Homesteaders

[FrugalmamaTx]

Trying something new for bedding in my brooder - chipped / shredded cardboard. I was googling for a low-dust option for the coop as the dust from the pine shavings was making my asthma flare up. Also needed to be low-cost and easily available. Found a few reports of folks using shredded cardboard in their coops and after googling and seeing it is used for animal bedding I figured why not try it. A few hours of shredding while watching netflix and I had enough for our small brooder. The chicks really dig in it though, which takes some getting used to but hey no pine shavings to get ALL over my room. I always have a ton of leftover boxes around so hoping this works well and I can use it for in the coop with some Sweet PDZ added. Our chicks hopefully will be making the move to the coop towards the end of this month - they are about halfway feathered out now and look so awkward! One has started the change from peep to caw. We have 2 each of Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers and RIR.





Planted some cukes yesterday, we'll see if they make it. Doing a test planting in our soil near the front door - with the hedge gone the soil doesn't look too bad other than being really really clay-ish, and I figure I lost nothing but seeds if it doesn't work.

 

[FrugalmamaTx]

Far as I know they didn't check my vitamin D but they might have, the Dr. was concerned I had a thyroid problem. I will be going back in to the doctor in a couple of weeks, I will talk to them my vitamin D levels. Still debating on changing my meds, I am not too sure these are working the way I want them to.

Thyroid will do it too - I deal with thyroid issues too. They stink.

On the Vitamin D if they ran your levels ASK what the number result was. Too often doctors will see a number of 29 or so, say well 25-100 is normal, and give you the canned "well you're fine" speech. Even though most folks do better on the higher end of that spectrum.

 

[henless]

Thyroid will do it too - I deal with thyroid issues too. They stink.

On the Vitamin D if they ran your levels ASK what the number result was. Too often doctors will see a number of 29 or so, say well 25-100 is normal, and give you the canned "well you're fine" speech. Even though most folks do better on the higher end of that spectrum.

The same with Thyroid. Don't just go by your TSH level. Make sure they run a Free T3 & Free T4. These are what is actually available for your body to use. Get the ranges for them also. You want your FT3 & FT4 at or above mid range. Most Dr's look at TSH and say your fine.

 

[rancher hicks]

Started my Cukes and other things under my, milk jug green houses. We're getting "freeze" warnings, but I think they will make it.

DW has had the Vitamin D problem since her cancer treatments. They had her on supplements but her levels weren't going up, so they checked out her Thyroid, but she'd doing okay.

I recommend sitting out in the Sun no matter whether it's cold or not. I sit out in the drive where the tarvia keeps things a bit warmer. Even in winter you can get a sunburn so be careful. Take a book or magazine and get some "Sun Therapy".

I suffer from SAD and know it. While I'm not a doctor to recommend Sun Therapy, I am a sufferer and besides, sometime relaxing and even meditating can't hurt you. If you read about homesteading it's not wasted time.

Do both, what the doc says and Sun Therapy. DW did better in TX where it was warmer and the sun shines more often. Too, she was taking walks every day with the grandkids.

I wish you well,

Rancher

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Started my Cukes and other things under my, milk jug green houses. We're getting "freeze" warnings, but I think they will make it. 

DW has had the Vitamin D problem since her cancer treatments. They had her on supplements but her levels weren't going up, so they checked out her Thyroid, but she'd doing okay. 

I recommend sitting out in the Sun no matter whether it's cold or not. I sit out in the drive where the tarvia keeps things a bit warmer. Even in winter you can get a sunburn so be careful. Take a book or magazine and get some "Sun Therapy".  

I suffer from SAD and know it. While I'm not a doctor to recommend Sun Therapy, I am a sufferer and besides, sometime relaxing and even meditating can't hurt you. If you read about homesteading it's not wasted time.  

Do both, what the doc says and Sun Therapy. DW did better in TX where it was warmer and the sun shines more often. Too, she was taking walks every day with the  grandkids. 

I wish you well, 

Rancher

My mother does sun therapy, not for the same reason, but it does her wonders. Menopause wacked out her hormones and she gets terrible eczema. Like bloody rash terrible. She has been to doctors but all they could really do for her that worked was cortisone shots, but that isn't really a longterm solution.
She has found what really works better then anything else is the sun. We have long cold winters so I now buy her minutes at the local tanning bed, her legs are still not great but they are much improved.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hints:

Save those mayonnaise jars. Glass or plastic. These are over eggplants. They're calling for a freeze but so far so good.



The dollar store has cheap drop cloths. Great for large coverings. This is over two large pots and a Strawberry pot of herbs.

 

[Raech]

What kind of herbs do you put in your strawberry pot? I have my late Grandma's strawberry pot and herb would be nice to have in it. It is a really pretty blue so I might just keep it inside on my table so it gets enough sun, as long as my cats don't eat it all. Mom brought some flower seeds from Grandma's house in SD, but I am thinking about planting them at Grandpa's house so the seeds will go back into the beds instead of possibly getting wasted in a container. In theory,it should work. Planted the Bing Cherry tree the other day, so now we have a fruit tree in the front flower bed where our ornery horse, Jake, can't reach it. Then soon as the weather clears up and Dad gets back in from another run, we will be planting the 2-3 Rainier Cherry trees in the pasture by the garden. We are starting to plant an orchard but it has to be separated from the livestock by some pretty tall fences, between Jake and the deer and soon to be cows we really want to protect our fruit and nut trees. Just picked up our 1/2 of beef, it took 5 coolers to bring it all home. It was also 10 pounds lighter than last year and cost more than it did last year, thus us getting cows. Dad and I talked about it for the 4 hour drive back home about what would be better for meat breeds and why I wanted to get pregnant cows and go from there verses why he wants to just buy 3 steers. I want to see the babies, Dad wants to just get steers and call it good. Might see if Dad will be willing to get just one cow and get her done up with my brother's bull, then get the 3 steers from the sales yard. Who knows, maybe in the future I will get a couple of bottle babies and go from there.

But Dad is really wanting to get busy with getting the new fencing up asap after spending $3/lb for cut and wrapping, not to mention the price of the steer. It was really nice getting some quality time talking to Dad in, we agreed on some things we would like to do to the property and he disagreed with some things I want to do to the property(chickens and a couple of sheep).

 

[rancher hicks]

What kind of herbs do you put in your strawberry pot? I have my late Grandma's strawberry pot and herb would be nice to have in it. It is a really pretty blue so I might just keep it inside on my table so it gets enough sun, as long as my cats don't eat it all. Mom brought some flower seeds from Grandma's house in SD, but I am thinking about planting them at Grandpa's house so the seeds will go back into the beds instead of possibly getting wasted in a container. In theory,it should work. Planted the Bing Cherry tree the other day, so now we have a fruit tree in the front flower bed where our ornery horse, Jake, can't reach it. Then soon as the weather clears up and Dad gets back in from another run, we will be planting the 2-3 Rainier Cherry trees in the pasture by the garden. We are starting to plant an orchard but it has to be separated from the livestock by some pretty tall fences, between Jake and the deer and soon to be cows we really want to protect our fruit and nut trees. Just picked up our 1/2 of beef, it took 5 coolers to bring it all home. It was also 10 pounds lighter than last year and cost more than it did last year, thus us getting cows. Dad and I talked about it for the 4 hour drive back home about what would be better for meat breeds and why I wanted to get pregnant cows and go from there verses why he wants to just buy 3 steers. I want to see the babies, Dad wants to just get steers and call it good. Might see if Dad will be willing to get just one cow and get her done up with my brother's bull, then get the 3 steers from the sales yard. Who knows, maybe in the future I will get a couple of bottle babies and go from there.

But Dad is really wanting to get busy with getting the new fencing up asap after spending $3/lb for cut and wrapping, not to mention the price of the steer. It was really nice getting some quality time talking to Dad in, we agreed on some things we would like to do to the property and he disagreed with some things I want to do to the property(chickens and a couple of sheep).

I have Parsley, two on the sides, Curly and Italian, Thyme, two sides, Summer Savory, two sides and in the top Rosemary, Basil and another I can't recall. If I get the chance I'll post a pic.

 

[duluthralphie]

Just a guess...chickens are attracted to and will peck at anything in the red family....purple is close.

Helped you on the statement...

 

[MoonShadows]

Quote: