My Take on Hope the Bear...Freeze Branding

Hope was a black bear that was killed this month, taken legally by a hunter in Minnesota during hunting season. Hope was also a bear that was being studied by researchers. Hope was also a favorite with a lot of people, due to her birth being captured on video, having her own Facebook page, etc.

Unfortunately, Hope was also unmarked and uncollared, having nothing on her body to distinguish her from any other bear. On Yahoo, the comments about the article that tell of her death are quite polarized, with hunters bashing the bear-lovers, and the bear lovers bashing the hunters. Its foolishness! I did leave a comment, stating that if they valued the bear, then she should have been marked. Someone replied that she had been collared, twice, but slipped the collars. To me, scientists need a different solution, a permanent and inexpensive way to mark all research bears and other specifically studied wildlife.

I believe this solution already exists. While I do not know if it has ever been tried on a bear before, freeze branding is an inexpensive way already used to permanently mark cattle, horses, and dogs, and I suspect it would work wonderfully on a bear!

Instead of using a hot brand, the branding iron is soaked in either liquid nitrogen or dry ice, then applied to an area on the animal that has dark hair, but has been shaved. The skin is frozen with the brand. When the hair in the freeze branded spot grows back, it is white wherever the skin was burned. If the freeze brand was an '8', then a clear '8' grows back in white hair, standing out quite obviously against the surrounding dark hair.

Some animal right activists might complain that the branding would cause pain to the bear. I have two things to say to this.

#1 My son got a large wart frozen off his leg earlier this week...and he said it didn't hurt, and still doesn't hurt.

#2 Even if it does hurt to be freeze branded...I suspect it hurts less than getting shot! If the bear was able to choose a brand or death...I know what they would choose.

I believe freeze-branding wild research animals could save a lot of time, money, and aggravation by saving the research animals lives. Quit the griping, people, and just solve the problem!

Goat kids and Lambs and Nursing, Oh, My!

After a goat kid or lamb is born, unless you want to bottle raise them, they need to nurse on their mother as soon as possible to get some colostrum into their system.

First, you need to remove the waxy plug in each teat..this makes it easier for the baby to nurse and actually get some colostrum. The plug is just a small waxy piece that seals the teat, keeping the colostrum in and bacteria out until the babies are born. To remove the plug, you simply milk each side of the udder until you get a good stream going. Some people refer to this as 'stripping'. Its pretty obvious if the plug is still in there...very little to nothing will come out of the teat while the plug is still in place! Usually I can dislodge it within 3 squirts of colostrum. Mind you...this is text book perfect that I am talking about. Sometimes, there is very little in the udder, but for the sake of this article, we will assume the dam has an ample supply of colostrum. Scads, as a matter of fact, so I can make my second recommendation!

Which is...have a clean jar or bottle ready before you strip the waxy plug out! Then...milk some of each side of the udder into the container. Extra colostrum is invaluable to have on hand in the case of an emergency, such as an orphaned kid or lamb who did not get a chance to nurse on its mom. It will also make you popular in the event that a friend or a friend's friend has an orphan in need of colostrum...you could get a call at any hour...popularity has its drawbacks! Not really...its actually the beauty of belonging to a great community of people who are willing to help each other out!

Freeze the colostrum...some folks put it onto ice cube trays so they can thaw out small amounts as needed. Date and label these cubes clearly so they don't end up in somebody's homemade smoothie!

Last part is helping the baby to find its mom's teat, if necessary. Some don't need help, some sure seem to! If you just try to grab the baby's head and shove the teat in its mouth, it will fight you. You need to guide it gently to the teat...and scratch its little bottom, right above the tail. No, I am not kidding or making this up! It mimics what the mom does when the baby nurses, and it encourages the baby to nurse. Try to gently cradle its jaw and get the teat in the mouth while scratching its little bum. Sometimes getting it to latch onto your finger, guiding it to the teat, and then transferring the baby to the teat helps, too. Generally, they figure it out pretty quickly. For twins...try to get each one on a different side of the udder, one on each teat.

And...don't forget to try to enjoy the birthing and bonding process...its a stressful time, but amazing as well!!

Dipping Goat Kid and Lamb Navels

When a lamb or goat kid is born, it is important to the treat its umbilical cord/navel. Within 15 minutes after birth, take sharp scissors and snip the cord so it is about two inches long. For this and the next step, it is easiest to pick the baby up, holding the baby with its back to your front with your arm under its front legs. Some folks like to use the little plastic clips on the cord…I never have, and I have never had a problem with the navel getting infected. Sometimes, the cord has naturally broken shorter than two inches. Still try to trim the tip off, for a clean edge with less of a chance of bacterial contamination. If its just too short to trim, go on to the next step, which is dipping the cord in iodine. An empty pill bottle filled about halfway with iodine works the best for this…it’s the perfect size! Have the bottle filled and cap off before you pick up the baby, so you can snip the cord and dip it at the same time, without having to put the baby down to get things situated.

To dip the cord- while holding the baby, tilt your body forward a bit, put the bottle opening over the cord, and press it firmly against the baby’s belly. Then tilt your body backward a bit to make the iodine cover the entire umbilical cord, tip back forward, and then take the bottle away from the baby’s belly. Try not to get the iodine on anything, as it stains. Also, it can burn your skin if it dumps on your clothes and stays wet against your skin. It is important to dip the cord to reduce the chance of infection.

I once had an over-zealous Great Pyrenees take the whole cord off right down to the belly…it bled more than I would have liked, but I still dipped and the goat kid was ok. The dog was just trying to clean the kid up to get rid of all discharge and tissue that could attract predators, not harm the kid.

Easy Granola Recipe

Our family has loved this granola recipe for years. Great for breakfast, a snack, eaten over ice cream or yogurt...just YUM!!!

7 cups uncooked oatmeal (regular or quick cooking)

2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or not)

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt (regular salt is ok, but I am partial to fine sea salt!)

3/4 cup melted butter (Use only real butter, because if I find out you didn't, I will chew you out!! This granola is not worth making without real butter!

Mix dry ingredients in huge bowl, or it will slop annoyingly over the side as you stir. Mix in melted butter. Put mixture in large pan or cookie sheet...I use a large pyrex pan. Bake at 350, stirring occasionally until most of the coconut is lightly browned. It is REALLY good eaten hot over ice cream!! When cooled, you can mix in dried fruits, nuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chocolate chips, etc. Store in airtight container!

Honey Crystallization Part 2

Ok...as a rule, honey that has crystallized is not a desirable thing, but it can be heated up to get it back to being a syrup again. It will stay a syrup for a good amount of time after it has cooled back down, UNLESS some of the crystals were left. Then those crystals quickly cause the honey to recrystallize, almost like seeds. Most of the time this is bad, but there is one product of honey which is intentionally crystallized, and this is called 'creamed honey'. Creamed honey has a very fine crystal, and is thick and smooth. To make it there is quite a process, and I will just give a summary today though we have done it here at our farm with good results. Well...my husband and son did it, not me...so I can't remember all the details and they are currently unavailable to ask!

Remember when reconstituting crystallized honey to its syrup form how leaving any crystals in the heated honey will result in the honey quickly recrystallizing? This trait comes in handy for making creamed honey! So, the first thing you need to make creamed honey is...creamed honey! This is available at some grocery stores and specialty markets. Just buy a jar of it. We added a small amount of creamed honey to regular honey. This set the size of the crystal we wanted to a very small size. The next step was keeping the inoculated honey in a very cool, controlled temperature environment while the crystals formed. It took about a month, I believe, and we kept the honey in a small hotel-sized refrigerator that we have, with the temperature turned up. It was a lot of work for the two jars we made, but the experiment was successful!

Honey Crystallizing Part 1

Properly processed honey almost never goes bad. However, honey can change to a different consistency, a process called 'crystalization'. The point at which honey will crystallize depends on what nectar the bees were collecting when they were making a particular honey, and the age of the honey. Tupelo honey may never crystallize, while honey made from cotton blossoms will crystallize very quickly.

Crystallized honey is very thick and granular, but it is not spoiled. Archaeologists have found it in Egyptian tombs...still perfectly edible! Most people do not care to eat crystallized honey, though. Thankfully, it is easy to reverse the process, and turn the crystals back into the nice, thick syrup it was when the honey bees packed it into the comb. Simply place the jar of honey in hot...but nowhere near boiling...water. The crystals revert back to their liquid form. How long it takes depends in how large of a container you have, how severe the crystallization, and how hot the water is. The reconstituted honey should stay in syrup form for quite a while...when the honey cools the crystals will not immediately reform. However, make sure all the crystals are gone before removing the honey from the heat. Any crystals that are left become 'seeds' of a sort, and recrystallization will happen rapidly. Which is what my next post will be about!

Chicken Recall...The Good Kind!

I was at a barn sale today, and I heard an older gentleman telling someone else how he can always get his free range chickens to come to him. He said he goes outside with some treat in his closed fist...cracked corn, birdseed, whatever. He crouches down and holds out his closed fist toward his chickens. When they show interest, he slowly opens his hand and lets them eat from his hand. He has done this for a while, and now the chickens will come to him whenever they see him making a fist. I was thinking this could come in handy at times if you need to catch your chickens!

Green Deane and Euell Gibbons

Ok...one of my pastimes and fascinations is with the wild edible foods around us! Tons of food go to waste around us every year because we do not recognize it as food! I have learned a lot, but have a lot more to learn.

'Stalking the Wild Asparagus' by Euell Gibbons is what piqued my interest years ago. My future mother-in-law had the book at her house, and I could not keep my nose out of that book! One day, she finally gave it to me, and I have enjoyed it ever since. It is a great book for introducing a person to the joys of foraging for wild foods.

Another great resource for wild food info is 'Green Deane'. He is a man who has a great web site called eattheweeds.com and has a lot of knowledge when it comes to finding and preparing wild foods for your plate! I just learned about him, but have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time watching his videos and gleaning info! He also has a newsletter that you can sign up for...how to do that is on his website.

Goats and Sheep and Peanuts in the Shell

It does not happen often, but sometimes we are called on to give our sheep and goats medicine in pill form. You can use a balling gun to get the pill down their throat, and it will be a fight. However, do not EVER put you hand in the back of a sheep or goat's mouth, even a young one. Their molars can slice your hand and fingers up badly...they are very sharp, and their jaw muscles are very strong!

There is an easier way, as long as it is ok if the animal chews up the pill! One of my goats was on pills for a while, and was very good at detecting them and spitting them out when we tried to give them to her in breads, jam, what have you. I am very grateful to my house sitter who came up with an ingenious way to sneak the pills past the goat!

We have always given raw peanuts in the shell to our goats for treats, and they adore them. My house sitter came up with the idea to break open the peanut shell, fill the halves with peanut butter, press the pill into the peanut butter-filled shell, and then press the peanut shell halves back together. It looked normal, stayed together, and tasted wonderfully. Well...at least the goat thought so! It was no longer a fight to medicate the goat...which was a relief to all of us.

How to Attract a Bear

In keeping with yesterday’s theme of attracting animals, I will pass on this tidbit that my father passed on to me. This is for those folks who want to attract a bear, which is definitely something I have never really had a need to do! It’s a simple process…get an old can and some honey. Light a small fire under the can…maybe put it up on some rocks…and then burn the honey. Any bear in the vicinity that is hungry or curious will come to check out the source of the smell. I think before you do this you should make sure that you really do want to attract a bear, and are prepared for one to show up. When I was up in northern Maine, my neighbor was hunting bear, and my father told him to burn some honey. When my neighbor tried it… he shot a young male bear. I remember that he had the bear laying on his garage floor, and our young lab/German shorthair cross did NOT want to go into the garage. She had never smelled a bear before, but she knew the smell meant ’danger’. After much coaxing, she finally entered the garage and gave the carcass a cautious sniff. It was neat to watch her…I wondered how she knew to be so careful.

Attracting Deer

Ok...I am remembering a couple random thoughts right now about two things that will attract deer, so I will share them with you!

When we bought our property, most of it was thick, impenetrable woods. We hired a local guy to come with his bulldozer to make a small field for us, so we could eventually have some pasture for our livestock. My husband told a man he worked with what we were planning, and the man said that the deer would be coming up to investigate. When my husband asked the man why he thought that, he replied that deer are always attracted to the smell of freshly turned dirt. Well, we had never seen deer around, but sure enough, the morning after the work was done...there were deer tracks in the dirt!

Another man we know said that he went hunting with a man who brought a white handkerchief. They would sit at the side of the field, and the man would flick his handkerchief to attract a buck. The highly visible white cloth mimicked a white deer tail flagging back and forth...specifically, a doe in heat. This would get the attention of a buck, who would come to investigate. This was the theory, anyway. I suspect it probably has some merit, as most hunters have better things to do than wave handkerchiefs in the air for no good reason!

Cooking Squash Seeds

So...I just wrote about an easier way to cook winter squashes, and didn't mention one of the best parts! Remember how I talked about scooping out the seeds and stringy stuff? Don't throw that away! The seeds are wonderful sauteed in a little butter with a little salt. Just separate the seeds from the stringy stuff, then melt about a teaspoon of butter in a pan until it froths, dump in the squash seeds, and cook over fairly high heat, stirring frequently. When at least 1/3 of the seeds have a browned side, they are about done. Some folks like the seeds cooked to a crisp, and that is a personal preference...just don't burn them! Sprinkle with salt to taste, then serve hot or cool. Its a nice snack to munch on while you and your family are waiting for the squash and the rest of your dinner to finish cooking!

As for the stringy stuff...the goats and chickens love it!

Whipworms in Dogs

One of my dogs was a rescue found running loose in a small city with no identification, and no one claimed her when she was advertised. The vet clinic who sponsored her found that she had whipworms, and she was treated with fenbendazole for them before I adopted her. Months later, she developed bad gas and diarrhea, so I treated her again with fenbendazole. I also did some research on whipworms, and this is what I found.

Whipworm eggs do not necessarily show up in a fecal.

Whipworms take over 70 days to reach maturity.

Once your ground/yard has been contaminated...whipworm eggs will persist for years, potentially infecting any dog who goes in that area.

Whipworms almost never infect humans.

Many common wormers do not kill whipworms, and because of their long maturation time, it is easy to forget the follow-up treatment. For any dog who has either been infected, or has a suspected whipworm infestation, it is best to incorporate the treatment in their monthly heart worm preventative. Interceptor is good, and Sentinel is also effective. However, Heartguard and Heartguard Plus do not kill whipworms. There is one other monthly alternative that I know of, but that is a topic for another post!!

Flea Stoppers

I have lived in the south, and I have lived up north...and no matter where I have lived, fleas seem to thrive! One day, I was introduced to a product called 'Flea Stoppers', and that product has been a big help in our war on fleas!

Flea Stoppers is a white powder that is non-toxic...so much so, that the representative who first brought it to my vet clinic actually ATE a spoonful of the stuff! To use the product, vacuum the effected room very well. Then liberally sprinkle Flea Stoppers powder over the surface of carpeting, furniture, etc...anything cloth that can't just be washed. Then, take a broom and sweep the surface, trying to work the dry powder into the carpet and fabric as much as possible. Make sure the powder is applied to cracks and crevices on the furniture for full coverage. Then...wait 3 or 4 days before vacuuming. That is all there is to it!

The powder dehydrates and kills any flea larvae hanging out in the fabric, and slowly kills any adult fleas hanging out in the fabric. Because of this, immediate results are not to be expected...but, results are still very good. We were very happy with the drastic flea reduction we saw, and we did not apply Flea Stoppers for FIVE years after that! I believe the company recommends applying it every year, but we didn't need to because of the great results. Now...some folks also use Borax laundry booster the same way as Flea Stoppers, and they say it works the same way at a much lower cost. Having never tried using Borax for flea control, I don't personally know how well it works. However...I believe if your budget is limited, it won't hurt to try it!

Cooking Winter Squash

Most of you may already know about this, so this post is to the people who haven't heard yet!

I grew up and spent the first few years of my married life peeling and hacking winter squashes into chunks, boiling them and then mashing them into a wonderful side dish. A lot of work, slightly dangerous with using a knife on the tougher skinned ones, and then having to deal with the orangy starch that dried weird on my hands and was a bugger to wash off. While meal planning, I had to decide if I was up for the task of wrestling the winter squash into submission, and the following icky hands. No more!!!

I am not sure where I first heard it or saw it...but I am quite grateful for the information for a different...and much easier...way of cooking winter squash! Wash the squash, cut it in half, and then scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff. Place squash cut-side down on a baking pan...I prefer glass. Add water until the pan has about 1/2 inch in the bottom, then poke a few small holes in the squash skin. Bake at 350 until tender. To serve, flip the squash skin-side down, add butter, and put it on the table. So easy!

Now for large pumpkins and Blue Hubbard...there ain't no way those puppys are going to be simply cut in half and baked. They will resist you, to say the least! So for these guys...they get dropped into submission. Literally. Choose a hard and clean floor surface and drop them until you have large pieces, scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff, and then proceed to bake them as described in the previous paragraph. It is ok to stack creatively...just make sure there is room for air to circulate around the pieces, and they have access to the water in the pan to keep them from drying out!

Cleaning Sheep Shearing Blades

When my sheep shearing blades get dull, I send them off to get resharpened. I have always been pleased with the results, and the cost is considerably less than buying new blades! However, they always tack an extra charge on the bill for dirty or rusty blades. I have never had this charge, because when I am done shearing my sheep, I clean the blades.

The easiest and most effective way of cleaning the blades and the shears ( that I know of, anyway!) is to use an air compressor with a high pressure nozzle and blow all the wool, dirt, and excessive grease right off. It gets all the nooks and crannies blasted clean in seconds. Simple, effective, quick...I LOVE solutions like that!!!!

Buying and Storing Potatoes

I guess most of us know that potatoes must be stored in darkness, or they will begin to sprout. Also, if they are exposed to sunlight for any length of time, then the exposed part will turn green and bitter.

I was told by an acquaintance of mine a while ago that a good place to store potatoes is in a cardboard box. It kind of breathes, and keeps the light out. A lot of us don't have access to a root cellar, or at least not where I live. Someday I may make one...I don't know yet. For now, I have my cardboard box. If that isn't available, I try to put them in a brown paper bag and close the top. Definitely is best to to remove the potatoes from the plastic bag first, or they are more likely to have water condense on the inside of the plastic and rot.

My friend also told me that when buying potatoes from a store, remember that fluorescent lights mimic sunlight enough to turn potato skins green, if the potatoes are stored in a clear plastic bag. Since most potatoes I buy are indeed in clear plastic bags, and most stores use fluorescent lighting, I think it is best to select a bag of potatoes that is one layer under the top layer, especially if you like to eat your potato skins!

Be Careful Watching Friend's Animals! :)

Years ago when I was a young child, my family went on a trip. I can't remember why or where we went, but I do remember that George and Joan were the friends who agreed to take care of all of my family's animals. We had a couple beef steers, a pen of hogs, some poultry, dogs, and cats. And, a couple hamsters. When we got back from the trip, Joan and George informed my parents that there had been some trouble with the animals.

"Was it the steers? Sometimes they get out..."

"Nope...it wasn't the steers."

"Was it the hogs? They get loose sometimes, too."

"Nope...the hogs were fine."

"Well...was it the poultry, dogs, or cats? What happened??"

"Nope, Nope, and Nope! We had problems with your hamsters! They got out, and George and I had a hard time catching the little buggers! It took us forever!"

Good friends...they take care of things.

Learning to Treadle the Spinning Wheel

The treadle is the foot pedal that, when pushed, causes the spinning wheel to spin. It is a very simple process, but it is best practiced BEFORE trying to learn to spin on a spinning wheel.

Anyone can push on a treadle and by really pumping...get that wheel humming. It serves no purpose, though...no one can spin that fast, and that sort of action may break something.

I am not sure how many children have broken my wheel by stepping very hard on the treadle. Its an easy enough fix... just the reattachment of a small leather piece, though it is a bit of a nuisance. That is the main reason I carry a screwdriver with me when I do spinning demos...sometimes when I turn my back, a child comes up and stomps my treadle, which breaks the leather at the connecting screw. On my Traditional Ashford wheel, this piece was originally a round piece of flexible, clear plastic. Over the years, the plastic deteriorated and finally broke That is when I replaced it with a small piece of leather, and I have been very happy with this very effective, inexpensive fix!

So...pushing the treadle. Make sure there is nothing fiber-wise on the wheel before you begin to push on the pedal. Not fast, not hard...just slow and easy gets the job done nicely. You want to treadle just fast enough to keep the wheel from stopping, and keep the pace consistent...without even thinking about it. It takes a little practice, but when you sit down to spin, you will be thankful that you won't have to think about the treadle part of the process, as you will have your hands full...literally!

Allergies on the Homestead

When I was a child I was impervious to allergies, with the exception of poison ivy. Later in my teen years, I developed an allergy to penicillin products. This was a nuisance, but was workable in the rare occasion that I needed to go on antibiotics. When I hit my 30's, I began noticing that my spring cold seem to come and go with certain pollen explosions. Uh-oh. The unhappy reality hit...I had allergies. Still, for a time they were tolerable, and only bothered me when the pollen count was high. But then, they started bothering me whenever I was around hay. Or cats. Or dogs. Or goats. In order to stop from scratching my eyes out and blowing my nose off, I turned to Allegra. (It actually came about a little differently than that, but that will be a topic for a post soon to come!) The Allegra worked wonderfully for a time...no more pain, running nose, or itchy, bloodshot eyes. After a year or so...even on the Allegra, I had a five minute time frame of being around hay before my nose and eyes would begin to protest! This was and is no way to live on a small farm!!!

Did you notice a pattern? I finally did. My allergies are getting consistently WORSE! I finally decided that I wasn't going to wait to find out just how bad 'worse' can get. I opened the phone book a couple weeks ago and called a local allergy doctor for an appointment to begin the allergy shot regimen. My appointment is in a few weeks, and I will post how it goes, and any significant development as time goes on. I have heard a lot of good results from folks who have undergone allergy shots, and I am hoping that I will eventually have my own success story to tell!

Jerusalem Artichokes in Fall

I really like my Jerusalem artichokes for several reasons. By this time of year these sunflower relatives have gotten quite tall, and are blooming. Their flowers look very similar to Black-Eyed Susans, but the Jerusalem artichoke blooms have a distinct chocolate-y fragrance. Unfortunately, they have no flavor of chocolate to them...and yes, I did try a nibble just to make sure! What if, you know...? :)

Through the summer, I tried to keep the edges trimmed, feeding them to the goats who relish the clippings. The stalks send out new spouts when they are clipped, right below the cut mark. I should have done more clipping, because with high wind or heavy rains, the tall stalks fall over. We have had the wind and rain, and now the stalks have fallen and made a mess in my garden as they block paths. So...the goats have gotten a considerable amount of clippings these past few days! The tubers should be just fine under the ground for me to dig as I please when it gets cooler. Falling, blooming, Jerusalem Artichoke stalks...another reminder that the seasons are changing.

First Thoughts on Learning to Use a Spinning Wheel

I am no expert when it comes to using a spinning wheel, but I can make a decent yarn, beginning from the sheep (or whichever animal!) all the way to a knitted pot holder. There is still a lot for me to learn, but if you are thinking of learning to use a spinning wheel, please listen to these first simple tips.

#1 Learn to finger spin first, even if you only do a little bit. By finger spinning, I mean getting some kind of brushed or carded fiber, grasping a small pinch and pulling it out about an inch but is still attached to the larger piece of fiber... just sort of making a little triangular poof...then rolling it in one direction between your thumb and pointer until it forms a tiny bit of yarn. Then, gently pull on your new little piece of yarn to tease out a little more of the brushed/carded fiber, and twist your little piece of yarn in the same direction as before to make the yarn a little longer. That is spinning...that is all there is to it. But...with a spinning wheel, it goes a lot faster, and it helps to understand the mechanics of spinning before jumping on the wheel.

#2 Do not purchase an antique spinning wheel. Usually, these are wobbly and temperamental, and a nightmare to try to learn on. Only if you know an experienced spinner who can try it for you to see how it spins should a beginner buy an antique spinning wheel to use! My favorite wheel so far is the traditional wheel by Ashford. You can check local spinning guilds and Craigslist to find new or gently used wheels.

#3 Learn the parts of a spinning wheel, what things are called and what they do. It makes asking questions a lot easier, and helps you to understand the answers! Also, if assembly is necessary, knowing the names of the pieces will help you to know how things are put together. And...spinning wheel parts have some GREAT names!!

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

No magic to them, but Mr. Clean Magic Erasers clean amazingly well! I think their texture allows them to grab onto dirt, grease and grime infinitely better than a regular sponge. They are not abrasive and do not leave scratches on surfaces. I use them for cleaning stubborn stains on my counter, finger prints on doors and walls, sneakers, car and truck dashboards, sinks, etc...they perform unexpectedly well.

I never bother getting the regular ones...I always get the 'extra power' ones. They are more dense and can hold up better to my cleaning needs. I tend to be brutal with them!

They must be moistened before use, but do not need any soap added. Every now and then if I am cleaning something greasy, I may add a drop or two of dish soap to my bucket, but that is all...and I am not even sure if that is really necessary. Sometimes old habits die hard, and I almost expect to find Mr. Clean standing over my shoulder with a frown and an eye roll when I do add the soap!

I have seen that some stores now have imitation versions of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but I have not tried them and can't tell you if they are comparable in performance. I do know that my Sunday paper usually has coupons for the originals, and many times inside the empty box there is another coupon as well.

I will not often endorse a commercial product, but the first time I used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, I was VERY impressed. This is one product that really can help around the homestead in the cleaning department!

Aphids

Aphids are messy and very prolific. They come in different bright colors, and can really damage a plant's health. The form large clusters on the underside of leaves and tender stems, sucking out the plant juice. I have watched bright orange aphids at my mother-in-law's house giving birth to tiny bright orange clones of themselves. Fascinating, but each one was still worthy of being squished!

I found an aphid infestation on one of my pepper plants a few days ago. I wasn't really looking for them, and it was the presence of another insect species that tipped me off about their presence...ants. Ants by the dozens were busily ascending and descending my pepper plant...a pretty good sign of aphids. The ants are not after the aphids themselves, but rather the sweet honey-dew liquid that aphids secrete. They love the stuff!

To get rid of them, I got my spray bottle of soapy water and let them have it. Actually...I asked my husband to do it, because I was busy pulling more hornworms off the other pepper plant...five of them!!! Why are the insects nailing my poor pepper plants all of a sudden??? Anyway...today I looked, and I believe the soapy water did the trick. Now my pepper plants can live in peace!

Have a New Tarp on Hand

In my experience, it is always wise to have a new tarp on hand. You never know when a window is going to break, a limb is going to land on a shed, or a roof is going to spring a leak. You may be in the middle of an outside project that can't get wet and unexpected storm clouds are quickly gathering! Whatever the reason, a new tarp in an easily accessible location will be appreciated, and much preferred to scrambling for a used tarp that is covered with dirt and has a few really annoying tears in the material, or finding that mice or insects have taken up residence in its folds.

When I say 'tarp', I mean any water proof material that you can cover something with and keep it dry. It can be a regular blue woven tarp, a canvas tarp, silage plastic, or my favorite...a clear, 6 mm, 10' by 25' piece of plastic sheeting. These are sold in the painting section of hardware or large department stores. They are economical and lightweight, and handy as all get out for many uses beyond emergency water-proofing. Economy tarps are limited due to their tendency to deteriorate rather quickly with rough use, weather changes, and sun exposure. They do not solve any problem permanently, but weren't meant for that purpose. They generally are a band-aid until a better solution to a problem is able to be implemented.

On a homestead, we must try to be as pro-active as possible in being prepared for the unexpected. Having a new, decent-sized tarp available is one of the things that can make a big difference on a day when an unexpected need arises!

A Homestead Woman's Tool Box

One gift I have given several times at wedding showers is a tool box with tools...for the bride. I usually get weird looks, but I don't care. She will find out eventually that she actually did want and need them. There are several good reasons for this!

#1 Location. When a wife needs a tool which she doesn't own, she will have to enter another world to find it....a man's tool domain. This need will arise on a homestead, as there are only so many things she can fix with a butter knife! This tool domain is her husband's tool shed, shop, garage, etc.To enter the husband's tool domain is a puzzling and slightly hazardous undertaking. It is a man's world, and his logic applies. They put stuff away differently, and can be somewhat possessive about their toys...I mean tools. If a wife finds the desired tool, it must be put back where it was when she is done, no matter how illogical its location. If she moves anything, she will probably be blamed for every lost tool for the next fifteen years! By then, usually the blame shifts to the nearest male teen.

#2 Guy's tools are, many times, greasy or dirty. Wives spend enough time trying to keep the dirt and grime out of a house without hauling in more. If a wife uses a tool from her husband's domain, she must accept that she may be wiping up grease marks for days...on her hands, walls, and clothes. Unfortunately, the converse rule also applies...don't get his tools dirty, muddy, plaster-y, etc. He will notice!

#3 Don't lose, break, bend, scratch, or mar his tools. Oddly enough...he may not mind. This is because he will feel justified getting a new one...a finer, more expensive model. And rarely do tools get purchased one at a time...they like company and accessories. They are kind of like herd animals.

So! Homestead wives! You need a tool box of your very one! A plastic, small to medium size for the box itself, with a tool tray. It needs to be sturdy but light weight...because tools are heavy. It must contain: a hammer, slot and phillips screwdrivers, lineman's pliers, tape measure, an old tooth brush, sturdy string, wire, poultry staples, various screws and nails. The contents will vary somewhat, and that is ok...but have no less than this! Keep the tool box in the house out of sight unless you are using it outside. Guard your tool box, kindly but firmly, or its contents will slowly migrate to your husband's tool domain. Think long and hard before letting a child use anything in your tool box! If they are wanting your tools, chances are they are are old enough to own their own tools and in fact they probably already do! However...they have misplaced them.

A woman's tool box helps keep a homestead together...at peace and in one piece!

One and Three Year Rabies Vaccines

Its no secret that while vaccines have helped mankind, they also highly illustrate the fact that companies who manufacture them are not very forthcoming about facts that should be common knowledge to those of us who use their products.

Simply stated...one-year and three-year rabies vaccinations are the same thing, just in a different package. If you don't believe me, call your vet. If they don't know...and they may not...then ask for the telephone number of the company that produces the vaccine. Call them and ask to talk to their customer service representative, and they will tell you...but only if you ask! They do not volunteer this info, which is why it is not common knowledge.

Typically, a dog needs one initial rabies shot, and a year later, they need a booster. In most states, this booster can be a three year, and after that, your dog will only legally need a three year booster every three years. I say legally, because you are bound by what the label on the vet's vaccine says. If they used a vaccine that was labelled as 'one year'...then the following year, you will legally need another booster even though your dog is physically covered by that vaccine for two more years.

There is no sense in vaccinating a dog more often than needed. It is actually harmful, but I will write of that more another time. As far as cost, my vet charges three times as much for the three year rabies vaccine than she does the one year. I am not sure if this is because the manufacturer charges her more, or she is trying to recoup her losses because I won't be back for another rabies vaccine for three years. Its ok either way...my dog is protected from rabies, and from being needlessly over-vaccinated! I will also say now...keep your rabies certificate in a safe place, in case you ever need to prove that your dog is indeed up-to-date on their rabies vaccine!! After one year, the imprinted date on the little aluminum rabies tag the vet gives you will make it look like your dog is not current for the vaccine.

Tomato Hornworm on My Pepper Plant!

Beastly thing!!! We are about to get some rain, so I decided to go check my garden to see what could be picked before the storm hits. I looked at my pepper plants, and one had all the new growth eaten off, and three peppers with rather large holes. At first I was puzzled, then I knew EXACTLY who to go looking for to answer for this destruction. I didn't have far to look to find the culprit...a long fat hornworm! It had just eaten its last bite of my pepper plant. It was the last bite because I immediately pulled the caterpillar, squirming and protesting, off the plant and carried it to the chicken coop. The residents were quite appreciative of this pepper-flavored addition to their diet!

I was raised calling these caterpillars 'tomato hornworms' because that seems to be their plant of choice, but I have found them on potato plants and peppers, happily munching away. I have no doubt they will eat eggplant as well, and any plant in the nightshade family, wild or domestic. This includes tobacco. Really, it doesn't matter what plant I find them munching on...if I see them, their moments are numbered only by how fast I can either squish them or transport them to the nearest chicken or turkey!

Using Dish Soap to Detect Mastitis

I want to preface this by saying...I don't understand the mechanics behind why this works, only that for me, it has worked unfailingly!

If you have a lactating animal on your property that you suspect may have mastitis, there is a very easy and inexpensive test you can do that can give you immediate results. All you need is a small container, and a couple drops of hand dish soap. In my experience, any will do...Dawn, Joy, Palmolive, etc. Wash udder as normal. Milk out the first two or three squirts of milk from the suspect mammary gland and discard that milk. Then, from the same teat, milk two or three squirts into a small clean container. Add two or three drops of hand dish washing soap to the milk, and gently mix them by swirling them together. If mastitis is present, the milk will thicken noticeably and immediately. The more severe the infection, the thicker the milk gets...almost to a gel. If there is no change, there is no infection. Its that simple. I have found this test to be as effective than the California Mastitis test. It is best to test all the mammary glands on a suspected mastitis case...for cows, test all four quarters, and for sheep, goats, etc...test both sides.

I would like to add three things.

#1 Someone told me a long time ago that it depends what bacteria is causing the infection as to whether the soap test will work. I have had it work for infections that I know were caused by different bacteria. Just my experience here.

#2 I have personal experience with the soap test working with mastitis infections on cows, goats, and humans. I have no reason to believe it would not work for all mammals, if you can get enough milk!

#3 The soap test is not a treatment, just a diagnostic tool. If the test comes up positive, the creature that provided the milk sample must be treated to clear up the infection...it is miserable! Soreness, fever, whopping headache...and yes, I am speaking from experience!

Fruit Decoys in the Strawberry Patch!

As with tomatoes, there are other eyes besides mine who are watching for ripening strawberries in my strawberry patch. When red appears, they go and eat it, leaving me with half-pecked berries...very frustrating! So...I read a little trick to try. It involves rocks and red paint! Now I still don't want to hurt the birds, but I do want to severely discourage them. My daughter and I chose about 20 strawberry-sized rocks and painted them bright red. It took a couple sessions to paint all the sides of the rocks, but when they were done they looked pretty good! I shared about half of them with a friend, who also had been having birds pecking her strawberries. The rocks were to be placed around the strawberry plants to look like ripening strawberries. The theory is that the birds will see the red color and think its a strawberry, come check and find its only a rock. After a few disappointments, they leave your strawberry patch alone, and the real strawberries can ripen in peace.Now, I heard that the best time to put them out was as the strawberries turn white...which is right before they turn red. If the red rocks are put out too much in advance, then the birds get used to them and will notice when the real berries turn red. The results this year were pretty good!