Fire and Ice

We knew there would be challenges when we decided to move to the country but last week we found out it can be a little dangerous too.

We have been in a drought for the last couple of months which lead to a burn ban. Last weekend someone thought it would be a wise idea to burn some trash on a windy day. Well, I'm sure you can imagine what happened. A grass fire started on the far side of the field that is across from our house that quickly spread. We were fortunate that the wind was blowing the fire away from our house but it still got a little too close for comfort.

The local fire department responded pretty quickly but because we live so far out in the county, there are no public water works, therefore no fire hydrants. The fire department has tanker trucks that would go to a nearby lake to fill up and then take that water to the fire. It may not be as efficient but it does work. There was another flair up of the fire that night around 11 PM but again, the fire department was able to get it under control. Fortunately, no homes were damaged but it showed us that we need to examine how we would handle such emergencies in the future.

All of that happened on Saturday with highs in the 70's. Just a couple of days later we were hit with the massive snow storm that was moving across the mid-west. We ended up with about 12 inches of snow and 2-3 foot snow drifts. To say the least, the kids loved it and so did the dog. I'm not sure who was having more fun. The husband wasn't too crazy about it though because he was trying to dig us out.

Enjoying 50 mile per hr wind gusts.

Snow lovin' dog

We discovered rather quickly that we need to invest in a good snow shovel even though we don't normally get this kind of snow. Everyone sold out of snow shovels so we ended up getting a feed shovel which works very well. We would probably still be trying to dig out if the county had not been nice enough to clear our driveway for us due to a family emergency.  Now we have buckled down for another snow storm that is supposed to dump as much as the last one. Since we don't really have any livestock we only have to look out for ourselves but this experience shows us that we will need to think a little differently about how we manage things here during these types of events.

Snow drifting against the house.

Now that we have settled in for another round of winter weather, I think I'll sit back and enjoy some hot chocolate and the pretty view outside.

TPH Episode 14

Welcome back! Today I ramble on a bit about why I talk about the things that I do in response to a listeners e-mail. I also discuss selecting seeds for spring and the Silver Fox rabbit in the Ancestral Animals segment.

Main Topic

http://www.seedsavers.org/

http://www.seedsofchange.com/

Ancestral Animals

The Silver Fox Rabbit

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

National Silver Rabbit Club, Lee A. Nevills, 10772 West State Road 8, La Crosse, IN 46348, (219) 405-4877, email bulletsink@msn.com

American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc., PO Box 426, Bloomington, IL 61702, (309) 664-7500, Fax (309) 664-0941, email ARBAPOST@aol.com, or visit www.arba.net

Song: Run Runaway by Great Big Sea from the Album Up

Gardening by the Moon

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/

Book

Voices of the Winds: Native American Legends by Margot Edmonds and Ella E. Clark

ISBN-13:978-0-7858-1716-1

ISBN-10:0-7858-1716-6

Links

The American Dream Film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExBE651_vOY

TPH Episode 13

In this episode I will talk about farm dogs, the Great Potato Harvest, and give an update on Senate Bill S 510. There is also the Not So Creepy Critters segment and some links to interesting news articles.


Seed Saver Exchange - http://www.seedsavers.org/

Great Pyrenees - http://www.akc.org/breeds/great_pyrenees/

English Shepherd - http://www.englishshepherd.org/

Rove Beetle

Recommended Reading

http://questioneverything.typepad.com/question_everything/2010/02/what-is-a-feasible-living-situation-for-future-humans.html

http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2010-11-26/evolution-transition-us Transition US

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/19/60minutes/main7166220.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody 60 Minutes

http://www.cnbc.com/id/40769692 Follow up to the 60 Minutes video

http://www.businessinsider.com/newark-crime-spike-2010-12 Newark Crime

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/crude-passes-91-100-billion-us-gdp-wiped-out-minutes Rising gas prices

http://www.businessinsider.com/amazing-facts-about-china-2010-12# 17 facts about China

http://www.collapsenet.com/

One project down...

Woohoo! We finally have one project done! Mostly. My hubby finished the storage shed a few weeks ago although it's still not very pretty to look at. We still have to put shingles on the roof and some kind of siding on it but at least it's functional. We spent all day Sunday cleaning out the tent where we have been storing several boxes that we didn't have room for in storage. We ended up throwing a good bit of stuff away and condensed down how many boxes we had. I'm happy to have that stuff in the storage shed but we still have to get everything else out of our paid storage. Hopefully by the end of next month we'll have all of that stuff here.

The great thing about this shed is that almost all of it came from salvaged lumber. We bought the door at a Habitat for Humanity store for $15 and it's solid wood. We also got the felt paper there for the roof. We did have to buy a few 2x4's but that's about it. It is 8x10 feet with 8 foot walls. We also put in two small lofts on either side for storing smaller items.

Now that this is functional the husbandly unit has started on the floor for the bathroom. He has gotten some framing done and dug some of the holes for the support posts for the floor. Hopefully it won't take as long as the shed did but at least we've gotten started on it.

I also forgot to tell you guys about the great potato harvest! A few weeks ago when we got first couple of hard freezes the potato plant started to die so we decided it was time to dig it up. It did make two small potatoes but that was it. I was impressed it did anything at all! Ah well, it was an experiment and a learning experience. We will probably use the tire method again in the spring and hopefully with some good seed potatoes.




The Great Potato Harvest

We have almost finished putting up the drywall. It stays pretty warm with our two little heaters so we have been pretty comfortable. I wish we had the chimney for the wood stove because I hate running the heaters all the time but we are having to do things in baby steps. That may be our next big purchase and then I hope to start putting money back for the pump for the well. I'm hoping that by spring or summer at the latest to have that in. Bringing water home has become an everyday task and I don't think I'd know what to do to not have to do it anymore!

Next on the project list is the bathroom of course, building the raised garden beds and a chicken coop. There are several other projects but those are the top ones for now. Until next time I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year!

TPH Episode 11

Happy Thanksgiving! Today we learn how to de-stink a dog after a skunk encounter and how to cook a turkey in a box. We'll also discuss Senate bill S 510, homemade gifts, this week's Ancestral Animal, Gardening by the Moon, and this week's Folktale.


Box Oven

http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-make-cardboard-box-oven.html

Senate Bill

http://www.prisonplanet.com/senate-bill-s-510-vote-imminent-procedural-vote-passes-74-25.html

http://www.infowars.com/senate-bill-s510-makes-it-illegal-to-grow-share-trade-or-sell-homegrown-food/


Song

Gary Sundblad Ya You Betcha Christmas from Me and My Drum

Homemade gifts


Apple Spice

3 tbsp dried apple slices (see note) 1/2 cup pink and red carnation petals 1/4 cup dried sweet woodruff leaves 2 tbsp crumbled cinnamon or one 3" cinnamon stick 1 whole nutmeg, grated (1 1/2 tsps) 1 tbsp whole cloves 1 tbsp julienne orange peel 3 drops of cinnamon or vanilla scented oil

Note: To dry apples, slice paper thin and place slices in a single layer on a baking sheet in 150 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Mix dried apple slices with remaining ingredients. Store in a tightly covered glass jar.

For simmering potpourri, use a teaspoon potpourri per one cup of water. Place potpourri in water, bring to a boil and simmer on low until the whole house is perfumed; turn off heat. Strain and let dry if you wish to save and reuse the potpourri.

http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2006/11/50-homemade-gift-ideas-from-around-the-web.html

Stepping Stones - http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/steppingstones/a/040201a.htm

Fleece Blanket - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/62838/fleece_blanket_craft_project.html

Altered Lunch Box -http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-Make-an-Altered-Lunch-Box_W0QQugidZ10000000000729818

Gifts in a jar -http://familycrafts.about.com/od/giftsinajar/GiftsInAJar.htm

Bronze Turkey

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, PO Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312, (919) 542-5704, email albc@albc-usa.org, www.albc-usa.org

All American Turkey Growers Association, Danny Williamson, secretary-treasurer, 3441 Mustang, Tampa, KS 67483, (785)-965-2628, email brahmabrahma@hotmail.com

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

Book Review

Magical Crafts by Kristin Madden and Liz Roberts