Michigan

[1muttsfan]

Olive has hit the nail on the head (hope there weren't any thumbs in the way!)

Most people I know are not capable of giving their children the time, effort and knowledge it takes to home school, and their kids are better of with a teacher. I have several teacher friends, and find them sympathetic, kind, and knowledgable.

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

*ZING* Olive!!! Agreed!
I am looking in to home schooingl with a group, maybe 2 or 3 other parents. But I have not really decided... I have a couple years still!

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

Nova... I don't know what your yard looks like but we had ducks at my moms house. She had a .5 acre yard surrounded by a chain link and some of it was crummy wire fence and none of it was mud... But they did eat her flowers!!!

We had 7 pekings at one time... I loved having ducks... maybe I will again some day!!!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I am far away from having children, i think, but i am thinking of home schooling at least for some years too. It's not on account of the teachers, lord knows they try, it's the other kids i worry about. There's a lot going on now that wasn't when i was in school, and that worries me. I don't want them to miss out on the high school years, though. Love/hate, but it's a one time experience.

I do agree about all parents not being cut out for it though. I had an acquaintance that home schooled her daughter, and they were not very principled about doing the work on a schedule, and often ended up coaching her with the answers, which i thought was bad.

I think the most important thing that makes a successful person is teaching kids to ASK QUESTIONS. We were constantly learning about nature, and how things worked and whatnot from an early age, and i think that is what helped me be an adult reader. Surprising how many people don't read as adults, i am always full of questions, so....

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Mopped out the coop, my 2 EE's were honking away all afternoon in frustration cause the orp. was sitting in the nestbox. Couldn't tell if she was brooding or taking a super long time laying, she acts the same. She was "hoarding" about a dozen eggs this time though so

I have war wounds from setting water near her, but i put food and water in there and shut the door. (rabbit cage, divided so she can get out of the nest if she wants These aren't the eggs i want hatched, so if she gets mad and runs thru her water i won't be too sad. I shut her in because it was clear that left to their own devices the other girls would've booted her out, and i am soooo desperate to have a broody, though rose's eggs probably have no chance. (My banty that died)

 

[RaZ]

The only trouble with the deep litter method is that when you do a complete clean out there is a ton of litter to deal with.
I put about 1/2 in yard bags to set out for the weekly pick up. Added the rest to the compost heap but I should find a spot and start a second pile. The chickens sure do like rooting through the pile. Even the little chicks are getting into it.

 

[Opa]

Sadly a large percentage of parents don't have the slightest clue about what it takes to be a parent. I was constantly taking my sons hunting, fishing, skiing, rock climbing & rappelling, and just about any outdoor activity imaginable. But in order to do all of the things that understood that school work need to be done first, that chores around the house had to be accomplished. Some of my neighbors once commented on how hard it seemed my sons were working while the other neighborhood kids played. They seemed to think it was better if they did all the tasks around the house while they wanted their kids to enjoy being kids. My boys would often take care of the routine lawn maintenance while I was on duty so that when I got home we could head for the woods or lakes. They realized that playing with Dad was much better than goofing off with other kids. Through this they learned work ethic.

However, in spite of all we did together I was still quite strict. Honesty and integrity were at the forefront of their education and the best way to instill those values is by example. I never had a rule for them that I didn't have for myself. I tried to instill in them a sense of pride in any endeavor they undertook. That there wasn't anything they couldn't accomplish if they believed in themselves; and should anything fall short of the intended goal could still take pride in the fact that they had tried. Not reaching a goal isn't failure as long as you believe that it was a learning experience that will make you a better person. Winning isn't as important as experience.

When my oldest decided to go in the Army, the company he had been working for wanted him so stay and tried to dissuade him enlisting. His boss told him you have no idea of what you are getting into. Just wait until those drill instructors get a hold of you, you will wish you were still working here. With that Joe burst out laughing a informed him that his dad had once been a DI and he had just completed 18 years with me so 8 weeks of basic training would be a piece of cake.

My middle son also went in the Army and when he got out he worked construction with me for 8 months before going off to school in North Carolina. One evening, about 2 months later, he was telling me he was really surprised by how much he missed me. That the separation seemed more pronounced than when he was in the military. I told him I thought that was probably because when he left for the Army I was his father and his friend. Now I am his friend who also is his father.

Be parents first. Maintain rules that never vary. They have to learn that every action has a consequence. Be there to help and guide them but don't worry about whether they like you. If you are fair and even with all things in your life when they become adults they will be as proud of you as you are them.

 

[b737drvr]

Be parents first. Maintain rules that never vary. They have to learn that every action has a consequence. Be there to help and guide them but don't worry about whether they like you. If you are fair and even with all things in your life when they become adults they will be as proud of you as you are them.

Great perspective!

 

[1muttsfan]

Bang! Another nail hit on the head. And by a carpenter too.

 

[Chickmate]

If the compost is too wet it could go anerobic and get stinky. Ideally, the pile should be damp like a wrung out sponge. Can you move the pile to higher ground? If not, you might have to turn it more often. Of course when it gets to be too much work is when people decide the heck with it. I was told in my composting class that small piles can't get hot. That simply isn't so, I've had mine get over 130 degrees. I charted it for my class project. But getting hot isn't necessary for decomposition to take place. Think about the forest floor. Cold composting takes place but it just takes longer. How long has your pile been sitting?

Some people cover to trap heat i think, not to keep water out. U want moist material in the pile. I would move the pile if ground water is standing at the base of it. Try to locate in sunny spot.

Thanks for the replies from Juise (I'm sure your answer would have been almost identical to RaZ's

) BobBry and RaZ. This pile has been accumulating since I got my chickens in March of last year. It's located behind the coop on a 'sandbar' that is higher than the rest of the ground around it. I had several truck loads of sand hauled in as a base for my coop because the spot where I wanted to build it was a phragmite swamp and very low. This was just the logical place to start dumping poop and bedding because it was close to the coop. I've raked the pile into the highest spot so it's not standing in water like it was, but it's very shady and damp back there. I live in the woods practically, so to put it in a really sunny spot would mean it would have to be in the middle of my back yard or front yard. Wouldn't look good to the neighbors. So RaZ, when you say to "turn it more often", what does that mean? How often should I be turning it? I've never composted before and I haven't turned it at all yet. Does 'turning it' mean just mixing it around or completely rotating the top stuff with the bottom stuff? Being that it's not in a sunny spot, how long do you think it have to sit before it's OK to use around my plants?

Oh, and welcome to our newest MI Thread member! Sorry, can't remember your name and have looked but can't find your post either! You're a military man stationed in Germany. Thank you SO MUCH for your service to our country. I always get a lump in my throat when I see a man or woman in uniform. They give up so much for the rest of us. Never can say "thank you!" enough. This also goes to all the rest of our military and retired military people on this thread. You are all awesome. My dad was in the AF. I live practically in the shadow of Selfidge ANG and seeing those jets fly over, many times in formation, always gets me. I want to stand and salute!