Saturday, October 31, 2009
Computers, You Either Love 'em Or Hate 'em
I appologize for the lack of fresh material here. The modem went out on my new computer. What I thought was going to be an easy fix, turned out to be a nightmare. The machine is still under warranty, so, naturally, I called HP tech support. If you know what's good for your blood preassure, don't do this. Just get your machine fixed. I spent close to three hours on the phone with these people when it was all done. I will spare the details, except to say the I got better service from a technician in the Philipines than I did with the knucklehead here in the states. Now that is sad. But a new modem is on the way, praise God, but won't be here until the 5 of November. So, until then, I have to use this slow dinosaur of my old computer to get things done on the net. So, hang tight, I will provide. It may just be in shorter bites. Thanks for your patience.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
I was talking to a good friend of mine the other day. We had been discussing the benefits of relationship marketing and how it is played out. It's like this, we live in the poorest part of Missouri. It is plain foolish to think that we can charge astronomical prices for food fit to eat and earn any extra money. The simple fact is that the money isn't there. But I do believe that you can obtain a level of satisfaction in customers through building relationships with them. In other words, finding a way to create a win-win situation for you and your customer.
We raise and sell pastured poultry in an era where people are more and more concerned with where their food comes from. They want to feel good about the food they eat, they want to know that it will be healthy for their families and that the animals spent their lives happy (seriously). But they also want a good price. We sell our birds just a tad higher than the grocery store. That is a win for the customer, because they get healthy food with a good value. We have a decent payday. That's a win for us because we need the extra money. Win-win.
We can also sell grass fed beef, on the hoof, for much less than what you will pay in a grocery store. The people get great meat at a great value and we, again get some spending cash. Win-win.
But the most important thing we get out of the deal is the knowledge and satisfaction of helping people, even less affluent people, eat better. And we eat better food, ourselves, to boot.
The key is not to try to make that million dollars one time. Rather, make one dollar a million times. Do you get it?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Feeling Bullish
This dudes days are now numbered. At the end of November he goes off to the butcher. We are looking forward to a freezer of beef. I am excited to see how much it decreases the grocery bill.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Is Washington Listening?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
MoKan Living-A Great New Forum For Missourians And Kansans
There is a great new forum out ther for all of us Missourians called MoKanliving. It is from MoKan Living Magazine and is a place where folks from the great state of Missouri can go for information swapping. Alright, I don't want to leave out you Kansans either, it's for you too. Check it out, I love forums simply because of the discussions that are generated on them, I have learned much from others that are like minded. A great place to mingle and get to know people. Have fun and use this link to get there. Thanks for stopping by.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Say NOBAMA!
I received this in an email so please forgive the gramatical mistakes. I post this to promote awareness, I know that it has little to do with homesteading, or does it? The fact is that things that are going on in Washington directly affect the future of our lifestyle. Thus, we need to stay on top of them. I want to be able to keep my small farm and homestead, and I don't want to lose it because I went to jail for failure to pay the $25,900 per year this thing will cost. Folks, that is more than I make in a year. So, read the article and forgive the poor way it copied and pasted. Thanks.
Anti-gun ObamaCare Now Moves to the Senate Floor-- But Obama does not yet have the 60 votes he needsGun Owners of America E-Mail Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://gunowners.org
Thursday, October 15, 2009Well, there's good news and bad news.If you've been listening to the media, you know the bad news. Senators voted the Baucus version of the ObamaCare bill out the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, and the legislation now moves to the Senate floor.So what's the good news? President Obama still doesn't have the 60 votes he needs to overcome a filibuster of his nationalized health care bill.In brief, the Baucus bill which passed out of committee will hurt you in several ways:* You will have less money for buying firearms and ammunition. Hopefully, you have $25,900 that you don't know what to do with -- every year. Because that's how much the Baucus bill is going to cost an average family of four to pay for a government-mandated ObamaCare policy every year. That's right ... $25,900 every year! That will be your cost, according to a Price Waterhouse study of the Baucus legislation. You will be required to purchase this ObamaCare policy and pay this amount under penalty of law under Baucus' bill. (Go to http://www.politico.com/static/PPM116_pwc2.html to read the Price Waterhouse study.)* Anti-gun medical database that can be used to deny your right to purchase firearms. As GOA has warned for several months, the ObamaCare legislation will pump your medical information into the medical database that was created under the stimulus bill earlier this year. The federal government has already used medical diagnoses (such as PTSD) to deny more than 150,000 military veterans the right to own guns -- without their being convicted of a crime or receiving any due process of law. So don't be surprised if socialized ObamaCare results in your medical information being used to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights. * Discrimination against gun owners. ObamaCare legislation in Congress will very likely empower anti-gun bureaucrats to deny medical reimbursements to individuals who engage in supposedly "dangerous" activities, like hunting or keeping loaded weapons for self-defense. As GOA pointed out in an earlier alert, this type of discrimination against gun owners has already occurred in the homeowner insurance industry. (See documented examples of this at http://gunowners.org/op0231.htm on the GOA website.)Bottom line: Don't be surprised if an Obama-prescribed policy precludes reimbursement of any kind in a household which keeps a loaded firearm for self-defense. Sleazy politics: it's worse than watching sausage-making In order to get a somewhat positive financial analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) kept the details of his health care rationing scheme secret. He did this by providing the CBO an outline of the legislation, rather than providing real legislative language.In fact, at the hour that the Senate Finance Committee was being forced to vote on the Baucus bill, the legislative language was still not available! So the Senate Finance Committee voted on a bill that will take over one-sixth of the American economy without even seeing specific legislative language.Otto von Bismarck, the first Chancellor of the German Empire, used to say that, "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." That's still true today. In order to get this sleazy effort to the Senate floor without anyone knowing what is in the legislative language, the Senate leadership has developed a really contemptible scheme: * They will take a totally unrelated piece of legislation -- perhaps a bill that deals with AIG bonus legislation -- and then amend it with a thousand-page health bill that no one, to this date, has been able to read.* The Republicans will filibuster this attempt to vote on "secret legislation" -- requiring the Democrats to muster 60 votes. If Democrats are successful in doing so, many of them will be free to vote against the health care bill on final passage, since only 51 votes will be needed for the final passage vote. These switch-hitting Democrats would then be free to tell their constituents that they "opposed" the anti-gun socialized medicine bill because they voted against it on "final passage" -- a nearly irrelevant vote that only requires the assent of 51 senators.But make no mistake: The REALLY IMPORTANT VOTE is the one that requires 60 votes. That's the vote to end the filibuster (or "invoke cloture") on the motion to proceed to the secret bill. At this point, it is not clear that Obama has the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. Already, one Democrat, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, has announced he is opposed to the Baucus plan.And Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa indicated recently that there may be one more Democrat who is leaning against the bill.That's why it's IMPERATIVE that you contact both of your senators. Don't think: "Oh, my Senator is a Democrat and he's going to support the President." We can't afford to think that way. All we need to do is pick off one more Democrat Senator and this bill is dead!At the same time, we need to make sure all the Republicans vote against this anti-gun monstrosity. Even with liberal Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine defecting, it is still possible to win the war over this legislation.ACTION: Contact your two U.S. Senators. Let them know of your disgust for the Baucus bill, and urge them to vote against cloture on the motion to proceed to a "secret" composite bill crafted behind closed doors. You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your senators the pre-written e-mail message below.----- Pre-written letter -----Dear Senator:This may come as a surprise to you. But most Americans can't afford $25,900 a year to pay for health insurance under the sleazy bill passed out of the Senate Finance Committee. According to a Price Waterhouse study, by 2019, the cost of the average family's government-mandated Obama-drafted health insurance policy -- which I would be required to purchase under penalty of law -- would be $25,900 A YEAR. This is a much bigger increase in premiums than if Congress did nothing.Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office agrees that premiums would climb faster under the Baucus bill than if Congress did nothing.Incidentally, please do not try to tell me that the "fines" for not purchasing an ObamaPolicy have been reduced and that I can't be sent to prison. This is largely a lie.An ordinary family would pay $1,500 in fines when the bill fully kicks in. And, while an amendment added by Senator Charles Schumer says you can't be sent to prison if you can't afford the policy, it does NOT say you can't be sent to prison if you can't afford the fine. The next step will be a motion to proceed to a bill which would implement a government takeover of a sixth of the American economy -- and put the government in charge of making decisions over whether my family and me live or die.That motion to proceed will be made at a point when there is no CBO score based on legislation -- and possibly no legislative language at all.I would urge you, in the strongest terms, to vote against that motion to proceed -- particularly if there is not a final CBO score BASED ON LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE. Please do not vote wrong on this crucial cloture vote -- and then expect that you can trick me by voting "no" on a meaningless final passage vote which only requires 50 senators.Sincerely,
Anti-gun ObamaCare Now Moves to the Senate Floor-- But Obama does not yet have the 60 votes he needsGun Owners of America E-Mail Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://gunowners.org
Thursday, October 15, 2009Well, there's good news and bad news.If you've been listening to the media, you know the bad news. Senators voted the Baucus version of the ObamaCare bill out the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, and the legislation now moves to the Senate floor.So what's the good news? President Obama still doesn't have the 60 votes he needs to overcome a filibuster of his nationalized health care bill.In brief, the Baucus bill which passed out of committee will hurt you in several ways:* You will have less money for buying firearms and ammunition. Hopefully, you have $25,900 that you don't know what to do with -- every year. Because that's how much the Baucus bill is going to cost an average family of four to pay for a government-mandated ObamaCare policy every year. That's right ... $25,900 every year! That will be your cost, according to a Price Waterhouse study of the Baucus legislation. You will be required to purchase this ObamaCare policy and pay this amount under penalty of law under Baucus' bill. (Go to http://www.politico.com/static/PPM116_pwc2.html to read the Price Waterhouse study.)* Anti-gun medical database that can be used to deny your right to purchase firearms. As GOA has warned for several months, the ObamaCare legislation will pump your medical information into the medical database that was created under the stimulus bill earlier this year. The federal government has already used medical diagnoses (such as PTSD) to deny more than 150,000 military veterans the right to own guns -- without their being convicted of a crime or receiving any due process of law. So don't be surprised if socialized ObamaCare results in your medical information being used to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights. * Discrimination against gun owners. ObamaCare legislation in Congress will very likely empower anti-gun bureaucrats to deny medical reimbursements to individuals who engage in supposedly "dangerous" activities, like hunting or keeping loaded weapons for self-defense. As GOA pointed out in an earlier alert, this type of discrimination against gun owners has already occurred in the homeowner insurance industry. (See documented examples of this at http://gunowners.org/op0231.htm on the GOA website.)Bottom line: Don't be surprised if an Obama-prescribed policy precludes reimbursement of any kind in a household which keeps a loaded firearm for self-defense. Sleazy politics: it's worse than watching sausage-making In order to get a somewhat positive financial analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) kept the details of his health care rationing scheme secret. He did this by providing the CBO an outline of the legislation, rather than providing real legislative language.In fact, at the hour that the Senate Finance Committee was being forced to vote on the Baucus bill, the legislative language was still not available! So the Senate Finance Committee voted on a bill that will take over one-sixth of the American economy without even seeing specific legislative language.Otto von Bismarck, the first Chancellor of the German Empire, used to say that, "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." That's still true today. In order to get this sleazy effort to the Senate floor without anyone knowing what is in the legislative language, the Senate leadership has developed a really contemptible scheme: * They will take a totally unrelated piece of legislation -- perhaps a bill that deals with AIG bonus legislation -- and then amend it with a thousand-page health bill that no one, to this date, has been able to read.* The Republicans will filibuster this attempt to vote on "secret legislation" -- requiring the Democrats to muster 60 votes. If Democrats are successful in doing so, many of them will be free to vote against the health care bill on final passage, since only 51 votes will be needed for the final passage vote. These switch-hitting Democrats would then be free to tell their constituents that they "opposed" the anti-gun socialized medicine bill because they voted against it on "final passage" -- a nearly irrelevant vote that only requires the assent of 51 senators.But make no mistake: The REALLY IMPORTANT VOTE is the one that requires 60 votes. That's the vote to end the filibuster (or "invoke cloture") on the motion to proceed to the secret bill. At this point, it is not clear that Obama has the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. Already, one Democrat, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, has announced he is opposed to the Baucus plan.And Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa indicated recently that there may be one more Democrat who is leaning against the bill.That's why it's IMPERATIVE that you contact both of your senators. Don't think: "Oh, my Senator is a Democrat and he's going to support the President." We can't afford to think that way. All we need to do is pick off one more Democrat Senator and this bill is dead!At the same time, we need to make sure all the Republicans vote against this anti-gun monstrosity. Even with liberal Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine defecting, it is still possible to win the war over this legislation.ACTION: Contact your two U.S. Senators. Let them know of your disgust for the Baucus bill, and urge them to vote against cloture on the motion to proceed to a "secret" composite bill crafted behind closed doors. You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your senators the pre-written e-mail message below.----- Pre-written letter -----Dear Senator:This may come as a surprise to you. But most Americans can't afford $25,900 a year to pay for health insurance under the sleazy bill passed out of the Senate Finance Committee. According to a Price Waterhouse study, by 2019, the cost of the average family's government-mandated Obama-drafted health insurance policy -- which I would be required to purchase under penalty of law -- would be $25,900 A YEAR. This is a much bigger increase in premiums than if Congress did nothing.Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office agrees that premiums would climb faster under the Baucus bill than if Congress did nothing.Incidentally, please do not try to tell me that the "fines" for not purchasing an ObamaPolicy have been reduced and that I can't be sent to prison. This is largely a lie.An ordinary family would pay $1,500 in fines when the bill fully kicks in. And, while an amendment added by Senator Charles Schumer says you can't be sent to prison if you can't afford the policy, it does NOT say you can't be sent to prison if you can't afford the fine. The next step will be a motion to proceed to a bill which would implement a government takeover of a sixth of the American economy -- and put the government in charge of making decisions over whether my family and me live or die.That motion to proceed will be made at a point when there is no CBO score based on legislation -- and possibly no legislative language at all.I would urge you, in the strongest terms, to vote against that motion to proceed -- particularly if there is not a final CBO score BASED ON LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE. Please do not vote wrong on this crucial cloture vote -- and then expect that you can trick me by voting "no" on a meaningless final passage vote which only requires 50 senators.Sincerely,
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Real Truth Behind Global Warming/Climate Change
This linked article (click on the title) sounds scary, I can assure you that the ramifications are scarry, indeed, and boundless. Please take the time to read the article from WorldnetDaily (click on my title). There is no time to argue who's right and who's wrong. Because while we the people bicker, they are stealing our freedom.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
God Has Called Men
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,Thursday, October 15, 2009
Open Carry Anyone?
Of course you know that the right you never exercise is the one you'll lose, right? Well many states have a little known law that allows law abiding citizens to openly carry their firearm. Usually without a permit. But just to be safe, before you jump up and throw on your gun, check out this cool site called, opencarry.org there, you should find plenty of useful information about your specific state. You can also get info on legislation in yours and neighboring states. This is just one more tool in our arsenal to stay informed. Use the link and check it out.
If there are any of you fine readers that do carry in the open, leave a comment and let me know, I'd love to hear about your experiences.
If there are any of you fine readers that do carry in the open, leave a comment and let me know, I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Michael Pollan Strikes A Chord
Author Michael Pollan is receiving some heat these days. I guess the truth hurts as big Ag is getting fiesty. But all is not lost because as big Ag gets hyped up, so does attention to Mr. Pollan's message. Use the link, then click on "Alan's blog" to read more.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Reason Sausage
A very wise man (my pastor) told me, recently, the difference between a reason and an excuse.
An excuse is the "skin" of a reason, stuffed with a lie. For example, being late for work because you were in an accident is a "reason", and a very good one.
On the other hand, being late for work because you saw an accident, is an excuse and a poor one at that. Do you see the difference?
The "skin" of a reason, stuffed with a lie. I have affectionately dubbed this phenomenon as "reason sausage".
Another example of "reason sausage" is when people say that they can't understand the King James bible and the language is archaic. The lie that the skin is stuffed with is that the language is not archaic but a language all its own and the you CAN understand it because it was translated at a fifth grade level.
Since learning this concept, I have found that I should not have shared it with my wife. She now points out the "reason sausage" I give. This makes it so I have no excuse.
The question is, do you have any reason sausage in your life?
An excuse is the "skin" of a reason, stuffed with a lie. For example, being late for work because you were in an accident is a "reason", and a very good one.
On the other hand, being late for work because you saw an accident, is an excuse and a poor one at that. Do you see the difference?
The "skin" of a reason, stuffed with a lie. I have affectionately dubbed this phenomenon as "reason sausage".
Another example of "reason sausage" is when people say that they can't understand the King James bible and the language is archaic. The lie that the skin is stuffed with is that the language is not archaic but a language all its own and the you CAN understand it because it was translated at a fifth grade level.
Since learning this concept, I have found that I should not have shared it with my wife. She now points out the "reason sausage" I give. This makes it so I have no excuse.
The question is, do you have any reason sausage in your life?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Too Many Things To Do
I think it is official. I will have a few more days of pasture and then it is time for hay. I hate to think of it, really. On the up side of it, we have gotten into the second week of October before going to hay. We have experienced a month's improvement each year for the last three years, so I am pleased with that. Each year I seem to get a little further into the fall before feeding hay which indicates, I believe, that I am on the right path.
Now I am also happy that I have some firewood put up, enough for a couple of months. However, if the weather continues the current trend, we will be burning sooner than usual. In other words, I need lots more wood. Why is there never enough time?
I need fire wood.
I need to build more rabbit cages.
I need to build shelves for my wife.
I need to spend time with my kids.
I need fire wood.
I need to build fence.
I need to go to meetings at church.
I need fire wood.
I need to build a roof over the front porch.
I need to replace planks in our wooden sidewalk.
And the list goes on. Oh, did I mention that I need fire wood?
Sometimes I catch myself just staring off into space, dazed and confused, unable to decide what to start on next. Do you ever get that way, or am I the only one?
Now I am also happy that I have some firewood put up, enough for a couple of months. However, if the weather continues the current trend, we will be burning sooner than usual. In other words, I need lots more wood. Why is there never enough time?
I need fire wood.
I need to build more rabbit cages.
I need to build shelves for my wife.
I need to spend time with my kids.
I need fire wood.
I need to build fence.
I need to go to meetings at church.
I need fire wood.
I need to build a roof over the front porch.
I need to replace planks in our wooden sidewalk.
And the list goes on. Oh, did I mention that I need fire wood?
Sometimes I catch myself just staring off into space, dazed and confused, unable to decide what to start on next. Do you ever get that way, or am I the only one?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Forage Diversification
I now have a couple of round bales put up to get us started for the winter. I still have that uneasy feeling that this is going to be a rough one. I think it will be a challenge to stay ahead of the weather this year.
On another note, I read about the Kerr Angus Ranch near Coyle, Oklahoma. Their goal is to produce Choice graded, 1000lb. steer entirely on grass by the age if 15 months. Who knows they may be doing it by now as the source of this information is a couple of years old. However, what tripped my radar was the grazing plan. They were using Midland bermuda with Yuchi arrowleaf clover as the base forage. Jose tall wheat and time-limit-grazed, for four hours every other day, wheat, vetch and annual rye for the cool season.
Now that is called putting some thought into your forage! I would never have thought like that. This is why it pays to keep reading and studying. The more I read the more I find that diversification is a key factor in forage. This is something for me to ponder further and try to implement in the future.
On another note, I read about the Kerr Angus Ranch near Coyle, Oklahoma. Their goal is to produce Choice graded, 1000lb. steer entirely on grass by the age if 15 months. Who knows they may be doing it by now as the source of this information is a couple of years old. However, what tripped my radar was the grazing plan. They were using Midland bermuda with Yuchi arrowleaf clover as the base forage. Jose tall wheat and time-limit-grazed, for four hours every other day, wheat, vetch and annual rye for the cool season.
Now that is called putting some thought into your forage! I would never have thought like that. This is why it pays to keep reading and studying. The more I read the more I find that diversification is a key factor in forage. This is something for me to ponder further and try to implement in the future.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Have You Visited Your Farmer's Market This Week?
Farmers' Markets Show Surge in Growth
Monday, 28 September 2009
The number of farmers’ markets in the USA rose by five percent over the previous year. However, Utah saw its number double since last year and Massachusetts, Illinois and Californai also showed big increases. The USDA estimates that there are now nearly 4,900 active farmers’ markets. Factors driving the surge include a growing desire by consumers to know more about their food sources, concern over the environment and an increased sense of community. "Its perfect for us, "Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan told USA Today. "We want to find ways to help people live healthier lifestyles and increase prosperity for farmers." Delayne Reeves of the Illinois Department of Agriculture said the recession has made people "more home centered" and this had helped spur interest in local foods
Monday, 28 September 2009
The number of farmers’ markets in the USA rose by five percent over the previous year. However, Utah saw its number double since last year and Massachusetts, Illinois and Californai also showed big increases. The USDA estimates that there are now nearly 4,900 active farmers’ markets. Factors driving the surge include a growing desire by consumers to know more about their food sources, concern over the environment and an increased sense of community. "Its perfect for us, "Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan told USA Today. "We want to find ways to help people live healthier lifestyles and increase prosperity for farmers." Delayne Reeves of the Illinois Department of Agriculture said the recession has made people "more home centered" and this had helped spur interest in local foods
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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