# Homesteading Singles Thread, February



## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Well, since no one else has started it 

I've been thinking about organizing the space in my new little place (closing is March 13 )

I have a treadmill, which I like to run on that mostly because I can close my eyes and just RUN and not have to think and it's kinda like a zone of say sortof sensory depreivation like floating in a water tank. ANYWAY, it's my one electric luxury appliance ha(besides fridge), that obviously take up a lot of room. 

THere is a nice shed (insulated etc, well built etc no leaks with electricity) I will put the treadmill out there and wa la I have space now for a desk where I can put my painting/art stuff and leave it out 

I have two motorcycles (me and my son's dirt bikes), so I will enclose the wood shed(a well built sturdy roof on posts) for the bikes(and gas cans) and build a new little woodshed using found materials for the wood. 

Funny how little things like using my cast iron and a woodstove become so missed when I can't. 

My friends can't wait to break in the little house with a full throttle hippy hoe down ha.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

I've been working on next year's firewood, and today I started hauling it to the shed where I store it. I think I've cut/split too much, so I'm stacking it a little higher than normal (closer to 6 foot high rather than the usual 5 foot stacks). A new (to me) knotter for a John Deere square baler we're rehabing came in with the mail on Saturday. We can start on that project now. The last three windows I'm replacing on the house should come in this week and after they're installed they gotta' be painted...oh joy. There were two new additions to the cattle horde this week. The first calf was a heifer, but the I've not checked the second one yet. It was born this morning. Four more calves should be coming in the next few weeks...hopefully sooner rather than later. It's nearing the time for a Spring garden of greens. I'll try to hold off for a few weeks as Winter has come and gone about three times already this season.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

Purchased 25 lbs of potato sets. Hope to get the onions sets tomorrow and have them all in the ground by Tuesday afternoon. Looks like rain chances are going up mid-week and the ground is just now getting dry enough to plow. 

Got the Kentucky Wonder pole bean seeds in. Maybe by the 1st of March I'll have the trellis built. First time for planting pole beans, but these are supposed to be good for canning. 

Gardening season...ugh!!!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

One thing that wil be interesting is getting used to fast drainage glacier gravel. I had clay down in Oregon...I'm thinking I can more easily grow things longer year round in the "drier" soil(which will warm up faster to boot).

It's always been interesting to hear about y'all planting stuff now, in the southern states ha!


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

I bought a cool lamp that is 'old' . . . . guess it's lame to talk about, since I cant post a pic. It's a rooster, guess it's plaster, the woman who I bought it from said that her mom had it in her home since she was a little kid..... (who knows? the lady I bought it from was in her late 30s . . . . . . does that make it 'old'..... maybe ) but it's a cool lamp, big rooster 21 inch tall, from rooster's head. The lamp above it makes it even taller.
Found a rug for my l.r. at good will. Not as cool as wyld thang's, but it's purty.
Tore out some shelves in the wall separating l.r. and kitchen. Got some wood stained putty to fill in the nail holes.
Found some pretty fabric, and a woman who'll make me some curtains. (one side will be flannel & has chickadees on it and berries! ) Waiting for some extra cash to buy some paint (trying to figure out what shade, probably some shade of pale yellow, gold or cream, since the l.r. has picture window, but the covered porch shades the window, blocking direct light. Gets pretty dark in there in winter) for the lr walls. I painted them before, but something about the shading wasn't right; later I found out the place I got the paint from has something wrong with their 'paint mixer' computer.....and all this time I thought it was me! The paint looked slightly goofy/poorly mixed.....
since I cant afford to heat my gh and all my lovely plants, I gave some to hs because they have a greenhouse too, that is heated. The biggest of what were left, I took into LR and hung a 2nd shop light, pushed them against the window. Hopefully they'll limp along til spring/summer when I can put them outdoors. 
Plus it's classy looking to have 2 shop lights in your living room! The parrot loves all the light, for sure.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

I spent this weekend fighting bugs. I discovered that hugelkultur attracts a large number of soil bugs. This fact along with other revelations is making me a non-believer in Permaculture. I'm realizing that Permaculture isn't all that it is cracked up to be.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

You need those bugs in hugel...it's their purpose. 

Too tired to update last night. Spent all weekend planning, planting, soil amending...etc. Got lettuce planted, some peas poked in the ground, and about 10lbs of seed spuds planted.

Also started up my seedling table...couple hundred seeds and I haven't filled it yet...held the temp overnight at 70 degrees just sitting outside...so this is awesome. GO SPROUTS!

Transplanted my hostas and comfrey...and of course...I was accidently let loose at Lowe's because I totally trashed my work gloves so while there I had to go through their scratch and dent clearance plants and cameback with Indian Hawthorn...hee hee.

Tended to my dwarf banana plant that I have been hauling around with me...looks like it made it through winter. Planted some creeping thyme around it. Will get pictures of some of this stuff up...too tired last night and today...it's work. Bleh.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

WhyNot said:


> You need those bugs in hugel...it's their purpose.


Not when they eat the roots of my plants.  Yeah, I read about the good bugs thing from the hugel research and realize now that bugs are not selective when it comes to food. By building hugel beds, you are pretty much inviting bugs to a veggie buffet.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Perhaps you didn't let it cook for long enough? I did hugel up north and it did great. :shrug:


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Have you identified the bugs? 

Count me as a happy hugeler too, though I am in the PNW, the same climate as where hugelculture was developed. I would think there would be issues in doing hugelculture somewhere not wet temperate, where there isn't the same rainfall etc.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

Cleaned the pasture for anything that might injure my baby lambs. Cleaned stuck poo that sometimes gathers on the lambs bun-bun, then gave the twins their tetnesus shots and docked their tails. Still waiting for the rest to lamb. I let them out to pasture for their first time and one lamb jumped over a little log, and the other got stuck on the log...Thus is why I am cleaning pasture...LOL is was so funny he was stuck on his belly and wibble wobbling back and forth.
Rake, Rake and still raking massive amounts of leaves out of the yard.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Well I was curious about the bugs, googled "bugs eat roots hugelculture" and found this blog entry, which doesn't have anything to say really abou thte technique of hugelcuture but gives a good list/explanation of the design ideas of Permaculture, ie permaculture is a way to go about problem solving/desiging a garden. Which a garden is a collection of relationships and cycles. 

http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.w.../basic-ideas-of-hugelculture-gardening-style/

Looks like an interesting blog with a nice amount of skepticism ha


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

There were various types of bugs.

It is wet here. I live in the Great Lakes area. I have the same climate and zones as parts of the PNW. So that isn't the issue. 

It has cooked enough. I had problems with bugs & squash last year and I am not going to risk a worse problem this year.


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

The only bugs so far this year is a single strand of snow flies hatching out. No new growth on anything.

Most soil insects feed on decay and will only eat living matter when other food sources are depleted. Balancing the symbiotic organic gardens can take 3 years even when well stocked with food for everyone. Shortcuts totally knock the process out of balance and leads to longcuts. Another heaping helping of cow manure should solve your problems.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Today I pruned a bit.

I can only prune for 15 minutes at a time, and so this patch of blackberries should take a week or so. Then, it should be time to start seedlings!!!!!!!!!!!

Then I can work on the OTHER blackberry patch. Winter is almost OVER!!!!!!!:strongbad:


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

I know a local guy I see at all the granola places who's done a lot with with the hugelculture. He told me he has stuff on youtube. He's pretty friendly and outgoing, seems to love helping people. If your climate is similar to this part of PNW, you should look him up.


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Well I finished a quilting project. I already gave it away to the new mother to be... I used a Batik or hand died fabrics. Love those types of fabric.... 

Getting real slick to walk around right now. Warm day time temps and the snow melts just a bit on top then refreezes, nasty concoction... My freind fell and hit her shoulder really hard... Does it make me selfish that a little part of me said thank goodness it wasn't me. LOL










Dang it. I edited it to show correctly. Why didn't it translate over to here....


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

I was introduced to hugelculture about a year ago. I have done the research. There are plenty of sources to get help from. I've got a bug situation. It is a fact. Bugs are drawn by the logs. 

I am a granola who is dating a free loving hippie spiritualist that is extremely successful in the sustainable and organic food business. I'm not new or close-minded to different concepts in gardening.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

That is gorgeous Echo!!!!!


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

I wondered about bugs when I read just a bit about it. I know in my area the old railroad ties everyone loves to use brings in termites. So it's not out of the realm that this gardening style would bring in non beneficials too. Probably has to have the predator/prey balance that isn't always easy to balance.


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Raven: If it's not working I would move on to another method that did. I don't have to time to invest in something that isn't working. I have a very short growing season and this influences my thinking. 
What would you have to do with it now Raven?


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks WT..


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Echo, I used really well rotted logs that were already done over by the bugs. My soil had a high clay content(coast range) that suppresses rot--I was digging up old tree roots from trees that were logged 30 years ago and they were still pitchy fresh.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

here is three pix of my hugel bed, this one is small

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...=a.75463527765.74085.616102765&type=3&theater


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

Echoesechos said:


> Raven: If it's not working I would move on to another method that did. I don't have to time to invest in something that isn't working. I have a very short growing season and this influences my thinking.
> What would you have to do with it now Raven?


I have used and will continue to use soap insecticide which has seemed to work. Those plants won't be part of the veggies that I am going to sell. Only for my personal use. I don't want to dig up everything and start completely over unless I have to. But no more logs. I've got two beds with root vegetables that I am worried about now. I swear I will be p---ed if those things are ruined.

My guy is going to come over this Spring and give me some of his compost and secrets. Probably do a few chants, balance the energy, etc. (I'm not joking.) We'll see how that goes.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

wyld thang said:


> here is three pix of my hugel bed, this one is small
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...=a.75463527765.74085.616102765&type=3&theater


WT I can't wait to see all your gardening adventures again! I have missed them!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

ps I used well rotted logs to give a jump start on the micchorizae "innculation". The micchorizae(dang I hate spelling that word) are super important in PNW soil for plant happiness.

Anyways, just took a technique, thought about it in regards to my own situation, tweaked it and it worked well.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

thank you Tambo!!!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza 
Plural mycorrhizae. wasn't too far off haha. Pure magic stuff. We are all in this together. Safety Meeting!


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## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

I live in the Great Lakes region. Every bug within a hundred miles is dead or is an insect popsicle. How hot are these hugeklculture beds supposed to get? My compost bins are frozen solid.


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

Symbiotic organics embraces the good, the bad and the ugly. Providing a level of food keeps the beneficials from leaving. The enzymes put out by decay eaters feeds the microbes that keep the soil healthy and nutrients available to the plants.

But if it doesn't work for you, find a method that does.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

not near as "hot" as a compost pile by any means


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

Echo, that blanket is AWESOME!! I love that you got creative with it instead of doing the same-o same-o. Nice job!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Show us some pictures R12 and maybe we can help you figure out the problem bug better.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

No offense but ST isn't the place I would come to for gardening help. There is a forum for that.

I have simply stated what I did over the weekend and how the technique has been an epic failure.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

That's good because any bug surviving this weather I wouldn't know to do with anyway. Good luck with it!!


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

One of Hayseed's hired hands stopped by with his younger brother. I love these guys, they're so good natured! They will help me with reclamation and replanting as soon as I make sure LoggerKid is done running heavy equipment over everything. That needs to be soon!

I gave H'sHH the dead Honda in my yard, it has a seized engine. He has a good engine for it and can do the work. It was a fun AWD car, he's tickled to get it and I'm happy to get it out of my yard! Things are looking better already!

Little Beefer is home from Freezer Camp, He's wonderful, tender and tasty. I think he was still sneakin' onto his mama's teat, he tastes a bit milky at 18 months old.

DD is keeping her walks short even taking the neighbor's rottie/husky mix with her. Big fresh mountain lion tracks all over the place. We got squigged learning we were being tracked by the cat while we were tracking somebody else. There's a bear killing sheep not far from here. That's very unusual for this area. We aren't seeing their normal foods around much this winter so they're getting hungry and bold. I wanted to ride the horses in the few warm sunny days, but I'll wait until the cat moves upriver.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I am working on a Chevy truck. It has not been fun or cheap. Now it has a weird harmonic in the front end. Test drove it for 2 days.....


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

tambo said:


> That's good because any bug surviving this weather I wouldn't know to do with anyway. Good luck with it!!


It is easy to get answers elsewhere. That is where I got the advice to use insecticidal soap. It is amazing how well that worked. There is a lot you can learn on the other forums or through the search option in HT.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

Know what I just realized? You guys don't garden all year round. That is why you don't have bugs. I do. I have an indoor greenhouse. I not only have hugelkultur outdoors but I have it indoors as well. 

You should really look at extending the season. It beats canning.


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

I had a huge solarium on my house when I lived in Montana. We loved having year round fresh produce. Organic gardening under glass is awesome as long as bugs don't get in there.

I have enough glass to build the solar greenhouse on this place, after other work gets done. The living room got crowded with a tangerine tree, papaya and other assorted edibles blocking my windows.


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

I am looking to extend my season Raven... Not sure I will go for 12 months but at least a couple of months on either end would be great....


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

It would be nice to garden year round but it is dark when I go to work and dark when I get off. There isn't enough hours in a day for what I have to do now.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I attempted to mulch the blackberries with pine needles but it didn't work to well. I sprayed the chickens and chicken house for mites. I made 2 loaves of bread. I also took some pictures around the place.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I forgot one. I never got my bread to rise this high.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Oh and the dreaded tree.


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## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

Its so GREEN! Beautiful place you've got there.

(I miss Green)


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Thanks Jo


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

your dog is a cutie Tambo!


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2013)

Today was the first of, according to the weather report, 9 in a row of daily highs around 50. I planned on doing a little bit of a lot of different things, but instead spent the entire day working up all those trees I dropped last week. Tomorrow, I plan to transplant all the thornless blackberry runners, but if the ground is wet the first time I get down on my knees, I'm going to tote all that wood up out of the gameland by hand. Which should make for a really busy day. What the heck, I'll just do that instead. Gotta be 3 cords or more, and have to be toted by hand, through the briars and over the humps and all that.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

wyld thang said:


> your dog is a cutie Tambo!


Thanks WT. She is a mess and a handful. She is a keeper though.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Great pics, tambo! Nice of you to share them.  The dog is adorable and your bread looks lovely!


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

Nice photos Tambo, the wheat is coming along I see. I plowed mine under as it was covercrop for the garden area / food plot for deer kinda thing. Now its too wet to plow. Best of luck with the tree. I have an 80 ft. white oak dying close to an outbuilding that I'm keeping the fingers crossed on. The dog looks like a good one.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Bread. Dog. Bread. Dog. Good golly miss Tambo both are beautiful!


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## Laura (May 10, 2002)

Wow Tambo! No mud!


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

tambo said:


> It would be nice to garden year round but it is dark when I go to work and dark when I get off. There isn't enough hours in a day for what I have to do now.


You can garden at night. I started a thread on that very topic last year. Since then a couple people have told me they used one of those camping headlights. I use flashlights and those cheap $1 garden lights.


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2013)

Crafty2002, who was a member of HT until about 4 years ago, did all his gardening at night, once it started hitting 90's every day. He had a halogen floodlight in the middle of his garden and he'd turn the light the direction he wanted it. Then he got another one and had one at each end. Eventually four of the 500 watt halogen floodlights. He would get out there around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, an the coolest part of the night.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

zong said:


> Crafty2002, who was a member of HT until about 4 years ago, did all his gardening at night, once it started hitting 90's every day. He had a halogen floodlight in the middle of his garden and he'd turn the light the direction he wanted it. Then he got another one and had one at each end. Eventually four of the 500 watt halogen floodlights. He would get out there around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, an the coolest part of the night.


When I was in Goldsboro NC, We would fish all night and then try to stay until 10AM or so. It would get too hot to fish some mornings by 8 AM. 

On the farm the CO-OP had a deal for a automatic street light for $5 each a month. I think they stopped us at 4. They even changed the bulbs when they burnt out. It was nice being able to see the pens at night.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Snowing here. 

Gotta fix a chaincase for a friend with difficulties. I changed it out and cleaned it. For some reason the new oil is all over my trailer. 

My 6 X 6 needs some work. Gotta get it ready to plow snow.

Grinder needs a day of work. Gonna touch up the paint and change oils and teeth.

Trailer needs painting.

Truck needs washing bad. I had to clean the headlights twice in one trip to town. 

Need to rack my wine. 

Gotta do chores first.

And then there are taxes.......


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

lonelytree said:


> When I was in Goldsboro NC, We would fish all night and then try to stay until 10AM or so. It would get too hot to fish some mornings by 8 AM.


 
The best time to fish is right before dawn. The fish are jumping and the lake is quiet.

Yep, I have some mad skills that ya'll don't know about.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

[YOUTUBE]h-Cvinp1-jU[/YOUTUBE]


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Just got ths information off Pinterest today. Good to know.

"One of my most important food shopping tips ever--those annoying stickers on fruits and veggies tell you A LOT! 4 numbers mean they were conventionally grown, 5 numbers starting with number 8 means they are genetically modified (GMO), and 5 numbers starting with 9 means they were organically grown (no pesticides or nasty GMOs)"


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Raven12 said:


> You can garden at night. I started a thread on that very topic last year. Since then a couple people have told me they used one of those camping headlights. I use flashlights and those cheap $1 garden lights.


Sure I could but when I get up at 4:30am to go to work and don't get back home until 7:00pm then feed animals I'm about spent. Then I have to get up and do it all over again the next day. I prefer sleep over gardening. It would become a burden instead of a joy that it is now. I guess I'm getting to be a wimp in my old age.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I would be looking like this! Oh I worked in the garden last night!


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

tambo said:


> I would be looking like this! Oh I worked in the garden last night!


New hairdo? :hysterical::hysterical:


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

Tuesday was a much better day than expected, turned warm and sunny. The ground wasn't as wet as I had imagined so I plowed and planted the two 70 ft. rows of potatoes, and the one 70 foot row of onions. Another rain on early Thursday morning got them all watered in, now if we just won't have a "first" hard freeze of the year, they should be okay.

Spent the rest of the time this week working on my house. A Spring cleaning of sorts. Now just moving all the furniture back into the rooms. New floors (laminate) and all the walls have been painted. Looks good and should last awhile as the traffic through here is pretty light these days. After the furniture is back in, I've got to concentrate on building trellis for the pole beans. They're next on the garden agenda with planting about the 1st or 2nd week in March. 

Other than that, I want to go fishing.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

whoohooo! my dill is like three inches tall! Stuff is sprouting! Except so far on my seeding table only thing sprouting is whatever unknowns there are in peat moss LMAO! I'm learning..learning..never used a seeding table before...it might all be *&^%$ haha!

I am just stoked right now that I will be getting paid what I feel I am worth and obviously what the company I am contracting with feels I am worth and it is a blessed day for me because I just signed that contract and feel so very good about it. It is so nice to be valued and respected for the work. It will go a long way to bringing my homesteading dreams to reality...and I mean homesteading in the country eventually...even though I have worked out to urban homestead from the rental.

So very happy today!


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

I shoveled so much snow today.


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

Took my 15 1/2 year old fur kid to the vet today. Got some drugs for her, if she doesn't improve in the next few days, we'll be parting ways. My heart is breaking. I'm trying to be productive with my time off work, since I'm taking my vacation time to be with her. Might as well put the time to good use...


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Sorry SilverFlame819.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I may have killed my wine. I racked it agin due to yeast accumulation and the specific gravity is down to 1.000.

12/8/12
1.086 before sugar, 1.12 after sugar.

12/21/12
1.024


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2013)

That means the wine is done. Your reading of 1.12 means a potential alcohol content of 16.3%, once it works to a SG of 1.000. So, kick back a glass or two. And congratulations. Here is a page explaining SG and the mix of sugars needed for different strengths of wine. 
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/hydrom.asp


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

SilverFlame819 said:


> Took my 15 1/2 year old fur kid to the vet today. Got some drugs for her, if she doesn't improve in the next few days, we'll be parting ways. My heart is breaking. I'm trying to be productive with my time off work, since I'm taking my vacation time to be with her. Might as well put the time to good use...


Blessings on those days Silver.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

zong said:


> That means the wine is done. Your reading of 1.12 means a potential alcohol content of 16.3%, once it works to a SG of 1.000. So, kick back a glass or two. And congratulations. Here is a page explaining SG and the mix of sugars needed for different strengths of wine.
> http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/hydrom.asp


I thank you sir!

How long til I can bottle it?


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

SilverFlame819 said:


> Took my 15 1/2 year old fur kid to the vet today. Got some drugs for her, if she doesn't improve in the next few days, we'll be parting ways. My heart is breaking. I'm trying to be productive with my time off work, since I'm taking my vacation time to be with her. Might as well put the time to good use...


I had to put down an 18 year old dog last year. The Vet said to think of it as one heck of a run. 

It still wasn't easy.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

so sorry SF! my son had to put his chocolate lab down on thursday. i dont know how much we spent trying to get him well but he went downhill so fast. just at the end of his life span. my son was distraught . he still has 2 more but this is the one his father got for him just before he passed. use to sleep in the bed with him. he was so big i dont know how there was room for my son. he treats his dogs like they were his children. ~Georgia.


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2013)

You can go on and bottle it, but I'd see if it burps after a week or so. Wine can continue working to 0.99 or so. It will be pretty dry, you may need to take some in a glass, heat it up, add a little sugar, and mix back into the bottle to make it palatable. Still, I doubt that there will be enough pressure buildup below 1.00 to burst a bottle. If you do burp it, don't let it all the way open, just crack the seal to release pressure. If the acetobacter gets in, it will begin to turn to wine.


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2013)

My Saturday morning beer drinking buddy came by this morning. He brought me a 10 pound bag of red potatoes that had started sprouting. I can't help it if I'm lucky. Some time the week after next should be about the right time to plant them.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

It's so funny how little things mean a lot. Whenever someone gives me some old bread or whatever to give to the chickens it's like getting a dozen roses.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

zong said:


> You can go on and bottle it, but I'd see if it burps after a week or so. Wine can continue working to 0.99 or so. It will be pretty dry, you may need to take some in a glass, heat it up, add a little sugar, and mix back into the bottle to make it palatable. Still, I doubt that there will be enough pressure buildup below 1.00 to burst a bottle. If you do burp it, don't let it all the way open, just crack the seal to release pressure. If the acetobacter gets in, it will begin to turn to wine.


I pulled 2 quarts out. Starting with 1 OZ of sugar I mixed it in. It was pretty good so I put enough in for 4 gallons. 1 cup of sugar. Gonna let it set overnight and take a test pull to see if I want it sweeter. I also want make sure it isn't going to start up any existing yeasties.


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## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

I butchered a pig on Friday. He is now resting comfortably in the fridge till Tuesday, when I will cut him up into neat packages. He was the ringleader of the escapees - he'd tunnel under the cattle panels then invite his buddies to join him on walkabouts. He did it one time too often. I guess the rest took note of my displeasure because no-one has even attempted to get out since.

We have been putting the insulators on the fencing at the new house - I think this warm snap has given us a bit more impetus to get moved.

Mary


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I'm gonna name my wine "Club to the Head"..... cause that's what it is.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

You'll know when it's time, SilverFlame.

Since I had a rather short work day today I finished up my laundry soap I started yesterday.

Behold...3 Gallons (approximately)....works out to be about 80 cents per gallon, smells better and more mild than store stuff, cleans better as far as I am concerned...and doesn't leave gritty buildup and etc that irritates my precious delicate areas :clap:


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Care to share that recipe WhyNot?


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I just scored an electric log splitter off Craigslist. Saved $179. 

Last night I scored 2 brand new windows. 6' wide X 4' tall on one side X 1' tall on the other. Trapezoid. For FREE!


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Tommyice said:


> Care to share that recipe WhyNot?


Sure...it's like most you find on the internet. Four ingredients and then experiment away!

Equal amounts of:

Bar soap, Borax and Washing Soda

and then a bunch of water


What kind of bar soap is your preference however, since it is for laundry you ideally want a hard castile type of soap or a laundry bar. For this recipe I used ivory and fels-naptha. I think soap that you use for your body that you buy in stores leave a film..they also stink (to me) which is why I had thought to ad the ivory which is less stinky to me.

I realize I just contradicted myself with the Ivory...why am I using it when I said you might not want to? Because it is an experiment and also I wanted to make it more mild of a detergent.

Here are some handy tips:

Instead of getting bloody knuckes and sore hands from hand grating the soap, and instead of swearing a lot and making a mess trying to grate it in a food processor....use a coffee grinder to pulverize it. Just cut the soaps into smaller hunks and do a little at a time in an electric coffee grinder (spinning blade type). You want to pulse it and not do too much at once or it will heat up and you will melt it and have to scoop it out, wait till it cools and do it all over again.

Get some water boiling...but not more than half of the pot that you are cooking it in...and get a bigger pot out than you think because it will bubble and thicken and expand more than you may think.

Start the water on a rolling boil then add your soap bars that you basically powdered. The more fine the powder the better your liquid soap will come out.

What I do is...get it rolling boiling then turn it down so it's not sputtering all over...just takes a few seconds then add the soap a bit at a time while stirring with a long wooden spoon....keep stirring until it is all dissolved.

Then turn the heat way down on low or shut it off then SLOWLY add the washing soda a bit at a time stirring and stirring..if you take a break stirring lay the spoon over the pot so it doesn't boil over...or it will...just trust me!

Once the washing soda is dissolved then add the borax and stir until dissolved.

Then take your bucket...and put some hot water in it and then add your hot soap mixture to it stirring with your wooden spoon until well mixed then put the lid on and wait 24 hours.

Most recipes will say 1 cup each of dry ingredients will make five gallons. I find it depends on how thick you want it and your preferences. You can make it really concentrated and very goopy or you can make it less concentrated and more watery. I like mine to be thick but not running and not gloopy.

I used a 1/2 cup each of dry ingredients and then about 2.5 gallons of water. The soap will separate as it cools in the bucket...and you get jello type of stuff on top. So the next day I break that up with the wooden spoon then get some water going in the tea kettle...mine holds almost a half gallon of water so I get that steaming and then add in to the gloop and use an immersion blender to blend all the gloops. So I end up with three gallons.

Then put it into my jugs. It will separate some and if it's cold it might get gloopy again...just shake it before you use it...usually works.

If you want to scent it...you would do that after you mix it all into the bucket before it cools. I don't add any scents to my laundry soap.

Oh and no matter what recipe you find to use...most likely depending on the soap used, how small you have the particles, your water and everything else...it all affects your soap...it's never really ruined...just different until you get the hang of what you want.

Like my grandmother always used to say...."All a recipe is is just a suggestion anyway"


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## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

This morning I finally grabbed my cat, who had managed to escape the house, and climbed to the topmost branches of a tree three days ago. The guys from across the road had tried to help by bringing their tractor with front bucket over, but the noise scared her even more. Today, she had come down to a lower level, so I could climb a ladder and get hold of her. Not pleasant for either of us (I am terrified of heights and the ladder was far from stable, and she was still to high for me to lift her gently) but we did it. She has not left a lap since...

Mary


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

Been laying around crippled by back spasms for 2 days. I think I'll be O.K tomorrow. When I was on my hands and knees like a dog trying to get through a spasm the cat was bugging me. I wished him to be up a tree lol.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

you and me both DM. my problem is that i wont rest long enough for it to get better. i do have some powerfull pills but they turn me into a zombie so i took some tylenol an hour ago. sitting is the worst for me. i've been setting the timer for 10 min and then walk aound a bit. ~Georgia.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Hope you guys get better soon (doodlemom and newfieannie). The part about getting ridiculed by the cat while in a somewhat compromised position was somewhat funny, but I did not laugh. You have my word on it.

Feel better.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Got 21 bottles of wine from my first batch. Pretty strong stuff. 

No .22 ammo to be found.

I just found out that one of the regulars at the lake is missing. Last seen Sunday at 10 AM.... rode off on his snowmachine. His truck is still parked at storage. Troopers flew the area and rode the main trail yesterday. Hopefully he at a cabin somewhere having a drink instead of lawn darted into a tree or broke down where he can't get reception or walk out. Several friends out looking today. I'm headed out tomorrow......


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

I sure hope you find him well and safe Lonely.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Echoesechos said:


> I sure hope you find him well and safe Lonely.


I hope to find him alive so I can chew his butt. He didn't tell anyone where he was headed. No trip plan. I doubt he has a survival kit let alone a shovel. Shouldn't need a map, he knows the area better than most. Temps in the single digits can still get a guy in trouble fast. Much better then the -48 when I was out there last time, but if he got wet.... Current temp is 13F.

After more snow, the overflow is very bad. You get stuck in it, you got an hour to get out and find a warm place. I doubt he is on the lake. While it is a huge lake, you can cover it pretty fast on a snowmachine. 

Now several good friends are risking their lives looking for him. I will be tomorrow. More showing up on Friday. There is a fun run Saturday so there will be alot of people in the area. It is a huge area. If he had a full tank, he could be 130 miles from where he was last seen. 

It has been a tough year for losing friends too early in life. Hard to be productive when you can't concentrate.

On a good note..... there are bou being seen. One herd was over 40.... well, minus 2.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Stay safe, Lonelytree!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Lonelytree would you please check back in with us as soon as you can when you get back so we will know you are ok?


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Will be saying prayers for you and your friends. Stay safe, warm and dry.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Chucky says no luck today. Troopers used helicopters too.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

tambo said:


> Lonelytree would you please check back in with us as soon as you can when you get back so we will know you are ok?


Won't be back until Monday night unless we find him and I get a bou.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

The only productive thing I did today was buy some ammo online. I've never bought any online before and was very happy and surprised at how much the shipping was.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

2 of my ewes gave birth to 2 sets of twins. Worked a 10 hr job. Picked up my friends dog to dog sit for a week. Woke up at 4:00 am, took the dog outside to potty, went out to barn to check on the babies fed the sheep, got dressed, drove an hr to work, only to start all over again. Feels like groundhog day the movie....LOL


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Where are the pictures of the lambs?!?!?!!?!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Peppers are doing nicely. Got two varieties here: Red Majesty and California Wonder. Brocolli is still growing, hasn't gotten too tall, but also has gotten and thicker. Not sure if they're going to make it.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

It was beautiful here today. Awesome weather. I got out and dug in the garden even if I did have to stop and get the mud off my shovel. I planted 2 small row of Alaskan English pea. I don't know if they will come up or not but it was nice to dug in the dirt! I got a gift package from my sister today for Valentine's Day. I was in the garden when it came. I had mud all over my hands but when I opened it up and saw what it was I had to eat a piece anyway. Chocolate oatmeal cookies and beef jerky. Yum. I also made a barrel grill like Elkhounds and another trivet.


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## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

You are the coolest person I know. Seriously.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

rileyjo said:


> You are the coolest person I know. Seriously.


I doubt that. lol If you seen my house you would've been wondering what the heck I was doing outside messing with that stuff!


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## newcolorado (Jan 31, 2012)

You are great making things. I can make oalmeal cookies. I can cut off plastic pop bottles is about it. Heavy plastic I can not even cut. 

I have on floor what will become a quilt. Just blocks and trying to get them set. With all the snow out side can not even go walking. Go to rec center to walking go on senior bus and that messes up the morning. I walk there 5 mornings a week.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I played with my new pan today....


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## BetsyK in Mich (May 14, 2002)

That looks like fun! Corn bread?


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Yes Betsy cornbread. I used the recipe that Lodge has on their website. Kinda weird--it has mayonnaise in it. I'm looking for another recipe--they were kinda dry.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Did a bunch of transplanting today. The tomatoes and peppers were returned to the seeding hot table since it's still cool out. The broccoli, kholarabi, cabbage and turnips were put in their little cold frames...still a little fragile for outside.

The pole peas though...got em in the ground....
Sugar Pole Pea Contraption.....I am pleased with my peas!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Looks awesome Whynot!! Can't wait to see them peeking out of the ground. Can you tell me about your method of planting them while still in the cup? That is interesting.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

tambo said:


> Looks awesome Whynot!! Can't wait to see them peeking out of the ground. Can you tell me about your method of planting them while still in the cup? That is interesting.


Oh those peas are already out of the ground. I sprouted them on the seeding table and by the time I got to them yesterday they are all about 6 inches tall. Because they were a little leggy I planted them a little deeper.

I have never planted in rings either but am told that Texas cutworms are pretty bad. I have been prepping the beds here (all brand new) for about four weeks...from breaking ground to squishing grubs to digging up the old auto parts and wires out. I treated the soil with some gypsum and DE down to about 8 inches.

Anyway, I planted them directly in the ground but the cups you see are from fast food places and I cut the bottoms out...supposedly it will help with cutworms. I do know that it helps with watering...it directs the water to the plant so it doesn't spread out as much...right now it's not very hot out or anything..been in the 60's and low 70's during the day so I am not concerned about water.

The main thing I guess is cutworms. Perhaps my friend Patrick is a little paranoid but I wasn't ready to throw caution into the wind and plant them without the rings.

Fortunately (or unfortunately for him I guess) my roomates boyfriend is lazy and eats at fast food places all of the time, refusing to cook, so she saves the drink cups. There are at least a couple hundred here in the shed. The other day I asked him to come out there and was like...you keep asking my why you can't get rid of your belly and you have watched me lose three jean sizes since I have been here. I have been here almost three months...you have been here since June...see those cups? Each cup represents a "meal" you spent between 5 and 8 dollars for....there is more than ten cups, yeah? Maybe think about that. He hasn't spoken to me since.  :shrug: Course some of the cups are from "meals" she bought but she also has a habit of just getting the drink, the circle K here has those 32oz drinks for .59...so they aren't all his.

Yesterday I was cutting the bottoms out for rings and then using the bottoms to plant other seedlings in that aren't quite sturdy enough to plant in the ground yet..and it's not warm enough for them anyway...tomatoes and peppers mostly.

Also, the burlap is more so the roomies cats won't dig them up and crap. I have no doubt at some point they will think it's a jungle gym...but we'll see how long it lasts.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

It doesn't look like it but my trellis thingamahoochie is extremely sturdy. Some brushing out was done last year by Patrick who laid the saplings in a pile and never got to them so they are dried nicely and solid...I dug down about six inches and pushed most of them into that about another four inches and tamped them down really well and then tied them together with jute twine.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I really like raised beds but my cat is like "yay, you made me litterboxes." Out of the whole big garden she picks where I planted some garlic bulbis to do her business. Drives me crazy or crazier.


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## Groene Pionier (Apr 23, 2009)

Tommyice said:


> I played with my new pan today....


I want that pan too! looks fantastic Tommyice!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

WhyNot, I don't know if it's practical in your circumstances, not knowing the size of your raised beds, but when my cats were inclined to make litter boxes out of areas where I didn't want them, I would criss-cross masking tape over the bed for a few days. They hated the feeling of the tape sticking to their paws and stopped going into the beds. Once the dirt settled back a bit, I could remove the tape and they'd stay out. Just an idea.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Not sure if tape will work...these cats are....a few words I cannot use here :angel:

Anyway....made dishsoap today. It was a new adventure...never made it before but basically like laundry soap but not as...coarse I guess.

The ingredients...washing soda, Dr.Bronners, mix of ivory & fels naptha, vinegar and water.
















2 Tablespoons washed two days worth of 4 people's dishes...plus baking muffins and homemade pizza night (tonight)....it did pretty well.

We'll see how it looks when it completely cools...I have a feeling it may go jelly because I tweaked the recipe....course I couldn't find a recipe online that made sense to me so I made one up using no other basis than how it felt to me....which may be bliss or tragedy.

I'll find out


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

tambo I just stuck little branchy sticks in my beds to frustrate the cats. The garlic would grow up in between just fine, just push them into the ground.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

Tommyice said:


> I played with my new pan today....


You made CORNBREAD in a LODGE skillet. 

I love you.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

wyld thang said:


> tambo I just stuck little branchy sticks in my beds to frustrate the cats. The garlic would grow up in between just fine, just push them into the ground.


hahaha...I just thought of this last night. I have a whole list of stuff I have tried and was thinking about doing some branch and twig chipping this weekend and thought of putting the chips in the beds to keep the cats out but thought what a pain to have to mess with it then thought...why not leave them whole and twig the beds...hee hee. I am going to try that and see if these *&^&^%#$%^&*(*&^%$%^&* cats will finally leave them alone.

My poor lettuce is all barely 2cm tall and it's been uprooted by the #$%^&**&^%$ #@$%^&*( twice now. That was with weighted burlap over the tubs with a board across the top and two bricks on it...and no..they are actually quite small cats LOL I think they sometimes have help though from the dogs on the other side of the fence...so I moved those tubs too.


Raven12 said:


> You made CORNBREAD in a LODGE skillet.
> I love you.


Oh my goodness...what would happen if someone showed you making cornbread in a Wagner skillet?


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I went shopping today. First stop was at a grocery store that has a Subway in it. The bakery sales their empty buckets $2 for 5gal and $1 for 2.5 gal. I got 3 5 gal and 1 2.5 gal with the lids. The lids have a rubber oring in them.
The second stop was at an Amish store. I spent $28 there. I bought a 10lb bag ($6.50) of wheat berries to try in my hand grinder. I've never done it before so I am excited.
Then I went to my favorite store Rural King. I went to get some seed potatoes and onion sets but they haven't got them in yet.
I stopped by an Army surplus store. I bought a canteen cup and a mess kit there.
Then my last stop was the Co-op where I found seed potatoes and onions set.
That's my kinda shopping. I haven't been in a Mall in I don't know how long.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Awwwwwww Crap.

http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-02-15/snowmachiner_37125093


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

LT was he the friend that went missing? I'm sorry for your loss if he is.

I read the article. At least he died doing something he enjoyed and looks like he went mercifully quick.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

So sorry, LT. It's always rough to lose a friend. But yes, it was quick, and he didn't suffer. Cold comfort, I know.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

So sorry for your loss LT.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I had many a drink with him. Many people shocked and bewildered. Many facts were left out. Very high speed. He wasn't found quickly due to the remoteness and how far he was from a trail or the lake.

I bought an electric log splitter. It works fine after you wine and dine it next to the woodstove to warm up the hydraulic fluid. Did at least a cord in 3 hours. I learned how to keep the cycle times down. 

Friday made a run down a trail to see if I could find a bou. No bou but IF I see that bull moose this fall..... he was huge..... even without antlers. 

It snowed until most of the time after Friday. Some really heavy stuff. Pushed the ice down and created an overflow nightmare. Over flow is when the water gets on top of the ice. You don't get pictures of it because you are either panicking to get out of it or through it.

2 bou were taken by friends. I know where they are. Need to see if I can go get one.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

godspeed on the bou LT


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

I'm thinking straw bale garden this year. Or more accurately, a partial straw bale garden this year. One of my neighbors has been growing one for the past couple of years and I've had a sharp eye on it. It's pretty darned impressive. 

My cunning plan is to line the borders of my garden with straw bales to inhibit weed encroachment, then add some strategic bale "beds" in a few spots. I'd like to plant some crops in both straw bales as well as in my traditional beds and see which do better. Because of the heat generated via the straw bale method, I'll bet I can get a good jump on some things like lettuce and spinach. Later on, the heat might also help peppers and tomatoes to ripen in my cooler climate.

I'll post pics when I get it underway.

My big impediment now is, straw is very scarce here this time of year. I'd take 3 tons if I could get my hands on it.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I hate being in a rental. No garden here. I did mention it to a friend at the lake. He has been thinking that he would like to try it. Now I have to haul my roto tiller 28 miles across the ice. Probably peat moss and I think that I want to try potatos above grade. I mentioned that I knew where some windows were..... he said fresh tomatos!

Starting a batch of Moscato Wine today from concentrate.

I may downgrade my boat, so I gotta price new striping. It rubbed on a dock and tore it up a bit. 

I may have found a building lot. I hate paying rent. Need to work on floor plans but it will be like where I am now with a few changes. Huge shop with a condo on the front. Possibly 3 or 4 rental units.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

wyld thang said:


> godspeed on the bou LT


I know where they are. 20-30 miles of nice groomed trail away from the lodge. I just don't want to go alone and the guys with tags still are working. I hope to find a way. If not, next year I will pursue moose. They taste better!


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

So sorry for the loss of your friend LT... My brother brings down moose meat every year when he visits. Love the pepperoni sticks. I really like the taste of it myself. The best meatloaf I ever ate was made using moose... He got the recipe for his smoked salmon from an oldtimer right after he moved to Alaska in the 70's. Very yummy.

I was so glad when I bought my place and didn't have to rent anymore.


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## newcolorado (Jan 31, 2012)

Sorry, LT,
I am on a rental place too. But can use the back of the lot for garden beds if get enough money and buy dirt for more. Snow piled on top of one bed frame and hope not broken or out of place. If is no garden this year. Put on there with a backhoe. Unhappy over that. I had it in 3 feet from the alley line. I want to grow root crops as can eat them. 

Never ate moose, but deer and antelop and elk. All good meat.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Moose chunks wrapped in cheese and bacon and grilled.


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Yum that sounds good. Antelope around here is very gamey and strong flavored. I think it has to do with the juniper and sage brush they eat. Heard someone say the more they run before they are shot the gamerier (is that a word) they taste. I have no idea though... Some of the best breakfast sausage I've had was made from bear..... During the fall deer hunting I will watch the phones in the evenings for the duty officers so they will share their meat with me. Backstrap, oh yummo.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I went to wash my truck..... it needed it. While waiting the lady beside me asked if I needed a loan to afford the wash. ::stinkeye::

I plowed snow..... me thinks I have the oil injection fixed. If it didn't seize the engine working that hard it should be good for normal use.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Echoesechos said:


> Yum that sounds good. Antelope around here is very gamey and strong flavored. I think it has to do with the juniper and sage brush they eat. Heard someone say the more they run before they are shot the gamerier (is that a word) they taste. I have no idea though... Some of the best breakfast sausage I've had was made from bear..... During the fall deer hunting I will watch the phones in the evenings for the duty officers so they will share their meat with me. Backstrap, oh yummo.


Spooked or overexerted animals pump adrenalin into their blood. It can flavor the meat. Hanging, brining, smoking are ways around it... to a point. Some meat is barely edible. An example would be a bou in full rut. They shut down the season so people don't shoot one that they are going to throw away.

Best antelope I ever had was a roast that had been brined for a couple days then slow smoked. Great flavor and the consistency of a large beef roast. Melted on your mouth.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I worked in the greenhouse today. I took out a bench to have more growing space. I haven't planted anything yet as the soil was cold. I closed everything up to build up the heat. I limed the garden and fertilized my fruit trees and the wheat patch.It was a really nice day.

I received some disappointing news a little while ago but I hope it works out for the best. I learned a long time ago You can't change people places or things.


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## newcolorado (Jan 31, 2012)

Matters to how you handle the animal after killing. Get it dressed out. Some area they are strong tasting. Deer over in the San Luis Valley was a strong. Here the deer are not and antelope are not. We trim off all the fat and made sure no hair. Some here have said antelope not fit to eat, but ours has been good meat and not gamey. 

Here in this town we have deer. They come in to graze on lawns. Couple Saturdays ago 7 deer were walking up the street out front. Yesterday morning I saw two deer come from across the street by new house there. At 4 I went to get mail and saw a deer up at the end of the street. Later I saw two deer running down the street. Everything is snow covered. I am couple blocks off the main highway through town. 
I put some potato peelings inthe garden bed on top the snow and figured would work down. Deer came in a ate and later one was pawing the snow trying to find more. It is going to be rough gardening here. 

Other night I woke to bang outside by house. Window and bed near it. Far as I know a Deer hit the gutter down pipe that goes across the sidewalk. Nothing else out there to bang. 

That will give you an idea on the deer here. Go out and try to to find one to hunt. Ha! Try to draw license to hunt and it takes years and no over the counter. 

I am still debating on rather to start plants. My house down home was a vandlized. Spray paint inside on walls. I have not seen it as no way to get there. Senior bus will go down this Thursday and I will go see how bad. Son said all rooms had been gotten. So I may have to be down there this summer to get it cleaned up to rent or sell. It will cost me hundreds I am afraid. Car paint I had in a cupboard. No idea yet how to clean it up . Bus only runs once a month and not other buses or train or plane out of here.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I gave tetnesus shots and docked tails.

I have never seen so much drama from my lambs as I seen this time, I was almost feeling horible for what I've done to them. It was the saddest tail docking day ever.


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

How awful New.... I hate painting in the first place but to have to have it done after that would gripe the crud out of me.....We have mule deer here also. They mostly migrate out in the winter but they wonder around here the rest of the time. A few years ago they figured out how to get over my picket fence in my front yard. Ate all my columbines, hostas, sedum etc.... My fence is only 3 feet high, so they could see over it. A four feet picket fence they don't jump over. If it's something I really want to keep safe I use Liquid Fence and spray it on the plants. At the work gardens I can clear out the compound instantly using it. When I first used it the crews were out back going through a chain saw class. I was spraying away in the gardens when I started noticing the chains start to shut off. I looked up and they were all looking at the bottom of their boots asking who stepped in? I called out and said it was me.... So now they see the jug they are gone somewhere else.

Fowler I have docked so many tails... Grew up raising sheep because my Mom said she could handle them on her own. The only time my folks ever faught was when they worked sheep. LOL


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

This morning it was 17 degrees out, but I planted 2 rows of wheat.

Masanobu Fukuoka figured out how to plant wheat by just broadcasting balls of seeds and clay, but that did not work for me. What few plants lived looked too dry. But! I spilled some grain last summer in the lawn and it tried to grow and it looked healthy. 

This is winter wheat country, and if I was going to plant wheat it SHOULD have been done in the Fall, but I was too busy. So I am planting it now. 

I sprinkled it on the grass and the grain vanished from view in the grass. That makes it far less likely for the varmints to eat it. And, tonight as a warm front moves through, it is supposed to snow and then we should get freezing rain. This should FURTHER settle the grain in and get it nice and muddy!!! A grain of wheat that is hidden is a grain of wheat that the ***** will not eat!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

sorry for the loss LT


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

my biscuit making is improving..topped off with canned tenderloin gravy...yumm


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

finished the shed


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

only about two more weeks and I can start moving in! this weekend going to Oregon to ransack my old place for the last time--it will be interesting to see what is left. I'm going to talk to the neighbor and give him the bulldozer, if he can get it started he can have it. I hope he uses it in good health


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

So you think you can stack firewood....












I want a bunny!!!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I want a bac, I mean I want a pig.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

A pig would be nice, too. But I'd settle for any of these:


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

elkhound said:


> finished the shed


I need something like that but I don't think it would handle the snow load...... blue tarps are tough.


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## Jenstc2003 (Apr 4, 2012)

Good luck with the hunting!! And I am so sorry to hear about your friend. May he rest in peace, and may his family and friends find whatever comfort they need to get through this.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Hey Tambo! 

I mixed up 1/2 batch of your bread mix..... now I can't figure out what to do with it and I can't find the thread...... an assist would be appreciated.

About how much oil and water. How long to rise. What temp to bake?

Mike


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I suspect that the bread mix was origionally mine!

I just added a dash of oil and I just kept adding water a little at the time, nixing it after every addition, until it looked right. My origional recip called for 1 cup of water for about 3 cups of mix, more or less.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Terri where did you post that recipe? I forgot about it and want to make some. Found it. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...etree/475801-today-i-made-some-bread-mix.html


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Terri said:


> I suspect that the bread mix was origionally mine!
> 
> I just added a dash of oil and I just kept adding water a little at the time, nixing it after every addition, until it looked right. My origional recip called for 1 cup of water for about 3 cups of mix, more or less.


Me so sorry....... 

Thanks!


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

St Lawrence Nurseries got my order this year due to high number of sea berry casualties ordered from the west coast. Located in Potsdam, NY and I've been very happy with orders from them in the past. They have Korean stone pines for pine nuts for only 10.00 cheaper than what I paid so I got 2 more and unsexed sea berries for 6.00 so ordered 5 and they had 2 named varieties 15.00 ea so 1 of each and a bunch of other stuff. Never lost a plant from them.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

tambo said:


> Terri where did you post that recipe? I forgot about it and want to make some. Found it. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...etree/475801-today-i-made-some-bread-mix.html


I tried to find it..... 

I started another 6 gal of wine today... got 2 brewing.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

My bread mix:

3 cups of flour, 3 heaping teaspoons of yeast, 1 heaping teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon sugar.

I stir that up, and whenever I want to bake a little bread I take some, add a dash of oil, and enough water to make a dough.

I never measure as the oil is optional (it makes the bread raise a little higher) and I can tell if the dough is to dry or too sticky.. I just mix it and raise it and cook it and eat it!

2 days ago I mixed some up and I put it on a sprayed cookie sheet. Then I sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar. It came out kind of flat and with a flavor of cinnamon.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2013)

It's a nice day, finally. 223 seedlings out by the back door.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Day 2 of mushers getting their dogs checked for the Iditarod at the vet clinic across the road. I don't know who is getting them checked now but the dog music would wake the dead. 

I met this guy while he was training earlier this winter. He got rookie of the year for 2011. 

http://iditarod.com/race/2013/mushers/378-Nicolas-Petit/

http://www.teampetit.com/index.html

He has 2 nice finishes so far this year. His dog Ugly is awesome too! I'll be rooting for him!


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I made a short movie. I think these puppies wanna go for a trip.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Thinking about starting a small business and manifacturing these.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I've been busy washing buckets to put all the flour and wheat berries in. I put my popcorn in quart jars sealed with the Food Saver. 

I made a cabbage soup and bread for supper. I didn't have any white beans cooked for the soup so I cooked them in the pressure cooker first. The book said soak them over night but I just cooked them from dry. I cooked them 25 minutes first then about 15 more minutes until done.

I mixed my bread all by hand this time. I let it sit behind the soup pot on the stove to rise. I baked this loaf at 350 instead of 400. I found out I get a better rise with instant yeast.

ETA: I made some jogging in a jug too. lol


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

I'm stopping by with friends for dinner tonight (don't worry -- they did invite me!). Here's my contribution to the meal:






















It's a light-textured dill bread, an old family favorite. They're serving their first homemade corned beef made from a side we split with some other friends a couple of years ago. I'm sure it will all be great.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I just talked to the Mushers across the street..... this guy ran the Iditarod in 1974 and is running it again. I was 12 on 1974...... 

http://iditarod.com/race/2013/mushers/403-Rudy-Demoski-Sr/

I scored a smoker off Craigslist..... $70.... like new, used once, clean!


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

Oh Lonely tell me how you like that smoker please.... I've been looking at a couple kinda like one (gas and electric powered) and haven't gotten one because I know squat about them... Trying to talk my brother out of one of his that he never uses... I swear I would share with him but so far nada...


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Echoesechos said:


> Oh Lonely tell me how you like that smoker please.... I've been looking at a couple kinda like one (gas and electric powered) and haven't gotten one because I know squat about them... Trying to talk my brother out of one of his that he never uses... I swear I would share with him but so far nada...


I won't have any fish for a few months. I got an awesome recipe for smoked salmon. I do have a couple bou roasts left. 

Truck is in the shop for an oil pan gasket.... I am without wheels and I hate it. 1001 miles left on warranty. They say 2 days to fix it.


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## rickfrosty (Jun 19, 2008)

Time to get order in for next few years' firewood @ $120/cord for 8 cds. min. - 8 ft. length. This will last me 3 years w/tiny bit of Kero burned in the old Monitor heaters.
Last year I only used 1/8th tank (tank 250 gals) of Kero, so will easily have 3 more years of heat stockpiled.
Traded a good-for-nothing (I did shoot a weasel w/it in chkn coop !) 25 auto pistol for a pretty new Husky 455 chainsaw, so want to see how that works. I have seen online that there may be an issue w/bar oil on this saw - we'll cross that bridge if it comes up. My brother the gunsmith used to tell me to throw that gun away, LOL. It actually acted up when the guy & I were trying it out before he bought, but he took it anyway, just asked me for $40 to boot.
Old monster Husky 'yard saw' which I paid $45 for at local yard sale had recurring problem w/loosening carburator bolts - too bad, it ate log length hardwood like crazy, just hold on for all you're worth and keep yer feet under ya!!
Looks like I'm getting a yr. old steer to train up to OX . I fell in love w/the little critter when he was just ready to 'cut' & being led around on a rope by my friend's little girl.
3 more years of feeding (& I don't have hay fields - yet) before he can be called an OX and do hard work like logging the small hardwood & clearing thickets growing up on my 100 acre farm/retreat project, and then plowing after excavator pulls stumps & does the hard work of breaking up forest soil (all a web of roots).
Need like-minded female partner bad ! Living alone for going on 5 yrs. - not many like-minded women in tiny town surrounded by forest - ha, ha, not many single women at all !!? 
Fairly prepped & commited to the homesteading life .


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

I want the wine recipe! I knew I saved those glass jugs for a reason....


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Truck is in the shop again. 500 miles left on the warranty. Needs a blower motor. They have had it since Thursday...... for a blower motor? ::stinkeye:: I hate being without wheels. I don't want to look for a second vehicle right now either. 

Started a gallon of BlackBerry Honey mead. 

Started a Cherry wine, 5 gallon.

Bottled my 3rd batch of Welches Grape juice wine. 

Painting Grinder and stuff up for the season. Getting business licenses and taxes done for last year. 

Just found out that a buddy may be losing his lodge. Been there since 92. Fuel prices are killing the lodges. Commercial power is only 17 miles away. Makes no sense. It is going to change the way I recreate...... no warm place to dress or store gear.... no place that will make sure your truck is plugged in 3 hours before you leave and makes sure it will start.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

FarmChix said:


> I want the wine recipe! I knew I saved those glass jugs for a reason....


2 cans of 100% Welches Grape juice per gallon. 11.5 OZ
2 1/4 C Sugar Per gallon.

Mix Sugar with 2 quarts water until it is completely disolved. Then stir it for another 10 minutes.

Put Juice and water into container. Fill remaining with water leaving room for bubbles and 1/2 cup of water/yeast. Shake it up well. Shake it some more.

Let sit until it is room temperature. 70-80 degrees if possible. 

Mix Lavin RC212 yeast according to package instructions. Pour in. Set airlock. 

Rack near 1.00 Specific Gravity when the airgap is no longer bubbling. Wait a day. Rack it again to get a clearer product. Taste wine. If it went below 1.00 SG..... you might want to sweeten it. When you racked you lost about a quart. You now have room for sweetener. 

Pull a quart and heat it to 140-150 degrees. NO HOTTER or you lose alcohol. Add in a little sugar until it tastes right. Now do the math. If you added 1/4 cup of sugar and you are making a gallon..... add 1 cup of sugar for a 1 gallon of wine. Do not bottle it. Install airlock and wait a couple days to make sure it isn't reactivating the yeast. If you don't BOOM..... cork popping time. When you are sure it isn't bubbling. Bottle.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Bout all I am getting done homesteadery is using my homemade dishsoap.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

It was RickFrosty I swear!!! Wrong month Buddy!


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks! I will certainly give it a try!


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