Occupy our food supply
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security | Tags: #occupyourfoodsupply Comments Off on Occupy our food supply
It’s one of those Big Picture issues that affects your daily life…and you can actually influence the outcome of the fight.
Food democracy now
Posted: February 21, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security | Tags: Monsanto is evil Comments Off on Food democracy nowLearn more.
Day range chicken tractor, version 3.0
Posted: February 11, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on Day range chicken tractor, version 3.0
After 18 months with version 2.0 of the day range chicken tractor, I decided to fix a fundamental flaw of my design which put three of the six nest boxes at the same height at the roosts. Oops. That meant the birds used those top nest boxes for sleeping and (you guessed it) pooping.
The new design features a row of nest boxes (buckets, actually) at 12″ off the ground with bamboo pole roosts 12″ above that. It was made of 50% salvage materials and 50% new materials, with cleverly designed nest buckets from FowlStuff comprising most of the new materials.
Version 3.0 eliminated two wall completely (version 2.0 had them as hinged wings) for massive airflow per Robert Plamondon’s open air design.
We choose to make the south and western walls solid as that’s the direction from which our winter rains and wind arrive.
50% success rate with bees this year
Posted: February 6, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on 50% success rate with bees this year
I took advantage of several sunny days in a row (rare winter scenario around here) to check on the hive I’ve been concerned with.
Bad news: the suspected colony was dead. My next step will be to figure out why.
Good news: we harvested several quart jars of delicious honey and then set out the rest for the healthy colony to harvest. They stripped the frames clean in two days!
Which side are you on?
Posted: January 31, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on Which side are you on?
Monopolies aren’t good.
Monopolies on the primary mechanism to grow food (e.g. seeds) are really not good.
Despite the short-sighted hype about how Monsanto is saving the world, the truth is actually much much worse. Act now.
Compressed sawdust logs – not a fan
Posted: January 24, 2012 Filed under: 4. Energy Security Comments Off on Compressed sawdust logs – not a fan
While I like the idea of taking what was a waste product and making it useful, I’m less than impressed by the compressed sawdust logs I’ve purchased (seen here below our Go Bags).
Compared to regular seasoned firewood, they are more of a hassle to store (can’t be outside – absorb too much moisture from air), take much longer to light (even with a good hot kindling fire started), and don’t smell particularly pleasant (at least not compared to our aged doug fir).
I read many wonderful blog posts extolling their features, but I won’t be buying any more for next winter.
Day-ranging chickens in the snow
Posted: January 20, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on Day-ranging chickens in the snow
Chickens do just fine in the snow – even in a day-ranging scenario – when they are accustomed to the weather.
Since our 12 Golden Comets do not have a heated/lighted coop (and still producing 8 eggs/day in this weather!), their feather growth is appropriate for a normal outdoor bird. With their two shelters, they can get out of the rain/snow/wind to stay dry, but they do just fine maintaining their own body temperature. Our four Araucanas stopped laying regularly months ago but are still big, strong healthy birds.
Just in time for snow
Posted: January 18, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on Just in time for snow
Our first serious snowstorm of the year is here.
Greenhouse completed just in time!
Greenhouse benefits
Posted: January 13, 2012 Filed under: 3. Food Security Comments Off on Greenhouse benefits
Seedlings transplanted from our grow lights are adjusting well to their new setting in the greenhouse.
Still need to find more salvaged shelves, but looks like we’ll be eating salad out of the greenhouse within a week or two.
Back to the (micro) farm
Posted: January 9, 2012 Filed under: 2. Water Security, 3. Food Security Comments Off on Back to the (micro) farmAfter taking off December from posting to sell one business, launch another, and take a much need vacation to see the sun again, we’re back and ready to dive into our winter projects as we seek ways to opt out en masse fro the typical North American culture.
First up was finishing up a lean-to style greenhouse so we can continue growing our own food throughout our dark winter.We started with digging in to lay a foundation and finished with adding water barrels to store emergency water and absorb heat during the day (to then release at night).
Side note on the water barrels: they also serve as a more long term economical (and environmental) solution for storing emergency drinking water. Several years ago we bought (lots) of 1 gallon plastic containers to keep on hand in case of emergencies. It’s a lot of plastic and cardboard that now, when it is time for me to cycle back in, I have to find other uses for. Oops. Since I don’t want to repeat this every few years for the rest of my life, the food-grade plastic rain barrels and a siphon are a much better long term solution.
Opt Out En Masse 