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Saturday, December 12, 2009
Last Chance
If you want to be in the seed drawing (scroll down to the give-away). Today is the last day to sign up. I will pull a name Sunday morning. Good luck!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Cow Farts will bankrupt me
I haven't seen anyone talking about this, so I am.
Do you remember when there was a rumor that the EPA was going to tax dairy cattle $175 a year, beef cattle something like $85.50? Of course the EPA came out and said that they couldn't do such a thing because it needed to go through congress:
EPA, Dec. 10: EPA is not proposing a cow tax. The CAA (Clean Air Act) does not include a broad grant of authority for EPA to impose taxes, fees or other monetary charges specifically for GHGs (greenhouse gases) and, therefore, additional legislative authority may be required if EPA were to administer such charges.
Source, FactCheck.org
Guess what people, after a declaration that greenhouse gases are harmful to humans, the EPA can now regulate pollution without congressional approval.
Of course I don't have the required number of 25, yet. But this could be a problem in the future as well as a problem for other family farms. There use to be 100 dairies in my area, and now there is only a handful.
Just something to think about while you chew your cud.
Do you remember when there was a rumor that the EPA was going to tax dairy cattle $175 a year, beef cattle something like $85.50? Of course the EPA came out and said that they couldn't do such a thing because it needed to go through congress:
EPA, Dec. 10: EPA is not proposing a cow tax. The CAA (Clean Air Act) does not include a broad grant of authority for EPA to impose taxes, fees or other monetary charges specifically for GHGs (greenhouse gases) and, therefore, additional legislative authority may be required if EPA were to administer such charges.
Source, FactCheck.org
Guess what people, after a declaration that greenhouse gases are harmful to humans, the EPA can now regulate pollution without congressional approval.
Of course I don't have the required number of 25, yet. But this could be a problem in the future as well as a problem for other family farms. There use to be 100 dairies in my area, and now there is only a handful.
Just something to think about while you chew your cud.
A Cattle Request
Here is the Parentage of my cattle for those curious minds. (this is as of 2009)
Name in Italics are not my boys
And we will not forget Murial (mom age 5) and Courage (daughter age 7 month), who are not related to any of the above.
Name in Italics are not my boys
And we will not forget Murial (mom age 5) and Courage (daughter age 7 month), who are not related to any of the above.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Those Long Winter Nights
Just how cold is it in my house?
And that ice is all built up on the inside.
We came up with a new game here on the Neophyte Homestead. Many of you can play along as well.
With only 10 secs on the clock, how many chickens can you get to perch on a shower curtain rod?
Husband got four.
And that ice is all built up on the inside.
We came up with a new game here on the Neophyte Homestead. Many of you can play along as well.
With only 10 secs on the clock, how many chickens can you get to perch on a shower curtain rod?
GO!!!!
Husband got four.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Depression Gift Giveaway!
Originally I was going to pass on this. Several different bloggers had received the same email and had asked if this company sold GMO's. The company's response was the same to each email "some are GMO's, Some are not." (and it wasn't just one blogger that got this exact response, it was a handful).
But then a letter came to one of the bloggers, OKPN;
I am the owner of Hometown Seeds. After getting a scathing email from Kat at selfsustainedliving.blogspot.com I have done some research and discovered that this misunderstanding over our seeds started with an email Chelsea, from our company, sent to you. Please allow me to explain.
First, our survival seeds are all non-hybrid and none are GMO. Secondly, the mistake is all my fault. After reading Kat’s blog and then following the link to your own, we were able to put the pieces together.
Chelsea is working in our little company part time. She is a student at a local university helping us build traffic to our website by reaching out to sites like yours. She is not an expert in gardening and relies on me to answer any technical questions. When you asked her if our seeds were Hybrid or GMO, I told her to respond that we sell some hybrid seeds but they are not in the survival seeds, and none of our seeds are GMO. This is obviously not how she responded and had no idea how badly the mistake would be received. I have seen what she emailed back, hence the misunderstanding and negative blog posts. It was there in black and white after all.
Read the entire letter here. . .
Poor Chelsea, she should get a good scolding then a raise for generating so much attention.
Sometimes the best gift one can get is something you win, So I am going to give away the Survival Seed pack from Hometown Seeds to one lucky reader.
Now I could just say, leave a comment. . . but when have I ever made it that easy? Ok I have. I would love to hear what the best handmade gift you have ever received was.( or just leave a comment, spoil sport) I will leave this open until Saturday. Then draw a name. The winner will be emailed, so that I can get a shipping address, said address will be shared with Hometown Seeds, and when you get your seeds, grow 'em or wrapped 'em.
But then a letter came to one of the bloggers, OKPN;
I am the owner of Hometown Seeds. After getting a scathing email from Kat at selfsustainedliving.blogspot.com I have done some research and discovered that this misunderstanding over our seeds started with an email Chelsea, from our company, sent to you. Please allow me to explain.
First, our survival seeds are all non-hybrid and none are GMO. Secondly, the mistake is all my fault. After reading Kat’s blog and then following the link to your own, we were able to put the pieces together.
Chelsea is working in our little company part time. She is a student at a local university helping us build traffic to our website by reaching out to sites like yours. She is not an expert in gardening and relies on me to answer any technical questions. When you asked her if our seeds were Hybrid or GMO, I told her to respond that we sell some hybrid seeds but they are not in the survival seeds, and none of our seeds are GMO. This is obviously not how she responded and had no idea how badly the mistake would be received. I have seen what she emailed back, hence the misunderstanding and negative blog posts. It was there in black and white after all.
Read the entire letter here. . .
Poor Chelsea, she should get a good scolding then a raise for generating so much attention.
Sometimes the best gift one can get is something you win, So I am going to give away the Survival Seed pack from Hometown Seeds to one lucky reader.
Now I could just say, leave a comment. . . but when have I ever made it that easy? Ok I have. I would love to hear what the best handmade gift you have ever received was.( or just leave a comment, spoil sport) I will leave this open until Saturday. Then draw a name. The winner will be emailed, so that I can get a shipping address, said address will be shared with Hometown Seeds, and when you get your seeds, grow 'em or wrapped 'em.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Depression Gift: Thank a Greedy Reader
A few year ago a good friend that goes by GreedyReader, sent me a wonderful present of a wing nut bracelet. I loved it! Still wear it whenever I get a chance. But it got me thinking, could I make one?
Yes I can!
What you need is
16 gauge wire (hot fencing works great)
several wing nuts (depending on size and how big the wrist is)
wire cutters
needle nose pliers
screw driver (Phillips)
I seem to have lost my photos on how to make the rings. If you wire is dirty, use a metal cleaner (lemon juice works sometimes) and clean it up all shinny like. Next start wrapping it around the screwdriver. As tight as possible. Once you get to the end, slide it off, you should have a very tight spring.
Next cut the spring down the middle, making lots of small rings. As most of us do not have the fancy rotatory tools, they will look a little pinched at the cuts.
Next, take a wing nut, and attach 2 rings to one side. Squeezing the rings shut with the pliers. Then add two more rings to those rings, then two more wings, and then another wing nut.
X=//=X=//=X
Something like that.
Attach clasps on either end when finished, and Viola!
Yes I can!
What you need is
16 gauge wire (hot fencing works great)
several wing nuts (depending on size and how big the wrist is)
wire cutters
needle nose pliers
screw driver (Phillips)
I seem to have lost my photos on how to make the rings. If you wire is dirty, use a metal cleaner (lemon juice works sometimes) and clean it up all shinny like. Next start wrapping it around the screwdriver. As tight as possible. Once you get to the end, slide it off, you should have a very tight spring.
Next cut the spring down the middle, making lots of small rings. As most of us do not have the fancy rotatory tools, they will look a little pinched at the cuts.
Next, take a wing nut, and attach 2 rings to one side. Squeezing the rings shut with the pliers. Then add two more rings to those rings, then two more wings, and then another wing nut.
X=//=X=//=X
Something like that.
Attach clasps on either end when finished, and Viola!
Monday, December 07, 2009
Depression Gift; Play Dough
Children giving gifts to other children can be frustrating, especially when your recipient doesn’t live the same lifestyle as your own child. We have had a rule here for the past 3 years, nothing electronic for Christmas. And I mean nothing. This of course has caused my children to get very creative with their wants, and grandparents calling to tell me they found this gift, and they remember having so much fun with it as a kid. . . well, this makes grandparents very happy. They don’t have to figure out what’s cool and what isn’t, and they get to give things that they have special memories with. I digress, we are talking about giving gifts between our homestead kids and non-homestead kids, something that is super frustrating. Have no fear, Phelan is here!
Play Dough
I know, it is cheap to buy at the stores. But this is something easy to make. My kids love doing it, even my 12 year old, and so far no other child has complained about the gift. Plus this is a great way to rid yourself of stale or freezer burnt flour.
You will need;
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup salt
1 tablespoon cream of tarter
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 cups of boiling water
various colors, you can use food coloring or make your own (carrots, beets, spinach)
mix the dry ingredients together then add the wet. Mix well. Once it is cooled off enough to handle, parents this will be your job, knead the dough for 3 minutes.
Break off balls as many as you want, and call in the kids. Give them the color and one of the balls, and let them go to town. Make sure they get the color through and through, this takes about 3 minutes. The little ones will tire of it after a bit, just step in before they get too grumpy.
This is completely edible, but because of the amount of salt, one taste will do them.
If the dough is too sticky when kneading, add more flour. Too dry, a bit of water. We keep these in 1/2 pint canning jars. This rarely drys out, if it does, add water and knead.
Firing Dough
This is a very personalized item. Having your children make ornaments or plaques that reminds them of their friend. If they met at a baseball game, or that time when the city friend thought he could catch a calf and ended up with a mouthful of mud. What ever the memory or just something the child likes, firing dough is a great child to child present.
You will need;
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup salt
2 cups unbleached flour
food coloring or paints
Dissolve the salt in the boiling water. Stir to cool, then add all the flour at once. Mix until it forms a ball. Allow to cool to the touch, then knead for 6 minutes. If you are using food coloring, knead only 3 minutes, break into sections, and add the color, kneading each one for 3 minutes.
Cover what you aren’t using with a damp towel, and work your pieces into the shape you want. Add water or flour as needed. If you are hanging your art, make sure you add something to hold it up, paper clips work well.
Heat your oven to 225F for 15 minutes. Lay the dough shape on a foiled covered cookie sheet. Depending on the thickness, bake for 30-90 minutes. Cool and paint. Water colors are great for this. Once they are painted, place back into the oven at 150F for 30 minutes to remove moisture. Because this contains salt, you will need to preserve it so that it doesn’t draw in moisture, do this by covering it with a few coats of clear acrylic paint.
Play Dough
I know, it is cheap to buy at the stores. But this is something easy to make. My kids love doing it, even my 12 year old, and so far no other child has complained about the gift. Plus this is a great way to rid yourself of stale or freezer burnt flour.
You will need;
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup salt
1 tablespoon cream of tarter
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 cups of boiling water
various colors, you can use food coloring or make your own (carrots, beets, spinach)
mix the dry ingredients together then add the wet. Mix well. Once it is cooled off enough to handle, parents this will be your job, knead the dough for 3 minutes.
Break off balls as many as you want, and call in the kids. Give them the color and one of the balls, and let them go to town. Make sure they get the color through and through, this takes about 3 minutes. The little ones will tire of it after a bit, just step in before they get too grumpy.
This is completely edible, but because of the amount of salt, one taste will do them.
If the dough is too sticky when kneading, add more flour. Too dry, a bit of water. We keep these in 1/2 pint canning jars. This rarely drys out, if it does, add water and knead.
Firing Dough
This is a very personalized item. Having your children make ornaments or plaques that reminds them of their friend. If they met at a baseball game, or that time when the city friend thought he could catch a calf and ended up with a mouthful of mud. What ever the memory or just something the child likes, firing dough is a great child to child present.
You will need;
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup salt
2 cups unbleached flour
food coloring or paints
Dissolve the salt in the boiling water. Stir to cool, then add all the flour at once. Mix until it forms a ball. Allow to cool to the touch, then knead for 6 minutes. If you are using food coloring, knead only 3 minutes, break into sections, and add the color, kneading each one for 3 minutes.
Cover what you aren’t using with a damp towel, and work your pieces into the shape you want. Add water or flour as needed. If you are hanging your art, make sure you add something to hold it up, paper clips work well.
Heat your oven to 225F for 15 minutes. Lay the dough shape on a foiled covered cookie sheet. Depending on the thickness, bake for 30-90 minutes. Cool and paint. Water colors are great for this. Once they are painted, place back into the oven at 150F for 30 minutes to remove moisture. Because this contains salt, you will need to preserve it so that it doesn’t draw in moisture, do this by covering it with a few coats of clear acrylic paint.
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