TPH-Episode 25

Life interferes once again! This is another shorter-than-usual show but I plan on recording again this weekend to attempt to get on a better schedule. This week I wax a little philosophical about the Summer Solstice and Pagan values. Also, I did manage to put in the Gardening by the Moon segment. And don't forget to check out the news headlines in the shownotes!

Headlines

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/12/06/america_collapse_2025

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/big-banks-have-sold-us-out-democrats-and-republicans-have-sold-us-out-no-one-defending-our-i

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/06/us-economy-decline-recovery-challenges

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/06/head-of-saudi-electric-company-says-oil.html

http://gregor.us/fossil-fuels/2010-oil-story-drawing-down-the-inventories/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Gregorus+%28Gregor.us%29

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/10/us-opec-idUSTRE75924U20110610

http://planetark.org/wen/62288 Colorado snow pack

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/10/news/economy/drug_shortages_fda/index.htm?iid=HP_LN

http://www.countercurrents.org/greer290511A.htm

http://www.yahoo.com/?ilc=1 What happens after Greece defaults?

http://blogs.forbes.com/christopherhelman/2011/06/16/could-we-see-a-summer-oil-shortage-this-economist-says-yes/

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_blotter_0617.3ca001474.html Copper theft

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/trading-over-counter-gold-and-silver-be-illegal-beginning-july-15

http://www.businessinsider.com/nebraska-nuclear-meltdown-2011-6

http://www.businessinsider.com/ron-paul-1970s-stagflation-2011-6

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/greece-expected-to-default-even-after-a-second-imfeu-bailout-2299570.html

TPH-Episode 24

Despite the fact I had no shownotes ready I still managed to get a show out! So enjoy today's ramblings about chickens, worms, and whatever else comes to mind!

http://rivenfae-wolfwoods.blogspot.com/

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/buy-composting-worms/

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

News Links
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/us-house-price-fall-beats-great-depression-slide-2291491.html

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/berlin-conference-20-russia-bail-out-hyperinflationary-belarus-colonization-scramble-heats

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/spiegel-reports-greek-bailout-2-surpass-%E2%82%AC100-billion

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/20-facts-about-us-inequality-everyone-should-know

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-03/crude-oil-declines-as-u-s-jobless-rate-climbs-to-highest-level-this-year.html

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/are-nuclear-chain-reactions-still-occurring-fukushima

http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/9335-the-peak-oil-crisis-an-announcement.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-02/moody-s-says-u-s-may-be-cut-if-no-debt-limit-progres.html

TPH-Episode 23

Welcome back Homesteaders! Today we will be looking at the Earth element and discuss how to build and use an A Frame Level and a Bunyip Water Level. Today's Ancestral Animal is the African Goose.

Song: The Earth is My Church by Freedom People from Peace, Love, Music

http://reap-eastafrica.org/blogs.info/reap/AmLeaflets/A%20Frame.pdf

http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/Bunyip-Water-Levels-and-A-Frame-Levels-Appendix-2.pdf

Bender, Marjorie; Sponenberg, D. Phillip; Bixby, Donald. 2000. Taking Stock of Waterfowl: The results of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Domestic Duck and Goose Census. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Holderread, Dave. 1986. Breed Bulletin #8623, "African Geese."

Holderread, Dave. 1981. The Book of Geese: a Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock. Hen House Publications. Corvallis, Oregon.

Johnson, Willis Grant, and George O. Brown, eds. 1909. The Poultry Book. Doubleday, Page & Company.

Malone, Pat; Donnelly, Gerald; Leonard, Walt. 1998. American Standard of Perfection. American Poultry Association, Inc. Mendon, MA.

Breed clubs and associations: The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312, (919) 542-5704, email albc@albc-usa.org, www.albc-usa.org

American Poultry Association, PO Box 306, Burgettstown, PA15021, email secretaryapa@yahoo.com, www.amerpoultryassn.com

Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Dr. Charles R.H. Everett, Secretary, 122 Magnolia Lane, Lugoff, SC, 29078, email crheverett@bellsouth.net

Who needs TV?

I have said that animals are often more entertaining than TV. The chicks and the geese are proving to be a constant source of entertainment. The chicks are fun to watch as they go about their usual business and I find it amazing at how quickly they are getting their feathers. Being a city girl, this is all very fascinating and the kids are having a blast.

Plymouth Rock about one week old.

Rhode Island Red about one week.

 They have now been moved outside into the chicken tractor so they can have more room and get used to being outside. We have started construction on the coop and I plan on buying the fencing this week so we can get one paddock put up. If we can buy materials every payday, then we can have the entire system set up in just a couple of months. They have actually gotten a lot more feathers since I took these pictures so I will have to take new ones soon. They are almost three weeks old now and it is becoming more apparent which ones are the males.

The chicks in the chicken tractor.

 Right now it looks like we may have about four male Plymouth Rocks and 2-3 male Rhode Island Reds. It's still hard to tell but they are beginning to challenge each other. One interesting thing I've learned is that 5 goslings can out eat and drink 20 chicks. They are also noisier and smellier. Within the first week the geese were going through as much food in 24 hours as the chicks were in two days. That doesn't count the water! We have gone to letting the chicks out during the day so they can eat grass in addition to their feed and they now have use of the 1 gallon water container. They are going through at least half of that a day plus what we put in a large dish for them to splash around in.

We have also started taking them to the creek once or twice a day to let them take a dip and cool off. The temperatures have been pretty warm the last couple of days and they enjoy being able to get in the water to swim around. We will wait about introducing them to the pond until they are bigger. They actually have done very well about staying by the house when we are not outside with them. As long as they have shade and water, they will stay around the house munching on grass. Of course the funny part is how they will follow us around. We have taken to calling them our fuzzy children.

Let's go for a swim!

The garden is hanging in there and I plan on harvesting the Romain lettuce soon. The potatoes are growing like mad and we added some soil to them today. We are beginning to think about what we may want to plant for a fall garden. It's almost June so we have to start planning now. We are also thinking about ordering some berry bushes so we can get them planted this year. It will be a slow process to get all of the trees and bushes that we want but we just have to take it one step at a time.

As we make progress on the chicken coop I will post pictures and keep you updated on the progress of the chicks and geese. In the meantime, Happy Memorial Day!

Potatoes before we added more soil.

Chicks!

Finally! The chicks and goslings have arrived! And I have to say...they are so cute! They all arrived safe and sound and have been making plenty of noise since they arrived. We ordered 11 Rhode Island Reds and 9 Plymouth Rocks. We also ordered 5 African geese.

The geese checking out their new home.

All 20 chicks.

Plymouth Rock

Rhode Island Red

African Goose

The cat isn't too sure what to think about the whole thing. So far she has just sat and looked at them so we are keeping the boxes covered with a wire mesh. I just wanted to share the pics and I'll be giving updates as the grow!

They think the blue bowl is a pool.