Things To Do In An Emergency

Well, we survived the storm.  All total, we ended up with about 7-8 inches of snow.  No ice, though, and I find that a good thing.  Now the kids are out, for hours on end, enjoying the snow.  The next few days are going to warm up, so it doesn't promise to stick around long.  However, this sort of thing, kind of, gets me into "preparedness mode".  And, since this is still on my mind, I thought I'd share a few things to do to be prepared, especially on a homestead.

1.  The first thing to consider is a supply of water.  Should the power go out for any length of time, you won't have the use of the well pump.  We have five gallon buckets around to keep full and we also use mason jars.  We gather as many as we have to spare and fill them up.  For washing and bathing, we will fill the bath tub.

2.  Food is next.  Keep a good supply of canned goods.  We canned a lot of our own, but, we also take advantage of good sales at the store.  I bought a case of canned veggies for 39 cents per can when they were on sale.  That is for us to keep on the shelf, in the pantry, just in case.  Our cook stove is propane and can be lit with a match.  You might consider how you'll cook food if there is no power.  A Coleman campstove is cheap and good to have around.

3.  Lights.  You will want to see at night.  Candles and flashlights are a must.  Also consider looking a thrift stores, etc for a good, used oil lamp of kerosene lantern.  Buy five gallons of kerosene to keep around.  They say kerosene goes bad, but I've had mine for 12 years and it seems OK.  Make sure to have plenty of batteries.  Wind up, self  generating flashlights are a good choice, but you end up winding them a lot.  Good to have around, though.  We have an Aladin lamp and a Dietz lamp, both excellent brands.

4.  Last year's ice storm got us to buy a generator.  All we needed was a small one.  You will have to judge the size you'll need.  Ours is just to plug the freezers into to keep the meat safe.  Works well and fairly inexpensive.

5.  That brings up the next point.  Keep plenty of gas around for the generator, chainsaw, car, etc.  You will need it.

6.  We heat with wood, so we need to hav e lots of firewood ready.  I was aided in this last summer when I finally put a roof on our wood shed.  Keep the wood dry with a tarp or shed.  You won't want to fight with wet wood during an emergency.

7.  My wife, the herbalist, keeps us supplied with herbs and tinctures and poulices for medicine, etc.  Great to have if you can't get to a doctor.  Have plenty of "how to" books, that can aid in medical situations such as, broken bones, cut and abrasions, fevers, etc.  First aid kit is a must.

8.  A shovel.  We had to dig out a bit and this helps.  Hurts the back, though.  Find some excesises that can stengthen your back and do them, you won't regret it.  You don't want to throw your back out when your family needs you the most.

9.  We recomend keeping a land line phone.  I know, in the age of cell phones, some get rid of the land line to save money.  But, if the power goes out, you will still have communication.  Do make sure the cell phones are fully charged and ready.  We also have enough two-way radios for all of us.  Rechargeable batteries are good, but make sure to keep a supply of fresh non-rechargables around.  Look for good bargains, throughout the year, to stock up.

10.  If you have animals, you will need to consider them.  There is, usually, several days notice on storms.  Use that itme to have plenty of hay and whatever stocked up.  Make sure to provide the supply of water.  I need to work on this area.  I am carrying water in buckets, right now.  But, the animals have to drink.  Bring the animals in from pasture, to a close place that you can monitor them and give a break from the wind and elements.  Our place is small, so I don't have to move them, but, I do think about it.

Today, I am going to make a "snow rake".  I have a thin, long cedar pole that I am going to attatch a long piece of wood at one end, perpendiular.  I will use this to rake the heavy snow from the roof of the barn and house to prevent collapse.

These are just a few things to think about, in case of disaster.  The biggest thing in all of this is to be proactive.  This is not a time to sit down and wait for someone else to come to your rescue.  They're all in the same boat.  If you have anything to add to this list, please comment.  I want to know what y'all do.  It will improve our preparations, as well.  Thanks for stopping by.

Another Biggie, On The Way

The picture in the title of this humble blog is from last year's nasty, bad, wicked, terrible, humbling and just plain stinky ice storm.  The date of the ice storm of the century was January 26, 2009.

Here we are, a year and two days later.  January 28, 2010, and we are staring the impending doom strait in the eye.  No, I am not refering to Obama's lie-I mean- speach from last night.  Nor the economic colapse that we have not come out of.

Nope, we have another doozy coming in tonight.  The forecasts started out with an ice storm, mixed with sleet and snow.  Total accumulations were around the one foot mark (Ugh!).  Thankfully, as the temps continue to drop, they have changed the forecast to sleet and snow.  They aslo decreased the amount to 5-8 inches.

The doom isn't as doomy as it had been, but doomy enough.  You have to live in the Ozarks to understand, fully, what this kind of thing does to travel.  Just getting to work can be a big deal.  Thus, I might get to take the day off (yippeeee!).

I am thankful to a mighty God for His provision.  We are well prepared and can weather a sizeable storm.  The kids will have fun.  I can't believe their audacity-actually looking fiorawrd to the snow.  What's up with that?

I am also thankful that our animals are also in good shape for storms.  We don't have hundreds of acres to bring them in from.  We farm on five, so it's not like I have to go far to get them.

The only trouble is the chickens.  They don't set foot in the snow, the crazy things.  Maybe they know something I don't.  After the fall moult and the short days of winter, they quit laying eggs.  Just yesterday, we started getting eggs again.  This will set them into anti-lay mode again.  Oh well, we will enjoy the few we got the last two days.

I don't expect much in the way of disaster with this one, but we are prepared.  The big things will be water for the animals and food for us, but that is well planned for.

So, I guess we can just sit back and watch it snow.  I will try to go to work tomorrow, but, if I can't make it, I'll play in the snow with the kids.

Oh, to be in Hawaii.......

Can You Pee Hydrogen?

I know this sounds very comical.  In fact, I can't help but chuckle as I write this.  Right now, you're asking yourself, is this guy loopy?  What do you mean pee hydrogen?  Funny you should ask.

I just read a neat little blurb on a study that has been conducted at the University of Ohio by a group of scientists.  Apparently, Hydrogen is the most common energy source on the planet.  However, there has always been a problem in, well, logistics.  There has never been a good way to store, transport, or, produce Hydrogen.

What these scientists have discovered is that there are cheap quantities of Hygrogen gas when they placed a specially designed, nickel plated electrode into a pool of urine and apply electrical current.  So, then, it would also appear that a single cow could supply enough hot water for 19 households.

Now, to figure out how to harness my cow's pee......

Our Cool Metal Detector Find

These are pictures of our cool metal detector find.  Acually, my oldest daughter found it.  We think it is neat, though.  It is cast iron and has the words "Made in America", "Oliver 19 DS".  If anyone knows anything about this plow blade, please let us know.  Our internet searches have turned up empty, thus far.  Thanks for any help.

Mob Grazing On A Small Scale

Comeback Farms: Rejuvenating Soils, Pastures and Profits with Livestock Grazing Management


Where have I been, you ask?  Well, I have been here, just busy.  I know, the same old excuse, right?  I promise, I have been.

There are so many things going through my head, right now, that it is causing a little anxiety.  I am trying to do the foremost thing that a grassfarmer should do, think.  It would seem that, since I hit 40, that thinking thing comes a bit more labrously.

But, I am thinking of things I would like to do to prepare for the spring.  The biggest thing I want to accomplish is to get some grass sown.  I plan to do this the same way I have in the past, and it has proven moderately successful.  I plan to throw down the seed in the places I spread hay.  This serves a two-fold purpose.  The first is that the hay, itself, has plenty of seeds in it, thus I spread it around, trying hard to avoid feeding it in the same spot, day after day.  Through this, the seed gets spread, pretty simple.  The second is that when I throw the seed down around the feed spot, the cattle push it in the ground, saving me from having to till.  Dual purpose with good results.

A good source of grass is essential to a sustainable rotation.  I am still working toward this end as what we had to start with was not so good.  We have improved much over the last few years, and I expect that trend to continue.

I plan to cut down the brambles that plague the pastures.  This should help in the microbial action and build the soil.  Last year, I implemented what I call a pseudo-mob grazing on our small homestead.  I liked what I saw and I was even able to extend the grazing season a month longer than last year.  This year, I am going to try to dicipline myself to control the grazing a bit more and mob them even more.  I may chicken out, when the grass is too short, I get nervous.  The goal is to create a longer rest period between first and last paddocks.

I want to study this closer than in time past.  What I want to do is take our small homestead and make it a model for mob grazing on a very small scale.  We're talking 3-5 animals on 5 acres.  Ten acres, if I can get some fence built this year.  I've been trying to build that fence for two years now.  Pray about that, please.

So, I will keep you posted as things progress.  I have high hopes, but first, I need to get some seed in the ground.  THen there are the broilers and the rabbits and the.....

Hearing on Use of NAIS Tags at Sale Barns

On Thursday, January 13th, 2010 there was a Senate Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee hearing at the Capitol on the usage of National Animal Identification System “840″ tags by the veterinarians at sale barns across Missouri.


The hearing was to allay the confusion amongst sale barns and determine whether or not the Department of Agriculture was following the voluntary parameters set for NAIS in Missouri by the usage of these “840″ tags.

The NAIS (National Animal Identification System) is a 3 part program. The first prong is Premises registration with a seven character number permanently assigned to a particular location housing or holding animals. The second prong is the use of these “840″ tags which necessitate a premise id number to be used. The third component is the reporting of movements from the ascribed premises and various other things such as vaccinations and tag replacements and “sightings”.

Near the beginning of December it came to light that many sale barn markets in the state of Missouri were using the 840 tags on cows going through chutes who had no official identification. It was reported that as of January 1st, 2010, all cows, with or without official identification, would receive the 840 tags when they went through chutes for health tests or pregnancy checks Different markets reported different criteria for this NAIS “840″ identification of cows. Some producers reported they were told they “had to” use the 840 tags in order to sell cattle at some sale barns.

In 2008, the Missouri General Assembly passed SB931, prohibiting the Department of Agriculture from mandating or otherwise forcing participation in NAIS, and allowing for the immediate removal from the program of anyone who was assigned a premises id unless they were part of a disease control program or an ongoing disease investigation.

This hearing was to clear up confusion on the law as it applies to both the state of Missouri and the veterinarians licensed by the state. Chairman, Senator Chuck Purgason, stated, “We want to clear up confusion, and to make sure veterinarians are not violating people’s rights regarding this program.”

Missouri State Veterinarian, Dr. Taylor Woods and Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, did not appear at the beginning of the hearing. A representative from the Department of Ag and a veterinarian with the State Vet’s office, Dr. Linda Hickle, appeared, but knew little of policy and stated that the Secretary and State Vet were not aware that they were to be present at this hearing.

Three other individuals testified at the hearing and during the last testimony, the State veterinarian and Secretary of Agriculture came into the hearing room.

They testified that they had no official written policy on the usage of the “840″ tags and had communicated with the market veterinarians by face to face contact regarding the allocation of the 100,000 “840″ tags the Department has received from the USDA. They stated they had no particular agreement as to the distribution and application of the NAIS tags, but that the application of the tags was to be at the discretion of the market veterinarian.

The Department was instructed by the Committee to write and distribute to all market veterinarians instructions on the usage of these “840″ tags and to inform the market veterinarians that the application of “840″ tags was to be done solely at the request of the producer in compliance with the law of the State of Missouri.

No instructions or inquiries were made into how any redress is to be achieved by those who may already have been put into the NAIS program without their knowledge or consent by buying or selling cattle through a market that was applying the tags to all cows from January 1st through the time of the distribution of the letter requiring compliance with the state law.

Winter Lets Up In Montana

I got this as an email from a good friend.  She used to live in Montana.  The caption reads: summer is almost here, we are starting to see the deer moving around.

Too funny!

Our New Metal Detector, Homeschool Tool

This has been a nice couple of days.  The weather finally broke and the temperatures have soared into the upper fourties.  Rather nice, after about a week and a half of sub-zero, thermal underwear wearing, toe freezing, chapped hands, windy and snowy weather.  Yuk.  We were supposed to have leaft all this back in Wisconsin.  But, no use whinning.

With the warmer weather, the family and I hope to get out and start our new hobby.  We bought a metal detector.  My wife and I are avid history buffs, and a metal detector just seems to fit.  This is rubbing off on the kids, as well.  And, I think, it will work out into a nice homeschool learning opportuniy.  We all can't wait to find our first relic.  Now that the ground has thawed, we can get out a little atest it out.  The kids are excited.  I think we are too.

Anyone else use a metal detector?  Have any tips?

Michael Pollan Has A New Book

I found this little tid bit on Alan Nation's blog found at the Stockman GrassFarmer.  The credit for said article goes to Mr. Nation.  You can read more at his blog.

I like Michael Pollan and the way he thinks.  He is a real food, whole food, grass fed, naturally raised advocate. 

To qoute Mr. Pollan, "All animals are healthier whenthey have access to green plants and so are their meat and eggs."

In other words, which is what I've come to believe, the grass is the key.  Read more by using the link above.

Time To Clean The Chimney

Last night our house our house filled with smoke, which means only one thing, the chimney is plugged.  That isn't a good situation, the last thing we need is a chimney fire.  So we sweated it out, worrying about that, overnight.  It was too blasted cold yesterday to let the fire die so I could sweep it.  With the promise of warmer weather today, we let it go out.  After church, I climed up to sweep the chimney.

I had to take the insulated pipe out of the ceiling, because I had noticed creosote dripping down the outside of the inside pipe.  Once I did, I found a mess.  I don't know how, yet, but I had liquid inside the metal box that the pipe runs through.  All of it colored with creosote.  I mopped it up and cleaned it good, but now I am concerned with the cause of that.

It was a bear to get the outside, insulated pipe out.  Then it was a bear to get it back in.  Without being able to see in the hole once the pipe is in, I hope that it is seated well.  I have to worry about something.

On a bright note, I got it cleaned and a new fire burning to warm the house back up.  And I am happy to report that there are no leaks.
 

I won't explain how I used to get onto the roof, just know that it always made my wife nervous.  I had some cash stashed and I decided to use it to buy one of those extension ladders that fold up and can double as scaffolding.  What an investment!  I love it.  This thing made my life so much easier by allowing me to access the roof at the pipe, without all the other mis-guided methods I've used.  A definate life saver.

All in all, I didn't want to do this job on a Sunday afternoon, but I had to and I'm glas it is done and out of the way.  Now I am thinking of other ways I can use my new ladder.  Let's see, maybe if I..........

Frugal Living

We recently had some friends over for a fun day.  They had wanted to see the farm/homestead and "play" with the animals.  We went out back and shot ALL of our guns and had a general good time.

At one point, after showing off a few neat things we got for christmas, our one friend commented, wow, you have a lot of stuff.  I noticed the sound of envy in his voice.  His wife chuckled, uncomfortably.  It was not my intentioon to create envy in our friends.  They are struggling, financially, so they view our possessions as wealth. 

We are not wealthy, by any standard, let me make that clear.  We struggle, daily.  However, my wife has learned to stretch a dollar bill until the eagle's feathers fall off.  She is just plain good at it.

I responded to our friends with the truth, (which is always the best policy).  The fact is, it may look like we have a lot of neat, cool things, but we don't.  We simply know where we place our priorities.  We purchase things we need and occasionally some fun stuff.  But, here is the point, for all of the things we have, we never pay full retail.

For instance, the nice digital, $120 weather staion with outdoor remote I got for christmas.  My wife paid $20.  Or the brand new Carhartt jeans, two pairs, for $40 I got three years ago and am still wearing.

I could go on, but that would be pointless.  We live frugally, with the intention of being debt free, someday.  We have only the mortgage.  I work a full time job, my wife stays home.  We earn extra monet from our farm.  With this frugal mindset, we have noticed great improvements, over the years.  We have come from totally depraved, poverty, to just poverty.  Sounds funny, I know, but that is the best way I can explain it and it is very true.

There are many things we do without.  We don't eat out much, at all.  We think and pray before we spend, and we try to save.  We work hard at other income opportunities and try to stay within our means.  This is very un-American, really.

A great book for you to read, if you want to learn to make do with less is, The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn (do not ask me to pronounce that).
This book has everything imaginable for frugal living.  From ideas to generate income to fixing thins yourself to making your own, it's in there.

Frugal living is the way most people lived in the not-so-distant past.  Frugality is also a virtue.  It is not something to be ashamed of, but it is something to be proud of.  Look into it and read this book, you will gain something from it, I promise.  I know times are tough and money is tight, but this book could be the best $15 investment you can make outside of a pound of gold.  And few can afford a pound of gold.  Go for it.

Frozen Homestead

We are in the midst of a deep freeze.  A nasty bit of "global warming".  It was 0 degrees this morning when I ventured out to feed the cows before work.  I don't have enough long-johns for this.  And we have a few more days of it, to boot.  My milk cow's teats are chapped, the water hose is frozen, and I hope to have enough firewood, because we are chugging through it.  I'm not whining, I am trying to make a point.

The everyday chores get a bit harder when it is cold.  Put some snow on the ground, and that adds to the problem.  The stock tanks are freezing and staying frozen.  With no electricity in the are of the tanks, I am without heaters.  Does anyone know if they make battery powered ones?  Let me know.

These situations call for some "thinking outside the box".  I have to hand it to my oldest daughter for coming up with the idea of hauling buckets of water on a sled.  I am amazed that I didn't come up with that myself, but it works.  I always tend to look for the complex solutions to problems.  I guess it takes a 9 year old mind to come up with obvious solutions.  I guess you could say that the snow has aided in that instance, I hadn't thought of that either.

I think the point is, that there are any number of circumstances, problems or situations that can put us into "survival" mode.  The upside is that all of these things make us stronger for the real tests that are coming.

No matter the weather, we still have chores to do.  And no matter the circumstance, we need to work it out, not stand still, looking for a handout.

So, we will survive, and this will pass.  The bright side is that God is using these trials to make me into His image.  Thank you, Father.

By the way, tell Al Gore he's full of crap.

We Have A Winner!

We have a winner in the Christmas trivia contest!  First let me explain that there was a tie in the number of right answers between Emily A and jaseypants.  I debated for a few days on how to break that tie.  Honestly, with the ease of reserch afforded to us via the internet, I thought that asking another question would simply perpetuate the tie.  So, I wrote the names on a piece of paper and had my wife pick one from a hat.  The two contestants each had a 50-50 chance.  I thank you for participating as I had fun doing it.  I hope you had fun, as well.  Congratulations to both of you for doing your homework and finding the right answers!

Now, the winner of the $10 Amazon gift card is, (drum roll, please.  Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....) jaseypants!

Good job jaseypants, I hope you will put your card to good use.  Thanks again to everyone!

Christmas Trivia-Last One!

This is it guys. The very last of the Christmas Trivia. I hope y'all had as much fun as I did. There may have to be a tie breaker, in the end, but that will be determined. So put your thinking caps on and get ready.

What is thrown into the holy water on Epiphany bringing the season to a close in Greece?

Good luck! Scroll down for new posts.