Countryside & Small Stock Journal articles from September 2008

Countryside & Small Stock Journal archives from September 2008

Friends no longer snicker: and they appreciate the bounty.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband and I are happy new subscribers to your magazine--and I just can't believe that we hadn't found your magazine much sooner! We have lived on five acres with our two young sons, six horses, three dogs and two cats for...

Grandma was drying food before 1889.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: The July/August issue was, as usual, a great read! The entire issue. Regarding "Dry it. You'll Like It" (July/August 2008, pg. 54), at age 88, I remember the joys of visiting my grandma and watching as she did her magic with...

Keeping garden records is a good idea.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I was reading May/June again tonight. Where can I find that recipe for laundry soap? (Ed.: See the recipe in the next letter.) I love the magazine. I learn something each time. Are you no longer putting e-mails so we can e-mail...

Treating gardens organically.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Thank you for a magazine we enjoy and learn a lot from. I have a question for organic gardeners. What spray or dust do you use instead of poisonous sprays, etc.? Like for eggplant (for me they are hard to raise without some...

Where did your mulch come from?(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I was reading the July/ August 2008 issue responses to "Getting started on your homestead." Many responses recommended hay as a mulch. I had a very bad experience with hay on my garden. My garden was destroyed for over five years....

They're happy with coal heat.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In reply to Mr. and Mrs. Zack Jones (May/June 2008, pg. 18), my wife and I live on one income, too. Know the high expenses of heat. Two years ago we installed a Hitzer gravity fed coal stove for about $1,800. It uses chestnut coal...

Clean corn is vital in corn stoves.(Country conversation & feedback)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: When I first read the letter from a new corn stove owner I couldn't figure out why his stove wasn't working. Our new stove had been keeping us toasty warm for all of three days with no problems. Now that we've had ours longer...

Separating the wheat from the chaff: is there an easier way?(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I always enjoyed gardening so it's not surprising that when I retired in 1992 we bought a small farm in northeastern Pennsylvania. We renovated its hundred-year-old farmhouse during the off-season colder months and harvested,...

Credit cards have their place on this homestead.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: The article "Cash And Carry, or Stop Making Rich People Richer" does not represent the full story on credit cards. For my husband and I, using credit cards saves us money over using cash. We have a Discover card and a Master Card....

Forget hulling, they go hulless.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding the article in your last issue (July/August 2008, pg. 24) about rolling oats at home: We raise hulless oats and they taste so much better than the organic whole oats we buy. Now I know it is because of the heat treatment...

Sewing enthusiast loves to share.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: We enjoy reading COUNTRYSIDE because in every issue there are answers to our questions or just interesting articles. There is one subject that I feel is very important to the self-reliant homesteader and needs to be addressed....

Straw hats, anyone?(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: IS there anyone who could tell me how to make men and boy's straw hats? I'd like to have detailed, step-by-step instructions for making straw hats. Or is that a lost art? The part "cover crops" in "The Integrated Homestead"...

Ant repellent ideas.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Try lemon dish soap, any brand. Get a sprayer that fits on the end of the hose, fill with 1/2 soap and 1/2 water and get to work! Spray everything, plants, shrubs grass, etc. There is something in the lemon soap that changes the pH...

Is there a dark side to country living?(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Goodness, what a bunch of talented writers show up on the COUNTRYSIDE pages. I think it is extraordinary that COUNTRYSIDE provides a friendly place for people to share ideas. The open and welcoming attitude seems to bring out the...

Geeps are rare, but nothing new.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: We have two Nigerian does. One is half La Mancha and giving us five pounds of milk a day. We also have four Shetland sheep. They were all running together and drinking out of one electric water bucket. The first of November we...

Business 101: find a need and fill it.(Country conversation & feedback)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: We have been inspired by the COUNTRYSIDE community for over 19 years. I want to thank you for publishing Patrice Lewis' segmented advice about running a homestead business. I have reread these articles several times. They have been...

Advice and ideas for newlyweds.(Country conversation & feedback)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding the newlyweds who want advice: I read their article with interest and have a few pointers to send their way. First of all, you stated in your article that you were not working because of an accident. Mrs. Jones, have...

The thrills and chills of caretaking.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: My wife and I have been leading a homesteading lifestyle for many years. First in Montana, and when the cost of living went past the moon picking up speed, we were talked into coming down to Missouri by some friends. Being...

Digital tv conversion tips.(Country conversation & feedback)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I may have missed it but I cannot remember any coverage of the coming analog to digital conversion. After applying for the $40 government coupon, buying a tv converter box, making several trips to the roof to rotate a tv...

Money-making ideas from readers.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In reference to the inquiry by Barb in the July/August issue, page 20: Barb does not state how close her property is to a community of any size, or anything about the property such as what part of the country it is in, but here are...

Denture care warning.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: This is in response to the person in March/April 2008 who put undiluted bleach on his chigger bite and a word of caution to those who soak their false teeth in bleach overnight. My friend's husband always put bleach in his...

Lasagna gardening and newspapers.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: AS usual I dropped everything when the July/August COUNTRYSIDE came to read it cover to cover. Lots of good stuff. I wanted to pass along a warning about the "Lasagna Gardening" article though--don't try this for a food garden....

Another effective and inexpensive deer fence.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I fence my garden with chicken wire. It's light-weight, easy to move and it works. And I don't always fence the perimeter. For example I plant a couple double rows of peas and pole beans with corn or potato rows in between. I run...

Correction.(Country conversation & feedback)(Correction notice)
September 1, 2008... All the recipes in the cheesemaking article (March/ April, 2008) came from the book, Goats Produce Too, by Mary Jane Toth. Her book contains recipes on cheesemaking, fudgemaking, ice cream, making butter, puddings and pie fillings, yogurt, goat...

Solar reading light source.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Where could I purchase (at a reasonable price) a compact solar light package that could be utilized as a nighttime reading light? What I'm looking for is a simple unit that would give off a few hours of light (enough to read...

This may call for a ram pump.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Sure do enjoy your timely and very informative magazine. I'm glad for my new subscription, and looking forward to every new arrival! I have a situation, and a question--maybe someone can share some helpful information with me....

Old machine gets many new uses.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In your "Conversation and Feedback" section (May/June, 2008, page 14), Ronna Pisha (Maine) asked about ideas for "dead washing machines." When I come across one, I load it up on my truck and bring it home. Once home, I open the...

Homesteading requires vision.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Last evening I re-read most of the July/August 2008 issue and it was very interesting. It seems as if there is a real dichotomy between the two groups that subscribe to your magazine. There are these who have moved to the country...

GMO battles: Flawed science and property rights.(genetically modified organisms)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I really enjoyed Jerri Cook's article on seed laws in the March/April issue which I just read. It seems I always end up finishing each issue only after the new one arrives. The crux of the matter in regards to seeds is the...

Are GMOs killing bees?(genetically modified organisms)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Recently I attended a seminar in Bosque Farms, New Mexico on beekeeping. The presenter made the statement that last year all the beekeepers in Bosque Farms experienced significant losses (and some complete losses) of their bees...

She's been thinking: money-making ideas, mosquitoes and jelly.
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Thank you for being a place where those of us who do (or have done) can share our knowledge with those who desire to learn. What a pity you are not required reading for everyone. I especially relished the article "It's high time to...

They're looking for solar cooling suggestions.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband and I are considering building a residence from a metal building which we will have installed/built. We live in Texas where we run the A/C from March through October, so cooling is a much larger issue than heating. We...

Are property rights becoming obsolete?(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding eroding property rights (May/June 2008, p.73), we have a similar situation near Texarkana, Arkansas regarding the proposed building of a SWEPCO power plant at Fulton, about 19 miles from our own property. There is a...

Every household needs hints.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I love your magazine. Wish I could have had it back in the 1940s and 50s when we were struggling on a farm, raising what we ate with four hungry growing boys. I did everything I knew to make ends meet. I canned every...

Coming events.(Brief article)(Calendar)
September 1, 2008... August 14-21, 2008 Maine: Come and join us in the beautiful mountains of western Maine and learn how to mud a strawbale house. This will be a community event in the spirit of an old-fashioned barn raising. Various mini workshops will also...

Wanted.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... * Fixer-upper on 80 acres in Crookston, Minnesota area.--Teresa at Charmed20039@aol.com * I'm looking for fixer-upper farmhouse plus acreage, in northeast Pennsylvania (Wayne, Susquehanna or Wyoming counties). A small orchard would be a...

Opportunity.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... * Faith based, hands-on, agrarian lifestyle. To share and work homestead with existing family. No buy-in, solar--no grid available. Must be self-sustaining in nature and practicality. Early to bed, early to rise, get-it-done mentality....

A place to heal: looming jail time, intimidating fines, and vegetable stew for six months straight, all while seeking.
September 1, 2008... Life's hard. Ask Machel Piper and Febe Dancier. Machel, a young elementary school teacher, had her spirit shattered by a divorce. Cancer ravaged Febe, robbing her of her hearing and forcing her to sell her natural food store. The two best...

Help for greenhorns.
September 1, 2008... Long-time COUNTRYSIDE readers have seen situations like this before: A beginning homesteader heads for the country in search of a life less complicated, only to find they are ill-prepared for the realities of rural living. In the last decade...

Cashing in on sunlight's changeable nature: efficient windows and thermal mass.
September 1, 2008... If you stand on the south side of a building on a sunny day in winter you soon begin to feel warm, even though it's well below freezing. You may think it's because the sunlight hitting you directly is joining forces with the sunlight careening...

Purchase your electric heater wisely.
September 1, 2008... The heat feels so good, the glowing radiation as you exit the shower. Your electric heater supplements your home heating system nicely. Radiant heat feels more pleasant than blown warm air (convection heat). That's why woodstoves feel so...

Bio-gas production on the homestead: cookin' with manure.(Alternative energy)
September 1, 2008... Did you know that many of us t have the makings of a gas supply right in our backyards? A substantial amount of usable gas can be produced from a large wheelbarrow full of manure every week. If you have a couple of horses or cows, a few goats...

The integrated homestead: Part III: healthy plants, livestock, and fungi on the homestead.
September 1, 2008... Our goal is first and foremost to grow healthy plants, using the soil care practices we have discussed. How fortunate that robust, vigorous plants in the peak of health are precisely the ones that best resist predation by insects. Every...

Small farm profit system.(Homesteading in Germany)
September 1, 2008... Small acreage operations are not uncommon in Germany. Making them efficient is not so common. When Dietmar Ranft started farming his father's 18-acre place near Claubnitz, Germany, he developed some innovative ways to maximize profit. ...

Flat-proof tiller tires: never worry about flats again.(The machine shed)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On seasonal equipment, it isn't uncommon to find the tires flat when you go to use it and our roto-tiller was no exception. Even filled with stop leak, the poor quality foreign tires wouldn't hold air and within a...

Autumn frost protection for your garden.(The garden)
September 1, 2008... Just a night or two of freezing temperatures are enough to spoil an autumn harvest you have been king and waiting for. Yet that first frost of fall is often followed by weeks of warm, sunny weather, a time for your garden to stay productive and...

Hints to eliminate your garden hassles: a roundup of good ideas to save time, money and work.(The garden)(Reprint)
September 1, 2008... The following gardening hints are sure to save you time, trouble and money in the garden, and should result in a better garden with less hassle. General garden Keep in or near the garden: a weather-proof marker, a pencil, a reasonably...

Mulch ado about nothing.(The garden)
September 1, 2008... Tomulch or not to mulch; that is the question. The answer isn t so simple. There are many different types of mulch, all falling into two categories, organic and inorganic. All have advantages and disadvantages. Organic mulches tend to...

The $2 garden.(The garden)
September 1, 2008... I spent 14 wonderful years as a low-income single mother. A tiny townhouse apartment with a micro back patio and an equally micro front garden was our home all 14 of those years. Yes, we lived in poverty and riches at the same time. Our income...

It pays to check your soil's pH.(The garden)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: It seems like everyone who writes about gardening or improving soils suggests adding lime or wood ashes. I was of that idea at one time, then I moved to Montana. The soils in the eastern part of the United States usually have...

Rabies: what you need to know.(Livestock health)(Disease/Disorder overview)
September 1, 2008... Hydrophobia. "Mad dog disease. Rabies. The name derives from the Sanskrit word "rabhas" which means "to do violence." Occurring virtually worldwide and affecting all types of mammals, rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected...

Horse-proof fencing.(The horse barn)
September 1, 2008... There are many options available for horse owners when installing pen and pasture fencing. David Freeman, PhD (Extention Horse Specialist, Oklahoma State University) says that on small acreages the first priority for many horsemen is the looks...

CAE testing available from BioTracking.(The goat barn)(caprine arthritis encephalitis)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... MOSCOW, IDAHO -- BioTracking, LLC, announces that testing for Caprine Arthritis--Encephalitis (CAE) Virus is now available through its Moscow, Idaho laboratory. This new test is in addition to the company's revolutionary pregnancy test...

The benefits of dairy goats.(The goat barn)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: A few years ago my dad bought three doe goats of a nonspecified breed. Within two years we had 15 goats from those three alone. I absolutely loved them, but my dad hates them. He traded them for a horse. I plan on having a...

You don't need money or skill to get great eggs.(The henhouse)
September 1, 2008... As I walk out the door I can hear the crowing of our rooster, Big Red, and the sun hasn't even risen yet. While the question of keeping a rooster is a matter of personal taste (you will get eggs with or without, they just won't be fertilized),...

Splayed legs in newly hatched chicks.(The henhouse)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: Love this magazine! I have a problem that I hope someone can help me with. Last summer I was hatching guineas and chickens. I had an incubator with the automatic turner. I timed both so they would hatch at the same time. But I...

Muscovy duck breeder's map links buyers & sellers.(The henhouse)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I am an owner, enthusiast, and breeder of Muscovy ducks and try to promote the Muscovy in any way I can. I have a website which is geared towards sharing information about the wonderful benefits of raising Muscovies, and due to the...

Make an automatic door opener.(The henhouse)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm getting old and the farm is reduced to a vegetable garden. But some guys never give up. I always wanted an automatic system to secure my hens from the fox at night, but one I would not have to tend to. I wanted the door to...

Butchering tips--plan ahead.(The butcher block)
September 1, 2008... On rare occasion you may experience a situation in which you end up butchering an animal on short notice due to injury or some other circumstance. For instance, in the past 40 years on our ranch we've butchered a young cow that was shot in the...

Various methods of keeping cured hams: research of 50 years ago helps homesteaders today.(The butcher block)(Reprint)
September 1, 2008... Many homesteaders and organic farmers complain that government research passes them by. Of course, this wasn't the case back when virtually all farmers were homesteaders and organic... and some of that old research is still pertinent today....

Poultry should be brined before smoking.(The butcher block)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... We've turned an old outhouse into a smokehouse for our chickens and turkeys. It's all set and ready to go, but now we've heard the birds have to go into a brine first. Is this true ? We need detailed instructions, and we prefer not to brine...

Tasty mutton sausage you can make quickly.(The butcher block)(Recipe)(Reprint)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I am writing to inquire if you would have a good recipe for a sausage made with mutton. I have cull ewes and since I have two supermarkets, I would like to have the sausage made and sell it.--Richard Angeli Before you start...

Gourmet herbal vinegars: easy to make and a pleasure to use.(The homestead kitchen)
September 1, 2008... The secret is out: Making herbal vinegars, that trendy-sounding European marinade, is as simple as washing lettuce leaves. Homesteaders enjoy preserving herbs that are grown during any season. Many years ago both men and women created...

Tantalizing tomato recipes: jellies, jams and more!(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
September 1, 2008... M. BRENNEMAN OHIO COUNTRYSIDE: Here are some tomato preserve recipes Spicy Tomato Relish 20 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1-1/2 cups onions, chopped 1 cup green peppers, chopped 1-1/4 cups sugar, white or brown ...

Small bread: great for menu variety: muffins, biscuits, dumplings are quick, easy and good.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
September 1, 2008... Muffin: a small cup-shaped bread, often sweetened and usually served hot. Biscuit: A small cake of shortened bread leavened with baking powder or soda. Dumpling:A small ball of dough cooked with stew or soup --The American...

Pumpkin soda bread.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
September 1, 2008... This recipe makes 2 free-form loaves. 3 1/2 cups cubed peeled pumpkin or 1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin 1/2 cup sour cream, plain yogurt, or buttermilk 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon freshly...

Rice: the main staple for half of mankind.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
September 1, 2008... "Today, you will know the preferred food of the Arabs," my friend whispered as we entered our host's home a short distance from Amman. Soon we were sitting comfortably around a low table in the middle of which was a huge dish of rice...

Postal workers are tops in these communities.(Question of the month)(mountain states)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband and I moved from southern Mississippi five years ago to the beautiful north Georgia mountain city of Blairsville. Customer service was a main factor in choosing this particular mountain city. Of course, Blairsville is a...

Friendly service for 120 years.(Question of the month)(Farmers' Alliance Store)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: In today's self-service world of mega malls and super centers, customer service is often a foreign concept. Nothing could be further from the truth at Farmers' Alliance Store in my little southern town of Siler City in rural...

All Felton businesses are great to him.(Question of the month)(Community Alliance With Family Farmers)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... COUNTRYSIDE: I live in the small town of Felton in the mountains in Santa Cruz County, California. Our county has had a "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" program for several years, sponsored by Community Alliance With Family Farmers--our population...

Wanderlust and gleaning with a purpose: poverty is preferable to massive debt.(Country neighbors)
September 1, 2008... My husband and I love COUNTRYSIDE magazine. It brings together people of similar views and values who would perhaps otherwise remain isolated. It feels good to have people out there who understand without explanation why we live the way we do....

He'll help those less fortunate.(Timothy Johnson)
September 1, 2008... I am inspired by everything I read about people who have either begun living the simple life in the country, or who have the dreams to do so. Considering the homelessness caused by fires, tornadoes, floods, etc., it makes me aware just how...

Living the simple life at age 15.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... My name is Jessica. I am 15. This is our story. My parents and I moved to Missouri in March of 1995 from Oklahoma. I was only three at the time. We wanted to live a simple life in a log home. We lived in a travel trailer for four months while...

Homesteading alone presents its own unique struggles.(Country neighbors)
September 1, 2008... I"ve been a subscriber to COUNTRYSIDE & SMALL STOCK JOURNAL for almost a year now. I devour each issue wishing it were a weekly publication, and then wait anxiously for the next issue to arrive. However, one of the most disheartening things...

Lessons learned in 35 years of gardening.(Country neighbors)
September 1, 2008... The first year my husband and I planted a garden on our own, we plowed an acre and hand-planted 40-foot rows of seeds and seedlings. As we were choosing what to plant, it went something like this: "Do you like green beans? I like them." ...

Zen & the art of chicken house maintenance.(The hapless homesteader)
September 1, 2008... When we moved from our 50' x 80' city lot into the country eight years ago, I soon realized that I'd been missing quite a few things in my life. "Chickens? What in the world are you going to do with chickens?" My wife has a limited appreciation...

Poor Will's Countryside almanack for autumn 2008.(Reprint)
September 1, 2008... Sitting with our faces now up-stream, we studied the landscape by degrees, as one unrolls a map, rock tree, house, hill, and meadow assuming new and varying position as wind and water shifted the scene, and there was variety enough for our...

The lessons of less.(After chores)(opting less work and less money may return larger expense)
September 1, 2008... Rick and Jan came to visit us in mid-June, also known as haying time around these parts. one familiar with farming knows that everyone has a job to do, even visitors. We had a list ready for our friends. It wasn't a hard list, by farm chore...