Sustainable Gardening

You might think that this subject is a bit too early in the season to talk about.  I disagree, many people, including us, are starting to think about the garden for the spring.  Most of you have been getting seed catalogs in the mail by now.  We've gotten several.  Marketers do a great job of getting you to think about certain things, don't they?

What I wanted to share today is in the arena of sustainability.  As you can tell, this subject has been on my mind, lately.  So, I thought I'd share an idea with you.

Un-natural, chemical based, non organic, petroleum fertilizers are not sustainable.  Not in monetary form nor in nature.  The important thing to remember is that God gave us everything we need to grow healthy, beautiful, delicious gardens.  But, where to start?

One area is also a holon, (read more).  Rabbit manure is one of the best fertilizers.  It does not need to be composted to start with.  We apply it right in the soil, mixing it up a bit.  It is all natural and doesn't burn the crops.

Don't have rabbits?  They're easy to care for and don't cost much to keep so you might consider getting a pair.  You'd be surprised how much manure two rabbits can produce.  We have several and sell/give away the excess.

If you choose to sell the manure, you will have no trouble.  Almost anyone who is garden savvy will understand the benefits of it and will be ready to buy.

Our garden keeps improving as we continue to add the rabbit maure.  Look into it as part of your spring planning.  You won't be sorry.

What Does Sustainability Mean?

I recently asked myself if I knew what the term sustainability meant. I had to be honest with myself, too. I have a pretty broad sense of the word, but I did not have a good handle on a definite definition. After all, if we are practicing sustainable homesteading, we should know what the term means, right?

So, I must believe that I am not the only one out there who has this broad definition stuck in his head. I tend to think that sustainability, like so many other words, has just become another buzz word. Unfortunately, we live in a culture in which words no longer carry certain, definite, connotations and meanings. Everything has become relative. Like the word truth, for example.

Sustainability has taken on a new meaning, I believe, one that has skewed the true meaning. One in which we would lump all things natural and organic into it and call it good. But, is it just organic and natural?

Sustainability has become a brad term including all facets of life on earth. From a local to a global scale, from grasslands to forests. I think it is safe that we can agree that mankind is living on this earth unsustainably. We no longer farm land, we strip mine it. The soil needs things put back and putting them back with unnatural, petroleum based, chemically created fertilizers is unsustainable.

The best way to define this word, sustainability, for humans is to say that it is the potential for long term maintenance of well being which, in turn, depends on the well being of the natural world and responsible use of natural resources.

Notice that I did not say that we should abstain from all use of natural resources. We just need to be responsible with them. This is what God meant by good stewardship, wouldn't you agree?

In the homesteading world, this means taking care of the land that takes care of you. In other words, animals eat grass to remain healthy. Grass need good soil to be healthy enough to provide health to that animal. If you neglect the soil, the grass will suffer. If the grass suffers, the chickens, goats, cows, pigs, sheep, horses, and myriad others will suffer. If all of them suffer, you, ultimately, will suffer.

Look at the health of America, as a whole, today. Look at the skin color of people. They are pale. The eyes are deep set and red. People are obese and lack energy. There are a ton of other ailments out there, too many to mention. Much of which can be traced back to the stripping of the soil. Cramming cattle into feed lots. Pumping more chickens into the grower houses. It goes on and on. These animals barely get sunlight, much less fresh, green grass. That is unsustainable. We are seeing the implosion beginning as more and more people get concerned about this.

As we think about sustainability, we need to be cognisant about what we do and how it affects the chain. It is about our well being and the maintenance thereof depending on the responsible use of the natural world. Now, go out there and be responsible.

Congrats!

Congratulations to Emily A. and Jaseypants, once again. These two are on top of their game!

The answer we were looking for to the trivia question was: bullfighting.

Good job guys! Come back tomorrow for the last question for the $10 Amazon gift card. I am going to try to go deeeeeeeeeeeeep for this one. I think I've been too easy on y'all! Check in tomorrow and good luck.

Christmas Trivia #4

Are you ready? This is question number four, there is only one left! Unless, of course, we have to have a tie breaker. Remember, this is for a $10 Amazon gift card and oyu are allowed two guesses per question. Without further ado, here is the question:

What spectacle highlights Christmas day in Lima, Peru?

Good luck with your answer. The resuslts will be posted on Thursday, this week, due to Christmas.

Scroll down for new posts. Thanks for stopping by.

Christmas Greetings!

Remember the Reason for the Season. I know the pagan roots behind Christmas. I also know that Christmas should be every day. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In a world of government take-overs and usurpation, political correctness, when sin becomes truth and truth is relative, we have chosen to steal from the other side. In this house, we have stolen the winter festival season, set it aside to be thankful for and share in the greatest gift to all mankind. They have stolen so much from us, Christians. We are taking a little bit back. So, with that in mind, I want to wish you all a very, merry Christmas. I want to encourage you, also, to put Christ back in CHRISTmas.

May the Lord fill your hearts with joy beyond understanding, courage to stand for Truth, and the Hope that transcends all knowledge. May God grant you peace, the peace of Him that knows nothing of chaos, the God of order. May He give you eyes to see all that He has made and cause you to fall upon your knees in awe of His strength. And ears to hear His voice and obey.

God bless you and Merry CHRISTmas!

Your friend,
Scott

Do You Ever Get Bumped?

If you are a saved believer in Christ, when someone bumps into you, who spills out, you or Jesus? Read more...

Summer Sores On My Cow

Around mid summer, my oldest daughter was in the barn with me as I milked the family cow. For some reason, I don't know why, other than her curiosity, she was looking at the belly of Lucy, our cow. She was asking questions about the anatomy of the bovine species, I believe. As her search continued she asked what the little “bump was on the cow's belly. I told her that was Lucy's navel kind of like the one she has, only bigger. Then she asked me why it was scabbed over. That was the first time I noticed the problem.
Not knowing what to think, I opted for the least expensive. I decided that she had a irritation and that Lucy had been kicking at it and scratching it. Probably caused by some brambles out in the pasture or something. In other words I ignored it.
About a week ago, I noticed the same spot bleeding and oozing without any apparent aggravation. Not only that, but the spot had grown bigger and was now inflamed and swollen. There had also been another slot develop on her chest acting in much the same fashion.
This concerned me now. On our little homestead, we try to do things as naturally as possible, without drugs or injections. However, the value of our “lovely girl” dictates that when I don't have an answer, call the vet. This I did, with the intention of gathering a diagnosis and possible means of treatment. I must add, that veterinarians are much readily receptive of natural and homeopathic cures than the average medical doctor. For this, I am grateful.
The vet came to the farm and examined her, giving me the diagnosis: Summer Sore. This is defined as “
Caused by the larve of stomach worms depostied in open wounds and sores. Occurs only in the fly season. Suspect this when a clean wound or sore suddenly enlarges and becomes covered with a reddish-yellow tissue that bleeds easily.
When I asked him what that was, he told me that it is a parasite in the skin. He knew that we like to do things naturally and gave me permission to use Melaleuca oil on the open sore as a natural, (and very good, I might add) antiseptic. But, due to the duration of the sores, I would need antibiotics as well, as a secondary infection had set in. He said that a topical would suffice and that we would not have milk withdrawal period. He also prescribed Cydectin, to take care of the parasites. Again, topical, just poured on the back.
Without knowledge of how to treat this particular parasite naturally, I feared spending a lot of time researching it, because of the infection. So, for the first time on any of our otherwise healthy animals, I opted to follow the vet's advice. The result is a combination of natural remedies and prescribed, with the natural part performing quite well, thus far.
I concocted a wound spray from Melaleuca products to apply to the wounds on Lucy's underbelly. This consists of Renew Bath Oil (2 caps full) to sooth the skin and help it to stick to the would. Sol-U-Mel (3 caps full), to help clean the wound and also contains Melaleuca oil which is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic. Natures Cleanse (2 caps full), also aids in keeping the wound moisturized and clean. And 5 drops of antibacterial soap all mixed into 1 quart of water. This is applied twice, daily, by putting it into a spray bottle and spraying it on her infected areas.
I am pleased with the results of this concoction. The swelling had abated in the first day and is almost completely gone now. The wound is still oozing but looks very clean and much better than before. I am still in the process of treatment and am waiting full results, but so far, it appears to be improving.
For the unnatural part of the treatment, I went with the doctor's suggestion and applied the Cydectin by pouring the dose along the spine from the shoulders (withers) to the base of the tail. It stank, but that is all, for now. I just administered it yesterday, so I am anxiously awaiting the results of that. I was also pleased with this treatment as we have a nursing calf that will not be affected by the treatment.
All in all, her health has always been fine. She is a calm and very friendly cow with a kind of jovial spirit, which has never changed. So, it is my hope that I did not allow this thing to fester to the point of no return. She is still spry and happy.
In summation, if you keep animals, never overlook an open wound. If treated right away, some aggravation and expense may be spared. Happy homesteading.

Tuck In Those Raised Beds

This picture, of one of our raised bed gardens, is from this past spring. A wonderful shot of nice, luscious, sweet strawberry plants. We got quite a few berries out of this bed.

But, that is not the reason for this post, no sir. Rather, as part of the homestead routine, part of the sustainability picture, part of the survival scene, you have to put your beds to, well, bed. In order to preserve the harvest for next season, it is important to tuck those strawberry plants in. Otherwise, the frost will get them and you can kiss your strawberries goodbye.

This is one of the greatest benefits of growing your food in a raised bed. Not to mention that you don't have to vibrate your arms out of their sockets with a tiller. But the fact that the confined area is much easier to manage, on so many levels is what drives us to make more.

So, in this instance, we took some old straw and piled it on, fairly deep, to put the beds to bed. You can use anything you wish, really. Old newspapers work well. Or leaves from the fall shedding or other organic material. Not only are you protecting your future, but you are amending the soil at the same time. This is controlability in the purest. Soil needs things put back, so it is important to put back what you take out. So, put your beds to bed.

Klessig, Nienow, Mueller, Seeger, Laabs-Unite!

There is a cool, great and absolutely fabulous new genealogy website out there for the above mentioned surnames (plus a few dozen). The website is a work in progress done by my wonderful sister-in-law that keeps, tracks and prints information about the family lineage of the Klessigs and Anderslands along with all the other surnames that come with them. So, what she would like is for anyone related to these family names to go visit the site at: http://www.familyhistory.anderslandfarm.com/ . And, once you're there, if you have any information on these families and would like to help, you can contact her. I know that my wife has already enjoyed the site very much so you won't be disappointed. Go, visit, and help build this site. The names, so far, are, Klessig, Nienow, Mueller, Seeger and Laabs. Enjoy.

Answer To The Trivia Question

Congratulations to Emily A. and jaseypants for submitting the right answer to this weeks's Christmas Trivia!

The question was: In Miracle on 34th Street, what does Susan teach Kris to do?

The answer is to blow bubble gum. SO, good job! Tune in Sunday for the next one. It will be tougher this time. Good luck.

Christmas Trivia #3

Here it is folks. The next chance at a $10 Amazon gift card. Remember, the person with the most right answers, wins. Tell your friends, get them involved.

Here it is: In Miracle On 34th Street, what does Susan theach Kris to do?

Post your answer in the comment section. Remember, you are allowed two guesses. Good luck.

Wood Splitting The Old Way

Out here, in rural Missouri, we enjoy the benefits of warm, wood heat in the winter. To be honest, we made plans to survive the Y2K non-event. Thus, we have several things on our little homestead that have remained in preparation for the next disaster, what ever that may be. Last years major ice storm was one good test as to where we stand, and a bit of a learning curve, as well.

The one thing we are most happy with is wood heat. There are so many benefits to burning wood, but the top one would fall in the category of sustainability. Look around, there are trees all over that get damaged in storms or fall over dead. The point is that they grow. As long as the property is managed well, there will be a supply of wood that will last several lifetimes.

The one question I'm most often asked is, why don't I have a splitter? Well, several reasons, really. Most people think the top reason is that I'm nuts and a glutton for punishment. That may well be true, but I have reasons none-the-less.

The top reason is that wood splitters are blasted expensive. I can't afford one, period. And the more I think about it, the more I think that even if I could afford one, I wouldn't buy one. Which leads to the other reasons I don't own one.

Again, on our farm we try to do things as sustainably as possible, with a least-cost mentality. This includes all machinery that suck fuel. Fuel costs money, and, lately, a lot of money. Every storm cloud that rolls over the middle east brings with it higher oil prices. If the president of Borneo has the hic-ups, we pay higher prices. We won't get into the maintenance of the machine, either.

Then there is me. I'm cheap labor. Forget the mantra "how much, per hour, are you worth?" stuff. With that thought, you can price yourself right out of work and onto the couch, because you will rarely get your money's worth. I don't worry about what I would pay myself.

How about this one. It is just plain good excersize. Since I left the world of sports, I rarely get sufficient excersize. Splitting wood gives a good, vigorous workout if I keep up a good pace. Here is a tip for you. Cut the wood in the winter that you will need for next year and split in the warm months. You can work up a good sweat that will clean your system of toxins. I am still striving toward this concept, myself. It is a good concept, though, don't you think?

Another reason is that I am still able. I actually like to work. Not necessarily for "the man", but I like it. I never "sat" well. Although, the older I get, the more I seem to sit, but that is another story. Put it this way, I don't sit well for a long time. I don't like the idea of wasting away in a La-Z-Boy.

One of the best reasons is that the way things are going, nationally, people are better off knowing how to do a few things. There may come a time that we have to fend for ourselves. The more we can do for ourselves, the better.

If you want a splitter, that is up to you. My back often tells me what an idiot I am. There are benefits to owning one, I'm just not ready to throw in the towel. So, don't give up on the way things used to be. You might need those skills in the future.

The FDA Strikes Again...Stikes Out, That Is

In an experiment by the University of Wisconsin, cats were fed a diet of irradiated food. Within 3-4 months the cats developed symptoms of neurological disorders such as loss of vision, loss of mobility and paralasys. The FDA has approved the radiation of a large segment of the nation's food supply.

Probably the best way to avoid irradiated food is to raise more of your own food and buy from the local farmer's markets whenever possible. The more processed a food the more likely that it has been irradiated.

Once again, why do we continue to trust the federal government with our well being?

Tell Me Again Why We Trust The USDuh Organic Lable

I normally don't post twice in one day. Heck, I have a hard time posting twice in one week. But I read this little article and it just added fuel to my fire. I have many soap boxes on which to stand and this is one of them. I am continually amazed that we, as a people, trust the government to do anything for our "well being". I will post the article here, but it must be noted that I am not the author of it. This article was written by Mr. Alan Nation of the Stockman Grassfarmer. You can read more articles on his blog, found at www.stockmangrassfarmer.net Read on.


USDA De-certifies Large Organic Livestock Producer

Thursday, 03 December 2009
The USDA has decertified Promiseland Livestock LLC from the National Organic Program for four years citing multiple improprieties including not feeding organic grain to feedlotted cattle, selling fraudulent organic feed and "laundering" conventional cattle as organic. The company could have been fined millions of dollars for these violations but the USDA declined to do so. This calls into question just how tough the Obama administration is going to be in enforcing the organic law. Miles McEvoy, the new director of the National Organic Program, had previously stated that the program was entering a new "age of enforcement." His predecessor under the Bush administration largely refused to enforce the law at all. Promiseland with operations in Missouri and Nebraska was a major supplier of replacement dairy cattle to Dean Foods (Horizon Dairy), Natural Prairie in Texas and Aurora Dairy based in Colorado. Attention will now shift to Promiseland’s organic certifier, Quality Assurance International (QAI). QAI was also the certifier for Aurora Dairy which was cited by the USDA as having "willfully violated" 14 tenets of the organic law but which received no punishment for having done so.. QAI also certifies Dean Foods organic dairies. Critics of the USDA Certified Organic program point out that certifiers who earn big checks from the people they certify have no incentive to turn them in if they violate the law as this will end their certification fees. Such glaring inconsistencies and the lack of enforcement of the rules by the USDA have made many consumers skeptical of all Certified Organic products.

A New Forum

There is a great new forum to learn, laugh, discuss and have a general good time at. It is done by MoKanLiving Magazine. That's Mo, for Missouri and Kan, for Kansas. It is a regional board centering on things of interest for those of us in Missouri and Kansas. Check it out here, register, post and join in. I like forums for the wealth of information they can bring. You can chat with a bunch of people you don't know, but you can learn a bunch, or share your views. Give it a shot.

Answer To This Week's Trivia Question

The correct answer to this week's trivia question, What were the names of the female entertaining team in "White Christmas?" is the Haynes sisters.

Good job to Peggy, Emily A., and Jaseypants for the correct answer! I have written your names down and I am keeping a tally. Remember, those that have the most right answers will receive the prize, so keep coming back. Tell your friends about our little contest, as well. Tune in on Sunday for the next question.

Christmas Trivia #2

It is Sunday! What a wonderful day to praise the Lord! We are currently getting a mixture of wintery crud and I am so not ready for it. But, on to fun things, to take our mind off the winter weather. It is time for this weeks trivia question. Before I give you the question, remember, this is for a $10 Amazon gift card. The person with the most right answers will win the prize. So tell all your friends and leave your answer in the comment section. I will allow you two guesses per question. So, here it is:

What were the names of the female entertaining team in "White Christmas"?

I will leave this up until Friday. Scroll down for new posts and good luck.

Electric Fence Problem

I have a slight problem with my electric fence I need to fix, tonight. I have a couple of spots where I didn't need a corner brace and just used the wedgelock bracing system. The wedgelocks work fine, but the tension on the wire is collapsing the plastic insulators on the post. Thus, the wire is coming in contact with the metal post and shorting out the fence. I am thinking of ways I can fix this without having to cut wire and re-splicing it. One option I came up with is to put a piece of wood or plastic underneath it. I'm going to give it a try, anyway. I will let y'all know how it turns out. If anyone smarter than me has a suggestion, I am glad to hear it. Leave a comment and let me know what oyu think. Thanks for stopping by.

Ahhh, Life Is Good

The day began after sleeping in until 7:30 this morning. I felt like I was getting such a late start that it made me a bit grumpy. However, I tackled my planned work load.

I started by cleaning out the chicken coops. This is not a bad job, per Se, but when you let it go as long as I had, it becomes quite a chore. In fact, I always promise myself that I will not let it go this long again. Yet, I always seem to let it go that long. The main beneficiary of the cleaned out chicken coops is the pasture. I take loads of saw dust bedding, mixed with manure, in Polly, the Power Wagon, and spread it on the pasture. I am adding the nitrogen from the manure and the carbon from the wood shavings. A double bonus, and cheap fertilizer to boot.

Then I loaded up Polly, again, but this time it was with the chainsaw and gear. I headed out into the woods to find a couple of trees I had eyed before. Both were dead and ready to fall. I was disappointed to find that the one wasn't dead at all. It had lost it's top in last years ice storm, that's what caused me to think it was dead. But upon closer inspection, I found that it had new shoots coming out from the sides. When I bit into it with the saw, I could definitely see that it was not dead and dry. That one will have to wit for next year. The other was completely dead and very cured. I cut it down and hauled off 3/4 of a Polly load. On the way back to the homestead, I happened upon a large branch on the ground. Another victim of last year's storm. So I cut it up and filled Polly to the brim. It was noon and time for lunch.

I ate a bit, then fell asleep in my chair. Something from which I have not fully recovered from. I have been tired the rest of the day. This afternoon, we went to town to support something that we feel very strongly about. The reading of the birth of Christ from the county square. Then we listened to some caroling and visited with some new friends we met.

We came home and did our evening chores. Fighting with a half frozen water hose. One of the pitfalls of this time of year. We managed to get everyone watered, then fed and milked.

We ate a nice dinner together and proceeded to put up the Christmas tree. To top the day off, we all enjoyed a glass of eggnog and watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special we have on DVD. I have loved that special since I was a boy. Linus tells the Nativity story and set all the bad attitudes to right. They don't do things like that on TV anymore and it breaks my heart. Then we shared a little Advent devotion and read stories to the girls. Now it is off to bed for them and a big day at church tomorrow.

All in all, it was a good day. I look forward to these times at home with my family around.

Trivia Answer

The correct answer to last weeks trivia question; how many Christmases were described in "Gone With the Wind" is, two. If you didn't get it, that's OK. You have this week to try again. Remember, the person with the most correct answers will receive a prize. I have decided the prize will be a $10 Amazon gift card. So, tell all your friends and get them in on the action. Look for the next trivia question on Sunday evening. Leave your answers in the comment section and you are allowed two guesses per question. Good luck.

Christmas Trivia-#1

For the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I will attempt to post a new trivia question relating to Christmas, once per week. This will be a fun thing to do and pass on to all your friends. Tell them to come and visit this humble blog and take a poke at the right answer. I will give the person with the most right answers a prize that is yet to be determined. The prize will be awarded in January of the new year. Some questions will be religious in nature and some anecdotal. So, put your thinking caps on and have some fun.

Here is the first week's question:
How many Christmases are described in Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind"?

Leave your answer in the comment section and I will allow two guesses per visitor. Good luck.

I will keep this posted at the top until Friday. Scroll down for newer posts.

The Every-Once-In-A-While Fertrell Highlight

Alfalfa Meal. This soil conditioner is a reasonable alternative to blood meal. Its carbohydrates and proteins encourage microbial activity in the soil. The alfalfa’s extensive root system provides micronutrients to plants from deep below the earth’s surface. Typical analysis: 2.5-3% N, based on protein.
Available Sizes:Paper Bag 3# Paper Bag 50#

Joel Salatin In The News-Again

Of course, I"m late, but that is th story of my life. However, I thought it was note worthy to show that our movement is gaining steam, and getting big press.


Joel Salatin On Martha Stewart This Week

Monday, 16 November 2009
Virginia grazier, Joel Salatin, will be the featured guest on Martha Stewart’s television show on Thursday November 19th. That’s this week. Tune in for some good news about grassfed products.