When gardening season comes, should I try to remove all the stones in my garden? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
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What is the benefit of using red plastic mulch in my garden? (answer).
Which of the common vegetables to plant take the longest to germinate? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
What region of the United States is best for raising kiwifruit? Is the Alabama climate suitable? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac. If you have been following Project HOSS: The Ultimate Work Truck, you know that we are in serious need of a bed. I was down at the local wrecking yard to inquire about them taking the old bed once a new flatbed was purchased. The guy mentioned they had some used flatbeds laying around. I went out to take a look. They were half the price of a new bed, but it showed. They were all fairly beat up. I could pound out dents and repaint, but that wasn’t what I was hoping for. I really had my heart set on a new Bradford or Pronghorn flatbed. I looked over in a pile of weeds and spotted and orange bed, wasnt a flatbed. I looked it over and discovered it was a dump bed. It had the pump assembly and everything was there. I asked how much and he said $1000.00. Ill take it was the only thing that came out of my mouth! I had no reason for a dump bed, but I could sure find a reason! It must have been the Tim Allen in me, but at half the price of a new flatbed I couldn’t pass it up. I have made some calls and found a local shop to install the bed. They are charging $1000 for install. That is double a standard flatbed install, but that includes installing new lights and hooking up the hydraulics. So we went to work removing the dually bed:
You may remember that we are converting to single axle, so I measured the dump bed width. It came out just right, it was actually for a narrow truck so it shouldn’t stick out too far.
Once the bed was set on the truck, I strapped it down and headed over to the shop to get it properly mounted. More to come!
So go through your vehicles and do a quick inventory. Oil and oil filters are a first. Fuel filters would be next on my list. I also thought about air filters, but I run K&N air filters, so they are cleanable and limits supplies needed. Next I would get brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, and any other fluid you might need. Go through you vehicle and just make sure you have everything to keep it going. I don’t recommend stocking every wearable part on the vehicle, just the maintenance stuff. Maybe do some research on your vehicle and find the most common wear items. If you have the room and extra money, it can be a good idea–such as a fuel pump, etc. Anyway, just something to think about.
I love fruit. I really love Cuties during the winter months. I eat up to four a day. I have been throwing the orange peels into the compost bin all winter. I peeled one last week while driving around and left the peel on the floorboard and forgot to grab it as I got out. The next day, my truck smelled very pleasant, so that got me thinking about other uses for the peel. I hit the world wide web and came up with this: Continue reading Orange Peel Uses Around The Homestead
Have you heard of planting seeds in eggshells to start transplants? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
I was awoken the next morning by the scent of bread baking in the embers of the camp fire: plain Bedouin bread made from flour and water, which we broke and shared in a ritual of fellowship. Bread which to me tasted like heaven in the knowledge that, as part of a week-long desert retreat, I was about to undertake a three-day solitary fast. Throughout history fasting has been a central ritual in many of the world’s major religions, but in today’s secular society it seems out of place. We live in an age where we are defined not so much as people but as ‘consumers’, and as such are encouraged to consume endlessly, whether it be holidays, cars, cosmetics, alcohol or food, because – as the advertisement proclaims – we’re “worth it”. Yet the more we consume, the more worthless we feel. Consumption, it seems, doesn’t make us happy. It certainly did not make me happy, so perhaps the opposite would: a period of non-consumption, of privation, of fasting. As someone who beyond skipping the odd meal had never fasted, who even finds it impossible to give up chocolate for Lent, this would be a challenge. Even more so, as it was to take place well outside my comfort zone, in the austere environment of the desert with just a warm sleeping bag for company. In fact, as I was to discover, Sinai was the perfect place for a solitary retreat. After all, this was once the home of hermits who, from the 3rd century CE, roamed the desert and mountains in search of spiritual enlightenment, eventually gathering together to form the community at St Katherine’s Monastery. Unlike those early hermits, however, I would be alone for only a few short days.
I did not feel bored, nor did I feel lonely, despite my solitude. Cradled by the yielding sand, wrapped in the immense silence of the desert, caressed by the soft winds, I felt safe. I made friends too, with the occasional bright flower that I found on my daily explorations, a fly that buzzed past, a distant bird whose squeal tore the skies, the little creatures whose furtive footprints surrounded my sleeping bag when I awoke each morning. And at last I began to understand why those hermits found solace here, away from the distractions of the world. Breaking the comfortable daily routine of three meals, one relies instead on internal resources. The body empties, but the spiritual vacuum is filled. Despite the occasional pangs, I did not feel hungry, and I realized that rather than fasting I was feasting, and the vast, bountiful desert was my food. At dawn on the last morning I returned to join my companions at base camp where our Bedouin hosts had prepared a delicious breakfast: fresh feta cheese in herbs and olive oil, scrambled eggs, ripe red tomatoes and fig jam, and endless glasses of sweet hibiscus tea, the flavours sharpened by three days of abstention. Veterans of Ramadan themselves, the Bedouin understood and respected our fast, and their constant, watchful presence throughout, as still as deep waters, was profoundly reassuring. After breakfast they handed us warm bottles of a freshly prepared herbal ointment which they use to wash their new-born babies, and I sluiced the sand from my hair and body. Never had my skin felt so soft. Never had I felt so purified, so cleansed, both outside and in. Gail Simmons traveled to the Sinai Desert with the Makhad Trust. For further details visit www.makhad.org. This article appeared originally in Resurgence. Related posts:
GrainMaker is based out of Montana and builds one of the best quality grain mills that I have ever had the privileged to use. Their mill is designed to make quick work of grinding grains of all types.
They are designed to outlast YOU! I love this product! Every part of the mill including the body, handle, hopper, stainless steel GrainBreaker auger and high quality alloy grinding burrs are made on-site, so they know they can guarantee the quality. Many of the GrainMaker’s parts are machined from solid material, including the dust cover, adjustment knob, main shaft and GrainBreaker auger. The GrainMaker mill is easy to assemble and take apart. Simply turn the adjustment knob counter-clockwise to remove it, remove the front burr, lift off the dust cover and remove it, turn the stationary burr clockwise about 15° to remove, and pull out the stainless steel GrainBreaker auger. That’s it! Reverse the order and attach the handle to assemble.
We are proud to announce that GrainMaker will be attending the upcoming Self Reliance Expo! So swing by their booth and get your hands on one!
Do you know of a pet-safe means to prevent or reduce the fleas in my rather large yard? I tried nematodes on my lawn, but that didn't work. Daily yeast tablets and flea collars don't seem to repel them from my dog either. (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
But it is a great place to live. A cute downtown and satellite centers, lots of good people, and thanks to an all out battle for 20 years, just now coming around to center. Just don’t ask for a veggie burger, where to compost your corn-cups, or put high-minded ideas on the agenda. The farmer’s market is finally taking off, and on those cool evenings you can find one of Colorado Spring’s interesting little oddities – a green school bus parked on the street with Earth Flags waving from the racks, solar panels glistening in the sun, and a small band of passionate people pushing the envelope in a small western town. It has taken a lot for the Community Sustainability Bus, or SusBus, to get off the ground, but now that it is rolling, the community is getting behind it, slowly and cautiously. Launched in May of 2009 and built by a small, but inventive team, the SusBus brings education, awareness raising activities, and sustainable living opportunities to both traditional venues like schools and festivals, but more importantly to places like sports-related events, concerts, conventions and other non-green events. That is not to say it has been easy.
The hardest times bring out the best in people that is for sure. Beyond the cross-eyed looks, calls of “Hey honey, look at the hippies. They got all dressed up.”, and the occasional conflict, the non-confrontational appproach is working….most of the time. “We should have seen it coming”, says Mark Joyous the founder of this small band called EarthSeeds, “But we didn’t.” Anyone in the area could have told you that leaving a bright green school bus with Earth images, banners, and a giant sign that says EarthSeeds.org in a dark parking lot over a weekend would have been a bad idea, but it could have been worse. “At least they didn’t slash the tires, put sugar in the gas tank or get access to the engine” says Mark, “but I guess that type didn’t read The Monkey Wrench Gang.” What is a little petty vandalism and larceny between community members? That is not to say there have not been good times, revelations for the unenlightened, and a lot of good, but taking glass solar panels off the bus at night is a no-brainer. The first of many lessons.
And then there are the kids, the true targets for all of this. They are the future of America, and progress in action, when they put down their cell-phones and games and get involved. Who knew that a giant beach ball that has photo-realistic pictures of the Earth from space could be such an engaging tool for teaching kids about our planet and so much fun, but it is! “Wow, look at the clouds.” “Is this where we live?” “Why is this part all brown and what are those white spots?” “Those are mountains with snow on them” says a mom. “In the summer too?” And so education comes full circle. “It’s pretty cool to watch the kids peddle the bike, do the activities on the laptop and play with the giant (6-foot) EarthBall” says one of the EarthSeeds volunteers. “They ask cool questions and you can really see the gears start turning.”
For now, the SusBus is packed up for the winter and undergoing a retrofit, to prepare for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in April, and another season of community outreach. It might be getting a few new friends too, in Denver and other cities. Only this time they will be old transit buses, instead of a school bus, but they will still be green, strong and powerful, like the small teams that build them. Eric Carpenter is the Executive Director of the Global View Foundation. For more information on the SusBus Project or the Global View Foundation visit susbus.org. Related posts:
I previously mentioned that we were taking on a new project. With Spring around the corner and recent move under our belts, we were in need for a new truck to handle all our needs. You can find our requirements here. So I have been on the lookout. One thing I really wanted to do was keep our vehicles near the same. My wife really loves her Suburban, so the chances of her changing were slim. So I decided to find a truck that was similar. I went searching on Craigslist and found exactly what I was looking for! Project HOSS is a 2001 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab Dually with 75k miles. It has the Vortec 8.1 with Automatic. It was wrecked and the dually bed was damaged. It has leather and is fairly loaded for a LS model. So here is how it looks upon purchasing it for a sum of $5000!!
When I found HOSS, he was looking bad. The owner was a drunk and hit a pole. This forced the driver side duallies under the back bumper. This forced the passenger duallies forward causing the passenger side damage to the bed. I reattached the axle to the springs, removed the damaged rear shock, replaced on break line, removed flat tire, and drove it home. Future Plans: Obviously replace the bed. Looking for a flatbed of some sort. Lose the dually setup. I don’t haul enough to justify wearing out 6 tires at a time. I also spend more time off-road so 4 wheels work better than 6 in the mud. Mount some gear for communications in the cab will then be next. Replace the front bumper with a winch bumper for helping people during the Colorado winter storms. Mount some tool boxes, etc. We will see how the budget goes, but I promise you this will be one serious work HOSS. Stay Tuned!
Go HERE to get a free coupon for $2 off! Since today is the first day in February it is time to start thinking about your sweethearts. Its also time for a Redneck Funny since I haven’t posted one up in a while. This should be a good reminder as well as a good laugh. I’m all about being frugal, but this may be a bit too far. Im sure my wife would agree! This is what I call redneck dining! HAHA!
A giant network of solar panels in the Sahara desert could transform Europe’s energy supply within a decade, according to Dr Anthony Patt of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Africa, if investment could be generated and transmission challenges overcome. His findings were first proposed in 2007 at the Copenhagen Climate Conference. Experts say only a fraction of the Sahara desert, probably the size of a small country, would need to be covered to produce enough clean electricity to supply the whole of Europe. Speaking at the Euroscience Open Forum in Barcelona, Arnulf Jaeger-Waldau of the European commission’s Institute for Energy said it would require the capture of just 0.3% of the light falling on the Sahara and Middle East deserts to meet all of Europe’s energy needs. The scientists are calling for the creation of a series of huge solar farms – producing electricity either through photovoltaic cells, or by concentrating the sun’s heat to boil water and drive turbines – as part of a plan to share Europe’s renewable energy resources across the continent. The arguments against renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar center on what critics cite as the inconsistency of these sources. Since wind and sun energy vary with the weather, they cannot be considered as reliable sources for large scale energy needs. Supporters counter that renewable energy supplies would be reliable with sufficient infrastructure in place, allowing solar energy to be collected wherever the sun shines or the wind blows within an energy-sharing region. The consistent supply of sunlight in the Sahara, however, addresses the both these arguments. In fact, harnessing the Saharan sun would be particularly effective because the sunlight in this area is more intense: solar photovoltaic panels in northern Africa could generate up to three times the electricity compared with similar panels in northern Europe. Sunshine in the Sahara is a constant resource that is rarely blocked by clouds even in the winter. While the technology for generating electricity under this plan is already within reach, delivering the power presents the greater challenge. A network of high voltage DC transmission lines would be needed to connect countries along the route between northern Africa and northern Europe. Existing infrastructure would need major re-structuring. Competing interests also pose a challenge to establishing a transmission network through southern Europe. Southern Mediterranean countries including Portugal and Spain have already invested heavily in solar energy, and Algeria aims to export 6,000 megawatts of solar-generated power to Europe by 2020. There would also likely be opposition from local communities across Europe unhappy about transmission cables installed near their homes. And security and governance challenges persist, especially in countries where the rule of law is weak. Despite these challenges, Dr Anthony Patt believes harvesting the power of the Sahara is feasible, with £50bn of government investment needed over the next decade to make the scheme a reality. The cost of moving electricity over long distance has come down and private companies, he projects, may be convinced the project is an attractive investment. Scientists working on the project admit that it would take many years and huge investment to generate enough solar energy from North Africa to power Europe but envisage that by 2050 it could produce 100 GW, more than the combined electricity output from all sources in the UK, with an investment of around €450bn. Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s chief scientist, welcomed the proposals: “Assuming it’s cost-effective, a large scale renewable energy grid is just the kind of innovation we need if we’re going to beat climate change.” Related posts:
It has also been reported that more than 41 million Americans in 24 major cities have been drinking water laced with a cocktail of prescription drugs. Officials in Philadelphia alone discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or drug byproducts in their treated drinking water, including medications for pain, infection, high cholesterol, epilepsy, asthma, heart problems and mental illness. Tainted water has become a silent epidemic, with entire populations, perhaps millions of Americans, drinking their way into long-term negative health effects as a result. World wide, 3.575 million people die each year from water-related diseases, according to Water.org. A landlord who rents out an apartment that contains lead paint can go to jail, yet nothing is being done by our public officials about lead, drugs and other toxins in our drinking water, which affect us all. Can and should we really depend on the current government to provide us with one of our most basic necessities - pure water? — Only if you want to be at the mercy of a system which has repeatedly failed the people in favor of catering to large corporate and financial interests. Where anarchists may rebel by conspiring to blow up a building or power plant to make a point, the most effective way for an individual to take a stand against a corrupt or inefficient system is through self-reliance. Unplug, and provide for yourself. One household, one neighborhood, one community at a time. If enough individuals unplug, the system must change, or risk being made redundant. Unplugging requires accepting personal responsibility for providing you and your family with one of life’s most basic requirements – water. “How do I secure my personal water supply”, you may ask? The premier product on the market today for guaranteeing an independent water supply is the atmospheric water generator. This new technology condenses the humidity in the air into pure drinking water. No water source is needed. Just plug the water condenser in and it produces up to seven gallons of pure, clean drinking water every day – from the air. The water machine shuts off automatically when the reservoir is full so it is constantly replenishing itself. Alternatively, a low cost and simple clean water solution is a counter top or under counter water purifier, which will filter tap water, well water or any other water source, to remove 99.99% of contaminates. There are easy how-to guides on making your own inexpensive water filter system at home. The next step up would be a whole house system that can be attached to the incoming water pipe from the source so the entire household water supply is purified. You will really appreciate this system when you shower. An additional bonus would be alkaline or ionized water and structured water options, which could be attached to pipes, be under the counter or counter top units. There are reports of some amazing health benefits associated with ionized and structured water consumption. Other than municipal water supplies, well water is a good reliable water source, depending on the location and circumstances, although it should still be filtered. Any house with a roof can be set up for rain water harvesting with a good catch and cistern storage system. Rain catch will provide a reoccurring water supply, depending on the weather. Make sure to filter stored water as well. They best choice would be a home running on a solar electric power system, along with an atmospheric water generator. This would provide a constant source of energy and a reliable supply of water regardless of what happens on the grid. This water and power combo is ideal for the most secure form of urban survival preparedness one may desire. With a supply of stored food and seeds to grow a backyard garden for the coming season, the basic necessities of life can be provided for – without government involvement or control – for an indefinite period of time. Get more information on Sustainable Green Living at: www.Water-Power-Food.com Website: http://www.Water-Power-Food.com Jodie Slack is an independent ‘Truth Seeker’. Her focus is on eco friendly solutions to achieving Sustainable Green Living. If everyone accepts personal responsibility for themselves and their family’s most basic necessities - water, power and food independence, we can change this world for the better. Do your part. Go Green! |
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We arrived at our Bedouin camp, deep in the Sinai Desert, by moonlight. Leaving the jeeps that had transported us far from the hubbub of Sharm el-Sheikh airport, my companions and I walked in silence across pristine sand as white as freshly fallen snow, and into another world.
For two days we acclimatized to our desert environment, and prepared for our retreat. As dawn broke on the third day I withdrew to my chosen spot, less worried about the lack of food than by the three days and nights that stretched ahead of me, as empty as the desert landscape. I had plenty of water, some books and my comforting sleeping bag, but that was all. I had nothing to do but collect twigs for my fire and watch the changing colors of the desert. Each morning, aware as never before of the eternal cycle of night and day, I saw the sun rise over wind-sculpted mountains, and each night I witnessed the constellations pass across the heavens, shooting stars fizzling to nothingness.
It started as an idea, a dream, a cause to fight for and not much more. Colorado Springs is not what anyone would call green or progressive, and has been the brunt of jokes about ultra-conservatism for years, but without the radical groups. Known as a military, religious, and oil & gas town, this little city was beyond the environmental trenches, truly out in “No-Man’s Land”. 
Imagine a country music festival, a lot of cheap beer, work boots, checked shirts and John Deere hats. A perfect opportunity to reach out to the community, park a green bus in the parking lot, set up the exhibits and talk to folks. The reaction was not exactly what we expected. “I could not believe the mix of people that came up and talked to us. Yeh, there were a lot of funny looks, off-color comments, and the like, but then there are the gems that keep us coming back.” It started with one inebriated rancher, a silly little exhibit with small solar panels, and a request to change the radio station they powered. OK, NPR was probably a bad choice considering the venue. But what came next was a little surprising, and a lot of fun. He got on the bike and peddled his way to an electricity-generating frenzy and then asked the magic question. “So what is this solar thing all about?” It was a hard sell, but locking in the price of energy for 25 years, with a warranty, is a good idea. And yes, they are made in America, a local guy installs them, and yes, they pay for themselves in less than ten years and the rest is gravy. “I am not going to say he went out and invested a few grand in a system, but at least he thought about it!!” Say Joyous. 
There have been hard times too. Getting “asked to leave” more than a few times, the police stopping by and looking through things because being green is probable cause, and in some cases a few close calls with the patrons. “But none of that means beans, when a teenager comes up and is very glad to see us, is happy to see someone stepping out of the box, and tells us about what she is doing for the cause” says Eric Carpenter, the Executive Director of the Global View Foundation which funds and manages the SusBus. “It provides more than just education, marketing for green businesses, and new ideas….the SusBus provides hope for our planet and that is the most powerful thing.”
Harnessing a small part of the intense power of the Sahara sun with a giant network of solar panels has the potential to provide clean energy to Europe while significantly reducing carbon emissions, and experts at the European Climate Forum and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, are considering the viability of such a plan.