FarmerGeek

Let me spin you a yarn...

2010-04-21T12:00:00.003-04:00

So one of our neighbors built Peanut a top whorl drop spindle. For those of you who aren't in the know, a drop spindle is a small hand tool used to spin yarn. So of cours, since he made it for my daughter, I had to play with it, so last night, I walked over and begged some roving from the neighbor. (I'll explain the whole process in another post, settle down, Sparky!) Here is a picture from my first attempt with the drop spindle.

Eh, not bad, but definitely not great. I wouldn't want to try to knit, or crochet, with it at this point, but give me a chance and I think I will be able to do this halfway decent. Then if I can teach everyone else in the family, we might be able to spin enough for all our winter projects.

So of course, looking at spinning and making yarn... in my typical head-first attitude, what do you think was my next thought? Hmmm, we are looking to put up a barn (as soon as it is delivered and I have the ground prepped). Now, I had been leaning more towards goats, but a couple sheep should give us enough for our winter projects, right? I dunno, buy why not give it a whirl?

Here's one other picture of my first attempt:

Enjoy and I will talk to you again soon!

Yarns and Barns...

2010-04-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

Its another week and I realize that I have been neglecting to write anything up here for a while. Life has been keeping me occupied. We ordered a Backyard Barn kit from a local lumber yard, but they have yet to call to make a delivery appointment.

I have started working to dig out the new barn's location, but it is slow going. I am not sure if I ever mentioned it, but there used to be a small barn where we are going to put the new one. This is the perfect location because it is sheltered from some of our wind, is on a good flat spot, can be dug out for drainage, and has a water pipe and electrical lines run to it. However, one of the yahoo sons decided to go ahead and just burn down the barn. He didn't dismantle anything, or even empty it out before he set fire to it. This includes leaving a stack of shingles inside, parts for a tractor cutting deck, pieces of an umbrella, parts of a fox skeleton, and a huge amount of nails. Also, since he didn't pull any of the wires back down through the conduit before he started his blaze, the wires melted inside of their conduit. I get that dug out and pull some new wire through and then I will have electrical and water run straight to the barn! w00t!

So I am hoping that I will be able to get a few inches dug out this week, along with two lengths of french pipe for drainage. Then I can get a load of sand and a load of gravel for the base. Of course, all of this work just sets me up for the actual building of the barn... Anyone want to stop over for a barn raising in a few weekends? We will provide food and drink!

On the yarn note, a woman's whose kid is in sunday school at church is willing to teach me how to turn a heel. I started working on learning double-ended needles this winter, but the books describing turning a heel are a bit confusing to me.

On top of that, it seems that Peanut has decided that I should get some Fiddle lessons. Of course, I would need to find a fiddle on the cheap. There was one on Craigslist... $150 with 3 bows, rosin, 3 learn to play books, a music stand, shoulder rest, volume damper, and an electronic tuner. But y'know, that is $150 more than I currently have available. Of course, that would have to go on top of my working on my skills on the Bass and trying to teach myself guitar. Who came up with some of these chord fingerings?

It's Always Something...

2010-04-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

Raise your hand if you know what Free Time is.

/me looks around looking for any raised hands.

Yeah, me either. I have always said that I will run out of time before I run out of things to do. There are so many things that I want to do, but part of the problem is that certain things can only be done in order and in the proper season. Seeds must be started, birds must be fed/watered/bedding changed/etc., ground to be prepared. etc. And that is only some of the homesteading work, there is also the daily job that I need to get to, kids to raise and guide, a house to keep clean and tidied, etc. Now, that is not to say that all of these projects and jobs rest only on me, they are things that the whole family helps with. Then there are the jobs that rest solely on me. The oil change, brake jobs, auto body work, then there is the tiller that needs an engine replacement, the Gravely that needs its transmission set screw replaced/hood welded/painted, the Deere that needs to be started up, oiled, tires filled, and prepared for the grass cutting season, etc.

But there are the days that I just want to sit and zone out and relax. Read some books, drink some coffee or iced tea. Every once in a while we all need to take some time to just relax and stop the rushing and the stress.

Someday soon I hope to take my relaxing day. But until I do, I hope all of you take your own day off.

The Perils of New Life

2010-04-02T12:00:00.001-04:00

Well, the rest of our little birdies are here now. So in the basement we currently have 2 goslings, 2 turklings, 2 ducklings, 10 chicklings (yeah, I made up that word, what of it? (-: ), and 6 two week old chicks. Well, for now.

One of our two week olds most likely will not make it. I walked down into the basement a day or two ago and I found it with one of its legs stuck out to the side. It wouldn't get up and walk or hobble anywhere. Then later in the day it was on its side with both legs sticking out , but it was in a different place than it was earlier. Maybe it could hobble some and just had a sprain. One of the Muscovies survived a broken foot and now you can't even tell it was ever broken.

It almost looks like the birds body grew faster than its legs, but it could also be a broken leg or two. Is it a growing issue? Did someone pick the bird up and put it down wrong? Did I do it? I just don't know. I hate to cull it if it will be able to get better, but then again I hate to let it suffer. To make it even worse, this is the chick that Peanut chose from Tractor Supply. Even though she has the 10 Cayuga ducklings, it still sucks that this is the one that she picked out. Especially since this was the first time she got to pick out a chick.

It may be the coward's way out, but I hope that nature takes the decision from me. Rock meet Hard Place.

Busy busy busy...

2010-03-30T11:30:00.000-04:00

"Spring is here, spring is here. Life is skittles and life is beer." - Tom Lehrer

Springtime brings all of the thoughts of the new garden, the upcoming summer projects, the summer chores, and of course, the new baby birds at the house. A week ago last Friday, the family had to stop at Tractor Supply Co. because we were not going to be able to stop at the actual feed shop the next day. Do you know what TSC has in the store come springtime? That's right, baby chicks. So of course, we had to pick up 6 of those little boogers. This doesn't count the order that had been placed with McMurray Hatchery the week before.

Since Peanut is participating in 4-H, she had decided that she wanted to do the duck project, so we had to order her the ducks she wanted to raise. We ordered her 10 Cayuga ducks. That's right 10 of those little buggers was cheaper than just buying 5 or 6 because of shipping costs. She will raise them for a bit and then pick out a few for her project. The rest will either go into the general population or be sold on craiglist/at auction.

Then for the family we got the Homsteaders Delight. This package is 16 birds total: 10 brown egg laying hens, 2 ducks, 2 turkeys, and 2 geese. We get no say in the breeds of any of these birds. Surprise! Unfortunately, we also get no say in the genders of the turkeys, ducks, or geese. Boy do I hope that we don't get Muscovy or Cayuga ducks. We already have the Muscovy and the Cayuga are the second part of that order.

These new birdies would overfill the current coop. I think I mentioned that a local company has what they call the "Backyard Barn". Well, that will hopefully be going up soon (Ok, within the next three weeks or so), and that will house all of these birds plus the birds in the current coop. I just have to get the Health Department out first so that they can verify that we are putting this up farther than 20 feet from the septic tank, there goes another 60 bucks. Woo...

This is all on top of the seedlings in the basement, and trying to wait till the ground gets dry enough to work, and getting a spot ready so the onions can go in ASAP, and and and... well, you get the idea. Hopefully I will be able to get some pictures up of the new birds when they arrive this week, plus a picture or two of the chickies already in the basement.

Well, I think that's enough for right now.

Oh and btw...

2010-03-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

So, yeah... have kinda forgotten to let you know the biggest thing going on right now. We are in the process of adding two new members to the family. If you read the wife's blog over at DivaHick, you will know that we are adopting two girls into our family. Now my wife refers to the older girl as Delphinium and the younger as Sparrow. Yeah... the names kinda fit, but not for me. :-) In my head they are Peanut and Monkey, respectively.

Peanut is 13 years old. You know what that means? It means that we didn't get to know her before that "ARGH, Teenagers!" phase. But she does enjoy cooking, baking, crochet-ing, sewing, and general craftiness. She is participating in 4-H this year with a cooking project and a duck project. Of course, she didn't want to do the Muscovy ducks in the back yard, noooo, she wanted Cayuga ducks. All good though. She wants a goat as well so she can make goats milk fudge, but she doesn't want to drink the milk or do anything else with it though. heh, we will see how that goes.

Monkey is 6. She's a crazy little nut-nut that loves cooking and is learning to quilt. She is going to get a bird or two of her own. She wants a goat as well. Well, a goat, a sheep, a pig, a horse, a cow, and a donkey. Because she wants to ride them. Ha. Told you she is a little nut!

So along with all of the adventures that are coming our way with the garden and the animals and the homestead, we have these two new adventures on our plates as well. Who ever wanted a peaceful life? Apparently not us!

Stay tuned for the adventures yet to come!

Storey Books...

2010-03-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Storey is a company that publishes books that relate to the "country" or "homestead" life that so many people are looking to get back to. Their books are treasure troves of accumulated experience and knowledge on topics ranging from the household to raising livestock. Their mission statement is as follows:

To serve our customers by publishing practical
information that encourages personal independance
in harmony with the environment.

They published Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich (yes, that is Jenna from ColdAntlerFarm). They publish their series Storey's Guide to... that tell how to raise all the different types of livestock, and they are constantly on the lookout for new authors and ideas. I highly recommend checking out their line-up at http://www.storey.com/.

But that isn't what I want to talk about right now. Right now, I want to discuss their Country Wisdom Bulletins. These are little gems that sell for about four bucks apiece, new, and that cover the gamut of topics that Storey publishes. The nifty thing about them is that they are so focused they transfer a lot of information about something specific in just a few minute read. They are not exhaustive, but they are excellant introductions to different topics. If you want more in-depth information about a specific topic, guess what? Storey has a book about that.

Of course, Storey has been publishing these since 1973, so every once in a while you run across some information that is a little... dated. The bit that has started this post topic is in the bulletin Axes & Chainsaws: Use and Maintenance. This one in particular was Copywritten in 1977. The line that cracks me up is that it says steel-toed boots are not available in most stores, but that they can be special ordered. Now-a-days, every store seems to be carrying steel-toed boots. Heck, I am having trouble finding a cheap pair of black boots without a steel-toe! I used to be able to pick them up at any #-mart store for $20-$30. Now, they are all steel-toed. Don't get me wrong, all of the information regarding axes and chainsaws is still relavant and useful. This booklet was still well worth the money, but that little bit there just makes me chuckle.

What about you? Ever read any of these? How about another publisher that is similar?

In the mud and the blood and the beer...

2010-03-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. Everyone makes a post about mud this time of year. So why shouldn't I go ahead and make one, too? Consider this my obligatory mud post of the year.

Its that time of the year where the dirt and the grass, the yards and the gardens are swampy muddy. The melting of all the snow and the coming rains... I dunno about you, but my ground just drowns. It can't handle the sheer amount of liquid that it is being asked handle.

We all know the season. Our boots get covered in the brown muck. Our animals, if we have any, come in brown and wet. Those gardens and lawns that will be green and vibrant, the bare trees that will soon spring forth their new and vibrant life. They are still brown and bare and muddy and lifeless.

There is hope on the horizon, though. There are seedlings started on a shelf in the basement. There are more seeds ready to germinate on another shelf. Pea plants and herbs on the counter in the kitchen. Flower seeds to start for each of the rooms. Soon we will be able to eat our own garden grown veggies. Soon there will be green and vibrant life around each corner and out every window.

Let us always remember, there are better, and dryer, days on the way!

Saint Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Saint Patrick's day all! Today is the day to celebrate the life and times of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

That's right folks and neighbors, SAINT Patrick's day started as a Holy day in the Christian religion. It was made an official feast day in Ireland long ago and the Irish brought this tradition to the rest of the world. It was not a holiday to drink. It was religious.. the pubs were closed! Can you believe it? Well, it's true.

As for the "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage? Ha! The Irish don't eat that for St. Patrick's day. Beef was precious and dearly expensive. It had to be imported from out of the country. So the traditional meal was mostly lamb, sometimes ham, and 'tatties (potatoes). There were some other root veggies involved, as well.

So where did the corned beef and cabbage come from, you might ask? Well, that's a good question. It came from the Jewish community. When Irish immigrants moved into America, they were typically not very wealthy (aka dirt poor) and worked long and grueling hours. When it came time for them to celebrate a holy day, they would go to the butchers in the Jewish ghetto and buy the cheapest piece of meat, corned beef brisket. Then they would buy the cheapest vegetables they could find (cabbage). After years of communities doing this, you now have a traditional Irish-American Saint Patrick's day meal. So it really is a traditional meal. Just don't try to tell me it is traditional all the way from Ireland.

*To "Corn" a piece of beef brisket, it needs to be packed with large kernel chunks of salt and seasoning to tenderize it.

Have any questions?

26+6=1

I'm allowed to change my mind...

2010-03-16T07:00:00.001-04:00

So after doing a bit more reading and thinking about the problem we had last year with a rat eating the duck eggs. I think I may now be leaning now towards having a full wood floor for the new barn/coop. This way I can brace it on concrete and stone pads so that it is raised up from the wetness. This will also allow a hose out of the floor if it gets necessary. If I wind up with a rotted floor, well, thats what they make saws and jacks and replacement boards for!

What do you think of that?

What type of animals...

2010-03-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

So I talked about getting some new animals for the homestead, but we have a bit of a conundrum here. See, I like the idea of heritage breed animals... the more endangered, the better. I am not one of those greenie weenies that puts animals as more important than humans, or that thinks that anything and everything is excused if done in the name of "the environment". However, I do think that the forced breeding of modern livestock in order to ensure that every animal produces a consistant end product, is wrong.

What good is a chicken that reaches full weight in 7 weeks, but in that time, it is now not able to walk because it grew so fast and its breasts are disproportionately large? It is not good for foraging for bugs and greens. It is not good for pest control. It was developed solely for the meat industry and its existence ignores all of the tangents and side-effects of the traditional role of the chicken. Pigs, cows, turkeys, etc. So many breeds have been bred for specific purposes that they have lost their original capabilities and intents.

Heritage breed chickens tend to be dual-purpose birds. Bred for both meat and egg production. They do not produce eggs as well as commercial egg layers, and they do not grow as fast as commercial meat birds. But they can forage in the yard and control the pest population from eating your garden, and they can subsist on less grain/feed than other breeds.

Heritage hogs are able to forage and subsist majorily on pasture as well. They are able to roam the pasture and fields without becoming sunburnt. They do not nip and bite each others tails or ears the way pigs do when kept in a pen and not allowed to roam.

Each breen has their heritage breeds that are basically on or near the endangered list. These heritage breeds are important for us to remember where the modern small homesteads animals came from. Those of us looking for only one or two animals could go for one of the modern breeds.

Of course, I seem to make this sound as if heritage breeds are perfect. Part of the problem is that farmers and breeders are able to charge a lot more for these animals. Where you are most likely able to get a cross-breed goat or sheep for $50-$100 (if not less if you have an auction near you), you are most likely not going to be able to get a heritage breed for less than $200 at the minimum.

Another major problem with heritage breed animals... Availability. If you are looking at a breed that endangered, they are not going to be available around every corner. You may have to travel hours or even days if you are set on getting a specific breed that no one around you has. Whereas cross-breeds and commercial breeds are often available at a moments notice. Not only are the farmers not necessarily close to you, but with a small breeding population, there are less litters/kids/etc. each year. Where a goat or sheep may throw twins twice a year if you really push them, that is still only four kids a year. A swine may give a litter of 4-6-8, but still, that is not a lot to try to repopulate farms around the country.

Heck, when you are starting out, does it really matter what breed you get until you are sure you want to raise that type of animal. If you are getting birds, do you want to be responsible for letting them out in the morning and putting them back in at night, making sure that they have enough food and water. If you are looking at dairy goats, do you have the motivation to be up and out to make sure that they have food and water and shelter. Once or twice a day do you want to go out to milk them. Make sure they freshen and get bred properly.

These are questions that each individual and each farm and homestead must make for themselves. But if you are in the market for some new animals, why don't you take a look at some heritage breeds?

This year's garden...

2010-03-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

So every year, those of us "crazies" that don't like paying the store for foods and things that we can grow for ourselves plan what we will be planting and how we will arrange them in the garden and whatnot. You always hear about the joy that we get reading through seed catalogues and picking our varieties for the next season.

Well, at some point, all those fantasies and dreams need to get started. Now, I will share a little secret with all of you. I have always had a lot of trouble getting anything to start from seed, but this year, here I go again. At this point, I have planted:

8 broccoli
8 kale
8 roma tomatoes
8 gr/rd sweet peppers
4 green zebra tomatoes
Dill
Sweet Basil
Sweet Marjoram
Thyme
Cilantro
Parsley

These have all been planted since last Friday. So far the Broccoli and the Kale have already started to germinate. One of the tomato seeds is starting as well, but only one, so far. There are more that need to be planted, especially some more cool weather seeds that I can hopefully get in the ground before the last frost... but for now, I am happy with the way things are starting this year.

The garden will also consist of cucumbers, corn, brussel sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, pumpkins, zuchini, beets, and various and sundry squashes. And I am sure the other in the family will put in some requests that I am not aware of yet. *grin*

How about it, any strange or unusual suggestions for what should go into the garden?

I still use mine...

2010-03-07T21:35:00.008-05:00

So I was puttering about in the kitchen today making breadcrumbs and the thought occured to me that I was doing something that to me is just an obvious money and food saver. But I wonder if anyone else still does this? With the cost of food being so cheap at your local megamart, do people still keep the heels and scraps of bread to be used for something else just so they can save the couple bucks they would spend buying breadcrumbs.

Either way, here is what I do, let me know if you do something similar or if this is a new concept or you think I am nuts for doing this!

1) Save your scrap bread, bread ends, mis-cut pieces, stale or not, toss them in a paper bag. The staler you let them get, the better, but make sure it stays dry... wet bread will mold, dry bread will stale up nicely.

2) Once the bag is full (or you are cooking something that needs breadcrumbs), dig out the bag and your trusty meat grinder with the finest die that you have.

3) Clamp the grinder to your table or counter and start grinding up all the bread you have (or as much as you need).

4) I always do up all that I have and put the rest into a clean dry mason jar that goes right into the fridge or the freezer, depending on how fast I will be using it. I find that one brown paper lunch bag will fill up 3/4 to a full quart mason jar.

Spices, herbs, etc. can all be added to the bread crumbs when you go to use them. This means you don't need to buy bread crumbs and Italian bread crumbs and etc... It is pretty easy to make all the different flavors from whatever type of bread you have lying around!

5) Finally, time to clean it up. The grinder doesn't get very dirty, but I take it apart, run some hot water through and rub all the nooks and crannies with a stiff bristled brush, and then push a towel through. After that, I let it air dry on a drying mat.

* Just a trick that I learned a while ago. If you do use your grinder for meat (what a crazy idea), when you are done, run a few pieces of stale bread through. The bread and the crumbs will pull the meat out and bind up any oils and fats. It makes it easier to scrub and seems to help get all the pieces of meat out when you scrub it clean.

Write at ya soon!

Hey lookie... a new post!

2010-02-26T21:37:00.005-05:00

Howdy all... been quite a while since I set my fingers to the keys for the place, but I've got a bug in my backside and I need to share. Aren't you glad? I knew you would...

Anyways, the wife and I have been dealing with some questions about food and appropriateness, especially as it relates to kids. Well, this got me thinking... Dangerous, I know. I believe that the modern American diet is one of the primary causes of the rampant obesiety in this country. There are other factors as well, but I do believe that diet is a major factor. With fast food, pre-packaged food, and sugar/high-fructose corn syrup in beverages dumping massive amounts of calories into the body, the human body isn't sure what to do with it if it isn't burnt off very quickly. It is a survival technique our bodies know from the days of feast or famine living. Also, with the calories being so readily available to the body (i.e. sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, simple carbs, etc.) our bodies are adapting to this. The "sugar high" and "sugar crash" cycle is leading to greater incidences of diabeties and insulin-resistance.

Another portion of this is the availability of all foods year round. Remember when you couldn't get fresh tomatoes in February? Or if you could, they were greenhouse grown and Expensive as all get out? Everyone wants cheap food and they want whatever they have a taste for. People have forgotten that there are cycles to nature and that it is pretty darned unnatural to be able to have fresh tomatoes when the outside world is blanketed by a heavy layer of snow and ice.

Anyways, we try to eat healthfully, but it is not that easy anymore. It seems that most everything has bleached white flour, refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or some thing that some person has done to it somewhere to make it less than natural. So even the recipes we grew up on are no longer as healthful as they once were.

So I know what remember eating when I was growing up. I am interested in knowing what recipes everyone else remembers from growing up. I am looking to see if I can find recipes that can still be as healthful today as they were when we were growing up.

Lemme know what you think...

Philosophy of Hunting

2009-07-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have encountered a number of people who have "issues" with my hunting and discussing hunting. To be fair, SOME of them have problems with my raising livestock as well, but not all of them. Those are the ones that really blow my mind. For example, they say it is fine that I raise livestock for food, but if I want to hunt for wild animals for food, that's bad. HUH?

Now, I mentioned that I have my own philisophical reasons for hunting. And I will be sharing those with you... right about now.

I have lived in suburban and rural areas. I have known those that live in truly urban environments. Those in the urban environs don't have as many problems as those of us who live outside of the city lights, for the most part. But where I am and have been, it is not an unusual occurance to see deer, raccoon, groundhog, possum, etc on the side of the road where they end up after being hit by a car. This is damaging to both the vehicles and the humans driving them, but also to the animals since there is a large chance of a not clean kill. Let me make this point very clear... Animal Suffering = BAD!

On top of the suffering and damage that occurs, there is also the major problem that those like my wife and I face. We plant a garden to feed us and our families. We don't plant it to feed the animals, but that doesn't mean that they don't look at our garden and our yard as a smorgasboard of delectable treats just for them. Rabbits and deer both love the yummy veggies that we plant. When I was a young child, my family had 5-6 evergreen bushes that lined one side of the driveway, and every winter, these bushes grew more and more bare. First along the middle, say 3-4 feet high, then higher and lower. When there was snow on the ground, you could see the deer tracks coming and going from the bushes. A neighbor up the hill had two chestnut trees, and when the chestnut balls fell, the deer would congregate to break them open and eat the treat inside. (as a side note, if you don't know about chestnut trees, when they drop their balls, they are spike balls between 4-6 inches in diameter. These hurt when you run around in bare feet as I do.) The deer don't remove the spike balls, they just break them open, so I was constantly finding pieces of them... by stepping on them.

These are just some of the problems that wild animals can cause. I am not going to go into detail about raccoons and garbage cans, bears and dumpsters, or the danger that these can pose to family, friends, pets, and livestock. However, we need to realize WHY we see these problems. Trust me, deer are not hanging out by the side of the road because their parents just don't understand.

The first reason that they are doing these things because humans are encroaching on their habitats. Now, before you go off on me and call me some sort of greenie weenie, I am not saying that their habitats are sacred, but you do have to realize that if you tear down 50-100 acres of woodlands, the animals that lived there have to go someplace. If a piece of forest can support 50 deer, and you cut that land in half without removing half of the herd, what do you think will happen? They look at the gardens and lawns to get food, since there isn't enough for everyone in that area anymore.

Secondly, we as humans want to protect ourselves and our familes, no? Well, that means we clear out and kill many of the predators near where we live. Makes sense, right? Well, now these animals that used to lose the sick and elderly to their predators, are living longer and are becoming overpopulated beacause Nature's balancing mechanism is broken. And we broke it. Therefore, it is up to us to take the place of the predators that we took out of the picture. Take my previous example and say you have a piece of land that supports 50 deer. Well, those deer give birth each year and the herd would grow, but they lose members of the herd each year to the mountain lion/coyote/wolf/etc. But we put up some houses outside of that area and we kill the predators to keep our children safe. Now, they deer herd is not thinned each year and quickly grows from 50 to 75 or 100. Now, we start seeing the same problems as removing their homelands.

In both of these instances, since the food supply is not enough to support the number of animals that live on the land, they have to look farther and farther afield to get their food. If there just isn't enough, the herds get sick, the heartiest animals get the illnesses of the weaker animals since they don't have enough food to keep themselves healthy. They get sick, they can't provide/protect the weaker members, and so on and so forth. It's a very vicious cycle.

For these reasons, I believe in animal hunting. But I want to make another point. I believe in hunting for the well-being of the herd of animals being hunted and for the food/leather/products that can be gained by taking the animal. They say we have a hunger problem in America. Well, I say that we should teach more people to go out hunting and they will have more food to eat. I believe in using as much of each animal as possible. Waste Not, Want Not.

To take that a step farther, I don't necessarily believe in trophy hunting. I say necessarily because there are some trophy hunters would donate the meat that they take to the hungry in the area where the animal was taken. There are not always enough hunters in an area to keep the animal population under control, and if Johnny Hunter wants to come and take out a XXXXXXX animal, and donate the food, then go for it. But just to hunt for a trophy for the wall? Nah, don't think so.

I don't know if I am going to convince anyone that hunting is good that doesn't already lean that way, and I don't know if I am going to turn anyone away from hunters. I just wanted to put my thoughts out there and see what some of you think.

Doing what needs done

2009-07-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

With my post yesterday, I got no comments. I can understand that. Hunting is really a touchy subject with many people. I can understand that and I am sure I will be typing up a philosophical treatise on my thoughts regarding hunting.

However, hunting is not the purpose of my post for today. No, today is talking about protecting the animals and the people in my care. I warn you that what follows is not necessarily a pleasant read, but it is something that comes with living in the "country".

Read on, or come back another day for a new post. Thanks.

So, yesterday, I get home from work and I go out to the coops to look in on the birds. Hmm, all of the ducklings and the momma duck actually worked themselves totally out of the run and the other female got over to the chicken coop. Hmmmm, curious. So I walk over and look into the duck coop and what do I see? A friggin' rat! I bet that stupid rat got some of our ducklings. So I flip the door shut and make sure that there is no way for it to get out and I hustle in.

Now, I am in a quandry, it is sitting in my duck coop... a wooden coop with a wooden floor. That eliminates a number of weapons. Hmmm. Hey, I've got this stupid little pellet gun. Ok, so its really old, but it still works and I have some .177 cal pellets. Its only a 5-8 foot shot. Yeah, this will work.

So I get back out to the coop, still in slacks and a dress shirt, carrying a pellet gun, with plastic bags hanging out of my pockets. I'm sure I was quite a sight. So I pump up the gun, load a pellet and lift up the roof a bit to get my aim. Man, I should have been a sniper. 1 shot = 1 kill. I shot, right behind the ear. Done.

So I get in the coop and get it and any straw with blood on it and double bag it. Take it down, put the gun and pellets away, and I put the body in the garbage. I am feeling pretty decent. I am doing what needs to be done and I am protecting the animals that are in my care.

Then my wife mentions that where there is one rat, there are probably more.... ARGH!!!

Slowly, I turn, inch by inch...

2009-07-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

I believe I have mentioned in the past (though, I am not completely sure) that I have mentioned that the wife and I are new to our area. Well, we have lived in the new state for a little over a year and we will have been in our house for a year in a couple weeks. But the thing is since we moved to this state, I have not been hunting. Let me be honest here, I came to hunting later in life. My grandfather used to, but he had a stroke before I was born and never went again. My parents did not go. This made it much more difficult because I didn't have the people around me to take me and teach me or to make me interested in hunting. I started to be very interested in it as a teenager and thought about it for years but never did anything about it. Then I finally decided that it was time. Because of where I used to live, I ended up going by myself a good bit, but I never did get anything.

Now, in the new state, the bow hunting season for deer is over 3 months long, gun hunting for deer is one week. Which is fine with me, I do prefer the bow anyways, but just look at that discrepancy of time! So I have to prepare!

I should have been practising with the bow for the past few months, but with everything else going on, I have been running out of time. This past weekend, I found some time to get out and do some shooting and working to tune up the bow. I then proceeded to lose two friggin' arrows. Did you know, that arrows are not cheap? 30, 40, 50, and UP for 12 arrows that I will still need to cut and set up. That doesn't include targets, if you use them, if you need a new string, or whatever. That is all ignoring the cost of a bow. Which is definately not cheap!

I currently use a Jennings UniStar. This was produced a while back, but it is a rather unique design. Where most compound bows have their cams on the end wheels where everyone expects them to be, the UniStar put it in the middle of the bow. This unique cam, to me, is probably the best set up for a compound bow that I have ever shot. (Not saying that there aren't better bows or that this is right for anyone else, but for me....) It eliminates uneven pulling and I feel that it doesn't have the same limb stress that comes with the "traditional" compound bow. I have never even needed a stabilizer on the front. I got mine from craigslist.org for $25, but I see them going from $150 to upwards of $350 per bow. Man, I would love a backup bow just in case anything ever happens to my current bow. (So if any of you happen to know of a cheap one or have one laying around that you would like to get rid of, please let me know! Can't pay much, but you would have my gratitude!!!)

Now, I would love to have a well made traditional long bow or even a recurve, but they are even more expensive any more. Some day I will be looking to make my own traditional long bow, but until that day, my UniStar will work for me.

If anyone wants to donate some arrows, that would be appreciated too! I've got about a 30" pull with the bow set about 63# right now. (I know, I am shameless!)

I will be taking some pictures of my arrow groupings and whatnot as I prep for the upcoming hunting seasons. I am hoping to get at least a deer this year. Maybe even some squirrel. :-D

(The picture was pulled from a seller on ebay, not my current bow)

More Updates

2009-07-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

Well, we are down to 7 ducklings. We hitched the coop up to one of the vehicles and moved it to back behind the garden. It seems that the rain made the rat or whatever rodent that was taking them followed. So we put out a poison trap, which we both really hated to do, but we can't be losing any more ducklings. They rely on us for their care!

We also got us a "barn" cat. The wife is very allergic, but we needed to do something, so Jade, the kitty, is out in the chicken coop. Seems to be ok with it. Doesn't really like it, but I think she will grow accustomed to it. Her previous owners were moving to Phoenix and were not able to take her with them.

I don't think I mentioned before, but our neighbors across the street are really awesome. They raise animals and buy/sell at a number of the auctions around. They had gotten us another female muscovy, but between the time of purchase and the time we got her to our coop, it seemed like she broke her foot. She was hobbling and unable to move it or straighten it out. We were keeping a close eye on her in case it would be necessary to have duck for dinner some night, but she is doing excellently and is walking around with barely a trace of a limp.

Of course, the neighbors do just about every type animal under the sun except for three that we are interested in. We have talked about getting some pigs, some turkeys, and someday a dairy cow. They can point us in the right direction, but its not like sheep or goats where we can just walk over and they have some there for us to get used to. I believe a lot of what we are waiting for right now is the money so set up the housing and the fencing. Ha ha.

Then again, since our only pup now is 1/2 border collie, 1/2 brittany (100% spazmodic nutjob), we have talked about maybe some sheep or goats just to give him some meaningful work to expend some of his energy. Oh if only the neighbors sheep were dog broken! Although, he did do a really good job herding our muscovy drake back into the run last night. I really wish I had a picture of that... he looked just like he should, head down, tail down, stalking and herding that duck. Of course, I don't see a whole lot of sheep dog trials near where we are, but who knows, get a couple sheep and then maybe travel some to compete or something. Yeah, right.

I was laughing to myself last night... think about a sheep dog trying to herd some fainting goats. That would be hilarious. I can just see the dog looking at a goat after it fainted going, "oh my, oh my, i killed it, oh my, oh my!!!!" If you don't know about fainting goats, check out youtube and do a search. They are cute and funny as all get out.

Anyways, I think that's enough for right now.

Busy busy and some additions

2009-07-13T21:28:00.007-04:00

Well, I am not sure who knows what or what I have mentioned in the past, so here's an update on most and sundry.

First. Dear Wife and I are now licensed Foster Parents for our county/state. That has taken up a huge amount of time in preparing for this and for getting the house and everything ready. Also, the meetings with the case worker and the phone calls/emails have been quite time consuming as well.

Secondly, one of our muscovy hens has been broody on 14 eggs for... well, just about 35 days, and we now have ducklings! 13 hatched, and for those of you who don't know, 13 out of 14 is a really good hatch. At least in our experiences, if you get eggs from a hatchery, our normal hatch rate is just over 1/2. They hatched this past Friday and Saturday. Unfortunately, somehow we have lost two. :-( We don't know what happened, but we only have 11 as of this evening. No bodies, no down, nothing. Our hope is that the two most adventerous escaped and followed some of our neighbors back across the street. Our neighbors across the street make their living raising and selling animals... mostly working the auctions. They have sheep, goats, all sorts of chickens, ducks, geese, a llama, rabbits, pigeons, etc. Their ducks like to come over to our yard for something new and some of them come through because if you work your way through our yard, our neighbors yard, and back a little, there is a nice big pond for them.

Third, a nine month old border collie/brittany mix is well... time consuming as well. This is such a high energy dog that even if I work with him for an hour or two a day he still has the energy to be a spaz and to go go go go go go.

Well, this is some of what is going on, I am going to try to get a couple more composed coming up to cover some more of what has been happening. I may not be posting as often as before, but still... thanks for letting me vent. So for now, your reward is... Baby Ducky Pictures!!!!

Government say what?

2009-06-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Howdy all... been a while, but figured I should tell you all that I am still alive. Things are so danged hectic that once I get home each night, i don't really feel like sitting down to write anything. Well, that is until I ran across these two doozies and felt the need to share them. I make no claims about how often I will be posting, but some things just need to be shared. So here goes...

1) The first thing is the new change that is putting us all into some severe danger. That is that enemy combatants engaged in activities against our military in Afghanistan are now being read their Miranda rights as if they were American citizens being detained by the law enforcement officials within American borders! There are plenty of sites out on them there Internets discussing this and dissecting it, so I won't go in to too much detail here. It seems that some people are saying this is a policy change from the Executive branch. I don't know exactly how it started or what is behind it, but... Anyways, I did want to include some links to the stories. So here ya go.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/10/lawmaker-says-obama-ordered-fbi-read-rights-detainees/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/11/combatant-criminal-reading-miranda-rights-detainees-draws-criticism/

2) There is a new bill proposed in the House of Representatives, and this one is a bit... ahh, let's go with mind-bending. House Joint Resolution 5 (H.J. Res. 5) states: "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number oterms an individual may serve as President." Now, isn't it a bit early to be looking at this since the current President isn't even 1/4 of the way through his first term? Well, since it would need to go to the states to be ratified, I can see the rush to get it through in hopes of having it ratified prior to the end of his second term... IF he is elected to a second term.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hj111-5

Sometimes it makes me wonder what people are thinking...

The Bland Diet

2009-03-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

Cat Person? No Way! Dog Person? Yup, that's me! I have two dogs right now, an eight year old "Boxer-mix" and a 5 month old Border Collie/Brittany Spaniel. For the sake of this post let's call them Old Son and Young Blood (note: not their real names). The older pup is the sweetest thing you could ever meet, and the youngster is such a spasmodic nutjob, a loving, but spasmodic nutjob.

Last week, Young Blood started to have a serious case of diarhea. Now, the vet decided to give him some meds, but also told us to put him on the Bland Diet. Old Son is now having the same issues, and so we started him on the Diet already but have to call the vet today. Any time Old Son has been sick in the past, the vet at the time (this is going across two states) always told me to put him on the Bland Diet. The Diet works really well, and in my mind, is always the first step in treating any doggie illness.

****NOTE: I am not a Veterinarian and my advise should not replace that of a properly trained vet.*********

The Bland Diet

4 parts plain cooked white rice
1 part boiled ground beef OR 1 part boiled chicken

Mix these together and feed to the affected dog 4-5x per day. Also, feed approximately 50% more than their normal amount of food per day as this Diet does not contain as many nutrients as normal food. Continue for about 5 days and then begin mixing the regular food for 5 more days until the dog is eating only its normal food. If the first 5 days does not deal with the situation, call your vet immediately and ask for advice/when you can bring them in. (Ok, so I wouldn't be waiting 5 days, but 1-3 days on the Diet to see if it has any affects seems reasonable to me!)

I will tell you more about my experiences with these wonderful animals in posts yet to come. This has just been in my thoughts much more than anything else right now.

A Gift From Russia

2009-03-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

*photo borrowed from FreeRepublic.com

Did you know that Russia gave to America a monument commemorating the tragedy that occured on September 11, 2001? I had not heard of this prior to this morning on my drive into the office, so of course I had to go look it up! I checked TruthOrFiction and Snopes, and sure enough, they both agree that this is absolutely true!

Go checkout FreeRepublic.com and the 911monument.com sites to see all of the photos and to read specifics, but here is some information about this.

*The base is surrounded by a wall with the name of every person lost in these attacks.
*The walk is made of stones engraved with messages.
*This is a gift from the people of Russia and President Vladimir Putin.
*This was dedicated on September 11, 2006.
*This is located in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Here we are 2 1/2 years after the completion and dedication of this monument and I have never heard a single story about this. Why not? What is going on with the media that a foreign nation gives us a gift to help us remember the pain of attacks on our soil and they don't even tell the American people about this??!?!!?

Go check out the other pictures on the sites above.

Never Forget.

Brake Job...

2009-03-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

Now, I am not sure how many of you out there work on your own cars, but I have been doing it for a number of years. A large number of years. There is very little on a car that I can't fix... Well, not counting the newer cars where you need specialized computer equipment to diagnose and figure out what sensor is making your car all wonky. The one thing that really is frustrating to me is doing a brake job on drum brakes.

For those who don't know, there are two types of brakes that go on cars: Disc and Drum. Disc brakes are two pads that squeeze onto a metal rotor and apply pressure that way to slow you down and eventually stop you. Drum brakes have a big metal drum, inside of which is a series of springs and wires and pins and two brake "shoes" that push outward against the drum to stop you. The older the car, the more rust accumulates on the springs and wires that form the braking mechanism of a drum brake, thus making it all that much more FUN (**dripping sarcasm) to try to work on. (See picture of the springs/adjusters/wires/etc.)

Now, I was doing a brake job on my truck because it was making this horrible thumping/thudding/grind as I tried to stop. I checked my front disc brakes to make sure the rotors weren't worn or warped, and sure enough, they were just fine! So I started on the rear brakes. Well, let's just say that I have had the truck for about 2 1/2 - 3 years, I had checked the rear brakes when I got it and they were really meaty and looking good. Well, now they were utter crud! (See picture) The brake material actually fell off of the brake shoe and cracked into three pieces. These pieces kept getting stuck as I tried to get the drum off to look at the brakes, making it an hour to an hour and half for one stinking drum! That doesn't even count the extra half an hour it took to change the brakes once it was off and I knew that was the problem.

Of course, the new brakes are supposed to come with these little pins that you have to smack into the shoe... and mine weren't there. So I had to go to the parts store to ask about them. I love my parts store. They didn't even blink, just took the packet out of another set of brakes and handed it to me and told me to have a good day. Look at the picture. This little pin made me take an extra day and half to do my brakes. Gotta love it... yeah, right!

So all in all, I got the brakes done and everything is working good now. This reminds me of something I figured out many years ago... I love working on cars and houses and projects. But it is so much more fun when you are upgrading or modifying something, and when you are fixing the needed pieces once in a while... but when you have a vehicle (or house) that is always fix this broken thing and then that broken thing... then it kinda sucks. Luckily neither of my vehicles, nor my house are like that, and I am keeping on top of things to make sure it stays that way. Though, it does irk me when what should be an hour-hour and a half long job takes 4 days! (when you take into account going to work, sleep, and all the other things in life that take up time.)

Eligible to Vote

2009-03-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

I was reading today's post by Pearls over at My Modern Country Home, and some thoughts came up. She states that she does not agree with the guy in the video about having forced service. Well Good! Because neither do I. However, in her comments section, someone happened to mention Israel and how compulsory service works there. I'm going to leave this here and you can go over to her blog and read the comments there, but it did bring up some memories of a book I have discussed in the past... Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein.

In the book, military service is not mandatory. Heck, they will try to discourage their citizens, but if the citizen really wants to serve, they will not turn anyone away. If you serve, you become a Citizen and you can then vote and run for public office. If you don't serve, you are not a second class citizen or anything, you just don't get a vote. In the book, there are non-Citizens that have so much money that they could buy just about anything. Signing up to serve means you are signing up for a 2 year tour of duty. The theory behind this being that you put the active ones in charge of the people who just don't care enough.

Now, I am not advocating that we move to this system. But you know, it would remove from the voting pool those who don't care enough to do their own research on political candidates. Hmmm... and looking at America today, there would be a definite shrinking of the voting pool. No, no. "We the People" doesn't exclude lazy, ill-informed, non-"politically oriented" people.

But it would be interesting, wouldn't it?

A lil' History Lesson

2009-03-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

As we all should know, yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. Yay, drinking, partying, eating, etc. Right? Well, sure, on this side of the pond. But it boggled my mind yesterday when I was talking to my office neighbor and he stated quite boldly that he had no idea where the holiday came from or what it was about. Also, I got severely... annoyed... yesterday as everyone talked about corned beef and cabbage all day. Now let me say, we made corned beef and cabbage... I likes me some of that. But then, we'll talk about that in a bit!

First things first. Saint Patrick's Day. SAINT Patrick's Day. Can you tell that I am trying to emphasize the word Saint? Guess what that means... yup, yup, this originated as a holiday of Roman Catholics. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was a Roman boy who was kidnapped and sold into slavery on the island of Ireland. He was put to work as a shepherd for six years for his master, a druid and clan chief. During his time on the island, he learned the Irish celtic tongue fluently. But more importantly, he prayed every day while tending the flock. After six years, he managed to escape and headed back home to devote his life to God. He eventually went back to Ireland to convert the Irish natives to Christianity. There are many other miracles and things to know about his life and missonary work, but I think you get the idea now.

This has grown to be a national holiday in Ireland and only recently are the Irish attempting to use it for tourism. Until the mid-1970's the pubs were not allowed to be open or to serve alcohol because it was a religous feast day. But you can look this sort of information up online if it interests you... Now that you know it exists.

******

Now, as to corned beef and cabbage... I grant that this is an American tradition and I don't begrudge anyone eating it and enjoying it, even on St. Patrick's Day. But please, don't call it an Irish tradition. The Irish in Ireland don't eat it. The tradition started here in America when the Irish came over they were the poorest portion of the population. As the poorest group, they didn't have much money for meat. So when they found that the Jewish population had this really cheap cut of meat, the brisket, they used that. Because it is a cheap cut of meat, they brined the meat to make it more tender. Cabbage? Well, again, it was, and is, normally a very cheap vegetable.

So go ahead and eat up the corned beef and cabbage! But please, don't call it an Irish tradition. Call it Irish-American or even just American! and don't forget the Bean-O!

Here, There, and Everywhere!!!

2009-03-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, I think I am ready to write a new post and to get back to at least a semi-regular schedule. I know, I know. You all were waiting with baited breath for me to start writing again. Never Fear... I is here!!!

First things first. If you read the wife's blog (DivaHick) you will know that Google's AdSense screwed us over big time. The ads are gone from both of our blogs because we had enough over their "limit" so that they were supposed to pay us, but gee, what a surprise. They suspended our account as soon as they were supposed to cut the check. No reason given, no example. You can't even talk to a real person to get an idea of where the supposed "violation" of their terms of service occured. Now, I read and re-read those terms of use and we did not violate them in any way that I can determine. We were supposedly "financially determental" to their advertisers... Hmmm, you mean that they might actually have to pay for services received? If I had enough money lying around, I would have a lawyer on their butts so fast it would make your head spin. They received multiple months of advertising and services from both of us and then, "oh sorry, we aren't going to pay you". EXCUSE ME? You try doing that, use a pay service for a few months and then don't pay. Think you would get away with it? Yeah, didn't think so.

Ok, on a completely different note... things have been rather hectic around the house with projects and whatnot going on to prepare for our fostering homestudy. I have 9 GFI's sitting there because from what we can tell, I have to do each outlet in the kitchen and bath, no matter how far away from the water they are. This means that I have to go through and trace the wiring and circuits before I start, because if I can prove that the outlets are in series and GFI-ing the first in the series covers the rest, I think I will do that and see what they say. And if I happen to get lucky enough that they are all on the same circuit, the cost for a GFCI breaker has dropped dramatically from what they used to. ($39 vs. $90) This would let me swap out the breaker instead of doing each individual outlet.

I had some work to do on the truck. That will be coming in a seperate post soon as I have pictures that I need to get onto the computer.

Various spots in the yard and the "back 40" have some good hard clay down about 18"-24", so they stay nice and marshy. We have a bag of pelletized gypsum that will work its way down to break up some of the clay, but that doesn't help us now. We had tilled the garden last fall, but some of it is growing green again so we will need to till it again as soon as the ground is dry enough. We have started a bunch of our seeds, and are preparing for when we can till it and get it all going!

Hmmm, that's all for now. I have a few more thoughts percolating, but they aren't ready. When they are steaming and full-strength, I'll pour you all a post or three.

BTW... Happy St. Patrick's Day. The day when all you out there get to be as lucky as those of us with some Irish in us! :-D

Things 'n stuff...

2009-03-09T15:00:00.001-04:00

Ok, my brain should have exploded not long ago. I just needed to state this up front. It either exploded or its been leaking out my ear ever since... or maybe both. Let's take a glimpse into my brain, shall we?

Ok, the wife and I are in the process of becoming Foster Parents... this involves letting the government into your life in a large way. Now I'm not totally thrilled with this, but hey, at this point you do what you gotta do. So other than going to all sorts of trainings and filling out massive mounds of paperwork (government beauraucracy at it's finest!), your house has to pass a few inspections. One by the local fire department, and that makes sense. Not a big deal. But then their is the actual homestudy where the government caseworker comes into your house and tells you what you need to do to make your house ready.

Note that I said to make the house ready. Your house could be brand new and completely up to code, and still not pass. So needless to say, since our house is 60-odd years old, we have some things to do. We've been working on them throughout the past few months, but we still have a bunch of things that need to be done. It doesn't help that we have only been in the house for less than a year and things weren't completely unpacked/etc.

Now that being said, this weekend we had to run out for the day Saturday as a friend of the wife's was in a nearby city for a family thing, and we ran up there to say hey! Spent the whole day with her and did a bunch of stuff, but that took away a day of work. Then Sunday, its raining. A LOT. Well, have a few things that need to be done outside, and since my folks were coming into town to help with a few things, I head out early in the rain to do yard work. One of my jobs was to shovel a big pile of dirt back onto the septic tank. I do this and some other work and start to go inside.

Hmmmm... CRUD. My wedding ring is gone. I re-trace all of my steps, but the only thing I can think of is that it is somewhere in the mud that I shoveled. So I go through the mud and all around the yard and house. My folks bring out my old radio shack metal detector in vain hope that would help. So now I have to wait until everything dries so that I can sift through the dirt instead of the mud.

So my folks come to town, and while they are in town, my dad is going to help me try to figure out where a noise is coming from in the truck. Pull the front wheels and the brakes are tighter than Scrooge's fist on a silver dollar. Get them off and loosened the calipers and whatnot... then we go out for a test drive and we take the folks out to eat. Problem is still there. So we pull the back wheels... I can't tell you the last time I pulled the drums off the rear brakes... I think it's been a year and a half to two years. Took us about 2 hours, just to get the drums off. Need a rear brake job. Great. Get everything adjusted so its easy to take them off, put the tires back on. Then I find that I have a set of rear shoes for this truck. Well, by this point, its 9 pm or so? So my folks take off and they head home, and I get ready to crash out.

But wait! There's more. The puppy has the Hershey-squirts. Now, he is about 18 weeks old? I think, maybe, I dunno anymore. He was doing great on the one really expensive food, but when we ran out of that, we moved both dogs to a less expensive food. Maybe that's it, but.... *shrugs* We will have to see!

Hmmm, tonight, we have to clean out the chicken coop, then I'm off to the gym to run another couple/few miles. Maybe that will help get my head on straight?

Here's to hoping!

U.N. infringing on U.S.?

2009-03-05T12:00:00.001-05:00

The United States of America is a sovereign nation with all the rights and responsibilities pertaining to that title. The term Sovereign means the final and supreme lawmaking authority. Are we all on the same page with this? Good. Now, that being said... The United Nations has been, and still is, trying to pass treaties and bans that will infringe upon the sovereignty of our great nation.

The United Nation. An organization that has no legal standing within our nation, or really, in the world. An organization that has its own agenda, of which much is anti-American, because that is the bent of so many of the members within this group. An organization that gets it's headquarters and land RENT-FREE from our country each and every year.

They are already interfering with the private use land rights within our countries boundaries because of agreements made by our government. Read about how the U.N.'s World Heritage Sites are affecting America HERE. It's a shame that we have to learn about this from the Canada Free Press!!!!!

The U.N. is attempting to push through a ban that will ban any and all anti-Islamic speech throughout the world. Sure, they couch it in terms of "protecting" religions across the globe, but the only group specifically mentioned is Islam. No one ever said that you have the right to not be offended, especially if what is said is true.

How does this affect us? Well, it clearly violates the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights. This truly is an abomination across the world and is often used to punish members of other religions and groups. Imagine if they started griping at America to follow it? Do we have strong enough political leaders to withstand the push that the "global community" can put forth? Let us hope so. Let us pray that our government will withstand the push by outsiders to make us conform to some sort of global standard of speech. I am worried about it, but it is something that I will be watching and praying about.

World News Daily
AOL News

Kipper me timbers...

2009-03-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Hmmm, so I wanted to write a bit about some often ... overlooked? ... foods that are really quite yummy, good for you, and relatively cheap! I'm talking about the little tins of fishies! Sardines, anchovies, herring, etc. These things range anywhere from less that $1 to $3 per tin, depending on the size, brand, flavor, etc. They pack huge amounts of protein (atkins anyone?), omega-3 oils, etc. No carbs, lots of protein, lots of flavor. What's not to love?

Ok, if you are scared of fish (like somebody I could name!), you would want to make sure that you get the headless ones, but other than that! Looking at the Brunswick cannery website (www.Brunswick.ca) shows that these little babies can be stored for years with no problems. They recommend that they should be eaten within 2 years as the taste starts to go after that. (That is why you should always rotate your stores in your house.) If you didn't eat it in two years, do you really think you will?

These little babies also come in lots of different flavors from plain, to hot sauce, to mustard, to oil, etc. That isn't counting the fact that you can mix these in to different dishes and spreads to get all their goodness without eating from the tin (like me). Now my grandfather used to much on sardines with mustard, and I know when I was younger that I thought he was nuts. But then what do we really know when we are kids!

So wether you are saving canned foods to be safe for the future, on a diet to lose some weight, looking to build muscle, or just want a new and interesting snack. I highly recommend checking out a few different types of these little babies. Doesn't cost much, can be stored for a rainy day, and I think they are just plain yummy.

*Fish-heads, fish-heads, rolly-polly fish-heads, eat them up, YUM!*

Cash/credit/layaway...

2009-02-27T12:00:00.001-05:00

Every day another story, more of the same. Wall Street crumbles, falls, topples, drops, blah blah blah. People are being foreclosed on in rising numbers, bankruptcy filings are going through the roof... the companies that are failing the most? Credit companies. Credit cards, lenders, etc. When did credit become such a huge, can't-live-without-it deal in this country?

The mentality of so many people now-a-days is that they want something, are entitled to it, and want it NOW! They know can buy something with credit and pay it back later. Then they run into problems and have trouble paying it then, so they put it on the card. This snowballs in to a massive amount of debt and they pay and pay and pay. But what happens if you have a hiccup and can't put it on your card? Or when you start having trouble paying your cards? Then the problems grow even faster.

Now, I don't like credit cards, but this is a new turn for me. I have credit card debt that I am paying off.... what a surprise, eh? But I have since learned of the problems with credit and have changed my ways. I pay as much as I possibly can with cash. The look that I got when I paid my car payment in cash was priceless! The woman had to ask if I had a checking account or if I wanted to open one with them. She couldn't understand why I wanted to pay cash.

Now, to the main reason for this post. K-mart has re-instituted their layaway plan. That is, you take item(s) to the layaway counter, put a down payment on them, keep making payments until it is payed off and then you can take it home with you. The exact opposite of credit-cards that let you get the item now and pay for it later. I know that there are other smaller shops that do this for their customers as well.

What an interesting concept... paying for something before you get to take it home... Make sure you really want/need it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't use a credit card. I don't know your situation. But I am going to say that if you can get out and/or stay out of credit card debt, just imagine if you put the money that you are paying them and put it into the bank each month, how soon you would have enough to buy things with cash! Wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about debt and credit card bills and car payments and someday even not worrying about a mortgage!?!?!

Think about it, and if it makes sense to you... Do It!

If I were a rich man....

2009-02-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ahh, if I were a rich man, but I'm not. Oh, I'm not scraping the bottom of the barrel, but I am by no means rich. So that is why it was so good to see an article in the paper yesterday about barter coming back and becoming more acceptable. It was an AP article from Boise, Id, but I believe it is growing across the country. That's why I found the article in my little local paper.

Bartering is the art of trading goods and services for what you need/want instead of paying for them with cash money. I don't know about any of you, but I've practiced this for years in a very simple way that I never really considered barter until I really sat down and thought about it. How many of you have ever asked some friends to come help you with a project, be it building a house, pulling an engine out of the car, dropping a tree, whatever, and offered to feed them or give them beer, etc? I do it all the time... "Hey, I'll feed you if you come over and help me do X, Y, or Z!" I have a buddy who does it on a larger scale and on a regular basis. He would rebuild cars, paint them, install furnaces, etc. In return, I've known him to get cars, to get building materials, motorcycles, etc. Granted he works like a dog on these projects, but I secretly believe it is because he likes the work!

Now, no matter what may come down the pike, wouldn't it be nice to know that you have skills that are valuable? Imagine if you could trade canned produce from the garden for a side of beef, gardening work for plumbing work, etc. Think about it... you would save money, but you would have to spend some time working things out, etc.

If you don't have skills that would be useful to someone else, maybe you could stock up on valuables that other people would want. Canned produce, fresh eggs, tobacco, alcohol, etc. These old time skills served those that came before us for many a year before we became a nation of buying on credit instead of saving up for what we want/need. With the new economic issues and uncertainty, wouldn't it be nice to make sure that you have something that you could fall back on... Just In Case?

Good Trading, Everyone!

Modern Day Robin Hood?

2009-02-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have seen a number of headlines that are linking our President to Robin Hood. Y'know, take from the rich, yada yada yada...

Well, wether or not you agree with what the President is doing (I personally don't), I had to take the time to explain to people what everyone seems to be forgetting about Robin Hood.

Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor, right? WRONG. Robin Hood stole from the looters and thieves who stole and got their wealth through supressing the populace and gave it to the ones unfairly taken from. This means what Robin Hood really did was: Steal from the thieves and gave to the robbed.

That is not what is going on today. Today, the government is stealing, and planning to steal more, from the rightfully rich (and even moderately well-off) to give to the undeserving poor.

Does this mean that every person who has money made it legally, fairly, and ethically? No, that is not what I am saying. Look at the Bernie Madoff scandal. Does that mean that all of the "poor" are lazy slackards that just want to suckle the public teat? No, I'm not saying that either. What I am saying is that the majority of people who have money earned it and I believe you should be able to keep what you earned. I am saying that the poor who need help should look to the charity of others instead of receiving stolen goods (aka our money).

The misconception of what Robin Hood did has bred another idea that makes what is going on "OK" to so many. That is the thought that your money is not yours. Listen to so many politicians nowadays talk and you will hear that they believe that the money is the governments and you are just "borrowing" it. Taxes are just reducing the amount of your loan instead of theft of your personal property.

When you start thinking that the government owns anything instead of being a body meant to SERVE, you start down a slippery slope that will allow the dishonest few at the top to take money, freedom, liberty, guns, property, and so much more from you because it doesn't REALLY belonwg to you, they are just taking back what they believe to be theirs.

Kinda scary when you think of it that way, isn't it?

Hmmm, HoneyComb!

2009-02-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, slightly new ground for me. Health and medicine. I almost never get sick, and if I do get snuffly or sneezy, I just bull my way through it. However, this past weekend, I got laid out by a nasty little bug. Tonsils swollen so bad that I could barely swallow, fever, chills, etc. The whole magilla. Now, I did my normal deal when being sick and whatnot, but the wife mentioned something that we had picked up a while back... Honey w/ the comb! Hmmm, ok, I normally do tea with honey and lemon juice when I am not feeling well, but I had not done the Honey Comb.

This stuff is amazing. It is a unique texture and is a little strange the first time you do it, but... it works. It worked better than most anything else for soothing and reducing the size and swelling in my tonsils. I believe it helped me with my fever and everything else that was wrong with me.

So what do I do when I come across something like this? I look it up, and sure enough all over the place there are reviews and supporters for raw (non-pasteurized) honey and for chewing on the comb. The recommendations are everything from put it on wounds to chew for reduction in sinuse problems, allergy problems, swelling, etc. I will attest that it worked for me this time, the first time I used it!

As this is a quicker post, I don't have a list of sources for you, but there are plenty out there. I am just going to urge everyone to read up on it, and if you think that it's as good for you as I think, you find a local source and get some of the comb if you can! If you have the land, think about raising bees of your own. Find and talk to a local beekeeping club, they should be able to point you in the right direction if you want to start raising your own, or if you just want to buy some for the family. This is just my opinion, but I say... It's worth it!

What is the "Middle Class"?

2009-02-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I was poking around on the White House website, just looking at what is going on. Looking to see if there was anything new upm, etc. So I see a bit about the new Middle Class Task Force. Hmmm, ok, let's take a look.

Run by Vice-President Joe Bidet... oh um, I mean Biden. The goals of this task force are:

*Expanding education and lifelong training opportunities
*Improving work and family balance
*Restoring labor standards, including workplace safety
*Helping to protect middle-class and working-family incomes
*Protecting retirement security

Hmmm, I guess this sounds ok. (Not really, but hey, I will go with it to get to my point).
Now, this is to help the Middle Class. Riddle me this... Who Are The Middle Class????

Look it up online, there is no set definition for this. For salaries it can range from 25,000/year to over 100,000/year. Now, I've never made 100k a year, but I have made 25-30k per year. I wouldn't have considered myself middle-class. I knew I wasn't poor (I was doing computer work for a free care clinic, so I got to see the truly poor), but I didn't feel like middle-class. Of course, I wasn't thinking about labels either! Now, I can imagine how much 100k/year would be. If I compared the two, I would have to say that they aren't in the same league, but we are being told that they are both the Middle Class. Ok, even if I swallowed that... Can you tell me how something that would help the person making 25k/year is going to help the 100k/year person? If they are making 100k/year they might just be doing a teeny bit better financially. But then again, the 100k/year person is paying a significantly higher amount of their income in TAXES!!! hmmm, maybe that "evens things out"..

I would have to say salary is not exactly a good indicator of social standing, but for the "average" person, I guess it works ok. I say this because as a homesteading and self-sufficiency seeking family, I can see having NO DEBT at all, and working a part time job making 25k to pay for toys and extras, but having the necessities covered. This works at the bottom and the top ends of this range.

So let's take some time, and think about what this means. Until we have a definition of terms like these, whenever the government tosses out things like the "Middle Class Task Force" can be used for whatever they want and they will just shove more into the "Middle Class". Let's make sure we are all on the same page here, folks.

Fairness Doctrine = censorship

2009-02-20T12:00:00.001-05:00

For the past few weeks, there has been a lot said about the "Fairness Doctrine" and bringing it back. While the President has said that he does not support bringing it back, he has made no statement regarding the actual provisions that were contained within this bill in its previous incarnations. The basic premise of this "doctrine" is that both sides of issues needed to be presented fairly, equally, and in a balanced manner. This was regulated by the government, in the body of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

As far as I am able to determine, this is primarily aimed at talk radio because it tends to be conservative. Television media has much more leaning opposite of talk radio, and the majority of paper media is dedicated to one side as well. (Note: television and newspapers/magazines tend to be more liberal than talk radio) The President stated to members of Congress that they could not listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done with his administration. "You can't just liten to Rush Limbaugh and get things done." (Thanks NY Post) Former President Clinton came out saying that he supports the fairness doctrine because there is so much money supporting the "right wing talk shows".
Read Rush Limbaugh's open letter to the president regarding this issue HERE.

Almost sounds like they are trying to legislate away their opponents right of free speech, doesn't it? How did the First Amendment to the Constitution go?
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (emphasis added is mine.)

Sounds like this "Fairness" crapola is a bit of a law abriding the rights of free speech, now doesn't it? Not really fair if the economy and business shows that people listen to one thing or watch one thing, but you want another side shown. Why don't they just start up their own company and make it competitive? Show their side. If people believe it or want to hear it, they will make money through advertisements and become prosperous. If people don't want to hear it, don't believe it, or just plane don't like it they will fail. (AirAmerica anybody?)

Now, I have been describing this all to you for two reasons. One, we all need to know about this because it will affect our TV, radio, newspapers, etc. if it is passed, and we all should tell our congressmen and senators how we feel before that happens. Secondly, what do you think they will do after they ban this from the traditional outlets? Perchance, they will try to regulate the Internet? How do you think that will affect you? How will that affect me? Will I be able to continue my blog if they do that? Probably not. There are many others out there who are sharing information online that is not reported in the mainstream media. Do you think that they will be able to continue doing what they are doing if the government steps in to regulate the 'Net? Do you think that the idea that they are violating the First Amendment is going to stop them?

I don't think so.

Senator Jim DeMint is attempted to force a vote on a bill that would ban the Fairness Doctrine and things like it. It would also force Democrats to be on the record about which way they stand.
Read the story HERE.

Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. (and do what you can to make the best happen)

I won an award!!! yay me!

2009-02-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

DivaHick and Phelan (A Homesteading Neophyte) have both given me an "Excellence in Blogcasting Award"! I am truly honored by both of these! I love both of their blogs and check often for updates so I can read more!

This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

The rules to follow are:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to another (up to) 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Hmm, let's see... (I recognize a lot of the blogs that have already gotten this award and I am trying to think of who hasn't gotten it yet that I appreciate. If your name is not on the list, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate what you do!)

1) Self Sustained Living
2) My Modern Country Home
3) In Jennifer's Head
4) Achorn Farm
5) Confessions of an Overworked Mom
6) Stealth Survival
7) One Acre Homestead

Thanks again, I am honored!

Whatever happened to...

2009-02-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

Free-market Capitalism?

Ok, seriously, I was bopping around some news sites today and I'm getting to be frickin' terrified for America and Americans because of some of the new developments...

1) Germany passed a bill that allows them to nationalize banks. They haven't actually done it, but the new law now allows them to do it. (Read It Here)

2) Alan Greenspan *twitch-twitch* (SCHMUCK) says that nationalization of our banks may very well be the best thing for our economy. Of course, he does say it should be temporary, but then, when is anything that the government does TEMPORARY??!?!?! (Read It Here)

3) Now some Republicans (although, Lindsay Graham is the only one named) are advocating nationalizing the banks as well. They are looking to the ideas that the President supports, which is the "Swedish Model". This model for banking seems to say that they want to nationalize the banks and then auction them off when they have a cleaned up balance sheet. (Read It Here)

Ok, now I am against the nationalization of ANYTHING at any time. The federal government has proven, repeatedly, that it can not run anything cleanly, on time, under budget, and without too much redtape. I know that if I were the owner, or even a majority stockholder, of any of these banks, I wouldn't want the government to rob me at gun point, would you? And yes, that is exactly what the government is talking about doing. (It's what they do to you every year by April 15!)

If we wouldn't want someone to rob us, why do people support plans that allow others to be robbed?

Gasp... Oh me oh my!

2009-02-17T12:02:00.000-05:00

Ok, well, I just realized that I missed my normal noon post today. Things have been rather hectic and I thought I had one scheduled, but oops! My bad. LOL

Anyways, for those of you who don't know, I am not the primary on the Ohio Preppers Network (OPN). Take a look over there and let me know what you think, also if anyone wants to contribute or has ideas for posts or questions that they would like answered (either here or there) please let me know. You can do that by emailing me at thefarmergeek@hotmail.com. Ok, Sounds good and I hope to hear from everyone!

Money, its a gas...

2009-02-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

So I just finished reading The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey. First off, this book is Awesome, and I highly recommend it for everyone. The primary and only focus in this book is how to build wealth by removing DEBT. His goal is to help everyone who reads his book (or hears his radio show) to get rid of all debt and to live debt free! His process makes a lot of sense to me, but he had a couple points that I want to discuss today.

First point. Debt is bad. Period. End of sentence. I have read many many many financial books on buying rental properties, real estate, etc. The one big thing that every one that I read had in common is that they advocate the use of Other People's Money (OPM). Dave will explain that yes this could work, but this could also seriously backfire too. (Trust me, he explains it a whole lot better!)

The big point that I wanted to talk about because he lays it out in a page, and I think that this really needs to be talked about right now. Gold is not the answer. We are all aware of the new "stimulus" ... *ahem* ... bill that is waiting on the presidents desk to be signed right now. (If you are not, do the research!!!) This bill could sound the death knell for the American economy. I hope not, I pray not, but ... Now if the economy collapses, what do you want to have? Common wisdom says to invest in gold and precious metals because they have always been the foundation for economies. While that may be true, it won't help you right off the bat. Someone who has TONS of extra food saved may accept your gold, but most people won't because it won't be worth diddly. Dave states that a "black market barter system" is what will emerge. Heck, we know this in our heart of hearts, and we know it because the barter system is alive and well in rural America.

Barter... if things really go downhill, what are the most important things to have to be able to barter, if need be. Skills, first and foremost, you can always trade for things by being able to do jobs and projects that need to be done. Many people don't have these skills anymore, so the more skills you have, the more in demand you will be. Next, FOOD. Yes, I said food... If you have food stored up and saved for a rainy day, those that don't have any will try to beg, plead, steal, or borrow to get food for themselves and their family. The more you have, the more options you have. Another huge category? Things that would currently be "black market". This includes tobacco, beer, wine, hard-core distilled liquor(!!!!), ammo, weapons, etc.

Don't get me wrong, if you have the cash to buy some gold, DO IT! Just don't expect it to be the complete salvation of your family IF the economy collapses. However, depending on how long it takes to get a new economy set up, you could live long enough to have that gold make you rich in the new economy. So again, it is good to be prepared for that situation, BUT make sure you are prepared for the others as well.

Read the book, think about it, make your decision, and Do It!

*title from Pink Floyd's Dark side of the Moon track entitled Money.

Everyone knows, it's Windy.

2009-02-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

Stupid song, been in my head for a while now. Well, as I am not sure where everyone is from, I will toss in my $.02 about this. We've had some high winds for the past couple of days, and there was some damage done. Seems our house escaped unscathed (Thank God!), but a couple people have posted some pictures of some of the damage (Chris @ 1acreohiohomestead & DivaHick).

This got me thinking. My dinky little chicken coop, that I rushed and didn't plan out very well, is hopefully going to be replaced this summer. This time I intend on doing it right and planning everything out. Also, I am hoping to be able to put up a large shed/barn this year as well. Man would it be nice to get the straw and feed out of the basement!

With all of the wind that we had (and its not the first time), and the melting snow/rain that we had, I have to make sure that the new coop and barn aren't going to sink in mud and that they aren't going to blow away. Now, I have gotten a couple books about barns and pole buildings and animal housing and whatnot, and they seem to be very useful books. I am just thinking that I am actually lucky that this happened again so that we know that last falls wind storm was not a freak accident, but rather something that will need to be taken into account.

Have you thought about your weather? Just remember, if you are looking to move to a homestead or a farm or something in a completely new area, you are bound to run into things like this. Things that make you go, "Gee, it wasn't like this back at (insert location here)".

"Be Prepared" that's the Boy Scout motto. Boy, aren't those Scouts' smart!

Hanky Panky?

2009-02-12T12:00:00.001-05:00

What ever happened to the handkerchief? I remember my grandparents always had their hanky. Tissues? Bah, just whip out that old piece of cloth, blow, wipe, and put it back in your pocket. My dad always carried a colored bandana when we would work outside, or when we went camping. I can't tell you how many times that piece of cloth saved me. Sniffles? Blow your nose. Cut or scrape? Wipe off the blood and tie it for a compression bandage.

I was in a meeting at work a few weeks ago and someone was laughing because they saw someone use a plain white hanky. They stopped laughing when I pulled mine out and began cleaning my glasses. I admit it, I carry handkerchiefs and bandanas. Throughout the week and at church, I have a hanky. Working outside or in the basement, camping/hunting/fishing, I carry a bandana. (Bandanas are larger than handkerchiefs and are colored.) Bandanas are better for not showing blood and are just doggon useful. Need to wipe your hands after baiting your hook? There ya go.

When did it become "better" to use a disposable piece of tissue paper to blow your nose and then throw it away? Is it a time thing, an image thing, a money thing, what?

Time? Do people think that it takes too much time to clean and keep track of your hankies. You just toss them in your washing maching with other things. They don't need a special load just for themselves or anything.
Money? You can get a pack of 6 handkerchiefs for 2-3 bucks and you can find bandanas at the dollar store most of the time. What does a box of tissues cost? They were $1.24 a box at wally world the other day, and that was for the generic brand!
Image? Is it uncool to carry a handkerchief? So? I don't really care what other people think of me. Scratch that, reverse it. I really don't care what other people think of me. You want people to think you are cool, so you will use tissues instead of a handkerchief? Heck, how many celebrities, polititians, etc. do you see wear a suit with a pocket square? Those are hankies!!!

Hankies are better for the environment, too? You aren't using trees and creating waste when you use them. They don't take much to wash out. Heck, I use my handkerchiefs throughout the week and then put them in the wash over the weekend. Extra cost? 1-2 cups of water in the washing machine. whoop-di-doo

Ahh, but the big one. It is "unsanitary"! Oh really? Yet our forefathers carried them will no ill effects. People do carry them and I would wager that those people don't get ill any more than anyone else. (I would even put forth the contention that they get sick less since they aren't touching tissue boxes that sick people are touching, but I don't have any proof of that) This idea of things must be perfectly clean and sanitary is ... well, that will be a topic for another day. Let's just say that if you are blowing your nose in your hanky and you put it in your pocket, you aren't going to make yourself get dysentery.

I guess I just don't get it. How about this... "Save the trees, use hankies"? Man, I should be in marketing, no?

States Rights vs. Federal Rights

2009-02-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

The United States of America. Greatest nation on Earth. One of the most misunderstood structure in the world.

The Constitution of the US clearly delimits the rights that the Federal government has. These are clearly delimited and defined. The rights of the States are EVERYTHING ELSE!

James Madison wrote in the Federalist paper #45:

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and
defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.
The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and
foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be connected.
The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary
course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal
order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.

Now, I can see that people may say that the Federalist papers were not actual legal or governmental documents. Fair enough. So let's take a look at some governmental documents.

The Constitution of the United States of America outlines the rights and responsibilities of each branch of the federal government. These are specifically designated to each branch to create the checks and balances system. Ok, well, what does it say about States Rights? Not a darned thing!

The Bill of Rights was created because:

The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the
Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its
powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added.
(added emphasis is mine)

However, the Bill of Rights states in Amendment 10:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

What does all this mean to you? Well, what I take from all of this is that a lot of what the government is trying to do is UNCONSTITUTIONAL! That's right, its not constitutional. Has that stopped them for the past 80 years? Nope, but we need to make sure that people are aware of this.

Some states have been making strides to remind the federal government about this fact. They are not trying to seceed or take power from the government, but they are trying to remind the federal government and warning it to watch it's step.

Follow the trail of information, and after the links that outline this, I am including the list of links to each state that has a resolution or bill regarding this. If you know of any state that I have not included, please let me know and post it in the comments! Thanks to everyone who did the research and brought this forward to my attention!

The Republic of Dave
WorldNet Daily
In Jennifer's Head

Missouri
Arizona
Michigan
New Hampshire
Washington
Oklahoma

Take a minute, think about this and I encourage everyone to read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights because these are the heart and soul of this country. They are the founding documents and the rules that everying in America was based on.

God Bless America.

Lifestyle Questionaire

2009-02-10T12:01:00.001-05:00

This comes courtesy of my friend, Chris, over at the 1acreohiohomestead. I encourage everyone who reads this to think about what their answers would be. If you have a blog yourself, I challenge you to answer them on your blog!

Basic Questions About You

1-What is the biggest goal of your lifestyle? To not owe anyone anything.
2-When did you start this lifestyle? This version... about 6 months ago
3-What was your main motivation? Wanted to set up a good place to raise children.
4-Did you have any previous experience in anything you're doing now? Most, but not all.
5-Does your spouse/signifiacant other (if you have one) share the same ideas? Yes
6-Do your friends and family understand and support these choices? What about your kids? Some are supportive, some don't understand. No kids yet.
7-How happy are you with your achievements so far? Pretty happy, but it's still early for this location.
8-Are you more of a gardener, homesteader, prepper, health concience, "green"' or a combination of several? Yes
9-Has this change of lifestyle affected your personality? nah, my personality led to the lifestyle
10-Has it changed your view of your life before? nope nope
11-What about how you view others that don't understand it or naysay? I don't really pay attention to what others say. I try to explain to those who are curious, but naysayers, eh, don't need 'em in my life.
12-If you could convince someone to live the way you do in ONE sentance, what would you say? "I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."

Other Questions-
1-How large is your vegetable garden? 30x100 or so, maybe, eh, i forget.
2-Do you grow any fruits, and what and how many? some raspberry plants and an apple tree, for now, but more are on the way for this spring. (blackberry, apple, cherry, raspberry, blueberry, YUM)
3-Do you have any animals and what are they? (other than pets) 9 hens, 2 roosters, 2 muscovy ducks.
4-Do you can/dehydrate/freeze/store your own produce? Absolutely
5-Do you work with mainly power tools or hand tools in your gardens and others? (wood cutting, splitting, tiller vs. broadfork etc...) mainly, i work with what is at hand.
6-Do you compost? yuppers
7-Do you recycle? No, I reuse.
8-Do you consider yourself energy consience? (conserving to save $) I watch usage to save my pocketbook.
9-Do you make any of your own household cleaners? Some of them
10-Do you make your own bread? My wife does
11- If in an emergency situation, are you able to not leave home for a week? How about a month? A year?? A week easy, a month, probably, not yet a year.
12-Are you tired of answering questions yet? geeze, who made this so long...
13-If you prep, what do you consider to be your most useful tool/items. guns/ammo, bows/arrows, canning jars, axe and hatchet... ummm, lots?
14-Are you able to heat your home without gas or fuel oil? yes, have a woodburning fireplace for now and looking to put in an auxilliary wood furnace.
15-Are you able to cook without gas or electricity? yes, in the fireplace.
16-Again, if in an emercency situation, could you live in the wild or out of a tent? ( camping,hunt/fish, cook,etc.) done it before, I can do it again
17-Have you ever practiced your prep skills? (turning off main power for a day or 2) How did you do? (this can include a power outage due to weather as a test) Nah, nature does it for us.
18-Do you have the knowledge & skills (plus tools) to hunt and fish for food? yummy!
19-If you don't prep, why not?
20-Do you or can you sew your own clothes and make your own bedding? She and I both CAN... not the prettiest due to lack of practice.
21-Can you field dress a deer, drink a coffee, smoke a cigarette, make a cell phone call, light a fire, AND answer all of my annoying questions at the same time? lol thanks for playing! at the same time? I do one thing, I do it well, and then I move on.... lol, ok so I can multitask, too, but that may be a bit much!

Like the Mary Ellen Carter...

2009-02-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

The Mary Ellen Carter is a fictional ship from the song of the same name by Stan Rogers. (For those of you who have never heard his stuff, this guy was AMAZING!) This is an inspirational song about a ship that sank, but whom the sailors loved so much that they made her rise again. Now, I personally love this song, but I was thinking about our country today, and thought that this is probably one of the most perfect songs that everyone should know nowadays. With all of the issues facing us today, we need songs of hope, but more importantly we need a Fight Song to remind Americans to keep heart, to work hard, and to remember that this is our country and we can do anything if we put our minds to it.

In this song, two of the last verses go as follows and this is what I think we need to remind everyone:

And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Rise again, rise again - though your heart it be broken
Or life about to end.
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend,
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Americans have cliches show the concept of getting back on the horse, getting back in the ring, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, etc. But today, so many people are sitting down, laying down, letting life and circumstances walk all over them. Then there are others who are gritting their teeth, regardless of their circumstances, and keeping on. These are the holders of the true American Spirit. That never give up, never say die, attitude!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPuBEZPgjY

And to all of you out there, no matter how many times you've been knocked down, beaten, trode on, or abused... I say Rise Again! Its not easy, it never is, but it is possible.

Ohio Preppers Network (OPN)

2009-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I have been asked to help with the OPN and I agreed. I will be posting articles over there as well as here on my blog. Check it out here.

I agreed to help Joel out over there because I believe it is important to help as many people as I can realize that wether or not you know that something bad is about to happen, it can. And yes, many people need to realize that it can happen to them, too. The world doesn't play favorites, and bad things happen to good people. Also, I want to help people realize that they can be prepared for emergencies and tragedies at all income levels and situations. You don't need to build a bomb shelter in the backyard, but you could if you wanted to, I suppose.

This blog, The Farmer Geek, was started to be about homesteading and my learning process for things I don't know. There will be plenty of that, (especially as soon as the weather turns for a longer period of time), but some of the articles I post here will be over there and vice versa. There may be some posts over there that don't get posted over here, as well. We will have to see how this evolves.

I will say this, if things get too bad, I will step down from helping over there to focus here because thefarmergeek is my first blog and my primary.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to be able to keep everyone interested and coming back!

The Tobacco Tax Rises Again!

2009-02-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

The American government, in its quest for the almighty dollar, has decided that they will be increasing the tax on commercially sold tobacco. HermitJim wrote a good post that breaks down the new taxes by tobacco type. Now, this is nothing new, greedy beaurocrats that do not create wealth are always looking for a way to justify their jobs and to get money to pay for their positions. However, the AMOUNT of the tax increases that have been passed are what staggers the mind. The House of Representatives and the Sentate have both passed bills that would raise the tax by $.62 and $.61, respectively. They are banking on this increased tax to raise the income of the federal governemnt, but what always happens when taxes are raised? The amount collected goes down. People will quit or start growing their own tobacco.

Now, mmPaints over at selfsustainedliving.blogspot.com grows her own tobacco, and that got me thinking about doing it myself. So what do I do next? Research, research, and more research... and you, lucky reader, will get to share some of what I have found.

As with any plants or seeds, heirloom is the way to go anymore. This will allow you to save the seeds from the plant in order to be stored and planted the next year, and of course, they are much much much less likely to be genetically modified. So I went looking for some heirloom tobacco seeds to start my own plot of tobacco, and I found one location that seems to be the best bet. New Hope Seed has a large variety of heirloom tobacco for all different purposes. They label each variety with its name, type, common uses, and pictures of the plant and the flower. They sell both seeds and started plants, as well. I'm not sure which way I am going to go regarding the varieties, but I know I will be getting a few packets of seeds, at least. I am thinking that I may get a few live plants to transplant just to make sure I get some sort of a crop this year. But I do know that I want some plants that are good for both pipes and cigarettes.

As I understand it, tobacco is not difficult to grow, but in order to prepare it for use, there are a few things that should be done. (Note I said should. I have heard you don't need to cure it, but I don't know) There are a few methods of curing and preparing your tobacco, but as I have not yet done this, I am not going to go over them. There are a few sites out there that I am looking at how to do this, and I'm sure there are more than I have found. This isn't even a concern unless I do manage to have a harvest, and then I will be prepared for it!

I will post more throughout the summer about this project as it continues... but I would at least urge you to think about growing your own if you use any tobacco products. With the rising federal taxes, and some states looking to raise theirs as well, it is going to put a major hurting on the pocketbook before too long!

(and let me just add that if the revolution ever does come, tobacco would make an amazing barter item)

http://hermitjim.blogspot.com/2009/02/wellthey-are-after-me-again.html
http://selfsustainedliving.blogspot.com/2008/12/gardening-surprise-supporting-our.html
http://www.rusticgirls.com/gardening/growing-tobacco.html
http://newhopeseed.com/tobacco
http://tobaccoinfo.utk.edu/index.htm

37 things

2009-02-05T12:00:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I've been kinda serious and hitting some pretty "serious" topics and skills, and I figured I would lighten things up a little. If I keep up my previous pace without any breaks, I'll be out of things to talk about until spring! So here's a little bit of info about me.

1. Do you like blue cheese? Gag me
2. Have you ever smoked? Still do. Pipe and homemade ciggies.
3. Do you own a gun? Let's just say we are protected
4. What flavor Kool Aid is your favorite? Cherry, of course.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Frustrated, yeah, nervous, no
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Eh, prefer brats or kielbasa, but they are ok
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Ha ha, no
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffee
9. Can you do push-ups? palm, knuckle, fingertip, two-fingered, inclined or declined?
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring
11. Favorite hobby? Ummm, yes? I can't pick just one.
12. Do you have A.D.D? nah
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Glasses. Should get some contacts for wearing with shades in the summer.
14. Middle name? D... I don't think so
15. Name thoughts at this moment? Worry about being a good Foster/Adoptive parent
16. Name 3 drinks you like. Coffee, beer, scotch
17. What are you afraid of? Ummmm, I dunno
18. Current hate right now? I love the whole wide world.
19. Favorite place to be? With my wife
20. How did you bring in the New Year? Friends over and watching the ball drop.
21. Where would you like to go? Got an hour? Scotland, Ireland, China, Japan, Australia, ...
22. Name three people who will complete this? Ignorance and Apathy (I don't know and I don't care)
23. Do you own slippers? two pair
24 What color shirt are you wearing? black
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? or burlap, I can sleep on anything
26. Can you whistle? yuppers
27. Favorite Color? Dark Green
28. What songs do you sing in the shower? Anything/everything
29. Would you be a pirate? Ninja Pirate Monkey, that's me!
30. Favorite Girl's Name? do I have to pick just one?
31. Favorite boy's name? Owen/Owain
32. What's in your pocket right now? cash, lighter, pocket knife
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Belly-flopping on the dog. (no, i did not land on him)
34. What vehicle do you drive? Ranger or Sportage (or Cordoba if I ever finish)
35. Worst injury you've ever had? Tearing the PCL out of my right knee in a wrestling match.
36. Do you love where you live? I like it... haven't grown to love it yet.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2

More Power?!

2009-02-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I posted the other day about our new acquisition of a cheap 5.25 kW generator. This was a great deal, and really good for us, but would this be enough of a generator for you? I don't know if this is the generator that I would have chosen for myself if I were buying new, and this leads me into today's post about choosing your generator. I will go through the process for my families power needs and we will see if this is the right size generator for us.

First thing to decide once you have determined that you are going to buy a generator is what type of generator do you want/need? There are two types of generators: portable and stand-by. Portable generators are normally about the size of a cooler and runs on gasoline. Stand-by generators are hard-wired into your house and start at the size of an outdoor air-conditioning unit (and get larger).

Portable generators are an excellent choice for many people that only need to run a few appliances for a short period of time (e.g. you only lose power for a few hours/days each year). To use a portable generator, you have to plug in your appliances to an extension cord instead of the wall outlet. When the power goes out, someone needs to go down and start the generator manually and plug in the urgent appliances. Since these generators tend to use gasoline, you need to store enough gasoline to sustain use for a period of time, and the fuel needs to be cycled to be kept fresh. Also, one of the other main points to remember with portable generators is the notation on it that may say something to the effect of "10 hours @ 1/2 load". This means the generator should run for 10 hours if you are only pulling half of that number on the front (10 hours putting out 2500W on a 5000W generator). This is important in helping guestimate the amount of gas needed on hand.

Stand-by generators are the choice of many who are in hard-hit areas that lose power often/for long periods of time. These generators are hard-wired into your house, so that your appliances can be kept plugged into the wall outlets, and you don't need to muck about with anything. These also have the option of being able to automatically detect when the power to the house is out and they can start themselves with only a few second delay. These normally are directly connected to a Liquid Propane tank or a natural gas line so the fuel is provided for.

So once you have weighed the pros and cons of each type, and you have made your decision, then you need to determine the size of what you need. This part is rather generic for either style. Every appliance you have uses a certain amount of power per hour. Lowe's has a listing of power usages here, and there are more available out there if you look. Now, along with the amount of power it takes to run an appliance, many appliances have a "start-up" power usage. Obviously, this is the amount of power it takes to get this appliance from off to running. When you are calculating your power requirements, you will need to use the start-up Wattage ratings as your guide.

Using some "standard" guides, here's a quick example. I have a freezer in the basement, a fridge upstairs, and a well pump to run. I will say that all lighting will be done by oil lamps and candles for this example. The freezer and the fridge both have startup Wattages at around 3000W, and the well pump is probably around 3200W. What this means is that with the 5.25kW generator that my family has, we can not power all three (or even any two) at the same time, BUT as long as we rotate our usage, we should be just fine.

So at this point, I think I've given you plenty to think about, but I hope this helps you think about your power and what would happen if. Also, I hope if you have been thinking about getting a generator, but didn't know where to start... well, there ya go. (Ok, heck, I'm just glad you read it!)

Gonna Be A Black Out Tonight!

2009-02-03T12:00:00.001-05:00

So you've moved to the country to get away from the crush. Got yourself some land, a well, and septic. You've got some food saved up and you are ready, come what may! Oops, there goes the electricity. " Its ok, we don't need that! Oh well, let's all get a drink of water" ... what? No water?! Oh boy, your well is electric, now what will you do?

Does this sound familiar, or is this so cheesy that you don't think it happens? Well, it didn't happen to us, but I was worried a couple times. We do have a bunch of water saved up, but the ever present question was there. Is It Enough? I wasn't really worried about lights or heat, we have heated the house in the past via the fireplace (not fun, but it can be done). No, the water is what worries me. Not only for our drinking and washing, but for the dogs and the chickens, also.

Well, a friend of a relative had bought a house a while back that came with a portable generator. This guy never used it, heck didn't even know if it had any gas in it, but he wanted to get rid of it. SCORE!

We are now the proud owners of a, who knows how old, 5.25 kW DeVilBiss, portable generator. It is badly in need of a tune-up, but at least it runs and puts out electricity.

So, now we have a 1 1/2 gallons or so of gas that is not mixed up for a 2-stroke. So for the next few pays, I think we will be getting a 5 gal gas can and filling it up for a few pays. I was thinking of a few methods of rotating the fuel and making sure that we have fresh stuff all the time, just in case.

On top of this, I now have to re-wire the well pump so that I can plug it in during an emergency. Fun stuff. Hey, you do what you gotta do, but a bit of time now to make things easier later. Works for me.

I think tomorrow, I will go over the basics of how to choose the proper generator for your home and family (assuming that you don't find a cheapie or free one). Don't hold me to that, but that post will be coming.

Homemade Wine

2009-02-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I discussed homebrewing beer and cider. Today is another topic on the same vine of thought. Homemade Wine. Now, I grew up in western PA and everyone (at least everyone I knew) knew someone who either made wine themselves, or they had a friend or relative who made their own wine. I have seen handwritten recipes passed down from grandparents and parents. I have seen equipment that ranges from fancy high-end pricey stuff to a gallon jug used with a pin-pierced balloon. However it is for you, homemade wine is a great hobby and skill to have.

Wine comes in so many varieties, red vs white, sweet vs dry, and then all the styles, etc. that I am not going to be able to cover all of these topics. What I am going to go over with you today is the basic process and steps for making your own wine. There are plenty of books and websites that will cover the more specific details, and maybe this post will interest you enough to go read up.

When it comes down to it, what is wine? Wine is the fermented juice of some fruit. Most people think of grape wines when they think of wine, but you can have strawberry wine, blackberry wine, etc. Just about any juice can be made in to wine. The more sugar in the juice, the more the yeast can eat and the higher the alcoholic content. You want more alcohol? Add some sugar or honey and let the yeast eat that too!

The process is very similar to that of cider:

1) Press the fruit and get all the juice of it that you can. (store bought juices can be used if they are 100% juice (and preferably preservative free, but good luck finding that anymore!))

2) I would boil it for a few to get any "bad things" out, but this step is rather optional if you know exactly where your fruit is from and what's been used on it.

3) Pour the juice into a clean and sterilized container. The container should be somewhat larger than the amount of juice put in, but with proper airlock usage, this is not exactly necessary. Your container could be just about anything, but Iwould recommend either food grade plastic or glass as they are the easiest to sterilize.

4) Dry yeast: mix with lukewarm water (~100°) until completely dissolved. Liquid yeast: follow the directions on the yeast package. The type of yeast that you use will affect the flavor of your wine. I recommend using a wine yeast that can be bought at just about any homebrew store or online. I know my grandfather used regular bread yeast, but that was many years ago. I would try it first with the wine yeast, then try it with bread yeast and compare.

5) Add an airlock to the container. This could be done through a hole-ed cork or rubber bung, etc. An airlock is a device that you put some water in that will allow excess gases to leave the container but no bacteria or anything can get down through the water. This helps keep things clean and you don't have to worry about contamination. If you don't have an airlock, a rubber balloon with a small pin hole in it will do basically the same thing.

6) Put this in a warm (depends on your yeast but normally 55°-75°) dark location and let it sit for a few weeks. Once there are no more bubbles, the yeast will have eaten some/most/all of the sugar in the juice and you will have a wine. Taste it and remember that as it ages, the flavors will change.

7) Siphon the wine into clean and sterilized bottles and cap/cork quickly. Make sure to siphon from as near the top as you can as the dead yeast will have settled to the bottom.

8) Store in a cool, dark location. Age and Drink and Enjoy!

Homebrew:CIDER

2009-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about homebrewing your own beer, but that is not all that can be home "brewed". Cider has been around for ages, and was actually a much more popular drink in ages past than beer. "Hard" Cider is cider that has had fermentation occur to make it alcoholic. Beer became more popular with the discovery of hops and other methods for preserving it so that it could be transported. But apples grow all over the place.

Who remembers the stories of Johnny Appleseed from when they were younger? What most people think of are the great apples that are available year round at grocery stores nowadays. Well, if you put those thoughts towards Johnny Appleseed, you would be wrong. He planted mostly small hard apples, that stored well, but were much better for cider than for eating. Just think of it, spreading alcohol instead of fruit? They wouldn't teach that in schools!

Cider is very easy to make, but for the die-hard cider enthusiast, it could have some major expenses. In order to make cider, all you need to do is crush apples, and drink the juice. Voilá! Cider. To make this cider "Hard", it just needs to ferment in a barrel for a few weeks where the free yeast in the air will ferment the sugar in the cider making it alcoholic. In order to speed it up and get reproducable results, we have the option to use packaged beer or wine yeast.

When I say there could be expenses, I mean equipment. Everywhere I have lived, I have been able to find orchards where you could get bushels of overripe or blemished skin apples relatively inexpensively. In order to increase your yield and the speed which you can make cider, you would want a fruit press. If you can get the crusher with the press, even better. Crushing the fruit will increase your yield by a goodly amount. The cider presses available run from $150 (maybe) and up, but they do quickly reduce the amount of time it takes to make cider from fresh fruit.

Always remember, that cider is not always made from apples. Pear Cider, aka "Perry", is very common and enthused about in Europe and small areas around the country here. Same process, different fruit.

If you have extra cider, or you let it go too long, hey, apple cider vinegar has lots of health benefits and works well for a lot of cooking purposes as well. Before it gets to that point, you could distill it to "Apple Jack" or apple brandy. (LEGAL NOTE: same as beer, I make no claims about the legality of this. Verify that for yourself.)

If you have a chance, I highly recommend Hard Cider. Its got a good taste, with a relatively low alcohol content, and you get your fruit every time you drink some! Gotta love it!

Homebrew:BEER

2009-01-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" -- Benjamin Franklin

Over the past few years, micro-breweries and speciality breweries have boomed across the country. Gone are the days of there being just a few national beer companies selling watered down horse-urine. (My apologies to those of you who do like this stuff...) I admit like different types/brands/etc of beer. Stouts/Ales/Lagers/Pilsners, I love most of them! Spicy/Fruity/Nutty, yuppers! It always seemed that I frustrated the servers when I would go out drinking because I never got the same thing twice. This of course lead me to the idea of making my own beer. Why not? If I make something that is disgusting, well, its my own fault (and it works GREAT in composters), but at the same time, if I make something amazing, then I can feel extremely proud of it.

How to homebrew... there are many books and online references available that will teach you the mechanics of brewing your own beer (I list a few at the end). But I know a lot of people that will ask, "Why should I make my own when there are so many types available for me?" Well, let me attempt to answer that for you. Making beer at home gives you a number of benefits that you can not get through buying beer at the store.

1) You can control the ingredients. You know everything that is going into that and you can make sure that there are no chemicals or preservatives in your brew. There are an extraordinary number of health benefits from beer, just look it up!
2) You can get recipes for "common" beers online and then tweek them to make them suit yourself, or you can make up your own recipes. This gives the brewer the control to make exactly what they want and what they like.
3) You can grow all of the ingredients yourself. If things ever get too bad, you could still have your own homemade beer grown from ingredients that you have grown yourself. Also, those grains you would use? You could eat them if things got too tight!
4) If you stop halfway through the process, you could take what you made and make liquor out of it. (LEGAL NOTE: I make no claims about the legality of this. Verify the legality at your location before attempting. This is not legal in the USA.) The coooked wort (pronounced wert) is the end result of cooking the grains, sugars, etc. This is what would be distilled to make whiskey and whisky (yes, they are different). I can, and probably will, discuss this process in further detail in another post.

Now that you know Why, you need to know the basics of How. Beginning to homebrew does not have to be expensive. Homebrew supply stores, sell kits with everything you nee (except bottles). Bottles can be gotten from beer distributers (ask them if they have any returns that people returned for the deposit (this practice is unfortuntely diminishing, but it doesn't hurt to ask)), ask friends to keep non-twist bottles for you, etc. The equipment itself can be expensive, but if you go with the kit, it doesn't have to be that much (you can get by for less than 100 from many homebrew stores for a beginners kit). You can go all the way up to super-expensive for an all grain, complicated setup. It all depends on where you are comfortable starting.

I highly recommend "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian, and his followup "The Homebrewer's Companion". These books contain pretty much any and all information you would need to learn to home brew as well as a really large and diverse list of recipes.

Also check out:
http://www.homebrew.org
http://www.homebrewing.org
http://www.beertown.org --- the American Homebrewers Association

These are just a few sites to check out, but there are many many more out there. Also, look around, many cities have homebrewing groups and organizations where you can get to know people that are currently doing it and their setups, feelings, likes/dislikes, etc.

I hope you find this informative. Tomorrow? Homebrew: CIDER!

The Animal Less Raised

2009-01-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

I hear a lot about raising chickens and raising goats on the homestead. Heck, both of these animals have multiple magazines dedicated to raising them. But what about the other animals that can be raised on smaller properties that will provide for the family? Ok, so I've started to hear more about meat rabbits, that's one. But what about a big ol' hog? Those things get HUGE! That's a lot of meat there, and unless your kosher, its some pretty good eatin'.

Ok, but seriously, think of everything that comes from a pig. You've got bacon, sausage, ham, pork, and lard. (Yes, I said lard, but that's another entry.) When you consider that there are small homestead farms out there raising heritage breed hogs upwards of 250# and getting 75% packaged meat from that. I admit, I have not done this, yet, but from what I can find online, that's 75% MEAT. That doesn't count the lard, salt pork, etc. that can be made using fat. That's a lot of meet for one growing season. Now, I'll admit, I don't know the breakdown of meat by type, but still, for an animal that can forage in pasture. Think about it... a meat goat will weigh much less, but on average, you will only get about 33% of the goats body weight for food (20% if you debone it all). Also, take into consideration if you can do the processing yourself, or if you will need to pay someone to do this all for you... that cost might change your mind.

I'm not saying to not think about each of the other animals, but make sure you consider these lovely animals. I'm still doing some research to see if they can be pastured with any other animals, but hey, I'm not saying this is for everyone, its just a thought.

Lard - the better fat

2009-01-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Lard has all but disappeared from the modern American household, and now when mention of the word comes up, people shudder. They fear the dreaded problems with lard. BUT, do said problems truly exist? Or are they just misconceptions perpetuated by companies and scientists? Let's take a look...

Fats come in three types: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. In this order they are: not great, good, and best. Now I know people are going to get on me about saying saturated fat is "not good" instead of labelling it "bad", but I really don't see it as bad. Is too much bad? Yeah, probably. But it occurs in nature in foods that our forefathers ate, and you know what? I don't think its bad. At least, it wasn't until we started mucking about with its chemical structure.
Now the big scare is trans-fats. Guess what! Lard doesn't have any. None, zero, zip, zilch, nada. Studies have shown that trans-fat is much worse for your health than saturated fat. Lard has about 40% saturated fat (compared to coconut oil's 85% and palm kernel oil's 80% **source**). Lard also has about 45% monounsaturated fats. That's a very respectable number from a health standpoint.

So from a health standpoint, Lard is good. There are proponents out there that are doing studies showing lard to be high in Omega-6 fatty acids, and showing the many other health benefits of lard. But there is a caveat.

Come on, you knew it was coming, right? Well, the boxes of lard that you get at the store are hydrogenated. This means that Hydrogen is added to increase the stability of the fat thus eliminating the need for any special storage conditions. By adding Hydrogen to the fat, the producers are eliminating a lot of the fat benefits listed above. Never fear, you can buy pig fat from local farms in order to render your own lard, or if this is too much work or too scary for a beginner, there are farm markets that sell "real" lard that is not hydrogenated.

As with anything, I urge you to do your own research and to look into the facts. If you agree that this wonderful ingredient is not the health terror we've always been told, let me tell you, it works WONDERS to pastries, baking, etc.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw09102006/2003248134_pacificptaste10.html
http://thehealthierlife.co.uk/article/33781/trans-fatty-acids.html
http://westonprice.org/motherlinda/fats_crisco.html
http://geniuscook.com/lard-is-healthy

These boots are made for...

2009-01-26T12:00:00.005-05:00

Unfortunately, my working/hiking/caber-tossing boots have finally broken beyond repair. For now, I can make do with my rubber wellie muck boots, but I'm going to need a new pair of work boots. But, with my worries about the future, and my attempt at frugal prepping, how do I pick a new pair of boots?

Do I go for a cheap pair that should last me a while? Or do I go for a more expensive pair, hoping that they will be better made and will last longer? The pair that just died lasted me a couple years, and were a whopping $19.99. So if I go for an $80 pair, they should last me 8 years, right? Or will they just be more comfortable for the few years that they last... I could get a couple pairs of the cheapies for the price of a more expensive pair. But if things get as bad as we all know they COULD... will I be able to buy another pair in a couple years? Will I have the money? Will the companies that are selling them still be around? All points to ponder...

Then do I go for 6" or 8" boots. Do I go for real leather or fake leather. Steel-toe or no? What about the rubber outer-soles. Etc etc etc. Lots of different things to think about.

Now, there is a lot to be said about paying for the better quality and more comfort. I will admit that I am not worried about weather-/water-proof boots because I will mink oil/saddle soap/wet-pruf my boots on a regular basis to take care of them. I have seen water-proof boots that have a "membrane" in them. You know what these do for me? They make my feet sweat, esp in mid-summer.

I have known a couple pipe-fitters who swear by Red Wing boots. I know mechanics that swear they don't see a difference between brands. I have talked to people who swear by brands (Caterpiller, Carhart, Timberline, etc). Well, that all being said, I am looking at a pair of C.E. Schmidt boots from Tractor Supply. This is T.S. house brand. They are less expensive, but they feel really good on my feet when I tried them on. Now its just a matter of saving up the rest of the cash for it, and seeing if anyone brings up any points that I hadn't thought of or that might change my mind. :-)

Misconceptions - Unalienable Rights

2009-01-23T12:00:00.002-05:00

The teacher has just made the statement, "The basis of all morality is duty, a concept with the same relation to group that self-interest has to individual." He goes on to say, "a human being has no natural rights of any nature."

. . . . Somebody took the bait. "Sir? How about 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?"

"Ah, yes, the 'unalienable rights.' Each year {in class} someone quotes that magnificent poetry. Life? What 'right to life' has a man who is drowning in the Pacific? The ocean will not hearken to his cries. What 'right' to life has a man who must die if he is to save his children? If he chooses to save his own life, does he do so as a matter of 'right'? If two men are starving and cannibalism is the only alternative to death, which man's right is 'unalienable'? And is it 'right'? As to liberty, the heroes who signed the great document pledged themselves to buy liberty with their lives. Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost."

"The third 'right'? --- the 'pursuit of happiness'? It is indeed unalienable, but it is not a right; it is simply a universal condition which tyrants cannot take away nor patriots restore. Cast me into a dungeon, burn me at the stake, crown me king of kings, I can 'pursue happiness' as long as my brain lives --- but neither gods nor saints, wise men nor subtle drugs, can insure that I will catch it."

----Robert A. Heinlein, "Starship Troopers"

I was catching up on some news, that is, I had the radio on and was looking at some news websites. This is a not uncommon occurence for me, but I started to put some of these thoughts together again and decided to share. I know that this might upset some people, might offend others, and some may agree. If you want to share your point of view, leave me a comment, please. All I ask is that before jumping down my throat, you read the whole entry and think about it before yelling at me, OK? Ok, thanks... and awayyyy we go...

But I was thinking about this book and looking at some of the headlines. These are some headlines that we, as Americans, could see and hear about every day if we look at the national news. Its almost a constant. Civil Rights are being violated here or there, this group is fighting for their rights, Civil Rights, workers rights, gay rights, whatever it happens to be. Every group in America seems to think that they deserve or are entitled to have their own special rights. I know that many people have discussed this or similar topics in the past, but as I was writing the last post about Cultural Oxymorons, it got me thinking about this quote and boom, Bob's your uncle, and you have this post.

So many of these groups fought tooth and nail to be included in the mainstream of American culture, but now that they are there, they want to have special rights. "Seperate but Equal" was a bad thing when it was imposed from the outside, but now that they are doing it to themselves, its ok. The problem is, a lot of the "rights" that they want, are not equal. They are concessions to that group in particular.

In my opinion, if you want to segregate yourself, that's fine. But don't ask me to give you special permissions or leeway to do something that you want that I can't do either. Also, don't be udset if I decide to segregate myself as well. You want to have BET, and black student unions, and hispanic student unions, etc. Don't be made when I want to have a whites only group. Granted, I don't really care, but if you have the right to do that, then I should have the same right.

Remember, "All men are created Equal"... this is all of us, not, we are all created equal but some are more equal than others. We all should have the same rights. No matter how many or how few, they should all be the same.

Dictator by Executive Order

2009-01-22T17:35:00.003-05:00

Now to interrupt your regularly scheduled evening... I heard these things when I got home and I am so upset that I had to post this.

Ok, I have to preface this by saying that I really do want the President to succeed. But after 1 day in office, I'm afeared. I'm truly afeared that the country is going to be run via executive order, completely bypassing the checks and balances built into our government.

First thing, he closed Gitmo. Well, truth be told, he closed all foreign detainment camps and prisons. What are we going to do with everyone that is currently housed in these institutions? Just let them go? Heck no... Jack Murtha is willing to house all the detainees from Gitmo in his district in PA.

Not only that, but he is saying that they will all be tried and questioned based on the Army Field Manual. You know what? That field manual is for honorable combatants that follow honorable war practices. These schmucks don't deserve that. Heck, they don't even need to be treated according to the Geneva Convention because they aren't following the rules laid out by the GC for what constitutes a war or a combatant. They aren't wearing uniforms that distinguish them, etc. So now all of these people are going to be awarded rights that they shouldn't have based on their own conduct.

Then he signed the executive order that covered the Freedom of Choice act. This states that any woman has the right to start, prevent, or terminate their pregnancy at any time. Gee, don't the fathers have any say? Why are more men not upset about this? This takes away any rights that a guy would have. If he wants the child, but the woman doesn't... tough. If he wants to use birth control, but she doesn't... tough. This act also makes it difficult, if not impossible, to protest the legality of federally controlled abortion, etc.

If he is going to do this on his first day in office, what more is in store for us down the line?

Please, remember that there are three branches of government for a reason and that there is a process in place that should, no NEEDS, to be followed. We can't have someone ruling the country by executive order. Americans need to find their voice and make sure that their legislators recognize this.

America, still a representative republic. But for how long?

The Art of Self-Defense

2009-01-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

The other day, I spoke about the need to keep your body in shape enough to be able to do the necessary work to survive and to protect your family. In that entry, I was merely discussing physical fitness and its importance. Today, I am going to discuss the benefit of preparing by learning to defend yourself and your family, with and without weapons.

Many preppers and self-sufficiency advocates discuss the best firearms to have and their best uses. They discuss how much ammo to have, etc. This is all great information. However, if things ever get so bad that we need these firearms to protect our homes and families, I think it is safe to say that we will need them for hunting as well. Also, purchasing more ammo would be difficult if things get that bad, and it will be important to be able to defend yourself and your family with other tools around the house/homestead and bare-handed.

Many many years ago, on the island of Okinawa, the farmers were stripped of all weapons because the government was worried about rebellion. The ingenius farmers adapted their farming tools to be able to defend themselves. They learned how to fight with these tools, and these tools and techniques have been passed down in many ways through the art of Karate.

In Brazil, there is a martial art called Capoiera, that is "hidden" in a dance/game. Supposedly, this was created for protection and preperation in the same way. The people, or slaves, were forbidden to practice any form of martial art, so they created this way of practicing a way to protect themselves while hidden in plain sight.

Let us hope and pray that it never comes to this in America, but if it does, would you be able to protect yourself and your family? Do you know the weak spots on the human body to hit if someone attacked you? Could you swing your shovel/pitchfork/ax/hatchet enough to use it as a weapon to protect yourself? Do you own these or any other tools that you could use?

Remember, too, that prepping is not just making sure that you have these weapons, or firearms, or anything else... it also includes making sure that you know how to use these things that you have stored. Almost everything can have multiple uses... Have you thought about this and the uses for things in your house/apartment/homestead?

Just something to think about...

Violence

2009-01-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

"My mother said violence never solves anything." "So?" Mr. Dubois looked at her bleakly. "I'm sure the city fathers of Carthage would be glad to know that."

"Anyone who clings to the historically untrue — and thoroughly immoral — doctrine that "violence never solves anything" I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and of the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler could referee, and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk, and the Passenger Pigeon. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedoms."
---Robert A. Heinlein, "Starship Troopers"

Ok, for now, I think this third quote from this book is enough. I'll finish this up and then move on to something else.

Violence. Its a fundamental part of nature, a part of this world we live in. It can be a volcano that destroys an entire city (e.g. Pompeii) to a human act that destroys an entire city (e.g. Nagasaki, Hiroshima). What's the difference? Either way an entire city is gone. Exactly, as referenced in the beginning of this quote, the same as Carthage.

The way I interpret this quote may be strange, but I don't believe that the author is saying that violence should be the first attempt. Maybe not even the third. But the problem is that when you get down to it, diplomacy has very rarely worked, and violence is what resolves the matter, eventually and definitively.

I would further add, that it is not just violence, but as much violence as needed. Look at the situation in Israel. They have defeated Palestine a number of times throughout the years. However, they keep bowing to the pressure of the "world community" and keep stopping short of completely solving the matter.

Do I advocate violence for everything, or as a first resort? Not at all. Do I feel that it can be justified when it is used correctly? Absolutely.

Well, there ya go... now don't hit me!

Overlooked is the Physical

2009-01-20T12:00:00.001-05:00

I read a lot, and I read quickly. This means that I get through a lot of material quickly. With my focus being on homesteading, prepping, self-sufficiency, and self-responsibility, I have found a lot of great information about gardening, chickens, goats, composting, firearms, ammo, etc. One thing that I haven't seen anyone talk about (not saying no one has, but that I haven't seen) is Physical preparedness.

Now, I want to be fair, so let me explain where I am coming from up front. I'm 6'2", almost 300#, I smoke, I drink occasionally, and I love greasy and rich foods. However, I am rather strong, can trudge and can work the day away at physical labor. I completely tore my Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) completely out of my one knee over 10 years ago and never had surgery or anything to fix this. So I am not coming from a place where I can run 4 minute miles, eat no fat or carbs, have 0% body fat, etc etc etc. Along with my stats up there, I should also mention that I hold a "black belt" level in Shaolin Chang Chuan (Chinese Kung Fu) and wrestled, collegate-style, through middle and high school.

Ok, so all of that being said, what is the primary tool that each and all of us have in our quest for preparedness and self-sufficiency? Our bodies. If we don't keep our bodies in good working order, how can we expect to plant those seeds or carry the feed for the animals? If you don't have the stamina to go out and weed and plant and harvest your crops, they aren't going to do much good, now are they? Are you going to be able to walk out into the woods and stay awake in a freezing cold morning to take game for the family to eat?

Now, I am not going to say that there aren't people who are prepping and trying to become self-sufficient who don't have physical ailments and disabilities. These are some big obstacles to overcome, and there are ways to work around some of these things. It takes some new innovations and an iron will to overcome many of these things.

If you don't have these for reasons, are you physically able to protect and provide for yourself and your family?

American and Ohio Preppers Networks

2009-01-19T19:47:00.004-05:00

I was surfing around this afternoon reading some new blogs, and I happened across a post that talks about the American Preppers Network. Looking at their site, they had a link to the Ohio Preppers Network website. Surprise! That site just had a message saying that they are just starting up. I sent Joel, the main driving force behind the Ohio site an email. As soon as I hit send on that email, I look up and POW, there is a new post! I highly recommend checking these sites out! These are a great chance to get in at the beginning of something to share what you know and to learn from others out there.

Now is the time to prepare. You never know what might happen or what is coming down the pike!

http://ohiopreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/
http://americanpreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/
http://www.patriotscave.blogspot.com/

Cultural Oxymoron

2009-01-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

{The teacher} then turned to {Johnny Rico}. "I told you that 'juvenile delinquent' is a contradiction in terms. 'Delinquent' means 'failing in duty.' But duty is an adult virtue - indeed, a juvenile becomes an adult when, and only when, he acquires a knowledge of duty and embraces it as dearer than the self-love he was born with. There never was, there cannot be, a 'juvenile delinquent.' But for every juvenile criminal, there are always one or more adult delinquents - people of mature years who either do not know their duty, or who, knowing it, fail."

"And that was the soft spot which destroyed what was in many ways an admirable culture. The junior hoodlums who roamed their streets were symptoms of a greater sickness; their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights' . . . and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, "Starship Troopers"

Today we are going to talk about the phrase discussed above. Juvenile Delinquent. I think the quote above breaks this down pretty well.

Juvenile: reflecting physiological or intellectual immaturity.
Delinquent: offending by neglect or violation of duty or of law.
(thanks, Merriam-Webster)

I'm not going to go on and on. I think the quote speaks will in and of itself, I just want everyone to think. Think about people you know, people on TV or on the radio or that you read about. Think about yourself, your friends and your family. How many of them recognize the duties and responsibilities of being an American and embrace them? How many are truly still a juvenile, regardless of age? How many have accepted their duty and are delinquent? Now think about how many are Diligent Adults?

Just think about it.

The Music in my Head

2009-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Music... that strange and mysterious beast that can take your mind to the next level, or make you want to scratch your eardrums out with a spoon. If you've ever tried learning an instrument, its probably made you want to bust whichever instrument over your head and throw it in the fireplace.

I personally, have a love/hate relationship with music. I love to listen to it, but I hate that it makes me want to play and I'm really not that good. (Practice, what the heck is that?) But as I sit here with my headphones on, I think about what I like to listen to. Now, I am eclectic as all get out, and there is very little that I wouldn't listen to. That being said, I do have my preferences on what I will put on when I am in control of the dial. I do tend to prefer music with verses that actually mean something rather than just being repetitive. Also, I really like songs that tell a story or have some meaning instead of just something to fill the airwaves with.

The following are listed in the order of whatever the heck I feel like as I write this. LOL, or In No Particular Order.

1) Country -- American country that is, anything from Hank Sr. thru Big & Rich.
2) Celtic -- Traditional and Rock, I like them both, depends on my mood.
3) Traditional/Folk -- yup yup.
4) Rock -- Prog and Classic.
5) Classical -- great for when you need something but still need to think.
6) Everything else -- I can't think of anything else that deserves its own category right now.

Now, some of these are pretty well known categories, and there are plenty of things written on the 'net about them, so I am nto going to go into depth on all of them, but I do think there are some bands that just need to be mentioned because, well, because I like them and I feel like it. How's about that?

1) Celtic -- Glengarry Bhoys, Great Big Sea, Tommy Makem, Andy Stewart, Silly Wizard... lots more too, but these are some places to start.
2) Rock -- I just love me some Rush, they are Frickin Awesome. Gwar cracks me up, and has decent music (don't listen with children around!).
3) Misc. -- They Might Be Giants is pretty spiffy. Moxy Fruvous was another awesome one. Ok, call me sick, call me twisted, call me disgusting, but I like John Valby. The guy is a sick twisted freak, but I love it. It cracks me up, yo. Also, I like me some Wierd Al, and yes, he does do original music and for the most part, its better than his covers!

Ok, I think that's about enough of an insight into my twisted mind for now.

Until Next Time...

Milk... does a body good?

2009-01-08T14:00:00.004-05:00

My buddy Chris, over at the 1 acre ohio homestead, wrote the other day that he would like to find a local dairy. So of course, I started thinking that I want Dairy goats, and the wife would some day like to have a dairy cow..... eh, too bad we don't have them now, eh?

But seriously, I like milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt.... pretty much all dairy products. Well, when first moved to Ohio, we found the one supermarket that had non- homogenized milk. It was still pasteurized, but it was not homogenized. Well, of course we had to try it, and you know what? We liked it! Now, part of the reason for picking this brand up was that DivaHick was reading somewhere that lactose intolerant people aren't really intolerant to the lactose itself, but rather what happens to it during the homogenization process. Seemed to work, too. She was able to drink that milk without any discomfort whatsoever. This in turn led me to do some research about Raw Milk. This is milk straight from the farm, no pasteurization, no homogenization, no nuthin.

There is a lot of research out there from naturopathic doctors and personal accounts that drinking Raw Milk increases health and is better for you than the processed, store bought stuff. Most Raw Milk enthusiasts swear that it tastes better too! Unfortunately, here in Ohio, it is illegal to sell Raw Milk. :-( But, in 2007, the Ohio Supreme Court said that herd share programs are legal.

For those who don't know much about herd sharing programs, here's the breakdown as I understand it. The state of Ohio (and others) have made it illegal to SELL the Raw Milk, but the owners of the animal are allowed to drink the Raw Milk themselves. This means that if you own dairy goats or cows, you can drink their milk however you want, but if you were going to sell the milk, it would have to be pasteurized. (Just imagine trying to tell the Amish communities that they had to do this to drink their own animals milk!) So what some enterprising farmers did is the worked up a contract that allows someone to buy in to the farmer's program for a set fee and buy a portion or a "share" of the herd. Some programs require a monthly payment for boarding the animals, but I believe that is up to each individual program. Well, now that you own a share of the herd, you can get Raw Milk from the animals as you are an owner of said animals.

I am including some links for research on your own, and I know there are a lot more out there, this is just a quick google sample. Make up your own mind, but I know I for one will be trying to find a herdshare around my homestead!

Pro:
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/
http://www.realmilk.com/

Con:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/rawmilk.html

The Case for Self-Sufficiency

2009-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

With wildly fluctuating prices and the future appearing unstable and unsure, now is the time to worry about self-sufficiency (well, the real time is past, but soonest started soonest progress). Once again, you may or may not agree, but please take the time to read through and think about what I am saying. Comment and let me know what you think! Also note, that this is my opinion, you may read somewhere else a different definition or interpretation of what I am saying, and while these are mine, I do not want to have everyone follow my ideas blindly. I would just like to share my ideas.

Self-sufficiency is the ideal that one can survive without anything from outside of oneself. No, not in some wierd way that you don't need to eat or drink or have shelter anymore. More that you can support yourself/your family without needing anything that anyone else can provide. There are various levels on the path of self-sufficiency. One can range anywhere from being a totally self-contained purist, to one who is just beginning and is learning or only doing a small part to ease their burden. There are no musts or goals or requirements to be on this path other than a willingness to learn and to try. To a purist that means no job, nothing that one cannot produce alone and with what is on hand. This is an extremely difficult ideal in today's world because of our dependence on oil and gasoline and things that we do not produce ourselves. I am not saying that this is impossible because it is possible to grow corn and other vegetables that would enable the creation of a bio-diesel product to run vehicles, etc. I merely mean that this is very difficult and beyond what many/most people are interested in. On the other end of the spectrum are the smallest changes that are made. Growing a tomato plant or a small garden. Learning to knit, crochet, or sew. These are some examples of the small changes that can be made, but the list is nigh on endless.

Now, the reasons that people have for being interested in self-sufficiency are as varied as the people themselves. Some people do it for the sense of freedom and accomplishment that they get from doing something and knowing that they did it. Its a sense of pride. Others look at the cost of food and know that it will cost them less money (though more time and effort) to do it on their own. Still others are worried about the planet and the environment and man's impact on them. Some people just enjoy learning and working with their hands. Some do it to be prepared for when the Revolution comes. Finally, probably the most notable and prominent reason right now would be the American economy.

The price of gas has been up and down, and gas affects the price of everything else. There are many people who are asking to know what they can do to help the economy and their own pocket books. The ability to grow your own food and reduce your monthly bills helps us all. Honestly, who wouldn't want some extra cash each month?

Well, it may take some time and effort on you part, but it can be done. In my mind, its more a matter of changing your habits and tastes from store bought, overly sweetened, food to a simpler more healthful version.

Just think, no learning is ever wasted!

Busy, busy, busy

2009-01-06T16:00:00.002-05:00

Hey there all! Been a while. Well, if you've been reading in my past entries, I mentioned that I am a computer programmer. This means I sit on my tuches (Tuck-us) in front of a screen most of the day. This means that I don't do much in front of the TV or the computer when I am at home. Oh, I may jump on now and again, but not so much if I can help it. Maybe that will change when I become independently wealthy, but until that day... So with the holiday and the weekend, I wasn't much around a computer.

So that's my heads up about where I've been and what's been going on! I plan to get back to a more regular posting schedule (or at least more posting now that things are hopefully going to settle down some).

Philosophy of Work

2009-01-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Robert A. Heinlein, “Time Enough For Love”

Isn't it interesting as we look out on the world and today's societies, how few of these any one person can do. So many people have given up the ability to be self-reliant and to do for themselves what they can pay someone else to do. How many of you know someone who can't, not doesn't, but can't change their own oil in their car? Unstop a toilet? Build a fire? Clean a sink trap? Change a light switch? Change a doorknob? Change a tire? Now, I am not saying plumbers and auto mechanics are bad jobs, and that people shouldn't call them for help. BUT, what happens when you are stuck on a road with no cell service (yes, such places do still exist) and you have a flat tire? What do you do when the garbage disposal under your sink blows up and starts pouring water on your floor after midnight? Pay the exhorbitant fees to get a 24 hour plumber, or know how to shut off your own water can call the next day?

With as bad as everyone is saying the economy is right now, why would you want to pay someone else all that money to do a job that would take you a few hours? I don't know how bad the economy could really be when I still need to wait an hour to get into restaurants, but that's another story... Think of all the money that could be saved if you were able to do all of this work yourself. Yeah, it may take you a bit longer but the money saved can be put towards things that would be of more value.

Now, in many ways I blame parents for this situation. Many of my fondest memories of my childhood are working beside one parent or another doing something around the house. My father always had time to let me sit and “help” when he did an oil change or brake job or barbeque-ing or whatever the current project was. My mother and grandmother both tolerated me in the kitchen teaching me to cook and bake. I have been teased in the past because as a man, I know how to sew, knit, cook, bake, and do my own laundry, but I have been told that this is quite an attractive trait to many women of the opposite sex. Not one of the reasons I learned, but it never hurts! You know what, I can mend a tear in a pair of pants or a shirt or a sock and not have to spend the money to buy new. I can cook anything that I want without having to go out to get a meal. I can also do any work on my car that is needed, and I am able to do pretty much any work on the house that I want.

Finally, with the abundance of knowledge today and the ease of access to it with the Internet, if there is something that you don't know but are interested in learning, you can most likely find someone online who can teach you, or else they will point you to a resource that will get you started. Lack of knowledge and information is no longer a viable excuse.

Let me tell you, there are very few feelings in this world, than the true and right pride of being able to point to something and say “I did that”. The knowledge of looking at a problem or a project and knowing, not thinking, KNOWING that YOU CAN DO THAT. That is true self-respect and true self-worth.

Until next time, remember:
You can't succeed, until you try.

Also,
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

A lil' something to make you mad

2008-12-29T18:44:00.002-05:00

Ok, I know this is my second one today, but I ran across this article when going through a couple other blogs and this made me mad as all get out. So, I had to share...

http://hatemonitor.csusb.edu/Research_articles/patriot.html

This guy's article... argh, I can't even discuss it, but go read it... if you are in the mood to get frustrated with people and pissed as all get out!

The link to the blog below is where I found it. He cooled off enough to be able to at least talk about it intelligently... I'm too frustrated to do that right now.

http://mayberry-keepitsimplestupid.blogspot.com/

For when the Revolution comes...

2008-12-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I just saw the wife use my line as a comment to someone else's blog. Be warned, I use this line quite a bit. To be fair though, I am not completely serious about it. Kinda, sorta, maybe, but not.

Ok, let me state this right here, right now. I am NOT, in any way, shape, or form, advocating rebellion against the American government or any affiliated government. I am an American and still proud, yes, mighty proud to say it! I do believe that this is still the best country in the world, bar none.

That is not to say that America is perfect. There is wayyyyy too much government involvement in the daily lives of Americans and in the daily business of corporations. There are crooked politicians and power-drunk bureaucrats. There are spoiled lazy people that sit at home and live off of the tax dollars of others. Still others living on credit with no way, means, or intention of paying it back.

Now, that being said... There are hardworking men and women in this country that are the lifeblood of this nation. There are soldiers... VOLUNTEER soldiers, ready, willing, and able to put their body on the line every day so that we as Americans have the Freedoms that we do. There are good, solid, honest people willing to stop and help a stranger change a tire, people willing to help a neighbor jumpstart the car, bring covered dishes to the house when someone passes, etc. I could go on for hours about what I believe are the majority of people in this country, but I need to get back to my main point.

The Revolution.

There is no Revolution that I know about. However, I believe, like many of us, that the need is upon us to be prepared for whatever may come. Saving food, learning survival skills, craft skills, learning to be self-sufficient, to feed ourselves, etc. These are vitally important things, now more than ever. This is my stated reason for stocking up food, and firewood, and lamp oil, etc. Its not the real reason, well, not completely. Its a reason that based in humor, but a scary edge of humor.

With a government caused economic problem, with government meddling in the once-and-hopefully-future Free Market exacerbating the problems, who knows what is in store for us all... but I, for one, will not let my family suffer. I will do whatever it takes to get my family through this, safe, secure, and stronger.

We will survive.

America is still based on the best foundation in the world, and we will rise again. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I believe, I HAVE to believe, that the good, honest, hard-working Americans will triumph and raise this country up again.

May God Bless America

and

May God Bless You.

A Lucky Find and its product (aka Saurkraut)

2008-12-23T09:00:00.003-05:00

A while back, I was in the basement at my parent's house and I saw this big white thing hidden in the back corner of the fruit cellar. I dig it out and its this huge ceramic crock! Not only that but in the bottom is a wooden weight/lid! So of course, first thing I started thinking about? Saurkraut! Yum yum yum. I even found this old wooden handbuilt mandolin that my grandfather made for slicing the cabbage. Of course, I had to talk my mom out of it, and back to Ohio it came!

So I cleaned it out and waited for cabbage to go on sale. Meanwhile I read up on making saurkraut. Unfortunately, Pap had written his recipe on a piece of paper and attached it to the bag the mandolin was in. Either water or mice got to it, so I only have about 1/2 of the recipe. The damage was right down the middle of the paper! Of course. So I did some research and the next time it was cheap, I picked up 6 heads of cabbage. Some shredding and cutting and salt later, I have it packed in the crock. 6 heads, maybe 2 inches deep... that's all. Only another 30 inches to fill next time.

As you can see, once I put the cabbage in, its gets covered with a wooden lid that just about fits all the way around. Have to let the excess gases escape somehow...

After the wooden weight goes on, I weighted it down even more with a full jug of white vinegar. Hey it was handy and able to be sanatized quickly!

As it is in the cooler basement, I've given it a few weeks and I think its about ready! One of the great things about saurkraut is that you can eat it fresh, right out of the crock, you can raw pack it for canning, or you could hot pack it. Nyom nyom nyom. YUMMY!

This is a picture of the saurkraut once the wooden weight comes off. Everyone online says that the blue color around the edge is just a scum that is formed that won't hurt you but that you can try to skim off. I just took a few scoops out of the center, re-leveled it and put the weight back on.

So the saurkraut was good, but I think it may need another week or two. Also, I found that it is possible to put too much salt on the cabbage when you are making it. Trust the recipes online when they say 3-4 Tbsp per 6 heads of cabbage! Still, very good for a first try! Will be doing this again!

I guess you can figure out what will be getting a lot of room in the garden next year! :-)

Tech for the Homestead?

2008-12-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I guess I should live up to my screen name a bit, huh?

Technology. My field of profession. I went with it because I'm good at it and, heck, it was easier to go with this than to try to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. I remember one time I told my dad that I wanted to be a knucklebuster (auto mechanic), and his response? “Ok, I'll support you but realize that you will spend a lot of time at the bottom of the ladder buying your tools and sweating in the summer and freezing in the winter” Or words to that effect. I thought a lot about becoming a chef... but I hated working nights when everyone else I knew was working one daylight shift or another.

Now, when I say technology, I mean to say that I am a computer programmer. I have worked in most fields of the I.T. trade from pulling wires for networks, to setting up and managing said networks, to designing and maintaining websites, to writing custom programs. I can administer a system and a network, or I can find most anything on the 'net. Sound interesting? Trust me, its not. Well, I guess I can't say that... I'm sure someone out there is working on an interesting project. I, however, am not currently working on any project at the office that is interesting. Notice that I said that I don't have any interesting projects at work. I have a few projects at home in the works, that once they are done or are a little further along, I'll be sharing.

What brought this rambling on, you may ask? (or so you may not...) I was going through one of the newer issues of Mother Earth News that we have lying around the house, and looking at the ads (oh my, aren't there so many to look at!). There are a bunch of ads for solar panels and windmills, etc. Ok, great, I can completely support wanting to use renewable energy for some things around the house, but isn't self-sufficiency part of what we want? How self-sufficient is it to have your energy coming from a kit or from a device that you don't understand? Especially for those living completely off-grid, if something happens to your solar panels, are you going to be able to fix it or make the system work? Obviously we don't have the technology to make solar panels at home to replace broken panels. I understand that, but what if something else breaks, something isn't charging or no power is coming through. Can you fix it?

Now, I understand that many/most of the people interested in homesteading and self-sufficiency are handy and can rig something. I'm not even saying not to use these systems. I am saying think about it and what would you do if something happens? This is a yardstick that I also apply to cars. Hybrid or electric cars? Is enough information known to be able to fix these cars at home? But that's a topic for another day.

Puppy Naming

2008-12-18T09:30:00.001-05:00

A'yup... the pup has been Named! Thank you to anyone who stopped over to the DivaHick's site to vote in our little poll. I got the name that I wanted! Dante... (well, she vetoed Virgil right out of the gate!) So now we have Faust and Dante.

Since I kinda named the new one, and I know I named the old one... I wonder what their names say about me? Faust... a midieval alchemist and scientist searching for the truth of the world beyond the physical who deals with a devil (Mephistopheles, not Ol' Scratch). Dante... the wandering human who is led through and shown the three worlds beyond.

Hmmm... very interesting... but shtupid!

May I present...

2008-12-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

The dog with no name. Yes that's right, this dog has NO NAME! Take a trip over to the DivaHick's blog to cast your vote in our Name That Puppy contest!

My lovely wife, the DivaHick, surprised me yesterday by having us go get a new puppy! I had been talking about it for a while, and keeping my eyes in the papers and Craigslist at the pups there. She just called me up in the middle of yesterday afternoon and said that I had to come straight home, we had to run out to get something. Voila!

He's a little sweetheart... he's 1/2 Border Collie and 1/2 Brittany Spaniel. 8 weeks old and probably about 10 lbs.

I'm hoping that as he grows and all the standard training is done, I would like to try to train him as a hunting dog. Now, this will be my first attempt at training a hunting dog, and its not like I know where to go hunting in this here state, but I think I'm going to try it anyways!

I'll keep you updated as the training progresses!

Don't forget to stop over and vote!

FoxFire

2008-12-16T12:00:00.004-05:00

I am going back through some of my massive quantities of books and seeing if I can't thin them down some. While doing this, I ran across some of my favorite books, the FoxFire books. These books come from a magazine that was started in a Georgia school in the mid-1960's by an English teacher who was trying to get his students to care about the language. The students chose to start a magazine and the purpose of this endeavor was to gather and collect stories and interviews from the old timers in Appalachia.

There are 12 books in the series now, a few extra books that are additions to the series but not numbered the same. They still put out a twice-yearly magazine for a few bucks a year. I haven't seen the magazine, but the books are well worth the price (I own 1-4 and the 40th anniversary).
I love these books. The stories about the people that grew up and lived in the mountains at that time are just great because in many ways that is what a lot of the homesteading today and the self-sufficient movement is all about. Read stories about mountain folk who lived long and well with no plumbing, electricity, or gas. Read stories with pictures and diagrams how to build a butter churn, fiddle, banjo, etc. Learn how to tan a hide, dress a hog, make a cabin or wagon, and so much more.

The stories and articles included in these books hearken back to days of simplicity. Harder lives and the attitude and environments that give rise to the people that survive. I don't know if they are in the libraries around the country, but whatever you can, I highly recommend giving them a read, at the least! Psst, buying them is even better!

http://www.foxfire.org/

A man's a man for a' that

2008-12-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

One time, many years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine and I don't remember what tape was in the tape deck, but he pointed something out that has stuck with me ever since. It was a heavy metal/speed metal group and he had to point out that when bands like that get playing so far over 200 bpm many of these drummers can't keep up so all they do is bang on the snare. Rat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat on and on ad nauseum. I never noticed it on my own and then once I had it pointed out to me, its all I hear on these bands! Over and over in my ears without being able to hear the rest of the music. The same thing is going on with TV and movies only in this case its my eyes that can't get over being assaulted by the same imagery, again and again and again.

Men are no longer portrayed as men. How many tv shows can you point to that have a strong, capable Man? Now, I don't watch much TV, but it seems that every time I turn the tube on, this is what I see. Looking at these shows, the guy is bumbling, incompetent, lazy, idiotic, etc. Look at commercials, guy gets sick and is a whiny little wuss. I remember growing up and watching movies and TV shows with strong, capable, MANLY men. Heck, even cartoons showed men this way (Popeye anyone?), and the whiny characters were comic relief (Wimpy). Is it any wonder that so many boys today don't know how to be a man? They don't know any better! The lack of good, strong, moral Men as role models is able to be seen in today's society.

I hear on the radio and TV all the time about “deadbeat dads” and males abandoning their families or their children. These are a product of how they were raised and the lack of strong Man models. They may have male role models, but they are not good ones. But then these males get in trouble for being the way they were raised and told to Man Up and take responsibility for their actions. How are they supposed to do this when they have never been shown how?

Now I am not saying that there are no good Men anymore. I am saying that there is a lack of them being portrayed by the mass media. I know for a fact there are good Men out there, but so many people are unable to see this. Those who are actually good Men that embody what it means to be a Man have to put up with the media and others telling them that they are wrong for being the way they are. Those that are not that way but that would be interested are told that it is wrong to be that way.

We need to make room for a real Men to come back into American society.
We need to work to help encourage the next generation to be real Men.

Until next time...

*title poem is "A man's a man for a' that" by Robert Burns.

Vehicular Transportation

2008-12-10T12:30:00.001-05:00

Call me crazy. Go ahead, won't be the first time! But when it comes to my vehicular transportation, I have my preferences (don't we all!), and they are a bit out of the ordinary from today's "norm". I can't always get what I want, but I was thinking about this and I wanted to share. See what other people preferred and why.

My personal preference is 4x4 (RWD at a MINIMUM), carbureted, with a manual transmission and preferably a V8 (an Inline 6 is good too). Obviously the easiest of these to find are trucks, but older Jeeps, and even the old AMC Eagle work too. Why, you may ask, are these my preferences? Thank you for asking, so I'll tell you!

4x4 - This should be obvious, I live in a semi-rural area where we get snow! There are a lot of benefits to having 4wd rather than anything else. You don't get stuck as easy in the snow, you are able to pull heavier weights (including other vehicles, tractors, fallen trees) without worrying about digging up the front yard or burying yourself in dirt. While there are more moving parts than a straight FWD or RWD, that's Front or Rear Wheel Drive for those who don't know, they really are no more complicated and the increased suspension height that they come with allow easier access to get underneath and work on them!

RWD over FWD - If I can't have 4wd, I would rather have RWD. Even though a lot of people, even some "experts" say that FWD is safer for you, I have never found this to be true. RWD allows you to add sand bags for extra traction and then remove them for better gas mileage when the weather gets nice. Can't do that in a FWD... what are you going to do, strap the sandbags to the hood and obscure your windshield? Don't think so, scooter. Plus, it is easier to work on a driveshaft and a transmission than a transaxle because you can pull them down in seperate pieces rather than dropping the entire thing to work on one bearing.

Carbureted - Ok, now I know this is where I will butt heads with some people because the fuel economy on a fuel injected vehicle tends to be better and there are less issues with cold weather than with a carburetor. The problem in my mind is that once you start fuel injecting vehicles, you have to start adding computer controls and monitors and sensors and wiring all over the place! Those little sensors can get pretty expensive, pretty quick! Plus trying to track down a sensor failure can be a real pain. With a carb, you unbolt it, pull it off, clean it up with some time and carb cleaner, put it back together, adjust the choke and the fuel mixture and you are good to go! Carbs allow loads of adjustment opportunities as well. You can change the jets to get more fuel, you can adjust the jets for high or low altitudes, you can modify them for steep inclines and declines, etc. I know, this is all taken care of for you in fuel injected vehicles, but 1) How do you KNOW it's right and 2) isn't it more fun and rewarding to do it yourself?

Manual transmission - Ok, now with today's advancements in automatic transmissions some of these reasons are not quite so true anymore, but here they are. You have more control of the vehicle. If you are hauling a heavy load, or towing a vehicle, you can put it in second or third and cruise, rather than having the auto decide its going to play the gear changing game. You get better gas mileage. This is one of those that new automatic transmissions are very good at this, but the older ones.. yeah, not so much. I can fix a manual transmission at my house. Automatic transmissions are more difficult, if you can even deal with it without specialized equipment. Last, but not least... Its FUN!! To me it helps me pay more attention to what I am doing late at night or on long trips. And its just fun to me to switch gears... helps me feel in more control of the vehicle and more in tune with it.

V8 - More power, obviously! Ok, so they aren't the best on gas, and in today's market that is a big concern. Unless you need the power. A full load of firewood is not light! Towing a tractor or another car, you need power. Want to pull a stump? Tie the chains on! Carry enough shingles for 20 square? No problem!

I6 - Ok, since the V8 is going to be more expensive and eat more gas than we need all the time, my next choice is for an I6 instead of a V6. Why? What's the difference? Well, the way an inline engine is designed, it makes much better torque than a V6. The V6 might give you higher horsepower, but when it comes to a working vehicle. Torque is King!

Thanks for reading through, have a comment or question? Let me know! I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts preferences on the vehicles that we like and use. But I think that's about enough for now.

Until Later...

Hot Face, Cold Face, Red Face, Blue Face...

2008-12-08T16:00:00.001-05:00

The weather has been quite... ahem.. chilly recently. Nighttime temperatures around 20 with windchills being a bit below that, and the house being perched directly in the path of wind. All of the wind, doesn't matter what direction its blowing from, its hitting the house, and that means it hits the wife or I as we go out to do our chorin' or any work on any projects that we have going on right now. So while my wife, DivaHick, was complaining a bit the other day that her face is getting windburned and a bit red, I was only able to offer my sympathies as I sat scratching my fully bearded chin.

I know, I know, its not fair, but it got me thinking... I've already discussed my preference for facial hair removal, but why is it that men going through the process of removing facial hair every day or every other day.

Take a walk down the street of a bigger city and you will probably see a whole bunch of facial hair styles. The goatee, the "flavor saver", the bootstrap... but honestly, you don't see many full beards anymore. Some men still keep the moustache only, but they are not all that popular. It seems to me that the more rural you go, the more likely you are to find a full beard on the face of a guy that works outdoors all day.

Now, I'm not saying every guy should or could grow a beard or some sort of facial hair. But it does make sense to me that if you work outside in the cold and the wind, that you would want all of the protection that you can get. Let me clarify something... I do not work outside all day. I work outside before I go to my job and when I get home, but during the day I am in an office all day for now. I would love to hear from some people who do work outside and who choose not to grow a beard. Why?

I also realize that I may be in a minority in that my wife likes me with facial hair. I don't hear daily griping to shave or anything like that. Once in a while, I'll hear that I need to trim some areas, but nothing about shaving it all off. So maybe that plays a larger part to this all than I realize, but that is why I am asking for information. This is just how it seems to me.

Until Next Time...

Black Coffee

2008-12-06T08:21:00.004-05:00

Whatever happened to coffee being the staple drink of people? On top of that, whatever happened to black coffee? All you hear about is Mocha this and whipped that with caramel and sprinkles on top. Stinkin' fancy pants coffee houses.

Within the last month or two, I have switched myself over from putting cream and sugar into my coffe, to drinking it black. Every once in a great while, I want to put some cream and sugar in to my cup (especially if its REALLY bad coffee), but for the most part, I drink it straight from the pot. It is really interesting to see what new flavors you find when you drink it this way instead of covering it up with all the other misc. crud that people dump in to their mugs.

Thinking about it, people on the prairie and in pioneer days drank their coffee black because sugar was scarce. You might have some milk or cream if you had a cow or some goats, but sugar? Good luck with that. Maybe for Christmas or some other really special occaision, but every day, multiple times a day? I don't think so, scooter!

Now to show how odd my mind works, you take all these people ingesting sugar in coffee and pop every day, all day, and what do you get? That's right, an overly obese population! Caffiene is one of the best metabolism boosters, LEGAL boosters, on the market today. It increases metabolism, increases mental focus, and it increases the body's functioning capabilities by increasing blood flow. Why do you think all of the diet pills feature it so prominently? But when you pile sugar and fat on top of it, you lose any benefit that you might have gained. Even that high fat, low carb diet (you know which one) offers you the choice to drink coffee in the morning because they knew it would increase your metabolism and promote weight loss. And I'm not even going to touch on the fake chemicals that some people put in their coffee (and pop and tea and and and...!). At least sugar occurs naturally in nature.

Since I have started drinking my coffee black, I can't count the number of strange looks that I have gotten at restaurants, gas stations, etc when I just take it black. "Cream and sugar with that?" they ask. "No thank you" I reply. Warning, nutso, cuckoo, etc. You can see it through their eyes. To be fair, not everyone looks at me funny, but many have.

So as I sit here, back from my mornin' chorin' and drinking my first cup of hot black coffee, these are the thoughts that run through my brain. Have a good morning and I'm sure I'll touch base a little later after we run out and do some of the errands we have on our list for today.

Until Later....

Democracy? I think not!

2008-12-05T07:23:00.004-05:00

Stop saying Democracy!
ShareMonday, October 20, 2008 at 12:03pm
(This is a repost from another website that I had published it on previously)

America is not now, nor has ever been, a DEMOCRACY! It was founded as and continues to be a Representative Republic. It is based on democratic principles, but it is not a democracy. We don't vote directly on the laws of the land, we have a House of REPRESENTATIVES and a Senate of elected officials that vote directly and we vote for them to represent us. Even the president is elected by the Electoral College, not by popular vote. When did people start thinking we live in a democracy? Doesn't every child in America learn the Pledge of Allegiance? (well, at least we all did when I was growing up) The Pledge states: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag and to the REPUBLIC on which it stands..."

Seriously people, its not rocket science.

Dancing the Razor's Edge

2008-12-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

Regardless of a person's preference for facial hair, shaving has been and will be around. For as many styles of facial hair that there are, there are as many ways of removing it. And, well, since this is my blog, this will be a discussion of my preferences and my reasoning behind them. Of course, you may be wondering why I am talking about razors when, if you see me, a razor hasn't touched my face for over a month. Well, I like my razors, and I have given a lot of thought to this topic.

I have two straight razors that are my main weapons against facial hair. I will admit that I went cheap off of ebay, but they work great. Of course, with the straight razors come the responsibility of maintaining them. There are some great tutorials on the web and if you are really interested there are some books out there, too. But to break it down, a straight razor needs to be sharpened, at least at first, but it also needs to be stropped. Stropping the blade helps keep burrs down and lets the blade run smoothly down the skin. Well maintained, a straight razor will last far beyond one person's lifetime.
Now, when I first started shaving, oh so many Moons ago... I used what was called a safety razor. It took double sided razor blades as refills. One blade would last me a week, and the case for the replacement blades took up so little space. I jumped off the deep end to start with.

This is not to say that I haven't tried the others, but I did not like the other styles. I tried an electric, but you still have to replace the blades and heads for them... and they were NOT cheap. I tried the disposable cheapies, but they MAY last me one shave... if that. The more expensive disposables will last me longer, but that is more money flowing out of my pocket constantly. Call me cheap, but I'd rather spend more money upfront if it will leave money in my pocket for a longer time.

I also use a shaving brush and soap instead of a can of shaving cream. A brush will last a long time and even when it starts to wear out, there is less left to go into the trash. Think about each can of shaving cream when it gets thrown away... think of the amount of trash that gets thrown out.

Then there is always the fact of going through the whole routine of shaving with them. When using straight razors, they are not like the cheapie disposables that you take out of the bag, scratch on your face, bleed a bit, and move on. No, you need to run the blade across the strop to make sure that the blade is ready. Then you wet your brush and work up a good lather with warm water and brush it into the face to make the bristles stand up to face the blade. You don't need to rinse out the blade to get all of the stuck bristles out of the razor, so it takes a lot less water.

On top of the money savings and the reduced waste, I feel that I get some of the best shaves from this method. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, or even be willing to give this a try, but if you are worried about the waste you produce, its a great way to cut down on garbage. Also, it gives you a great feeling to be able to say, "Why yes, I do shave with a cutthroat razor". Not too much is more Macho!

I think that's about it for now, until next time!

Howdy Yinz!

2008-12-03T12:46:00.004-05:00

Hi there and thanks for stopping by. I hope you take some time, read what I've got written... This site is an ongoing collection of rants and raves, thoughts and evaluations of all things in life. I may bounce from politics to religion to whatever pops into my head. Follow the twists and turns of my mind to what seems clear and logical to me. I may get deep, I may just glance on a topic.

Pittsburgh born and raised, I currently live on a small beginning homestead in northeast Ohio with my wife [Divahick], dog [Faust], and 9 hens. Hopefully, this weekend we will be adding 2 roosters and a few ducks. Over this winter I am drawing up the plans for a goat house and a barn/shed. I'd like to get them built this winter, but they may have to wait till spring.

If there is anything on this site that interests you but that you would like to discuss in more detail, then let's! If you don't mind a public discussion, leave a comment, but if you would rather discuss your question or issue in private, then I have included an email address that you can send that to as well. I will try to respond to everyone, but I can not promise a specific turn around time because, well, life happens.

I am sure that my views will become apparent as you read through, so at this point, I don't think I will label myself in any way as that does tend to be a bit.... reaction making and constricting.

Thanks for taking the time to stop and read.