brick...

Global warming hits home?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I don't hear people anywhere who are concerned about the difference in temperature from night to day. Near Toledo, Ohio, we just had a 92[degrees]F day and a 58[degrees]F night. While a 34-degree difference is very high, we...

Irrigation ideas needed for U-pick garden.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: We have a small 46-acre farm and are mostly doing dry farm forage. This year we had very little rain in Central California and could not harvest. I'm trying to irrigate 1/2 acre and grow "you pick pumpkins." Do you have...

"Nature's fridge" doesn't work for everything.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: First of all I would like to thank Dr. Kowalewski for his article "Wild Plants--Winter Food" in the Sept/Oct 2007 issue. Methods of obtaining fresh plant foods in winter are indeed an under-addressed topic. Second, I would point...

She was poor--now she's rich.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: The stigma of dollar stores! Whoa! I find no stigma in shopping at yard sales, secondhand stores and dollar stores, or even bartering for that matter. I do all of that. Like the many other readers who homestead, I have no problem...

Homemade rabbit trap plan.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COUNTRYSIDE: I love to read all of the Country Conversation pages of COUNTRYSIDE. I noticed that I have not seen any articles on making a rabbit trap. It doesn't matter whether this is a live trap or kill trap--the...

Can you help these folks?(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: Has anyone ever built a pole barn over a full basement, and made the pole barn into a house? We have recently moved and are in need of an inexpensive house--this sounds like the way to go, but we would like to hear back from anyone...

How to make lye.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: Does anyone have a formula for making lye from rainwater and hardwood ashes? What utensils would we need? My Amish neighbors and I would sure appreciate it! Thanks and protest NAIS.--Barbara Brand, Ohio We've run this before,...

Cat neuturing, continued.(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in regards to Michelle Milbanks' "No cat neutering on this homestead" (Sept/Oct 2007). I am sorry to hear that she was unable to adopt a cat from her local animal shelter because of their requirements. Sorry to hear that...

And speaking of animal rescues ...(Country conversation & feedback)
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: I am trying to open a rescue and adoption shelter for horses and need donations, supporters, etc. I have saved and relocated 10-plus horses already and have found them good loving homes. I need to also find out how to build a horse...

Choosing a firearm for the homestead: the .22 rifle is tops.(Homestead firearms)
November 1, 2007... Let's face it, sooner or later some type of wild animal will probably cause some mischief on your property. You reach for a firearm to dispatch the culprit. In most cases your best choice of weapon will be the .22 caliber rifle. It doesn't...

Homemade Bluegrass music: teach yourself to play an instrument & start a local jam!
November 1, 2007... We spend so much time making our own food and generating our own power that we forget the most amazing thing we could possibly make ourselves--music. Heck, far as I'm concerned, you're never truly self-reliant until you can sit down on the...

Make a Native American Love Flute out of a dipper gourd.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Native American Flute, Love Flute, or Flageolet, is a truly American art form. It originally was to be played by young men only, as the flute was intended to be used for courting a young maiden. It is also...

Some random thoughts by an old wood carver.(The wood carver)
November 1, 2007... We've had a very hot and dry summer here in Minnesota. We normally have about a dozen days a year that get 90[degrees]F or hotter. This year there has been three times that number. It has also been dry and many of the crops are ruined. Our lawn...

Chickens go urban.(The henhouse)
November 1, 2007... Twenty-first century suburbia has embraced a new pet--chickens. They are the newest, fast-growing bedroom community resident, having escaped their rural status recently, because chickens may remind us that they are only a generation removed...

Keep pests out of your coop with "rotating" buckets.(The henhouse)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COUNTRYSIDE: Here's a simple way to keep predators out of your chicken roost! I am from Spring, Texas, and there are a lot of predators: coons, possums, snakes, skunks, etc. If you need more roost, go higher and add...

Incubating in a food dehydrator: it worked, once.
November 1, 2007... COUNTRYSIDE: My daughter Melissa fell in love with chickens two years ago when we stopped at a house across the street from her school that advertised eggs. She had to have pet chickens so we built a small coop and got three chickens from a guy...

Your first year with bees: now is the time to reflect and plan for next year.(The beehive)
November 1, 2007... Whether you live North, South, East or West, winter for all intents and purposes is here--shorter days, longer nights, cooler temperatures. It is a great time to sit back and reflect on the great job you did in this first season of being a...

Why the bees are dying: a report from Earth Vision The EV project--taking nature to a new level.
November 1, 2007... From the perspective of spiritual ecology, four main categories stand in the foreground of the disappearing honeybee issue: EMF radiation; genetically modified (GM) crops; diseases and pests; and artificial incursions of modern bee keeping on...

The Seppala Siberian Sled Dog.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Seppala Siberian Sled Dog is neither an ordinary sled dog nor an ordinary animal raised on a homestead! The Seppala Siberian Sled Dog is a rare breed with few kennels or people dedicated to preserving this...

Introduction to the Treeing Feist: a squirrel dog breed history.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "A squirrel dog is a purebred or crossbred dog that works with its human handler to tree squirrels. Squirrel dogs do this to please their handlers, for the thrill of the chase, and for the kill. There are many dogs...

Draft horses: as useful today as ever.(The horse barn)
November 1, 2007... The term "draft" in draft horses comes from the word draught, which means to pull. Draft horses have been used to pull everything from farm implements to fire engines. Their contributions to civilization cannot be overstated for without them,...

Build a goat shed or chicken coop: for the cost of nails!(Livestock housing)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My wife, Janice, started talking about dwarf milk goats early this spring and we agreed that it was a good idea, since we like the idea of self-sufficiency. So, I drew up a brief set of plans, and calculated the cost...

Raising healthy calves.(The cow barn)
November 1, 2007... One of the most satisfying aspects of animal agriculture and working with animals is the birth and raising of babies. But it can also be one of the most challenging aspects of animal husbandry, as well. No matter what species of domesticated...

Miniature Jerseys: it was love at first sight.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I fell in love and never got over it... no matter how hard I tried to move on, I could not forget that moment in time when I looked into those deep, expressive brown eyes and lost my heart. Years passed, and I moved...

A fluke revolutionized milking time: it's a "miracle cream".
November 1, 2007... My family and I live on 38 acres in the middle of South Dakota. We raise milk goats for dairy products and soap. We've only been raising goats for a few years now, and I had no experience with goats prior to our little herd, but being with them...

Selecting hay for cattle.(The cowbarn)
November 1, 2007... During winter, drought or any other times that animals do not have adequate pasture, hay is the mainstay of diet for cattle. Next to pasture, good quality hay is the most ideal feed. Types of hay Hay falls into several categories:...

Protect your investment: build an inexpensive hay shed.
November 1, 2007... There are many ways to store hay and protect it from the weather, but some methods are more reliable than others. Some people put hay in their barns, but there is always the risk of fire when feed is stored in a barn, especially if hay is ever...

Battery options for your off-grid home.(Life on the sunny side)
November 1, 2007... There's nothing sexy about off-grid storage batteries; they're heavy, clunky and sometimes smelly. We off-gridders hide them away in dark places and don't look at them any more than we have to. We think about them only when they're getting low...

Hillbilly deluxe solar trailer.(Alternative energy)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I got my idea for a solar trailer in an advertisement for a power wagon from your magazine. Being a welder and fabricator myself, I felt I could manufacture my own economical solar trailer. I drew up my plans, and...

We're attached to our greenhouse.(Homestead building)
November 1, 2007... We never questioned that we would add a greenhouse to the small log house we bought, but before building I did some research into greenhouse design and other practical matters. We considered the experts' advice, and then did what we wanted. In...

How I built my own grow light stand for less than $20.(The garden)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Several years ago I decided to start some tomatoes indoors. After looking at $80 to $120 tabletop adjustable grow lights, I decided to save some money and build one myself. I already had a 3' x 16" five level...

Try kohlrabi for a unique treat.(The garden)
November 1, 2007... If you want to grow something unique, try kohlrabi. The German root words translate to "cabbage-turnip"; this odd vegetable is neither, but it is similar to both. Like a turnip, its edible part is round; like cabbage, it has green leaves which...

Heat and eat! Get double-duty from your woodstove.(The homestead kitchen)
November 1, 2007... For most COUNTRYSIDE readers, the ultimate focus of the entire year s worth of energies and toil is geared toward "cooking up ways" for the clan to comfortably survive year-round as self-sufficiently as possible. While every season has...

Burghul--the noblest food achieved by wheat.(The homestead kitchen)
November 1, 2007... The hot Saskatchewan July wind made us uncomfortable as my brother and I went searching for wood scraps in the surrounding treeless prairie land. This was an important yearly task for us children in, the age-old method of producing our yearly...

Your time is worth something: pricing your products in a home craft business.(Your homestead business)
November 1, 2007... Of all the basic business concepts that people must learn when starting a home craft business, one of the most difficult to grasp is that your time is valuable. You hear that a lot as a platitude, but this time you actually have to put a dollar...

Last month we asked: what would you do differently on your homestead?(Question of the month)
November 1, 2007... Learning the real definition of "fleeting profits" GRACE Our family of four just moved to our homestead this past year. This comes at a time in both my husband's and my life when most people categorize us as senior citizens. We have a...

Starting from scratch: no water, no camper--nothing.(Country neighhbors)
November 1, 2007... We made the big move to our 2-1/2 acres to start our simple life. We didn't know exactly how to do everything so we figured we would take it as we go. We put the house we owned on the market and four months later we headed out with all our...

Alone in Canadian: wilderness--at 116 years old.(Country neighhbors)
November 1, 2007... It is early morning and the sun comes up back in the swamp. Danny VanKoughnet gets out of bed and looks out of the window of his long shack back in the swamp. He listens to the ducks quacking back in the swamp and the grouse drumming on their...

Poor Will's Countryside Almanack for late autumn and early winter 2007.
November 1, 2007... Through his iron glades Rides Winter the Huntsman. All colour fades As his horn is heard sighing. --Osbert Sitwell Astronomical data for November The phases of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar Moon and the Sandhill Crane Moon When...

Countryside's: Breeders' directory.(Directory)
November 1, 2007... Reach over 300,000 people for just $60/year! See details on the next page. Alpacas/Llamas Illinois MARK OF DISTINCTION ALPACAS, Mark Pressler, 15496 E. St. Rte. 114, Momence, IL 60954. 773-960-5580. Huacaya alpacas. ...

Family album.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We thought we'd share some of the photos folks have sent recently. Patrice Lewis sent the photos of her daughters above, and a lovely scene from their Idaho homestead, right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...