Homestead mailing list

[Leslie <cayadopi AT yahoo.com>]

After reading thru the replies from everyone........ FIRST - THANKS  Lots of 
good tips, and I will have to go thru again, and organize.
 
I'm thinking the goal would be to work towards the raised beds over the next 
year, and meanwhile, do exactly that use the rototiller.  My dad really did 
an "overkill" purchase on that one...as he tends to think bigger and more 
expensive is better... not necessarily true.
 
The leaves in the huge pecan grove down the road finally have fallen this 
week, and since leaves are in short supply, I think I'll go get a bunch.
 
Bev - In your raised beds,,,, is there any kind of chopping up being done of 
what is being thrown in, or just throw things in.
 
And gray water in the compost bins --- bingo !! great idea, and will be very 
easy to do also.
 
OK, must run, manana..............
 


--- On Thu, 12/11/08, Lynn Wigglesworth <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com> wrote:

From: Lynn Wigglesworth <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Preparation for WTSHTF questions
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 6:01 PM

>Well, that is yet to be determined... I have seen the tunnels in desert 
>gardening things, but I do not yet know the real >purpose... LOL... and 
>plastic isn't "sustainable"...

That's my point. Instead of saying "ohhh...do I need this?",
it's better to 
start doing it with the minimum equipment, then decide that you need to 
solve a specific problem. If your crops are hurt by frost then you look into 
setting up tunnels. Many green crops aren't hurt by light frosts I
don't 
know how cold it gets there, but my kale was fine until the temperatures 
went into the teens. And you don't need plastic; old sheets, towels, 
blankets, etc work well.

Since you have a rototiller, I'd use that until you decide that you either 
need something bigger or don't need any power equipment to prepare the
soil. 
Make sure you need something before you spend money on it.

Lynn Wigglesworth
Tioga Co. PA 

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>From Clansgian AT wmconnect.com  Thu Dec 11 18:22:03 2008
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> >TOOLS
> About how many years do they last, and would it be a worthwhile investment
> to buy extras (i.e. picks, shovels, hoes, machete, etc.) and/or extra 
> handles.
>
Probably 300 years.  I'm using several tools on a regular basis that are well
over 100 years old.

>
> >PLOW
> ad.
>
> Where does one even get an old fashioned plow and harness system these days?
>

Used plows are everywhere as decoration.  The plow I use almost exclusively
now belonged to  my grandfather (a Vulcan #10).  My parents painted it some
unnatrual color and used it for a lawn ornament.  I rescued it and fitted new
handles and it's been in use ever since.

New plows can be had from Pioneer Equipment
http://www.pioneerfarmequipment.com/

There's an excellent Amish harness maker I can recommend but he's not on the
internet (what are the odds!) but if you become ready to tack up, let me know
and I'll put you in touch with him.

>
> >FIELD CORN
>
> One thing I haven't figured out is field corn sweet corn grown to the dried
> stage? Or it is a different variety altogether.  What kind of corn becomes
> corn meal?

It's a different variety altogether.  Several varieties actually.

There's
Flint corn -  high protein and little starch,
Dent corn - medium protein and medium starch
Flour corn - modest protein and a lot of starch.

Most cornmeal is made from dent corn.  Most masa for tortillas and tamales
and such is made from flour corn.


James