Countryside & Small Stock Journal back issues from July 2007:
Don't forage for parsnips blindly.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I always enjoy your magazine and really read it from front to back. But the article on page 66 of the May/June issue about eating wild parsnips made me feel I had to write to you. Wild parsnips are excellent food, however, there are extremely poisonous plants that ...
Keep snakes out of the hen house.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: An economical way of blocking holes in your coop: if it's elevated, even slightly as mine is (built eight inches off the ground), you can cover the wooden flooring with overlapping metal roofing panels, then spread your straw bedding on top. You can use flat roofing (no bumps) ...
Kitties on patrol.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE; In response to the letter from Barbara concerning the snakes in her coop, I also had a problem with snakes (chicken snakes) in my coop. They were eating the eggs and the baby rabbits. What we did was let cats roam the area in and around the coop. The chickens don't mind the ...
Bring on the mothballs.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: There are a couple of things that Barbara from Arkansas can do to help her and her chickens. When the weather warmed up and the snakes began to move, my father would go hunting for two King snakes. He would bring them home and let them loose very close to the house. Wherever ...
Bee diseases disappoint raiser.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I was somewhat dismayed to find an article by Florida beekeeper Jerry Hayes urging readers to get into beekeeping. I feel that you might unknowingly be doing a disservice to your readers. Both hobbyist and commercial beekeepers are presently losing colonies in huge percentages ...
A wealth of bee knowledge.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007 ... COUNTRYSIDE: It was great to see that you made contact with Jerry Hayes for your beekeeping articles. I am sure that all of your readers will gain great knowledge of ...
Cleaning cast iron tip, and a greenhouse dilemma.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I am deluged with a plethora of inane and tacky magazines at the local supermarket, and then I come home to an island of calm, practical sense and sensibility: my latest issue of COUNTRYSIDE. Regarding cast iron: I use salt to clean mine. It's just abrasive enough, ...
Neighbors confuse free-range with open-range.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Concerning animal problems: Good fences do not make good neighbors; good people make good neighbors. I have neighbors that confuse free-range chickens with open-range and their poultry is all over the place. Some of them come to my coop twice a day when it comes time for ...
The secret of peeling eggs.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have a question for your readers regarding eggs. We have marvelous chickens that lay jumbo eggs. However, when we boil 'em up, they're hard to peel. We boil in salted water. Are they too fresh? Not enough salt? Is there a trick to the boiling time? Readers, please enlighten ...
Which breed lays double yolks?(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007 ... COUNTRYSIDE: A few years ago I went to Norway and my cousin and I went to a street market to get eggs for our wives to do some baking. My cousin's wife only baked with double yolked eggs, and a couple months ago a person wrote a letter mentioning double yolked eggs. I am ...
Coffee substitute from trees.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoy your magazine and glean some information from each issue. We have a few Kentucky Coffee Trees (Glymnocladus Dioica) here and I've been told that early settlers used the seed for a coffee substitute. Can anyone tell me how to process the seeds to make this ...
A fix for rough hands.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Some things are worth buying! If you have tried product after product for dry, cracked, rough hands, with splits by the nails, then buy Burt's Bees hand salve. This product is a "miracle worker." Five years ago I moved onto four acres of "natural desert" ...
The stimga of "dollar stores".(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I was looking through a few back issues of COUNTRYSIDE when I took it upon myself to re-read Ken Scharabok's sad tale of how his bargain store failed. I truly hate it for him. By all accounts he should have been prosperous. I have my own theory of why his business ...
Shipping crates are great source of free wood.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I subscribe to and really enjoy your magazine! I have some info that may be useful to others who have a number of building projects, like I do! My wife and I own an outdoor power equipment store and also are avid small scale poultry and rabbit raisers. We sell commercial grade ...
An endangered species: middle class America.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: You may not think of yourself as endangered. Wake up! Rapidly the middle class is disappearing from the American landscape. The division between wealthy and poor is getting bigger all the time and the middle class is falling in the crack or actually just adding to the poor ...
Sprouts are good for man and beast.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I am an 85-year-old WW II vet, 100% disabled. I was raised by a very strict mother and father. My mother was the only person I've met in my lifetime that could squeeze a nickel so hard that she had the Indian riding the Buffalo. We had a large piece of property in ...
Swisher rake reviews wanted.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Do you have any reviews on acreage rakes like the Swisher acreage thatcher/rake? My parents are in their 80's and live on six acres tucked in the woods. Naturally they have to deal with an abundance of oak leaves every spring. So I am looking for actual user information (not ...
Miscellaneous homestead tips.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Here are several ways to rescue green tomatoes before the first frost ruins them. The force-ripened tomatoes cannot compare with the vine-ripened kind, but they will be no worse than the hot house store bought kind. * Pull the entire tomato plant including roots, ...
Zone 4 fruit tree recommendations wanted.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Your magazine always has something useful in it. Thanks to Jeff Gerken and his tire holder for the water bucket. My husband made one immediately and now the calves don't dump their water and it really does help the water not to freeze so fast. One night the bucket was still ...
Renting out your quadriped weed wackers.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have been getting your magazine off and on for about four years now. I enjoy everything about it. I have learned so much from others, and also have tips for some on things I read. In January/February 2006, a lady asked about mixing chickens and cats. We do--our ...
Don't let frugality become an obsession.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I would like to comment on the article from Lori Matheson Smith on "Tips from an urban homesteader," March/April 2007. I enjoyed very much reading her tips on saving money in different areas of her life. It sounds like she is doing a great job and I'm glad she has been able to ...
An easier liqueur recipe.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I read with interest the article by Thomas C. Tabor "Make your own liqueurs at home." I tried making some according to the directions using apples, blueberries and grapes, which were the fruits I had on hand. They turned out pretty good, but I think I have a better, and far ...
Living with a cistern.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: As a child we had cistern water which was pumped into the cistern by our windmill. This was really well water. It was pumped into a large steel tank which was located on a stand about 10 feet off the ground. We lived in southern Texas, where winters are usually mild. This ...
Livestock barn must serve dual purpose.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In response to your request about animal shelters, I also am looking for ideas, but I'm having little luck. I want to build an underground concrete or concrete block barn that could become a human shelter should the need arise. I don't consider myself to be the ...
Tarentaise cattle aren't plentiful, but they're hardy.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm writing in response to Maureen Horne's letter "Any advice for hardier cattle?" that was published in the March/April 2007 issue of COUNTRYSIDE. Everyone has their own opinions about the best breeds of cattle, but I have a breed suggestion for Maureen's needs ....
No cat neutering on this homestead.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding May/June 2007 ("Free-range cats are a nuisance"): What I am hearing is yet another citizen brainwashed by the liberal idea of neutering cats. The animals in question are unlikely to belong to a neighbor "over a mile away." Cats do not roam like dogs do. I've never ...
Homestead help needed in Wisconsin.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: After reading the article written by Caren Black from the Titanic Lifeboat Academy located in Astoria, Oregon, in the last issue, I am sending this on to you hoping that you could find space in the next issue to publish it. (It was originally written as a "want ad" to be ...
Your magazine stinks.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007 ... COUNTRYSIDE: I just received my latest issue and it reeks of pesticides. Some of us are very sensitive to chemicals, especially pesticides and herbicides. Can you explain why your magazine smells? I love the articles, but if this continues I will be unable to bring your magazine into my ...
Touring the U.S.--on horseback.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jul 01, 2007 ... Here's an unusual "request" we were asked to pass along: If, sometime during the summer, you notice three people, five or six horses, and one dog traveling west, stop and say "Hi!" These adventurous souls will be touring the northern U.S. on horseback. They ...
Coming events.(Calendar)
Jul 01, 2007 ... Get the word out! Send your event listing at least 3 months in advance to Countryside Editorial, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 or e-mail it to csyeditorial@tds.net. June 15-17, 2007 WI: 18th Annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair, ReNew the Earth ...
Toad stranglers, chicken wranglers, global warming and forgiveness farming: on the loose at the 15th Annual Wisconsin Grazing Conference Part II.
Jul 01, 2007; ... The thick crowd trundled forward, moving towards the 2007 Grazier's Conference exhibitions in unison. I was still stirred up from the session I had just come from featuring Joel Salatin, grazier emeritus, and I was having problems keeping pace with the slow half-step movement of the ...
Of solar cells and calories, and elephants aplenty.(Life on the sunny side)
Jul 01, 2007; ... The guy didn't exactly call me a liar; he just refused to acknowledge that I was telling him the truth. The incident was all the more galling because it took place at the annual conference of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in Denver last July, a gathering where the attendees, by ...
What's cooking?
Jul 01, 2007; ... Every so often we need a small, efficient and portable outdoor cooker-grill, whether for a car-camping trip or for use during a power outage. These small cylindrical jobs work quite well with charcoal, but you are unfortunately tethered to having a supply of same on hand. For an extended ...
Construct a thermostatically controlled poultry scalding tank for under $65!(Build it yourself)
Jul 01, 2007; ... We have been raising and butchering homegrown chickens for years. In the beginning we would pick the chickens by hand, scalding them in a pot of hot water that was heated on the stove. Later a friend introduced us to a mechanical picking machine, which requires the chickens to be properly ...
Keep your bees healthy.(The apiary)
Jul 01, 2007; ... How are you doing with your beehives? Have you gained some confidence? If you have, that is because you have made the effort to see how another specie lives. You have provided a space (hive) where they have built a home (nest) in a vast array of beeswax hexagonal cells. You have seen eggs, ...
Solar chicken coops have been around a long time: and the chickens love 'em.(The hen house)(Reprint)
Jul 01, 2007; ... This house was built by Steve Schmeck of the Grass Valley Homestead Research Center in Cooks, Michigan. His article and drawings are reprinted below: The basic concepts behind the construction of a solar-tempered chicken coop have been known and used for a long time. Most ...
Rearrange your chicken yard for fresh grazing.(The hen house)
Jul 01, 2007; ... If you've spent time around poultry, you've noticed that chickens love to eat insects, weeds, and grass. They also love to scratch in the dirt and drop lots of fertilizer. Since chickens can provide natural insect control, weed control, tilling and fertilizing, it may seem hard to imagine ...
This shelter is tops.(The hen house)
Jul 01, 2007; ... In addition to the henhouse, shelter for range chickens can be a challenge. But if you have or can secure an "old" pick-up truck topper your problem is solved. We have two toppers and they quickly became popular spots for our 35 layers and two roosters to hang out-year round. They were ...
The large black hog: a rare heritage grazing pig.(The pig pen)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Today's small farmers are looking for a heritage breed of pig that can be raised on pasture and produce a superior pork for a niche market. Heritage breeds are those that were perfected more than a hundred years ago by farmers who bred for taste, hardiness, mothering ability, and ...
Horses I have known: there's a breed out there for everyone.(The horse barn)
Jul 01, 2007; ... In a recent issue of Countryside I read an article about horses and it contained a lot of helpful information, but I would like to expand on the part where the author advised against getting certain types of horses. Before going further I'd like to state that I have 44 years of ...
Research is key to finding the perfect horse.(The horse barn)
Jul 01, 2007 ... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm writing in reference to an article that was in the Nov/Dec 06 issue by Eric Brown on finding a practical horse. The first item of interest that I noticed was his suggestion about not getting a horse taller than 15'2 hands. I was, at one point in the past, ...
... Or beefalo.
Jul 01, 2007 ... COUNTRYSIDE: TO Maureen Horne, who was looking for guidance on a breed of cattle that might be able to survive in Oregon. We live in south central Minnesota, where we receive approximately 45" of snow per year and endure frigid temperatures with wind chills in the negative digits. We have ...
The importance of biodiversity in livestock production.(Homestead livestock)
Jul 01, 2007; ... In every sector of agriculture today, a few breeds dominate. Over 90% of the North American dairy herd is made up of Holsteins. Similarly, in the beef, sheep, pork and chicken industries, a vast majority of the total population is made up of only a few specialized breeds. So ...
Cattle & the environment.(Homestead livestock)
Jul 01, 2007; ... I've read recently a lot about the scourge of cattle as a greenhouse gas emitter. Perhaps in the context of deforestation of the Amazon and industrial feedlot production, this is so. However, I live on a 15-acre property in Eastern Ontario and I keep a few Belted Galloways on the property ...
Rabbit breed profile: Jersey Wooly.(The rabbitry)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Weight: 3-1/2 lbs. Varieties: Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, REW, BEW, Broken, Pointed, Smoked Pearl, Siamese Sable, Otter, Marten, Squirrel, Opal, Tort, Blue Tort, Chinchilla, and Chestnut The Jersey Wooly is a relatively new breed developed by Bonny Seeley of New ...
Malpresentations & manipulations.(The cow barn)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Sometimes a calf is unable to be born because he's not positioned properly to come through the birth canal. The cow may take a long time in early labor, or doesn't progress when she starts active labor (straining hard). Knowing when to help is very important. Jeff Hoffman, DVM (a ...
Why organic growers disapprove of chemical fertilizers.(The garden)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Chemical fertilizers are quick-acting, short-term plant boosts and are responsible for: 1) deterioration of soil friability, creating hardpan soil; 2) destruction of beneficial soil life, including earthworms; 3) altering vitamin and protein content of certain crops; 4) making certain ...
What if your soil won't release nutrients? "Gimme that hydrogen!".(The garden)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Getting life's needs met involves smart trade-offs. For vegetative growth, the medium of exchange is hydrogen. A plant can get the hydrogen from water ([H.sub.2]0), using oxygen in its respiration, and trading hydrogen to get nutrients from soil. Hydrogen has a negative charge; most ...
The joys and challenges of growing herbs.(The herb garden)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Whether your herb garden is designed for pleasure, profit or production of homegrown flavorings for your home kitchen, the hot and sultry summertime months of July and August present a mixed bag of joys and challenges. At our Timberlakes Farm location in the Missouri Ozarks, the timeslot ...
To water or not to water: spring meadow methods.
Jul 01, 2007; ... How well your garden soil retains the water it receives depends on what type of soil you have. Sandy soils have large air spaces between the particles. This allows for good drainage, sometimes too good; water moves through sandy soil fast and the soil tends to dry out rapidly. ...
Killing nematodes naturally.(The garden)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Nematodes are the unseen menace (eelworm) in elephants, whales, gnats and even minnows; all have nematodes in their bodies. Nematodes can thrive in such varied environments from the most arid desert to farmlands to the icy saltiness of arctic seas. But they thrive in such ideal conditions ...
The power of flowers.(The garden)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Some time ago, while driving through a rural Amish community, I found myself admiring the scenery; crisp linens flapping in the breeze, shiny black horse-drawn buggies, and meticulously well-kept barns. However, what I noticed the most were the colorful gardens outside the door of every ...
Last month we asked you to show us your garden! Here's a peek at what other homesteaders are doing.(Question of the month)
Jul 01, 2007 ... Maine soil and climate isn't kind to gardeners BILL & WANNETTA WILSON CONNOR, MAINE After moving to our place in northern Maine, we built raised beds because the soil on our property is very rocky and needs a lot of work to get it into growing condition ....
Deterring Lepus californicus in high desert gardens.
Jul 01, 2007; ... Remember those cute little bunnies that you or your classmates had as pets back in grade school? Too far back to remember? Well perhaps your children or your neighbor's children had pet rabbits. If your rose garden has been invaded by hares or rabbits, it isn't likely that you'll ever ...
Cabbage: one of the most nutritious vegetables.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
Jul 01, 2007; ... A member of the cruciferous family that includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale and kohlrabi, cabbage is one of the most ancient of vegetables. It has been on the tables of mankind, especially those of the working class, for untold centuries. One of the most ...
Serving a variety of foods without killing the cook: menu ideas for serving homestead visitors.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)(Reprint)
Jul 01, 2007; ... If we were serving a visiting congressional delegation I would pick a variety of foods for them to try and yet at the same time, try not to kill the homestead cook by making that person go crazy in the kitchen preparing food all day. Following are my menus for one day's visit. ...
Easy ways to make fixing meals at home doable.(The homestead kitchen)
Jul 01, 2007; ... There's no way around it. Just accept the fact that tomorrow our family will eat three meals--again. People have been doing it since Adam and Eve started munching fruit in the Garden of Eden. Burying your head in the sand and not thinking about it will not make it go away. I ...
The wonders of amaranth.(The homestead kitchen)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Amaranth is a high-protein seed, rich in amino acids, and is higher in protein than other grains. This grain is considered gluten-free and good alternative in a celiac diet. The grain was a staple diet of Pre-Colombian Aztecs, dating back 2,000 years ago. Some indigenous populations are ...
Easy noodle recipe.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I'd like to add a recipe to the Indiana reader who sent her "Tips for homemade noodle success:" <Pre> Lump noodles (The best and easiest to make) For each cup of King Arthur unbleached flour, stir in: 1/4 teaspoon double acting baking powder (I use Rumford ...
Cleaning naturally: just the basics, please.(The homestead kitchen)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Do we really need to poison ourselves in the name of cleanliness? I am not the best example of housekeeping so when a new product comes out I will try it. If I like the product I will continue to use it, as most people do, to clean my house. Lately, though, I have had misgivings about more ...
Don't quit your day job: at least not yet.(Your homestead business)
Jul 01, 2007; ... Can I have a show of hands from those of you who have faced unemployment at some point? You know the kind I mean--the sudden pink slip, the unexpected horror of finding yourself out of a job, that sinking sensation when all your bills seem to loom up and stare at you: mortgage, ...
Carving a simple wood "spirit".(The woodcarver)
Jul 01, 2007; ... After worship services one Sunday morning, we attended a slide presentation by a friend who traveled to Tanzania, East Africa last winter to visit a member of our congregation who serves on the mission field there under the auspices of Heifer Project International. The presentation ...
For the love of Mike.(Country neighbors)
Jul 01, 2007; ... When my dog received a card from the Veterinary clinic instructing him to tell me to make an appointment for his rabies vaccination, I thought, "That's kind of cute," and made a mental note to call for an appointment. On the next day an appointment was scheduled for 2:00 p.m ....
Precious moments.
Jul 01, 2007; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have never seen anything like this before. I thought maybe you would get a chuckle out of it. One of our cats decided to have her kittens in the laying nest in the chicken coop and the hen does not mind sharing, as you can see ....
Information websites for pet food purchasers.
Jul 01, 2007 ... LEXINGTON, KY (April 25, 2007)--As part of its ongoing service mission to monitor animal feed quality in, the University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services advises consumers who buy pet food to stay informed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced ...