Homesteaders

[Woodsdweller]

Quote:
I don't have to do 15 dozen a day, sometimes 6 dozen at a time, but I've learned to work smart not hard. Ok... Ok.. it's winter, I was bored and needed another project to keep me from going crazy.... er.

 

[KlopKlop]

Correct.. that's why I recommend that the eggs not be washed.. but again.. they want it, they pay.. I wash. I don't use any egg wash solution as the eggs generally are "clean" with only the odd feather or bit of straw stuck to the eggs. The egg washer removes these bits quickly. Since I have arthritic fingers, if I must wash eggs it's easier using the washer as I don't have to worry about dropping eggs washing by hand. If I actually get a "dirty" egg on occasion. I use a scotch pad and rub the dirt off and keep for personal use.

I hear you on the 'do what the customer wants'
We have 2 chickens that lay white eggs but don't include them in our sales because we heard 'if I wanted white eggs I would go to the store' from two different people.

If they only knew there we no difference... Oh well. Like you said, they pay so I listen

 

[Raech]

I wonder if they dye the Easter Egg Layers eggs too? Or do they just boil and call it good? Sorry coffee isnt ready yet, but I was curious.

 

[Woodsdweller]

If it weren't for goofy people, the world would be less entertaining.

Some people think I'm a few eggs short of a dozen since I raise chickens, have a "garden" in my basement to grow food during the winter, only grow heirloom vegetables (so I can save seeds), think about continuing on when TWAWKI ceases to be and forage for "weeds" and mushrooms to eat, but I'm happy(ish) and it keeps me busy and off the streets where I might do some real damage.

I happen to think some people are nuts for relying on stores to provide their every "necessity". To each their own kinks.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I wonder if they dye the Easter Egg Layers eggs too? Or do they just boil and call it good? Sorry coffee isnt ready yet, but I was curious.

I would boil and call good . Some of those eggs are pretty. We have two laying pretty green eggs.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

The way I see it, if it wasn't for the crazy ones like us the world would be so boring. I love my crazy unorganized corner of ny, and every day I come up with a new idea to make my life easier . Lazy isn't a word I would use to describe me nor my family, however we do not like putting effort into something that should only take a few minutes. We have fences to build, animals to feed, trees to cut, and you can imagine the list. We only have 9 acres but they are messy un cared for. In 3 years though we have made this our home.

One of our projects is to "tame and train" wild grape vines. Yeah, not easy. There are so many root starts that we lost count. We love grape juice and grape jelly and grapes and very much dislike spending money. So any help on how to get my vines "happy" would be great. I'm going to try and trellis all new growth but how far down do o cut back? All the way to the ground and let it restart? Is it even worth the effort or are old root balls a waste of my time?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Some of the best jam I have ever made was with wild grapes, so it is very much worth the effort. I cannot tell you how much to cut back, it is a project I need to look at soon too. But not to the ground. More like leave the main branches, I think.

 

[Serenashome]

The way I see it, if it wasn't for the crazy ones like us the world would be so boring. I love my crazy unorganized corner of ny, and every day I come up with a new idea to make my life easier . Lazy isn't a word I would use to describe me nor my family, however we do not like putting effort into something that should only take a few minutes. We have fences to build, animals to feed, trees to cut, and you can imagine the list. We only have 9 acres but they are messy un cared for. In 3 years though we have made this our home.

One of our projects is to "tame and train" wild grape vines. Yeah, not easy. There are so many root starts that we lost count. We love grape juice and grape jelly and grapes and very much dislike spending money. So any help on how to get my vines "happy" would be great. I'm going to try and trellis all new growth but how far down do o cut back? All the way to the ground and let it restart? Is it even worth the effort or are old root balls a waste of my time?

I will watching for replies on this, we have so many wild grapevines in the back and I cannot control them all. There is one that I have been doing battle with that overtook four mulberry trees. We have named it "the heart of darkness". I'd love to be able to cultivate something from it. To date we have just been hacking it to the ground and it just comes back more voracious than before.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have customers that want their eggs washed even though I tell em they would last longer without washing and most aren't dirty, but they pay.. so I wash. I only wash shortly before they get picked up.

I have a lady from Bosnia who said not to wash the eggs. Though I do wash any that have even a touch of dirt. Another customer whose husband was from Europe and liked brown eggs.

 

[Raech]

Well this is completely off topic of eggs and gardening, but I am currently potty training my youngest so pretty soon I won't be buying diapers.YAY!!! So I have a naked butt every day running around my house, today he grabbed the berry cup and said he is going strawberry picking. Hated to break it to him, but no flowers means no strawberries, so now I have a sad naked lil boy running around in my livingroom. On the upside he has had no accidents on the floor, but you put any sort of clothing on him and all bets are off. Downside to potty training this way is company coming over, they get an eye full because he gets naked by himself.

Also going to start to train my dog to pull and cart, I hope she enjoys it. When Dad gets in from the road we are going to look over the wagon and see how to convert it to be dog powered as needed. The thought is for her to allow the boys to help when it is time to split wood or move vegetables in the garden and to just plain help around Grandpa's property. They are too young to be driving 4wheelers/tractors or lawnmower at the ages of 3.5 and 7. But just the right age to give commands to a dog pulling a wagon, the same wagon they have both dragged around the property. Plus I have to excersize more for her training and it will be better for her to go to the store with me instead of just riding in the van. At least that is my reasoning for expanding this way, and it might get me out of the house more, my family is compareing me to a mushroom/hermit. I only leave the house to go to the grocery store and to take the kids to/from school. I see no problem with it and am content but the lectures get tiresome.

So instead for now I will sit here and chase the streaker through the house and drink my coffee.