Michigan

[Juise]

I spent all day running in and out, I got the rest of my seeds planted, finally, despite all the help I had, lol. Ohhh they try so hard. The rest of the "hot" compost is down on the new bed, and awaiting my promised mulch. I removed and brought home 2 giant dogs, holy crap! They were bigger than me! Luckily the side of our property they came in on just so happened to be where the quarantine fence is up for the new chicks, and I was out in the yard.

I was planting away when I heard tags jingling, and they were both up against the quarantine fence looking at the little chickens like they had just found heaven. The big girls were all hanging out by me, and I brought them into the run, then got some rope and tied the dogs up before finding and calling the phone number on their tags. The owner was very kind and apologetic, and I tried to gently hint that it wasn't a big deal this time, but that we do keep chickens, which the dogs were very interested in. Glad everyone is okay.

Also got one of the old veggie beds all hoed up. Now that we're moving all the veggies to a big bed of their own... I'm not entirely sure what to do with all the space in the expanded flower beds we were using for food.

 

[Olive Hill]

Hopefully Olive will give us some ideas on how we can change the food production system. It is changing slowly!

I have. Repeatedly. I'm sorry Nancy, but you're on your own. I just came in from a long day to read this and... I just don't see the point. It's like talking to a brick wall and I have neither the time nor wherewithal for it today. Takes a lot for me to throw up my hands so when I do... it's probably best I just check out. I wish you all the very best. I sincerely hope none of your families ever go hungry.

 

[eeyore75]

hmmmmm....trying TRYING VERY HARD to keep my hands out of that incubator.   I put them in on 3/24 in the evening....so shouldn't they have started hatching by now?!?!?! I usually have them hatching early....not late! Maybe I can't count...someone count and tell me I'm crazy and need to learn how to count lol. I'm starting to freak out my hubby with my constant staring into the bator 

Tomorrow is 21 days Jenny- the 24th was a Sat- you count 3 sats down- they hatch tomorrow. It's not Weds ya crackhead!

 

[teeville5]

Darn computer is just about done in. Had to pull out the laptop and hook it up to even get anywhere online. The keyboard is so much smaller so I have to keep backing up because I keep hitting the wrong buttons.

Anyway, DH and I took a small trip to Shipshewana yesterday. We had a great time driving around the countryside. I love looking at all the farmhouses and animals. Today, of course, it was back to the daily grind.

All the chickens are loving this weather and DH started building my new chicken tractor for the teen chicks. They should be able to go outside soon.

 

[Elliemae 77]

Teeville....yay for your daughter's new silkie
Cute bunny pics
RIRJen.....ugh! I hate waiting at the end. Soooooo hard.

Candled eggs last night. Dropped one of the blue Orp eggs, Yup, there was a chick developing. RATS! Now I'm nervous about handling anymore. Not gonna touch till day 14. Maybe I won't be so nervous by then. Out of 44 ....24 are definitely developing. Barnvelders are.hard to tell though. Even with a.really, really bright flashlight.

 

[Juise]

Quote:

I have. Repeatedly. I'm sorry Nancy, but you're on your own. I just came in from a long day to read this and... I just don't see the point. It's like talking to a brick wall and I have neither the time nor wherewithal for it today. Takes a lot for me to throw up my hands so when I do... it's probably best I just check out. I wish you all the very best. I sincerely hope none of your families ever go hungry.

I'm very sorry you feel this way, Olive. I was feeling much the same way last time this topic came up, and decided to just remove myself from it or any comment on the thread for a bit. I am well acquainted with having to defend my lifestyle, and am not liable anymore to bother with many people. There just isn't any point sometimes. I am still, however, open to discussing it with people who are genuinely interested. I think you have here a group of people who are genuinely interested in learning.

You said before that you wished people who were ignorant would stop spreading lies. I am not ignorant. I have put forth much energy over the last 15 years to educating myself, with the effect being what I have already described as our life choices.

It is unfair, I think, to call people ignorant and liars, and to tell them that you won't do their homework for them, that is not your responsibility to educate them or, indeed, even point them in a direction, and then to begrudge them the information they end up coming up with.

Obviously we differ in opinion on some very large points, but I have enjoyed your virtual company and conversation as a human being. I like you. I do not understand the intense sensitivity you show in defending the industrialized farming practices, which, as far as I can tell, seem to differ quite a bit from what you do. All farming is not equal. You seem to think that to wish for change is to invite collapse.

You said before that they care just as much for their animals, and that people only do terrible things when they are cruel people. I say that I have myself helped a rescue farm pull the live chicks from under the dead in the dumpster of one of these industrialized "farms", and I do not believe that they cared as much for the life of those chicks as I do for mine. Not by a long shot. And, unfortunately, I do not think that people only do terrible things when they are cruel people. People do terrible things every day because it is what they are used to, how they think things are supposed to be, how they have learned to do things, or to treat people, because it is the way they have always seen things done. Not because they are despicable people.

I don't mean to try to string things out when you have said that you wish to bow out, but I have decided to take my cue from you and speak my own mind irregardless, as you so frequently have done.

 

[RIRJen]

Quote:

Tomorrow is 21 days Jenny- the 24th was a Sat- you count 3 sats down- they hatch tomorrow. It's not Weds ya crackhead!

lol you know I can't count

RIRJen.....ugh! I hate waiting at the end. Soooooo hard.
Candled eggs last night. Dropped one of the blue Orp eggs, Yup, there was a chick developing. RATS! Now I'm nervous about handling anymore. Not gonna touch till day 14. Maybe I won't be so nervous by then. Out of 44 ....24 are definitely developing. Barnvelders are.hard to tell though. Even with a.really, really bright flashlight.

I did that last year...cracked the egg...so I taped it up and made sure to keep the humidity really good and it hatched out wonderfully! I did have to watch to make sure when it pipped through into the air pocket (which is the end that cracked about a pea sized hole) i took the tape off. We named him Sheldon after that egg on Garfield and friends who's feet stuck out of the egg! LOL

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

Quote:

Well, there's your problem, you're using Internet Exploder.

Ha ha very funny!!... you are probably right.

Haha sorry. (and I thought about running this post through BabelFish into Dutch for you but, well, I'd say I'm not that much of a jerk but the truth is I'm, just lazy. A lazy jerk.)

Skip this paragraph if you just want to know how to fix it. The cache in this case is very similar to a backwoods food or weapons cache. It's a place where things are stored for quick retrieval. Basically browsers will store information like pictures and even entire pages that you visit frequently so that they'll load faster. However, sometimes the cache gets overfull or glitches out and doesn't work the way it should. So you need to clear it out.

To clear your cache in Internet Explorer (if you don't see the things I'm talking about you may have an older version of Internet Explorer):

1) Click on the little gear-lookin thing in the upper right corner and select Internet Options.
2) a third of the way down you should see a section called "Browsing History" with a button that reads "Delete..." Click on that button.
3) A window should open, make sure everything is unchecked except: Temporary Internet Files
4) Click OK


It may take it a minute to delete those but that should help. This is the least intrusive way, you will still have you passwords and stuff saved but it should force your computer to refresh a little smarter.

I actually did this right before coming back on... not sure if it helped. We will find out.
By the way... Smart ***!

I have. Repeatedly. I'm sorry Nancy, but you're on your own. I just came in from a long day to read this and... I just don't see the point. It's like talking to a brick wall and I have neither the time nor wherewithal for it today. Takes a lot for me to throw up my hands so when I do... it's probably best I just check out. I wish you all the very best. I sincerely hope none of your families ever go hungry.

I didn't mean to make anyone upset by my post. I found the movie educational. It leaned heavily toward organic farming and was trying to spread the message that everyone can grow at least some of their own food.
When I used the term "farmers" I was not trying to offend anyone in anyway.
Sorry

 

[NovaAman]

Well, I for one hope that I learn enough skills to continue to grow my own food and keep my chickens and maybe one day have a pair of goats to be self sufficient. In this way, I know my food will be grown how I prefer it. My chickens will be grown and fed how I prefer them. That is how we change industry. Grow it how you want it. Pick the farms that you wish to buy from. That is the way. People... People... People... You want better for yourself and your community, then you need to start with your own back yard. Start with the choices that make you feel better about how you've spent your money. Encourage your friends to make more choices that support the type of farming that is both healthy for the enviroment and the health of the body. That would include the produce you purchase, the meat you purchase... I personally do not like Monsanto. I do not like their practices. I do not support with my purchases farms that are beholden to them. I do support local growers. I buy meat that is antibiotic/hormone free. This is worth is for me and my families life/health. I like to eat. I like to eat well. I like to eat WELL. LOL.

I can see Olives point of view. She is right on several of her points. There are few industrial farmers who are intentionally going out of their way to harm. Some honestly do not feel that they are. They are looking at the bottom line. If insecticides help the bottom dollar, they will use them... Their is less profit in organic. Why do we think organic is so much more expensive to purchase? The yield is far less. Organically grown meat... Much smaller... Healthier meat? Why yes... BUT less of it.

Back during WW2, the gov't encouraged people to have a garden to produce produce. They were encouraged to have chickens for the eggs as well as for meat. People now, they'd rather do the Supermarket route. People on the whole wouldn't know how to grow a beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes... They wouldn't know how to grow fruit. 3 years ago, I didn't know how to do any thing. I am on a learning adventure. I had no one to teach me. Not one person in my family farms in any way shape or form. I am made fun of by family because I am learning to do this. They do not understand, and do not care where their food comes from. THEY WONT EVEN EAT WHAT I GROW! Nah, they'd just get it from the store. My first excess rooster that I had butchered, I offered to share, and I was told... no. I wanted to do turkeys... But no body I know want to have me raise them for them. It just creeped them out. They'd rather get it from the store. And because of THAT menality, Farmers are going to meet that demand. It is their job. And they are doing the best that they can to produce the quantity that is need to feed Americans, as well as other nations who can not produce enough food on their own soil.

So, all in all, you want better food for you bodies, grow it yourself, or buy from those who do grow/produce in a manner you approve. This is just my opinion.

 

[chicken grandma]

Quote:

Always good to learn from each other! Thanks for telling us about what you saw. There are lots of ways to farm and on this thread we are all doing some form of farming with our plants and animals. In the last years it has become a hot topic as things are changing and it is always bumpy in an industry when things change. Never be sorry to share what you know! We can all learn something on here every day!