Countryside & Small Stock Journal back issues from January 2008:
Hybrid corn or genetically modified?(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: The letter from Ed Sauerland, questioning why raccoons seemed to shun hybrid corn, highlights a very serious issue. Most people would agree that animals (as with young human babies) will generally eat balanced, nutritious diets, if they have their choice. Mr ....
Don't worry, be happy.(From the editor)(Editorial)
Jan 01, 2008; ... I'm seeing a common thread in magazine and newspaper articles these days- our perception of happiness. "Psychologists have spent decades studying the relation between wealth and happiness," writes Harvard University psychologist Daniel Gilbert in Stumbling on Happiness, "and ...
Milk pail cleaner ideas needed.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I need a strong cleaner to clean my goat milk pails and I am considering changing to a more natural cleaner (not chlorine bleach) that really works. Do any other readers ...
Oven cleaner removes cast iron "gunk".(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I'm writing in regards to the article on cast iron cleaning. I've been using cast iron cookware for almost 40 years. My dad gave me a small skillet he found at the Goodwill store. He scrubbed and scrubbed that little skillet until it was clean. After my parents passed away I ...
Prune your blackberries to increase production.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Regarding the comment by Cheryl Olson (Wisconsin) in the Nov/Dec 2007, issue: Cheryl states that her blackberries do not bear much fruit and suggests not planting them. Here in Alabama blackberries canbeagoodcrop ....
Mississippi reader shares frugal ideas.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In late fall my son decided to make a "small greens patch"--we eat mustard and spinach mixed, and turnip greens. They did okay, then it turned cold rather quickly and we knew it had to be covered, but didn't have any large sheets of plastic, so I dug up some old worn out ...
Soy candles beat paraffin, in more ways than one.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In reference to Vern Hanson's questions in the November/ December issue. Finally, someone has asked a question(s) I can answer (hopefully). Vern Hanson listed a number of questions having to do with candles. His first question has to do with which type of wax is ...
Biodiesel and the law.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: The articles about biodiesel and how to make it and use it failed to mention that you must be a federally licensed waste hauler to even pick up and haul away the used cooking oil. Also, each batch of biodiesel that you make must be tested and certified environmentally safe by ...
The importance of pollination.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I began keeping bees about 1987. I began subscribing to the American Bee Journal about the same time. I read a good article in the bee journal about the importance of pollination. The University of California did a study about bees pollinating almond trees in California. They ...
Homemade bath salts help chigger bites.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: The chiggers were driving me crazy. I had mowed, gardened, walked in the deep grass and weeds, and pulled some vines off a tree we cut down. I was not only covered with chigger bites, but poison from the vines had spread from my hands to my elbows. My daughter said, ...
Looking for property? Don't forget to ask questions!(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I know this Question of the Month answer was supposed to be in by August 25, but I am busy all summer and get behind on my reading and catch up when the sun goes down early enough for me to have time to read in the evenings. What I wish I had known and done ...
If you heat your water with a wood stove, read this!(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoy your magazine very much and would like to relate an incident that happened in my youth that might be helpful to those who live off the grid. My dad worked in a shipyard on Lake Washington in Washington state during WWII. After the war, jobs were scarce so ...
Tips for removing a skunk--without the "perfume".(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Skunks are not a problem if you know what to do. We discovered our skunk when our mature beets had the tops chewed off, even below ground level, and about five of them each night. A farmer friend told me that a skunk will eat most anything a human will ....
Difficulty locating small livestock for butchering.(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I've greatly enjoyed your magazine over the last two years, and I'm coming to you and your readers for help. I grew up with my grandparents on their small independent homestead in central Alabama. I moved away, and they passed on. Like most young people I craved the ...
What's it like to homestead?(Country conversation & feedback)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I live (exist) in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Growing up, I would spend the whole day down by the swamps and woods. Today, almost 40 years later, there almost are no woods--I need to drive over an hour to find some open land. Even there, they're building housing developments ...
Golden Comet sources.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In your September/ October issue on page 16, you talk about Golden Comet chickens. Do you have an address where I can get some? Thank you.--Maurice F. Ferron, New York There are a number of hatcheries that sell Golden Comets. Try these COUNTRYSIDE advertisers: ...
Maintaining a woodlot: need book suggestion.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRSIDE: I am always glad to see the new issue of COUNTRYSIDE hit the shelves of my local farm store. It is one of the few items that always fits in the "miscellaneous" category of my budget. Last year my wife and I bought an acre of ground with a fixer upper house just east ...
Evergreen Solar panels.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoyed Mr. Barnes' article on the solar trailer you built and would like to build something like it myself. My question is: I went to the home page of Evergreen Solar only to find out they don't sell retail. Which source did you use for the solar panels?--Ed Jones, Jr., ...
When is an ounce not an ounce?(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: In the article on page 63, "A fluke revolutionized milking time," Jane Hinrichs interchangeably uses ounces (a unit of liquid measure) in her recipe with ounces (a unit of weight measurement) in the pictures. They may be spelled the same, but they're not the same. The context ...
Granny's burghul meatloaf recipe.(Country conversation & feedback)(Recipe)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Back in the 1950s, my friend's grandmother, Mrs. Eva Metevier from Johnston, Rhode Island, invited me to dinner. She served meatloaf. That was the best dang meatloaf I have ever tasted. Aside from the ground meat, the next major ingredient was burghul, which she bought in ...
Salve recipe wanted.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008 ... COUNTRYSIDE: Back in the early 1980's an elderly herbalist gave me a small jar of black salve she'd made, which she ...
Deka glass paint.(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I hope you can ask readers to help me to find a source for the glass transparent Deka 2/3 ft. oz. bottles. I am a glass blower and I haven't been able to find these paints anywhere. Please let me know if you know of a place or a person that sells these paints. The Deka paints ...
What about health insurance?(Country conversation & feedback)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I have a question about personal care management for homesteaders. As we prepare to make a transition to our homestead lifestyle, from a wage earner to living off our own home based business (which we have been building for a few years but is a small amount to live off), how ...
Coming events.(Brief article)(Calendar)
Jan 01, 2008 ... Feb. 23-24, 2008 Oregon: 294 Unique Animal Expo & Pet Fair, Washington Co. Fairplex, Hillsboro, OR. Contact 503-717-8484; uae@pacifier.com; www.uniqueanimalexpo.com. ...
Maverick.
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] So, this is what it has come to. America's small farmers, generations of people who lifted this nation to greatness, have become a burden to society. So says the Prometheus Institute, a pro-globalization "think tank." Suspending every ounce of disbelief, I ...
Efficiency vs. quality: improving your techniques in a home craft business.(Your homestead business)
Jan 01, 2008; ... For the past two years, I've discussed various and sundry factors associated with the concept of making a living from home by making and selling your crafts. We've covered such basics as marketing, startup costs, loving what you do, frugal living, pricing, and how long it takes to succeed ....
Setting goals for your homestead.
Jan 01, 2008; ... Goals--every homestead should have goals! This applies to the smallest hobby farm up to the largest row crop producers. Goals help guide and point the way to success. Without goals, your farm is stumbling in the dark toward an unknown destination ... most likely, failure. Setting goals is ...
We're the new hippies.
Jan 01, 2008; ... With all due respect and credit to the Bellamy Brothers, a few lines from their 1985 hit "Old Hippie," goes like this: "So he grows a little garden in the backyard by the fence; he's consuming what he's growin' nowadays in self-defense." We have become the "New Hippies" both by design and ...
How to shear a sheep! An exacting job, but fun.(The sheep shed)
Jan 01, 2008; ... If you are learning to shear sheep, always keep in mind the shearer s two all important goals: First, to relieve the animal from overheating as spring time returns and second, to harvest the wool so as to maximize its worth. COUNTRYSIDE'S sister magazine sheep! regularly ...
Raising ducks & geese on pasture.(The poultry shed)
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The term "pastured poultry" usually brings to mind some type of free-range chicken enterprise. Chickens can be free-ranged for meat or egg production. Pastured poultry models utilize the now famous "chicken tractor" (with variations thereof), the Joel ...
The goose project.
Jan 01, 2008; ... Quick ... What bird has been I domesticated for the longest p period of time? Answer: the goose. Some say the goose has been a farm animal for over 4,000 years. Historically, a popular table fare in Europe and Asia, only one million geese are raised in the U.S. for annual consumption ....
Geese and ganders are very much alike: and lifetime commitments are the norm, among geese.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: Do geese mate for life? Is there any way of telling their sex when fully grown by looking at them from a distance? We had a pair and one died and now we don't know what we have. Whatever it is it isn't laying. Do they have to be over two years old to lay? Sexing ...
Consider raising ducks for eggs.
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: After raising chickens and Nigerian Dwarf goats for eggs, meat and milk, my husband recently got us "into" ducks. I'm very pleasantly surprised in our adventure so far. Ducks are very hardy animals; we didn't have any die in shipment and only one died when we put ...
Use care when feeding ducks chicken feed.
Jan 01, 2008 ... According to Dave Holderread, in the October/November, 2007 issue of COUNTRYSIDE'S sister publication, Backyard Poultry magazine, chicken feed can be used for ducks, but do not use medicated chicken feed as it may cause sickness, and even death, in ducks. He says, "To keep ducks laying the ...
Antibiotics in feed increases resistance to food poisoning cure in humans.
Jan 01, 2008 ... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers have shown that feeding chickens the antibiotic tylosin to promote growth--not to treat disease--greatly increases the number of erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter on chicken carcasses. Erythromycin, a drug vital for ...
Help your flock cope with cold weather.(Reprint)
Jan 01, 2008 ... Dianne McGregor's 18 laying hens keep her family--husband Ken and children Jennifer, Rob and September--in eggs year 'round. After four years of raising poultry, this Onoway, Alberta, woman has found that heavier layers are the best in this cold clime. So she now raises Barred ...
Management & genetics determine span of lay.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Q. What is the average span a hen lays eggs? Are Araucanas good layers?--Mrs. Keith G. Wadsworth A. I am interpreting your question to mean the length of time when a hen lays her first egg and when she ceases production for that initial period. The span depends on her genetic ...
Gear flock size to production needs.(Reprint)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008 ... Q. We will be starting our "homestead" chicken flock soon and are puzzled about the size of flock to start with. Since we plan to raise meat and eggs, should our starting order be large? A. The size of your poultry flock should be geared to the amount of product you wish to ...
Looking for poultry breed photos? You'll find them all here!(Book review)
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds, by Carol Ekarius; Storey Publishing, 2007; 288 pp, full-color photos throughout; $24.95 paper, $35.00 hardcover. Simply put, this is the most fascinating and elegant book on poultry you re likely to ...
ALBC works with owners and others to conserve the critically endangered Marsh Tacky horse.(The horse barn)
Jan 01, 2008 ... Critically endangered Marsh Tacky horses get a second chance for survival. For most of their history, Marsh Tackies were the most common horse in the swampy and marshy Lowcountry region of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. The breed's numbers dwindled as the automobile slowly replaced ...
The Caspian horse: they're ideal for your homestead.(The horse barn)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Originally found in northern Iran in 1965, the Caspian horse made its American debut in 1995. In 1996 it made its first public appearance at Equitanna in Louisville, Kentucky. From there the Caspian has attracted a small, but dedicated group of fans and breeders. The Caspian ...
Eye inflammation in livestock can be caused by burrs.(Livestock health)
Jan 01, 2008; ... About 25 years ago on our ranch we started having a few cases every winter of what looked like pinkeye, in cattle pastured along the creek. Affected eyes were irritated and watering, sensitive to light and held shut. The eyeball became blue and in severe cases the animal would be ...
Reduce losses when feeding hay.
Jan 01, 2008; ... This winter, hay supplies will be extremely tight on many homesteads due to the drought. The 2007 spring freeze followed by prolonged drought led to a 30 to 50 percent reduction in hay production in Kentucky alone. Therefore, it is important not to waste this valuable commodity when ...
Goats and trees aren't a good mix: there's a reason why goats are rented out to clear brush.(The goat barn)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I enjoy reading COUNTRYSIDE and thought that readers might be able to help me solve my problem. We live in a small town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. We raise goats to help keep our farmette clean and to keep our property in farm devalution (keeps our taxes ...
Bog shoes.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Bog shoes were used at the turn of the century on working horses that were pulling logs in the snowy high country of Colorado and Northern states. The Tuck Museum in Hampton has a display of bog shoes for horses that were pastured in marshy hay areas. Blacksmiths made these ...
Reducing livestock odors: your homestead doesn't have to smell like a barn.
Jan 01, 2008; ... In response to the query about raising hogs without objectionable odors (Nov/Dec 2007)--yes, it can be done! The reason why many livestock operations (both small and large scale) emit objectionable odors is a management issue. Overcrowding, ventilation and feed composition are ...
How bees make honey: and other facts to amaze your friends.(The beehive)
Jan 01, 2008; ... For most of you--if not all--there is not a whole lot you can do for, or with, your honey bees at this time of year. Your colonies are hopefully simply marking time waiting for spring to officially come. Day length is increasing even though it doesn't seem like it may be to you, and your ...
Building with straw was a wise choice.(Alternative building)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Don's dream of building a straw bale house in Arizona had become a reality. Lured by beautiful mountain views, he bought a few acres on a hillside overlooking the panorama of Golden Valley. The profit from the sale of his house in the city would be enough if no unexpected expenses cropped ...
Is homegrown wind power right for you?(Life on the sunny side)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Wind is a fact of life. When I bought my Colorado mountain property 19 years ago, the incessant winds that scoured the scantily treed hilltop were a constant source of aggravation No matter what I attempted to do, the wind was always there to kick the difficulty level up several notches, ...
How a city was built, starting with a hobby: Baker Creek--a seed house that is changing the course of history.(Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company)
Jan 01, 2008; ... "In the middle of nowhere" is hardly an exaggeration. From U.S. Hwy 60, go north for a mile-and-a-half on one-lane Hwy. 5. Then turn onto London Road, a country byway that one could easily miss. The blacktop soon ends and London Road turns into a gravel lane, winding through the farm ...
Growing indoors.(The garden)
Jan 01, 2008; ... You can convert windows, kitchen counters, room dividers, even closets and cellar spaces into home mini-farms. Nature will smile on you, for neither time, season or weather can affect your crops. It proclaims to all who see and partake that land poor gardeners can contribute to the health ...
Colorado (no frills) papaya greenhouse.(The garden)
Jan 01, 2008; ... When the gardens start winterizing in September/October, I turn my growing dependence to the greenhouse. What I call the greenhouse is a 12' x 45' glass enclosure attached to the south wall of our stone house. The greenhouse was an after-thought, using salvaged lumber and ...
Hot pepper spray deters squirrels.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: I raise Red Savina hot peppers and squirrels leave my bird feeders alone. I spray my peas, radish tops, etc., with the pepper spray to keep rabbits out of my garden. I also use it on berry branches and rose branches at the beginning of garden rows; and have a friend that likes ...
Extend your growing season ... build a hoop house.(The garden)
Jan 01, 2008; ... For anyone who desires to beat the high cost of fuel, extend the growing season (almost weedfree), in spring and fall (add from one to three months at both ends), and produce more crops, a portable hoop house may be the way to go. The whole purpose of the range of residential ...
Extend your growing season ... build a cold frame.(The garden)
Jan 01, 2008; ... For most homestead folk-whether residing in an urban or rural setting--the opening of a brand new year can present a time for reflection, planning ... and planting. Nope, that's not a typographical error, and yep, you did read it right! I did say "planting" and I can only ...
Battles with deer: (and the deer are winning).
Jan 01, 2008; ... COUNTRYSIDE: For the past two years, my neighbor and I have attempted to keep deer from our garden with 1,400 feet of electric fence. We used 10-foot wooden posts on the corners and at the gates, and the six-foot fiberglass poles to carry the braided "polycord" positive lines, and a ...
The compost corral: "corralling" your compost makes it easier to turn, and rails from your homestead are much cheaper than those manufactured plastic bins.
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For decades we have had a compost pile or two, either circular or elongated. These piles naturally settle and widen at the bottom. Turning a pile is necessary to speed up the decomposition, but a full-fledged rebuilding of the pile just doesn't get done on ...
What's wrong with my cheese?(The homestead kitchen)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008 ... COUNTRYSIDE; I am just a beginner in cheese making. I am wondering why my curds won't cook through. Only two out of 10 batches actually cooked into a hard curd. The rest stay custardy no matter how long I cook them. What am I doing wrong?--Nicole The book Home Cheesemaking Made ...
Have egg-stra eggs? Try these egg-ceptional recipes.(The homestead kitchen)(Recipe)
Jan 01, 2008; ... <Pre> Mennonite Corn Casserole 3 cups fresh corn (or 1, 16 oz. bag-frozen) 3 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter 1-1/2 tablespoons corn starch 1-1/2 cups milk </Pre> Grate corn and beat with remaining ingredients. Pour ...
Memories of fried apple pies.(The homestead kitchen)
Jan 01, 2008; ... When I hear someone say "fried apple pies or apple turnovers it always takes me back to the process of home preserving the apple slices. In Owensboro, Kentucky in 1945-1947 we "dried" our own apple slices. Mom and Dad did not have much money, and certainly none for something Like ...
A beautiful backyard brick oven: for under $100!(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Countryside: I am a 70-year-old widower who enjoys your magazine. Your article about the clay oven intrigued me greatly. I used to lay brick, so clay and wood are foreign materials to me. I live on Social Security, so the price of $3,000 to ...
Dates--the world's most complete food.(The homestead kitchen)
Jan 01, 2008; ... In the Middle Eastern lands, where the date palm carries an aura of mystery and romance, there is a common belief that it is the oldest cultivated fruit tree in the world. In its native homeland, the Arabian Peninsula, the inhabitants have no doubt that it was first grown in Paradise ....
NAIS commentary: spreading the word through children.(Homestead politics)(National Animal Identification System)
Jan 01, 2008; ... I read the November/December, 2007 article in support of National Animal Identification System (NAIS) written by John Bright of Alaska, and it is apparent the Social Engineers got to him first. I am not trying to sound as if I am berating him, but the truth of the NAIS matter is an ugly ...
Keep your tootsies toasty warm: knit a pair of slippers!(Homestead crafts)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Beat cold floors with these stylish, quick-to-knit slippers, sized for the whole family. It takes only five or six ounces of yarn to make a pair of comfortable, washable, practical slippers. I use Red Heart Super Saver brand yarn, which costs about $2 for a seven-ounce skein. You could ...
New Internet forum for homesteaders.(Homestead Exchange Network)(Website overview)
Jan 01, 2008; ... We had our imaginations tickled with books like My Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George and Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We had the seed of a vision planted by television shows like "The Walton's" and "Little House on the Prairie." Each year of our ...