Countryside & Small Stock Journal back issues from May 1999:
Dr. Edward Yardeni speaks out on Y2K, Feb. 15, 1999.
May 01, 1999; ... I believe that the burden of proof should be on the naive optimists: Why are they so sure that most systems will be fixed in time? There are still very few major businesses or government agencies that are ready now for the Year 2000 on the planet Earth. How do the naive optimists know that ...
Who can we believe?(Y2K)
May 01, 1999; ... One trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure, and the intelligent are full of doubt.-- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) As Year 2000 draws closer with alarming alacrity (have we really been talking about Y2K for a whole year already?) the time remaining for ...
"An attack against honesty".
May 01, 1999 ... Who should you believe? Maybe nobody. Information Week, a magazine devoted to IT (information technology) printed an article (Feb. 15) charging that "self-appointed `protectors' have launched an attack against honesty." The author was Leon Kappelman, associate director of the ...
Up, or down? Yes, or no?
May 01, 1999 ... Who should you believe? In a fast-paced environment, maybe nobody. In our Jan/Feb issue, we reported that Wisconsin was making preparations to call out the National Guard on New Year's Eve, 1999. Just days after we repeated that in our March/April number, the state ...
The profit factor works both ways.
May 01, 1999 ... Who should you believe? Many of the naysayers are wont to point out that people preaching Y2K awareness and preparedness are profiting by promoting panic. As with nearly everything connected with this situation, this might have a smidgen of truth, in some cases. But ...
Beware those with tunnel vision.
May 01, 1999 ... Who should you believe? Not the fellow (or many others like him) who wrote us a scathing e-mail explaining in some detail why Y2K is a hoax. He said he set the clocks ahead on his PC, microwave, vcr, etc., and what happened? Absolutely nothing! Therefore, Y2K will be a ...
Hospitals are advised to stockpile.
May 01, 1999; ... Materials Management In Health Care, a magazine most hospitals receive, was advising a 3 to 4 month stockpiling of ...
Hardware stores see Y2K buying.
May 01, 1999; ... National Home Center News reported that home improvement centers are seeing hefty sales increases in such items as wood stoves, kerosene heaters and lamps, and generators. As of February, ...
Lies and silence.
May 01, 1999 ... Who should we believe? Bob Bennett said (in December, 1998) that one of his frustrations was that despite extensive probing and investigations, he still didn't know what to expect of Y2K. It's like an onion, he said: the more layers you peel away, the more your eyes cloud up. ...
Russia changes its tune.
May 01, 1999 ... Not long ago, Russia (along with China and several other key nations) wasn't very worried about Y2K. A couple of months and maybe half a billion dollars and they'd have it licked, they figured. They changed their tune. The official directing Russia's Y2K efforts said they ...
Italy is in no hurry.(Y2K issues)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... Some U.S. Government agencies have been working on Y2K remediation for several years, and still won't be ready on time. But that's not as bad as Italy. On Feb. 14, 320 days before 01/01/00, that country ...
Patience is a virtue, but for a con artist, this is ridiculous!(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... Who should you believe? Not us, apparently! Norbert Brandner sent us a bill stuffer he got from his South Dakota bank. We expected it to be another "Don't worry, we're Y2K OK!" thing all banks are sending out these days, but it wasn't. Instead, it was a warning about ...
The leadership void is alarming.(Y2K issues)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... The question of what or whom to believe is one of the most frightening aspects of Y2K at this point. You don't have to believe this either, but think about it: * There are no "experts," because (as the accompanying article explains) the problem is far too widespread for any one ...
Postal Service still faces "significant challenges".(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... Who do you believe? In the main article we mention a fellow whose son works with PCs for the post office and says they all work fine. Ergo, Y2K is bunk. On February 23, 1999, Karla W. Corcoran, Inspector General of the United States Postal Service, addressed the U. S ....
Year 2000 problems could, affect farm systems, services.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE Farmers be advised: If you use a computer, an electronically-controlled feeding, ventilation, or milking system, or get goods or services delivered to your farm, the "Year 2000" computer problem could affect your operation. ...
Late news.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... The long-awaited report of the U.S. Senate's Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem was leaked to several news organizations February 24. It revealed that 64% of U.S. hospitals have no plans to test their Y2K readiness, and 90% of doctors are unaware of how Y2K could affect ...
Bean seeds lived long in her fridge.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In 82/4 you printed a chart on seed longevity. I'd like to tell you of an experience I had with Jacob's cattle beans. I kept some beans in the refrigerator for 11 years. Yes, eleven years! A few years ago I planted them to see if they'd grow. ...
Ways to make yourself useful.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Here are a few thoughts on feeling more prepared for any of life's events. Some things that are useful at any time are skills and knowledge. Even folks who don't have land would be more welcome in the countryside if they had something to share. * Learn to repair ...
Here's how to use big round bales.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... COUNTRYSIDE: We really enjoy your magazine. Wish we'd known you existed 20 years ago! I have a suggestion for the lady who was not using big round bales for mulch because they are too difficult to unwind and bulky to spread. The rancher we get our hay from told us to ...
Use economical thread on your sewing machine.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Like the economy of sewing machine thread on a cone but have no adapter for convenient use? Drill two holes in a 6" wooden ruler (or a stick of similar size) large enough to fit on your machine thread spindle. ...
A simple diaper drying space-saver.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have a solution to the diaper dilemma. Use two coat hangers. With clothespins, hang one corner of the diaper on one hanger, and the other corner on the other hanger. Continue until the hangers are full. You can dry many more diapers in less space this way. I would ...
I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you.
May 01, 1999 ... COUNTRYSIDE: These COUNTRYSIDE magazines were found loose in the mail in (city deleted), Texas. As a subscriber, I know how valuable they are. Normally the P.O. would destroy any publication without an address. But as I said, I'm a subscriber. So I thought you might want them back. ...
Make a handy poultry feeder.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: My father came up with this simple plan for a poultry feeder or waterer: Cut off several inches from the bottom of a 5-gallon plastic bucket with a saber saw. Attach a few feet of PVC pipe to the piece of bucket, putting the pipe inside of the bucket on the edge and ...
A recipe for whitewash.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Someone asked about whitewash. Here's a recipe. Soak 50 lbs. hydrated lime in 6 gallons of water to make about 8 gallons of paste. Dissolve 6 lbs. of salt in 3 gallons ...
Deterring rabbits; cracked tomatoes.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Here's something that might help other readers with rabbit problems. When we first moved here I planted 74 sweet potatoes. We had no fence, and in two nights the whole works was gone. I bought 8-ft. steel fence posts, and pounded them three feet into the ...
Optimist uses gloom to good advantage.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: My husband is an eternal pessimist, and after reading your predictions of possible disasters, my requests for a larger rabbit herd and more garden space and basement canning shelves are falling on more favorable ears. Although ...
Homestead bookbinding.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have saved every issue since about 1985. I am going to use an old trick my dad taught me back in the '50s. Maybe some others would like to use it too. Take six or 12 magazines, your choice. Line them up between two slabs of 1" x 12" wood, in a vise. Take a saw and ...
Consider starting a thrift store.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I stumbled onto your magazine a few months ago and find it very fascinating. Not only is it down to earth, it is back to basics, where we need to be heading in these troubled times. One of the outstanding aspects of COUNTRYSIDE is its reader participation, mostly in a homespun ...
It's not their dream, but isn't it nice?
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: We're new subscribers and are glad to have found you. Your 42 replies on obtaining a homestead without a grubstake caused us to really start soul searching, or should we say "home searching." In fact, we are pretty embarrassed to confess what we had to learn. We've ...
She didn't know she was a homesteader.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: My family and I had been living the "Countryside philosophy" for years and didn't know it 'til a friend said she got a magazine that seemed to fit us. She lent us a copy, and we've been hooked ever since. Every time an issue arrives, it's like getting together with ...
Homemade yeast and baking powder.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have a recipe for homemade baking powder that I have used with great success for quite some time. Blend 2 parts arrowroot, 1 part baking soda, and 1 part cream of tartar. Mix together and use as you would any baking powder. Arrowroot can be purchased in ...
Sex chicks and cure scours.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Thirty years ago an old-timer told me how to sex chickens. Watch the feathers. Pullets will start to feather out first. You will see feathers starting to form on the wing tips and tails when they are as young as a week old. Feathers won't start growing on cockerels ...
Nonjudgmental attitude appreciated.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been subscribing for about three years and want to congratulate you for a wonderful magazine. I have really appreciated your ...
A puzzling solution.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Our cabin has a large screened-in porch. Every winter we put visqueen over the screening to make the porch more useful in bad weather. Instead of ...
Some miscellaneous homestead hints.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to share some homestead hints: * To remove rust from iron pots and kettles, fill the pot with as much hay as it will hold, add water to the top rim, and boil for several hours. If at the end of several hours rust remains, repeat process. * ...
America needs to change its course.
May 01, 1999; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I've always been hoping for a crash. The main reason I would like to see one is that this country needs something to change its course. I've always looked at the positive side of what a crash could do, which is to get people back to basics, living more simply and not being so ...
Steam power.
May 01, 1999; ... An old technology is making a comeback "Alternative" energy has been a popular topic in homestead circles for 30 years, but this generally implies solar or wind. We seldom hear about steam -- a simple technology that is more dependable and, in some cases, more practical. This ...
A horsepower of another color.(determining the horsepower of an engine)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... Technically, one horsepower is the amount of power needed to move 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute, or 745.7 watts. In practice, when dealing with engines, it's not that simple. There are a number of ways of determining the horsepower of an engine. Some examples: ...
How much power will you produce?
May 01, 1999 ... The usual way for determining the size of any alternative electrical energy system is to add up the "load" -- the power demands of the lights and motors (tools and appliances) you want to run off the system. (See 83/ 2:116.) That, at least, is the starting point. In most cases ...
The steam engine boiler.(design, safety concerns)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999 ... Boiler construction is obviously well beyond the scope of this article. (See recommended reading list.) But even when a boiler is constructed by a trained, experienced, certified expert, safety is the responsibility of the operator. The plain and simple fact is, steam is ...
Homesteading and alternative energy.(steam power)
May 01, 1999 ... Steam power isn't for everyone. (Neither is solar, or wind.) But for a certain type of person, it's the ideal source of home power. Most people obviously enjoy the convenience and "economy" of being connected to the grid. Electricity can do it all: light and heat the home, pump ...
Webs of technology: The steam story.
May 01, 1999 ... Many homesteaders see the automobile as the cause of much of what they dislike in modern society: traffic jams and air pollution, inhuman metropolises and suburbanization, fertile land being taken out of production for superhighways and parking lots, and over-reliance on nonrenewable ...
The cost of "free" energy: A comparison.
May 01, 1999 ... The cost of solar power, or even wind power, is often cited as an obstacle for homesteaders who want to get off the grid. So the question is sure to arise: How does steam compare? We asked several suppliers for prices on "comparable" systems. What we learned is that you can't ...
Is steam right for you?(steam power)
May 01, 1999; ... The 1990s has proven to be a time of unprecedented demand for the alternative/self-sufficiency field here in the land of plenty. Late in the decade, most vendors will confirm that demand has continually outstripped supply. How odd that Wall Street and other venture capitalists are still ...
The Mike Brown steam engine: Simple, and elegant!
May 01, 1999 ... Mike Brown teamed up with Skip Goebel (and McGregor Manufacturing, known for its accurate machine work) to produce a reliable and affordable homestead-size steam engine. This unique 1 horsepower engine is the result. It combines the most basic design (the proven "mill type" ...
Cheese: A natural way to preserve your milk.(how to make cheese)
May 01, 1999; ... Making cheese is a great way to preserve your milk supply. Some types of cheese can be aged for two years or more without refrigeration, while others have a shelf life of two years or less. We freeze the soft cream cheese-style cheeses. We wax the cheddar's, colbys and parmesans, since ...
Making butter.
May 01, 1999 ... Fresh, creamy, sweet homemade butter slathered on a piece of homemade bread -- a fond memory from my childhood, when many farmers used their excess cream to make homemade butter. Home butter making is an easily learned skill and can be made nearly foolproof by carefully ...
Raising the homestead hog.(pig)
May 01, 1999; ... For a genuine, homestead-produced bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich, first you must get a pig. Why raise pigs on the homestead? After all, pork is at its lowest price in decades, and whole hogs can be purchased cheaply. Some farmers are giving their hogs away to food pantries rather ...
The garden: Plant once -- harvest for years!
May 01, 1999 ... Perennials and perennial-like vegetables and herbs deserve a special place in the homesteader's survival garden Many gardeners today are interested in open-pollinated seeds, so that this year's crop will provide the seeds for next year's crop. Although seeds are generally a ...
Seed-saving and pollination.
May 01, 1999 ... We're hearing a great deal these days about open-pollinated and hybrid seeds and plants. The concern is that seeds from hybrid plants -- those produced from genetically dissimilar stock -- will not reproduce themselves. (Note that this does not mean that seeds from hybrid plants will not ...
Shallots: A versatile valuable vegetable.
May 01, 1999; ... Shallots are unsurpassed for their compatibility with other vegetables and their ability to repel insects and soil fungi that prey on their neighbors. Besides their long list of culinary uses, we have learned about their value as companion plants first-hand. They simply thrive, ...
Edible podded peas are easy to grow and good to eat.(new pea grows in 58 days without supports)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... I enjoy stir-fry cooking in my Chinese wok. Quite a few of my recipes call for Chinese pea pods. So last year I thought I would grow some, both to fry fresh out of the garden and to freeze for winter cooking. I looked through a lot of seed catalogs until I got to the W. A. ...
Help for beginners: How to start plants from seed.(gardening technique)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... There are many things to consider when you start your own seeds: The seeds themselves, the containers and soil that they will be grown in, the light requirements, water and fertilizing. When purchasing seeds you should consider the area that you live in, the length of your ...
The beehive: Reduce losses from drone comb.
May 01, 1999; ... Many bee books tell us that drone comb decreases honey production and availability. They indicate that after a brood frame reaches 25 percent drone comb it should be replaced. I felt this was a waste of 75 percent, and developed a method to reduce this loss to a minimum. ...
The henhouse: Learn from my mistakes!(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... I've been raising chickens for over five years now and was starting to feel pretty confident in my abilities to raise a bunch of chicks. So when my husband brought home 12 newly hatched chicks, I was delighted. However, we only have five of those chicks left. Perhaps you can learn from my ...
Our experiences with broody hens.
May 01, 1999; ... In answer to the person who was asking about broody hens, let me tell you about our experiences with them. We bought a flock of twelve "Araucanas" six years ago from the Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, MO. We have had several hens go broody each year, more than enough to keep us ...
Bantams: Small bird with big benefits.
May 01, 1999; ... This is in response to a reader's question about self-reproducing chickens. If you don't mind small birds and small eggs, try bantams. I am a big fan of these hardy little birds, and in the case of disaster striking in Y2K, I would say that every homestead should have a flock of them. ...
Dual purpose goats meet their needs.(using goats for meat and milk)(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... Are you sure dairy goats are for you? Don't get me wrong, I love dairy goats! Around my home cow milk is considered a choice of last resort, and chevre (goat cheese) seasoned with dill and garlic is spoken of in hushed and reverent tones. Yet we do not have dairy goats! At least our 4-H ...
Feeds & Feeding: Making silage--without a silo.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... In his book, Fertility Pastures and Cover Crops (1953), English author Newman Turner tells of his method of making silage with no additives directly in the fields from which the silage was cut. This method is still widely used in Europe and New Zealand, but not practiced in the U.S. This ...
Hardy mangel beets cut feed bills.
May 01, 1999; ... I wrote COUNTRYSIDE last year requesting information on using mangel beets as a source of livestock feed. As promised, I would like to pass along what I learned. I planted the mangel seeds like they were common garden beets in deeply tilled, loose soil about three weeks before ...
How I built a low-cost masonry stove.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... I've bought single copies of COUNTRYSIDE from time to time in the past, but with little money to spend, I never subscribed until I picked up a copy of the first Y2K issue. I'm impressed with the extent of the research and the rational way in which it's presented. What really sold me is the ...
Before enjoying a woodstove comes the challenge of installing it!
May 01, 1999; ... Both Dolores and I grew up in homes with fireplaces, and we longed to buy or build one in our current home. Over the years, we have actually purchased three different woodburning stoves for bargain prices at flea markets and rummage sales. But for various reasons, none were quite right. We ...
Homestead health: The many uses of activated charcoal.
May 01, 1999; ... If you've ever been poisoned, you know what charcoal powder is, because that is normally what emergency rooms administer for an antidote in most such cases. Like many healing substances that cannot be patented, the vast resource of credible data about the healing virtues of activated ...
23 ways to save money (and increase quality).(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... Here are a few ideas in which to save your hard-earned dollar and probably increase quality in your lifestyle. Household: 1. Use homemade or simple ingredients to clean, such as bleach, ammonia, cleanser, vinegar and baking soda. 2. Use lemon to freshen ...
Baking with buckwheat.(Brief Article)
May 01, 1999; ... Here is a recipe I created about two years ago when I first started experimenting with buckwheat flour. Honey and molasses buckwheat bread <Pre> 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup of milk 1 pkg. or tablespoon dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 2 tablespoons honey 2 ...