Archive for the 'Homesteading' Category

Homesteading

Simple ways to prevent influenza/H1N1 (Swine Flu)

Posted September 28th, 2009 by Sarah N

Following are Prevention Tips to minimize getting H1N1 (Swine Flu)…

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB  (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital,  Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). The following is a message given by him:
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Carpe noctem – seize the night!

Posted September 24th, 2009 by Mary Jane Butters
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The wire skeletons of old lampshades can be transformed into olive oil chandeliers using common canning jars.

Monday, Sept. 7, 2009
United Feature Syndicate

MARYJANE’S EVERYDAY ORGANIC

There’s something about gazing up into a starry night sky that is deeply soul stirring. The sight of all that infinite diamond-studded darkness has the power to erase the trappings of modern life, bringing us back to a more primal part of ourselves, a part that is still exuberantly wild.

Not so long ago, you could simply drive a few miles out of town after dark and find nighttime as nature intended it — silent shadows draping the landscape, a black canopy of limitless stars arching overhead.
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Labor Day and Lemonade

Posted September 24th, 2009 by SherryEllesson

If I had only one word to describe the end of summer it would 8027857be “rollercoaster.”  The good, the bad and the ridiculous all seemed to converge at my house, and as the Labor Day weekend drew the summer season to a close, I found I had a surprising capacity for enjoying even the less-than-great times that August-into-September brought.

Among the blessings that went above and beyond anything I could have imagined was when the same friend from work who had come and bush-hogged my land a couple of weeks ago, showed up with a friend of his who’s a skilled mechanic, and the two of them loaded up and took custody of my tractor.  It was hauled it off to the Barn of Generous, Skilled Mechanics, and returned a week later running like a top, with the only “invoice” a muttered estimate for parts alone, that I can cover with a bit under half the money in my Tractor Maintenance fund.

To paraphrase one of my favorite radio financial advisors who says that “goals are dreams that show up in work clothes,” sometimes angels show up in jeans and sweaty T-shirts.
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Making Paper Boxes

Posted September 24th, 2009 by Rachel Hurt

paper boxesFall is on its way and school is back in session. Keeping school papers and other household paper work organized is a challenge.  I myself have already misplaced papers that my daughter needed for school. There are many options out there to help keep us organized but many just look boring or utilitarian (and some cost a small fortune). A simple paper box that you design and create yourself can be an excellent way to store important papers in one place and show your personality at the same time.

Gather all of your supplies together before you begin. You will need: heavyweight drawing paper, cut into one 10 5/8-inch square and one 11-inch square; scissors; Crayons or markers; glitter glue, stickers or stamps; Paints and brushes.
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Dealing with Animal-Damaged Trees

Posted September 24th, 2009 by Dori Fritzinger

Many of us have fruit trees in our landscape.  They may be therGoat damage!e for pleasure or profit.  On our farm we have a small cluster of different fruit trees – mostly for the fruit and spring flower enjoyment.  This year is the first that I have had to deal with bark damage on our trees.  Your first thought might go to deer peeling the bark which is a common problem.  Mine was less expected – our newly acquired dairy goat Mocha got out and has a great love for anything apple.  She has done some major bark peeling (check out the photos).

So I have had to do some learning about how to treat my damaged apple trees and wanted to share what I have learned with you.  I hope it helps others who also must now repair bark damage, done by deer, goats or whoever.
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Webworms, Foxes and other details

Posted September 12th, 2009 by Galen Lehman
Webworms at work in my apple tree

Webworms at work in my apple tree. (Click on the photo if you

Webworms are bad this year in our part of Ohio. I’m not sure where they come from or what their purpose in life is, but wherever they build their webs, the leaves die. And this year, I’m seeing them everywhere. Along the roads, in ornamental trees and, most tragic of all, in my fruit trees.

I’ve heard you can control them with Malathion or sevin, but I always prefer and believe in natural solutions, if possible. The “natural solution” for webworms is to cut them out of the tree and burn them. That’s always been my choice. (Webworms can also be controlled with dormant oil spray, usually considered gentle on the environment. But, that must be applied in the Spring before they emerge.)

This year, I was faced with an ethical struggle of mythical proportions in
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The Dorm Room Garden, Part I

Posted September 10th, 2009 by Matthew Lehman

Hi there! My name is Matt Lehman. Some of you may have read tDSC_0050he blog article I wrote while fulfilling an internship. Since then, times have changed, and I now find myself at college once again. As many of you might have read in my dad’s blog posting, I brought a small square foot garden out with me to college this year, in an attempt to grow my own vegetables year around.

Two weeks into college, the garden seems to be doing remarkably well. Sadly, I had to replant my cucumbers, as the small sprout that grew on my way out to college suddenly broke off at a single touch (oops). My green beans and tomatoes, however, are thriving. The joyous moment of my day was that, while watering, I discovered that one of my green cherry tomatoes had turned a light shade of greenish-orange, practically overnight!


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Are you ready for cold weather?

Posted September 10th, 2009 by Pat Veretto

Even if cold weather is little more than a dream for some of you while you’re still having searing temperatures, it will come! For some of us, cold weather really never left this year, but either way, cooler or colder weather is coming and we need to prepare for it. It may seem early to be thinking about it, but better a little early than a little late.

Have you made a list of what needs to be done? Here’s mine:

• Check furnace or chimney and stove closures, seals and seams, etc. Replace filters on furnaces.

• Clean out coat closets. See what needs to be replaced before cold weather. If your household is like mine, cold weather gear is gratefully dumped on the first warm day of spring and heaven knows what kind of condition it’s in.
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Pastured Chickens and Free Range Children

Posted September 10th, 2009 by Karen Geiser

Greetings! I am Karen Geiser and our family lives on a farm just aDSCF2954a few stone throws down the road from Lehman’s in Kidron. We raise grass-fed Hereford cattle, pastured chickens, a handful of Jerseys, a couple goats along with a small herd of free range children and various other pet critters (including a neighborhood peacock). I also tend about an acre of garden that feeds our family plus supplies a ten-family CSA.

At our house, September is a full and abundant season with harvest in full swing. So right now there are pears in the dehydrator, tomatoes begging to be made into sauce, more fall spinach  waiting to be planted and a school bookshelf needing organized. In the midst of the busyness, I sometimes wish for a winter moment when I can curl up in a blanket and read a good book (or seed catalog!). But we’ll keep plugging away and be very thankful in January when we can rest and enjoy all the good things from the garden that we “put up.”  
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Be Prepared Part 2

Posted August 31st, 2009 by Galen Lehman

Two weeks ago I blogged about how we should be prepared for more bad economic news. My bottom line that day was that we should be more self reliant. I called for us to be responsible, ready and re-energized. I said, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” (Click here to see the article.)

One of my friends, Clayton Steiner, reminded me, “I thought in this economic time, it’s time to talk about community, sharing, watching out for each other, helping our neighbor, simple living … and good old fashioned Mennonite theology.”

So, what’s Clayton’s hang up with “Mennonite theology?” What you may not
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