PARLANCHEQ, Don't call her PC. She has some fantastically funny posts. Ones that you must read, for they are just too hard to explain. This is one of my favorite non-homesteading blogs.
Reader meet Author is a blog of 12 writers, Ali from Farley Heath alerted me to it. Poems and short stories galore. I say that this blog is a must read is you enjoy watching a writer mature in his or her craft. Very cool guys!
Shoot My Blog is a fun idea for a link sharing blog. You take a photo of your computer while the screen is on this blog page, and submit it to Reno. Reno will post it as a link exchange. There is also a contest going on for the most creative photo. You can find mine here; A Homesteading Neophyte
Spinning Spider Jenny, is about a woman that spins her own wool. I don't know how to do this and find it completely interesting.
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Saturday, October 28, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Dealing with a broody hen
I have searched about trying to find some info on this. Unfortunately I have been unsuccessful. My problem isn't that she is broody, that's wonderful! It is the obsessive brooding and where she has decided to sit that is troubling me.
I have another banny hen that is also brooding. We call her mother hen because she reminds us of the hens from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, and she has tried to hatch out eggs as soon as she started laying. She will be a good mama.
But my White queen has tucked herself under a detached dog house roof, next to the coop. We had placed it there to help them get out of the sun during the summer. But now it is fall, the nights are in the 30'sF {-1c} and I can not see her staying warm. Mother hen is in the barn near the nursery where there is a heat lamp. Mother hen will also leave the nest to eat and drink, while the White Queen does not.
I thought about moving the white queen. But if I do that, will she lose interest in setting?
The best course of action that I can think of is heading off to the co-op today and buying some mash. I can heat up some milk and feed it to her warm. That will make sure she is staying warm at night. I usually don't do this until winter, as I can't keep the heat lamp on {light determines how chickens lay, too much light will burn out the layers} If only I knew that she was indeed the one eating what I leave in there for her.
Mother hen belongs in a different harem than the White queen. White Queen and her consort are the same silkie breed, he has no other concubines. Mother hen belongs to the Golden Buffs harem. The Golden Buff is a stud! He is also a bantam, and his harem consists of only one other banny {Mother Hen} then he has 3 adult Ameraucanas {full sized} The standard rooster isn't thrilled with this set up, but the hens are happy to be in a non abusive relationship. I wonder which rooster will win the hearts of all those new coming of age hens we have out there. Probably the Golden Buff as he doesn't pull at their tail feathers like the standard does. Oh these are the days of our coop.
I have another banny hen that is also brooding. We call her mother hen because she reminds us of the hens from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, and she has tried to hatch out eggs as soon as she started laying. She will be a good mama.
But my White queen has tucked herself under a detached dog house roof, next to the coop. We had placed it there to help them get out of the sun during the summer. But now it is fall, the nights are in the 30'sF {-1c} and I can not see her staying warm. Mother hen is in the barn near the nursery where there is a heat lamp. Mother hen will also leave the nest to eat and drink, while the White Queen does not.
I thought about moving the white queen. But if I do that, will she lose interest in setting?
The best course of action that I can think of is heading off to the co-op today and buying some mash. I can heat up some milk and feed it to her warm. That will make sure she is staying warm at night. I usually don't do this until winter, as I can't keep the heat lamp on {light determines how chickens lay, too much light will burn out the layers} If only I knew that she was indeed the one eating what I leave in there for her.
Mother hen belongs in a different harem than the White queen. White Queen and her consort are the same silkie breed, he has no other concubines. Mother hen belongs to the Golden Buffs harem. The Golden Buff is a stud! He is also a bantam, and his harem consists of only one other banny {Mother Hen} then he has 3 adult Ameraucanas {full sized} The standard rooster isn't thrilled with this set up, but the hens are happy to be in a non abusive relationship. I wonder which rooster will win the hearts of all those new coming of age hens we have out there. Probably the Golden Buff as he doesn't pull at their tail feathers like the standard does. Oh these are the days of our coop.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The broody queen
Seven of my teens where out and about. We wrangled them back in and I did a quick fix to the fence. Hopefully they will stay in.
While I was out there, I grabbed a photo of my brooding silkie
She has been there for 3 weeks. I hope she is eating. She's dirty, and won't be shooed off.
I am concerned about her. Taking her eggs did nothing. I am assuming she has eggs under her. Takes 21 days to hatch, I do hope she fairs fine.
Any suggestions?
While I was out there, I grabbed a photo of my brooding silkie
She has been there for 3 weeks. I hope she is eating. She's dirty, and won't be shooed off.
I am concerned about her. Taking her eggs did nothing. I am assuming she has eggs under her. Takes 21 days to hatch, I do hope she fairs fine.Any suggestions?
Failed this round
The eggs we were trying to hatch out, were cooked. It seems that the thermometer is not functioning properly. The heat was too high, and the yolks were cooked. We will try again in the spring.
I am also worried about my silkie. We have been removing her eggs, but she is determined to set. With or without an egg, she is not moving fro her nest. I haven't seen her out to eat or drink a thing, so I brought it to her. The feed is disappearing, but I can not confirm that she is the one eating it. Any ideas on how I should help her?
I am also worried about my silkie. We have been removing her eggs, but she is determined to set. With or without an egg, she is not moving fro her nest. I haven't seen her out to eat or drink a thing, so I brought it to her. The feed is disappearing, but I can not confirm that she is the one eating it. Any ideas on how I should help her?
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
What type of Foot Print are you leaving?
I found this an interesting test. {edited to add} Found the link from Walk Slowly live wildly.
Earth Day Foot Print Quiz
I then took the test again with my future green designed house. It didn't change. Looks like I need to change my food habits. Yet what am I doing that is so wrong according to them? I eat meat. It takes more resources to grow livestock than it is to grow corn based products. I spent 6 years of my life as a vegan. When I became pregnant with my second son, I craved pork sausage. The craving was overwhelming. None of the vitamins I was eating helped. I broke and ate a big plate of Sausage, biscuits and gravy. I ended up with a migraine and heavy guilt. But why should I feel guilty? My body demanded something that I was not obviously receiving in my diet. My vegan friends were mortified, would you eat dirt if that's what you body craved? Give me a break, but I had to answer truthfully, I would try to find an alternative to stave off the craving. So then why hadn't I done that with this other craving. I had! Nothing worked. And then I was called later that night, one of my vegan friends had to confess that she was eating eggs. She felt so horrible about it, but her body {she was pregnant too} was demanding the eggs.
I became a vegan because of the treatment of animals in feed lots, the wastefulness of excess meat, and the mass slaughters. Not that I thought eating meat was wrong. I just had no other way to show my disgust. So vegan I became. Now that I own my own land, I raise my own food, and there is meat on my table.
But here is yet another quiz telling me that I should change my diet. Unlike some of the others, this one simply says reduce your consumption. That’s a lot better than some I have ran across, that proceeded to tell me how horrible of a person I am for eating meat.
I raise my own, I do not mass slaughter, and I eat what I kill.
end that rant for the day.
Did you take the test? If so, what was your footprint total?
on a different note, Billymac on Critique my blog is hosting a contest. It is a popularity contest, and I have no idea what the prize is, ok I assume the prize is being named the most popular blog. Not really my cup O' tea. But the plus side is that when you go searching for my blog to leave a coment on, you will find other blogs that will interest you. The email I recived states;
Earth Day Foot Print Quiz
|  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON. | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 1.6 PLANETS.   | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I then took the test again with my future green designed house. It didn't change. Looks like I need to change my food habits. Yet what am I doing that is so wrong according to them? I eat meat. It takes more resources to grow livestock than it is to grow corn based products. I spent 6 years of my life as a vegan. When I became pregnant with my second son, I craved pork sausage. The craving was overwhelming. None of the vitamins I was eating helped. I broke and ate a big plate of Sausage, biscuits and gravy. I ended up with a migraine and heavy guilt. But why should I feel guilty? My body demanded something that I was not obviously receiving in my diet. My vegan friends were mortified, would you eat dirt if that's what you body craved? Give me a break, but I had to answer truthfully, I would try to find an alternative to stave off the craving. So then why hadn't I done that with this other craving. I had! Nothing worked. And then I was called later that night, one of my vegan friends had to confess that she was eating eggs. She felt so horrible about it, but her body {she was pregnant too} was demanding the eggs.
I became a vegan because of the treatment of animals in feed lots, the wastefulness of excess meat, and the mass slaughters. Not that I thought eating meat was wrong. I just had no other way to show my disgust. So vegan I became. Now that I own my own land, I raise my own food, and there is meat on my table.
But here is yet another quiz telling me that I should change my diet. Unlike some of the others, this one simply says reduce your consumption. That’s a lot better than some I have ran across, that proceeded to tell me how horrible of a person I am for eating meat.
I raise my own, I do not mass slaughter, and I eat what I kill.
end that rant for the day.
Did you take the test? If so, what was your footprint total?
on a different note, Billymac on Critique my blog is hosting a contest. It is a popularity contest, and I have no idea what the prize is, ok I assume the prize is being named the most popular blog. Not really my cup O' tea. But the plus side is that when you go searching for my blog to leave a coment on, you will find other blogs that will interest you. The email I recived states;
Everyone out there who has a blog has some steady readers. The object is simple. The blog with the most comments by the end of December will be named the named THE MOST POPULAR BLOG OF THE YEAR. You can direct family members, friends, coworkers, your kids...whoever you know who has access to a computer can find your link on my blog and comment in the comment section under your post.
Here's the catch. You must also ask your friends to visit some other random blogs from Critique My Blog and place a friendly comment on their blog as well. The nicer the better because at the end of the contest the top 3 blogs with the most comments will be judged by their peers via a poll as to who they think is the most popular blog. So if you let the other bloggers know who is sending traffic their way then in the end the bloggers with the lesser comments will be inclined to vote for the blog that sent the most readers their way. The judging will begin on the 20th of December and last until the end of December. The winner will be announced on January 1rst!
I am not to give you the direct link to my critique, you will have to look for it.
If you do head this way, remember to tell them A Homesteading Neophyte sent you. We can at least support Billymac and his blog.
I am not to give you the direct link to my critique, you will have to look for it.
If you do head this way, remember to tell them A Homesteading Neophyte sent you. We can at least support Billymac and his blog.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
I'm feeling a little form lettery today
Dear Phelan,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the National Animal Identification Systems' plan to track certain animal. I appreciate having the benefit of your opinion on this issue.
As you know, the National Animal Identification System is a national program intended to identify animal and track them as they come into contact with animal other than herd mates. The system is being developed for all animals that will benefit from rapid trace backs in the event of a disease concern. However, like you I do not believe the producer or individual farmer should be stuck with paying the bill to implement this program. I will review the information you provide and will continue to work with my colleagues on this important program.
Again, thank you for contacting me with your concerns for the National Animal Identification system. Please feel free to contact me with further questions or comments. It is an honor to serve you in the United States Congress
Best Regards
Todd
Todd Tiahrt
Member of Congress
Well that's a relief! He doesn't think that I should pay the $1,400 it might cost me to comply with NAIS. He wants the American tax payers to do it. I would like to thank all of you for taking the financial burden off of us. We homesteaders whose animals never leave our property, never come in contact with a different herd {unless we are bringing in another animal} whose meat will never go into the public food supply, thank you for paying this program for us. Just think, my $1,400 US worth of NAIS animals is small compared to what some of my fellow homesteaders bills will be.
Hey wait! I pay taxes, and I don't want them going to this program!
Mr. Tiahrt is, well first off I like to state that he used my first name in this letter, not my last, as I have it printed. I found that to be uncomfortable. I do not know him, and I didn't feel that this should be discussed on an intimate level. Ok so I have some very tradition beliefs. {some of my more liberal thoughts, may shock some of you} But this is a form letter, he did not sit down in write it himself, and I will bet he never saw my letter. Back to Representative Tiahrt {pronounced tea-heart} I have never had much of an issue with this man until recently. He has a commercial out declaring that he doesn’t see eye to eye with our President. That's all fine and dandy if a republican wants to distant himself, my problem with the campaign is that it reminds me of DOOM ON YOU! The commercial makes me feel as though he is willing to give up all our freedoms to keep the American people from suffering at the hands of Terrorism. But see, I am not willing to do that. If I give up my freedoms to feel the illusion of safety, why, they won.
"They that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." " The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either." ~Benjamin Franklin
Here is my advice as we begin the century that will lead to 2081. First, guard the freedom of ideas at all costs. Be alert that dictators have always played on the natural human tendency to blame others and to oversimplify. And don't regard yourself as a guardian of freedom unless you respect and preserve the rights of people you disagree with to free, public, unhampered expression. ~Gerard K. O'Neill, 2081
Men fight for freedom, then they begin to accumulate laws to take it away from themselves. ~Author Unknown
NoNAIS
USDA NAIS implementation strategies
My question for you is, are you willing to pay for this? And If so, please make the check out to Ms. Phelan. You can just send it to me directly.
Monday, October 23, 2006
To my unschooling/homeschooling friends
Just in case you haven't seen this yet;
The Great School Debate
I never cared for Dr. Phil. And though I do not homeschool, this is ridiculous.
Thanks to Lynn for the link.
The Great School Debate
I never cared for Dr. Phil. And though I do not homeschool, this is ridiculous.
Thanks to Lynn for the link.
Seed sweet potatoes
I don't have a hot box here. Maybe it's our climate, but they never seem to work for me. If I had one, I would allow my sweet potatoes to seed, cut it into small chunks, root them and place them in the hot box. Instead here is what I do.
Before digging up the tubers, I cut the leaves off at the base. The ones closest to the mother plant. Cut at an angle like you would when cutting flowers.
Once that is done. Bring them in the house and set them in water.
After a few days, roots will develop. These need to be placed into a large flower pot of good soil.
repeat the process in the spring, instead of planting them in the pot, they are ready for garden planting.
We had our first freeze of the season this weekend. I will start doing more indoor things shortly. I should also warn you, we tend to lose electricity, if you have to heard from me for a few days, this will be the reason.
Before digging up the tubers, I cut the leaves off at the base. The ones closest to the mother plant. Cut at an angle like you would when cutting flowers.
Once that is done. Bring them in the house and set them in water.
After a few days, roots will develop. These need to be placed into a large flower pot of good soil.
repeat the process in the spring, instead of planting them in the pot, they are ready for garden planting.
We had our first freeze of the season this weekend. I will start doing more indoor things shortly. I should also warn you, we tend to lose electricity, if you have to heard from me for a few days, this will be the reason.
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